furious d

I think Davey, Bruce, Green and Moloney are the candidates to take over IF Junior decides to hang up the boots at years end. It's likely at this stage, but after a great game in the praccy match last weekend I'll wait to reserve judgement. He struggled with injuries last year and wasn't near his best but if his body will allow he could still be a valuable player for us for another year or two. Davey is in the box seat imo, he came on in leaps and bounds last year in both on and off field leadership. He needs to back it up this year but its his if he can repeat the form of 2009. He needs to stay focused on his footy and not let nigglers get to him like they have in the past. Bruce is older than the rest and not a favourite around here, but he clearly has the respect of those actually at the club. If Davey falls into old bad habits and Junior calls it quits, Cam may just be a stop gap captain for a year or two. Green is a bit of a wildcard imo. Being left out of the leadership group by player vote a couple of seasons ago stung Brad into action and he's tried to be more of a leader around the club. It's hard to tell from the outside how successful he's been. Some people just aren't leaders, not sure about Green. On field he's a leader but off? Moloney would be a Richie Vandenburg type captain. An honest workhorse who loves the club, I'm not sure it's enough. A few years from now he'll struggle to be in our best midfield setup and maybe the 22. Not sure it'd be the best thing for his career long term. If Junior did have a good year and decide to go around again, Grimes would shorten considerably in the betting. He'd need 2 years of consistent footy before he could be considered. I know there's been precedents for young captains but I think they would have all been at least around the 50 game mark.

I don't think anyone would be expecting a victory, but I don't think it's unreasonable to hope for one, or to even contemplate that one may be possible against a good but weakened side. Putting limits on a young side is just as unhealthy as as having unreasonable expectations. If we are to stop being the laughing stock of the competition we need to have some wins against reasonable sides. In the last 2 years we've won 1 game against teams from Melbourne, that HAS to change this year. My expectations, and I don't think they're unreasonable, are that over the next 2 years we will be inconsistent. We'll win games we weren't expected to and lose games we expected to win. Gradually over that period we should see more of the good stuff and less of the bad. The first win we have over a "good" side will do wonders for the confidence of this young group, can't think of a better time for it to happen than round 1. FWIW I think we could roll an undermanned Hawks by a few goals, we could just as easily see a repeat of 2008, that's just the way it is when you have a list as inexperienced as ours.

Tapscott, Gawn, PJ, Morton, Jurrah and Bell all possible LTI's. Our entire rookie list could be promoted for round 1 if 2 of them weren't potentially LTI's as well (Newton and Meesen).

Last night showed just how important Jamar will be this year. The club obviously sees a future for Jake Spencer but he's not ready to be first ruck and Martin probably never will be. We will struggle at stoppages whenever the Russian isn't playing. I'm not a big PJ fan but Bailey would've killed for him last night. With PJ and Meesen out for a while we need Jamar fit and ready for round 1, couldn't give a fig how many praccy matches he gets in as long as he's ready round 1. One massive positive to come out of last night was Cale Morton, not his game but his attitude. He was downright surly last night, throwing what little weight he's got around. A Freo player bumped or went to bump Scully and Cale put him on his rectum, gave away a free but put a smile on my face nonetheless. There was o lot more physicality in his game last night, he just needs to remember to do the other stuff he does so well.

I wouldn't like to see Lyon or Viney coaching at Melbourne. Lyon is champion of the Grant Thomas "ruckmen aren't necessary" school of coaching that almost cost St Kilda its entire window. Viney just because I don't like the idea of a father coaching his son at AFL level, and young Jack is going to be a demon. As for last night, rpfc nailed it. Most of us expect to win 8 or so games this year, NEWSFLASH- that means we have to lose 14. Some of our losses will no doubt be insipid, so brace yourselves.

First I've heard of the Adelaide offer. Makes his decision to stick with us on the rookie list, for less money and security, even more impressive. It shows that while Luke Ball and others might not rate us, this young group knows they're going somewhere. Rather than go play finals now Jordie elected to stay with us and work his way off the rookie list because "there's exciting times ahead for us here." I've been a fan since the run of televised Casey games last year and look forward to seeing a lot more of Jordie in the red and the blue for years to come.

