Leaderboard

I have said it before - we have no perfect candidate (or near it). We are like the Republicans over in the US - arguing over the merits of every faulty candidate. The new Captain will have his flaws because there is no flawless candidate. So the FD should choose a flawed leader that will help the club. Either inspire that player, inspire his teammates, or help develop that player.

Blease : is a burst player, broke leg in half, first full preseason.....expectations of sub 10 are ludicrous.

few thoughts... - 'he went easy on his knee in 2011' this is an idiotic statement. If his knee requires caution what happens in R1 2012 or is he going to 'go easy on it' for his whole career? -if there is in fact nothing wrong with his knee then WTF is Doc Larkins smoking writing that piece basically saying the kid is doomed to an injury-plagued career? -does anyone care about the sport of football anymore or do we only care about how fast a bloke can run? I would like to see some sort of chart comparing the best 3km time-trial efforts in the comp with who the actual most effective players are, I suspect there would be little correlation. -regardless of what happens now, we will have two mid-first round draft picks and the salary cap space to allow us to snag Mitch Clark and hang on to Trengove, Watts etc. There is still every chance that long-term we will end up being the winners of this GWS episode and that's just a fact -be thankful he has gone to this pathetic mob who will cellar-dwell for years, possibly his whole career. What would really have hurt would have been if he had gone to the Bombers/Tigers or something, become a star in a side that ultimately cost us a premiership way too much hand-wringing over this issue, move on people

What is incredible and I guess a little sad is the fact we don't have a senior player who is a born leader and an obvious choice for the role! Senior players at other clubs like Jonathan Brown, Chris Judd, Matthew Pavlich, Luke Hodge, Nick Riewoldt etc were always going to be Captain of their respective clubs and have all done a good job at it. The fact that our current senior players like Moloney, Sylvia, Green, Davey etc are not really leaders and have not been able to grow into that role is a concern and really shows where our club has been for the last 10 years!

A few points from above best 22s: - Why would anybody leave Grimes out of the best 22? - Strauss won't be ready for round 1... i'd be looking for a VFL return for 6-7 weeks before AFL return, so minimum a mid-season AFL return - I believe Seller was brought in to play the gorilla forwards, which only 7 or 8 teams actually have. He will be 4th in line behind Frawley, Garland and Rivers Garland Frawley Grimes Bail Rivers Tapscott Howe Moloney Sylvia Jurrah Watts Petterd Green Clark Davey Jamar Trengove McKenzie Int: Martin, Jones, Gysberts + Blease (sub) Unlucky= Bennel and Morton. Should be best 22 players, but due to a terribly inconsistent 2011, will need to prove themselves. Injured= Strauss and Gawn Depth players who only get games due to injury from best 22 players: Bate (Mid), Dunn (HFF), Bartram (HBF), Jetta (Mid), Macdonald (HBF), Spenser (Ruck), Seller (KPD) Developing players who will play majority in VFL but should be blooded a few games: Cook (KPF), Davis (KPD), Fitzpatrick (KPF/Ruck), McDonald (KPD/KPF), Taggert (mid/forward), Tynan (HBF) Rookies: Evans, Nicholson, Lawrence, Tom Couch, James Magner, Jai Sheehan, Leigh Williams

I think the 3km run was around Phil.

What weight?

Lurker goldmine! At least your first post gave us some info . Welcome to the land of the ever hopeful .

No, that's definitely their senior squad.

Additionally would also like to make sure he is actually not, you know, the biggest trade disaster in history before we go and make him the captain. I think Carlton could be fairly sure that the J**d exchange was going to work and although Clark might be a huge hit he's not a 100% guaranteed success. Besides, suggestion was by Greg Denham and suggestions by him should be instantly forced into an industrial sized shredder closely followed by Denham himself. Happy to stick with current captain but would take Moloney or JT as a long shot.

Spot on DemonWA. Every year they are all wonderful until the first game comes around and we discover a whole lot of leopards have the same spots.

Long and direct was always going to be effective. Run and carry was always going to be effective. Defensive flooding was going to ruin the game with its effectiveness. But coaches found ways to counter these plans. Nothing is forever. The only constant is change.

The players need only be focussed in improving their times and we shouldn't compare. If you start to compare time trial results between players and say Blease should be with Gysberts, you then need to say Gysberts should be as fast as Blease. If Sam Blease and Gysberts can come out and knock 20-30secs of their last time trial result I'm sure the club will be happy with both.

Trengove did say in an interview he was willing to play in any position the club required of him. Maybe im over analyzing it but perhaps he was suggesting also that he would be willing to play any role (captain) the club required of him. dosnt seem like the type of guy who would overthink it and let it bring down his game to be honest.

