Bring-Back-Powell

I stopped reading when he suggested Sylvia should be in the leadership group.

One of the most painful and drawn out topics of the pre-season re - Neitz captaincy. Yze and Miller back into the leadership group I take it Bailey and Co don't read this forum. Hopefully Yze relishes this role and puts in a solid 22 game season.

I think the fact that Whitnall kicked 3 or 4 behinds in the first quarter of that rd 22 match was evidence enough that they were tanking. Too only win by 6 goals was a poor effort from us. We should've smashed them by 100 points, considering we had the first 7 goals on the board. Mind you Jamar held his own in the tanking department by kicking the ball the wrong way.

This might surprise you Rhino but Neitz played in at least 3 of the 4 pre-season games last year (not sure about the game in Mt Gambier V Adelaide). I can recall him kicking 3 goals V Hawthorn in the NAB Cup, 4 against Richmond at Princes Park and 1 or 2 V Geelong at Skilled. Interesting to see how they'll use him this pre-season. I'd personally give him 1 intra club game and a practice match on the last weekend.

Chris Johnson is what I call the "Pre-season specialist". He'll tease the fans with seller NAB Cup performances, only to be back in Zebra colours by round 4. Looks like a good player on paper, but hardly ever delivers.

bigfooty.com

Warnock, is he still on the list? I'd actually rather Ferguson than Warnock. I doubt he features in anyone's plans around here for 2008.

Simon Godfrey's number should have been retired for 1 year as a mark of respect.

Agree. I actually enjoy going to the footy when we win frequently ala 2006.

Does anyone know the latest on this kid. Is he training? Will he ever play again? I understand his injury was a shocker.

Fantastic post. It gives me hope that with a better injury run, we won't be the laughing stock we were last year. It's not a coincedence that out two best performances of the year (V Coll and Adelaide) contained our shortest injury list of the season. A better injury run combined with 13 games at the MCG and only 5 interstate trips will surely see us double our win tally for next year. N.B - Round 19 v Bulldogs Win 129 v 87: Frawley, Sylvia, Yze, Dunn, Petterd, Trav, Bartram, Robbo, Rivers, Bruce, Whelan The blokes in bold played in that win. I can remember Dunn kicking a pearler of a goal from inside the centre, Robbo kicked 3, Sylvia got about 6 free kicks against McMahon, Trav controlled the wing while Frawley copped a season ending injury.

This Roos V Melb will always be a fox game regardless of venue.

Yeah me too.

This is awesome news. One more game in Melbourne 5 interstate trips now which is the lowest for us in many years A better chance of beating North as we're useless in QLD while they have got a good record up there. I heard a rumour on Bigfooty that our Melb V Carlton game (rd 5) may be switched there as a make-up game, but I wouldn't read too much into that yet.

Oh really. I didn't know that. You'd imagine the MFC would not have offered him another contract anyway, with the likes of Godfrey and Ward also being shown the door.

Damn shame that Brown retired. He had 1 solid year of AFL left, and he was in career best form towards the end of 2007. I'm tipping the MFC were not going to offer him another contract, hence he retired.

Yep Charles was great on his day. Remember the 94 finals series. I think constant injuries ruined his motivation. I'm referring to the Martin situation. He'll be dedicated but will he be good enough to crack games? Meanwhile with Sampi you'll know he'll play games of AFL...and damn good ones at that. And if it didn't work out you delist him...no loss as he'll be on minimum wage. I'm sure Sampi would not have gone about his training and preparation half arsed. He was the one begging clubs to give him a life-line on minimum wage. And wasn't he spending time in rehab overcoming injury...(a report I read in one of the papers) But now that he didn't get picked up, I don't see the point in debating any further.

With regards to the final pick on the list, maybe. It must just be me, but I'd rather a less dedicated bloke with all the x-factor in the world who on his day can turn a match on his head, rather than a hard-working citizen who gets rewarded with 22 games in the VFL, because unfortunetly he isn't quite good enough to crack an AFL game...but god love him the boy had dedication.

Sampi has kicked 30 goals in a season twice (2004 & 2005) Sampi has kicked hauls of 4 and 5 goals. Sampi has taken mark of the year. Sampi has excited the WCE faithful. Sampi could've provided the Demon faithful with enjoyment and excitement. I appreciate the fact that we didn't select him because he didn't lose the kg's. But he really could've been something special for the club. A much less speculative pick than Martin. Having said, I'll love it if Martin becomes a gem, and hold out hope that he can be one of those players that makes it from nowhere. ie- Martin Clarke from Collingwood.

I was scratching my head as to how CJ survived at the end of 2006. I was scratching my head twice has hard as to how CJ survived at the end of 2007. Very lucky boy to be still on the list. I'm going to call him the pre-season specialist, as he plays his best footy then.

I don't know about you occo, but I wanted a player who brings genuine excitement to the team. A player that has that x-factor and draws people through the gate - ala Robbo, Yze, Davey. I can't get excited about a tall unco ruckman who can't kick, played less footy than me (and I quit when I was 13) and quite frankly is more of a risk than Sampi.

There is a rumour circulating around that the Kangaroos V Melbourne round 4 game could be transferred to Victoria, as part of the AFL's plans to rid the Kangaroos of 1 game at Cararra next year. If true, you'd think the game would take place at the MCG on the Saturday afternoon as the G' is vacant that day. Alternatively they may switch the Carlton V Collingwood game to Saturday and stage our game at the Telstra Dome on the Sunday. The source also suggested that Melbourne V Carlton would be transferred to the Gold Coast in round 5 as a make up game, but I doubt this would be the case as there is already a Brisbane game on that weekend. Doubt they would have 2 games in QLD on the same weekend.

Hopefully Aussie Wonaeamirri won't be Daniel Hayes Mark II I'll be checking the progress of this bloke the most out of all the rookies. Could be something.

Top effort. Pity the video highlights came from one of our worst performances of the year (V Kangas)