Gator

If you pin arms and dump a player with his head hitting the ground you're treading on thin ice. Some days the unpredictable MRP will suspend you and sometimes they won't.

Suspension or no suspension, Viney doesn't need tuition in tackling. Your "if" is superfluous.

Please... He knows how to tackle superbly. He simply crossed the line with aggression.

People are arguing at the edges. Clearly, Viney overstepped the mark with his tackle and subsequent dumping of McDonald. I've been told that his head hit the ground and that if it was a normal AFL game Viney would have missed 2 or 3 weeks. So nobody can argue Viney didn't needed to be pulled up. But I'm sure we all love his cold ruthlessness even at training. We love the standard he's setting for Salem, Oliver and Brayshaw. Let's not forget that this was a "match simulation" session. Viney was replicating how he plays footy. So yes, he went too far, but I'd far rather he occasionally crossed the line than have it any other way.

Gysberts

Thanks Baz.

This may surprise you, but it's not overly important - as long as it's AFL standard, which I'm sure it will be. Oliver's strengths lie in his clearance ability, agility (third at the draft combine 8.11), size, burst speed (for an inside mid), reading of the play, and terrific vision and decision making with handballs in congestion. While he's a "straight ahead" player, he also backs his evasive skills. I don't think he's an elite kick by any stretch, but I think his long kicking is good and shorter kicking adequate and will get better. He kicks it well enough to score 30 out of 30 in the draft combine goal-kicking test. Fyfe and Dangerfield shank plenty of kicks. James Hird was never a great kick and did you ever see him kick on his left ? There aren't many elite kicks in the competition and some superb footballers haven't been great kicks. As mentioned, Fyfe is arguably the best player in the competition, but no-one would go to training and rate his kicking ability. I've been to a few training sessions and really like what I see with Oliver.

Another snippet.. McCartney was asked by a track watcher on the boundary line how he thinks they'll go this year, his reply - "they'll be better than last year, they'll be better next year, and if you're not hard at it you won't be getting a game."

Viney's fault ?

Weak.

Nearly every training session is covered by supporters who watch with a keen eye and some are watched by those in the media. We'd know if it happened once let alone if it was a frequent occurrence. You're overplaying the handwringing card. As I said, he's been asked to tone it down, but I reckon it's fantastic and I love the standard he sets for others. I'm not fussed whether you agree or not.

I think we would have heard, don't you ?

He's about to enter his 4th season and would have trained literally 100's of times. How many weeks have players missed through his aggression at training ?

Apparently, the coaches have already had a word to Viney about his aggression at training, but every now and then he's going to transgress. I reckon it's fantastic. Imagine Brayshaw and Oliver seeing how Viney goes about it and the type of training standards required to be an AFL equipped midfielder. I hope he doesn't change a thing.

Nah, a fraction shorter and not quite as wide, but he's a lovely mature size already.

My Brother just rang me because he had to tell me how well Trengove was moving. He was moving so well he had to ask one of the assistants if it was actually Trengove.

I get a lot out of it. But only after all 3 games. Even Neeld's team beat Collingwood in one NAB game. After 12 quarters of footy against AFL quality opposition you definitely get a sense of game style and player/team improvement. And I love watching the first and second year players. Unlike Whispering, I don't mind that nothing is at the end of it.

What was the quote ?

What's the link ?

Where has it been reported that GWS knew he had serious "issues" (other than wanting to be traded back home) during or before last year's trade period ?

Hogan has the chance to be the difference. He knows it, the players know it and the coaches know it. I suspect he's the type of character to see what this evolving group can deliver. Will he take ownership and responsibility for what he can contribute ? Champions usually want to put the team on their back and show the way. If Hogan goes post a premiership so be it, but for him to leave before the club has made significant inroads it would be a disaster, because he's the type of player that will help make us a destination club. But I suspect he'll stay. And if he ever does leave I think he'll remain in Melbourne, which is why I'm confident he won't.

Not when he was at Sydney for those 3 years; just like Roos isn't Sydney's Paul Roos while he's employed by us.

Things can change quickly. Sydney won 3 spoons in a row (92, 93, 94) and played in a GF in 96. Barassi changed their culture and they've never looked back. I hope Roos is our Barassi and Viney our Paul Kelly. And remember, nearly half the competition play finals. There are bog ordinary teams playing finals. Footscray won 14 games in 2015 with a percentage of 115 and I don't rate them. They won 7 in 2014 ( the same as us this year). This is Inside Footy's best 22 for the Dogs in 2016: Morris I Roberts I Johanissen Murphy I Hamling I Wood Macrae I M. Boyd I Wallis Dahlhaus I T. Boyd I Dickson Picken I Redpath I Stringer R: Minson I Liberatore I Bontempelli I: Stevens I Hunter I Suckling I Roughead By comparison* here's a rough Dees best 22: Jetta I Dunn I Garland Salem I T. McDonald I Lumumba Vince I Viney I vandenBerg Brayshaw I Pedersen I Kent Garlett I Hogan I Petracca R: Gawn I Tyson I Jones I: Frost I Oliver I Watts I Bugg Irrespective of whether you'd have Pedersen in for Dawes, Harmes for Watts, or Stretch in for Oliver/Bugg, I see no reason we can't be as good as the Dogs quickly. There are 8 top 10 rated players in this line up (can't wait until Weideman is ready and hopefully Trengove). The Dogs have 4. What other club in the country outside of the expansion clubs would have 8 x top 10 draft picks in their lineup ? I accept where you're drafted means nothing if you're no good, but I have great confidence we're now getting it right. rjay is right. On past performances we're mediocre, but our list and best 22 right now is anything but. All we need is belief, trust and our really talented young players to evolve. *I read nothing into our round 20 encounter. EDIT: changed Dawes for Pedersen due to continual calf injury

(Re-post, as I responded to the incorrect poster) The following is from an article linked at the bottom: “The thing that stands out for me is his competitiveness. The club wants guys who have a crack and compete for 100 percent of the game. He’s certainly one of those blokes,” Brayshaw told aflplayers.com.au at last week’s AFLPA Induction Camp. “The guys have already given feedback that he’s a super competitor and we want to play with him because of the way he goes about it on the training track.” I'm not sure what you expect from an 18 year after 10 weeks on the training track, or why you think he'd be "starring", but it appears the players and club are happy with his progress. http://www.aflplayers.com.au/article/new-demon-oliver-at-home-with-the-brayshaws/

Running on a slight arc is good, but I can't say I'm as enamoured with his run up as you and others. His success percentage is very good, but at times he struggles to make the distance from 40 metres. And I know he has the leg to kick longer. So for me it's a technique issue that still needs to be addressed.