Whispering_Jack

It's after midnight now but what happened to the pictures?

The playing group look happy enough in this little masterpiece.

One of the by products of the doping scandal has been the spat between AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou and HUN chief football writer Mark Robinson over the contents of a phone call made to former Essendon president David Evans on the night before the club "self-reported" over the use of banned drugs. It seems the story just won't go away - AFL boss says journo shared tape of expletive-riddled tirade Of course, some will say that the conduct of the CEO of a billion dollar organisation is irrelevant as long as it continues to rake in the money and the sort of behaviour alleged doesn't impact on issues of its governance but I wonder?

The name resonates with me for another reason. When I was at uni studying property law, we had a lecturer who used to discuss the subject by referring to one property as "Blackacre" and the other as "Whiteacre". Used the description in exams as well. I guess if we draft Blake Acres, I will always think of him as a legal puzzle.

Bad turn of phrase but my alternative is: The club recruits players on the basis of supporter preferences as expressed on Demonland polls. Would have achieved some good outcomes in past years.

Good get. Quigley is a knowledgeable poster who has built up a fair bit of credibility over the years (although he can be long winded at times).He puts forward a fairly convincing case against Lennon and, as stated above, it shows that you can't rely on highlights packages alone. However, our own recruiting people would also have their opinions on athleticism v pure football ability so it's best to leave things to them. As I mentioned elsewhere, Cyril Rioli didn't set the world on fire in testing either and sometimes, the important thing about a player is determination, inner drive to succeed and natural talent, none of which can be measured by clock or tape. I'm not sure that Diesel Williams or Stevie J would have come out of testing with glowing numbers either.

Is the horse not embarrassed to appear in public?

Someone named a horse after a sex offender?

Cheers ... will watch out for that 60m goal.

Just in case anyone has any doubts, here is Knightmare's 2011 Mock Draft power rankings:- Potential A-Graders 1. Stephen Coniglio 2. Dom Tyson 3. Chad Wingard 4. Elliot Kavanagh 5. Tom Mitchell (Syd F/S) 6. Jonathan Patton 7. Zyrus (Waylen) Manson 8. Jarrod Witts (Coll NSW/ACT) 9. Brad McKenzie 10. Brandon Ellis Potentially high level AFL players 11. Sam Docherty 12. Sebastian Ross 13. Shane Kersten 14. Billy Longer 15. Hayden Crozier 16. Will Hoskin-Elliot 17. Todd Elton 18. Adam Tomlinson 19. Myles Bolger 20. Liam Sumner 21. Matthew Buntine 22. Josh Waldhuter 23. Taylor Adams 24. Toby Greene 25. Murray Newman 26. Haiden Schloithe 27. Ben Brown 28. Thomas Sheridan 29. Jimmy Webster 30. Lee Spurr 31. Sam Kerridge 32. Michael Talia 33. Sam Frost 34. Michael Bussey 35. Tom Downie A few there who never made it but Tyson's high ranking is encouraging.

Perhaps in some ways he might sound like Sylvia but I'm informed that he's always been a leader in his junior football, that he has an excellent work ethic and a good football brain. With all due respect to Colin (who I loved dearly when he played for us), some of those features might set them apart a little bit.

Which probably is what prompted the comparison with Kelvin Lawrence who I'm reliably informed was homesick from the first day he arrived in Melbourne until his early departure a year and a half later. Never a happy camper in our environment and probably never gave himself a chance to make it. Probably, the opposite to his cousin Nev Jetta who has worked hard and always seemed to be dogged by one injury or another (or a suspension) just when he was on the verge of a possible breakthrough.

You still have a good eye for talent Bob but there's not much to go on other than a few highlights which are always going to show a player's better side. The plusses are that the vision we have does show a tall composed midfielder who knows where to go and takes a decent grab. The only news I have about him is that I was informed that earlier in the year, there was a belief among a few in the know in WA that either Freo or West Coast were trying to hide him away from everyone's view and that the injury wasn't as bad as was being made out. I'm not sure who does our recruiting in WA these days but he would no doubt be well aware of this player who, based on reports, looks a likely choice between 10 and 20, so if the club recruiters like him, he should be available at our selection. However, so also should be at least one or two from Bontempelli, Freeman, Lennon and Salem. As always, we'll have to place our faith in our recruiting guru and for the second year in a row, his initials are not BP.

