Does the rise of McDonald spell the end for Rivers?

[daisycutter 29,303]

Ok so Rangey Deeluded

Go get a room together LOL

[Hannibal 5,814]

Dee-luded (post 15)! B)

Now you must be worried.

[Sir Why You Little 36,602]

Rivers is a definate keep for me.

He is a leader and has versatility. He aint the best, but he give 100% & we will need that next year.

Edited August 15, 2012 by why you little

[Disco Demons 92]

Frawley, Garland and McDonald should be our first choice three talls down back from here on in.

Rivers has been serviceable but I think he's about to be superceded.

For his own good I'd let him go or Casey beckons.

I have thought rivers was a problem but i no longer think that. He's a quality asset to the club and team.

take away Rivers and you lose experience.

Rivers is not the problem. our defence is lacking quality foot disposal.

Frawley, Garland and McDonald aren't elite kicks of the ball. They do a lot of the other stuff great though.

Strauss was basically rushed back into the side because of his 'elite kicking skills'.

All year teams have isolated Grimes and our kicking out of defence as a weak spot.

Add on top our poor running midfielders...who cannot spread...you've got a complete disaster and the third worse team in the comp.

Dees need to keep the experience of rivers. inject some midfield speed and quality kickers defence.

Watts has been a great coming out of defence because of his foot skills and ability to read play.

By doing these things we can start to 'hurt teams' on the rebound.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

The fact that he would move to the VL next year makes we wonder why we aren't signing him up, yes it is the cost of a rookie spot and they are important but considering Lawrence has gone, and Evans and Nicholson will go up or go, there will be at least two RL spots available even if Rivers is on the VL.

It makes we think that Rivers is testing the waters of FA and he has every right to.

Would like to think he will stay, as I would like to think he is required for a couple more years.

If its true that the Club has suspended contract negotiations with Rivers until October its not a good sign. Why the delay in negotiating? Rivers is FA and I reckon if given a 2yr deal he may well walk. I think I'd like to keep him but IMO he aint the general in the backline. I think his lack of mobility may be working against him.

[Little Richard 6,213]

We have a 7-man leadership group chosen by Neeld to carry out those duties. Rivers isn't in it.

Re Sellar, I would offer him another one-year deal. Different type of player needed for a different type of role.

Sure the leadership group is good for leadership (as long as the good leaders have been properly identified).

However, you didn't address the issue of experience, which is what we sorely need. Rivers has this, and so is required IMO.

[Range Rover 1,935]

If its true that the Club has suspended contract negotiations with Rivers until October its not a good sign. Why the delay in negotiating? Rivers is FA and I reckon if given a 2yr deal he may well walk. I think I'd like to keep him but IMO he aint the general in the backline. I think his lack of mobility may be working against him.

Rhino's on board ... this movement is gathering steam!

[rpfc 28,046]

If its true that the Club has suspended contract negotiations with Rivers until October its not a good sign. Why the delay in negotiating?

You're assuming that Rivers hasn't delayed it himself; that article that we are indirectly referring to may be just lazy about the circumstances.

[rpfc 28,046]

Rhino's on board ... this movement is gathering steam!

Not everything is as black and white as you make out, RR.

There is truth in nuance.

[DemonWA 3,884]

Rivers is a keeper in my book

Neeld keeps rabbiting on about how important games experience is so we cant get rid of another bloke with 100+ games up his sleeve! Neeld will be using the number of games experience get out of jail card for year to come at this rate!

[Gippsland Dee 367]

I certainly hope not!!! he is a key piece in our backline, very reliable player and as said above, calm under pressure. he can also swing forward and fill a role up there too, and yes he hasn't kicked many goals against top sides, but he can still do his bit up there for the team. i say keep him as it will create competition for all the spots in the backline and will make our players push themselves to play for us and in doing so develop them more! he has great experience and we need to keep all the experience that we can so we don't just have young kids running out there on their own each week!

[dtrinh 71]

Rivers would be a great player to hold onto, once our team can string together some consistent football he is the ideal chop out guy in defence... similar to nick maxwell and in the past tom harley? Reads the ball well coming into defence and is a great 3rd up tall in relation to spoiling and taking marks in defence. Would be a sad day if he gets delisted or traded

[Range Rover 1,935]

Not everything is as black and white as you make out, RR.

There is truth in nuance.

I was being a bit facetious Rp. I can see I am outgunned on this one.

[The Reverend 1,736]

Rhino's on board ... this movement is gathering steam!

Are you starting a movement? I thought this was a discussion. For what it's worth, I'd be giving Rivers another couple of years. He's earned it and still has a bit to give. There are others that could/should go before him.

[Guest]

Frawley, Garland and McDonald should be our first choice three talls down back from here on in.

Rivers has been serviceable but I think he's about to be superceded.