I wouldn't mind seeing Cam Bruce used as a tagger. He's rarely beaten one on one, has a massive tank and could be an effective attacking negator, if that makes any sense.

I think we have 5 players on our list that have demonstrated what they are capable of. Junior, Bruce, Green, Davey and Miller are probably the only players to have reached their ceiling. They are the only players on our list to have played more than 100 games and we know how good their best is. The other 35 senior listed players and the rookies all have improvement in them. The most important group for next year are the players who have around 60-100 games under their belts. They suddenly find themselves senior players on a young list and need to respond accordingly. There will be a lot of pressure on this group in the next few years to maintain their spot in the 22 with the quality of the younger players coming through. Moloney, Rivers, Bate, Jones, Jamar and Sylvia are our most important players this year. We need these players to continue to improve and to be regular contributors if we are start our climb up the ladder. Molney and Rivers are in their second year back after long injury spells, have both done full preseasons, and have no excuses not to deliver on the promise they showed as young players. I thought both were good last year but both need to be better this year. Matty Bate needs to lessen the gap between his best and worst and become more consistent. When he's on he is fantastic to watch but sometimes goes missing and worse gets attacks of the fumbles. The game against Freo last year was the perfect example of what I'm talking about. In the first half he had I think 8 possies and 7 turnnovers from memory. After he fumbled and bumbled his way through the first half he turned it on in the second. Swooping on loose balls at full tilt and kicking a few goals as well. In a very young and underdeveloped forward line the Master's year will be critical to our output. Jones will benifit from our new look midfield this year. It won't be as one paced with Brock gone, there should be a little more variety rotating through. Nate and Brent need to step up to take pressure of our young mids. These 2 need to demand the number 1 tag each week. If Grimes, Morton, Trengove or Scully are copping a heavy tag it will be because these 2 have failed. I've been a Jamar fan for a few year now. Love his centre bounce and stoppage work. He has improved in leaps and bounds around the ground since given an opportunity. We need him fit more than any other player imo because of our lack of options in that part of the ground. Finally, Col Sylvia. I think some of the adulation around here for Col is a bit premature. Yes, he was very good in patches last year but needs to find that week in week out. He's a senior player now and needs to find consistency like Davey did last year.

It's not our drafting from 2003-2007 that's hurting us right now, it was 2000-2002 that hurt us, especially the super draft in 2001 I think it was. That was the period that set Geelong(99-01) and St Kilda(01-03) up for the success they're having now. The big hole on our list is from 27 years old up, blokes drafted 8+ years ago. Green, Bruce and McDonald are the only players on our list over 27. At the end of 2006 I thought our youngsters were as good as any in the league. McLean, Sylvia, Bartram, Bate, Dunn and Jones had all shown something in a competitive team. It wasn't these players that caused our fall down the ladder. Our leaders all came to the end of their careers very quickly and the poor drafting of 2000-2002 left us with no replacement senior players. Since 03 our drafting has been pretty good, it's our list management that was sometimes poor. Long contracts to veterans and trades like the Pickett one cost us dearly. 03- 3 Sylvia, 5 McLean, 36 C Johnson PSD3 Read, Rookie elevation Carroll 04- 13 Bate, 15 Dunn, 43 Newton, Rookie Davey 05- 12 Jones, 53 Buckley, 60 Bartram 68 Neville 06- 12 Frawley, 30 Petterd, 46 Garland, 62 Weetra 07- 4 Morton, 14 Grimes, 21 Maric, 53 Cheney, 66 McNamara PSD3 Martin, Rookie Wonnaemirri, Valenti, Spencer Of the top 20 picks only Dunn is of questional value, the others are all a tick imo. None are Elite yet but Sylvia, Frawley, Morton and Grimes could all get there. So thats a pass for 7/8 with 4 possible distinctions, too early to judge. We had 5 picks between 21 and 50. CJ and Newton were both reasonable picks when you look who came after them. There are a few from Petterds draft class that have passed him but hes nhad injury concerns so jury's out and it's too early to tell with Maric but he's probably underperformed. Garland is probably the steal of his draft class but it's too early to tell. Overall a pretty good result. Our only definate misses past 50 are Weetra and Neville, they're the only one's not to play senior footy. Another good result. This guy may well be right and those critisizing our drafting should be having a go at our list management.

