Take it however you want. Your willingness to believe me doesn't change what happened.

I will ask you this though, how many FIGJAM's have asked to be dropped in the prime of their career?

You don't need to tell me the answer, but if you can figure it out, it might give you some insight into what happened.

The thing that makes me think you're just doing a bit of vicious rumour-mongering is that you call Watts a FIGJAM. For all his deficiencies, he's not that. I don't know the real story behind his dropping, but I'm pretty sure you don't either.

The thing that makes me think you're just doing a bit of vicious rumour-mongering is that you call Watts a FIGJAM. For all his deficiencies, he's not that. I don't know the real story behind his dropping, but I'm pretty sure you don't either.

Fair enough, buddy.

Like I said, take it however you want. I'm not one for "rumour-mongering", but you are free to take it however you want.

Take it however you want. Your willingness to believe me doesn't change what happened.

I will ask you this though, how many FIGJAM's have asked to be dropped in the prime of their career?

You don't need to tell me the answer, but if you can figure it out, it might give you some insight into what happened.

It doesn't really surprise me that Roos dropped him & isn't revealing the truth. What I will be surprised about is if Watts doesn't play again in the Red & Blue with 2/3 of the season remaining Watts has time to turn things around. There would have to be a very big disagreement as well as Watts holding deep resentment towards Roos for that to happen. From the outside looking in Roos has backed Watts in & protected him from the media scrutiny as much as possible up to this point in time.

Where is the Fibre that binds the club

It's just not there. The jumper means nothing...

you want to change the jumper?

It doesn't really surprise me that Roos dropped him & isn't revealing the truth. What I will be surprised about is if Watts doesn't play again in the Red & Blue with 2/3 of the season remaining Watts has time to turn things around. There would have to be a very big disagreement as well as Watts holding deep resentment towards Roos for that to happen. From the outside looking in Roos has backed Watts in & protected him from the media scrutiny as much as possible up to this point in time.

He has but by saying Watts asked to be dropped he has exposed Watts to even more scrutiny. The macho journalists are saying he should get out there and prove himself in the seniors instead of 'running away' and 'hiding' in the VFL. I think Roos miscalculated with his explanation on this one.

It would have been better to just say 'Jack needs to go and find some form and enjoy his footy'. Everyone would have accepted that without the additional derision of Jack.

I think he'll retire. There's more to life will be the rationale, and I tend to agree

Does everyone agree that our problem is our ruck and midfield??? Our forward line is good and our backline is aswell.

Does everyone agree that our problem is our ruck and midfield??? Our forward line is good and our backline is aswell.

Of course

We still have by far the worst midfield in the league

Of course

We still have by far the worst midfield in the league

Our ruckman have been out of their depth so far this year, we have had Jacobs, Mumford, Sandilands, Pyke, Ceglar....

We desperately need a good ruckman from free agency this year, Jamar and spencer get beaten most weeks and our future ruckman Gawn, can't even get into a side that gets wins 4 games a year. We need to play Gawn.

Weren't our midfield issues addressed by adding Vince, Tyson, Cross, Vandenberg, Salem, Brayshaw, etc? Our midfield this year is as bad as it's ever been. We're winning more clearances yet evidently even with a better forward line we're still the worst team going forward.

I have no idea what the issue is.

we are not as bad as the performances we put in. I still think our midfield is far too defensive to give us a genuine chance to hit the scoreboard. What do Jones or Vince have to learn anymore, really?

I feel that Roos needs to loosen the hatchet a bit and let our mids run a little more rampant. We're tagging and trying to hold teams down but then we're not damaging enough.

Since 2012 our coaches have tried to teach defensive tactics. It shouldn't take this long for 150+ gamers to get it. Going through the motions and getting 25 possessions is one thing. But what are they doing with the ball?

Can the club please put us out of our misery and end the Spencer project? How many years has this bloke clogged the list for now? How many delisted ruckmen like Ceglar have we overlooked to develop Spencer? He's just laughable. Can't even read the ball in flight. We've conceded several goals on the goal line in the last 2 weeks where Jake wasn't coordinated enough to just punch it through for a point.

When we have the ball we are just always under pressure because we are so painfully slow all over the ground. Lumumba and Garlett are the only blokes with pace capable of putting a yard quickly between them and their opponent.

GWS knew which of their highly touted mids to let go. Tyson couldn't run out of sight on a dark night and is so one-sided. I hope his terrible form is due to his knee and not opposition clubs figuring him out.

Dawes is currently the most overpaid player in the Afl. Fancy Dawes, on $500k a year, being paid more than 90% of the Hawks players that lined up yesterday. I hope his salary is halved in his next contract. Can't work out why the club would roll Dawes out for a presser when he is so out of form anyway? Concentrate on getting a kick and not baiting the Hawks with embarrassing comments.

Finally, bloody disappointing to see Tyson and Michie out at a bar last night. Not going hard, not out late, but you have to wonder how much it really hurts some of these players.

