Nathan Freeman

[BAMF 4,107]

If we don't get Freeman, we might get crouch, then go for his brother from Adelaide.

Hopefully zac jones is available for us to pick, then we can go after Dylan grimes.

I am a big believer in brothers playing together. It gives the whole playing group more cohesion and emotion.

When in doubt, go the bro!

We are not in doubt.

[Young Dee 1,303]

Freeman has already shown an appetite for taking games on. Sylvia never did , Beamer did but didnt have the skillset HiHo did

Combine the two....hmmmm

I thought Sylvia took the game on.

[Deestroy All 14,262]

I thought Sylvia took the game on.

Freo will be licking their lips... when they play Gdubbya...

[Slartibartfast 16,876]

I thought Sylvia took the game on.

You'll find that the groupthink of DL will dictate that players that leave are no good and players that come are stars.

For example nobody is lamenting the loss of Rivers and Moloney last year whilst the same people were wetting themselves at the arrival of Pedersen and Rodan.

The truth is Moloney would still be our best midfielder and Rivers is still a clear best 22 player although his injury situation is unclear.

Having said that having competent people running the show helps and the optimism this year is well placed IMO. But perhaps I'm getting sucked in by the groupthink as well!

Edited October 20, 2013 by Baghdad Bob

[Bitter but optimistic 22,064]

Sylvia certainly could do the business. Unfortunately he only did it about twice a season.

[olisik 4,060]

How is freeman defensivly? We need a kid who can run both ways.

[Young Dee 1,303]

You'll find that the groupthink of DL will dictate that players that leave are no good and players that come are stars.

For example nobody is lamenting the loss of Rivers and Moloney last year whilst the same people were wetting themselves at the arrival of Pedersen and Rodan.

The truth is Moloney would still be our best midfielder and Rivers is still a clear best 22 player although his injury situation is unclear.

Having said that having competent people running the show helps and the optimism this year is well placed IMO. But perhaps I'm getting sucked in by the groupthink as well!

Yes I was going to say that exact same thing.

Fact is he had the attributes of a very good player and I think was held back by a poor midfield.

I don't blame him for wanting to move and think he will be a good player for Freo. Very strong and had a beautiful kick.

He was never going to reach his best at Melbourne.

Edited October 20, 2013 by Young Dee

[rjay 24,583]

Freeman has already shown an appetite for taking games on. Sylvia never did , Beamer did but didnt have the skillset HiHo did

Combine the two....hmmmm

The point was not about taking the game on 'bb', just an observation that his weakness given by the mock draft guy is similar to these 2 guys. Haven't really taken a lot of notice of him in the games I've seen so can't make a critical evaluation plus or minus. I don't think many, if any of us have had a good look at him but the prevailing wisdom is that he's the one.

His write up looks good and if we pick him up I'm sure Roos and co will have good reason to. I'm pretty comfortable we will pick up a good player at 9, probably be out of Freeman, Lennon and Bontempelli.

[ThreeOneSix 954]

I get the feeling that Roos likes kids with the physical attributes, smarts and desire, and then backs his footy dept to make them the best footballer they can be.

Freeman has a competitive nature.

He hunts the footy.

He has a great body for it, not just his athleticism, but he has noticeably bigger ar$e, hips and thighs than the other kids - he'll get a lot of power out of them. The opposite of Scully.

No idea about what he's like intellectually, but I imagine he's got enough brains.

Decision-making, touch, running patterns, defensive positioning - all this can be taught.

Skills can be worked on.

The rest is intrinsic.

Yeah and I think that all bodes well for Freeman, he is physically built, has athleticism, sounds explosive and from all reports is a competitive animal, it does sound good.

He tested well and his form has to be there about, otherwise he simply wouldn't be spoken of so highly.

With so many X factor kids coming into the fray since the combine in Klod and Bomp, I think one thing Freeman has that appeals is that he is well built and has that X factor as well and that counts for a lot, because this is a pick we NEED to get right.

It will come down to who is there at 9, if Billings is there, he will be hard to overlook, but if the club do overlook him, then I trust their judgement, as Billings trained with us last year, so at least we'd have got a real good look at the kid.... I think young Viney and young Hogan's input would be valuable, they know these kids really well.

