Rhino Richards

I dont think character is choice between those two styles. You can be either of those personality types and still be of high character. And I dont think being the over confident, brash party boy was necessarily the problem with a number of wayward chapmpions. How many Wayne Carey's have there been? I dont think Carey's issues were evident when he was recruited. They evolved. However there were other No 1 picks of the past who would not have been No 1 these days based on the basis of character. Gardiner and TJ for starters. Both have been wastes of formidable talent due to their own issues.

Its just a pity they're never yours Stevie. Keep swinging slugger.

I think the goal posts have moved since Carey and Dermie played. I think they may have hit an iceberg earlier in their career if they played today. While they reach heights as players, Carey and Cousins easily demonstrate the destructiveness on a playing group. Its fair to say that off field problems and their reflection on character have detracted enormously from their respective legacies. But to ignore character in the assessment of a footballer is naive. Because you end up buying a package where you never enjoy full functionality and potential because in many cases the player will never have the strength of character to commit, establish and develop his special talent. And young footballers with a load of talent and poor chaaracter are a dime a dozen. You often dont hear about them because their own personal flaws negate their underlying talent.

Well said Dof. Quality of character is a key requisite of a successful footballer in todays football and its no secret that this element is prominent amongst Scully, Trengove, Watts, Jurrah, Morton, Grimes and Co. Anyone for Laurence Angwin or Mitch Thorp?

Its called part of the life of an AFL aspiring footballer. Every fringe player goes through it. MFC should not be a charity If Bruce is near finished then its no good trying to "hide" him in a midfield position. And if Grimes is seen as better suited to playing off the HBF then so be it. If you think of the potential midfield of Scully, Trengove, Blease, Tapscott, Morton, Bail, Davey, McKenzie, Beamer, Jones, Bennell (and a future Viney) with cameos by Green and Sylvia through the midfield I not sure you can just keep stuffing players in there. All just to accomodate a player from the VFL who is not deemed good enough to command a role in the side on merit.

He would be if he were 192cm but then he would be...Now wait on.. B) I would have thought successful teams are successful for other reasons. I would have thought Steven Baker would have clearly demonstrated the true value of the "smack in the mouth" players. And he is no protector. I'd rather get Darling because he is the best player available to us. The ruff and tuff stuff is overrated by supporter. And Inner Demon is right. Darling tall??? At that size he is tallish midfielder.

Source? Or just the usual speculation?

If the NRL took Michael Newton, John Meesen and Stephen Baker it would be a win for both codes.

Sorry its truly a dumb idea..Charman is so injury prone he makes Meesen look like the $6 million man. Why would we get rid of one hack only to recruit a player whose body is past it. He is a crock. About the worst strategy you could undertake. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/lions-jamie-charman-out-for-season/story-e6frf9jf-1225879539491 "THE struggling, injury-hit Brisbane Lions have suffered another blow with sidelined ruckman Jamie Charman ruled out for the season. Charman has not played a senior match in 2010 after injuring his ankle in the pre-season but won't return until next year after undergoing surgery last Thursday suffering a setback in his recovery. The Lions initially expected the problem would keep him out for two months." Charman has been injured all this year and missed 44 games through injury in the previous 5 years. Hmm ruckman with chronic foot injury....ring any alarm bells.

Agree. Its as simple as that and its a reasonable expectation of the community on the AFL and other sporting bodies to commit to.

Well done on missing the point on a number of counts. Like I said good luck and its good you are taking an active interest in your kids. Unfortunately for a number of kids, what starts and ends at home is not always what they need to carry them through life. And as a consequence they draw direction solace, guidance or direction from the wrong outlets and influences.

Your comments are surprising then. You should actually see what's happening at the grass roots of junior football rather than making misguided statements about "santising kids". And your last line is exactly that attitude of the minority that the association seeks to remove from the game. Sad because the kids deserve better guidance than that. I'll remember not to mistaken you for the Mike Brady type. Good luck with the old fashioned values of parenting.

Armstrong was slow and with ordinary ball skills before the Bali incident. Nasty experience for him but it was more of the same after that. He was a poor choice notwithstanding Bali.