I've been a supporter of Spencer because of his willingness to put in and his apparent aggression. In late 2012 I thought he was starting to show the benefits of the clubs patience and perseverance. In a game against Richmond in that year I saw him chase down players, put in second and third efforts to stop a Richmond clearance from a ball up and take a couple of marks. In 2013 I thought he was having his best stretch of games which unfortunately culminated in a three game suspension for an accidental knee into McEvoy's face.

Surely 2014 would be the year, following a good preseason. He played the first 5 games until Jamar returned from Injury. Then was pronounced injured and did not play again for the rest of the year. His performances had not been great, but I thought that perhaps he had played injured for a few games whilst Gawn and Jamar were unavailable I thought this possibility was enhanced when the club gave a him a further two year contract later in the year.

The one thing I expected he should have been able to do both against Pyke and Ceglar was to get his hands to the ball at ball ups or throw ins. He has been appalling in this respect. Finally, I have given up on him as an AFL standard player. This is his 7th Year at the club, but he's played worse in his last two games than he played in his first two in 2010.

WJD, you are right, so many clubs have recruited competent to exceptional ruckmen in the last 3 - 4 years, - Jenkins, Maric, Mumford, McEvoy, Ceglar, Martin, Longer and maybe others.

I suppose the priority has been our midfield, but we can no longer afford to ignore this position at years end.

Weren't our midfield issues addressed by adding Vince, Tyson, Cross, Vandenberg, Salem, Brayshaw, etc?

I have no idea what the issue is.

Luumumba isn't a midfielder even if hes playing there for us. Should be at half back,

Cross is old and just a battler, Vince is a good B grader, Tyson is carrying something, Vandenberg is a 7 gamer, Salem is playing half back,Brayshaw is a rookie

We dont have any star midfielders and still bad depth

Weren't our midfield issues addressed by adding Vince, Tyson, Cross, Vandenberg, Salem, Brayshaw, etc? Our midfield this year is as bad as it's ever been. We're winning more clearances yet evidently even with a better forward line we're still the worst team going forward.

I have no idea what the issue is.

we are not as bad as the performances we put in. I still think our midfield is far too defensive to give us a genuine chance to hit the scoreboard. What do Jones or Vince have to learn anymore, really?

I feel that Roos needs to loosen the hatchet a bit and let our mids run a little more rampant. We're tagging and trying to hold teams down but then we're not damaging enough.

Since 2012 our coaches have tried to teach defensive tactics. It shouldn't take this long for 150+ gamers to get it. Going through the motions and getting 25 possessions is one thing. But what are they doing with the ball?

It's not just the clearances, though they tell an important story.

A lot of our clearances are quick, rushed kicks which don't have any purpose. A lot of other side's clearances are a chain of handballs opening up a runner in space or a handpass out the back to a player who is able to set up a pinpoint kick with purpose to a leading forward.

Our mids last year couldn't get a clearance, at least now they can, but we don't spread, we're too slow, and as a result we don't exert any dominance from the majority of them.

how about a new midfield coach?

surely our midfield tactics are partly to blame for such ineffectiveness

Weren't our midfield issues addressed by adding Vince, Tyson, Cross, Vandenberg, Salem, Brayshaw, etc? Our midfield this year is as bad as it's ever been. We're winning more clearances yet evidently even with a better forward line we're still the worst team going forward.

I have no idea what the issue is.

we are not as bad as the performances we put in. I still think our midfield is far too defensive to give us a genuine chance to hit the scoreboard. What do Jones or Vince have to learn anymore, really?

I feel that Roos needs to loosen the hatchet a bit and let our mids run a little more rampant. We're tagging and trying to hold teams down but then we're not damaging enough.

Since 2012 our coaches have tried to teach defensive tactics. It shouldn't take this long for 150+ gamers to get it. Going through the motions and getting 25 possessions is one thing. But what are they doing with the ball?

Yes. From the Neeld era till now, when you make defence a focus, you're creating a mindset that is counter-productive to an attacking one. That is if you focus on tackling your focus is not offensive. If your focus is setting up in defence and zones, your not focussing on attacking.

No great team solely focuses on one aspect at a time. Trying to fix one area you become single minded and consciously or sub consciously you lose an edge. We have lost an attacking mindset and become more reactive than we should be

Yeah because players should never be allowed to socialize outside footy. Their mind should be concentrated 24/7 on football and nothing else.

FMD some people carry on here.. Who gives a [censored] if they go out for a drink as long as they are not doing Colin Sylvia's and staying out of trouble then they have ever right to go and have a beer.

Did you find this also disappointing when majority of the team were on the grog having a good time after the round 1 win? Of course not. Its after a big loss you have to find [censored] weak little excuses to sink into the players.

Pathetic effort.

Maybe the players should have a drink before the game.

Who knows it might improve their performance!!

Sure as shite ain't gunna make them worse.

I know it helps me look better looking!!

Edited May 17, 201510 yr by DemonOX

Can the club please put us out of our misery and end the Spencer project? How many years has this bloke clogged the list for now? How many delisted ruckmen like Ceglar have we overlooked to develop Spencer? He's just laughable. Can't even read the ball in flight. We've conceded several goals on the goal line in the last 2 weeks where Jake wasn't coordinated enough to just punch it through for a point.