[Goodvibes 3,596]

I've been on the bandwagon for awhile. I can't see him lasting until 9. Really hope I'm wrong and if I am I really hope we pull the trigger.

[beelzebub 23,198]

I thought Sylvia took the game on.

cameos do not a game make

[Alcho Dee 269]

If we don't get Freeman, we might get crouch, then go for his brother from Adelaide.

Hopefully zac jones is available for us to pick, then we can go after Dylan grimes.

I am a big believer in brothers playing together. It gives the whole playing group more cohesion and emotion.

When in doubt, go the bro!

Sounds a bit extreme, but the Lovett bro's and McDonald's did ok.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Sounds a bit extreme, but the Lovett bro's and McDonald's did ok.

try again

[rpfc 28,047]

Sounds a bit extreme, but the Lovett bro's and McDonald's did ok.

Lol

Lovetts were not brothers. Febeys. Cockatoo-Collins. James and Anthony McD as you say.

We got the dud Gaspar brother that I watched as a 10 year old kick out from fullback, stub his toe, and broke his foot in a reserves game. The few thousand people early for the game would have made quite the face palm meme as we held our heads in unison.

Don't really care about drafting brothers tbh, I just like telling that story...

[Adam The God 29,335]

Yes I was going to say that exact same thing.

Fact is he had the attributes of a very good player and I think was held back by a poor midfield.

I don't blame him for wanting to move and think he will be a good player for Freo. Very strong and had a beautiful kick.

He was never going to reach his best at Melbourne.

Jones, Frawley and Garland weren't held back by the poor players around them. They have thrived. Sylvia never has and he played with some half decent midfielders at the beginning of his career.

[old55 22,778]

You'll find that the groupthink of DL will dictate that players that leave are no good and players that come are stars.

For example nobody is lamenting the loss of Rivers and Moloney last year whilst the same people were wetting themselves at the arrival of Pedersen and Rodan.

The truth is Moloney would still be our best midfielder and Rivers is still a clear best 22 player although his injury situation is unclear.

Having said that having competent people running the show helps and the optimism this year is well placed IMO. But perhaps I'm getting sucked in by the groupthink as well!

Come on Fan, give a little. Sylvia was an erratic footballer but curiously he played some of his most consistent footy under Neeld - I would have like to keep him but with Vince as a replacement it's neutral outcome. No-one was "wetting themselves" over Rodan and Pedersen but I'll be wetting myself when Clark and Dawes get fit. I haven't lost a minute of sleeping over Rivers and saying that Moloney is our best midfielder is like saying Dopey is the tallest dwarf. And as of this week Moloney would probably be 5th tallest dwarf - yeah it could be handy to have him but where Neeld alienated Moloney, he attracted Dawes. Everyone is glad Neeld has gone but the overall list management of that period is positive IMO.

[What 18,810]

I thought Sylvia took the game on.

both highlights are against a team of kids

Sums up Sylvia really

[spirit of norm smith 15,117]

bank on Freeman to di this "often"...he loves to run with the footy

[snomed 54]

I thought Sylvia took the game on.

Good work - you managed to find 100% of his highlights from the last few years

[dee-luded 2,959]

Come on Fan, give a little. Sylvia was an erratic footballer but curiously he played some of his most consistent footy under Neeld - I would have like to keep him but with Vince as a replacement it's neutral outcome. No-one was "wetting themselves" over Rodan and Pedersen but I'll be wetting myself when Clark and Dawes get fit. I haven't lost a minute of sleeping over Rivers and saying that Moloney is our best midfielder is like saying Dopey is the tallest dwarf. And as of this week Moloney would probably be 5th tallest dwarf - yeah it could be handy to have him but where Neeld alienated Moloney, he attracted Dawes. Everyone is glad Neeld has gone but the overall list management of that period is positive IMO.

some maybe just trying to avoid the fact that when they were close the the wheels centre, thew wheel didn't roll very true.

many supposedly quality spokes broke thru being fatigued & worn out by bad wheeling over changing ground, & riders who were off the path too often.

problems from all angles, only leads to failure of the goals.

