JKH is my smokey to have a really big breakout year, he is learning everything he can of Jeff Garlett (the good stuff), yes there is space for both, or one on the bench, imagine having Garlett and you get tired and he is replaced by JKH, a small defenders nightmare

JKH is my smokey to have a really big breakout year, he is learning everything he can of Jeff Garlett (the good stuff), yes there is space for both, or one on the bench, imagine having Garlett and you get tired and he is replaced by JKH, a small defenders nightmare

They are both in my starting 22 for that reason!

It seems our defence is very good/solid.

Our forward line looks good, finally.

To my mind, the weakness seems to be that we don't have enough really good clearance players relative to the stronger clubs.

On this third point, I'm very happy for people to tell me I'm wrong - with reasons. In fact, I'd like to proven wrong.

JKH is my smokey to have a really big breakout year, he is learning everything he can of Jeff Garlett (the good stuff), yes there is space for both, or one on the bench, imagine having Garlett and you get tired and he is replaced by JKH, a small defenders nightmare

2014 was his breakout year.

2014 was his breakout year.

How can your debut year be a breakout year?

I'm glad TDI got the news on Viney, was worried it might be a quad or groin. A whack in the nuts should be ok!

obviously you have never had whack in the nuts ( it is so not ok)

That's our biggest weakness.

Clint, our biggest weakness is our midfield.

We rely on two clearance players, two dynamic movers, and two accumulators that find the ball at will.

And they are two players - Jones and Tyson...

2014 was his breakout year.

I think he is one player who could be a genuine A grader.

The thing i became really excited about today was the forward line we have

Watts Dawes Kent

Garlett Hogan Gawn

all capable of kicking multiple goals and the delivery i think will be much better in 2015

Interesting, looks like we might be beginning to have a problem of where to fit players in.

JKH anyone? Wonder where this leaves him. I guess rotating between forward line and midfield maybe off the bench.

Agree. The better clubs have 10-12 players as 'on-ballers' who can run both ways and play offensively and defensively.

I recall Roos saying Garlett &, Lumumba were recruited to also play in the midfield. Howe and Watts have had a stint down back and Salem has been training with defenders (probably for his development rather than a permanent role). So IMO there will be room for JKH and any number of other 'on-ballers'.

Our typical line up may be:

F: Dawes, Hogan, Resting Ruckman, A resting (predominately offensive) 'on-baller' (eg at any stage during a game one of JKH, Kent, Garlett, Watts, Howe, Petracca, Salem etc)

B: Frost, Mac Donald, Dunn, A resting (predominately defensive) 'on-baller' (eg at any stage during a game one of Lumumba, Grimes, Jetta, Newton etc).

Ruckmen: who also play forward 'when resting'.

'On Ballers': play predominately between the 50m arcs/off the bench/resting forward or back.

Hawthorn and to a lesser extent Sydney are masters at this. That is where we are heading (I hope)

That's our biggest weakness.

Given our midfield was ranked 17th or 18th last year I would say that the midfield is our biggest weakness. Looking forward to turning that around in 2015 and watch the fwds grow,,,,,,

Given our midfield was ranked 17th or 18th last year I would say that the midfield is our biggest weakness. Looking forward to turning that around in 2015 and watch the fwds grow,,,,,,

I'm probably wrong, but weren't we ranked 17th or 18th for points scored aswell? This is too depressing, new year starts tomorrow, I'm gonna enjoy the last 24 hours of hope before then

I'm probably wrong, but weren't we ranked 17th or 18th for points scored aswell? This is too depressing, new year starts tomorrow, I'm gonna enjoy the last 24 hours of hope before then

And that is not a chicken and egg scenario; our forward line may be terrible, but our midfield is terrible and they're the ones who have to get the ball to the forwards to see whether they are terrible or not...

I hope we find out about our forwards in 2015 but it will take more quality and quantity of Inside 50s than recent seasons.

Clint, our biggest weakness is our midfield.

We rely on two clearance players, two dynamic movers, and two accumulators that find the ball at will.

And they are two players - Jones and Tyson...

Comparitively, I believe that our midfield is better than our forward line.

EDIT: Which isn't saying much.

And that is not a chicken and egg scenario; our forward line may be terrible, but our midfield is terrible and they're the ones who have to get the ball to the forwards to see whether they are terrible or not...

I hope we find out about our forwards in 2015 but it will take more quality and quantity of Inside 50s than recent seasons.

