53 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Exactly what we need...

How accurate is your source?

Usually very good. I am hoping on this occasions he is not.

4 minutes ago, old dee said:

Usually very good. I am hoping on this occasions he is not.

It is a very specific rumour.

Your source doesn't work at a hospital by any chance?

7 minutes ago, binman said:

It is a very specific rumour.

Your source doesn't work at a hospital by any chance?

No binman but he does have some good contacts. Does not mean he infallible.

7 hours ago, Demon17 said:

This well thought out post by Redleg summarises what happens when the club (and sadly Nathan) squib the professional decision in 2020 and say "..lets go around 1 more time..."  What is so magical about 300 games?

This is now an ongoing topic for debate, and will impact younger players who will doubt they are in first 22 because 1 spot is allocated to Jones. I don't trust Goody to be smart about this, and I am hoping like hell Yze further expands his influence in selection.

Soemone has to take credit for Oliver' s changes in style shown against the Tiges and it may as well be Adem.  IMO.

It can't have been Simon.

Burgess started it last year.

Healthy, fit young men don't get sudden blockages of blood supply to the leg!

4 minutes ago, Jumping Jack Clennett said:

Healthy, fit young men don't get sudden blockages of blood supply to the leg!

They certainly can if there is trauma to the artery. Hope it is just a rumour.

10 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

He's not a footballer, complete liability in the side

That is a strong opinion of an AFL listed player. @Port Demons

I think Joel Smith has an upside.

He can do the spectacular and should be played forward as an impact player.

He can get a bit lost out there.

As he matures then put more responsibility/expectations on him.

Hoping to get some remorse from you, either this or the next season.

I will grudgingly apologise if he can't cut it. 

I believe he will be a game winner and not just one of our best 26.

 

Get the Doppler done. 

 

6 hours ago, CBDees said:

Good team (but I would have Baker for Jones)!

Not his best position but i would like to see him run through the 300 banner, after that if Bakers banging down the door its game on.

10 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

He was a first year player..

Temper your expectations mate.

We traded a first round pick to get him so I think expectations are justified. I've seen more from Bowey and Laurie in a afl reserves pricey match. 

7 minutes ago, Dr.D said:

We traded a first round pick to get him so I think expectations are justified. I've seen more from Bowey and Laurie in a afl reserves pricey match. 

Well you sir are a sad man if you think that's the case with 1st round draftees.

2 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Well you sir are a sad man if you think that's the case with 1st round draftees.

I think most of the time you can tell if they are up to the speed pretty quickly. Oliver was good immediately, as was Viney, Scott Thompson, Salem, Dunn, Jones, Frawley,  and guys like Morton, Watts, Toumpas, Bate, Strauss, Blease never really were. So I hope Pickett shows a lot more improvement in year 2.

2 minutes ago, Dr.D said:

I think most of the time you can tell if they are up to the speed pretty quickly. Oliver was good immediately, as was Viney, Scott Thompson, Salem, Dunn, Jones, Frawley,  and guys like Morton, Watts, Toumpas, Bate, Strauss, Blease never really were. So I hope Pickett shows a lot more improvement in year 2.

It was conceded he was a raw prospect by most when recruited, give him time. For what it's worth I think he has a ton of talent, and he's almost certain to make it. If he kicked only a little straighter during 2020 we probably wouldn't be having this conversation. 

Just now, adonski said:

It was conceded he was a raw prospect by most when recruited, give him time. For what it's worth I think he has a ton of talent, and he's almost certain to make it. If he kicked only a little straighter during 2020 we probably wouldn't be having this conversation. 

yeah. if. he was shown to be consistently unreliable in front of goal. i'd love to be proven wrong. 

3 minutes ago, Dr.D said:

yeah. if. he was shown to be consistently unreliable in front of goal. i'd love to be proven wrong. 

I will revisit this post in 6 months to ensure proof to provided 

15 minutes ago, Dr.D said:

Oliver was good immediately, as was Viney, Scott Thompson, Salem, Dunn, Jones, Frawley

Salem, Dunn and Jones were not immediately good... in fact, for a number of years, people on here were demanding that Jones be delisted, and I’m pretty certain Dunn was getting similar treatment.

33 minutes ago, hardtack said:

Salem, Dunn and Jones were not immediately good... in fact, for a number of years, people on here were demanding that Jones be delisted, and I’m pretty certain Dunn was getting similar treatment.

I beg to differ. Well i don't know what people said here but suggesting a guy to be delisted who ends up becoming multiple Bnf winner and one of the clubs greats probably just highlights peoples knowledge of football. Jones was good from the start and Dunn also. I remember seeing his first game too. Salem has never been bad since taking the field.

