Wiseblood

Mate, the onus isn't on me. You're the one who knocked Oscar, so the burden of proof is on you. Not me. And then you come back with this 'attacking posters' garbage when I disagree with your view. You tried to prove a point and it didn't work. Lever isn't a KPD at 195cm, but Joel Smith is at just 191cm? You can't make this stuff up.

I love how you've listed every teams 2 key backs, even if they're injured, but then made sure to leave Lever out as if he doesn't exist. Some rarely even play back now, like Harry Taylor, while others have never played there, like Sam Reid at Sydney. I don't know what this post tries to prove, as it fails miserably.

This is the big one for me. The St. Kilda forwards has acres and acres of space to work in, while their midfield had plenty of time to settle and hit a target. Not much anybody can do to stop that, and that rests at the feet of our midfield.

I'm not dismissing it. Don't be so melodramatic. I'd acknowledge that our second key defensive post is now an issue. Oscar is not. Who we have playing alongside him is now the problem we need to solve. They've given Petty a run and, right now, he is probably not the answer. So we'll try something else, whatever that may be. But descending back into this farce of knocking Oscar McDonald, when there is no reason to, is silly. What did he do wrong on the weekend? How many times was he beaten one on one? How many clangers did he have? Not many from memory. Many of the goals were kicked on Petty. I think it stinks that we're back to this again when there is no reason to be.

I'd like to see any key defender perform well with the lack of defensive pressure we put on up the field. Oscar is fine and he isn't even close to being a problem for the club at present.

Can't argue that we had some workrate issues on the weekend. The Saints played out of their skin and we just didn't want to keep up with them. Their spread was good and we didn't want to work hard enough once they got the ball in their hands to ensure that we got it back as quickly as possible. I also think our set up around the stoppages needs some work as well. Too often we have all 3 players going for the ball which takes away that outlet handpass, or we get first hands on it, cough it up and they get the clearance. We need a little more balance in there and also around the ground.

I've heard he has had further problems with his foot and is a strong chance to retire by seasons end. I would have happily nabbed him otherwise.

He clearly didn't watch the game. He saw the Crows won and just made an assumption which, just recently, he criticised others for doing.

He had 9 touches in the last term. He was one of their only players not to go missing. At least try and do a bit of research before you're wrong. Again.

Another swing and a miss from Norf. I wonder who they'll end up getting? Maybe they can offer Dean Kent a million a year for 5 years?

Butler and Caddy. You don't always need 'pace' to keep up with an opponent. Footy smarts and positioning, which he has in spades, play a role as well.

Pies are in a tough spot. They have admitted they have minimal cap space, so if they want to sign him and match that deal (or get close to it), they will either have no space to use over the next couple of seasons or have to trade out some contracts which others may not be keen to accept unless they throw in a sweetener (eg a first rounder). If they let him go then I could see De Goey flourishing at North. Tough times ahead for the Pies, and I don't feel bad about that at all.

I have plenty of clue on Harden, and you totally missed my point. Gaff may not be great defensively, but he's super offensively. Where did we struggle on the weekend? Gaff would have made a difference going forward. He's worth it. The fact you don't rate him makes me even more comfortable with us potentially chasing him.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-06-27/salem-praises-lewis-and-vince

Harden just won the MVP. The bloke can't be that bad. And you're assuming Gaff is poor defensively. Got any hard evidence to back it up, or just running with it to suit your opinion?

In one breath he calls him a 'slow outside receiver', and in the next says he doesn't care how many brownlow votes he might get, which is a fair indication of his ability. Laughable stuff.

Well said, mate. The example you used in the first paragraph is a prime example of how badly it can hurt you to trade up in the draft. It's why I was happy with what we did with Lever - he was a known quantity who already had 50 games in the system, so we knew exactly who we were getting and what they could do. I can recall the Bulls trading away two first rounders to move up in the draft a few years back which backfired on them. And that's just one more example. As you say, now that we have the right coaches and a great recruitment team in place, we can back them to make the right selections and we can trade away picks or nab free agents with confidence. Moving up in the draft, or trying to trade back into the first round, doesn't excite me at all.

It's funny you mention this. I know it's not a great analogy, but I was reading an article just prior to the NBA draft this year where they talked about teams trading up in the draft and how, 9 times out of 10, it doesn't actually work out for that team. I know it's a different sport and such, but I think the principle still applies. Unless it's a great deal (and yes, I do know that's what you meant with the 'if feasible' part) then I don't see a need for us to trade up. We've got a great track record of nailing later picks, and a deeper draft gives us more chance to do so this season. I will also point out that the OP talks absolute trash in the first post as well.

Lewis ain't the problem, and he was way better than many others out there last night. DS won't admit it though as, after being wrong in these sort of threads before, he desperately wants to be right.

Stop biting, Moonie. He ain't worth it.

I'd have a dip at Braydon Preuss, but he may want the number 1 ruck role which a club like Geelong may offer him. Not sure he would be happy playing second fiddle to Gawn like he is to Goldy.

It'll happen. It will be confirmed by the end of the footy season.* *I have no tomato source, just a gut feel. I can't see us leaking this sort of stuff it we aren't in advanced talks to get it off the ground*

Here is a picture of roughly where it would go when completed. I will add that in the article it says no formal decision has been made, but we have been in talks with the state government over this option for some time.

Here is the article: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/demons-grand-plan-for-yarra-park-training-ground-revealed/news-story/2b03a10790eb2d8e7fda2a34eaa0aef6 Here is a little snippet for those who cannot get around the paywall. This sounds pretty sensational: The Herald Sun can reveal the ­Demons are eyeing a prized parcel of parkland, in the northeastern corner of the MCG precinct, for a full-sized football oval. The bold proposal would also see a six-storey complex boasting an ­office wing, a world-class gym and medical facilities, built on top of rail tracks next to Jolimont Station

Is that what Rehn actually said? All I got was that we were 'rumoured' to be interested, nothing about big offers being tabled.