SaberFang

I'm reliably informed that he actually has interests in journalism and real estate. So any property purchasing in Melbourne could well be investment properties, and any sightings are purely related to Seven/Fox who are both Melbourne-based companies.

I reckon almost every non-Hawks supporter will be rooting for Adelaide next week. Having to travel twice in a fortnight will be a huge ask though. I really hope Adelaide knock those arrogant asses at Hawthorn off their high-horse.

This game is off the charts amazing. Can we just have these two teams in the GF rather than Freo/Syd?

That, I agree with. He's playing a long-term game and is no fool. Frankly, it suits his stealth rebuild purpose to focus solely on defence, knowing we'll struggle to win games, but still wind up with top draft picks for the entirety of his stay. He's setting the club up for a Beveridge-esque takeover when Goodwin steps in. I hope... We played really attacking football in all our wins bar Brisbane... it's surely no coincidence. Was Goodwin playing a more influential role on gameday for these matches? You have to wonder...

I don't think Roos understands the concept of attacking football.

Looking like another repeat of today's disaster (from Sydney's perspective). Bad kicking, bad footy. We would relate.

Damn, the Crows forward line is incredibly potent. You nullify Betts, Charlie Cameron just steps up. You nullify Walker, Lynch steps up. You find a way to nullify them all? Sloane, Danger and the rest of their midfield turn into the goalkickers. Well drilled team.

The Crows just have much more substance to their gameplan. Have plans in place to cope with changing scenarios in the game. Campo has done an exemplary job considering the circumstances. Nobody would've blamed that group if they fall apart as the season ended, but their resilience has to be partly attributed to the job he's done as caretaker.

Any player with worth isn't getting dropped from the side, so I can understand a degree of disregard from Roos if true. Anyway, I think the club's perfectly setup with the succession plan. Goodwin can spend 2 years becoming personable with the list while Roos plays the role of the "bad guy". Classic good cop/bad cop stuff.

HAHAHAHA... $700k? What could possibly go wrong? I guess going from Sin City to a retirement home is still an improvement for Bennell's wellbeing.

Personally I reckon the dogs are more style than substance. Their defence tonight leaves much to be desired, at the expense of an open, free-flowing game.

I like that it's kinda neutral. Either of them getting a home game would be much less fun.

This has gotta be one of the best matches of the year, even after only one quarter. Could top Crows v Port.

The other consideration is he hasn't been wallowing at some poor development club; say what you will about the club but Essendon's development program is one of the most lavish in the league. They're not exactly short of a quid. So if he hasn't exactly "blossomed" after 6 years in this system, when exactly will it happen?

So we're offering a contract he might not be able to fulfil half of? Maybe worth a punt for $250-$300k, but nearly $400k? No way.

Perhaps part of the reason Cross was let go is that the club are very optimistic about the state of Jack's recovery? Otherwise I think many of us are still scratching our heads.

The only universe where we should give up our second rounder involves Melksham and Essendon's 3rd rounder coming back, ala the Frost deal last year. But a second round pick in a shallow draft has much, much more currency than a third rounder. So unless Goodwin knows something we don't, this seems like a big mistake.

He'd be an improvement on our worst players but... [censored]. I wouldn't touch an Essendon player until WADA's situation is resolved. Essendon are bad news at the trade table, period. If Carlton are dumb enough to give up a first rounder for Carlisle, only to have him banned for 2 years, it would be the funniest situation to unravel in the modern game. Do we really want to play a part in that by sacrificing something as high as our third rounder? Essendon will demand our second rounder, for starters.

Just ensuring his post-coaching media career is safe, I guess.

They're trying to build a list that is capable of playing finals. Not one team this weekend would let Watts near the field; he doesn't go at the contest and he isn't suited to finals football. Simple fact is, were he pick 50 he'd have been gone years ago. Doesn't change the fact that Melbourne failed him to a certain degree and the label of pick 1 meant he never stood a chance. There's a common thread in all the number 1 picks that have actually gone on to greatness (Hodge, Riewoldt, Deledio) and, likewise, a common thread in the ones that haven't (Gibbs, Watts, Scully). Merely possessing promising skills as an 18 year old doesn't necessarily translate to modern AFL; we need to target kids with a burning desire to compete.

Yep, always thought the 2 MCG games would be better than the 2 Perth games.

They might prefer Etihad, but ultimately they need to win at the 'G to get the glory. Why avoid the inevitable? They're the kind of team with no fear; take on the challenge and prove everyone wrong.

Frawley's idea of second efforts involves a half-assed jog towards whichever direction the ball ends up after he makes another embarrassing fumble, missed mark, failed tackle, etc. I'm just glad he's someone else's problem. That it's Hawthorn's problem is certainly icing on the cake. I can't wait to see Howe half-assing around the field next year in another team's guernsey while whatever kid we recruit from him throws himself at contests.

No, no, no, no. We dodged this bullet when we took Salem (and Collingwood were reportedly [censored]).