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This article is seriously unbelievable and moving in the way Jones has carried himself over the last 2 years. The Age followed Jones and 4 other footballers the whole year and this one of Jones shows why I now think he should be captain. For all the Nobs like Damian Barrett that [censored] kick us, Emma Q does a big pat on the back for this. Enjoy: http://www.theage.com.au/interactive/2013/5seasons/Jones.html

Norf weren't stupid enough to offer him a three year contract.

Will get picked up by a top 4 club and become a champion. Too good a talent to waste. All the very best Cale, er, I mean Lucas, um sorry, Jordan. Oh dear...... I'll just get my coat on the way out.

We effectively got Pedersen for him they win !!

I'm sorry bit I can't agree with anyone that saw 'something' in this bloke. When he played that game against Geelong, none of their mids took even the faintest bit of notice of him, and so he accumulated possessions by pretty much being free at stoppages. They were simply useless possessions. Greenwood had 38 in one game this year but can't break into Norths engine room.. Why? Magner got over 50 in the VFL this year and didn't play the week after. Why? Cale Morton was averaging high numbers in his first few years when many here were frothing at the thought of our very own Adam Goodes. Numbers. Nothing but numbers. Why do people place so much emphasise on this stat on its own. This is the AFL. The elite. You're not suddenly a good player if you manage high numbers. Just like it doesn't make you a good player if you can only tackle well. Or only kick well. Raise the bar. Gysberts was an out of the blue pick and one of the laziest players I have laid my eyes upon. He did nothing in the champs to prove his worth as a top 20 draft pick and BP will go down as one of the worst AFL recruiters the game has seen. I'm sorry to be harsh, but it's infuriating. I've never seen anything to excite me when watching him play and that was the same with Morton.

Oh, do me! Do me!!

I like Watts more than most here but I reckon that 2.82 is a fairy tale. Perhaps there was only 19m between the gates that day, a howling tailwind or the course was on a downhill section of Arthur's seat. Has anyone actually seen Jack look that fast on the field? I've never seen that sort of brutal acceleration or withering closing speed from him. Given our development of players of late perhaps we have knocked it out of him but until proven otherwise I will put his 2.82 into the same basket as Elvis sightings and alien abductions

Poor Gys..

I don't see how any lucid thinker can argue Sylvia is better than Vince. Vince is clearly a more natural and better mid, whereas Sylvia is a more damaging high half-forward with the occasional run on the ball. Vince has won a B&F in a side that finished 5th and Sylvia's best finish is 5th in a side that is regarded as having one of the worst midfields in the history of the game and finished 17th. Over their careers Vince has averaged 21 disposals and Vince 17. Sylvia has kicked more goals due to positioning. Vince is a better decision maker and a better kick. Vince isn't a high accumulator and nor is Sylvia. In what world do we "slightly lose" ?

Sylvia never won a B and F..never really came near it. Bernie has..he wins hands down Want to further compare. Pick a number 1-10 that represents the best each could produce then multiply it by the number of games each did enlightening isnt it

Same reason they'd want to come to Melbourne; game time.

yes...lets get him back...

Nathan should take his little brother out for a wild night which includes multiple twitter posts.

Nope Prendergast was a fool.

WGAF. I mean seriously. The way this forum regurgitates the failings of delisted players is funny, in a weird sort of way.

One thing Neeld was probably correct about was "elite training standards", and the lack there of Jordan Gysberts showed. Most of us thought Gysberts was harshly treated in 2012 and was shipped off far under his market value. We sold North a lemon. And they sold us a lemon. Very mischievous from both clubs (we lose, because we have Pedo for another 2 years) ...

How about we get through 2014 first.

Oh hang on I thought it was us who couldn't develop players??

I'm hoping for 2, because if he gets a year or two more, it will mean he's doing the job they recruited him for.

Oh did we? Guess we cant recruit him now!, A bunch of demonlanders dont like the idea.

Confirms a few things that I suspected. 1. Bailey wasn't great for Jones. Played him too much outside midfield, too much tagging and didn't get his balance right. Probably made him a better player but left him dissatisfied at the time. Jones very well could've walked. Essendon were circling IIRC. Good coaches make players comfortable even when doing team roles. Jones was uncomfortable. 2. Find a hardened, tough, talented, disciplined footballer and Neeld will coach him just fine. Worked well for Neeld at Collingwood where he had Pendles, Beams, Sidebottom, Swan etc. Show Neeld a bunch of wayward young players who aren't sure what they are doing and where they are going and it will be a disaster 3. Things in 2011 were seriously messed up. Norm Smith circa 1960 couldn't have solved that mess straight up. I don't think we've even had half the story. Bailey may have stirred some of the tanking stuff up but never really spoke his mind. 4. Jones isn't a natural leader. The surfing, the independent boxing sessions, the outside mentoring are all great for him but who else is benefiting? Sounds like over the course of this year he has really learnt more about leadership and team work. I'm not anti Jones captain but I think realistically we are best served with multiple captains.