I have a bet with a mate every year, $500 whoever finishes highest us or Geelong. This year will be the 7th and I've only won it once. He rags on me constantly but I remind him there's no backing out when the tables turn. I think I've got a long run of wins coming up starting next year or the year after

Never been to Alice, always wanted to go. That'd be pretty tempting fork, if work permits and we were playing up there.

If they're good enough, play 'em. Watts, Scully, Trengove, Strauss, Blease, Gysberts Tapscott and even Jordie McKenzie and Bail need as much game time as can be pumped into them in the next two years. It won't be easy as the slightly more experienced group of Grimes, Jurrah, Garland, Wonaemirri, Petterd, Martin, Maric, Jetta, Bennell, Cheney and McNamara will hopefully be demanding game time and they need it too. Even Frawley, Morton and Warnock who are almost senior players with just 40 games under their belts. This group isn't going to magically transform into a premiership contender until games are put into young legs. There's no better teacher than experience. I hope the FD is brave at the selection table and rewards the youngsters when they're showing form in the VFL. If there are any line ball decisions between a senior NQR and a kid, I hope the kid gets the nod every time. I'd rather we won 6 games with Watts learning to play as a KPF than win 9 because Miller found form at FF for example.

All I can find is a chinese wedding

1: St Kilda 2: Geelong 3: Hawthorn 4: Bulldogs 5: Collingwood 6: Adelaide 7: West Coast 8: Brisbane 9: Sydney 10: Carlton 11: Melbourne 12: Essendon 13: Fremantle 14: Kangaroos 15: Richmond 16: Port

He was a PSD pick 2 years ago that was considered a project at the time as he had played bugger all football. I think the footy dept would be considereing Steph WAY ahead of schedule atm. He's played 27 games in 2 years in a variety of positions and roles and done ok. Last year he was equal 3rd at the club in contested marks behind Robbo and Bate which is why he may go forward more next year.

I just hope our forward line can achieve what our backline did in 2008. Going in to 2008 we didn't really have a backline, just injury prone veterans and untried or inexperienced kids. By the end of 2008 we had the nucleus of a 10 year solid backline. Now I think most here would agree we have potentially the best backline in the league in a few years, or at the least a potential premiership backline. So regardless of who kicks how many goals, these are the things I'd like to see happen in our forward line by seasons end. -Matty Bate to start having a big influence on games. I see Matty as a vastly improved version of Miller 04/05(i think). The linkman between defence and attack. Instead of stopping and waiting for someone to run past for the handball, Bate has the speed and confidence to take his opponent on and is a very good kick. His motor has grown these past few years and I think he can match Millers run (which is his strength) but is a massive improvement over Miller in every other department. -Liam Jurrah coping with the extra attention he is sure to recieve, on and off the field. He has only played 9 games and already he's a media favourite and probably our most damaging forward. It's a lot for a bloke with under 10 games to his credit to deal with. If Liam can get through this year ok his future will be assured. -Glimpses of what Jack Watts will become. I'd like to think by seasons end Jack will be in our best 22, maybe not as a KPF but somewhere in the 22. If he can produce some of the flashes of real class we saw at VFL level in the AFL next year I'll be happy. Just want enough to reassure the critics amongst us at least, we'll worry about silencing the bay 13 ignorant yobs in 2011. -Our small forwards becoming more dangerous. Defensive pressure has been good but we need more goals from them as a group. A fit Wonnaemirri would help and Jetta was finding the goals a bit more regularly towards seasons end. Maric needs to show a bit more this year. If these things can happen we'll have the basis of a functioning forwardline to see us through our long window. Finding another tall would be a bonus. If Martin or Garland proved capable up forward we'd be in very good shape.

I hope we're all right, we'd give the 8 a nudge

I have heard other players at our club say that juice is very talented. He has 22 rounds left to prove it.

Our list management has been good this year, but we're still paying for mistakes made last year and the year before. Pretty much every poster here was surprised Newton was offered 2 years at the end of 2008, that decision cost us Dylan Grimes. The year before Meesen was offered 3 years with just 3 games under his belt and Bell got 3 as well, some here loved Bell at the time but I've never really rated him. The FD was in a state of flux that offseason so the Meesen/Bell decisions can be excused I guess.