Your timing in showing your support of Watters was impeccable. However, I think on balance that you're right about what he was trying to do at St. Kilda with a group whose elder statesmen sound to be set in their ways and resistant to change, discipline and cold, hard truths in very much the same way our older leaders reacted when Neeld came in. Possibly, both Neeld and Watters failed to take care to win the confidence and trust of the playing group when they came in but it definitely works both ways and the stories coming out of St. Kilda today reflect poorly on their playing group and team leaders. I suspect the next couple of years at Seaford are going to be hot and stormy as the bad, old influences are gradually weeded out and that applies irrespective of who coaches them.

Meet gun prospect Ben Lennon I particularly like the bottom line that goes:-

I was going to mention Barry Price and his contribution to McKenna's glory days at full forward. Price however, was very predictable. Hit McKenna on the chest lace up every time he kicked in his direction.

We drafted the wrong Tyson.

Sorry. Missed it among the picture gallery that seems to have taken over this thread.

The talk about Hogan reminds me of the emergence a long time ago of another precocious teenage KP talent in Peter McKenna of Collingwood. McKenna was 18 years old when he made his debut for Collingwood in Round 1, 1965. He showed promise, played 12 games for the season but was by no means an overnight sensation. In the opening game of 1966, he booted 12 goals against Hawthorn but his form dropped off and he finished with only six games for the season. He continued his gradual improvement over the years but it wasn't until 1970 (his sixth season) that he broke the hundred goal mark for the first time. His days as one of the AFL's leading goalkickers came in the 70s. Times have changed, the game's changed and players are different. However, McKenna's story might temper the views of those who think he's going to take everything before him by storm from day one.

I agree and, in time, they will complement the inclusion of Shannon Byrnes from last year.BTW. How many days to the draft?

Given the shenanigans over the years with the schoolgirl, the lewd photographs, Ricky Nixon, Andy Lovett, Milne and Montagna, I would say they make a perfect fit for that club.

This time last year I had no particular inclination to watch any Port Adelaide game that didn't involve my own team and I think the majority of the football public shared that view. It didn't take much to change that perception and by the end of the season, their games were almost compulsory viewing. Winning games, some outstanding players and exciting footy was all it took.

Like your team BH but with a few reservations. I'm not sure if we're putting too much expectation on Jesse Hogan's shoulders given it will be his debut game. I would perhaps be easing him into the role as an AFL player and start him off as an interchange in round one. He will still get plenty of time and he's a mature young bloke but I'd try to turn the limelight off him until about round three when we can unleash him against those orange monstrosities at Skoda Stadium where we can exact our revenge on them for what they did to us in round 19. The other one is Sam Blease whose career could go anywhere next year under Roos. It could end up on the rocks or in stardom - we know and he knows that he still needs to apply himself so that he's far more consistent from week to week and that his best and worst aren't so far apart. He also has to (and I dare say this in view of the controversy surrounding a certain delisted player) bring his defensive game up to scratch although he has improved in that area. If he can show us something during the pre season and what remains of the NAB Cup then he's in. Draft pick 9 - depending on who we get. If he's a similar midfield type to those we've already recruited then he might have to bide his time at Casey but if brings some special attributes into the team then I'm fine with him in the starting 22.

- St Kilda is a club in crisis following the shock sacking of senior coach Scott WattersBailey?

The noose is tightening but ever so slightly.I think that ultimately Dank will have to speak to ASADA as well but even if (at his cost) he manages to somehow avoid it, it's likely that further legislative changes will deliver the evidence he's already given to the ACC as well as his documentation so it will all come out in the wash at some time. Could hurt us with some of our players who might get sanctions as well but applying creams prescribed by a doctor is not the same as taking part in a planned injecting process where waiver documents have been signed and an admission has already been made by one of your players.