Its Time for Another

So here's some sobering facts about our list build in the post Daniher pre Roos era from 2007 to 2012. We brought in 63 players. How many are left ? 6. