rpfc

The inference is that we did this to juxtapose what Hogan isn't doing... We can't extend a promising young player's contract? Can it be about him and not another promising kid?

You have never been sold on Kent but some of his games have been superb for a small forward/HFF role. In the games where he was given enough opportunity by the midfield - he got the footy and did a quite a bit with it. 2016 has seen Garlett, Kennedy, and Kent play some excellent footy in our forward half.

You don't think he will be around the 22 in 2019? AFL asks clubs to invest in players, teenagers, with a maximum 2 year deal. We have essentially turned Oliver's into a 4 year deal. It is so smart. Why bother waiting and pay more in a year's time?

Well, if you follow my logic then if we make 6 changes - he would make way. We are extrapolating here about how the season will end and I like what Dawes brings with the way he plays as opposed to Pedersen. Frankly, this is arguing over chaff really, which I get bored of easily. Both Pedersen and Dawes are near the end of their careers. The small decision I would make is Dawes over Pedersen if he can get back to playing AFL football in 2016. The sooner Hulett or Weideman are ready the better - but that may be a few years. Having a stop gap is handy.

We have ND30, ND 50, ND 68 and ND82 (all approx. obviously) right now so removing more than that will rely on upgrades and FA acquisitions. Let's say that we use the first 3 picks, Wagner is upgraded (although he hasn't yet done enough for me to upgrade him on evidence so far...), and we get Prestia. That is 5 changes. Dawes, Trengove, Terlich, Newton, M Jones, and Grimes are OOC and not playing - not a good pairing traditionally... Pedersen also has to maintain (regather) his form. Unless Jetta or Watts leaves the 4 or 5 to make way will be from the aforementioned group. Working backwards I would keep Trengove, then Dawes, then Pedersen. At this stage, I think we should delist Terlich, Newton, M Jones, and Grimes form the PL. So I don't think more 5 changes at this stage.

You don't love thread?

Oh, if it weren't for Viney's 2016 - a fit Prestia would be number 1 in our midfield but Viney has played 2 months of some of the finest contested footy and clearance work while still kicking goals and getting the ball on the outside and inside 50. He has been superb.

Quickest hands in the west... I cringed when I wrote that, and yet I still posted it. I have issues...

Happy for the bandwagoners to hop on - they are the ones that will get us to 50k members in the next few years and shore up the club. As for Tom McD. He is up and down this year but his capabilities are immense and as soon as he and the backs can settle into how we are 'zone defending' at the moment the better. Also, the backs are getting blamed for goals that are more the fault of the mid and forwards that have effed up the press furhter up the ground - that's why there have been so many goals to opp players all by themselves in the 50. We gamble and it sometimes doesn't pay off.

Surely there is a few youtube clips people could look at to convince themselves he is worth chasing... He would be second to Viney in 2017 as best mid.

Evidently not.

Then you'd be a traitor... ...Lord Commander.

We are one of those clones. We are not good enough yet. Sticking tackles and getting to blokes quicker than they release the footy isn't a game plan issue, it goes directly to how good your players are at tackling, and the fact that they need to get to the footy first (or not give it up) to not allow a good team to put a string of handballs together to cut us up.

The Dogs got their core together a couple years ahead of us - and they are something - Macrae, Stringer, Bont, Hunter, Libba, Wallis, Dahlhaus... They also play a style of game that we have largely modelled - pressure up forward, zone off to press, quick hands to release, no panic kicks, hard running, automatic switching...

Strong teams would use a game like Brisbane at the G to ease a bloke like Trengove back into AFL. Is Hulett ready to replace Pedersen? Or Dawes' form good enough? The players are struggling to react in that pseudo-press we are doing and the Bulldogs exploited it - so IN the players that know what they are doing in there, and OUT the rest.

Lots of 'tea leave reading' going on here. It's just ignorant extrapolation.

We went up around 1500 from this time last year to the cutoff. I think we will make 40k.

Why don't we all take a holiday?

I believe in Jesse.

...that you know of ...that the media pumps up. God, you post some nonsense from time to time.

Kent is OOC. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-01-09/jones-kent-sign-new-deals

I would think that if Prestia came to the club in 2017, he would be our 2nd best midfielder immediately (behind Viney? Struggling to justify anyone else) Might be pushed down from that in a few years time, but seriously, if you can get top end talent that makes us better, you attempt to get it done. We have enough releasable assets to bring in a talent like that.

He's right though. But yes, the horse is being flogged.

Same, but don't mind the texts on selection, the stickers for the car, the poor quality scarf, and the self-satisfied feeling of being a paid up member through the last decade of sh!ttiness.

We may not be a largely different team from that game last year but our team has a completely different mindset and a confidence borne out of form.