Deers

Twelve disposals and zero tackles is a donkey's [censored] of a performance. The era of giving players like Jack a grace period is over. Yet I want to focus attention on the staff. Why does his pea-hearted attitude continue unabated? Are we completely immune from putting players like Jack through the wringer a la Jolly's initiation @ Sydney? For the record I don't care if Jack is shown the door tomorrow. I just hope we have tried all avenues of coaching to sort him out.

LOAD THE CANNONS!

Curiously I scanned over our 22. Who are you referring to? It appears most of the dead wood are not playing tonight. You've got depth players like Nicholson, Jetta, MacDonald, Bail and Dunn playing "bigger" roles that don't befit their ability and underachievers like Watts and Sylvia. Then you've got Trengove and Tapscott struggling under our fitness and strategy upheaval. Am I being too forgiving?

Here's the funny bit: the blogosphere reckons he cracked the sads after missing out on the senior coaching gig. So he's joining Richmond in a development role that doesn't require him in the coaches' box at all. Go. Figure.

Can somebody inform the Fox Footy commentators that it is not 2002? They are blowing their horns over some "breaking news" they will reveal at half-time. Meanwhile I have this thing called the internet, which tells me Mark Williams has resigned from GWS. You heard it here first.

I stand up and take notice when Knightmare's BF mock draft says: "Stringer is probably the best talent in the draft and had it not been for a broken leg this season I would probably have him at no.1. "Stringer’s conditioning isn’t nearly where it was pre-injury and doesn’t seem to have his trademark explosiveness and leaping ability back yet and the endurance is nowhere near where it was but what’s encouraging is that he is still attacking the ball as hard as ever and working as hard as he can to impose himself on games." This is what I witnessed today. Despite his (temporary) limitations he was rummaging around packs and influencing contests. But what I liked most was his core strength; his tackling was hard and effective. His disposal is both clean and classy and I loved the sidestep hugging the boundary on a back flank. The question remains if he'll get snapped up inside the top 10. Knightmare seems to think he'll fall at 17 - that's daylight robbery. With Viney and Toumpas / O'Rourke / Wines we could afford to let Jake rehabilitate throughout 2013 with minimal pressure. I absolutely believe he is a player worth waiting for.

The On The Couch firing squad have been summoned.

If that involves a swap of draft picks including pick 7 then I am OK with that. It can be used on an inside mid like Oliver Wines without any risk of bidding overs for him. Entering next season with Viney, Wines, Boak and Hogan in training? Giddy up.

League players are built like tanks. There is a greater emphasis on weights training because of this. I wonder if Cronk considered this when he made those remarks? I am not trying to excuse the young players' (alleged) laziness. Actually I don't know what to think of it.

I caught up with an old mentor from my Carey Grammar days today. We spoke at length about school footy and in particular young Jack. What I loved to hear was that he indeed went out of his way to get under Wojcinski's grill. What jockey-sized schoolboy tries to rough up a disgruntled 31-year-old Geelong Cat and (psychologically) succeeds? If he falls to a second round pick then I'll be thrilled for the FD. Having said that I'll be equally as happy if he is taken at pick 3. "Culture changer" is an apt description of Jack. But he can't do it alone so that's where we need to get 3 and / or 4 + 13 right.

Carlton's recklessness will be their undoing. It breeds disunity. They have cheated on their finances, wooed players from under the table and stepped over one of their own. The Board starts getting on a roll with these actions and eventually think they can play God.

I saw Moloney and his mannequin shopping for CDs down Chapel Street yesterday. He's a better chance of moving to Pyongyang than Adelaide.

Maybe I should grow a moustache.

So, Gold Coast have cooled on the mini-draft and suddenly another (Victorian) midfielder enters the picture? My amateur-grade sleuthing says Jack Martin doesn't want to leave W.A. and has made it very clear to everyone.

To be fair, the tone of the discussion was light-hearted and Mike bundled us with Port and the Bulldogs when he said: "I'm confident they won't win flags before 2030". Chill, son. He's not a prophet.

The longer Cloke plays like he's limbless, the further he pushes the ambiguity barrow. I'd love him at Melbourne but who in their right mind would come to us right now? We put David Mackay's name on the map last week with a (rumoured) Brownlow Medallist's salary offer and he isn't flinching. How many times are we going to do this until we realise that nobody's insane interested? There's being bold and then there's being irrational. As for Cloke's future - yeah, he suits Carlton to a tee. If not, then I'm looking forward to this: There was a poster (from a few months ago who I haven't seen since) who suggested we build in-house, create stability and the leaders will emerge from within our ranks. I'll salute to that.

I'm not going to turn in my sleep over a CEO. If Schwab is a good sort or not is up to the Board. I really don't know either way. But he was a dead man walking 13 months ago. He must have done something right since.

A very young Patrick Dangerfield had 20 disposals and five inside 50s in his fifth game. He won the Rising Star vote for the week and was quickly touted as the next big thing. I followed him carefully from then on. It was mainly for Dream Team purposes, but I thought he was a serious talent nonetheless. Neil Craig switched him to a crumbing forward role for two years and his abilities were frustrated by the move. Needless to say, on finding his rightful place this year he has become an elite force. I saw enough in 2010 to suggest Trengove can be just as good. But this year he has been played upside down - asked not to find his own ball but stymie his opponent's. He's recorded the second-most tackles this year but despite his staunchly defensive mindset, he is sixth for disposals per game, fourth in contested possessions, and fourth in total Supercoach points. If you wish to cash in your Trengove shares based on this year's anomaly then please, get in the queue. I'm waiting at the front desk.

I want our recruiters the maximise their opportunities this post-season. The way to achieve this and avoid F/S bidding mind games is to trade pick 3 for Hogan. It's a small sacrifice to make in the interim. It may be unders but I'd rather risk it on a power forward prodigy than a midfield one. The equation is simple. "Accept wherever the cards fall ..." - get reamed by GWS, take Viney at 3 and finish with a trio of top-15 draftees OR remove all doubt of F/S bidding and have four top-15 draftees. That's one more than three, for those of you playing at home. Play to win, right Jerry?

Sounds like the work of a scheming, internet nutjob (Gillard's choice). I'm still absolutely convinced that BJ will stay.

It's the very reason I hold no resentment toward Tom.

The stench starts from underneath Phil's manboobs and wafts throughout the Scully household.

Recent TAC Cup reports aren't for good reading, but I reckon he's simply maxxed out after being underdone due to the injury. When he resumed fresh earlier this year, his numbers were massive. That's where his ability should be measured IMO.

You've sold me a plot of land. Well done. I did some searching last night and came across video grabs of Jesse in the Round 2 and Round 3 analysis of the U18 Championships. His strong turn-of-foot meant he could gap his opponent in front vs. NSW / ACT. Against the stronger Vic Country, he beat them vertically instead. I can see where his goal kicking raises doubt among some. He has a choppy run-up action but that can be resolved - theoretically - with twelve months of prep. A big, strong, muscular type yet the way he carries that size suggests that he hasn't filled out yet. They say Viney is a "done deal". Trading pick 3 for Hogan - leaving Viney to the second round - eliminates any guesswork, so I'm assuming that this will be the likely outcome.

If you read the Claremont reports they are consistent with using the terms "dominant force", "tower of strength" and "commanding". I don't want to get in over my head with this kid just because he is the flavour of the month. It's hard not to get swept up in hyperbole given our repeated history of drafting soft rakes as forwards. But he deserves the benefit of the doubt. I want some footage now. I'm intrigued at the very least.