titan_uranus

That's all well and good, except that we're not the only team who'll be interested. If Port don't like our bid, they'll look at another club's bid. Hawthorn has a link to Burgoyne in Alastair Clarkson, and they've already said they're going to adopt an aggressive trade strategy. If Port don't like what we've got to offer, they'll just go somewhere else.

I've heard the same rumour now through 2 different sources: McNamara is homesick and wants to go home. I rate him, and I think he could turn out to be a very good player, but we're pretty much powerless when it comes to players wanting to return home.

Now here's an interesting story. If we can get him in the PSD, definitely a yes. But we will be outbid if we have to trade for him, and given that he's not worth pick 1, 2 or 18, we won't get him that way. But hopefully he decides he's so [censored] off with Port Adelaide that he's happy to give them nothing and just walk out on them.

Sometimes I wish finals didn't exist, so that trade week and the draft would be over by now. Then again, if it wasn't for this time of the year, where would I get my laughs from?

Some of the prospective trades in this thread are ridiculous. Sure it could. Like what, Bell, Newton and Jamar for pick 8? You've got to think about what Port Adelaide will actually accept.

Lewis Jetta is becoming more of a chance to go in the first round: Jetta pushes first round claims Pace, penetrating kick, playing in the WAFL. Sounds promising.

Btw Demonland, to split hairs, Matthew Egan was delisted, he didn't retire.

Greg Denham said this morning that Brisbane and Richmond have already signed the paperwork required to trade Raines to Brisbane for Brisbane's 3rd Round pick. It will be done as soon as Trade Week commences. Also, Caroline Wilson's article in The Age today says that Richmond has delisted Cleve Hughes and Kayne Pettifer.

Warnock FB. Lock it in. Frawley CHB. Improved beyond many peoples' expecations this year. Should be capable given his promising efforts on Fev and Riewoldt late this year. That leaves Rivers and Garland to play on the third tall or else maybe push up the ground a bit. Martin will play ruck/forward I think. And let's not rule out Lake or Gibson...

Good question, but at this time last year, I'm sure the same things were being said by Essendon and Brisbane fans. Who'd have thought that Hawthorn would lose their spot in the 8? Anything can happen. If you play well enough, you will win enough games to play finals. I think we can more games than Sydney, North Melbourne, Richmond, Fremantle and Port Adelaide. That would put us 11th. But it's nigh on impossible to guess now what will happen over the next 12 months. 8-10 wins, 10th-12th on the ladder is probably where we'll end up.

Very, very good post WJ.

Makes you wonder, what are we going to do with these players, given that some are contracted for 2010. Bailey's plan seems to clearly not involve them. But they're going to be there.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tab...39/default.aspx Talks about our youngsters, our improving players, the list, the pre-season, Jurrah, and other stuff. Doesn't give much away about possible list changes. Talks a bit about getting our group to start playing games together, says that's important.

We aren't making any changes to our list until after trade week (October 5-9): http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tab...45/default.aspx

Sure would. So we'll probably get Freo (away), North Melbourne and Geelong. And he has launched an appeal: http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tab...57/default.aspx This is its basis: The Blues have appealed on the basis that the decision was so unreasonable that no Tribunal acting reasonably could have come to that decision having regard to the evidence before it, the classification of the offence was manifestly excessive and the sanction imposed was manifestly excessive. Hey Appeals Board: Look at Jaded's post above. That looks like evidence enough to me.

Correct. Collingwood cannot cry foul about the draw (as unfair as it may seem, giving the 5th team 2 more days than the 4th team) when they had their fate in their own hands. I just hope it's a deciding factor in the result of the match.

Hard to know what will happen next year until the drafting/delisting process is over. But this year Hawthorn's list was younger than our's.

Interesting, Deanox. Very interesting. Still think nothing will happen, though. Rischitelli will probably say nothing happened to clear him.

Whilst I think Collingwood will beat Adelaide, it won't be easy, especially given that the Crows have 2 extra days rest in preparation. Plus their first final was physically less demanding than Collingwood's. Oh how I pray for Adelaide to beat them.

Good point. From the footage I've seen, there's no proof of eye-contact. Nonetheless, he's put his hand there for a reason, and that reason is most likely to poke/gouge his eye. I'm pretty confident he did it, but I'm pretty confident he won't be punished for it.

Of course he had no need. But from the footage I've seen, there's no proof that he gouges Rischitelli's eyes. So I reckon he'll get off (undeservedly). Was Maher on the radio? He wasn't on the TV coverage (it was Mark Howard and Bill McDonald).

It's a bit like last year. People all talking about Hawthorn 'ending their premiership drought with their first flag in 16 years'. Well, there are 16 teams. So on average, you'd hope that each team would win one every 16 years. Journalists seem to forget about Melbourne, St Kilda and the Bulldogs when making these comments. Damn well hope so. But I think the footage is inconclusive. I mean, how lucky is he that another Carlton player's legs obstruct the vision just as he sticks his hand in Rischitelli's face?

Jetta and Bennell had good first years, but Jurrah's was better. Cheney and Grimes would also be in contention if they were actually first-year players.

I saw the Jurrah piece from the Rising Star ceremony last night as well. Poor guy has been inundated with media. Hopefully that's the end of that now. I don't like Mark Howard much.

If Green played forward all year (which might happen if we can get some of our younger guys to rotate through the midfield/half back), he could kick 40 goals. He has the capability to play KP forward. I also think Morton could kick 20+ goals over the course of a year if he drifted forward more often. Prefer him forward to back. Sylvia also could kick 20+, but I'd prefer him playing more midfield. Maric, Jetta and Wonaeamirri probably need to be kicking 30 goals per year if we are to get close to a premiership. Otherwise we'll be relying on Watts, Bate and Jurrah to do it all every week.