I think the fact that we ended up with Pedersen on the list is a whole separate disaster. With my Harry Hindsight hat on I'd have preferred it if we'd just delisted Gysberts and ended up with neither of them on the list.

I don't know... If Roos can get an attitude change out of Pedersen, physically he is a lot more useful than a skinny midfielder with poor pace and a poor tank.

Pedo have the raw tools to be a much more useful player than he is.

It's just the 3 year deal that's the shame.

I don't know... If Roos can get an attitude change out of Pedersen, physically he is a lot more useful than a skinny midfielder with poor pace and a poor tank.

Pedo have the raw tools to be a much more useful player than he is.

It's just the 3 year deal that's the shame.

Splitting hairs at best.

Agree with Nasher.

Preferred neither on the list.

I heard that the Gys did have attitude problems at Melbourne but?

Makes you wonder what the hell Neeld was thinking getting Pedersen on board!? We already had Sellar, Fitzy, Clark, Dawes, Gawn, Spencer, Jamar, Mcdonald, Frawley, Davis as our talls yet he decides to add Pedersen when clearly we were crying out for midfielders!

Then went out and signed Gillies as a delisted free agent to boot.

I actually think alot of prendo's decisions were based on keeping the big names happy, Blease is Scullys best mate, Tappy is Trenners i always wonder if they were selected perhaps early because of that alone.

I think this was definitely intended.

Watts, Scully, Fitzpatrick, Blease, Strauss all played in the same Vic Metro team together in 2008.

Blease & Gysberts went to school together, and Gysberts, Scully & Fitzpatrick played for Vic Metro together in 2009.

Trengove & Tapscott went to school & played for SA together.

Jetta & Bennell were mates that played for WA together and at local level together.

They thought these kids would stick together because they were all mates.

Recruiting their friends gave them artificial ties to the club.

(GWS, it has been speculated, have done that in 2012, selecting Whitfield, O'Rourke & Lachie Plowman, who all played together for VM & the latter 2 played together at Calder, overlooking the highly fancied Toumpas who was generally rated in the top 3)

Splitting hairs at best.

Agree with Nasher.

Preferred neither on the list.

You're probably right.

But in enjoying thinking of Roos as some footy-player-whisperer that can turn a spud into Chip.

Spot on re GWS recruiting - it's been dubbed 'cluster' recruiting.

I hope it ends up being an absolute clusterf... for them!

Don't forget the "Jamie Bennell will be our Andrew McLeod"

Nascent can you show me proof of anyone ever saying that?

Maybe or maybe a mixture of poor development and poor culture. Who knows what he would have been like if he got picked up by Geelong.

He would still be a skinny guy who cannot cut it at AFL level.

And on top of that they would not have picked him in the first place.

They know what they are doing

He would still be a skinny guy who cannot cut it at AFL level.

And on top of that they would not have picked him in the first place.

They know what they are doing

How many years was Tom Gillies on their list?

Nascent can you show me proof of anyone ever saying that?

Don't trust me old dee...?

Jamie bennell the next andrew mcleod

You are not taught to anticipate the bounce of the ball and change directions.

You are taught to run in straight lines and put your head over the ball.

He squibbed it.

Most do at some stage early and learn from it, i like him and can see him as an Andrew McLeod type.

I absolutely love this kid. Has the potential to be a Mcleod like player off half back. Very underrated by some supporters (Alot kept kept asking for him to be dropped/rested this year. Obviously weren't watching the same Bennell as me.)

Will turn out to be a near superstar- like an Andrew Mcleod -David Wirrapunda cross.

Bate- He can be a top 5 player at the club and a 30+ goalkicker

Bennell- He has the attributes to be the next andrew mcleod as a lot of people have said

Blease- He can get over his leg injury and maintain his pace

Bruce- He can still play an important role and that he is a strong leader

...

... That player might be Jack Trengove or any number of runners that we now have, say Jamie Bennell who has been compared to Andrew Mcleod (and for good reason). Or maybe Aaron Davey will be running by, or Neville Jetta, who's played alongside Jamie Bennell since the Under 6's. Now that's familiarity. He may even dish it off to Liam Jurrah who's decided to roam the centre looking for his own ball. He might take it and dance out of trouble before landing the ball between 3 defenders into the arms of Jack "who is Nick Natanui anyway" Watts...

