grazman

I was hoping with a tall forward line we could have exposed them a little more than we did, but all credit to their key backs who defended very well. Pedo lstarted really well and looked ready for a day out but we just couldn't get a mark inside 50 when it mattered. Interestingly it was Russian who was subbed out. I think Max is definately improving, but it will be interesting to see whether they go with the two ruckmen again for next week.

Roos & Co have been very astute recruiters over the journey. They don't get sucked in by whose on offer by other clubs. They target needs and particularly players that tend to be under the radar, but who have shown all the required attributes. As BB mentioned most clubs over value first round draft picks so I think we might well trade in another Tyson type scenario. I'm not quite sure it will be for any of the names mentioned so far though.

Keep in mind a lot of our frees were for illegal holding off the ball. Glad the umpires picked this up its getting to be a joke in the game.

You mean like draft tampering... not sure if you're comment was tongue in cheek or not DD, but I at least am still a little raw about such suggestions whether offered in humour or not because our amateurish efforts (you can add incompetent, laughable, or downright embarrassing as well) of trying to short cut the system have come back to torment the club and us supporters. Reading the Hun piece on Freeman today makes him sound like a logical fit, and he may certainly be our desired player, he may also well be available at pick 9, but if he's snapped up before then I doubt it's the end of the football club as we know it or our fortunes, just like picking him at 9 may also not be the magic bullet either (staggering I know). The trade down from 2 (where we had much more certainty) to 9 must have been done in the knowledge that Freeman along with 2 or 3 others were hard to split and that while he maybe ahead, I doubt that Taylor and Viney will upend any tables on draft day and throw their bums in the corner if he's already been taken. Roos has consistently talked about club culture about building to competitive efforts. In his model no single player is a key to a premiership. The Swans one two with lists that many just didn't rate as having enough talent. Hawthorn while disappointed to lose Buddy, still would have won last years premiership without him. If Freeman is available he'll be a very good selection if not it will be someone else the club thought would be thereabouts. There's no certainties with 18 year olds, hence Roos reluctance to bet the farm on them.

You eould think so. Has the speed to compliment viney and tyson and is also a firtce competitor in a similat vein.

Absolutely I agree! The key here is if there is no better offer on the table from othet clubs and assuming that pick 9 is highly likely to give us the player we may have used pick 2 on anyway. (Freeman perhaps based on the rumours) This obssession that we can twist another club's arm into gifting us a a contracted player is fanciful. If this came to pass its because we get a known quantity in Bugg with a prospect in Buntine and a slightly less certainty of getting Freeman/Crouch/Kardahian.

or the year after. He signed a two year contract extension this year. I'd say go hard at Dom Tyson next year if he continues to develop, but the PSD is losing its appeal with player managers. So far GWS haven't remotely shown themselves to be realistic in what they expect in return for their players/picks and want the AFL tocontinue to allow them TPP room to 'encourage' success beyond the COLA. I get that they want to build a competitive list, but swings and roundabouts.

Daniel Connors says "High"

I think it's far more likely as already intimated in the media that if Buddy goes to GWS it will only be if they adequately compensate Hawthorn ie pick 1. Which they will use to take Boyd. Personally I hope that Buddy does go to GWS it take them out of the market and makes using the PSD a real option i.e. Martin for nothing (if we assess the risk that he poses as being tolerable - which seems doubtful) That way we can use pick 2 for someone like Swallow or Sloane.

Yes it's crazy. They'll take Whitfield for sure, regardless of type he's the best available player in the draft, you don't bye pass that sort of talent.

What about 4&12 for 7?

No he can still put some miles in his legs which is the one area he struggled in pre-season. We know he can get the ball and deliver it, he just needs to develop a bigger engine.

A kick arse song from one of the Albums of 2011 (for me anyway) and I love the video because I think it's taking the [censored] out of the entire industry and the obsession with turning music video's into hollywood blockbusters Oh and Macca I agree. Exile on Main St is one of the all time great albums. Let it Bleed, Beggars Banquet Exile On Main Street and Sticky Fingers were a real high water mark for the Stones

In the true spirit of Eddie and the boys I'm not a huge music video fan (so why the hell am I posting here!), but I do like this one - it's a damn fine album too.

