Deeoldfart

Correct rp. I don't 'know' that, and I shouldn't have been so definite in my statement. However, I think (hope?) I have a reasonable appreciation of the way our club is thinking, based on a recent conversation with somebody who I would expect to be fairly close to the action.

That's exactly right nuts, and I'm sure our Club sees it the same way. Jack will be viewed by all clubs as being a legitimate 5 to 10 pick on draft day, but not in the absolute top echelon.

Says it all really. A hero to many of us, but to Jimmy, just an ordinary bloke. Dunno why I wrote that, but I know exactly what I mean.

You have asked for 5, so I would add Davis and Couch to your lot.

I agree davey. Jetta's hardness and Dunn's kicking would be amongst the best few at the Club. You need more than those attributes, but there's a fair few ahead of them in the queue to be shown the door imo.

Yeah, I know wyl. There's even a song about it ................ "the foot bone is connected to the knee bone, the knee bone is connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bone is connected to the head bone" (or something along those lines). Personally, I think it has more to do with temperament.

................ and to keep opposition players from getting inside his head!

Agree totally Pates. After the initial shock, I immediately thought of Broady, and then how close a couple of our guys came to a similar fate in Bali. So sad for family, friends and the entire football community.

I agree Ben, "massive talent" = massive over-statement in this case. None-the-less I think Gys has potential to be a regular 'best 22' in our team, but certainly not a star. I've heard from a solid source, that he's not regarded as an 'instinctive' footballer, and that young mids are generally expected to be a fair bit further up the learning curve than he is at this stage of his career. Perhaps his poor run with injuries has had an impact in this area. One year contract to see if he can become a regular, or trade? ...... I'm ambivalent, but I guess it depends on what we can get in return.

Jebus. Even battle hardened AFL footballers can go through hell after an experience like that. All the best Febes.

Here! Here! Many thanks KC.

Flash was once a very good player for Melbourne, but age and injuries have caught up with him, and opposition players have learned that they can easily get inside his head and put him off his game. There wouldn't be too many interested bidders I suspect. IIRC his current contract commenced the year after he won his B&F, so if another club happened to be interested in a trade, they could have a hefty contract to pick up, unless of course we opted to pay a slice of it (a la Wowey).

I agree Clint, so the obvious solution is for Melbourne to get away from the bottom. That will happen under the current regime imo. A player like Wellingham will assist the process. I recon C'wood will sign Cloke, but the fallout might be that Wellingham becomes available.

You have nailed it Roost!! It won't be a short journey, but we will start to see positive signs as early as 2013. I just hope that some of the doomsday theorists around here will see the light, pay their memberships, and stay the journey without slashing their wrists.

Thanks for taking the time to respond satyricon. Appreciated!

A comparision between Leigh Williams and Jai Sheahan would be more relevant now. Both rookies and potential KPPs. I'd be really interested if someone who has seen a bit of the Scorps could comment. Living in Canberra I havn't seen either of them, live or on TV.

I get the feeling that there is no BS with Mitch, and he really means what he says! He's been a great aquisition, and really justified his spot in our leadership group.

Very good article. Despite the views of some, the Neeld way is the right way imo. The road will be long and hard, but I reckon it's the right road. Everybody, including us supporters, will need strong resolve to steer the course through the inevitable rough patches, but I'm convinced we are heading in the right direction ............ at bloody last!

Good stuff 'Gates .... thanks for sharing. Sounds very reasonable to me. I like what I've heard about Sheahan, and I love the Ratten thought if he's comfortable with Neeld and an Assistant's role with a crap team. However, I reckon he's a strong chance to go to Port, and if not take a media gig for 12 months before considering his coaching future. Time will tell!

Makes you think, doesn't it?

A monty to be part of the purge imo. Ricky's head and heart have been elsewhere in 2012 (probably in the same space as Beamer's). I suspect (but don't know) that both of them were part of Greeny's "buy in" reference.

Win / win all round imo. Brent hasn't contributed a cracker on the field this year, and it's pretty obvious that his head and heart have been elsewhere. It's highly doubtful that this would change in 2013, so we are better off freeing up a spot on our list and creating a bit more salary cap room. If Brent makes a go of it at another club, then good luck to him, but imo he is too 'one dimensional' to be more than a plodder in today's midfield.

I really need more information and time to digest it before I form a firm view on this latest episode in the LJ saga, but right now my feelings could be summarised as follows: In relation to LJ: disappointed, and maybe slightly cheated; and In relation to the way some Demonlanders have sounded-off towards LJ, our Club, some of our players and our coach: totally disgusted.

All three of the clowns tried hard to put words into Anderson's mouth, but at least he had the smarts not to take the bait (unlike McLean). In closing the interview, Healy sarcastically said something about the tanking report coming out on Christmas day (implying that its release will be timed to minimise publicity).

Have a think about the positive side of this crap for a moment. I have no idea whether it's true, but if it is, it's now history and can't be changed. 'Witch hunting' is pointless. The positive view is that there might be far more upside in the current playing group than many of us thought. Get rid of the poor influences, change the poor attitdes, introduce some new blood, and demand high standards. If Neeld can do this (and I believe he is the man for the job), then the future may not be as bleak as many around here are forecasting.