[Slartibartfast 16,876]

Come on Fan, give a little. Sylvia was an erratic footballer but curiously he played some of his most consistent footy under Neeld - I would have like to keep him but with Vince as a replacement it's neutral outcome. No-one was "wetting themselves" over Rodan and Pedersen but I'll be wetting myself when Clark and Dawes get fit. I haven't lost a minute of sleeping over Rivers and saying that Moloney is our best midfielder is like saying Dopey is the tallest dwarf. And as of this week Moloney would probably be 5th tallest dwarf - yeah it could be handy to have him but where Neeld alienated Moloney, he attracted Dawes. Everyone is glad Neeld has gone but the overall list management of that period is positive IMO.

"Played his most consistent footy under Neeld" - the stats don't support this. Had more disposals and kicked more goals under Bailey in less (very slightly) games and IMO had less impact. http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/C/Colin_Sylvia.html

I can't be bothered looking at the Rodan and Pedersen "Welcome" threads from last year or the training reports but people were excited. You however are a good thinker and probably had it in perspective. I don't see you as "typical" Demonland.

Moloney got 19 Brownlow votes under Bailey in his last year and won our B&F. Finished at Casey under Neeld. You clearly weren't and perhaps didn't see him rip us a new one in Brisbane this year. Made every other MFC mid look dumb including his best mate Jones. Finished 8th in their B&F playing only 16 games and on a games played basis probably finished in their top 3. But of course group think thinking says he was no good. Thankfully we don't need mids.

Rivers - good enough to get into Geelongs finals defence. Why would we want him?

Look I think Neeld did some good list management things. Hogan, Dawes and Clark are all good gets. I'm glad he was given free rein to do what he wanted last year because the results he produced with the players he wanted were owned by him.

My point, however, was that when players leave Demonland discount, at times heavily, their contribution and when players are brought to the club are overrated before playing a game. Look at Tyson and his change of image since being acquired. Look at the hype around Toumpas and the outpouring of anger when he failed to live up to the hype.

[Machsy 2,858]

Come on! Selective memory!

Moloney WAS and IS a consummate spud. He was nothing but a selfish meathead.

Look at how well he has gone at Brisbane.

Good at one thing and one thing alone - if the ball is rammed down his throat by Jamar at a stoppage, he can bullock his way through a pack before slamming the ball on his boot indiscriminately.

He got a lot of the ball that way, but rarely found it in open play.

Horrible defensively, poor agility meant he had a hard time sticking a tackle, and his name and the phrase "footy smarts" have never been used in the same sentence. He's somewhat of a leader, but a negatively influencing leader.

He was a long straight kick, but he was no great talent when it came to spotting up a target.

Some positives, but so many negatives that people gleefully overlooked because he was getting his hands on the pill.

Trust me, most other teams noticed and were happy to let him get it, adding to his false economy.

It's no coincidence that in 2010 when we smashed Sydney by 70 odd points that Moloney was out of the side.

Or that he was stinking it up in the middle during 186.

Rivers has a degenerative knee condition, and the club knowing this offered him peanuts.

He gets a game at Geelong, but they need to nurse him through the season to have him right for finals.

And it's only getting worse.

[Machsy 2,858]

And how about Moloney ordering his mate Jamar to only tap to him?

Doesn't make Jamar look great either, but did that give any other mid half a chance?

I can't believe those that have some insight into the inner workings of the club, yet fail to realise what a cancer Moloney was.

[Slartibartfast 16,876]

My point, however, was that when players leave Demonland discount, at times heavily, their contribution

Thanks Machsy, couldn't have demonstrated it better.

[monoccular 17,315]

Zac might well be worth recruiting.

Do you remember the Cockatoo-Collins brothers?

Didn't work out for us.

Another selection nightmare!

But one would have to say that Donald was just as good as David - it is just that David wasn't any good either. (Or was it the other way around).

I can't even remember - was that back in the Balme days, or early ND?

[ re Sylvia ]

Yes I was going to say that exact same thing.

Fact is he had the attributes of a very good player and I think was held back by a poor midfield.

I don't blame him for wanting to move and think he will be a good player for Freo. Very strong and had a beautiful kick.

He was never going to reach his best at Melbourne.

2006 saw us as the top Victorian club - I don't remember Col putting together more than his usual 2 or 3 great quarters that year either. (Happy to be corrected).