Not sure I agree with much of bigtony's post.

It just made me depressed.

farrrrrrrrrrrrkkkk. i wish Watts would use his bloody pace on the footy field!

Hello First post. I have played since I was 8 years old. Now 58 and will still give it a go next year. Over 50s at Darebin. Played with a few VFL players over the journey as well as two of the most successful School teams I know. St Vincents in the Bendigo Golden Sq league. By 1972 they had won 12 of 13 Grand Finals in the Under 18s comp. Then Heidelberg High which won two Vic High Schools Grand finals in a row. Had a couple of coaches from Collingwood (Adamson and Potter) as well as a couple of pies players (Manassa, Stewart, Bond, Wise all of whom had some 1st games at the pies). I am rubbish but love getting out there.

He was the bane of my old man's existence. Would love when I travelled home and watched a game with him. He'd get so wild at Juice, nearly put a stubby through the telly many a time. Still makes me chuckle remembering him up at the screen screaming at him

All his kicks were gathered in space and often kicked to space. His marks were pretty good but he didn't get crunched in any of them. Looking at them now and you see he probably never was scared at under 18s like he was at AFL and his long striding running which gets him out in space is negated by a fit opponent. You look at what he was and what he is and it's the same player, just he's playing a different game and hasn't adapted. For an outside midfielder you have to be able to burn guys off with real speed like an Isaac Smith. Or otherwise kick the ball through traffic not just around it. I'm surprised his marking and spoiling isn't better at AFL but remember body positioning is the most important aspect to taking a mark and Morton fails at that. The added height and long arms that made it easy at junior level fail him at AFL. Their are Morton and Toumpas similarities. So we need to fix Toumpas' physical abilities, make him fitter and faster. But then we need to teach him close checking so that he can spoil, chase and tackle. Hopefully Toumpas has the ability to kick accurately under pressure and I think he does.

Nice try BH, but my views on the payers and how they will go in 2014 have nothing to do with the shocking calls you made with respect to their performance in 2013. Dawes to kick 40-50 goals in 2013 - kicks 12, averages 1.0 goals/game Pedersen to be even better than Dawes - averages 0.5 goals/game Pedersen to play 22 games in 2013 - plays 10 games "Love the Bloke" - "Neeld's a disaster" The wins will come in 2013 - Wins: 2 Losses: 20 Hmmmm. I'm sensing a pattern here.... On Neeld: In the lead-up to round 1: ***Hmmmm, the bandwagon seems to have changed direction. I may have backed the wrong horse here. I know, I'll just be really nasty and haughty*** On Pedersen: ***Hmmmm, the tide of majority opinion seems to have gone out on this bloke. I know, I'll just be cruel and imperious*** On Schwab: Ben-Hur circa 2007~June 2013: ***Passionate defense of Cameron Schwab*** ***Hmmmm, I seem to have been the last to read the writing on the wall here. Even I can't continue to defend this guy. I know, I'll just continue to be my usual arrogant self and kick him now he's down*** Loudly trumpet the views of the majority and then loudly and nastily mock those views when majority opinion changes. It's typical schoolyard bully stuff. It could be forgiven in someone who doesn't take himself so seriously.

agree, we so often speak of Roos but PJ is perhaps more our saviour.

We are not in a position to "take a punt"- we still need midfielders. If you need a little reminder about that I invite you to cast your mind back to Jurrah over Rockliff decision, and how that gamble payed off for us..

Great read, but really gives an insight into what Roos has ahead of him to rebuild the confidence in the players. A lot of work to be done and I'm really grateful that Jackson is there to oversee it, we would be totally screwed without him.

