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That's debaitable.

Had a spare hour - some interesting reading ...

One of the most entertaining things this off season so far is to see you take the bait and carry on like a pork chop. Thanks for the rumours and the entertainment

Agree except for the father son rule. I like the romance of generations of the same family playing for a club.

I have a gut feeling that we will bid on Brisbane's academy prospect Blake Coleman with one of our first round picks, he's a very similar player to Kozzy and would be great for forward pressure and x-factor if a bid wasn't matched. The bid would come much higher than Brisbane would expect so maybe there's a chance they don't match as they would lose pick 25 and they have a few other academy prospects later in the draft. Cal Twomey also mentioned yesterday that he has interest in the late first round which just happens to be where our picks are and JT's love for Kozzy last year I could see him liking a similar player. Another interesting one is Sydney's academy prospect Errol Gulden and whether they'd match a bid if we bid on him. He will be around our range and Sydney's recruiting manager on The Road to the Draft podcast said they were no guarantee to match a bid on him if they thought it wasn't worth it. He's another lively small forward who can play midfield or half back as well. I think we will definitely take a small forward with one of our picks, whether that's Coleman, Gulden, Laurie, Winder, Bowey, etc. One more thing is it'll be interesting to see where our pick 28 falls. There is currently 8 picks in between 19 and 28. However out of those picks in-between our picks, the Bulldogs will certainly lose their pick with the Jamarra bid coming in the top 5, Hawthorn is a chance to lose their pick with a bid for their academy boy Downie expected to come around pick 20 so that is touch and go. As mentioned earlier Brisbane could lose their pick with talk of a bid for Coleman coming in the late first round. Then there is also talk Gold Coast might just not use their second rounder at all because they don't have enough list spots. That would leave just GWS, St Kilda and Adelaide * 2 in between our picks 19 and 28 allowing for us to probably take 3 guys we rate really highly.

You always rise to the bait Nev. Every. Single. Time.

I really don't want to get into politics, so I hope this is my last word on the subject. Be let slide by whom? I presume you mean other posters since the mods can't chase every short not strictly footy comment. There have been numerous references to Dictator Dan that slid by. Did those offend you too? They probably offended some. Remarks that offend one's beliefs tend to be more noticable/offensive than one's that support them. I know it's tempting to comment (eg. me here), but it's best if we let one-liners that offend our personal beliefs slide by and have a quick nod at the wisdom of posts that support them.

Oh dear! Just as well the recruitment decisions are made by the professionals. Although LJ is only 12 months into his career so they could be proven right yet ?

What bait? Seriously this is ridiculous. I thought a young player with a giant leap might be given a nickname that suits. IMO Flighty is the perfect nickname for Jackson. We regularly apply nicknames to players that aren't necessarily the ones they get called by team mates. Many on here have profile names that illustrate this point, such as Lord Nev, DazzleDavey, petraccattack, etc Lets move on, stop misreading the tea leaves and get some rumours happening!

Superb season. Unlucky to miss out on AA selection. Never beaten by direct opponent. Defensive lynchpin. Genuine heartfelt B&F speech. A leader. I love this bloke.

Herald Sun have a nice little piece on the top 60 draftees. AFL are only expecting around 50 picks to be taken this year (as per AFL website) https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-draft-2020-dossier-interactive-profiles-stats-and-draft-range-on-all-the-top-prospects-from-around-the-country/news-story/b6eff3e0139aed53c9867837030577cb What I noticed looking at these, then with Twoomey, Knightmare, AFL Draft Central is a lot of discrepancy between picks 8-25. The more and more I read, the more and more I agree with Mahnoey's decision to have 3 picks in the top 28 and see what shakes out. As we are only taking 3 picks to the draft (AFL website), I can see a case for using 19, 28 + 50 (equal to pick 5/6) to move up, but I don't know who takes it. Collingwood have 14 and 16 and I dont think that Reef will be taken before then, and they'd be happy to sacrifice points on their pick next year. Maybe just maybe they'd be keep to swap out 16 on the night if they are confident Rich and Melb wont bid on Reef and then they get the extra points they need. But it is a long shot. Essendon have Brand who is mid-20s pick and they dont have the points for him, but I cannot see them parting with pick 8 for 19, 28 + 50 though. Which gets me to why I dont think it matters. Tall wingers / half back flankers / guys who can deliver a ball, come on down - Perkins, Henry, McCrae, Cook, O'Driscoll, Poulter, Carroll, you could even throw Chapman in there as well (all picks 10-30). Laurie is a small forward with an elite kick, Winder and Ford could be drafted into our forward line (25+). It just feels like this is one of those drafts that people will look back at and ask how recruiters got it so wrong. So lets back Taylor and see how it all shakes out in a few years.

