Farmer

I must be missing something but I simply can't understand how the club would prefer Parish to Francis. There are 2 highlights reels on Francis and in one of them he plays as a strong, tall mid, and goes forward. He kicks 4 goals, a couple involving 50m plus kicks. The next segment shows him defending, taking mark after mark. Again, disposal impeccable.I notice in the AFL highlights reel, in which he talks very movingly about the death of his brother, he says that Brendon Goddard is a role model. I was quite unaware of this, but Goddard is the very bloke I thought of when watching the first reel. Francis is a mature kid, who I reckon would play many games in his first season and 200 overall. To me, he represents much more of what the club needs, than Parish. Has anyone else a view about this?

I agree. We must be much better than I thought we were if Michie is not to be retauned

Excellent piece WJ. Surely there could be no doubt about extending Michie's contract. He played very well at the tail end of the season. I think that in this site we should be concentrating on one major objective--getting Francis. To me, and others who have watched his highlights reel, he presents as exactly what we now need. A taller stronger on baller, as opposed to many smaller options. He may play back initially, as Salem is doing, but he will end up as a gun midfielder along the lines of Brendon Goddard.. We have a dearth of height and strength in our midfield. Francis would assist enormously

Not too many who can pitch hit down back unless O McDonald can make it. Bloody Dawes us the problem. I think he assists Hogan greatly but his lack of skill as a forward line ruckman is a big issue. If we could get a key back Id love to play Tom McD at CHF

Having watched the highlight reel of Francis I would be desperate to get him. As one poster said, he can play anywhere. In the one reel we see him playing as a mid, as a forward kicking 4 goals and as a rugged high marking defender. Surely, now we've got Kennedy and with Petracca to play, a different type of long term mid would be great--one who can take seriously big marks, kick it a mile, tackle hard and, in my view at least, be a first game player. If we take Parish instead he must be a bloody champion

Well on a brighter note yesterday I watched Nautanui closely. Perhaps he has been badly affected by recent personal events, but on yesterday's display I'm glad we got Jack Watts.I had expected Nautanui to lead the older and slower Hawks rucks a merry dance. But he never lead effectively, never demanded that teammates give him the ball. Although he got a lot of hitouts, and some were effective, the fact is that both McEvoy and Hale got the ball more. Considering the first 5 seconds when he roved his own hitout and had the first kick of the match, I thought he was perhaps the most disappointing player on the field

Except that he hadn't committed to the Hawks at all! He nearly went to Geelong and I heard their coach say they were confident of getting him. Now it maybe that at an early stage he had decided he would leave the Dees, but I recall after the Essendon boilover, Frawley, who played very well at CHF was bloody excited. I still wonder whether, had our season not ended very badly, he would have stayed

This is the crap thinking which permeates our club. Dureay didn't get a game with the Hawks for 3 years. At the end of 3 years Swan was very ordinary at Collingwood and how many games in the 2nds did Michael Tuck play before he got a place in the firsts?

Well he bloody near did win the Norm Smith!

Not your most prescient post Beelzebub!. Heavens, he was All Australian in an awfully weak team

For heavens sake, he was fantastic! I thought he was a great contribution for the Dees alsi

Still feel the need to bag him?

What did u say about Garlett?

I don't think the criticism is totally fair. An example. Last year we lost a tight game to Port Adelaude in Adelaide. We lead until a couple of minutes before the siren but they kicked a goal which put them in front. We had a chance to win with Grimes getting the ball in the clear, but his pass down the line was poor and the ball went out and the game lost. Many of my friends told me about the Grimes error?(I hadn't seen the game). When I watched the full replay I noticed that Grimes played the whole game on White who had been starring for Port. Just after 3/4 time White was subbed out. He had had 3 disposals. That's correct, Jack kept him to 3 disposals. But all our supporters could talk about was the one kicking error. The commentators mentioned how well Grimes had played as White left the field, yet in the eyes of many he had played poorly. I think we are a bit like that! I think his disposal was better this year and he is a good defender on a top opponent. I would stick with him.

Not so certain about this. His statistics for his first 3 seasons were excellent. Perhaps he has become disillusioned.

I agree re his kicking. Surely, over the holiday period he should run quietly around an oval for a short time each day, simply kicking the ball with the right foot. He should not be content to be one-sided. Look how effective Vince is on the left when necessary, and for the Hawks, Mitchell is just a standout with did Oral by both feet

I worry greatly that he was over-played and may have problems as a consequence. I believe we ran Trengove and Scully into the ground in their first year and the results were unfortunate for one and disastrous for the other

That is sheer rubbish! Has played well I a top team. Your heart is overriding your judgment. He is a doubtful decision maker but otherwise is a first rate player. Is at the Hawks for the long term. After Lake retires he will be their key defender

I'm inclined to agree with this but if it were to happen Tom McDonald would have to play forward. In these circumstances we should be trying to get Jake Carlisle to playCHB for a lengthy period I would like this. McDonald is kicking better and is a very competitive type on the forward line

I vaguely agree with this. His upside may be higher than the value we would get for trading him

The real issue is his ordinary ability in the ruck. Should be ok but is not. I thought both Tom Mc Dinald and even Dunn were better. It makes me wonder whether we should make a pitch for Carlisle, offer him a long run at CHB and play Tommy Mac at CHF, while doing the 2nd ruck role

fFrankly that is rubbish and I can't believe it. I did miss the first quarter and I gather he dropped a mark which was costly. But while I was watching Grimes was fine. I'm starting to think the wing suits him. He kicked a good goal. I think you are being critical of a bloke who gets the ball under pressure. That's right--he gets the ball. Sometimes you have no choice but to get it and kick it quickly. He had to do it several times yesterday, but he didn't hold onto the ball and get caught (as some do). A bunch of his passes were perfect. If he was the worst we had it would be a great team. Not the slightest bit critical of White but it is a different issue.