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Absolutely, the guy has enough tools to be anything and all is forgiven because of one fantastic game as a HFF? His value will rise when we become a better team and have cleaner users of the ball to put it on a platter for him. Bailey mentioned in his after match press conference that Colin relies on his teammates to play well -i.e. he doesn't get his own footy, he is beholden to those up field and should be humbled by that fact. That is why I am far more interested in the job of those upfield...

Some of you better read the OP before posting yourself. And Cards13, you have to be clearer with your title. He isn't advocating trading for Fevola, he is saying we dodged a bullet. BTW, it was pre-Bailey that attempt to get Fevola.

Whoops, this is a thread about Watts. WCE game to bring in the bandwagoners for the second game of the year, the first being QB.

I think you're a bit harsh on Miller. He gets scarce and awful service most of the time, but continues to present. In that way he's had a similar season to Bate; played some good ones, some bad ones, and some adequate ones. A lot like the rest of the team really...

Robbo can't shepperd the ball through. Yeah, no sh!t but neither can a dozen or so of his teammates. Robbo selfishly flies for speccies. Err, wasn't it only 6 weeks ago we were bemoaning the lack of a forward target to 'crash a pack' and 'bring the ball to ground,' to a 184cm FF that means jumping on top of the pack to 'crash it' and 'bring it to ground.' Robbo's brainfade in the goalsquare was pathetic for a senior player. Sure was, probably gave himself a serve, and received admonishment from his peers and coaches. Does this mean he should be dropped? Nah, his output has been good for a bloke coming from where he was with that Achilles injury. He can do more defensively, but having said that, he's doing more defensively than he has done in the past. If he gets another contract he would have to finish the season with around 40-45 goals for the season, and if he achieves that we will probably be lauding an extraordinary comeback from injury.

The last game to have this much hand-wringing was the PA game with the 28 minutes of hell (PA - 7.7 to Melb - 0.1). The past month has been good, for the worst team in the league, and we are the worst - Richmond won 10 games last year, we are coming off a 3 and 19 season. We are not good, so enjoy the development of the youngsters, and we have plenty playing despite the desire to put the 5 over 25s out to pasture, maintain perspective and reflect on where we were this time last year (when a much older team lost to the Hawks by 100 points). Brock aint Judd, but he had 8 clearances and played well, you will notice his lack of pace less when he has quicker teammates to hand it off to. Robbo is as Robbo does, how can anyone be surprised at his antics (the great to the awful - in a split second)? But mugs don't kick 400 goals. Bailey kept them going after that awful start and they never gave up, used the corridor much more in the second half. Junior was up and down but reflects or perhaps imbues the never-say-die spirit that we seem to have this year (there have been many occassions where I felt we would drop away and get thumped but we haven't). If you look for a disaster you will find it, but if you look at what was (2007-2008), and compare to what has just been (Adel -17, Geel -43, WCE -8 (Subi), WB -7, and Haw -22) your perspective and expectations come back to reality.

It would be the 16th to 22nd players on a list, an exercise, admittedly flawed, that is easiest to do with the 22 that plays that week. It's not biased, if their team is higher than ours, surely they should come out ahead but it is arguable. And I would argue they don't. We can't compete with Judd, Stevens, Murphy, Gibbs, and Fevola. Davey would be in their league but we may have a few more enter their league soon, and that is when our better 16th-22nd players will be valuable. And why should they have depth? Judd is on $800k, Fevola $700k, Stevens $500k, Warnock $400k, etc They should have no money left to spend on the rest of their list...

I'd swap Bate with Grimes but you are pretty much on the money. You must be a fan of Robert Walls as he loves doing this when comparing teams. They were awful Carlton, and Judd has made them competitive in the middle but if Fev is off, and he was, the are going to lose more games than they win. They better win a flag in the next 3 or 4 years, before Fev calls it quits, or they won't win one in Judd's career. They could really use Josh Kennedy...

