bjgc

B: WHELAN, CARROLL, BRUCE HB: BIZZELL, P.JOHNSON, BELL C: YZE, JONES, WHEATLEY HF: GODFREY, MILLER, BROWN F: GREEN, DUNN, DAVEY FOLL: WHITE, JOHNSTONE, MCDONALD IC: PETTARD, C.JOHNSON, PICKETT, JAMAR EMERG: HOLLAND, WARD, BATE Even though we were hopless I think there were some positives. Since the start of the year I have wanted Bruce down back he reads the play better than most and can play on talls and smalls. P.Johnson to CHB is a good move and may have saved his career at least for another year. He can't ruck and has done nothing up forward. I am hopful that he can fill Holland's role. Bell played his best game for the year. Green proved that he is a lot better playing as a forward who occasionally plays midfield than the other way around. Yze had heaps of chances to turn his form around before he got dropped Davey should be the same. He is still chasing hard but can't get near the ball. He definately needs help from Pickett I think you will see a different Davey when Pickett is out there the same goes for Johnstone when McLean comes back it will allow him to be released. Next year we must recruit heavily in the midfield we need to get that right before we look at the backs and forwards, games are won and lost in the midfield. We have a massive weakness in our half backs and wings. We must get speed on the wings and we must get halfbacks that can not only provide dash but also must hit targets Brown and especially Ward don't cut it anymore. The real negative has been our defensive pressure we have not put any pressure on the ball carrier and our tackling has been terrible we really miss Bartram in this area. If Sylvia was to ever come back I would change his position to half back. He reminds me of a Beau Waters hard at the ball and man he is also good overhead. Waters had lots of groin problems when he was a forward\midfielder since he's moved to half back he has had no injuries. I am no medical expert but I think it would be easier for him to play half back where he can read the ball instead of having to run all day in the midfield or relying on providing quick leads in the forward line it couldn't hurt.

B: WHELAN, CARROLL, FERGUSON HB: BROWN, RIVERS, BIZZELL C: BUCKLEY, JONES, YZE HF: BATE, MILLER, SYLVIA F: P.JOHNSON, HOLLAND, GREEN FOLL: WHITE, BRUCE, MCDONALD IC: GODFREY, JOHNSTONE, DAVEY, JAMAR EMERG: WARD, MOLONEY, BELL IN: FERGUSON, BUCKLEY, YZE, SYLVIA, P. JOHNSON, HOLLAND, BIZZELL OUT : NEITZ, ROBERTSON, WHEATLEY (INJ) C.JOHNSON, WARD, MOLONEY, BELL

This is the classic case that we do far too often by thinking we are better than we are. We didnt recruit we just thought we were going to do better by doing nothing. Look at Essendon they recruited well and are looking good. If you don't recruit chances are you will stagnate and with other teams getting better every year chances are that you will go backwards and that is exactly what we are doing add the fact that we have our captain out. The 3 players that improved us as a team last year out in Pickett, McLean and Bartram and youngsters that we would be expecting to help us improve this year in Sylvia, Dunn and Frawley and you are behind the 8 ball already. Injuries are killing us we are playing shocking football but I think we can turn it around as long as we recruit heavily and stop holding on to fringe players that have been around for a while. Our injury prevention must get better. Hawthorn under Bohdan were injury ravaged we are now the same. Either there is a problem with his training methods like what a lot of people have wrote on this forum or he is just bad luck either way we should get rid of him it's not working. We won't turn it around in time to save Daniher's job but all is not lost.

It's just part of our grand plan to get Judd. Neitz said we were going to bottom out so we could get him on SEN. Injuries, injuries and more injuries what a secret weapon Bohdan is sign him up for life doing to us what he done for Hawthorn what a recruit.

