Chris

Obviously. As of right this minute we are ahead though, that is the point. Having a younger more inexperienced team would indicate we have more potential for improvement than those teams below us, which is great. The key word though is potential. If we do not realise that potential then we go backwards, at the minute we have more margin for error on that than the teams below us. That can change very quickly though and by about round 15 next year (give Goodwin some time to settle in) we will see which way it is going. Lets hope it is up.

So who do we have with this wealth of experience who can take their place? Even with Harmes, Garlett and Pedo back in we are still one of if not the most inexperienced side out there each week, and we have won 10 games with that. Would you prefer we play a little more experienced side and be where Brisbane, GC, Carlton, Richmond, Collingwood, etc are? We are ahead of every one of them and with a younger less experienced side.

When was the last time we went into round 21 still a mathematical chance of making the finals (although it is a very slim chance)! It is nice to have not been discussing the trade period for the last 2 months.

The only issue I see with your argument is that the 2 Adelaide premierships were in Goodwins first 2 years on the list so I am not sure you could say he was their best. Blight may still have had the impact on Goodwin you are arguing though, especially as he was his first AFL coach and his most successful.

That is where we must do what we can to keep them around. I am hoping that because we have such a big bunch of kids coming through together that even if lose some experience in the mean time we will have a big bunch of experience at the same time that should be having some success. That will deminished the effect of loosing some players and may make us a destination. Optimistic I know but the alternative is to get depressed about it.

Loved the goals from 2 feet outside the boundary line. He better not get used the umps giving him leeway as he won't get it at the dees.

Hilarious, i gather that was actually comedy. Have a watch again and you will see he at the very least drops a shoulder and his body in every tackle. He played for the free every time.

I highly doubt he will take up any full time role in football again. I got the strong feeling when he took on the job with us that he had done a deal with Tammy that this would be it and after the 3 years they would be spending time in the US.

I can see him in a development role working with the new recruits, or even academy players once we have one. It keeps him well away from Goodwin and any discomfort that could cause, but keeps his knowledge at the club. He worked with the swans academy part time before he came to us I think, a similar role could work.

North have had the run of the umps for years in pretty much every game they play. I stopped watching all north games a few years back as it drove me mad. I watched the game this year and the umps are still at it, and it still drove me mad, but I took a little solace in the fact we actually played good footy, still p(*&es me off we lost though. All North have said about that game is that they didn't play at their best, JB said on the radio last night that they were atrocious in the game against us. If that was atrocious for them then I am surprised they haven't won a flag int eh last few years because they looked to be playing pretty good footy to me. Maybe it is just the standard excuse, we can't seem to ever beat anyone without then having the worst game of their life.

I think you mean the AFL was a waste of time. It was the AFL tribunal decision that WADA appealed, not ASADA's

Would you say the same if woosha told a reporter his players should run 3k 5 days a week and do 4 weights sessions, and make sure they take their vitamins? What Roos said is not that detailed and I dont think it oversteps the mark but there is a line there of what they can and cant say. I would prefer we go no where near it.

I am not overly confident anyone in AFL land has any real grasp of what is going on, no one as yet has shown any real appreciation of it. I hope you are right that the had a back up plan in place beforehand and that Jake knows what he is to do. If that is in place then Roos' comments are irrelevant as if he is asked he could easily show when the pkan was put in place. If it wasn't put in place then he may well be walking a fine line. I have confidence that Roos would be near the front in the AFL for actually working out what is going on so it shoyld be fine. I would prefer they just didn't comment and went about supporting him in private in what ever way they legally can.

The ban includes getting any instruction from the club about what training you do, i.e they can't put a program together for you. In the article Roos talks about Milkshake going for a run to two every week until June July before he ramps up what he is doing. If you are really strict on the interpretation you could construe this as instruction from the club. The AFL wont have a problem with it as they would like to see the banned players running around with the rest of the team, ASADA or WADA may have a quiet word though and say that he is close to the line of instructing.

Article in the hun about Melksham. In short we pay 4 months Essendon pays the rest although we dont have to pay anything under industrial law. It was unclear if we are going to pay anything though as it also said we havent paid him since his ban and wont until his return. Roos has spoken to him a quite a few times and suggests he take an extended break from training and football and recharges the batteries. Roos said he should ramp up his training in June July so he is ready for his return in September. Does that constitute training from the club while banned? Would hate to lose him for another year because we spoke to a journo!

Good to see this thread has descended into the normal crap that goes on at Demonland. Thankfully the few other threads I visit seem to somehow be immune. Will leave you all to it and make sure you have fun!

Fairly sure he can not play any sport that is under the WADA code. So the last questions is a no with a qualifier of he can play non WADA sports.

Not so sure I would call what we have been doing 'rebuilding', up until a couple of years ago that is, What we did before then is more like stagnating, or even demolition, not sure any real building was actually ever done.

Sylvia was never overweight, he made sure he looked great on the beach and was shredded for stereo every year!

Have my reservations on this one. The highlights clip is seriously impressive but it really appeared he was playing a grade below where he should have been or an age group below. He seems big, strong, and had heaps of time to do what he liked. If it has been that way for him for his junior life then he is in for a rude shock at AFL level where he will be small (at least initially). Hopefully he comes through and delivers the goods but I will wait and see before getting too exited.

I would put Salem ahead of Brayshaw for his silky skills.

Some people seem to like to treat assumptions and rumour as fact. The only fact we have is that the trade has happened and we gave up pick 25. How that came about is pure conjecture of which we have no idea. Who knows, the dons may have been asking for a first round pick like they are with Carlisle, wouldn't surprise me as they are renowned for over valuing their players and not getting anything done because of it.

Harsh on Cross, served a purpose which was and still is highly valued by the club, so much so he is still there. Never undervalue his influence over the players or where the club is going. Also very harsh on Frost, the bloke did something to his toe and couldn't get on the park. Hardly a fail, but not a success yet either, too early to tell.

Strongly suggested is right but it is not definitive. How do we know this to be the case, knowing Essendon they were probably after our first round pick this year and next and the first born of the current playing list. We may have beaten them down to this. No point getting angry over what we don't actually know.

Never heard of the bloke as I don't listen to much radio, but it is not me.