Its very easy to say he should be doing as well as Gys. It's not a surprise seeing him behind others being a speed athlete and given his injury history. It does sound though that he has made some improvements and is putting in at every session.

Magner is 'unlucky'???? He hasn't played an AFL game!

Last year a young lad I teach told me about his football team- as follows. "The ruckman taps it to me. I kick it to the full forward. He kicks a goal" Simple really.

I can't believe we're still going on about $cully. The Kid was deceitful, selfish and greedy with no concept of doing the right thing by his club and his mates. He goes to GWS with the knee of a 80 year old, we get the same compo package Geelong got for Ablett (2 time premiership hero, brownlow medallist, MVP etc) and most importantly enough room in our salary cap to lure a potential star key position player in Mitch Clark to the club! How was Scullys decision to take the money and run not a big win for the MFC?

... one of these will play round 1, possible even two. e.g. Nicholson plus one of Couch or Magner. Competition for spots could make the NAB games interesting. Re other posts above, I wouldn't mind betting Bartram will play every game. Neeld said he wanted us to be hard to play against, and Bartram's the most belligerant stopper we have.

Mission? Impossible!

I understand the argument that a leader has to get on the field, but no player should be ruled out of contention because of injury potential, because every single AFL player is at risk of season/career ending injury at all times. For as long as Grimes is a starting 18 players when fit, he is as viable an option for captaincy as anyone. Despite the monumental changes that our club and list have gone through in Grimes' time, he has consistently been spoken of as a leader. He apparently did some great things off the field last year while injured, and he leads by example when he's playing. I'm not suggesting he is the only choice, or even the right choice because I wouldn't know enough intimate club details to make that call, but he absolutely should be considered. Injuries or no injuries.

Bring on generation TRENGOVE!

Brilliant!. For my part, I assumed there must have been a big bag of cash at the finish line for the first home.

Those who think it's Jack Grimes are dreaming .You got the first name right though .

Out of all the candidates, I believe JT has the best chance of adapting to the responsibility of being a great leader and club Captain. Yes he's young, but that just goes to prove how impressive the man is to be viewed in this light. I'm sick and tired of having people refer to him as a kid too. Choo-choo!

Has he bulked up yet? Far easier to set a time like that if he hasn't. Im sure Trengove could run that no problems if he dropped 5kg of muscle. Wouldn't help him play football though.

I never liked this from the beginning. His latent knee problems resurfaced uncomfortably soon after the start of the GWS rumours despite reports he was training like a gun immediately beforehand. The rumours and his dicky knee tracked a parallel course for the remainder of the season. Despite the occasional bandage and icepack he never moved or looked like he carried an injury in his few games with us last season. Then he signs the biggest ever AFL contract despite having a season ruined by injury with associated poor form and diminished skills. All too much to believe unless I like to feel gullible.

Bump. All aboard ... the Trenners Train!!

What does leadership have to do with fitness. Who is to say that whoever we name as captain wont do a season ending injury round 1?

Harsh but fair IMO. I've had a few chats with the bloke at the western demons dinner functions in recent years. Hes a nice bloke but he's not the sharpest tool in the shed. Grimes has a good head on his shoulders - he'll represent the club well whether its on the field, at a corporate dinner or a local kids meet and greet day.

Anyone that doesn't think that what a captain does off the field is as if not more important on field is kidding themselves. Captain is the figurehead spokesmen that will be mainly used with media and corporates off field. Of course your captain should be a starting 18 player but they do not need to be a superstar. Look at Harley, Maxwell, Cassisi, The player should have the respect of the leadership group and the playing group as a whole but it is really the whole leadership group that ensures the players toe the line. That is why you have diverse range of age and position. Moloney gives his all but goes missing in big games. No disrespect but his manner and delivery off field to me do not lend him to be captain. Frawley will lead by action but does not lend me to be one to thrive in the media and corporate aspects the job requires. Green was captain in a tough year last year but should just focus on playing his best footy. That is the best way for him to lead. Trengove and Grimes are clearly starting 18 players who will only improve and already tick the other boxes required. If Moloney, Jones, Green do not get the captaincy their is nothing stopping them showing just as much leadership on field than if they were. It just means they dont run through the banner first.

Lutz You seem to me to be an angry person who likes to attack ppl and personalise things. I will correct my mistake.

In order: Grimes, Blease, Clark, Jurrah.

Much appreciated Jordie_tackles. I sense that the MFC influence at Casey will be much stronger this year after the disagreements last year concerning the recruiting to Casey of Fevola. I still think you need some quality VFL type players on your list to ensure consistency within your team. I suspect the Scorpions are going to do it tough next year, especially if there are are injuries in the Demon ranks.

what about Jones? might not be the most polished, but gives 100% week in week out, body on the line, trains very very hard...... there are worse examples of role models out there.