45HG

You're obviously skewing that to make people miss your point of view - because you wouldn't do the trade if that's what you believe. Reality is, Pendlebury is one of the best players in the comp and Greene is having a great year. Redden is a good player but is no Pendlebury (who is back this week) and Fisher is not having a great year and is ranked far lower than Greene.

I'm having flashbacks of Mitch Robinson for Dayne Beams. There you're trading players of cumulative 336 ranking for cumulative 141 ranking.

12 I believe. Cavendish is a freak - no doubt about it.

So MFCSS is some kind of intricate insight into the future...

Because that would look disgusting - just like Carlton's does now.

Number one - I don't see how this is a clash strip. It is still a red sash with a dark alternate colour. Number two - I think this will clash with the Saints jumper even more so than their usual jumper (given that it keeps the red and then blends the two other St Kilda colours together).

If Collingwood can find a place for Marty Clarke and Simon Buckley, they could use Jack Watts.

I reckon a few top 8 sides would love to have a Jack Watts running around.

I think as the game plan comes together and players gain experience it will certainly improve - I suppose you'd have to say it's an issue for the coaches as I'd assume they're the ones who map out the program. As far as I understand the sports science side, I don't think it's a matter of just doing more sessions. Improving kicking and hand balling requires, IMO, conditions that mirror match-situations. Going forward it will be Neeld et. al.'s responsibility and players who don't improve won't have responsibility to improve, it'll be a requirement that if they don't achieve they'll be cut.

Quarters won -4. For the season we're 11-5-36. Thanks for the stats rpfc.

It's a good observation. I look at someone like Jamie Elliot - great hands, poise, finds a bit of the footy but if he doesn't, he does the hard stuff. Only 9 touches on Saturday but 15 (!) tackles. There's a case to be made, in my mind, that good sides can make young players look a whole lot better. Blease wasn't our biggest concern from yesterday - 2 goals 1 behind and showed some good attacking instinct (as ever). Certainly has areas of his game to improve though.

Personally I don't see it as an issue of blame. Our team has terrible skills - it is what it is. Whether it's the fault of the players for not working hard enough, for Bailey not making it an imperative or for Neeld focusing too much on other areas - whatever it is doesn't bother me, it's our shocking skills that bother me. It will certainly be a focus going forward but I do also think it is something that will improve as confidence grows in our structures, styles and as players become more experienced. For that I look at Geelong - when they're up and about mentally they hit such a large percentage of targets. When they're off, they almost look like us - they just have the experience to be in the right places and choose good options when they get it. (Not sure if anyone watched yesterday's Cats game but it was appalling)

I just don't understand why some players can't kick though. It's inexcusable in today's game, and the team shouldn't have to compensate for such players. Just as there's no excuse, IMO, for players kicking off only one foot.

Surely Frawley would go to Riewoldt as usual anyway, wouldn't he?

It's a good point you raise and something that I noticed yesterday - our forward line always seems quite congested. That may be because there are players playing there who are unfamiliar with the angles/spaces etc. but, to me, it always seems chockers. As you say, a 2 metre tall, athletic behemoth could deal with it - but we'll struggle to kick goals going forward if we keep the setup of falls supported by slow grunts.

As far as I'm concerned we didn't tank for two years - we tanked for one match. Yesterday was not tanking - it was a lack of fundamental skills leading to a sloppy performance that was duly punished by an interstate team on home soil.

I know it's against the intentions of the thread, and for that I apologise, but I just cannot go past the absence of Mitch Clark. His athleticism, presence and confidence feed our team immensely - not to mention his skill - and I feel that, had he played, it would have been a very different ball game. I feel we controlled much of the first quarter with really no avenue to goal only to go in two behind on some lapses (Zorko 50 metres in space, although that was as Tom was coming off the field - almost feel play should've been halted for that, as with a blood rule. Hell, umpires will wait a minute for the light to come on but not for both sides to have 18 on the pitch?). Of the list I'd say Jones. Martin played an ok game, and given our inside 50s I don't think clearances were the problem as such. McDonald was a big loss but, considering we only kicked 8 goals, I can't think the withdrawal of a young defender cost us. Geez I wish Clark was there though.

I don't think it is unfair at all. I absolutely love the way Jordie goes about it and he's one of my favourites to watch - which is probably why his atrocious kicking irked me so much. It's not hard to expect a player to be able to kick the thing forwards 30+ metres, especially under minimal pressure. I'm probably biassed, but I've been pretty happy with the way Grimes has gone about his captaincy since a couple of weeks into the season - he had an off game but I don't knock players overall for one poor game. Especially when there's so much else to worry about on our list. Joel MacDonald is another who goes about it full of intent but can't produce, Spencer hasn't come on as we'd hoped, Bate just can't involve himself consistently in games, Frawley didn't seem himself, I'm not too sure what Magner's role is. What I really got from yesterday were three things - we desperately, desperately needed Mitch Clark. I think the game would've been very different if he'd played, simply by going by our amount of inside 50s. We also need extra polish in the midfield and a small crumber. Billy, you're kidding if you think I'll single out Jack Grimes for criticism before mentioning Brent Moloney.

Mckenzie - learn to kick.

Italy 2-1 in regulation.

Phil Hughes retires from international cricket: http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/570271.html

Italy through on penalties after seemingly dominating.

Farren Ray misses as the siren goes.

Tom Couch goes bang from 50!

I enjoyed the report from the Spanish paper following their final group win - "we suffered more than usual, but we won just like always."