I wouldn't make recruiting decisions based on the first 30 weeks of the draftee. So why would this comparison have to be about what they have done so far, how they have played, where they have played, etc. It's an unanswerable hypothetical (that may be tautology) to know if we drafted poorly. So it's all about opinion, opinion of the careers of these two. And I, as I pointed out above, see Cale Morton as a more valuable commodity than Cyril Rioli.

I think it was Garry Lyon who compared Rioli to Ablett, and I don't see it...yet. He may develop into an inside/outside midfielder with exceptional vision and kicking skills with a tank to run all day, a low centre of gravity and fine handballing skills. But I see Rioli as a great wingman with immaculate kicking skills and pace, with a keen eye for goal. Very similar to how Davey is playing right now, and since we already have one... The value of Morton, if our development coaches can bring it about, is the opportunity to have a Richo-like wingman that sees the play a kick ahead and stops goals and scores goals, and can also rack up 30 odd disposals. And that is something we would be very fortunate to have.

Cheney might be looking to get JMac to have a meeting with Bailey after this... Very stiff. If our midfield breaks-even we win, simple as that.

Sam got one thing wrong; we lost to the Pies by 53 points. That's two games by over 50 points... Sam is on probation, right? No contract yet? Sam you're fired... Sam the Stats Man indeed.

Batram is named in Casey's 18. I reckon he is out. I want the acid on our mids - no negative players - just get to a contest and beat the Hawks to the ball. The Dogs smashed us in the clearances and it cost us the W.

If form holds true to the selection of Casey as well as MFC then Batram and Jamar being named in the 18 would mean they are both playing for Casey. Out - Dunn, Valenti, Batram?

Poor old Valenti. And BRFE is right, some double-talk from DB there. IN - Green, Rivers, Frawley OUT - Dunn, Valenti, Batram Would give Jamar another run with Casey, and Cheney doesn't deserve to be dropped (he's in my SC team too). So that is a bench of: Petterd, Maric, Cheney, Jones. BTW, really makes you think how quickly Frawley has come on, straight back in after injury. He's a competitor for the Bluey, there's no doubt about it.

I think we can beat these teams next year: NM, Coll, Rich, Freo (G), Adel (G), WCE (G), PA (G), Carl (G), BL (G), Ess (G), Dogs (G), and Syd (MO). Depending on fixturing, and injuries, I think the finals are very possible.

Never thought we would beat the Saints, hope we can stay in 11th though.

We just don't tank well at the Dees. The first rule about tanking - Don't talk about tanking... At least not yet... Let's have this painful chat when we are 2 and 15 heading into Rich, NM, and Freo. For all we know we might be 5 and 12 heading into those three games at which point it is moot city...

Walk to the G is going to be great, really enjoyed last year. Except for the middle-aged woman who stole my mates flag... That is just not on... But, Collingwood should be back to full strength by then and will have the acid on them. At least there will be fireworks...

I didn't count Blease, Jurrah, Strauss, or any of the 'yet to be' additions. Miller, Bate, Green, Wonna, Petterd, Maric, Davey and Watts can provide a score that can be defended. Add to that (possibly or possibly not for various reasons) Sylvia, Robertson, Newton, and PJ, and you have a team capable of kicking 15 goals a game.

How is that helping? Behave.

I wouldn't rush Frawley back, and certainly not Rivers, but Green looks to be definitely in. IN - Green OUT - Dunn Push Petterd into where Dunn was playing, and Green into a FP (probably where he will play the rest of his career) Really hope Green hasn't suffered from the 'car-crash'; some players just can't go as hard as they used to when coming back from a big hit like that. And if we win this week you can say goodbye to that PP...

We'll see you next time someone alludes to the previous board. And no, that is not an invitation for anyone to bait HSOG into another wall of text. Talk about the footy, Green is back! Happy times.

Where's the optimism? I don't think its blind... In fact, I think it is 20/20 optimism. Built from the backline, we could be in the top half of sides next year.

Playing alongside Miller will give him an insight how to get the best out of himself in that regard.