Bang Bang Bang

Okay so I didn't see the WHOLE game, but I'm shocked (actually, I'm not really) to scroll back through the last few pages and see more Watts-bashing. Thought he looked great on the wing. Promising signs. Some good signs, especially with Tyson, Michie and the older stalwarts Vince and Cross, you can see they're going to make us much more competitive this year. Decent midfield depth at last (although still a long way off the standard of the good teams).

It was confusing me for a while as I am overseas (as you can see with my earlier post!). But I believe it starts 5.40 Alice Springs time, which is 1.5 hours behind Melbourne. Never knew that until today.

Hey guys I am overseas at the minute and a bit confused when this game starts. Can someone give me the time it's on in Melbourne?

We're still looking for a senior assistant aren't we?

Kent I think will be a good role-player as he continues to develop, Matt Jones I am not a huge fan of but he does appear to have a good attitude and desire to improve so I won't lose too much sleep over the extra year. We should all know by now that 'blind faith' in list management decisions doesn't always work out well. Personally, I would have given them a one-year extension, rather than two. But I'm not paid and I'm not fully informed to make these decisions either.

I disagree with a lot of this - but first and foremost I think it's completely unfair to say Johnstone fell apart in big games. He had a patchy career and didn't reach his potential but his record in finals was superb. I still don't think I've ever seen better f than what he produced against Adelaide that night in 2002. Bizzell was a very good pick up and wasn't a CHB, he played as a rebounding defender. and Robertson kicked 78 goals as a FF in 2005. We had a very good team around the 2002-2006 era, but were very prone to complacency. I guess Daniher has to take some of the blame for that - but he was a very good coach.

This game features an absolutely awesome tackle by Nathan Carroll on Fraser Gehrig, around the 56 minute mark. One of the best I've seen. It's a shame what has transpired for both the club and that particular individual since then.

On an episode of "On the Couch", I think after our honorable loss to the Swans, PR singled out Terlich's game and criticised it. Saying it's all good and well to get 27 touches but on this particular day he directly conceded 5 goals to his opponents, which isn't good enough. I'm not sure if Roos had Terlich in his best 22 article either. Just something to ponder.

Was a very good player back in the day.

Ah come on.

Terrible news. That's two former coaches (ND being the other) that have had to step down from their roles due to health. Hope they both get through it. Keep fighting.

Luke Molan spent the 2004 season as a rookie.

I think Wines' output in 2013 was much higher than everyone expected and Toumpas much lower, but I agree. No guarantees that Toumpas will end up better but I like his skill set and what he offers. We'll have more idea in a year or 2.

Tapscott was not out of left field. He was a slider (to the outside world) if anything.

Personally I want Scharenberg but in the likely scenario of him being gone, my preference is Sheed, Dunstan or Freeman then Salem. Do not want Lennon or Bontempelli. By the way, I'm basing this on next to nothing - just phantom drafts and some highlights vids. People say Roos this Roos that, but it will be Jason Taylor who calls the shots on draft day. Given he was Derek Hine's right hand man before joining us I have plenty of faith that he will get us a good player at 9. Collingwood between about 2004-present have not wasted a first round pick. Bodes well.

Frawley and Riewoldt are about on a par (Riewoldt probably slightly ahead because he's a match-winner, not a match-saver) Cotchin was picked before Morton Lost a lot of faith in Watts this year but would still take him ahead of Vickery Martin is a gun player but offered himself to every other club and not one took a bite. Went crawling back to Richmond. Join the dots. Conca was taken before Cook and to call him elite in any context is a stretch. I do actually agree with your sentiments though - recently they've picked pure footballers over athletes - learning from the Fiora, Tambling and Oakley-Nicholls disasters from years gone by. We need to start doing the same. A Freeman, Sheed, Dunstan, Crouch type should be our first pick this year. Pure footballers. Not some skinny kid that tested well at the combine.

Never heard of him nor seen his name mentioned once in the rumour mill thread. Goes to show that either our footy department keep their cards very close to their chest, or that the multitude of poster's with "good sources" are clearly not quite what they're cracked up to be.

I've had that niggling feeling for most of the year that Clark will never play again, so haven't given his best position much thought. Now it's looking more likely he will make a comeback - I'd suggest 2nd ruck is perfect - maybe even 1st ruck if Jamar spuds it up again. Hogan will own the F50 while Dawes will push up the ground and Clark to roam around everywhere. Too early to be talking premierships?

You would have said those exact things about Morton late 2007. Just sayin...

Roos or no Roos I'm not going to fall into the trap of getting too excited over the boys "looking sharp" and "training the house down" at any point this summer. However, I do appreciate the reports. I have zero interest in the Spring Carnival and the cricket still a few weeks away, so I enjoy any Dees fix I can get. Thanks everyone. Best bit I've read so far is Roos mimicking Hogan's strut. The kid's made of the right stuff. Can't wait to see him in action.

By my count, 2017 will be his last season if he triggers the 4th year and he'll play all that season as a 31 year old. Some risk there, definitely, but he's not exactly Grandpa and I think supporters and sometimes even coaches are too quick to dismiss players once they hit 30.

I hate this argument. "Developed him properly". The guy was a spud. How is that our fault (apart, from Prendergast picking him in the first place, of course)?

I think Magner has a point - all good and well to disown him now he's not employed by the club - but he firstly got played horribly out of position and then not at all. All the while he's dominating the VFL and the senior side are getting flogged by 15 goals each week. How would YOU feel if you were him? Neeld was a train-wreck of a coach. Going to the media to whinge is never a good idea though.

They've deliberately given us a soft draw (especially early) so that we might start winning again. That's what the AFL wants (a competitive Melbourne). And with that the crowds will come. Can't please everyone I guess.

His skills went from being elite at U/18 level to sub-par in the pressure cauldron of the AFL. He was soft and skinny and only had average pace. Who would have thought after his first couple of years that he'd be on the football scrapheap by age 23. A sad story. All the best Cale.