Goodvibes

Let's see in 12 months.

It's ironic really - we've been waiting a good couple of decades for a collection of talented key position talls to match Garland, Martin and Rivers with Frawley and Warnock as back-up. Now that we've got them all we really need now is some class in the midfield, a dominant ruckman, an elite forward target, a shutdown small defender and generally some more speed on every line. Easy.

How dare he bring up money during a contract negatiation.

Grimes not good enough YM?

If we were to follow the suggestion of Grimesy we'd be actively seeking to trade a second year key position player who's still at least two years away from growing into his body. You actively look to trade your own players for one of six reasons: 1) Off-field concerns; 2) You're overstocked in one area and lacking in another (team balance). Think Croad to Freo and Hodge to Hawthorn through the draft; 3) A player wants to go home; 4) An opposition team rates your player more highly than you do; 5) You're sweetening a deal; 6) Motivation becomes an issue after many years at a club (think Schwass to Sydney). Where would a deal for Frawley fit? Potentially #5 and possibly #2 but not for at least 1-2 years. How many clubs have actively traded a first round key position tall who has only been on their list for 2 years. Austin Lucy, after 1 year with Essendon is as close as I can recall. Bailey has spent the year talking up our under 23's as our future. Putting Frawley's name on the trade table would be very dangerous.

And how exactly will that impact on the player morale and long term loyalty of the numerous players in our 18 - 23 year bracket?

I thought P Johnson was out for the year?

How do you know how Newton went? How do you know where he played? Did you notice that he was listed in the best players? Slaying a player when you weren't even at the game makes you look like the spud!

Now I'm scared.

I tend to watch a guy over the course of his career and provide my view rather than one isolated incident in one particular game. The boy is quick. The real issue is how quick he is between the ears.

Speed? If the cost was low, I'd definitely consider him. The kid can play. His speed is a weapon, he likes to run and carry breaking the lines and is clearly a confidence player. His currency is almost as low as his confidence at the minute. At 21, Bailey might like the challenge. His biggest issue has been finishing off his work when delivering into the forward 50.

FWIW: FB: Whelan Martin Rivers HB: Wheatley Garland Petterd Martin, Rivers and Garland to play a role against the bigger forwards, Whelan to lock down on the most dangerous small forward and Wheatley and Pettered take the in-between sized forwards an provide most of our run and carry from defence. For this scenario to work, Martin clearly has to continue to develop to enable him to tackle the dwindling but still important number of power forwards in the comp. Garland can take the fast leading, bigger bodied forwards and Whelan, Petterd and Rivers all have to successfully complete pre-seasons and prove that their bodies are capable of enduring the rigours of a full AFL season. If they can, we seem to have a good balance of bigs, mediums and smalls, all pretty composed with the ball in hand and generally speaking make good decisions and deliver the ball well. Our inexperienced defenders in this back 6 (Petterd, Martin and Garland) are also complemented by the more seasoned trio of Whelan, Wheatley and Rivers. Warnock, Frawley, Bell and a pinch-hitting Bruce or Green are starting to give us both depth and versatility down back.

Or is he going to end up a little in-between? I get the feeling the coaching dept were secretly hoping for a little growth spurt after we drafted him. It will be interesting to see how he develops.

Now I'm definitely in the Watts camp.

Tell your mate that the Courier Mail need to seriously lift their game. Apparently "Stefan Bailey (no relation)" was debuting for the Dees against Brisbane. I could find a factual mistake a day in the AFL section of the Courier Mail.

I could completely understand where you're coming from if this was 10 hours or 2 days or 3 months after the game but in the excitement of the moment, how can you not get caught up in the absolute delight of winning a thriller? The positives of that win far outweigh any potential alteration of draft picks we receive at the end of the season.

Is Rich tanking?

That's a great point and one that is all too easily forgotten when we start throwing names around for possible trades. It's easy for us, we don't know them personally, we certainly don't understand the team dynamics and how one trade can impact upon the group mentality (for better or for worse). Having said that, Bruce and Green are the only players I'd be willing to offer up that have any chance of getting us another pick in the top 25. I think our best chance would be tempting Sydney, Hawthorn or Collingwood. Their first round pick would be in the 10 - 16 range. If Carlton make the finals, they may well feel a more mature player might be exactly what their young crop needs to take the next step.

Whether it's true or not is irrelevent. If their players buy into it then it becomes a factor. Clearly they do. Reminds me a bit of the "Queenslander" calls that float around Lang Park up here every origin game. The coaches, past players and QLD media have conjured up this myth that QLD care more than NSW about winning the origin series each year. The QLD players clearly buy into it and it seems even the NSW players become believers. They've won so many games they had no right to and the myth perpetuates.

And nor should you be. Evidence to date, however, suggests he possesses all the physical attributes and seems like a fairly driven young man who doesn't enjoy being beaten. I think he'll be a longstay of our team - the question remains will he simply add to our long list of players who can play on a third tall down back or will he genuinely arrive as a class backman capable of taking on the big boys one on one and keep up with the faster leading full forwards?

I'll be there too. Planning to absolutely overdose on football whilst down from Brisvegas. Essendon v Hawthorn at the Dome Saturday night, two games at Sandy on Sunday and the big one on Monday. Giddy-up.

I don't mind that team Doggo and most of your reasoning. I'd probably keep Dunn at the expense of CJ and only leave out Frawley if Rivers proves his fitness. I'm a big fan of both Bartram and Bell but I think you're right in saying they need a boost in confidence and a couple of weeks at Sandy might be the way to go. Not sure I'd go with the three rucks, as I'm not convinced by PJ forward and would prefer Holland for a one off assignment. This is a big week, the club needs a win. If it wasn't the QB clash and a big week for the club, historically speaking, I reckon Jeff White's place would have come under very close scrutiny. I think he needs a big one this week.

If you've got as much time on your hands as you suggest how about you do some calculations based on the following: National Draft Number - 1 = 1, 8 = 8 and 25 = 25, that's simple Rookie Draft Promotion = 65 Pre-Season Draft = 65 if delisted and whatever they were originally selected at if they walked of their own accord. Eg Nick Stevens would be a 25 (his original draft pick). The same could apply to trades. If you use a system like that you could compare teams. You'd probably have to base it on the clubs best 22 rather than their entire list. I'm not sure it would tell you much. Perhaps it would show who has used rookies and recycled players most effectively and who has placed their hopes in high drafts picks. I'd certainly be interested in your results if you have a crack at this.

I'm coming from Brisvegas for this and dragging my best mate with me. I'll be spewing if this walk doesn't get the support it deserves. We sit back and complain about how little the club does for us and then abandon them as soon as they find a creative and original way of uniting the supporter group. The apathy shown already on this thread confirms the perceptions of opposition supporters. If this: http://sportal.com.au/AFL-news-display/kan...urnaround-49635 doesn't fire people up I not sure what will. "the struggling Melbourne Football Club now appearing to have taken over the mantle as the league's most vulnerable club - something Demetriou himself recently admitted." We condemn our team for their lack of heart and courage and fire. Well how about we start showing a little. Fire up people. This is our Grand Final.

Keep up the good fight Timmy. Could I suggest advertising your campaign on a St Kilda forum or two? I'm sure there's plenty of Saints fans who are feeling as frustrated as us.