rpfc

Ah, a follower - we appreciate your interest. And, no, he hasn't. But he is usually pretty good at getting back to people... I would have assumed a sports 'journalist' would have asked this 'question' but I haven't been able to find it in print.

We're all dreaming that, stmj. I just wish that as a minimum, he is thinking about what role he can take once he does give the reigns over. Executive Vice President of Operations. Our John Elway. Pull the strings without having to place the cones. He's built for it.

Ok, a few things: 1. lol 2. Terlich? Frawley, Garland, Grimes, and McDonald are our best defenders in some order - and that's a scientific fact! Also Dunn is better than Terlich at this stage it pains me to say, christ even Clisby might be shagging that tree (just thought of that expression then). 3. While Frawley can take the Monsters, it is better that McDonald does as he can keep up with them when they run, and Frawley isn't stifled by them when he is so damaging in transition (to use an awfully sterile basketball term). And McDonald can't kick...(cough).

That may come down the line, but I would like to remind 'future rpfc' how dire our current senior midfielder stocks were and how much we needed another strong body in amongst the kids.

In the last 34 days we have moved the needle by 2570, so Rd 1 in 33 days should have approx. 29200 if it stays as steady. Beat Geelong and that may change, however, it matters more to the Member numbers what happens on March 22nd.

Make contests? He was the CHF - we are a walking contest - if someone doesn't hit us, it's their fault. Stand by that until the day I die, or spend time up the ground...

Excellent question. I believe I have heard it was over the length of the contract - but I have tweeted Patrick Keane at the AFL for advice. I would argue for it to be an average wage of the contract.

Does that really tell us one was fitter than the other? Or does that tell us one is far better than the other? And having played both positions - CHF is the hardest position on the ground to play especially in terms of the ground one has to cover while being covered.

Apologies. Well done, Max. See you in 2018. Regards rp

CHF in first pre season game blowing hard in the third term. Stop the presses...

I have said it before and I will say it again - FA has changed the landscape in many different ways. It has loosened player bonds to clubs of course but it has also meant that there will be more contracts signed in September and October especially, when players can see and hear what is out there (teams cannot negotiate directly with players and agents outside of the month of October). Contracts will be signed later and later. It's not a big deal.

I think that was more to do with the very patient build up when we had the footy. Roos mentioned that they would look to be more direct when Hogan and Dawes return but because it was just Howe and Pedersen they were instructed to keep the footy and be patient. I would be much more worried if we only had 40 I50s AND 260 possessions, but we had 445 (!) so the Inside 50 count is less important.

Yes, huge kudos for nailing Vickery. That's one he can strike from his Bucket List... But all this fuss for a depth player has been overblown, even his oh-so-awful 3 year contract would be modest that it simply comes down to a matter of spots on the list and we have had plenty of those. Leave him to play his role, wherever that may be...

This syle isn't tailor made for our list - it is an excellent game plan based on possession footy with hard running and honouring of that workrate, but it is a style that we are going to screw up quite a bit this year. I don't think our skills are there just yet for this and because it relies heavily in the trust of ones own skills and others to get it to you, I can see us having some very trying times and I hope it won't sap the players fragile, newfound belief.

Yes, still elbowed a bloke and should have had the ball taken from him but he had a solid night.

I think the style of play will lend itself to more wins later in the season as skills and decision making get better. I think there are going to be some monumental, Demonland-meltdown inducing howl ups in the first 6 weeks.

As a baseball fan, I now wish they never released that damn movie in Australia... Sigh.

You can worry about Vince's longevity in the game or his nightlife, but his resume goes beyond that one game. Trengove is marked harshly, but you doing the same to Vince isn't winning the argument. And Vince became our 2nd best mid the day he was traded. Trengove has a long way to go to get near Bernie.

He was just excellent. Great size for a bloke who plays more outside than in. Work rate was A+.

He was solid, but so were a number of players that he might be challenging for a spot in the team.

The natural inclination is to look forward though, and I don't think Roos intends to stifle that; I see the 'keepings off' as a complimentary piece for players patient enough to use a teammate nearby than hope one is downfield.

Well, there were 192 handballs... We did use a lot of under pressure handballs backward to teammates under pressure. IMO it is better to make sure you have given it to a teammate backwards in that situation than kicking it forward in 'hope.' Perhaps I am more surprised at how adept they were at it than Roos implementing a 'maintain possession' style of footy.

I can see the Members groaning in unison a little with some of the kicking sideways, hope it doesn't get to the players. Honestly, who here thought that Roos would go for a playing style that relies on our skills and patience under pressure? IMO it answers that question about whether you tailor your gameplan to your players or train your players to play the game style you wish and deal with the mistakes they will inevitably make.

You win a game like that in the real stuff and it will sell memberships, I don't think the needle will move significantly just yet.

That was two years ago. 331 uncontested possessions. We averaged 191 last year - 2nd lowest in the league. Can I just say that these two comments will be made a lot this year and it will make us look terrible at times, but evidently the way Roos wants us to play is direct when you can be but patient and trusting of your own skills and the workrate of your teammates when forced to slow the play. Players are going to kick backwards, they are going to screw up, but if it clicks for a few quarters it will lead to the kind of domination we saw last night. Hopefully fans will show some patience with it. I really think this is Roos not basing his gameplan on what the group can do but what the group should do.