Agree BDA. Scrap all bar the F/S rule. I believe such clubs should be allowed to recruit players under F/S, however there should be no discount applied. They get the choice of matching or not.

It's a nice little metaphor for society, reallly. 'It could have been a big hit to income but we'll soften the blow by tossing a couple of the most vulnerable people out of the boat completely.' Righto, with that out of the way, we can get back to all being in this together.

and guilty by association Docs Demons... Addendum: Is Isaac Smith a closet goofy footer? the appeal of Dad's Army in hoops down at Kardinia Park won out.

If you wish to keep politics off the forum then I suggest you simply note that a post you consider political is inappropriate. Presenting your own view as you did is simply doing more of what you complain of. Personally I have no problem with throw-away lines like in ItsTime's post that you complained about whether 'left' or 'right' - they'd be too hard for the mods to deal with anyway. Detailed arguments are another matter.

Lifted from the AFL website this morning. I reckon its about right except for Harmes on the wing. I'd throw Baker in from the get go to see whats he's made of. Use Harmes off the inter-change and AVB as an emergency. "The addition of Ben Brown from North will give Melbourne's forward line a different look, particularly if Luke Jackson can build on the promising start to his career. That leaves 2018 breakout star Tom McDonald in limbo after the club tried – and failed – to find him a new home. Adam Tomlinson looks best suited to a key role in defence, leaving a wing spot open that can be filled by James Harmes after he failed to fire in the backline in 2020. With speed and skill set to be a priority, Jayden Hunt adds pace on an attacking flank, while Charlie Spargo provides forward nous and pressure. Look for athletic wingman Oskar Baker to push into the side early in the season, but much-loved warriors Nathan Jones and Neville Jetta seem best suited to providing squad depth these days. Harry Petty and Marty Hore will add competition for places in defence, assuming their return to fitness after injury-ruined seasons. B: Jake Lever, Steven May, Michael Hibberd HB: Trent Rivers, Adam Tomlinson, Christian Salem C: James Harmes, Angus Brayshaw, Ed Langdon HF: Jayden Hunt, Sam Weideman, Christian Petracca F: Kozzy Pickett, Ben Brown, Bayley Fritsch R: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, Jack Viney I/C: Luke Jackson, Charlie Spargo, Aaron vandenBerg, Jake Melksham Emerg: Oskar Baker, Jay Lockhart, Nathan Jones, Tom Sparrow

Not a bad configuration at all. There is plenty of talent, mobility and the linkages both offensively and defensively are quite evident. However, we all have some preferences and mine would be Hunt - he needs to be (IMO) in the team and preferably in the forward line, used from the interchange bench; I'd replace Spargo at this point with Hunt, and Hunt to be given a 'bit of' a roving utility role in that breath of absolute speed and kicking skills. (It is pleasing to see Tomlinson on the wing opposite to Langdon - he has the run and carry, nearly always in space, to assist the potency of the forward set-ups. I just hope the backmen can look for him, see him and exploit his 'space'-finding attributes in season 2021.

Met him just before schoonergate (he had 1 beer) and I could not have been more impressed with him which is not what I was expecting. He acknowledged he didn't arrive in best condition and it drove him to change his training habits which he did. He has absolute certainty about his ability without being arrogant and as we've seen is not afraid to speak his mind when a player or the team are not up to standard. He's our best leader by a long way in my opinion.

I was about to hit like on your post until I read the final sentence. Have a pop at Trump by all means but can we please leave the voters out of it. You’ll never unite if you disparage the other side. They had very good reasons for not voting Biden. And there's zero relevance/comparison between Treloar and Collingwood and Trump voters as if half of America voting republican is some sort of big surprise! Plus I thought the footy forums were supposed to be apolitical anyways?

In what way? He hardly won a contested ball the whole video. I saw Spargo myself.

