SaberFang

Yeah, apparently Stevie J should get a fine for a late, high, off the ball bump to the head. [censored] me dead.

Enjoy the finals series, Clark! Adelaide's!

Definitely a contributing factor, that the SANFL might not be all it's cracked up to be. We definitely tried to get a little cute, rather than going the "sure thing." Safe to say that mistake hasn't been made since Roos came on board. It's reassuring to know that Cockatoo and Lever were our other two targets if we'd managed extra first rounders last year, considering both have shown so much promise since debuting. But anyway, we move forward to another great chance to get things right. Between pick 5, Howe's pick and presumably Garland's compo, we should be able to secure enough established talent AND quality young kids inside to secure our future.

I don't think there's anything wrong with his attitude, but how do you teach a kid not to panic under pressure? You either have those core instincts or you don't, but it's frankly gobsmacking to me how he was drafted in the first place. I can understand why teams passed on Stringer (and how Lever fell so far last year), but Wines should not have come as a shock. Bull in a china shop. Were the effects of pressure acts simply not factors in drafting 3 years ago? Hard to believe considering how huge a leap it is between suburban leagues and the AFL.

We desperately need to draft kids who aren't affected by pressure.

Essendon want Parish, so we can speak to him all we like but it's like GWS wanting Petracca last year. Unless he pulls a Wingard in his interview with them, I don't see it happening. There's also the element of FA compensation picks yet to play out.

Oh god, do we have to go down this path again...

The more kids we can get through the door who love the club, are sick of seeing peehearted efforts from our current list and want to move us back up the ladder, the better. All the better if we get him for a packet of chips.

Well it might just mean his manager is shopping him to get his price up, and his preferred destination is Melbourne. Player managers play a lot of games with lowly clubs like Melbourne because they know they hold all the cards. Of course, Sunday didn't help the situation in the slightest.

I'm definitely tired of the player culture around poorer clubs that in order to retain players they need to pay massive overs as compensation for staying in a poor club. I'm glad Howe is getting the same treatment as Frawley. The only question is whether we're trying to get a player or a pick in return, and if the latter then what will we demand? Inside the top 10?

Yeah, their 25 goals & 12 behinds was certainly inaccurate yesterday. Thank god our highly accurate team found a way to kick more behinds with 17 less scoring shots against the worst team in the comp. And the reason so many people rave about the Saints' young list, despite our equal footing on the ladder, is their attitude. I've watched at least half their games this year and they always put in. Nobody pulls out of chases, nobody decides to pursue their man when the ball is in open space 3 meters away, nobody drops their heads when they're 50 points down. It comes down to one simple non-negotiable: unconditional effort. We all agree that so much of our club's problems is above the shoulders; other young teams just go out with freedom and attack the ball with maximum effort. Our players look bored, disinterested, confused, almost pained to be playing AFL, as if it's some kind of miserable chore. Sometimes they don't turn up because they expect to be flogged, other times they don't turn up because they expect a cakewalk. It's an ingrained mental scarring that Roos gets criticized for mentioning, but the fact is you almost need a psychologist running this damn club to help these players.

So if the Lions get pick 2 for Leuenberger, do we get band 2 compo for Garland (pick 20)?

Most recent article fro the Hun (about our play for Lynch) says Gold Coast are leading the chase at the moment.

That was really difficult to watch. Is it really necessary to letter bomb the guy every time the team comes out and underperforms? Does that really achieve anything? He's as frustrated and lost for words as we are, and he's deservedly upset at the constant scrutinisation of his commitment to the club.

You can only bid on sons of former players if their father played 100 matches for their club. Gotta think long-term I guess.

Legitimate question: could Jonesy just be suffering from newborn-related sleep deprivation? Is that a common occurrence for players after having a kid?

Those were direct quotes from Roosy, dee-luded.

Yes, yes, yes. After yesterday we desperately need the leadership. We're in a leadership vacuum currently.

Didn't think he was going to reach 100 games before year's end, but round 23 is actually his 100th match. Suddenly I can understand why he hasn't been dropped all year.

**** off Jeremy. All I have to contribute on this severely limited player.

Two weeks ago we hadn't lost to the Bulldogs by nearly 100 points and Carlton by 4 goals. I guarantee the goalposts have shifted for our list management. Just wait until Freo destroy us next week and we suffer another humiliating defeat vs GWS to cap off the season. It's become increasingly obvious that there is a deep-seeded toxic culture embedded in parts of our playing group and clearly the coaches have had enough of the excuses. They were given an internal and public kick up the ass after last week's embarrassment then completely blew it against the worst team in the comp.

I can't see anything inside a top 15 pick for Toumpas at this rate.

Seriously, how the hell did we get to the stage of delisting a pick #4 from 3 years ago? FMD this club is infuriating.

Roos: "You're looking at habits and patterns... clearly there's patterns we've identified. What's the result of that? It's fairly obvious what happens. Melbourne people are sick of the same excuses. They'd come and expect more from the first half." On the scars of the past: "I don't really care what it is, anymore, to be honest. It's just about performance. We've got to improve our performance as a footy club, and while I was sympathetic to the club and where it's been, the coaching group has been here for long enough now that it's not about where we've been and more about where we're going."

Love him and when he plays well he's enormous. Problem is it's only 3 times a year. Get currency for him and move him on.