Gator

Bump away. I'm a vocal critic of Watts the footballer and don't regret one word I've uttered. As I said, bump away.

To admire Watts' resilience is to assume Boyd isn't resilient, when most would have you believe clinical depression is far more complicated than one's capacity to work through adversity. I like your post, but at the same time I realise that depression is a complicated issue and some are more prone to susceptibility than others. Even then, I'm not privy to Watts' mindset and you're making assumptions you're not necessarily equipped to. Although, I expect your educated guess re Watts' mental health is probably correct.

Ball movement and our ability to nullify them at the stoppages without Viney (and potentially Tyson) will decide the game. Many sides have found it difficult to penetrate Carlton's zone defence, including us in round 2, but we found a way late in the game. I think what we learnt later in that game will be important, notwithstanding Carlton will be playing slightly differently since then. If our arousal levels and physicality is in line with most games this season I'm confident we can be in with a chance in a close game. As an aside, we will be fielding a younger and less experienced side this week and Carlton will be playing 8 x top 6 draft picks, including 6 x top 3.

We were creamed. It was a 12 goal loss everywhere except the scoreboard.

I'm at a loss to understand how you could have misinterpreted a comment that was obviously (or so I thought) referencing the mental demons a player would be encountering due to multiple concussions. Everything out of the club (including Misson) insinuates there's a degree of apprehension from the player, i.e. "Gus will take the field again when he's ready and won't be rushed". It's obvious he's nervous and he even said as much in an interview prior to his most recent concussion when I remember him saying it was affecting how he attacked contests. I've always been a fan of Brayshaw (still am), and am bemused that you'd reference my comment as a Lynden Dunn style whack, although he (Dunn) has improved that aspect of his game over the journey. The normal (uninjured) Brayshaw's attack on the contest was as brave and as good as you'd see on a teenager. Unfortunately, the concussions have affected this aspect of his game - even prior to the most recent couple of concussions.

I think he is "apprehensive" about taking the field again. I don't think the term was harsh, instead accurate. Next time I'll preface my remarks for the sensitive. gun-shy adjective adjective: gunshy (especially of a hunting dog) alarmed at the firing of a gun. (of a person) nervous and apprehensive. "she's still gun-shy about new relationships"

I've been surprised by his lack of physicality inside the contest.

He's playing a more outside role and knew coming here we had far more inside grunt. That said, there's heavy lifting and barely lifting.

Correct. My Brother has been lurking for a decade without joining. You should hear what he thought of Stu.

1. I don't think it's harsh. 2. I didn't say it wasn't understandable.

I should clarify. He has as much natural talent as you'd nearly ever see, but he's lazy and NQR in the head.

$850K for Lever spread out over 4 years is fine. He's a bona fide star in the making and with him in defence, Gawn in ruck, Hogan CHF and our building midfield we'd be a force to be reckoned with. Oscar, Tom, and Frost are a NQR defensive unit. Getting Lever would be a huge fillip. Yes, it would shake the tree and the above named 3 plus Lever don't fit, but Lever is comfortably better than all 3 of them. If you could get it done you would.

Angus is gunshy.

Yeah, a pop gun.

Stretch was horrible against Sydney, but good against West Coast the week before with 22, 4 tackles and a goal. I'd give him another week.

Maybe they don't think he's good enough "inside". It's the only conclusion left. Drafted as a mid, now not quick, yet playing behind the ball at Casey. Even if he was behind others if you thought his best position was as a clearance mid you'd play him there (at Casey). With Oliver and Viney as our best clearance players followed by Tyson, etc. they obviously don't see a spot. This then gets back to your first question to me when I said if he's good enough he's quick enough. They don't think he's good enough to be in our best 22 as a stoppage/inside mid and clearly he's not quick enough in other more outside/link roles. I would have liked to see him play all year in the role Maynard, Stretch and now Kennedy-Harris is playing at Casey. It's telling he isn't. And if he isn't I don't see much point selecting him against Carlton.

My take is that his career was over when Lewis was recruited. He's competing with Tyson and Lewis for that inside to semi inside role. I don't think he's a half-forward, or half-back. I see him purely as a mid. And when you're not quick roles become limited. I see him as being capable in a Tyson type role at AFL level, but seemingly the FD don't, or have him behind in the pecking order. For me, the club is wasting its time playing him across half-back at Casey. Clearly they don't agree.

I've previously read that there's no scientific evidence that mental disorders are caused by a "chemical imbalance in the brain". So I did a quick search and found two articles that suggest this to be true. http://www.peteearley.com/2015/01/30/mental-illnesses-caused-chemical-imbalances/ http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/blogs/nuances-narratives-chemical-imbalance-debate The second link quotes research done by the American Psychiatric Association.

Channel 7 news said Watts won't play. But we expected that.

One and the same I would have thought.

I take it no-one is arguing the merits of the actual thread, i.e. transgenderism is a mental disorder ? When it comes to intellect the left are a vacuum. They're ONLY interested in how things make them "feel".

C'est la vie

As a supporter and member I can please myself as to my views. I can't stand Bugg and hope he's played his last game in red and blue. Mainly because he's sh1thouse.

He was 2nd in Hawthorn's B&F last year and was given a 3 year contract. I expected more output from a playing perspective.

What a disappointment this guy is. He picks and chooses and rarely goes for a hard ball. But hey, he's got 4 flags already. I get it. He's also now got kids. He's lost the edge and isn't super hungry like he once was. He's here for his super. I'm OK with it to an extent, as I believe his IP and time around our developing players is invaluable, but I no longer expect much from him during the 120 minutes of game play.