People stating that we have depth are kidding themselves. We seriously lack quality mids. Which is why I think that JKH will be groomed as a mid rather than a small forward.

Contrary to what Roos may have said about him on arrival, Garlett will play as a permanent small forward.

It seems our defence is very good/solid.

Our forward line looks good, finally.

To my mind, the weakness seems to be that we don't have enough really good clearance players relative to the stronger clubs.

On this third point, I'm very happy for people to tell me I'm wrong - with reasons. In fact, I'd like to proven wrong.

So while Stretch is seen as a good outside players, he appears to be fairly adept at getting the ball out. ANB was drafted on the basis that he was a good clearance player. VandenBerg regularly found the ball at NEAFL with many of these on the inside and Newton is also seen to be a good inside/outside option.

Like you the club knows its been a weakness, and we've drafted accordingly. Will we see the benefit of that this year... mmm, maybe not given the stage of devlopment of the names I mentioned. Viney will need to step up a class this year, and Cross will need to keep father time at bay. If one of Vandenberg, Newton, or Michie (known as a good clearance specialist at Peel in 2013) can step up in 2015, then we should see a big improvement this year.

People stating that we have depth are kidding themselves. We seriously lack quality mids. Which is why I think that JKH will be groomed as a mid rather than a small forward.

Contrary to what Roos may have said about him on arrival, Garlett will play as a permanent small forward.

I think if your midfield sucks to begin with, then by definition you can't have good depth. I agree that people confuse "lots of nearly good enough players" with "good depth". The likes of Aidan Riley fit squarely in to this category for me.

Midfield depth is a 1%er anyway. Of far more importance is having the midfield group in your best 22 be par or better if you want the side to be competitive.

I think if your midfield sucks to begin with, then by definition you can't have good depth. I agree that people confuse "lots of nearly good enough players" with "good depth". The likes of Aidan Riley fit squarely in to this category for me.

Midfield depth is a 1%er anyway. Of far more importance is having the midfield group in your best 22 be par or better if you want the side to be competitive.

true nasher, very true. lets just say at the moment we definitely have more options in the midfield. We will get a sense by mid season whether we have good depth.

I went along yesterday from about 10am. For some reason I didn't pay that much attention yesterday but will try and recall some of it..!

• Like the look of frost. Not because he's looks like Mick Fanning on steroids, but as others have mentioned he's got a serious turn of speed for a big fella. Couple good punches and weaving in the handballs drills, though there was that dropped sitter of a mark, which he was pretty filthy with himself for.
• JKH ran threw the corridor a few times in match sims. Got caught the odd time time without many options before him, but very quick! Also his goal kicking drew some applause from the crowd.
• Heaps of video cameras and big bertha lens cameras today.
• Enjoyed seeing Hunt out and about. There's something about this kid that really intrigues me. Looks quite a bit bigger than last year. I'm really hoping he develops into an Isaac Smith, Brad Hill, Lewis Jetta quality player for us.
• Tyson looked a level above. I think he was just in the zone - everything was working. Topped it off with one of his trademark bomb goals off a step from outside 50. Gun.
• Matty Jones is bloody quick. Was a good find and I reckon he'll lift further this year.
• ANB and Vince turned up half way through and chatted to coaches but didn't train. Howe also joined but didn't appear to train.
• Hogan is a player, just naturally gifted. Serious mancrush... him and Viney that is!
• Garlett fired off a few nice low bullets during match sim. Hits targets.
• O McDonald flicked a ball up off the ground, soccer-style, on the boundary just past the behind post and then kicked it through for a goal. Got a few claps from team mates.

Anyway that's about all I can come up with... mind was elsewhere yesterday. At least the games are starting so I won't need to go to training to get my fix anymore!

I went along yesterday from about 10am. For some reason I didn't pay that much attention yesterday but will try and recall some of it..!