B: BELL, CARROLL, HOLLAND HB: WHELAN, RIVERS, WARD C: JOHNSTONE, MCDONALD, MOLONEY HF: DAVEY, MILLER, GREEN F: ROBERTSON, NEITZ, BATE FOLL: WHITE, BRUCE, BARTRAM IC: JONES, WHEATLEY, GODFREY, JAMAR EMERG: SYLVIA, C.JOHNSON, BROWN Bell gets one last chance against Williams he fails he must go back to Sandy. Carroll v Roughhead Holland v Boyle Rivers v Franklin McDonald v Mitchell Bartram v Hodge, Godfrey will allow them to rest. Newton will need a few more good games for Sandy before he gets considered but Miller is running out of chances although I don't think you can blame Miller for being ordinary considering how bad our disposal and constant handballing was. Considering how poor our defensive pressure was there is every chance Godfrey will be picked solely for defensive pressure. Wheatley last few weeks have been pretty good and he can kick so he can straighten us up if he can get the ball. I would like to see Sylvia in but he doesn't sound fit enough probably a week away. Pickett is going to need at least 1 week at Sandy he has missed too much football. Yze must be dropped he was 1 who desperately needed a big game he didn't deliver we have carried him for too long he must go back to Sandy. C.J is a bit unlucky because we had so many bad players I think someone other than Yze needed to pay for our performance.

Finally some good news it's been a nightmare so far.

Our best player should be the next captain so ATM it would be Bruce, but if we are to become a premiership threat then McLean is going to need to have an awesome year. If he does then he should be captain. Bruce is a very good player but McLean has star written all over him. So ATM Bruce will get the job but I'm hoping for the team's sake that McLean becomes the player we all think he is so he can get the captaincy.

Very hard to select our team due to injuries and patchy form by nearly every player. B: WHELAN, CARROLL, HOLLAND HB: BELL, RIVERS, WARD C: JOHNSTONE, MCLEAN, GREEN HF: C.JOHNSON, MILLER, BRUCE F: ROBERTSON, NEITZ, DAVEY FOLL: WHITE, JONES, MCDONALD IC: MOLONEY, BATE, BARTRAM, JAMAR EMERG: YZE, BROWN, FERGUSON If Rivers is ruled out and Riewoldt is also ruled out then Brown should play cause the Saints will play small up forward. If Riewoldt is fit then we have no choice to put Ferguson in cause he's the only tall back we have left. If Bartram isn't fit enough then Brown should play. Pickett has had virtually no pre season so if Yze has to prove himself then Pickett should probably have to do the same. If Rivers, Bartram and Riewoldt are all out then both Yze and Brown should play.

Schwarz does it every year. At the start of the year he thinks we will be near the bottom, if we win a few games Schwarz will be the first to say that we will win the premiership he goes from 1 extreme to the other. He also said the Kangaroos will make the 8 they will be lucky to not win the spoon so he has not got a clue really.

Next weeks Sandy game will be interesting if Bartram was to play a full game and get about 25 - 30 touches then surely he should be fit enough to be considered for rnd 1. If there was a choice between Bartram and Yze I would definately choose Bartram.

After reading reports on the Richmond game I wouldn't change the team that I posted last time, but Yze's form is a major concern his pre season form has been woeful for a player playing for his career. He is in my team on reputation alone a bad game against the Saints he will be at Sandy the following week. Pickett is also a concern but his pre season was horrible last year as well and he turned it around I'm hoping for the same again. Miller is always a worry, but until Dunn steps up and can consistantly run out games then Miller should be first choice but only just. Holland should play, the Saints have too many strong tall forwards. Brown and Ward are a toss of the coin selection. I'm a big Browny fan he's a better runner than Ward so that's why I would choose him ahead of Ward. I think Bizzell needs to play more 1 decent practice match for me to consider him, his pace is a major worry. Moloney will probably need a few games at Sandy to get match fit before he is concided for the seniors. B: Whelan Carroll Holland HB: Brown Rivers Bell C: Johnstone McLean Green HF: Davey Miller Pickett F: Robertson Neitz Yze R: White Bruce McDonald IC: Bate Jones C Johnson Jamar EM: Ward Moloney Bizzell