I think Mark Jamar will be in the top 5 AFL ruckmen by seasons end. I predicted that last year and it would have happened if he was injury free. I've been a fan for a long time. Daniher stalled his development for years but he has come on in leaps and bounds under Bailey. His centre bounce work is scary. He launches into his opponent all day and grinds the taller ones into the ground. His second half against Sandilands in our massive comeback at the G in 08 was awesome. You could see Sandilands didn't want body contact by the last quarter, he was just trying to get out of Jamar's way. From memory he had 8 or 9 clearances that day, and he's repeated it a few times since. I think a lack of game time and confidence held him back for a while but after last season his confidence will be sky high. He knows he belongs now. We'll finally see the Mark Jamar that used to dominate VFL games, the one who could kick and get a bit of the pill around the ground, bring that to AFL level. Not sure why he signed a 1 year contract but I hope it was because he's backing himself. He's 26 and probably has at best 5 maybe 6 years left in him if his body holds up. That's not a lot of time to make some good coin. He would've been on near minimum wage for AFL for most of his time at the club and I don't think we'd be offering too many dollars just yet. If he can improve again on last years form and stay on the park, that might change. The exciting thing is when you look at our list and there should be improvement almost everywhere. There are probably only 4 known quantities in our best 22. Flash, Green, Bruce and Junior have all shown us what they are capable of, the rest all have improvement in them. Moloney is doing his second preseason after missing a few and Rivers is doing his first. Warnock ans Martin have played less than 50 games and Sylvia is only just starting to put it together. Miller, PJ and Bell are depth who either improve or go at years end. The rest are still kids. Exciting times ahead.

Things are starting to heat up. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/afl-fumin...o-1225807505412 Sounds like the FFA knows it's going to be unworkable with other codes and is trying to stonewall the inevitable and powerful opposition that's coming. As I said earlier I would much rather an AFL season than an Australian World Cup. The World Cup will still be on if it's not here, the AFL won't. Even more disconcerting is lines from the article such as this If the AFL doesn't get some answers soon it'll be all out war on the bid. When that happens I'll be beside you in the trenches Bub.

Was thinking the same thing CTD, makes him look a bit younger I reckon. I used to call him man-child in his first year, might have to start calling him Benjamin Button.

B: Garland Warnock Ja McDonald HB: Grimes Frawley Bruce C: Morton Moloney Davey HF:Trengove Bate Sylvia F: Watts Green Jurrah R: Jamar Jones Scully I/C: Martin Petterd Wonaemirri Jo McDonald Rivers, Jetta, Bennell, Cheney and McNamara were unlucky not be selected. I think Miller, PJ, Bell, Bartram and Dunn from the senior list and Meesen, Newton, Spencer and Hughes off the rookie list are all playing for their careers this year. Bail and Healey are probably outside chances to be delisted at years end but only if a few of these guys step up. I think we'll probably only see 3-5 delistings per year for the next 2 years. And just to get you salivating I did a team of players under 22 at Rd 1 next year. Don't think any other teams could match it. Doubt many other teams would be able to make a full team of U/22's let alone complete with emergencies. B: Cheney Garland Bennell HB: Strauss Frawley McNamara C: Blease Grimes Gysberts HF: Petterd Morton Jurrah F: Jetta Watts Wonnaemirri R: Spencer Trengove Scully I/C: Gawn Tapscott McKenzie Maric EMG: Bail Fitzpatrick Healey

I haven't been able to get this draft out of my head for weeks. As soon as I get home I trawl the web looking for any new info, checking phantoms etc. I was all hyped for tomorrow night. Was going to a mates place for a few bevvies and the draft. At 5:30, a bit over an hour ago, just before I was about to leave work, my boss told me I have to do a nightshift tomorrow. No tv, no radio, no competer, just my phone. My first reaction was which soon became and eventually, after stewing for a bit :angry:, which is where I still am now. The furious one is furious!!!

I don't really want him either GTB, but I can certainly understand why the FD might. My draft wet dream would be Butcher sliding to 11 and Vardy at 18. If Butch is gone I'd go best available at 11, hopefully a Melksham, Lucas or Jetta, and pray that big Griffiths is still there at 18. But I was disappointed we got Grimes ahead of Rance a few years ago, so what the hell would I know