Machsy

It was bleedingly obvious when he was recruited that he'd be insurance for Hurn, as the long kicking driver out of the back half. Hurn is down, as is a few others capable of filling that role. Good luck, Cale.

That's my thinking also.

Classy, but underwhelming. I'm not sure what will set him apart at AFL level when everyone else has a tank like his.

That's always been evident.

Sloane would be great, but alone is he enough for a minidraft pick or a number 1 pick? I'm not convinced. I'd want something else to go along with him.

Really? I thought Sylvia had shown that he's quite comfortable coasting along throughout his career...

www.news.com.au/sport/afl Is the same as www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl But the former has no paywall. Simples.

When Fitzy has played a handful of games earlier in his career, this area of the the field has made him look exceptionally poor. His mobility has allowed him to get further upfield and find the ball around the wing, but the problem with him getting the ball here is that he has to make decisions. It hasn't been simply lead and mark the ball coming to you, and then kick the ball forward towards another leading target, or goal. It has been in general play, congestion, and decision making has not been his forte. I haven't seen a great deal of this in his recent games. This is possibly a good thing, meaning he has figured out how to play to his strengths and as much as possible eliminate instances of him being in that position. It's possible he has improved in this area of his game also. But it is one that concerns me. I don't think he is a complete player. I think he really lacks in the 360 degree football.

I take a different view - he just wasn't ready. Had a few other lessons he needed to learn before taking on the role. Would have benefitted from another 5 years or more as an assistant. I think he was capable in regards to some aspects of coaching.

Would Charles Sitch be related to Rob, himself a dees supporter? Not that it's important obviously. Just a curiosity.

Don't reckon he's up to it. Probably used up his quota of decent games so far this year.

Wasn't Laidler average and struggling to get a game at Geelong, then average and struggling to get a game at Carlton? At least Gillies might find an old mate to play with at Casey.

He laughed that off a few weeks ago. Said apparently he's bought a house in Perth without even seeing it.

Christ no.

I tend to agree with you & Ralph, but without any inside knowledge, there is a chance that Neeld still made a firm judgment on Fitzy's ability to "make it" based on the limited exposure he had to him at that level. Unwise to do so, but it wouldn't be the only mistake he made.

Except Ben who called him a gumby last week!I was at a function on the weekend and one of the players said "Neeld didn't rate him". We are starting to see significant improvement from just about everyone. Even Neeld's greatest success Nathan Jones said he just loves Craigy. What were they thinking. Neeld was Jack's coach at the Western Jets. When he came to the club he said Jack couldn't play and he wasn't going to play him.

I think the board and GMFO appointments are just as important, maybe moreso.

It's a guess, but I imagine Robbo doesn't spout off about appointments at the club unless it is club sanctioned, and to say we are setting our sights on Roos as the best available coach certainly puts our eggs all in one basket. We wait in hope.

Never been accused of being a Rhodes scholar. Like Moloney, unfortunately they're "just footballers", but I firmly believe to be one of the top line players requires a certain level of intelligence that hasn't been present in our more capable players in recent years.

It is, as it is Nathan Jones' 150th and Jeremy Howe's 50th matches also.

Like most supporters and the media were begging for. Don't pretend Watts to the backline was some insane Neeld ploy that wasn't widely supported.

Good OP. I also think the dees should trade Franklin and Pendlebury so we can get something for them while we have the chance.

Well known in AFL circles that he wants to be back in Melbourne. I imagine there's a lot of other teams better placed to recruit him. Hardly a priority for us.

Not that we need him, but Kristian Jaksch is desperate to come back to Melbourne.

Uh... Not sure I meant it to sound so forceful. It was intended to be more along the lines of "get Michelle Jenneke & Hogan together, then stick them in the honeymoon suite with Barry Manilow playing..." Or something. Unless you're talking about something else.