titan_uranus

Yeah he's on holiday, spending some time away from it all. I think they've sent a part of his lung to the US to be tested. I've heard some unfortunate reports that his prognosis is quite negative. Hopefully they work out what's wrong and set about rectifying it as soon as possible.

Dal Santo becomes the seventh key Saint to miss, a late withdrawal just announced!

I can undestand the idea that we did well out of both trades because we got a first round pick for both, which is at least equal to what the player was worth. But if that pick ends up in a player like Dunn, then it's hard to be happy when you look back on that trade.

Hmmm. Here come the late withdrawals...

This is the way the AFL might go, if they choose a lottery path. It would be an absolute disaster if, based on this year, Hawthorn got pick 1 and Melbourne got pick 8 (I realise the probabilites of that happening are very small, but it's a possibility nonetheless). Just to play devil's advocate, in 2007 the Bulldogs finished bottom 4, with 9 and a half wins. That's not such a dud season, but they'd have a pretty good chance of picking up a star in a lottery scenario.

How can you say that getting pick 15 and using that pick on Dunn are two separate issues, when you then go on to say that the TJ trade was a success? As far as I can see, they're idential situations: We give Jolly to Sydney - they give us pick 15 - we use pick 15 on Dunn We give TJ to Brisbane - they give us pick 14 - we use pick 14 on Grimes

Agree. I'm despondent that Hawthorn is likely to make finals now because they'll steal a win here and make it on percentage over Port. I hate Hawthorn. You'd certainly feel aggrieved and disappointed if you're an Essendon or Port fan. St Kilda is doing the right thing though. No point playing anyone if they're under an injury cloud.

I'll have a go at picking a team for Round 1. B: Cheney Warnock Garland HB: Frawley Rivers Bennell C: Sylvia Davey Moloney HF: Jurrah Watts Bruce F: Bate Martin Wonaeamirri Foll: Jamar Green Grimes Int: Spencer Jetta McLean Petterd Emg: Jones Maric Dunn Hopefully I haven't missed anyone obvious. I've got Jamar and Spencer as ruckmen, Martin as FF. I'm undecided on Martin. I think he might be good enough to play FF, but at the moment he's playing a lot in the ruck so it's hard to tell. I guess you could play Martin in the ruck, then drop Spencer for another runner. And I guess there's little between Spencer and Meesen. No Strauss or Blease or McNamara (or Scully) because I don't know what they're like, though I have hopes that any of those 4 could be starting 22 next year. Playing lots of your players does not equal having depth. Having depth means that you have players not in your current 22 who are capable enough of playing AFL level football. Also, Hughes and Healey haven't played.

True, it's not funny, but it is a very smart decision. No point playing him now. This way he'll hopefully be ready to commence pre-season with everyone else, rather than miss a few weeks. And we need Warnock to be fit and ready to next year if we want to climb up the ladder. Maybe Sylvia will be better for the run this week. Having missed a month of AFL level football, he might need this week to re-adjust, thus being ready to tear Fremantle apart next week (and then promptly be put out to pasture... )

I'm quite interested to see that opinions are varied. This draft's a bit different, though, with Scully being the clear favourite. Yeah, it's a bit different this year because the number 1 pick is a clear choice. But what I was trying to gauge is whether or not people would still be happy with us seemingly trying to lose these last 5 or so games if the reward was just one top 4 pick. I know that I would prefer us to be winning games if there wasn't a PP on offer.

Hmm. That's an interesting perspective Dappa. Maybe the AFL likes it as it is simply because it continues to generate interest in matches that would otherwise be absolutely ignored by the AFL community (e.g. Melbourne v Richmond). Maybe they're hoping that this week, because of this tanking talk, people will watch/listen/attend the North v Melbourne match, where otherwise they wouldn't.

Basically, I wanted to know whether the Priority Pick is the main motivation for us wanting to see Melbourne lose. If it wasn't there, would people prefer to see Melbourne winning, and ultimately finishing further up the ladder? Personally, I'm happy for us to finish last this year because the reward is two picks inside the top 2 or 3. If it was only to be one pick, even though we'd probably miss out on Scully, I'd prefer us to be winning games.

Exactly, which makes the lottery a no-go-zone. It would be horrendous if a team like Hawthorn could just miss the finals and then get pick 1. I'm going to start a new poll to see whether it's the PP that makes the difference or not. Because I'm beginning to think that, no matter what the system is, teams will still tank if the lower positions get the better picks.

Agree. This club will go nowhere, regardless of how good the 22nd best player is, until some stars are born. That is why this draft is so important.

From what I recall, you've been accurate on selection news before. I hope you're telling the truth again.

We should take the two best players with our first two picks. That means Scully (if we have pick 1), and then the next best of the rest. If that's another midfielder, then good. If that's Butcher or another forward, then that will work too. If neither are KPP, our next pick probably should be a KPP. But I don't know much about who's available.

If Moloney or Petterd have niggling injuries, they shouldn't be played. Their importance to the team next year and beyond is far, far greater than any benefit of playing them this weekend. I really, really want McNamara to play. And I really, really don't want Johnson to play. Especially given that if he doesn't, Spencer will get some more valuable game time.

I think the low amount of interchanges was a combination of having our hands tied with Bennell, Whelan and Martin all sore at times, and Bailey leaving players like Newton, Miller, Johnson and Spencer out on the ground for long periods of time, when, in other circumstances, he may have dragged them. I have to admit, seeing players sprint from one end of the ground to the interchange bench, only to be brought back on after only 2 or 3 minutes makes me question the point of bringing them off in the first place.

Wow. ABC again. That's 4 out of the last 5. Popular team I guess.

Hope so. Otherwise he'll be taking the spot of a youngster.

Grimes out is both a win and a loss, because I really want the kid to play as much as he can. I'm hoping for the bench to read: McNamara, Sylvia, Dunn, Petterd.

Melbourne Squad Backs: S.Valenti, M.Warnock, K.Cheney Half backs: C.Bartram, J.Rivers, C.Bruce Centreline: J.Frawley, J.McDonald, A.Davey Half forwards: B.Moloney, M.Newton, C.Morton Forwards: B.Miller, S.Martin, M. Bate Followers: J.Spencer, N.Jetta, N.Jones I/C From: T.McNamara, C.Sylvia, R.Bail, P.Johnson, L.Dunn, S.Buckley, R.Petterd Team Changes In: Moloney, Sylvia, Morton, McNamara, Bail, Buckley Out: Grimes (Hip), Whelan (Foot), Bennell (Knee)

I have to say, these are my thoughts too. He was drafted with the intention of getting some game time this year, but from what I've seen of him in the VFL he's struggled there. Having said that, you shouldn't expect too much from pick 64. I'm just hoping Tommy McNamara gets a game too. I really think he could be a good player for us, and I certainly would be upset if he was to be delisted without getting an opportunity.

No, we should win. Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. I think we will win, but I don't think it's as certain as most would believe.

Back page of the HUN today suggests that Richo will be offered a one-year contract.