Bennell was electric on Saturday. He is good in the air and even better on the ground. He breaks lines and backs himself in. Most importantly, he knows when to GO! Bailey has earmarked Bennell as our go to man when kicking out from defense. It was interesting to see on Sat that Strauss (arguably our best defensive kicker) took the kick-outs and nearly always kicked to Bennell, then, using handball, broke the lines and ran it out of defense. On one occasion, we ran the ball, using quick hands and short kicks, all the way to the forward line. A sign of things to come maybe?

However, due to a surplus of backmen, I believe that Bennell should play on the wing floating back, opposite Davey (wing) floating forward. Prendergast suprisingly overlooked Sydney's Jetta for Gysberts (I hope he is right), but Bennell might be just as good on the wing, if not better. He reminds me of the Adelaide champion McLeod.

Our aboriginal brigade is exceptional. I even love the hardness and intensity of Jetta.

And a tweet from our own Nathan Jones:

Tweet from Nathan Jones:

Jamie Bennel lit up the track this morning had a touch of Andy mcleod about it off half back ...

Good to hear

Don't trust me old dee...?

It was not a case of trust I could just not believe anyone could be silly.

Ten out of ten for that effort.

Interesting that not one of those people still posts

Probably too ashamed of their predictions.

Good effort Nascent

And a tweet from our own Nathan Jones:

How many years was Tom Gillies on their list?

One mistake vs twenty DN

And guess who they palmed him off to?

Don't trust me old dee...?

It was not a case of trust I could just not believe anyone could be silly.

Ten out of ten for that effort.

Interesting that not one of those people still posts

Probably too ashamed of their predictions.

Good effort Nascent

Cheers mate, safe to say I've been guilty of a bad prediction or two.

It might just be the player I heard it from, but apparently the playing group found Gysberts quite the arrogant fella.

I expect he's really going to enjoy preening his feathers in the VFA next year ...

Nascent can you show me proof of anyone ever saying that?

old dee, I recall it being said. And, somewhat embarrassingly, I also recall thinking at the time - yep, just maybe ...

old dee, I recall it being said. And, somewhat embarrassingly, I also recall thinking at the time - yep, just maybe ...

Not on Gysberts RB

But there have been a few I thought a lot of and my trust was terribly ill founded.

I was a massive fan of Gysberts.

Very disappointing to see him fail at two clubs.

EDFL beckons.

The boy from Yarra was touted as being better than Harper, Moore, Blease and Young.

Harper would be a target for me, Blease is lucky to be on our list, Moore has finally overcome injury to play well for Port and Young may still make it.

Worse #11 ever!

I believe it alright.

You have a football version of Stockholm syndrome.

That's a pretty good call Ben-Hur, I'll pay that!

Well I guess there is a reason why Scott didnt give him a senior game all year. It rare that a pick 11 who we have seen has talent is stuck at vfl level.

I hope Jordie doesnt realise what he has lost in the way of a career when its to late.

I was a massive fan of Gysberts.Very disappointing to see him fail at two clubs.

Pray do tell why?

What in gods name did you see?

Case of heaps of talent, but doesnt work hard enough, or want it bad enough.

I was at the "G" that night when cuddles gave us the heads up about GYS going to be selected at #11.

Saying he will end up being better than the other 2. The looks of WTF on every member. "Priceless"

And some people on here still want that [censored] working for our club. Sheesh.

Not strong enough to play inside.

Not quick enough to play outside.

Not good enough.

Don't trust me old dee...?

And a tweet from our own Nathan Jones:

I kept scrolling down, and the re-posts kept a-coming.

Am I the only one that got to the bottom of them all and was relieved that I didn't have an old post on there?!

I kept scrolling down, and the re-posts kept a-coming.

Am I the only one that got to the bottom of them all and was relieved that I didn't have an old post on there?!

Me too Billy. That post was a smorgasbord of embarrassment.