titan_uranus

My understanding is that retired players do not become DFAs because that would rort the system (i.e. players just 'retire' to get out of contracts, then 'change their mind' and walk to the club of their choice). So, if he's formally retired, then I expect the AFL will prevent him from walking to any club and would require him to go through the draft. If he hasn't retired, then I suppose he's still on our list and if he wanted to play for someone else we would be able to trade him.

You're talking like they'd have made us better. They rank below the players turning in the performances we're unhappy with. Below. The idea is to move them on, replace them with better players, and the replacements then push the likes of Bail, Terlich and Riley into the position Strauss, Blease and Taspcott have had this year. Then they'll get moved on.

The culture of this club of expecting first year players to be impacting regularly week after week is a significant factor in why we're stagnant on the bottom. That's how it's damaging. You said he needs to do more. No, he doesn't. Grimes, Garland, Howe, Frawley, Jamar, Watts, they 'need' to do more. Salem is a first year player. They don't 'need' to do anything other than show a future, and that's exactly what Salem has done. He has shown an appetite for the contest, a willingness to work hard, and skill with ball in hand. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but you should be prepared to be called out on it, especially when it's as bad as this one.

What insight? Blind freddie can see we have terrible skills. Any chump would have nominated the Giants game as our lowlight, that's not exactly 'insightful'. Picking out Blease and Strauss to be delisted is also obvious. I'll give him credit for pointing out Jetta but that's where any 'insight' ended.

The fact that he's an admin doesn't mean he's unable to point out pathetic posting when he sees it. The argument that Salem needs to be doing more (olisik's words) is baseless, pointless, damaging and wrong.

You can't delist everyone. As much as we would like to. He's obviously also got his favourites. Bail's played 20 games, Terlich 15, Riley 8. Strauss, Blease, Nicholson, Tapscott and Clisby have played 6 between them. We lose those 5, plus Clark, Byrnes and Frawley, and that's 8 spots. Then there could be a trade or two. For a list that is better than it's playing (I'll stand by that, despite the last two months), that's a decent turnover. It's been covered - rubbish statistic that isn't worth the paper it's written on.

By definition, compensation brings you back to square 1, rather than makes you better off. Getting pick 3, or anything, for Frawley is no argument against getting a PP.

I'm not surprised at all about Bail, and Riley was probably always going to get at least one more year. I'm very surprised at Terlich, though. I just don't see a future for him. If you're going to play half-back you have got to be a good user of the ball and a decent defender. I don't rate his one-on-one defending and he's an awful user of the ball (and worse decision-maker). I'm sure what's worked in his favour is his running, courage, hardness, tackling and team-work, which are all useful traits. Good on him, I hope he cements his spot, but I'm still surprised.

It's perfectly valid for them to look at the number of games we were in this year. It's a sign of our improvement. You only need to do the same analysis over our recent history to understand exactly why we need one, though.

Our players continually strike me as physically underdeveloped. Not the kids, but players like Grimes, Howe, Garland, Watts, even Frawley just look to me to be smaller in the chest and arms than their contemporaries. A lot of that pre-dated Misson though. We didn't have adequate training systems in place for a long, long time. As for Misson, our running fitness seems to be up on the last few years (fewer games where we just disappear after half time; in fact, third quarters are now our best) and our soft tissue injuries are probably as good as any other side in the competition, so those are good signs.

I'd much rather we be having meaningful debates about Jamar's spot in the side, or the best positions for Garland, Grimes, Howe and Watts (whether in the best 22 or not). But no, people seem to think the bigger issues are Salem and Toumpas.

Another ripper thread. The sooner people start to realise that it is not the 18, 19 and 20 year olds that is the problem with this club, the better.

I did the same. I tried telling myself that the highlights were just a splicing together of all of West Coast's better moments so it probably wasn't as bad as the clip made it seem. Not sure I believe that, though.

Just watched the AFL.com highlights. Could a team look any more bereft of confidence than we do? There's no life, there's no confidence, no enjoyment, absolutely nothing come from those players aside from fear and sadness. I thought our first half to the year would have helped shed some of this stuff but we're back at square one in that regard. It puts paid to all of us who thought back in 2009 that there was nothing to be said for the 'losing culture' argument some were throwing around.

Blissfully, I haven't seen a single second of the game. There may not be any, but can someone briefly outline any positives? Cross on Priddis appeared to work? Vince, N Jones and Tyson also looked ok? How about Gawn? Any other positives?

Just go back to what PJ said last year. We remain an impediment on the competition.

Stats can fool, WJ. More possessions isn't necessarily because of work rate, but probably due to unnecessary flipping the ball around. The efficiency rate similarly is boosted by a whole heap of backwards kicks/handpasses.

That's a silly blanket statement. Taking away a player's key development years, inhibiting their growth, drilling into them terrible standards, and having them swept into a swamp of mediocrity, can only have a negative impact on anyone. Some will be able to make an adjustment but it should be perfectly understandable if other players have their careers severely hampered due to being here and going nowhere when they should be blossoming.

Hate on the club all you want (we all do), but they've earned their spot in the finals this year. Their players are dealing with all the turbulence admirably. Would be nice if our players could develop some of the mental fortitude Essendon's players have.

Adelaide just stuffed up another close, but great, game. Podsiadly going's to have to live with that last quarter of his. Now Gold Coast is challenging Essendon - what an afternoon of football!

Cannot wait for the season proper to get underway, though I'm not sure how I rate the Niners going into this season. Tough division and tough schedule, plus a few injuries on defence, I'm not sure we'll make playoffs this year. If Kap goes down we're absolutely stuffed, too.

This is Bennell's second season with West Coast. I'd agree with you on Petterd and Martin, but I don't think this year is Rivers' best of his career. I just think he's going OK. Also, it's quite difficult to compare any season of his at Geelong with any season of his with us. Which is part of the problem with comparing draftees, too.

Amended.

Oh what rubbish DC. The only elephant in any room is in people's heads.

This is how I see the talls situation: Pedersen plays back - McDonald, Frawley and Pedersen take Kennedy, Darling and Lycett. Gawn and Jamar rotate between ruck and FF, Dawes plays CHF. Fitzpatrick is meanwhile to try to play like Blicavs - tall, but focusing more on agility than on marking/power. Will it work? No.