rpfc

Come off it - what do you say when someone has a similar refrain about Jake Spencer?

*backs out of thread slowly*

I read that initially as 'Now onto Syria.' So Roos was the reason they are giving up their Sarin.

Well, I love KPIs... Mine for Watts - if he is on a wing - would be defensive acts (tackles, smothers, blocks, spoils, etc) and uncontested possessions. In fact, for most of the midfield it would be those two KPIs, plus stoppage numbers and opposition UPs.

I find that saying 'he wants $X - that's ridiculous' is a little meaningless as the Salary Cap will near $10m next year. I would prefer to talk about percentage of the cap. And Betts 6%? That's ridiculous...

His second efforts are appalling at times. He needs to stop ball watching and thinking and just start reacting in contested/close footy situations.

Yeah, I don't really care. I have about 5 players at my footy club, the rest are assets to be retained and developed or bartered for other assets. I believe we have mitigated the disaster that would be an entry to the ND and we can do as Roos pleases with regard to asset number 4.

No, but you make a good point DeeZee. The difference is you have a tangible to criticise where it is difficult to criticise the barren land that is our midfield.

Early on in his career, and I won't damn him for it, he did similar things to Watts. He would short step to avoid a contest, he would give the ball up to avoid a tackle, etc I don't have evidence other than my own opinion and recollection. Green then changed my opinion in the latter half of his career where he became utterly careless of his own safety on the field. I see it every year in my own footy team; blokes can build the confidence in their body to show a bit more carelessness for their body.

Thanks Chook. We get it. You will find about 15k 'die hard' supporters in the same group; lapsed members who will re-sign when Roos signs.

Had a fantasy auction and got Brees and Gonzalez as 'best in class' for their positions but had to settle for Gore and Ball as RBs to back up Lynch. Welker is a gem pickup IMO and I hope Mike Wallace can get near the puss that Tannehill will throw at him... I am pretty confident but we will see how the 49ers and the Broncos use their RBs before being too confident.

This is what I am talking about - Jetta is a mid. Tapscott doesn't get to the right areas, Kent is a baby and a mid, Bail is a mid, Blease is a wing. Only Davey and Byrnes are small forwards and they are both about to retire or a year away from it. Get a good small forward to work at the feet of Dawes, Hogan, and Clark and it will mean we keep the ball down there and are a more dangerous proposition.

196cm small forward... The idea is that Hogan and Dawes don't have to create a contest and then be asked to fight it out for their own crumb. I don't think we should fashion a forward line that sees Watts close enough to their space to crumb from them. Watts will bring his defender into the contest, and you don't want another 190cm+ defender competing with Hogan in the air. You want to isolate him and his man, and get a small into his area at the right time. And you cannot just plug a midfielder into the forward line and call him a small forward. If he doesn't get to the right areas and if he doesn't kick goals - he is going to be easy to defend. You have to have a small forward who is aggressive offensively and can also play a periphery role.

Yes, but I baulked at your assertion that we should 'get midfield types who get their own ball and kick goals'... It's much easier to find a small forward and make them useful up the ground or in a complimentary role. Teaching mids to play small forward is tough. Get a crumber, who reads the play well and has kicked goals and teach them a complimentary role.

rjay - you are being far too simplistic with this 'Small Forwards don't exist anymore' spiel. They do exist, but some have had to bring another skill to bear so as to avoid being one-dimensional as you say. Rioli goes into the middle and is aggressive in his defence work. LeCras goes up the ground linking with the midfield. Stokes runs through the midfield. But these guys, and others, are dynamite around goals. If you ever play in a team with dominant tall forwards (which I do) and you don't have a small forward smart enough to get to the right areas (which we don't), then you really feel the effects of wasted entries forward (which we do). A small forward who can read the play and be useful when he is not kicking his 3 goals are a great resource and definitely a priority once midfielders are found.

These are the 'offending' remarks: We probably discussed this at the time but are we not being a tad sensitive? I would argue that while that message about the 'ads' he was in is more an issue for the commercial side of things at the club, allowing Jack to concentrate on his footy was the main point he was making. He didn't throw him under a bus, over a bridge, or anywhere else. Unfortunately, most of Neelds words in public are poorly worded and haphazard and they get misconstrued constantly. The amount of times he has had to say 'what I meant by that is...' would be numerous. How he treats Watts in-house is not for us to know but he is playing this week and potentially in subsequent weeks. And in these weeks we will see whether Neeld can win back his job, whether Jack Watts wants to stay in the role we envision for him, and whether the club sees him as the answer in that role.

You have to be kidding. Tom McDonald has already played more good games than Jack Watts has. Watts is a tlent without a position at the moment. He cannot play back as well as McDonald and Hogan has already moved ahead of him in the forward line - and did so last October when we got him.

When it comes to list management I like to think I am very capable of removing blinkers and seeing things for what they are. Sylvia is to be kept but I think he will leave. As a 'list manager' there is only so much power I have. Frawley is to be told that he can come to the club and ask for better terms if he wishes. Hopefully he is a RFA next year (one of the 10 highest paid players) and we hold the cards. Watts is a tough one as his skills are elite and his physicality near the other end of the spectrum. If a suitable trade was offered then you would listen to it but he is an 'asset' and you don't just give those away. In terms of immediate importance - we need experience and talent but Watts has become 'tradeable' due to our forward line and backline having 6 talls younger than 26 who are all more accomplished than he is (Clark, Dawes, Hogan, Frawley, Garland, and McDonald).

If it makes you feel better I don't think he will play regularly until 2015... Ruckmen are such an investment. Especially ones taken at 18 with bad knees.

I cannot stand the references to Moneyball in the AFL. Neeld has used it aswell. It doesn't transfer over well. Neither the measurements, nor the value aspect. AFL isn't an individualised sport and it doesn't have concrete, transferable contracts that are the underpinnings of this idea/theory/religion/thewaythecubswillfinallywinapennant.

More like a Rd 1, 2014 debut...

I would like to get one of Caddy, Wellingham, or Stevens. Caddy would be 3rd in my line.

That was a rumour. Don't believe it had a good source. I think we are quickly running out of good sources though.

Plenty of time, IRW.

For those that don't get this: Hannabal was BH's best friend until they fell out. They thought along similar lines but there is only so much one can take of 'themselves' before it gets old...