Goodvibes

"TOM SUCKED BUT HE NEVER INHALED"

Grinter-esque

I've taught and coached this kid since he was about 13. He's definitely athletic. I always worried about his intensity and his hardness but he's had an impressive 12 months. The rest of his family moved to WA and AFL Qld encouraged him to stay up here and gave him a job and a lot of AFLQ staff give him a good chance of being drafted. I've actually got a connection to two others in the QLD U18's - Ives and Gribble. Gribble is still underage but like Aliir has had a really impressive 12 months. He's got good goal sense and good skills. He's building a motor and is gradually getting harder and harder (his weakness). Should be a chance to be drafted next year or rookied by one of the QLD teams. The real gem is Ives - the kid is a freak. Despite his height (listed for the carnival at 176 but I thought a little taller) he ticks all the boxes. He ran a 14.1 beep when he was 13, has great skills and has an impressive vertical leap and marking game for his size. He knows where the goals are and loves the physical side of the contest having played plenty of Rugby League when he was younger. Would love it if the Dees identified him as late draft possibility. I'd definitely take the chance.

Gatekeeper?

I woke up this morning and swear I could smell napalm.

Likewise, he's been one of my worries. I've always been confident about Gysberts and Blease and encouraged by Strauss in the last month before breaking his leg but Tapscott (beyond his obvious physical attributes) has failed to show that he will be able to find a consistent role at the top level. Last night, however, there was some really positive signs. Hope with a solid, injury-free run he can consolidate a spot. I'm still not sure where I prefer him though - forward or back?

Yeah good call - I saw Spencil and Martin looking pretty smug in the stands as well. The papers will be all over it.

950 - 1 for the flag. All aboard!!

I remember that day . . .

Unfortunately those names were all selected to represent the club on the weekend. You can't select them to play one week and then name and shame them two days later as the cause of all our problems. I'm pretty confident the three you've mentioned won't be named on Thursday night and the message will be clear to all.

Ummm the club is on notice. We're an absolute embarrassment. We're 0-8. We've been competitive in parts of only 3 of those 8 games. Our opposition are quite happy to make derogative public statements about us. Our membership is down. Our attendances are down. We are the media whipping boys of the comp. We are most definitely on notice. How do you envisage not turning up to help?You and a couple of hundred others don't show up and the boys are in their huddle prior to the first quarter and Beamer nudges Col and says, "Look mate, we're a little more light on than usual in the southern stand, maybe we better pull our finger out"? Sending a message by not showing up is a bizarre concept that belongs in the lower divisions of English football.

Just so I can be clear - after Jim has spent thousands of hours helping demolish our debt (precious time he could have spent with his family) over the past three years, your contribution, as a 'supporter', is to encourage others not to attend games, destroy the little atmosphere that remains at games, rob us of income and make us less appealing to future sponsors? Nice one - Jim would be so proud. Hate to play the Jim card, but the woe is me crap from Melbourne supporters is just really sad. You have every right to be disgusted with our performance, come on Demonland and vent and if you don't want to watch games live then fair enough but trying to orchestrate a supporter strike crosses the line and serves absolutely no purpose. When the going gets tough . . . . the tough keep going!

I like it WJ. All we need now is for Yze Magic to appear from nowhere and declare that we're no chance (maybe Freak can fill in) and I'll be backing in a Dees victory too!

We'd have the best marking forwardline in the comp but we'd still have the lowest inside 50 stats of the 18 teams. It'd be like dating Miranda Kerr and not being able to get it up . . . Sorry Mods.

Would it make you feel better if we just said that we need a midfield rebuild?

http://www.footytips.com.au/competitions/afl/siteladder

Thanks for that. It'll be interesting to see how Sumner and Prestia in particular develop. There was a period there where anyone other than a dangerous, ridiculously quick forward pocket under 180cm was simply off the wishlist of clubs, particularly in the first round. Normally you've got to be super quick and super skilled to even get a look in. Has Viney actually stopped growing?

Getting a wooden spoon behind two start up clubs is wishful thinking?

I actually heard that he was more [censored] off that no one on Demonland can spell his name correctly?

Two random thoughts: 1. Who was the last top 10 pick under 180cms? 2. If Jack's bout of OP worsens late in the year and the medical opinion is he needs a break, what is stopping him not nominating for the draft until the following year? Sorry, there's been some leftfield, fanciful suggestions in this thread - I just thought I'd add to it!

Most here seem to have the view that Moloney and Sylvia aren't great but because they're better options that those with less than 4 years experience we should stick with them. Both are very limited when they don't have the ball. Both have a history of off-field issues. My concern (particularly for those with an interest in the much discussed 'club culture') is what damage is being done whilst they're both still on the list. What will Blease, Gysberts and Taggert continue to learn from these senior role-models?

We need players that set the right example on and off the field. We need senior players who will role-model the necessary gut-running with and without the ball. We need senior players that respond when challenged. We don't need senior players purely because they're senior.

Not that I needed any further confirmation but we really are in a bad way if Rivers is leading our B & F.

Rivers is all heart and I'll never have a crack at him but the sad reality is that he's not big enough for the gorillas and he's too slow for the medium forwards. His average at best disposal is the nail in the coffin. A back six of Frawley, Garland, McDonald, Strauss, Grimes and Bartram/Bennell would be my preference this year. It's not news that we need to find a couple of better kicks out of our backline to help us counter the press being used by almost all of our opposition. Strauss' return and continued development is really important. Grimes will get better with games.