Mach5

Maybe it is, but it bloody well worked out for us!

Agree, I'd be reticent to let ANB go at this stage, but he's not getting much of a chance at AFL level so may want to move on himself. He hasn't performed particularly well this year when given a chance, and next season will have to add Melksham to one he is competing with for spot in the 22.

Got a feeling Goodwin may try to put his stamp on the side, and there could be a surprising amount of movement amongst our fringe dwelling players. I'd like to keep him, but I can see Trengove being moved. Grimes gone for sure. Newton, Garland or Dunn maybe. JKH. Wouldn't be surprised to see ANB be dangled to Essendon for Hibberd. We have little currency in terms of picks, so it will have to be players.

Judd sounds like a massive c*ckhead, to be fair. Not sure anyone at the club has been crowing about incremental improvement or the "success" of missing finals. It's all relative; it's not as if we've finished 12th and are celebrating about challenging for 10th. We've been spanked by the better teams and implementing damage control, but we've advanced to competing and now sometimes overcoming the bullies of the league. Anyone with any sense can see where we have improved and the future success available to us if we continue to work hard and do things the right way. I'd also question what he actually knows about building a winning culture and sustained success himself, considering he was brought to WestCoast when they were set up ready to go, and did sweet FA at Carlton, other than being a great player who practically won a brownlow by default when all the better players fell away with injuries.

Well we know he was, but is he now?

I can't say that I was certain he'd become the player or influencor that he has, but the day he was selected as a father-son, slipping through to the 2nd round, I was listening to the Pre-draft Father-Son bidding on the radio while driving between sites. I actually had to pull over because I was fist pumping that hard that I almost went off the road and I had a few stray tears in my eyes. I didn't know, but I just had a inexplicably strong feeling that he really would make a difference and it was the start of us getting back on the right path. Say what you want about Schwab, but I'm glad he circumvented the coaching staff and brought in Todd Viney when he did.

Big deal? Mate, you're the one for some reason comparing players that bear little resemblance. 52 games at GWS isn't too bad. He's fast, has an engine and can kick goals. Fair enough if you don't agree, but come back to me when you have a semi-coherent argument.

I only meant that we have pinched Frost, Tyson and Bugg from GWS over time. And those deals, including the Hogan deal, means we obviously have a good working relationship with them in terms of trading.

Weideman will be tall enough long term.

You're talking about pick 4 in 2011, in line behind about 20 talented GWS mids... not sure where the correlation is between that and what you're saying. Kristian Jaksch is a soft key tall with a bad work ethic, Prismal was a slow hardball winning mid riddled with injuries. Neither are much like Hoskin-Elliot.

Just can't see it happening myself. Agree - he will go to Freo on some big coin.

Not getting much of a go at GWS and looking for a move back to Melb. Like most GWS cast-offs he will probably be linked to Carlton, but we have some strong links and NEED some pace like that which he provides. Rangey, pacey line breaker. Can kick a goal. Haven't watched a LOT of him, and I'm not sure of his ability to win contested footy, but I reckon he'd be a strong target for mine, considering I don't think Josh Kelly or Lachie Whitfield are realistic targets.

No you're not.

He'd cost us cap space, more than Vanders, and it would make one of them surplus to needs. I just can't see the upside, unless we're in the business of pure talent accumulation with no strategy or direction.

I don't think many will even bother.

If we can't find room in the cap to pay Hogan, how on earth would we be able to pay Fyfe?

Not even close to best defender, but even if I give you that, it's 3 out of how many? Funny way to evaluate a draft. Edit: thought you were talking about Harry Taylor; Rance of course. Still, I don't think it was the best draft. Any draft where Cale Morton and Jarrad Grant go in the top 5, can't be too special.

To be fair, they were impressive in juniors, and he was right about them being more x-factor picks rather than safer meat & potatoes players. Not a great draft altogether imo. Hell, Sydey's Kinnear Beatson has been lauded as a recruiter for years, but still picked Veszpremi. He didn't lack talent, just the work ethic to make it work. Likewise Maric. Both had faults, but also enough talent to be recycled by other clubs. Drafting is largely a game of chance.

I'd rather not get Hurley at those prices. You can add in Brayshaw, Watts, Tyson, Salem, Strech and the McDonald bros for mine. Maybe I'm crazy, but I really think elite midfield pace/run and a backup ruckman are our biggest needs, not another key backman as good as he is. And yes, Xavier Campbell has shown their hand - they believe Hurley will go.

Tom MacDonald clearly backing his ability to improve further again and be worthy of a larger contract in 2 years' time. I don't doubt him either. I think he'll improve to be one of the best 3 defenders in the league at that time, if he isn't already.

Exactly what I was thinking. Good luck to them. The worst it'll do is push one of our picks back a place, which means little in the scheme of things.

He's a career assistant, not interested or extroverted enough to be in the hot seat. Only did the higher level coaching course at the behest of the club & struggled with it. A soft no would be my answer. I respect what he has done as a player, and to a lesser extent what that coaching group has done (that he was a part of). But I think we want the best, and the best would be those pushing for a senior position themselves, that are great communicators and leaders as well as teachers and tacticians. I think back to Geelong having McCartney, Hinkley & Sanderson behind Bomba Thompson. Clarkson having Beveridge, Bolton, Ratten, Hardwick, Leon Cameron and Adam Simpson over time. Having said that, I wouldn't mind Enright, and he is of a similar personality, but maybe a bit more approachable..

Cheers. By the way, Caracella gone as an assistant at Geelong. Not sure when they'll announce it & they'll probably let him present it as his choice. They've decided it's time to shake it up a little & although a great footy brain, he's a bit aloof. Strange they talked him into doing the coaches L4 course that Goodwin has completed.

Or just don't be so obtuse yourself... It was pretty bloody obvious to everyone else.

Just as bad, is when there is a couple of switch kicks to get the ball on the opposite HBF/wing/HFF, nothing opens up, so there's anothr switch kick or 2 in the opposite direction, leading to cries of "now we're back where we started!" Happened on Saturday against Hawthorn at least once. What these luminaries fail to realise, is that by moving from one side of the other, the defenders are forced to adjust their structures and the hope is that weak links leave holes. Going back the other way allows a second chance for gaps to open up. Lo and behold, they did, and I believe we kicked a goal as a result of this movement (or at least found a target further afield).