After watching the game against the hawks I also can't wait for the start of the season. To have 10 of our best 25 out and besides running out of legs the last quarter be more than competetive against a team on the rise with most of their players in gives me a lot of optimism for the start of the year. Very impressed with Buckley and CJ. With Sylvia, Bartram and probably Moloney underdone for the start of the season C.J will have to be in our best 22 and Buckley will be very close. Green, Bell and Jones had excellent 1st halves but when the Hawks got on top they struggled a bit. Brown's pre season form and the final against Freo puts him in front of Ward IMO. I would still have Yze and Miller in our best 22 but they surely must be under the pump, a few more bad games and they will be at Sandy. As soon as Dunn becomes better overhead and becomes fitter it could signal the end of Miller because Miller's endurance is the only thing that is keeping him in our best 22. For Sylvia to arrive as a footballer he must take over Yze's position. He is a lot better overhead mark than if he can get over his OP and get to some sort of fitness base then Yze days will be numbered if he keeps playing like this. B: WHELAN, CARROLL, HOLLAND HB: BROWN, RIVERS, BELL C: JOHNSTONE, MCLEAN, GREEN HF: DAVEY, MILLER, PICKETT F: ROBERTSON, NEITZ, YZE FOLL: WHITE, BRUCE, MCDONALD IC: BATE, JONES, C.JOHNSON, JAMAR EMERG: WARD, MOLONEY, BUCKLEY

I think the last 20 years haven't been too bad 12 years in the finals in that period is a lot better than a lot of teams going around. Obviously the 20 years before that were woeful. I think we should do the best line ups for 20 year periods the good period (87-06) the bad (67-86) and the golden period (47-66). I'm only old enough to remember the last 20 years. I would be interested in other people lineups through the other periods that I never saw. B: A.JOHNSON, S.WIGHT, M.WHELAN HB: B.LOVETT, J.RIVERS, S.FEBEY C: S.TINGAY, S.WOEWODIN, T.JOHNSTONE HF: A.DAVEY, D.SCHWARZ, G.LYON F: J.FARMER, D.NEITZ, A.JAKOVICH FOLL: J.STYNES, T.VINEY, C.BRUCE IC: J.WHITE, A.YZE, B.WILSON, R.FLOWER EMERG: R.ROBERTSON, B.MCLEAN, J.MCDONALD

I didn't know that. That is disappointing we need Bartram back ASAP now that I know that then the team should not change from the side that last played the Saints. I would then put P.J as an emergency. I have more expectations on Sylvia if Sylvia is not in our best 22 by rnd 1 then he has problems. Jones has plenty of time to develop Sylvia's time has to be now but if you're right about Bartram then both of them should play.

B: WHELAN, CARROLL, HOLLAND HB: WARD, RIVERS, BARTRAM C: JOHNSTONE, MCLEAN, GREEN HF: DAVEY, MILLER, PICKETT F: ROBERTSON, NEITZ, YZE FOLL: WHITE, BRUCE, MCDONALD IC: BATE, SYLVIA, BELL, JAMAR EMERG: JONES, MOLONEY, BROWN I don't think the team will change too much from the last time we played the Saints. Bartram to come back from injury and Jones to be the unlucky one to miss. Holland should play on Kositchke. Anyone who thinks that Bizzell, Ferguson, Wheatley and Godfrey can play have got to be joking they have had a million chances and continue to fail they should be the last ones to be given a chance at senior level give the youngsters a go because if these 4 ever get a game we will never be taken seriously as a premiership threat.

GONE : NICHOLSON : Unless he is unfortunately contracted for another year like Bizzell. WARD : It will be between him and Godfrey. Godfrey should get the nod to stay. SMITH : Has taken too long to develop. READ : Will make way for Jones to develop. MOTLOP : Again unless he is contracted. TRADE : WHEATLEY & FERGUSON : Trade them for Aker. Would not delist them especially Wheatley. ROOKIES WARNOCK : Line ball wether he gets promoted probably will depending on how deep the draft is and what we do during the trade period. NEAVES : Will stay on the rookie list. HUGHES, GIANFAGNA and BODE : Should not be retained. I think we will only delist the bare minimum of 4 players so there will be players who get another chance. DOES ANYONE HAVE THE UNCONTRACTED PLAYERS LIST ?