In fact it was quite the opposite. He was terrible. Those who thought he was the better ruckman really have no clue what a ruckman is and should do on the ground. OK he has a big and sturdy body but has no physical presence, can influence contests, poor overhead (you got that and hey that includes rucking). You have been sucked by his rover like skills but have overlooked that he has none of the needed skills. He stands 200 cm or so and plays about 170 cm. Good give him a Nivea skin care commercial Do you think other clubs are that naive??? Given GC have the first 6 to 7 picks, Round 3 gets you pick 40 to 58. Hardly worth splitting hairs considering we will struggle to use our three picks if we elevate McKenzie and Spencer. Also if we were to trade for a player of equal quality ...we would we bother? PJ is finished in AFL.

Correct. He is more underdone than last year. I am surprised people cant see that.

I think the 2001 draft was annus horibilus for CAC as Molan was just one of the mistakes CAC made that year. It really punished MFC's list particularly given the 99 and 00 salary cap penalties.

You obviously arent a parent to be speaking that way. The level of exposure to AFL through all forms of media for children is massive. The level of detail and scrutiny in games means that every little detail and contact is exacerbated or maginified. Kids have no developed antenna to identify right from wrong and all the shades of it in between Poseidon Burke's example is unfortunately not an isolated one. I am involved in the development of junior football teams and have done so for a number of years. In under 9s and under 10s players cannot tackle the ball carrier only bump in the side. Three bumps and its holding the ball. So essentially its minimal contact. There have been a number of situations over the years where children playing a defender are repeatedly and consistently hitting, jabbing and grabbing their opponents even when the ball is no where near them. It gets to the extent even after warnings that if such behaviour were performed in the schoolyard it would be a good case of bullying. Where are they learning that from? I know a number of the coaches, assistant at some of these clubs and I am confident they would not instil such behaviour We have also experienced children who have before the bounce of the ball in the match or a quarter physically manhandled/decking their direct opponent without the slightest provocation. Where are they learning that from? Fortunately such incidents have not been caused by our kids because if they were, we would have no leniency for such behaviour and the child would be prevented from playing. From time to time you do get the ugly parent at these events but they are more rare than the occurrence of these incidents. Its a real problem for junior football whats gets mimicked off the AFL. Both good stuff and bad stuff. And some of the bad stuff is hard to deprogramme when it comes from "role models" from kids. Baker is the thin edge of the wedge. He deserves to go and its no surprise that when they showed footage at the tribunal of what he did that StK did not contest the charges. Its terrible stuff and he has been at it for years. But kids are not just watching Baker. He is a low profile thug. Kids are copying behaviours they are seeing repeatedly and consistently in AFL each week regardless of the club they follow. The AFL were right to draw the line where they did. They just need to draw it carefully in a few other areas.

He advised some time ago that he chose for a specific position and not the best available at that pick from the draft.

It was reported on here that Stef had a hip injury. This needs to be verified from a depndable source. Its still a mystery why he is not on the injured list.

Could it be said that Meesen has finally cemented a spot? B) Nasty injury. If his AFL career was bleak 12 months ago, it was finished 6 months ago.

Its a pity he is not playing at full speed. He isnt match fit and barely made a contest at Willy. He has had little or no football for 16 months. Its got little to do with kicking a bag in the VFL. Although that would indicate that he is getting to contests and impact contests and showing he is fit to play. As for the others none of the players you mention were coming back from serious injury and were/are played due to lack of better options. When fit, Jurrah should play AFL...when match fit.

Agree. I dont think you can draw any conclusion on either Jurrah or Riewoldt. If anything I dont think the Saints will push Riewoldt too early at all. They will (should) only play him when he is 100% cherry ripe. The last thing they want is another ping of the hamstring of theit No 1 players. As for Jurrah, if his Willi game is the indication then he is still well short (well short of being AFL ready). I know the conditions and the game did not help there....but then again neither did he.

Any rule that outlaws serial snipers with past records like Baker should be applauded. Agree on the inconsistencies of the MRP. I am glad they made a statement on this bloke though.

Injured. LOL. Very good. :lol A good summation of the situation.

Past performance is but one issue under consideration when negotiating new contracts for listed players.