That's the thing with Harmes in the middle, he was able to nullify a opponent and still get the ball himself and have influence in attack, surely we can rotate 4 or 5 mids in the middle and half forward next year.

Let’s get Giuliani onto it.

AA season in my eyes showed why we went after him. A key back who is so valuable and leads by example. Carries the backline.

Anyone? Anyone?

That was the shortest rant ever

There are a good few suggestions here - The 23 mature-age bargain gems your club could steal at AFL draft - and three of them are ex-Pies

1st list lodgement on Wednesday

No, not ridiculous, just unfortunate coaching and opportunity. This is an opinion that attracts some support; I am one of those supporters. Do you deny me that perspective or is this a forum of ideas and thoughts? By the way, OMac received the games by good fortune alone - yet there was no improvement.

Players get fatigued playing AFL. They always have, they do today. In the past players had to play 100 minutes, with no rotations. The game is not a sprint it is a marathon. Players coped by pacing themselves. Just like all sports. Robert Harvey is quoted as saying he could always run his opponent into the ground in the last quarter, because of his endurance. Less rotations will see the better players excel in the latter stages of the game. So for Danger to suggest players will get injured because they are fatigued, doesn't face up to the reality of competitive sport.

Nice to see him go some way to fulfilling the enormous potential he has always had. His work ethic was outstanding both preseason and within season and he reaped the individual accolades that came with that. He still has work to do (one swallow doesn't make a summer) to be spoken of in the same company as Martin but he looks likely to join that elite company if his progression continues on the same trajectory. Congratulations to him!

It’s amazing that people that have posted on here for 10 years expect a kid in his second season to extend longer than 2 years. Especially one with star potential.

Me too nosoup. I reckon there is at least one more level in him. Maybe more. Scary for some, spectacular for us!

Agreed or a Jim Stynes Reach Foundation centre would be fantastic and a real honour to the great man's legacy as well.

Is it worth throwing a 1 year contract to Lewis Jetta? 31 years of age, has speed and skill and could fill a part of our game that we need to address. Thoughts?

Gator's tips at Ballarat tomorrow

I love him more than you.

Of course you’re allowed your perspective. I just think it’s wildly wrong. Frost is, was and will be a dreadful footballer.

No I am not a hard marker, just hope 3 or 4 others can go up a level with him.

Gobsmacked he missed AA, sensational season. Shows the difference between proper preparation and coming back underdone. For me he should be an official member of the leadership group (dep VC) for 2021.

The phantom drafts have Sydney's kids going at 6 and 22. They will be short on points by 376 points (equivalent of pick 43) if this occurs. (I reckon the first kid will slide like Green did last year). If they go into deficit their first pick next year will be pushed back. They will desperate for this not to happen. However, Sydney's first pick next year a good one. Potentially top 5 again. There is no way they trading out of the first round for around pick 22-25 this year. They will be much more likely to trade a future 2nd or 3rd round pick for an extra pick around 43 to make up the 300 odd points. They will finish up with 3 excellent kids and keep their excellent pick for next year.

We have 4 picks of value this year and limited list spots. It would be dumb if we take 3 players and pass at #50 (particularly after we did multiple pick swaps to obtain it). Either we are looking to take four players or we need to slide up or into the future to keep our currency.

Agree. A friend who is a huge WCE fan says he checked out after the ‘18 flag. Hasn’t been able to climb the mountain again and any club who picked him up would be just feathering his retirement

What nonsense. Frost was always limited, and we could hardly ship him fast enough when the offer for him came. And he was injured for a good portion of the couple of years that OMac played most of his games so it's just not valid to say Oscar was getting games ahead of him. And even if he was, it was because he's a better player than Frost. He probably did what he was told, for a start. But to suggest we should have put more games into him rather than Oscar is ridiculous.

Barry Prendegast rivals Mark Neeld for one of the MFC’s greatest ever gifts. Both human wrecking balls.

Yes

I am in total agreement M9 we wasted a valuable year playing Harmesy in the backline, also robbed him of confidence and self belief. He is a great tagger, mid and defensive half forward, I want to see James Harmes 11 shutting star players down and kicking goals. Get on it James..!!!!!

A season's worth of development wasted by the coach experimenting. Goody should have realised early on that playing James off the half back line (?) wasn't working and moved him back to his tagging role.