Forest Demon

Great game. And I don't know why I was surprised, but having a left footer off half back was clearly useful. Numerous times a right footer would have struggled to execute. Now stay injury free.

I wouldn't be getting too smug as a Dees fan, when our number 3 pick in that very same draft is in an eerily similar position to McCartin at the moment. I hope for both's sake they can get past the concussion issues, and make it or not based purely on their footy ability.

It will be interesting to see how he goes when he cops a tag, which seems inevitable. Given his best work is done in close and with such quick hands, I'm not sure they would be able to stop him.

He is a gun. The rest of the footy world will wake up to it very soon. I still think his first year was underrated, he was huge in the GWS and Hawthorn wins straight off the top of my head. Even does little amazing things in games that commentators seem to miss. One example on Thursday night where, in a pack, he sort of flicked the ball from one hand to the other, and then handballed it to a free player. Hard to explain, but it was impressive, and I was like "am I the only one seeing this?"

Isn't 2017 meant to be a stronger draft? Play the long game and use this years second rounder if that's the case.

Best of luck to the 3 of them. Grimes will get a shot somewhere you would think. Matt Jones had a decent first half to the season, but tailed off a little, and that probably cost him.

Our guns are still young. I think we are in position to front load a couple of 24 to 28 year old's contracts and make it work.

Reading between the lines, the coaches don't think he has adapted to the new defensive structures, and they would prefer blood OMac. I strongly disagree with that though.

Something has to be done. It is directly costing teams goals and seems to be getting of hand. Lindsay Thomas is a disgraceful player.

Kicking from 40+ was an issue last year as well. He has no fluency to generate any sort of power and runs out on an unnatural arc to try and generate power. A guy his size should be kicking 50m with ease. But as for inside that distance, I get what you are saying. Nothing much seems to have changed. I am by no means an expert, but you would think with such an awkward and complicated run up, it might only take one little thing to go wrong for the whole thing to fall apart, whereas a simple and fluent approach is more likely to produce consistent results. Perhaps there is something minor different about his approach this year, but what that is, I wouldn't know.

Definitely. The defensive roles he did in midfield last season in particular, were immense. Shutting down an opposition big gun while collecting 30 odd himself. Have to take your hat off to Roos and co for somewhat re-inventing him.

Interesting reading about Vince at Adelaide. I thought we were paying overs at the time, but I was wrong. I think they got Matt Crouch with that pick who is a good player, but Vince would be a great addition to their current lineup.

I love this thread. Would be good if all new additions were added to the OP. We could have a great library by the end of his career. The Maverick Weller Hall of Fame.

I am confident that if we look to be progressing well, he will re-sign at the end of the season. Maybe because we have been through it before, maybe because I think we are a better club these days, but I am pretty calm about this either way. But my gut tells me he will most likely stay.

Well deserved. I thought he would be eased into it, but he made it clear during the NAB Challenge he is already best 22. Good luck and let's hope it is a win to remember for him.

Harmless so far, and I hope they don't over control the situation, but he definitely needs a quiet word.

Training reports said Lucas Cook was crying at one of his first few training sessions IIRC. I wasn't there, but remember reading it.

Yes and no. If he is ready and best 22, he plays. Much like Brayshaw did last year.

Looks very very good. And I have found out over the years that most of the time, first impressions are correct. Looks a real bull around the ball.

There are actually players who have "put contract talks on hold" in the last year of their contract and eventually re-signed. Cloke springs to mind, but I am certain there are another couple as well. The fact he has 2 seasons on his contract is a big factor, so we are 12 months away from having to really worry about this. And to others who are getting their knickers in a knot, everything I read from the media actually seems to hint that they think he will eventually re-sign with us.

But it does make it even more important that we see some genuine improvement this year. Need 9 or 10 wins minimum.

I am pretty confident he will stay. This is different to the usual "contract talks are off" as he still has 2 years on his contract, and it actually makes little sense to extend it now. If we read the same lines this time next year it will be time to start worrying.

Jack Viney is in the top 3 most important players on our list, and the quotes in that article illustrate part of the reason why. ‘‘Jack Viney has probably been the one I’ve admired the most,’’ Oliver said. ‘‘Just how hard he is at training, and how competitive he is in everything he does. ‘‘He just hates losing so that’s someone who’s been a bit of a role model for me.’’

An improved version of Mark Ricciuto? Nice to see someone with some realistic expectations on the young kid.

The fact he has a 4 year deal at least gives him the time to turn it around. Using the word "mistake" may have jumped the gun, but it is a horrible start to life at his new club, and I think there is now extra pressure on himself, and also Goodwin, that he hits the ground running in 2017.