ArtificialWisdom

Set plays are easy with big Maxy Gawn!! His ruckwork is head and sholders above anyone else in the comp. His follow up is still a little inconsistant but when he is on he is an extra midfielder. When watching the replay i believe i heard he has the top 3 or 4 Ruck to Rover combinations. Having so many is just beyond brilliant. We are fast becoming the competitions clearance experts.

I dont ever remember 2 frees being paid so late within the same game. Solid 2/3 seconds each so bizarre.

That point alone is technically correct, yes, but I feel it doesnt suit the Harmes case. He makes mistakes that young players make but he does one or 2 things a week that make me think "wow that was good". Maybe once in a month he does something that makes me think "That was really good". At his young and inexperianced age him doing these things show he can be a player and a classy one. His smooth and skilled given another full year or two of development I hope he can begin to do these nice things week in week out.

Yeah Hunt caught him high. It was a frustrating passage to watch live but watching the replay it all seemed correctly umpired.

That is true but Mills deserved it as much if not more. Mills played particularly well that week anyway. Ik we want to see Hunt get rewarded but as long as he keeps improving im sure that a late RS nomination will make little difference.

Id argue that Gussy's kick was a defencive kick, which to me is the opposite of taking the game on. That said the point you are making is right, they look so much better when taking it on. That kick inboard to watts who then pin pointed Pedo on the lead would never have happened last year. It would have been a bomb from the flank just done in hope in hope.

In a couple of weeks I'd love to have them make Clarry go head to head with Cripps. 2 of the best young clearance players going round, that would be a specticle

Thats inconsistancy, doesnt mean he doesnt have class. He needs to clean up but he has good technique and with the games into him he will get better and hopefully he will show more every week. You dont get those kind of plays from a pure blue collar player.

As soon as I saw the replay at the ground I knew Rioli was going to get off. Big hit to a player who wasnt ready for it but looked to be in the chest. Lets face it, if Viney did it and got rubbed out we would be ropeable. Mitchell incedent I also suspect he will get off, maybe a fine due to the action but not much force. The way Hawkins got done for his "hit" any logic would sugest Mitchell would be done as well. But Logic and MRP have never really been connected.

Rightly so Harmes has class. Yeah he makes some mistakes but he offers so much more than ANB. I'd love ANB in the team for the rest of the year but pick which slow inside mid you want out: Viney, Tyson, Jones, Oliver. Cant have any more than them 4. Brayshaw, Tracc, Stretch, Bugg, Kent, Vanders Vince all spend time in the middle and he doesnt have the right qualities to replace any other than Bugg who wont be dropped on that performance actually thought it was one of his best games this year. The only one who I think could be in trouble is Garlett and if he goes then surely Kennedy comes in. Maybe ANB could come in for him but i would be surprised if he was dropped anyway. In Hogan Out Pederson Pedo couldn't have picked a better game to play as a fill in but cant escape the fact thats all he was. If he had taken 10 marks and kicked 3 goals I'd understand peoples doubts but he didn't. He played his role well, job done. The unfortunate reality of a successfull team I hope we are up long enough to get used to it.

I dont think they will "get rid" of him but I suspect there will be teams that come for him. Such consistant form at VFL level but a lack of opportunities may make a trade appealing to him. So many inside mids ahead of him he will know that getting in the side is going to be challenging esspecially as others are still expected to improve. Port, Brissy, GC, Essendon, Carlton and Richmond all could use an ANB type prospect. One of those clubs come offering game time and ANB may request a trade.

My big consern is I'm not sure where you are going to find this "like for like defender". There isnt many KPDs on the market which is exactly why other teams are going after Tom. I rate Tom as a B+/A- grade defender with potential to be among the elite within the next 3 years. Yeah you're right if we get a B grade defender to replace him the world wont cave in, but who?

I wouldnt take pick 18 for TMac he is a young KPD who hasnt even reached his prime and is already performing at an high level. He is perennially underrated on this forum, a late first round pick for him would be an unmitigated disaster. Regardless Essendon would laugh hysterically at you if you offered pick 18 and a swap of later picks for Hurley. Carlisle essentially went for pick 5 remember, I rate Hurley above him I suspect they will too.

No. Not even close

Yeah very true but to a point we still need a best 22 or even 25 that swap and change based on form and rests hoping mass injuries dont come. Either way it's nice to struggle to fit people in rather than struggle to find people to play.

Not really a nickname but "Weids growing in the Hawks nest" would be a very nice start I thinks.

Kent and Hunt. Those guys might finally be able to bring some variation to our 1 pace midfield. Tracc and Stretch also provide different kinds of run without being super quick.

More i look at that team the more i think his spot will should be Casey... I suspect they would have Salem and Melksham in for Bugg and Harmes if they wanted their best 22 of next year out there. Personally I love what Harmes brings but Melksham prob gets a gig just for seniority. If Hibbard comes who comes out then?

Kolodjashnij, Cockatoo and a 2nd/3rd round pick. That would at the very least get my attention.

I was asking that the whole first half of the last Qtr when we needed to score and he was sitting in the backline...

I think it was more they were debuted in 2 games where we struggle to get the crowd support despite being the home team. Bring them in to drag a few more fans who want to see their first games. The thought had crossed my mind, but I'm electing to ignore it and focus on their football. Either way both players had played fantastic games for Casey the week before so I doubt they would have played without that. 4 rounds to go, I suspect Weid will get 2 weeks and Hulett another 2. Maybe keep Weid in if his form warrants it. Love to see a Weid Hullet Hogan Watts Kent Garlett forward line for a couple of weeks, Vanders would have to make way though (send him in if he needs some surgery to fix that niggle he has had all year)

Maybe, could be easier start to his career up the ground a bit in more space. Hogan has a bigger tank though. I wouldnt want hogan to play if they dont think he can run up the ground, just give him the week off if he needs it.

If we see that week in week out for the better part of a decade I'll be a happy man.

If Hogan and Weid are both being named does that means at least to start Dawes will be listed as omited?

I dont think there is many of us, if any who sympathise with "Essendon" the club itself. They are guilty and I still believe the club was never adequately punished. Robbing them of their Nr 1 pick this year would probably do it but the AFL doesnt have the balls because it would require them admitting to getting their original decision wrong. That said, I do sympathise with the players as individuals, convicted or not they were still just pawns in the clubs greedy game.