Been listening to a lot of new music lately. Some of my favourites are: The Horrible Crowes: Elsie The Black Keys: El Camino Pygmy Lush: Old Friends Bruce Springsteen: The Promise BRMC: Beat the Devil's Tattoo White Denim: D Tom Waits: Bad as Me Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin: Let it Sway Oupa: Forget Eagerly waiting for the new releases from British India, Pearl Jam and Boy in a Box's debut album.

I reckon you're right.... Jack Viney come on down.

Pretty naive and silly of his manager if his intention was to get home, but apparently GC asking price was also a little steep. Interesting to see what happens next year because GC may have to be a little more attentive to offers.

The asking price for Caddy is apparently two compensatory picks. Wants to return to Melbourne on compassionate grounds. He was taken at pick 7 in last years draft and was restricted to two games this year by injury. Seems to be a highly rated inside mid. Any further thoughts?

From the Age: Essendon is highly unlikely to meet Gold Coast's asking price for onballer Josh Caddy, who wants to return to Melbourne to be with his unwell father. The Bombers had been trawling clubs trying to access two compensation picks to satisfy the Suns, to no avail. Read more: http://www.theage.co...l#ixzz1asmPwJth

Well it looks like Brisbane have 8+12. Let''s see if that's what they use to get Tippet.

By virtue of the fact that we were third in line for one of two options we've missed out on securing a replacement for Scully. I think next year represents a good opportunity though with the club having a bit of a war chest behind it to grab a ready made replacement. Besides Pendlebury and Goddard who come out of contract (who I think are only the remotest of chances -if at all) there are others such as Andrew Gaff whose player managers we should be persuading to look at joining the red and the blue. Even if we have to commit our first pick to Jack Viney we can still activate both compensation selections at the start of the year in what will be a much stronger draft. Neeld will have had 12 mths to work out what he needs from our list and who can be traded to get a suitable deal done.

Won't work... if you read between the lines the deal the Lions have worked out for Tippet is picks 8 &12. Whilst both players have similar currency in the current market, one is in contract and one out of contract, that effects the bottom line price because the Lions know they will lose Clark regardless. The Crows have 12 more months to work out a deal.

Brisbane want our first pick to bundle with theirs to get Tippet from the Crows to replace Mitch Clark. Freo's pick 16 isn't enough so the Crows must have some good drum on who will be taken where in the draft. If Freo really want him then it appears that the only way to do this deal for them is to do a three way with Melbourne. Such as: Freo give Melbourne a player and pick 16 Melbourne give Freo pick 12 Freo give Brisbane pick 12 for Clark. The complication could be that Brisbane may still want to be involved in the first round of the draft so to get our compensatory pick that was on offer for Clark it'd have to be a pretty good player (from the MFC perspective) thrown into the mix. This is why trade time is so interesting. The real drama is about how much are Freo prepared to pay for Clark... he doesn't want to go anywhere except Perth, but GWS won't care about that. An alternative, but less likely three way would be between Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. delivering Tippet to the Crows, a player/s from Brisbane to Melbourne and two first round draft picks to the Crows. (which in essence is the clark deal - but with an alternative player) the real stumbling block here for clubs is that the groundwork needs to be done ahead of the proposal. I imagine there are few player that the MFC would be genuinely interested in that are available/willing to be traded by the club or player themselves.

I seriously doubt the club will trade anyone unless like Warnock they wish to be traded for greater opportunities (potentially this may include Bate, Dunn and Maric as well) No matter how good a deal armchair experts come up with the reality is always far removed. The player has to 'agree' to any trade and there's always an impact on the playing group. I think the club might be active in trade week, but I'd see us getting anything substantial based more around our draft picks than players on the periphery.

Straight swap for Cotchin, Martin and Vickery.