8 minutes ago, Dr.D said:

I beg to differ. Well i don't know what people said here but suggesting a guy to be delisted who ends up becoming multiple Bnf winner and one of the clubs greats probably just highlights peoples knowledge of football. Jones was good from the start and Dunn also. I remember seeing his first game too. Salem has never been bad since taking the field.

Amazing how differently we see things and that difference explains why opinions not only vary but are quite.....different. 

1 hour ago, Dr.D said:

I beg to differ. Well i don't know what people said here but suggesting a guy to be delisted who ends up becoming multiple Bnf winner and one of the clubs greats probably just highlights peoples knowledge of football. Jones was good from the start and Dunn also. I remember seeing his first game too. Salem has never been bad since taking the field.

I’m with @hardtack in recalling that Jones was not immediately feeling the love from the fans. I have a feeling that his year that he came good was basically a cross-roads year, he either became a consistent footballer or he was destined to be a fringe player. 

Pickett got himself into enough good positions and provided a spark an energy for pressure in the forward line we hadn’t had for a while last year. He needs to be better at finishing his good work though and I’m confident that over time he’ll get there. 

6 hours ago, Pates said:

Pickett got himself into enough good positions and provided a spark an energy for pressure in the forward line we hadn’t had for a while last year. He needs to be better at finishing his good work though and I’m confident that over time he’ll get there. 

Jordon Lewis is very excited about Pickett. He does things very few people can do. Needs to continue to work hard to ensure he succeeds but the raw ingredients to work with are top shelf.

Any news on #TomMcDonaldWatch?  Going to be hard to win early games if we lose another forward marking option. 

10 hours ago, Dr.D said:

I think most of the time you can tell if they are up to the speed pretty quickly. Oliver was good immediately, as was Viney, Scott Thompson, Salem, Dunn, Jones, Frawley,  and guys like Morton, Watts, Toumpas, Bate, Strauss, Blease never really were. So I hope Pickett shows a lot more improvement in year 2.

A lot of this is way off.

But the easy ones. 

Scott Thompson spent at least a whole year in the reserves.

Frawley took a few years to become consistent and was a whipping boy regularly getting smashed in one on ones and turning over the footy.

Bate showed a fair bit early and looked like he would kick on.  I liked him very much from the start.

Pickett has some pretty clear and rare senior AFL attributes that we haven't had in a small forward for decades.  That isn't enough on its own to see him make it but it's a start.  

I am sick to death of seeing other clubs blokes like Betts, Walters, Cameron, the Riolis and Ryan et al.  When on these players have a blend of skill speed and agility that makes them impossible to match up on.  They cause havoc for defences.  They are the type of players that regular feature in finals and premierships.  Pickett has these attributes along with a healthy streak of aggression. 

You are very wrong on your assessment of Pickett. One wonders why you would attempt rewrite history to manufacture an argument against a second year player who has already played senior footy and performed well?

We have plenty on the list that have been there for longer and showed far less.

 

14 hours ago, binman said:

It is a very specific rumour.

Your source doesn't work at a hospital by any chance?

Source is sticking to story, in hospital now if correct having angiogram. 

On 2/26/2021 at 10:57 PM, Dame Gaga said:

Even though it's a practice game against Richmond (reigning Premiers no less), don't think I've seen a better game from Jake Lever.

Solid in defence, intercepting and holding his marks. He had a big influence in the win. 

I'll go out on a limb and say Max and Jake were our two best players. 

Don't tell me the Tigers weren't trying. 

The Tigers were trying but they usually are not fit and about at this time of year. No gloss off our blokes though, we were cleaner and more imperative.

17 hours ago, 58er said:

Virtually 2 seasons of no output from both Melk and AVB and I have stated we need to move on from our 2018 heroes If time has passed them by.

A block of games with Casey may sting them and let's see if they respond.
 

Youngsters  can be managed Over the season and our small forwards and runners stocks are rising.

The time  IS NOW To change our group to the future and place our faith with our new coaches to improve this team like it was on Friday. Form is still important and injuries relevant in any selections.

RB Our list is developing and our game plan looked solid vs Tigers. We have 5/6 now approaching A graders with some good players out injured still and others now approaching B graders if they maintain their form plus role players doing their job.

Hey 58er, again don't disagree, IF older players are cooked, then lets move on and not gift games on reputation. But theres a tendency to characterise form fluctuations of senior players as terminal and never to be regained, rather than simply a phase they're capable of working through.

I find the talk of Rossman, Bowrey etc... being in for Round 1 is fanciful and laced with the allure of the new and shiny that denys the reality that the AFL is a football competition for men, not boys, and our fortunes this season will rely on the men standing up while we continue to develop our boys into men. In that context I' more excited about Chandler and Sparrow as likely starts than Bowery and co. 

Also, as a VDB fan and with a soft spot for a good come back story, i object to the writing him, Jones, Melksham, Hibberd off... and if those players find form and get a game it will be because they've earnt it now, like every player should.