Jarka

I disagree.

I enjoy the fact that I don't sway with the masses. You're right, the 'era' won't truly end until we rid ourselves of all the players responsible, a rebirth is often a very painful process. I understand that winning is irrelevant to us this year, for now I'd prefer to focus on the journey and leave the destination for the future.

I'd be willing to part with any of our players who are around the 25 y/o age group and older, of course it would have to be a good offer though. Davey is a talented player, but he has his faults and there is a concern that we've already seen his best footy. In a top team like Hawks and the Cats he'd be much better although. Like TJ before him he is only one of a few players on our list in that age group who has any trade value, it would be a brave more to do it and it would have to be a very good offer but I'd support the decision if it was done.

Yeah, I agree.

Winning games at this point is completely irrelevant. Sure it would be nice to silence the various vultures in the media world but building a strong culture and developing kids for the future is far more important. I honestly don't care if we don't win one single game this year because I believe that we're finally going in the right direction. For years I've been watching a self indulgent team who weren't prepared to work their arses of for the team mates and our coaching team rewarded them year after year with more senior games. Ok we played finals a couple of times, but in this competition half of the teams get in, average teams included. Our performance in the finals though was a true indication of our abilities, easily pushed aside by more comitted teams. Apply a bit of pressure and we crumbled. Thank god we're finally going to see the end of a depressing era.

My interpretation of the article was that it will happen in 2010. In 2008 & 2009 they will have first access to the Queensland and NSW kids only, they can stockpile a group and play them in the local competition. So when 2011 comes around they should have a nucleus of a decent team but they'll all be around 19 & 20. The idea is to give both teams the opportunity to trade away early picks in the 2010 draft for established AFL players, which is a pretty fair way of creating a team. They'll also have the first group of picks in the psd.

You have your faults Y_M but I love your imagination. If we could someohow pull that off then I'd be...well, let's just say it's a description of a place not fit for a forum where underages post on...

I'll ask the question again, what makes Daniel Rich are sure bet? Surely you aren't saying this just because he is a midfielder, or are you... You've said before that you think people are getting carried away with the hype of Naitanui but aren't you doing exactly the same thing with Rich?

So how on earth is taking a midfielder a 'sure bet'? Yes, ruckman are clearly important. You mention Warnock which is funny because even at this young age Naitanui is already beating him when they go head to head. As it stands we don't have a ruckman on our list who is capable of holding his own in finals footy, and you're right a quality ruckman can come from anywhere but if Naitanui is the best player available with the most amount of potential then the point is irrelevant because you should always take the best kid with your first pick, you shouldn't trying to fill a position and pass on more talented kids as we did with Luke Molan in the 'superdraft'.

Yes But what makes Rich any less of a risk? In recent years both Collingwood and St.Kilda were unable to win a premiership without a genuine ruckman and both teams have been trying to fix the problem since. Geelong realised their importance and traded away two first round picks to get one in Ottens and it paid off. In 2006 Brisbane took Leuenberger @ 4 and he is clearly going to be a very good ruckman at the very least. I'd imagine that if Naitanui goes at number 1 as the hype is suggesting it would be because he is the best player available with the most amount of potential, not because he is a ruckman. The point that I'm making about the kid is that you cannot judge him by what has gone on before because his talent and abilities are completely unique, the game has never seen a kid like this play before. I would have thought that the club has already answered your question though, it's clear that over the last ten years our pursuit of ruckman has failed. Picking up so so players like Jamar with late picks doesn't always work, you need talent not just someone who can fill in a position. In fact our best ruckman over the last decade has clearly been Jeff white, and where was he taken in his draft?

Top 3 even, considered to be the best KPP in this years draft

You haven't taken into account the fact that in the past 10 years there hasn't been a ruckman like Naitanui to compare them to. He is unique to AFL footy, much like Jimmy Stynes was. Also, Naita has grown since last season, he is now at least 198cm and may still be growing, which now makes him taller than Charman and around the same height as Lade, hardly worthy of a wrist slashing. Have you seen him play? He clearly has a big frame, he's not built like a Justin Longmuir, clearing traffic is not going to be a problem for this kid. Right now playing in the WAFL seniors he uses his body as a battering ram. On the topic of the WAFL, he played against Warnock recently (whom alot of people here on demonland want) and reports say that he beat him (stats wise he did as well), not bad for an underage kid who has only being playing footy for a handful for seasons. He's also been constantly named in the best players so far this season. He works harder when his team doesn't have the ball and his 2nd, 3rd and 4th efforts are on a level unseen before by kids his age and size. As for your other points: A: Midfielders are a sure bet hey? At the time Johnstone was considered to be the best talent to have gone through the drafting system, his nickname at the time was roller. Sylvia was also considered to be a 'sure bet', proof that nothing in life is absolute. B: Ask Collingwood and St.Kilda whether ruckman are important to building a premiership team. C: We don't have a clear replacement for White, although we have McLean, Jones and hopefully Grimes to build a midfield around. How could we not desperatley need a quality ruckman? I want to see him in the U/18 champs this yeara nd see how he handles the pressure of being the best kid in the comp. Cotchin struggled last year but Kreuzer did quite well. This will tell us alot about his character and his ability to handle being hunted and not the hunter. I'd also like to know what his endurance is like and whether he can play in a key position, but I won't be making the mistake of dismissing him as just pure hype.

Wasn't Nathan Jones pick 12? Rioli went to the Hawks last year at around the same pick.

It is nice to see some positive articles for a change, however there is a chilling warning at the end of the second one, if our supporters don't turn up then the club will have to sell games again.

Miller...brilliant...*chuckle*

Bartram is a worry. Earlier in the year I labelled him another Godfrey, honest trier with poor skills, and sadly nothing has happened since to change my mind

Sylvia will never be an A-Grader but hopefully in time he'll devleop into a solid contributor. I still think he's played his best footy in the middle and hopefully Bailey will give him plenty of opportunity to prove himself.

If the status quo continues we'll receive the 1st pick in the psd draft, we will also have a plethora of guys retiring so we should have a heap of room in the salary cap to splash around, so there's no reason why we can't convince someone to nominate. We're lucky because there's several interstate clubs struggling so the go home factor may come into play, also with the Hawks and Geelong so strong there's a chance that someone on the fringe of selection may see an opportunity elsewhere. This year will be our best chance to get someone talented, it will be very interesting to see how Bailey & co approaches the rest of the season.

Just watching Bate @ Sandy, he got a bad bounce and had to stop suddenly and change direction, while doing so he visibly favoured one leg. So if he is carrying an injury which is keeping him out of the firsts I don't understand why he's playing with Sandy.

I used to shoot for a pistol club called 3rd Military District which was based at Pucka, it was an army club and most of the members were retired army personal, alot of them were involved in the Vietnam war. I've heard dozens of stories like this, and listening to every one of them is a sobering experience that reinforces how lucky we are not to have lived through these experiences.

NLean has been very good so far this year, the problem that he's facing is that he has no senior teammates giving him and Jones support.

Pettard for a 1st rounder, Queenslander as well

Na - ta - nui Although dazzledavey is the best one to ask by the sounds of it

If he makes the u/18 AA team then he'll get an automatic invitation.

I agree, I wouldn't take McLean and pick 17 for it.