This drives me spare. Its kindergarten stuff

When we have the ball we are just always under pressure because we are so painfully slow all over the ground. Lumumba and Garlett are the only blokes with pace capable of putting a yard quickly between them and their opponent.

GWS knew which of their highly touted mids to let go. Tyson couldn't run out of sight on a dark night and is so one-sided. I hope his terrible form is due to his knee and not opposition clubs figuring him out.

Dawes is currently the most overpaid player in the Afl. Fancy Dawes, on $500k a year, being paid more than 90% of the Hawks players that lined up yesterday. I hope his salary is halved in his next contract. Can't work out why the club would roll Dawes out for a presser when he is so out of form anyway? Concentrate on getting a kick and not baiting the Hawks with embarrassing comments.

Finally, bloody disappointing to see Tyson and Michie out at a bar last night. Not going hard, not out late, but you have to wonder how much it really hurts some of these players.

What do you do after a crap day at the office. Have a go at them for their performance but not this.

Why TF would you want to hear from the President? What is he going to do?

In case you haven't worked it out this is the worst time for the President to speak because every time in the past they have done so the club has ended up in deeper turmoil.

His job is to ensure the right people are in place and shut the hell up.

Because I believe what Kennet says is true. I believe in the football Dept, the CEO but I wonder about the boards performance.

Something within the organisation is still not right.

Weren't our midfield issues addressed by adding Vince, Tyson, Cross, Vandenberg, Salem, Brayshaw, etc? Our midfield this year is as bad as it's ever been. We're winning more clearances yet evidently even with a better forward line we're still the worst team going forward.

I have no idea what the issue is.

Vandenberg and Salem are not playing midfield and Brayshaw's minutes are limited. We have recruited an inside midfield that needs time to mature what we now need is to add some midfield run which we lack aside from players that don't have the class to capitalise on it.

We are irrelevant, no one is supprised any more it is almost an expectation that we put up performances like we have over the past three weeks. I can't believe that there is no pride at our club. We have been beaten into submission for so long that our players have no pride left. Our club is a pay cheque to these guys and that is it, because if it was more they wouldn't put up with the garbage they have put up for the past 9 years.

We have some good kids, I hope this resignation of failure that our current senior players have isn't passed on to them. I suppose the best thing is free agency for these players they can get out in their prime. It looks to late for Watts and Toumpas, failure is entrenched in them.

Because I believe what Kennet says is true. I believe in the football Dept, the CEO but I wonder about the boards performance.

Something within the organisation is still not right.

The "board" doesn't pull on the boots and kick the footy chook.

Besides I immediately ignore anything attributed to that [censored] Kennet. In fact he should be named "ankles". Some posters will know that one.

Edited May 17, 201510 yr by Bitter but optimistic

The "board" doesn't pull on the boots and kick the footy chook.

Besides I immediately ignore anything attributed to that [censored] Kennet. In fact he should be named "ankles". Some posters will know that one.

No but maybe we should give them a try, wouldn't hurt can't get any worse.

Goodes requests to play in the seconds to find form = heroic and noble act of selflessness worthy of praise.

Watts requests to play in the seconds to find form = shameful and gutless act of treachery worthy of involuntary euthanasia.

Can the club please put us out of our misery and end the Spencer project? How many years has this bloke clogged the list for now? How many delisted ruckmen like Ceglar have we overlooked to develop Spencer? He's just laughable. Can't even read the ball in flight. We've conceded several goals on the goal line in the last 2 weeks where Jake wasn't coordinated enough to just punch it through for a point.

When we have the ball we are just always under pressure because we are so painfully slow all over the ground. Lumumba and Garlett are the only blokes with pace capable of putting a yard quickly between them and their opponent.

GWS knew which of their highly touted mids to let go. Tyson couldn't run out of sight on a dark night and is so one-sided. I hope his terrible form is due to his knee and not opposition clubs figuring him out.

Dawes is currently the most overpaid player in the Afl. Fancy Dawes, on $500k a year, being paid more than 90% of the Hawks players that lined up yesterday. I hope his salary is halved in his next contract. Can't work out why the club would roll Dawes out for a presser when he is so out of form anyway? Concentrate on getting a kick and not baiting the Hawks with embarrassing comments.

Finally, bloody disappointing to see Tyson and Michie out at a bar last night. Not going hard, not out late, but you have to wonder how much it really hurts some of these players.

6 days out from a game they can go out on the drink if they want. Guessing you were drinking lemonade?

Edited May 17, 201510 yr by Samael

Quote: We are irrelevant, no one is supprised any more it is almost an expectation that we put up performances like we have over the past three weeks. I can't believe that there is no pride at our club. We have been beaten into submission for so long that our players have no pride left. Our club is a pay cheque to these guys and that is it, because if it was more they wouldn't put up with the garbage they have put up for the past 9 years.

They don't and they won't.

They leave when they can.

E.g. Frawley, Rivers, Howe, etc.