mo64

In light of recent events, here's one for an ex-demon: Scott Thompson - Who's Going To Drive You Home - The Cars

I'm with Rogue on this one. His action show's personal pride, rather than passion for the jumper. For mine, it's no different to a forward missing a shot for goal. Either way, it's good to see.

Firstly, Jono Brown spent his 1st year at the club playing for the Brisbane Cubs, which is what you'd expect from a young kpp. Without blowing my own trumpet, I was happy with what I saw of Garland at Sandy. He didn't rack up big stats, but his decision making, disposal and athleticism impressed me. It's far more difficult for a young player to shine in a successful side, when established players like Biddlecombe, Lamb, Crowe and Sauntner are filling your preferred position. His development is not too dissimilar to Jared Rivers. BTW, did Jared Rivers when most improved in the year he won the Rising Star?

I'm with Jaded on this one. DB obviously saw the potential in Garland that most on this site didn't, and probably isn't surprised with his development. You can't describe a young kpp in his 1st season as a "bit-part player". Based on that criteria, Jonathon Brown was a bit-part player in his 1st year. I'm sure he didn't win most improved in his 2nd season at the Lions.

I think you're right Diablo, ther's no correlation between Rising Star nominees and success. Younger players get more of an opportunity, and can make more of an impression in struggling sides.

And that's how I took it, based on the tone of Connolly's voice. He said it in a relaxed manner, rather than a stern "where we're at as a club". This gave the impression that, if this week was the last H&A game, and we were playing for a spot in the finals, Davey would be playing.

Especially when they're a key position player, and your body needs to develop. Players like Glass and Bock, didn't start their careers in a blaze of glory either. I don't see Garland as an improved player. I see him as a player who's proving that he's up to AFL football. Like others, my most improved is Paul Wheatley.

Just mentioned on SEN that Colin Garland was this round's nominee for the NAB Rising Star.

We do know exactly what Davey did. Connolly stated this morning that he was given permission to attend a funeral. Davey admitted after the Brisbane game, that he had a few drinks and as a result, missed a 6.00am flight the following morning. Missing the flight resulted in him being late in attendance for a club engagement (Connolly didn't say if it was training). If Davey hadn't owned up to the fact that it was his drinking that caused him to miss the flight, the club would be none the wiser. It begs the question, would Davey have owned up if he hadn't recently been appointed to the leadership group.

Spot on. When asked about the suspension on SEN this morning, Chris Connolly made the point that "Where we are as a club at the moment, the suspension was appropriate". He also mentioned that any penalty has to be endorsed by the football department. Reading between the lines, if we were contending for a finals position, Davey wouldn't be suspended.

Thanks for the clarification Colossus.

Thanks for the report dworship. Just a couple of observations based on your comments: Firstly, it's a disgrace that the MFC would leave the Sandy 2s short of players. Surely fit players like Stefan Martin and Jace Bode need as much game time as possible, and a mid-season rest was hardly warranted. It appears that the impending divorce between the 2 clubs has taken it's toll, and the marriage is just a facade. Secondly, your comparison of Sauntner with Newton is grossly unfair. Is that the same Nick Sauntner, the great clubman, that left Sandy for the Bullants because of his connection with Ian Collins? Sauntner's also been in the system 10 years, and knows the ropes on-field and off-field. If I was a young kid like Newton, and was being deliberately ignored by teamates for a VFL veteran who never made it, I'd be [censored] off too. It begs the question of our VFL alignment. What comes first? On-field success for Sandy, or player development for the MFC.

Here's some equations that you can glean from the stats: Long Kicks (16) = Contested Marks (15) = Inside 50 (16) Disposals (10) - Inside 50 (16) = Overuse of the football Just goes to demonstrate that, contrary to popular belief on this forum, it's not a sin to kick the ball long.

The discussion point of this thread related to our spine (KPP's). In your words, "I dont believe it is critical to make a specific measure of the spine to judge where a team will be going forward". If that's the case, don't waste our time by contributing to the discussion.

So he rates McLean as inconsistent, slow, lacking skills and average at best.

Why do you bring up irrelevant points about our midfield when we're talking about our spine? And I'd like your individual ratings of the current Bulldogs spine at the start of the season. And you have no idea about betting. I backed the Bulldogs to make the eight because I saw them as good value, not because I rated them as the best team in the comp. I don't make long term bets on odds on or even money shots.

Thanks godees, that was it.

So you think that a spine of Lake, Everitt, Boyd, Hahn, and Minson is far superior than Carroll, Rivers, McLean, Miller and Neitz, which would have been our spine when I claimed that we were capable of making the finals? BTW, I rated the Bulldogs at the start of the year, and in fact they were the only team that I backed to make the eight. My rating of them had nothing to do with their spine.

We were also lost draft picks due to salary cap abuse. Can anyone recall what no. draft pick was given to the Dockers as compensation for picking up Jeff White in dubious circumstances? (I'm not talking about the actual trade.)

Rhino, if you did an analysis of the Western Bulldogs spine, it wouldn't be too different to ours, and they're sitting on top of the ladder.

Ok, let's analyse our imposing list of key position players, one by one: Warnock - Probable delist early in the year, who's played ok in some games, but been slaughtered recently. Garland - Very promising player, who with maturity could end up being a CHF. Martin - Played 1 ordinary game to date. Rivers - An injury plagued star, who doesn't play on the opposition's best forward. Frawley - A player with poor skills who's yet to make any impact. Bate - Not a key position CHF. Miller - In 7 seasons, I doubt that he's played 5 games where he's been in the best 3 on the ground. Newton - Shown promise, but his football could go either way. So from that list, the only KPP with established credentials is Rivers, and he's rarely on the park.

Meesen looks like he'll be another Kepler Bradley. Has all the physical attributes to be an AFL player, but just doesn't know how to play football. Meesen aside, our crop of draftees from last year (including Wona), are looking very promising. It's good to see that Maric isn't being pigeon-holed as a small forward. In a couple of years time, Craig Cameron may be seen as the messiah!

If you're prepared to put $100 on each, I'll give you 1000-1 on Weetra, Petterd and Valenti winning the Rising Star. Although, he had a delayed start to the season, Cotchin has been the standout IMO.

Not entirely true. Our paltry percentage is a truer reflection of how we've played this year. For a vast majority of the season we've been uncompetitive. Ultimately, the coach is responsible for the performance on the ground. And I don't buy Rhino's argument that Bailey took over a deplorable injury riddled list. At the start of the season, including the preseason, we were playing an obscenely bad brand of football with almost a full list. I just don't buy the bottoming out argument either. If Bailey truelly wanted to rebuild the list from scratch, Robertson would have been traded. When Clarkson arrived at Hawthorn, his intentions were obvious. He traded senior players en masse. Given the draft concessions that the new clubs will receive in the ensuing years, the opportunity for any club to rebuild from scratch is limited. Off the field, the club couldn't afford to bottom out this year. A $2m loss awaits us. Our onfield performances have a lot to do with this.

Harvey - 1st full year as coach like Bailey Worsfold - Premiership coach, 2 GFs Williams - Premiership coach, 2 GF's I'd be rapt if Bailey finishes with either Worsfold or Williams coaching record.