grazman

I had high hopes at the end of last year that MJ and PJ would take the necessary steps forward... alas, another year on, White is another year older and we still have two NQR as the support cast. I think one, maybe even both maybe on very shakey ground. News today that Brendan Lade has re-signed with Port... given the preoccupation with many clubs to get a winning ruck combination... there maybe a few ruck options in the trade period.... talk so far centres on the following big men that maybe on the move: Cameron Wood (possible) Darren Jolly (probable) Brad Moran (probable) Mark Seaby (possible) Jamie Charman (unlikely) Justin Kozitskinik (unlikely) I'd be interested in Seaby, but really have no idea what WC might want. I've always been of the belief that rather than use early picks on speculative big men that either late picks/rookie picks are a much better option. To be blunt though we are approaching something like a rucking crisis within the club. We still have Neaves as a Rookie capable of promotion and Holland capable of pinch hitting.... so what would you do? Personally I'd delist Jamar, trade for another top ten pick to get either Seaby or draft for McEvoy/Bellchambers. I can't comment too much on Neaves, but either way I'm keen to have five ruckman (two longer term prospects) on the list.

Friends of mine know Chris through his time at Shep. They don't barrack for or have any association with the Dees, but say Chris Connolly is one of the nicest, most genuine and funniest blokes you'd ever hope to meet - he also knows a bit about footy too. I'm absolutely stoked with the result of the process and the outcome... March on 2008.

I guess this is directed purely at the Sandy watchers amongst us, and specifically those that watch the twos. I've automatically got Heath as a delist because after two years he can't seem to cement a regular spot in the Sandy ones, but I wonder if like many others that isn't pulling the trigger too early. I understand that his 06 was ruined by injury... I also understand that some players take a little longer than others... so for those that have actually seen him play. Should he stay or should he go now? (If he stays there will be trouble, if he goes it will be double.... God bless Joe Strummer)

I for one found the post interesting Sylvinator... though I disagree with some aspects. You'll just have to learn to ignore some of the more juevenile responses. Jared Rivers was pick 26 in the draft.... If recruiters knew then what we know now... It's one thing to have the picks - another entirely to use them properly. We have an excellent recruiting team, we have conducted an exhaustive selection process to identify the right coach and both will have far more bearing on how we perform in the future rather than one extra pick and half a year of compromising your players competitive culture. The four clubs that have profited most from priority picks in recent years are the Saints, Freo, the Blues and of course ourselves.... notice any similarities.

I have no idea who we will pick, Kreuser and Cotchin will be the top 2, who Carlton grabs at three will be interesting...but I've heard some good things about Henderson.... I'd also like to trade to get at least one more top ten pick to get another midfielder, but that obviously means giving up some quality.

Good question...

NO!

Betts kicking five won't have helped his claims.

Warnock's still contracted for another year I think.... Danny Ward might be under the pump.

or Henderson or McEvoy or Morton, or Palmer, or .... it'll be a very good player.

You only have to draft three, so technically no one else... but you'd have to think Bode is a monty to be promoted. I'd expect at least another four or five delistings/trades.

They didn't say who his first opponent was, but his opponent in the second half was Marc Murphy.

Absolutely.

At this Stage we have: IN: Dean Bailey Retired: Pickett, Brown and Bizzell Picks: 4, 21, 37, 53, 69, 85. PSD pick 3 & 19

He had 42. The most interesting part was that Paul Williams actually said they wanted to try him off the HBF, much like a Shaun Burgoyne. Me thinks Bails gave some specific instructions to make some assessments from tonights game - there would have been some ticks and some big crosses.

The only one I disagree with is Bate, he went missing for patches, but he was one of the few you could count on to deliver it forward, both he and Dunn will be players. I loved Dunn's game tonight, his precise skills and attack on the ball shamed some of the more experienced onballers. His feet were sore.