For his own good I'd let him go or Casey beckons.

If we have learnt anything from the Junior McDonald debacle it is don't let go of senior players who can help with the next generation coming through. Those who learn nothing from the past are doomed to repeat it.

[Longsufferingnomore 1,609]

Rivers has had a really serviceable year. He could have done a Moloney and not get with the programme but instead he has played forward and back and played well in both positions. He has a presence that cannot be ignored and to ask Frawley to carry the load is just too much. The question is with all our forwards playing who gets the job Garland or Rivers. Give him another year.

[Adam The God 29,327]

I'll put my hand up as saying I don't think depth or competition for positions are very important. I'll also say that those things are independent of Rivers; I believe he's still best 22. Rivers hasn't exactly missed much footy on the back of McDonald being in the side this year, so I don't see why next year would be any different.

What if we were to pick up a key forward in the trade period? That may well signal the end for Rivers, but not as a result of McDonald.

I think it's a fair enough OP, to be honest. I'd give Rivers one year deals from here on out. He's probably got one or two left in him though.

[DEE fence 4,923]

I've never been a Rivers fan, Monocc. Lacks pace and athleticism.

I'd prefer us to recruit and/or develop young players with these qualities than get the same old same old from Rivers year after year.

I just wonder whether he's going to be content to play games at Casey when he might get better opportunities elsewhere.

Super double Nah - Sorry but not convinced on the logic of this at all.

Yes lacks pace, more than compensates with footy smarts and courage - while not a Fletcher or Scarlett has that same sort of drive to win at any cost, and flies the flag for the team (remember the Essendon game this year and his ripped jumper).

And because he has never relied on pace as his weapon he doesn't fall off the perch so quick, he will always be a smart footballer, so worth keeping a few more seasons. I like that we've had a good back line its not the thing that needs fixing (except for kick-ins, someone for that role would make me happy as I have heart attacks nearly everytime I watch vision)

Edited August 15, 2012 by ingeniokinetic

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Rivers has to be signed up. T Mac and chippa take the big forwards and they are our accountable back men while rivers and watts are the quarterback type back men. We need rivers to not play on the big boys remember against the pies before t Mac came along rivers would have to play one on one with cloke or Dawes and he would get out bodied. You take away rivers and this leaves watts to do the lone job and the opposition would then just tag him out of the game like they used to with davey off half back the pies have shaw maxwell and Obrien playing down back and they stink at a one on one contest but they rebound the footy a lot. Rivers is a must sign player.

[beelzebub 23,196]

Heres somethng for some to ponder.. Rivers oughtnt be top 22 if we are to be successful. His year has been OK..., nothing miraculous, nothing stellar, just ploddingly OK. If we are to be anything we have to move on beyond the likes of Jared still being considered.

Its not meant as a slight to Rivers, he does try. Its condemnation of where our list still lays. It needs radical additions. Bring on EOS

[John Crow Batty 8,765]

Its not meant as a slight to Rivers, he does try. Its condemnation of where our list still lays. It needs radical additions. Bring on EOS

Not radical additions. Just putting back what has been taken away.

[beelzebub 23,196]

Not radical additions. Just putting back what has been taken away.

Given we havent been entirely gushing in success for 48 years i respectfully suggest it hasnt been there, let alone taken away !!

[John Crow Batty 8,765]

Given we havent been entirely gushing in success for 48 years i respectfully suggest it hasnt been there, let alone taken away !!

So you suggest we can buy fighting spirit? At least some of our weaker sides had that. Now a crack of the whip and a few bucks will solve that you say. How about finding our soul that's been misplaced some where? That will be a good start.

Edited August 15, 2012 by america de cali

[beelzebub 23,196]

So you suggest we can buy fighting spirit? At least some of weaker sides had that. Now a crack of the whip and a few bucks will solve that. How about finding our soul that's been misplaced some where? That will be a good start.

Thats entirely plausible....buying it.

The defence profers evidence 101a....The individual known as Clark !!

In his 11 games to date he exhibited daredo than many. Hes here 5 mins and he takes on the mantel of "dont [censored] with the jumper".

So strangely yes, it seems you can buy a fighting spirit, or rather you can buy those that have it.

edit:

random observation...how odd he played 11 games this year !!

Edited August 15, 2012 by belzebub59

[John Crow Batty 8,765]

Thats entirely plausible....buying it.

The defence profers evidence 101a....The individual known as Clark !!

In his 11 games to date he exhibited daredo than many. Hes here 5 mins and he takes on the mantel of "dont [censored] with the jumper".

So strangely yes, it seems you can buy a fighting spirit, or rather you can buy those that have it.

edit:

random observation...how odd he played 11 games this year !!

Funny that. Clark=Peter Moore. One Or two high price big name does not make a cohesive team. Where are all the grunts that make a great side?