I broke my leg in my first game for Buraja in the now defunct Coreen & District League in 1963. Resumed with them in 1964. Played in the school team while at Corowa High School, winning the football trophy in 1964, not that this meant very much, as I attracted zero interest from VFL scouts. Several team mates from the school side did go on to bigger and better things, including Peter Chisnall (North Melbourne), Cec Rhineburger (Fitzroy), George McInnes (Richmond), Fred Longmire (South Melbourne & father of Swans coach, John) and Greg Lambert (South Melbourne). Went to PNG in 1965 as a Patrol Officer and was in an area where there was no football. Changed careers and became a high school teacher in PNG in 1969 in the Chimbu District. There was no Aussie Rules there so I was talked into playing Rugby League. It was violent, being referred to as 'kill him white man' by the indigenes. Introduced Aussie Rules to the school boys in the Chimbu and they took to it like ducks to water, managing to get the odd game against a couple of Catholic high schools run by Christian Brothers from Victoria. Transferred to Goroka where Aussie Rules was a popular game. Captained and coached the high school team that played in the town competition, winning the grand final in our second year. That year our Goroka District team beat Port Moresby in the PNG championships, which would be like Williamstown beating Hawthorn. This was due to the fact that we had a Lutheran pastor in our team who was a handy player. His name was Brian Schwartz and he'd played for South Australian against Victoria, playing on Alex Jesaulenko. Retired at the age of 26 after our GF win. A good way to 'hang up the boots'. Another football tragic whose fanaticism and desire far exceeded natural ability. Such is life! If only ........

kel went on to marry kath day

Won't happen. If you can't spell it right, how do you think Joffa & the cheer squad will cope.

Conclusion - we are due a Dangerfield

Ever tried sprinting away from a contest bouncing the footy with someone on your tail while looking ahead for options ? It's far easier to chase. He's fast.

The Australian Philanthropic society

Landsberger and Clark from HS have him going to Brisbane at 7, and Freeman to us. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/draft-experts-jay-clark-and-sam-landsberger-gives-their-predictions-ahead-of-the-afl-national-draft/story-fni5f22o-1226747756197

Here's my predicted top 10. My thinking is at some point over the next 10 or 20 years if I keep guessing at this kind of stuff I'll eventually get one right. When that happens I intend on offering this as proof of my incredible knowledge of underage footballers and the inner workings of all 18 AFL clubs. 1. Boyd 2. Bontempelli 3. Kelly 4. Aish 5. Kolodjashnij 6. Freeman 7. Scharenberg 8. McDonald 9. Billings Cheers

Mobile wingman playing between HB and HF. First or second receiver at ball-ups / throw-ins and finding space on his own is where he could (potentially) do a lot of damage with his disposal ie. playing to his current strengths and (hopefully) developing some new ones courtesy of Paul Roos guidance, increased confidence in his own ability and lots of hard work on the track.

It's Barett's younger, dumber brother.

For Casey

. Neita boring? Please the bloke is a 300 game legend. Was fierce in the heat of the battle on the field. I love The Ox also but unfortunately injury & a gambling addiction ensured he would never lead our club. I love his passion still today , especially when he got stuck into Scully about lying to Jimmy. Both great servants, but Neitz boring? No way!!!!!

Im a master at kick to kick...

While I am not particularly proud of my personal footballing achievements (I played 1 game for Camberwell Under 19s at the Sandringham Oval, 1 season in EDFL and then 2 years in E or F Grade Amateurs - mostly in the seconds!) I have played in 2 memorable finals games... A long time ago on a footy field far, far away our local team (under 11s it was) made the finals. In the First Semi final I was playing at CHF and a young 9 year old (future champion) was filling in at CHB. We won that day by a couple of goals, I even jagged one myself! We were very excited to progress to the Prelim. It was the Page-McIntyre Finals 4 system in those days. Anyway the weather for the Prelim was cold, raining and windy. The other team (eventual premiers) seemed bigger and stronger (peptides in their oranges?) and we got close, so very close. Our CHB, just a youngster, was easily best on ground and I know I tried because I cried hard after the siren sounded as we'd lost by a point. Sadly no Grand Final and that was my last game for this local team. However for the young 9 year old he would go on to become club champion for Beverley Hills and of course find his was to VFL / AFL stardom, first as a player and then as a premiership coach. Now he's with us, let's hope he repeats his coaching successes!

Never played! Came over to Oz in my early 30s and fell in love with the game, but a bit old to get involved. Would've loved to give it a crack, tho'. I played a fair bit of soccer, wherever I lived, and my claim to fame is scoring a goal in the French FA Cup (ultra preliminary round!).

Played one match in an all girls match in the bush which of course qualifies me to make highly valued and informed opinions on Demonland- like the rest of you!!

Number 30 should be retired out of respect for club champions Simon Godfrey, Tom McNamara and James Seller

He won't be there at pick 40. If he is then it is a steal. Even if the kid had some issues Mitch Clark will give him a whack around the ears if he plays up. Plus I for one am over the goody goody two shoes players