• Like the look of frost. Not because he's looks like Mick Fanning on steroids, but as others have mentioned he's got a serious turn of speed for a big fella. Couple good punches and weaving in the handballs drills, though there was that dropped sitter of a mark, which he was pretty filthy with himself for.
• JKH ran threw the corridor a few times in match sims. Got caught the odd time time without many options before him, but very quick! Also his goal kicking drew some applause from the crowd.
• Heaps of video cameras and big bertha lens cameras today.
• Enjoyed seeing Hunt out and about. There's something about this kid that really intrigues me. Looks quite a bit bigger than last year. I'm really hoping he develops into an Isaac Smith, Brad Hill, Lewis Jetta quality player for us.
• Tyson looked a level above. I think he was just in the zone - everything was working. Topped it off with one of his trademark bomb goals off a step from outside 50. Gun.
• Matty Jones is bloody quick. Was a good find and I reckon he'll lift further this year.
• ANB and Vince turned up half way through and chatted to coaches but didn't train. Howe also joined but didn't appear to train.
• Hogan is a player, just naturally gifted. Serious mancrush... him and Viney that is!
• Garlett fired off a few nice low bullets during match sim. Hits targets.
• O McDonald flicked a ball up off the ground, soccer-style, on the boundary just past the behind post and then kicked it through for a goal. Got a few claps from team mates.

Anyway that's about all I can come up with... mind was elsewhere yesterday. At least the games are starting so I won't need to go to training to get my fix anymore!

Selfish. What about the rest of us?

I went along yesterday from about 10am. For some reason I didn't pay that much attention yesterday but will try and recall some of it..!

• Like the look of frost. Not because he's looks like Mick Fanning on steroids, but as others have mentioned he's got a serious turn of speed for a big fella. Couple good punches and weaving in the handballs drills, though there was that dropped sitter of a mark, which he was pretty filthy with himself for.
• JKH ran threw the corridor a few times in match sims. Got caught the odd time time without many options before him, but very quick! Also his goal kicking drew some applause from the crowd.
• Heaps of video cameras and big bertha lens cameras today.
• Enjoyed seeing Hunt out and about. There's something about this kid that really intrigues me. Looks quite a bit bigger than last year. I'm really hoping he develops into an Isaac Smith, Brad Hill, Lewis Jetta quality player for us.
• Tyson looked a level above. I think he was just in the zone - everything was working. Topped it off with one of his trademark bomb goals off a step from outside 50. Gun.
• Matty Jones is bloody quick. Was a good find and I reckon he'll lift further this year.
• ANB and Vince turned up half way through and chatted to coaches but didn't train. Howe also joined but didn't appear to train.
• Hogan is a player, just naturally gifted. Serious mancrush... him and Viney that is!
• Garlett fired off a few nice low bullets during match sim. Hits targets.
• O McDonald flicked a ball up off the ground, soccer-style, on the boundary just past the behind post and then kicked it through for a goal. Got a few claps from team mates.

Anyway that's about all I can come up with... mind was elsewhere yesterday. At least the games are starting so I won't need to go to training to get my fix anymore!

Great report, but I do have to pull you up on one grammatical error (but it's obviously good news that JKH seems to have been working on his upper body strength)....

• JKH ran AND threw the corridor a few times in match sims. Got caught the odd time time without many options before him, but very quick! Also his goal kicking drew some applause from the crowd.

• JKH ran threw the corridor a few times in match sims. Got caught the odd time time without many options before him, but very quick! Also his goal kicking drew some applause from the crowd.

Is this guy actually quick or not? For me I think the one major thing that lets him down is he isn't actually that quick at all?

Great report, but I do have to pull you up on one grammatical error (but it's obviously good news that JKH seems to have been working on his upper body strength)....

• JKH ran AND threw the corridor a few times in match sims. Got caught the odd time time without many options before him, but very quick! Also his goal kicking drew some applause from the crowd.

Bloody homophones.

Threw as in past tense to throw (verb)

Through as in running through the corridor

Edit : Unless you mean he actually picked up the corridor and launched it?

2nd Edit: Note should be addressed to Ruffles.

Is this guy actually quick or not? For me I think the one major thing that lets him down is he isn't actually that quick at all?

He's not overly quick in a straight line, but he makes up for it with his evasiveness and endurance

Bloody homophones.

Threw as in past tense to throw (verb)

Through as in running through the corridor

Edit : Unless you mean he actually picked up the corridor and launched it?

You'll have to be asking Ruffles that question.

JKH is my smokey to have a really big breakout year, he is learning everything he can of Jeff Garlett (the good stuff), yes there is space for both, or one on the bench, imagine having Garlett and you get tired and he is replaced by JKH, a small defenders nightmare

I'm going with Dean Kent, absolutely love everything i've seen from him, i think he'll certainly lock down his spot in the team this season, the other one that i think might surprise is Max Gawn, i think he is just about ready to show the competition how good he is.