grazman

watching the game my better half asked me who I wanted to win, I gave my usual reply when we aren't playing...."neither". I was hoping for Neil Craig's sake the Crows would get over the line, but not to be. Other than that it was fascinating to watch two teams who really don't subscribe to "rebuilding" slug it out. Lots of blokes that seem to have come from nowhere. The Crows have made good use of their trading (though they'll have to give away their policy of using their first picks on ruckmen), but they've also managed to use the rookie list pretty well. The Pies KPP early draft picks in Brown, Reid & Rusling have been overtaken by the later picks of Anthony, O'Brien and Goldsack and their better players in Swan, Lockyer, Maxwell and Johnson are all very late picks or Rookie Upgrades.

"http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26060546-5012432,00.html" Interesting observations at the bottom of the article. We've made a pitch to Brian Lake. A lot of water to pass under the bridge obviously, but interesting none-the-less.

I'm reasonably sure a player has to agree, most of the time they do, but sometimes like Fergs and Nick Stevens they don't. I'm not doubting your example, but I don't think it proves that a player can be traded without their authority. Some players choose to hand over that responsibility to their managers on their behalf (some of them like Croad aren't the sharpest tools in the shed).

Is Pearce out of contract? I'd definately target him for the PSD.

100% IF he has been sacked and that's very doubtful, it's almost certainly as a breach of contract and not because we've raised a surplus of cash from our debt demolition.

Lucky the question of certain players courage, lineage and sexual preference is confined to the internet where they can choose not to read what has been posted and not spat at them by some toothless bogan from the outer!

How about Melbourne have no forward line structure.

Minus Grimes, Garland, Watts, Blease, Strauss, Benell, Scully and Trengrove

Hmmm. Our midfield has been an obvious issue this year. If as expected we draft Scully and Trengrove then we will have gone a long way to addressing part of the issue. The one factor that is either down played or overlooked completely is the ruck situation. The much maligned Mark Jamar has highlighted this issue, because when available he's at least been able to stem the centre square haemorrhaging. Besides Jamar we have two development ruckman (Meesen and Spencer) who need at least another 24-36 mths. By which time they'll either be useful contributers or a complete bust. We also have two makeshift ruckman in Stef Martin and PJ. One is still a long term WIP the other unfortunately I've put a line through in terms of ruck work. In short we need another experienced ruck to support Jamar while the others develop. Mark Seaby isn't a perfect solution, but he might be the best solution available. He's 26 next year so he's still got 4-6 useful years left - by which time hopefully the development ruckmen have come through. I say best solution, because I think he's a far better second ruck prospect than anyone else on the list atm and he could be got through the PSD. I'd make a pitch and wait for December. The reason that he wasn't traded last year is because West Coast were unreasonable with what they wanted. They have far limited bargaining power now that he's out of contract.

We need a second ruck option. Meesen and Spencer are still learning - so I'd look at Seaby to come via the PSD. No to McKinley and I'd be interested in a direct swap of a player for Reilly.

Because some people just don't get it... like you for instance.

Not as much as one year would have. You might offer longer contracts to entice a player to move clubs, but two years is pretty much the norm.

Eggcellent!

Lyon's appointment, if indeed it actually happens... is it contingency planning perhaps? The first two years are a wipeout for Bails, because it takes that long to prune back the dead wood. As Jaded pointed out finishing with 8 wins while it looks better in terms of win/loss is actually a worse case scenario in terms of rebuilding. Bails needs at least two more years to show what his real wares - if nothing much happens there's at least a fall back option.

A great read D26, and great men, in short it's why we've remained as passionate and loyal as we have. Go Dees.

Well he is competing against a very good ruckman in McIntosh at North, but I'd be thinking more as a Key Forward that could rotate onto the ball in short bursts. His set shots this year have been woeful, but he's really the only key forward inside North's fifty and he was good enough to kick 7 on Matty Scarlett in 08.

It's an interesting prospect Old. North need key backs, they also need a stoppage player to replace Harris who looks to be cooked and some tall running backs. none of Dunn, Newton or Bell are going to excite North, and while I'm loathe to trade either Rivers or Jones they're exactly the players they'd be looking at in exchange for Hale.

We've all heard about how we were the most professional of the amateur clubs and the most amateur of the professional clubs, well welcome to the the world of corporate football! Forget about the footy you grew up watching as a kid, it's a different game now, a game of commercial imperatives. Tanking is as practical as it is logical. Vlad won't admit it, but he doesn't need to. The AFL is a quasi-socialist construction anyway, but the alternative of rampant capitalist free marketers would kill us off in the blink of an eye. I don't lose any sleep about it, it's just how footy is now, the game must change with it's environment or go the way of the dodo.

Well to be pedantic, the poll isn't structured very well. Firstly it has to have a purpose ie. what are we trying to identify and why? Secondly there should be a statement or question that people can people can definitively answer ie. Yes, No, Don't know... etc. There's too much variance in the responses. For instance I could tick all three options because they may not be considered to be mutually exclusive. That is I believe the primary reason for playing footy is to win the premiership, that I also agree there are many other important factors in footy besides winning premierships and that neither is really black and white. Maybe your next poll should look something like this: Players play for the 'primary' reason of winning premierships. 1) yes 2) no 3) don't know 4) don't care Like all free advice consider it money well spent.

CRIKEY! Or maybe, just like Jarad Rivers a few years ago, coaches get [censored] off when their best players get suspended for undisciplined acts and make a point by bringing them back through the 2s. Colin Sylvia owes more to the MFC than the MFC owes to Colin Sylvia. I think it says more about the juvenile hero worship of players that the notion of Sylvia spitting the dummy and walking from the club is even on the radar. From his interview earlier in the year I see a new sense of maturity in Colin and his desire to make his mark, I think he understands more about the notion of 'club' and loyalty than some posters.

Loved the bit where Tony Shaw was discussing Melbourne and said that Mark Jamar had been good this year, but was a bit down last week and that Nathan Jones and Brock McLean would be important at the stoppages this week.

loked like a corked thigh Fred

I don't think it was half arsed at all. In complete contrast I think the club knew exactly what the situation was and that they'd get 300K guaranteed for very little outlay. Even if they'd gone full-tilt there'd be little reward as the Kangaroos discovered. If I was a betting man I'd be putting the house on us playing in Darwin rather than Canberra. It makes more sense financially and in terms of building a supporter base. It's unlikely Darwin will get it's own team and we have six Territorians on our list. Beyond a preseason match I can't see any AFL matches being fixtured at Manuka. The AFL wants the ACT Govt to double it's financial contribution and I just can't see them doing it. The only team that really wants to play in Canberra is the Swans (because they pull a strong following from Canberra and the surrounding regions when they're doing well) but they only want to play away games here (Hello Eddie Maguire) Drawing crowds of under 10k is hardly going to convince the Govt that it's money well spent. AFL in Canberra relies heavily on people travelling from Sydney and the Riverina to support the matches. Considering the weather and the genuine lack of interest even from the clubs - 7k is about all you could expect.

I was at the game on Sunday and it look like Stef had a corked thigh, he later went back on and played out the game. I don't think it's anything serious.

6. Bruce 5. Warnock 4. Davey 3. Moloney 2. Rivers 1. Morton