At this stage he has to be All Australian full back. He actually acts like he belongs at AFL level now. For a long time he seemed to apprehensive and had no idea what was around him now he is a totally different player.

You wouldn't put Collingwood B&F's in anyone's highlights would you ? Who would he have to beat ? His opponent Voss was better when he won the Norm Smith medal you can add Keating and Rocca to that as well. Woewodin won a Brownlow that's how much I respect the Brownlow. You always look a better player when you're the only good player in the team that would explain his all australian selections. The 2 grand finals appearances well I can't explain that, I can't explain how a team as bad as Collingwood can make it to 2 grand finals let alone Buckley's individual awards.

TOP 10 DISAPPOINTS THAT I REMEMBER. 1# ALLEN JAKOVICH - Had all the talent and flair to be a great at the club but did not have then discipline imagine if he had the discipline of his brother. 2# SEAN CHARLES - Again had all the talent but could not handle life in the AFL. 3# DARREN CUTHBERTSON - His first 5 games were fantastic but for some reason he lost the plot and was never the same player again. 4# BRENT GRGIC - Remember his game against Collingwood in '98 when he took 12 marks. It wasn't long before he was a disgrace. 5# DARREN KOWAL - We decided to keep him instead of recruiting Wirrapunda GREAT MOVE BALMEY !!! 6# SHANE WOEWODIN - Winning the Brownlow was the worst thing that ever happened to him. 7# CHRIS HEFFERNAN - Had a big reputation never delivered. 8# CRAIG TURLEY - Another player with a big repuation that didn't deliver was later found out he already had back problems before we recruited him another great move Balmey. 9# MARCUS SEECAMP - Should of held on to Martin Pike. 10# NEIL BALME - I know he never played a game for us but as a coach he was a disgrace, had a big reputation as a coach after winning a priemership with Norwood and Woodville West Torrens. His decision to recruit heaps of rejects instead of youngsters was a real winner and put us 10 years behind the rest of the competition.

I'm not saying any of these players are woeful of course Brown, Hamill, Buckley and Leppitsch would walk into our side, but I think the way these players get portrayed in the media and supporters are not justified. I have to admit I don't have a particularly close look at most of these players like I do with my own team barring Buckley just due to the fact I have a lot of fanatical Collingwood fans in my family who rave about him non stop so I watch him constantly and I have have no idea why he is rated so highly. I have never seen him win a game off his talent like Voss, Hird, Carey, Lockett, Ablett but he is rated in the same breath as these players. When Collingwood were winning games I always thought Burns was more influential in the middle but Buckley got all the glory. This is why Collingwood can't win a game now due to the fact that Burns best is way behind him.

Yeah I forgot about Hamill he maybe tough but a good game for him would be about 5 possessions. The media definately has an obsession with hard players.

Nathan Buckley is the most overrated by a long way. Constantly turns the ball over, doesn't go in for a hard ball, doesn't break lines, doesn't kick goals only behinds unless he's playing on a first gamer. He does usually get his 30 possessions which garantees him 3 votes by the media even though it doesn't matter where they go, his Norm Smith medal proved that. I don't understand why they rave on about him so much plenty of players pick up high stats like West but people don't go on about him as much as they do about Buckley. It must be because he is in black and white colours. Jonathan Brown plays a handfull of great games a year when he's not injured or suspended and he is continually referred to as the next Carey. Carey was brilliant in nearly every match he played even though Brown is a good player he will never be even half the player Carey was. Justin Leppitsch hasn't played a decent game for 10 years and he still gets in Sheahan's top 50 every year. He had 1 decent year and Mike still goes on about how great he is, Leppitsch has had it just face it Mike.