Gator

I'm the first person to post that he can't handball left-sided and that he's no midfielder, so it's fair to say you've said nothing I find revealing; although I completely disagree with you as to his ability as a footballer. Despite your comments to the contrary, his footy smarts are excellent and his timing in contested marking is also excellent. He moves well for a tall player and I see a very good key forward in the making. I posted the following on 4 November: He won't cut it in the AFL as a pure midfielder, so forget drafting him as one. He's just not sharp and clean enough around congestion. At one point when he had to handball left-handed he clumsily fabricated an awkward dish-off with the right. He needs time in congestion that elite midfielders just don't get in the AFL. I appreciate he'll become better in the application of these aspects in an AFL environment, but I can't imagine he'll ever be strong enough to make it his full-time role. One can fall into the trap of concentrating on what a player isn't good at and not what they are good at. Notwithstanding the above, he's got a really good footy brain. He doesn't get too rushed and often waited until the last moment to execute the best option. This was noticeable on numerous occasions. He's a good lead up player, moves well with good pace and agility and looks a natural forward. When the ball is on the deck in the forward-line he'll still be dangerous, because he's had that midfield background and can be creative by hand. He's not as good a contested mark as Hogan, who is, but he's still strong overhead. He actually looks a hulking figure despite not being overly tall. But he's no Stringer. Having seen this extended footage there's no similarity. He actually looks like a more athletic and faster Paddy McCartin.

Me too. In fact, that's his strength.

It's been tried and he's been found wanting, because he can't compete in the air or the ground. There's not a lot of uncontested footy in the forward line. Unfortunately, Watts' only strength is getting on the end of an uncontested ball.

Roosy is on pretty good terms with himself, so I'll back him as the kingmaker while he holds the official title of senior coach.

Looks fat - Toumpas.

Grain of salt. Dees aren't leaking.

Is Roosy back from Hawaii ? Who's taking control of the training drills ?

You mean you're not impressed with their "hugely successful" efforts that haven't even gleaned a finals victory ?

I hope not. We need to get the best key forward we can. I wouldn't include potential ruck duties in the decision making. That said, Curnow has done it at junior level and if he's the same height as Roughead (193cm) he should be able to pinch hit.

Thanks. Do you consider this reliable information ?

If we do pick him up you'll obviously have your answer. Is that the game he played off half-back and only got 9 possessions ? If so, yes, it was an aberration.

Someone says "will be an Essendon boy very soon" re Parish. Twomey replies "more unlikely than likely", meaning he'll be a Dee in his opinion.

Obviously, I think it will translate to AFL level football, otherwise I wouldn't have said it. Obviously.

Funny thing is I reckon Curnow is a genuine tall. He's certainly got the bulk and plays like one. I know what you mean re height, but I reckon he's well and truly big and strong enough to hold down that second tall position.

My expectations are exactly that, mine. I've seen extensive videos over two years, seen him train and noted Goodwin's comments that he's never seen such an exciting talent through his football journey. There's a reason he was pick 2 and touted as pick one for most of the year. The guy is a bull with speed, a fantastic mark and can kick 70 metres. No-one loves Hogan more than me and this guy equals Hogan in the talent stakes and possibly shades him. You don't like my comments or "expectations" ? Please yourself.

I'll please myself as to my prognostications and stand or fall accordingly. Petracca will be a superstar if his knee holds up.

I can't see us overlooking Parish. It just doesn't make sense to me. Essendon won't take both Curnow and Weideman, so I suspect one gets through. I'm also sceptical about the Prestia scenario, although I suspect the club already has a very good idea as to our likely chances of luring him.

Sure. Not this bloke though.

It was sugested to me this morning that the only reason we might not take Parish is that we know we'll be getting Prestia in 12 months time and want to make certain of Curnow.

The only way Petracca will be a bust is through injury. I can only assume you've had no exposure to him at all to even suggest he could be a Watts or a whipping boy.

The only aspect of Satyricon's training reports that had any merit was when he outlined who was in the main group, who was walking laps and who was in modified training. That's it. Everything else was cringeworthy. Such as him saying to vandenBerg after he missed a goal on the run, "you took one too many bounces", or telling Salem that he "trained about as well as his soccer team" that had just lost. He reckons, "Tyson asked me how I played against Freo. I told him". It was the pits. In any other workplace they would have got a restraining order. The players must have thrown a party when they heard he'd landed a job. Mind you, if he spent less time accosting players and more time looking for one he wouldn't have had to spend his life blaming Abbott. In one of Joeboy's preseason "3 word" threads he lambasted the "noisy minority" for not having Grimes, McKenzie and Bail in their best 22. In March he put out his own best 22 and left out Viney, because he'd had a poor preseason. Naturally, the opposite was true. Yet idolaters hung on his every word. They kept asking him about selection and game plans. It would be laughable if it wasn't true. I just hope the players can rock up on Monday free from his ineluctable presence.

I understand what you're saying, but Curnow isn't built like a flanker. Contested marking is one of his strengths and I reckon he and Hogan would make a great pairing.

And that's the greatest indictment of all. It's taken 3 coaches and 7 years to try and find a position on the ground where he can have some influence on the game. He has all of the physical attributes to be our Jack Gunston and kick 50+ goals a year and he contributes 10. One day even his greatest supporters will realise he chose the wrong sport.

Of course he lost his B&F, he missed 4 games and was lame in another half dozen. Brownlows have a very different voting system and he'd already racked up a heap of BOGs in a 3 man per game award system. Surely this doesn't need explaining ? Even then, Fyfe was 1 vote from third and Watts finishes behind a second year player with less than half his games. You're also trying to gain mileage out of Sandilands not making AA when the selectors only picked one ruckman, which was rightly Goldstein. Talk about clutching at straws. I'd never use the Brownlow to justify any argument.

Good God, man. Salem in his second year played 9 (completed) games and finished ahead of Watts in the B&F, who completed 20. He was on the trade table, but no other club had any interest. And he didn't get a game very week, he was dropped twice. That said, he should be playing for Casey. He will be in 2016.