Both Jamar and PJ were worse than awful tonight.... Fergs and Wardy have probably played their last matches as well. Even with half the side out - it was still frustrating to watch so many blokes murder the ball. I wonder what will happen to CJ? He got more of it tonight, but gee he goes missing far too often.

He's only playing on one leg, and even though he's trimmed down it's always doubtful with Lance that it will stay that way. It's extremely unlikely he will be at the Blues next year... but for a big joke he certainly had the last laugh on Chopper, gave him a bath.

Despite two goals and a super grab - he had a night to forget, let's hope he learns from the experience.

Lance wont' be at the Blues next year, he'll probably be traded. I think there might still be some interest in the big ship, although he won't command much more than probably a third round pick. He's still a fantastic contested mark, but his knee is shot to pieces - hence his incredibly poor kicking at goal... his issues with his waist line are a huge concern , but if he can play the way he has for the last fortnight he still has value.

Absolutely. I can't wait for the preseason to begin - unlike previous poor years I think there's more promise with our list than in other years, but I also think it's time for some hard calls to be made in relation to trades and delistings.

It appears we have far more in common than you may suspect! When I was a kid growing up in country NSW I had to choose a team - I didn't want to be like everyone else who just barracked for who their father or mates barracked for. So I went to the history books and used to watch "The Winners" religously, of course they didn't show much of the Dees because we were crap, but they did show five minutes of Robbie Flower and that was enough for me. I was too young to have ever watched Barassi, but I reckon Michael Voss would go close to being about the most complete footballer I've ever seen. I understand exactly where you are coming from...when I was a lot younger my best mate used to hang crap on me all the time, because he was "lucky" enought to barrack for Carlton...(even though his dad barracked for the cats and his mum and brother the dees) he used to get stuck into me about the "hapless demons" - from a herald sun byline at the time. It was just infuriating... he had countless premierships to reflect on and he had great mirth in telling me that we hadn't won any in my lifetime. We went to the 88 GF together and I was apopleptic with rage by half time. We didn't stick around for the presentation after the game and when we were walking along punt road a huge roar went up... and he asked me if I wanted to go back and see the presentation... I actually took a swing at him... and he never lets me forget it. Short story long... he actually doesn't follow the footy that much anymore, we've both played and coached in premierships ourselves since... I still follow the Dees as closely as I ever have waiting for the elusive flag, he is content with what he's seen and prefers to follow the teams he's personally been involved in. I often wonder what'll change in how I view footy if we ever win a premiership... I meant every word in my darkest hour rambling... There's so much more to be got out of footy than simply winning and losing. It's a great tonic to be personally involved in footy at whatever level. It's all about what influence and control you have over your own happiness. I was an ordinary footballer and simply an interested on looker as a coach, but it's a wonderful thing to be involved in a team and its a wondeful game... maybe in that regard I'm not competitive, but I never really have been. Personally I'd like to see this as developing maturity rather than accepting mediocrity... I still hate losing. I take no satisfaction in anyone other than the Dees winning, but I no longer need them to win a premeirship to validate my existence or fulfill my dreams, or appreciate footy. I'd like to think that in my two great sporting loves - football and cricket, that when I die, I'll go to heaven and there'll be no scoreboard and there''ll be no umpires to ruin a good game.

Given Haydo's source was close to Sheedy and not the club, the confusion may well have stemmed from Sheeds own mind, highly likely if he'd had a couple of reds before dinner.

Hannabal, you're beginning to sound as bitter and twisted as our friend over on Ology. I'm sorry someone didn't turn you onto the Hawks at the start of the 80s and told you to follow them, you'd have lead a much richer and more fulfilled life. Why haven't you told your sons to barrack for someone else... we don't choose our teams they choose us . That's footy, very few get to play in a premiership, we shouldn't trivialise the achievements of those who haven't been lucky enough. FWIW I think some of your arguments have merit, we don't want to become a club like St Kilda that celebrate the cult of the individual above the team, hopefully Bailey's appointment is a step towards what we all crave. Happy Father's Day BTW.