_{Hope this is the tide turning !!!!}

The ebb tide surely - another injury, to Michie this time...and Hogan still a helluva way off, Clark retired.

Not exactly great news.

Body not up to the rigours of modern AFL and he has a few mates.

It seems we specialise in drafting either kids with injuries or kids who are about to develop chronic injuries. If that is not bad enough, these kids also can't play football anyway so perhaps it doesn't matter after all.

I note the Herald Sun didn't quite know how to report Mitch Clark in the injury list. Whereas every other player had "Name (injured body part) time out" (for example, "Michie (jaw) 4 weeks"), Mitch was reported as "Clark (leave) retired". Are we still so scared that to write the truth will in some way offend someone? Surely writing "Clark (depression) retired" would be better than dodging the issue. No wonder people with depression are often too embarrassed to admit publicly the position they are in.

I note the Herald Sun didn't quite know how to report Mitch Clark in the injury list. Whereas every other player had "Name (injured body part) time out" (for example, "Michie (jaw) 4 weeks"), Mitch was reported as "Clark (leave) retired". Are we still so scared that to write the truth will in some way offend someone? Surely writing "Clark (depression) retired" would be better than dodging the issue. No wonder people with depression are often too embarrassed to admit publicly the position they are in.

Give it a rest.

Give it a rest.

?

?

??

We are pretty short sighted.

Have a look at other clubs injury list - this year we have been no better or no worse off than a lot of other clubs.

Our problem is not that we have injuries. Our problem is that if we get injuries to a few of our better players ( what we consider better players) - Garland, Hogan, Clark, Dawes - our talent pool is so shallow that we don't have the depth to cover it.

The Hawks had Sewell, Mitchell, Hodge and Lake all out the week before last but they have so many other got footballers that they had them covered.

We are pretty short sighted.

Have a look at other clubs injury list - this year we have been no better or no worse off than a lot of other clubs.

Our problem is not that we have injuries. Our problem is that if we get injuries to a few of our better players ( what we consider better players) - Garland, Hogan, Clark, Dawes - our talent pool is so shallow that we don't have the depth to cover it.

The Hawks had Sewell, Mitchell, Hodge and Lake all out the week before last but they have so many other got footballers that they had them covered.

Spot on nutbean

It is what I have been saying for three years we have a crap list.

Currently we need every one of our better players fit and firing to just be competitive.

And a half of the other teams better players to be out injured.

And a half of the other teams better players to be out injured.

And a half of the other teams better players to be out injured.

Thank you Maggot I hope you don't mind me adding it to my comment.

Hope that does not infringe copyright or whatever

And a half of the other teams better players to be out injured.

nah.....didn't work with the aints

nah.....didn't work with the aints

I said competitive dc

I did not say WIN

We are pretty short sighted.

Have a look at other clubs injury list - this year we have been no better or no worse off than a lot of other clubs.

Our problem is not that we have injuries. Our problem is that if we get injuries to a few of our better players ( what we consider better players) - Garland, Hogan, Clark, Dawes - our talent pool is so shallow that we don't have the depth to cover it.

The Hawks had Sewell, Mitchell, Hodge and Lake all out the week before last but they have so many other got footballers that they had them covered.

Look no further than this list from todays AFL home page:

• Eagles lose LeCras, Masten to injury
• Dockers facing early season injury crisis
• Bulldog Roughead faces two months out
• Season all but over for Lion after ACL tear
• Crow Walker cleared of hamstring damage
• Macmillan hit for six, Roos hopeful on Ziebell
• Gilbert faces six weeks out after foot flare

As NB and OD say, our problem is lack of depth on top of lack of talent or whatever else is lacking.

Assuming Jamar, Garland and Dawes all play at some level this week, we only really have one player (Hogan) from our best 22 on the list. I don't consider Mitchie in our best 22.

If we can't start winning games when these guys are back, god help us.

I note the Herald Sun didn't quite know how to report Mitch Clark in the injury list. Whereas every other player had "Name (injured body part) time out" (for example, "Michie (jaw) 4 weeks"), Mitch was reported as "Clark (leave) retired". Are we still so scared that to write the truth will in some way offend someone? Surely writing "Clark (depression) retired" would be better than dodging the issue. No wonder people with depression are often too embarrassed to admit publicly the position they are in.

Had a chat to Neil Craig last year and this was a point he made too.

There are other clubs with longer lists than us, Freo for example and I see they have now lost Walters for the season.

There are other clubs with longer lists than us, Freo for example and I see they have now lost Walters for the season.

True, but those clubs have depth. We don't, and that's why it hits us harder. We need literally our best team out there to compete on a regular basis, and what we have waiting in the magoos isn't good enough when they come in. You take out a few of our key players, particularly forward of the centre, and we struggle BIG time.

nah.....didn't work with the aints

And the other half the other team put in to replace their injured half play half as well as they should play ( for both halves if possible)

?

Which bit don't you get?

Would you like to add further angst to the situation? Honestly WGAF what they write. Stop being petty.

As NB and OD say, our problem is lack of depth on top of lack of talent or whatever else is lacking.

Not disagreeing, but most clubs would struggle to cover their 3 key forwards and 2 key rucks out (and/or retired …).

It's not so much the "outs" but who the outs are and the role they play. If we'd had had Dawes, Hogan and Jamar/Gawn on the park, but an extra couple of mids out, we would be seeing things quite differently.

Once again, no accident that when Adelaide lost Tippet and Walker they went from being finalists to also-rans.

Not disagreeing, but most clubs would struggle to cover their 3 key forwards and 2 key rucks out (and/or retired …).

It's not so much the "outs" but who the outs are and the role they play. If we'd had had Dawes, Hogan and Jamar/Gawn on the park, but an extra couple of mids out, we would be seeing things quite differently.

Once again, no accident that when Adelaide lost Tippet and Walker they went from being finalists to also-rans.

Not disagreeing with that either. The difference is while most clubs would struggle as you say, they might still be vaguely competitive, not basket cases. I'm just hoping the WCE loss was an outlier. We weren't too bad in the other games, better than vaguely competitive and not a basket case. These are the teams we can be competitive against. Can't expect to beat WCE yet.

(For those who say GWS would have killed us if they had kicked straight, I say we would have killed St Kilda if we had kicked striaght. Killed is probably a bit much, say instead, won.)

Matt Burgan's article on the club website about how Jesse Hogan aims for sooner than later return.

In view of the controversy surrounding the length of time it's taking injured players to get on the park, it's a bit of a brave call by Hogan but this is exactly what we want from our players - bravery!

Id like to see the injurys sustained at afl clubs over the last three years , reckon we have had our fair share of stress related injurys before a ball is bounced in anger . Maybe there is an issue more off legs pool work required? I know North have benefitted from a focus on core strength training in relation to soft tissue injuries .

True, but those clubs have depth. We don't, and that's why it hits us harder. We need literally our best team out there to compete on a regular basis, and what we have waiting in the magoos isn't good enough when they come in. You take out a few of our key players, particularly forward of the centre, and we struggle BIG time.

I guess the really disheartening aspect of our injury list this season is the fact that we appear to have finally put together a (potentially) top grade forward line - Clark, Dawes, Hogan - and many felt that the tide was eventually going to turn, thanks to this trio and our new mature mix of mids....then we haven't seen any one of these forwards.

We do lack depth and fate has been cruel.

And the other half the other team put in to replace their injured half play half as well as they should play ( for both halves if possible)

i halven't a clue what you are saying there nut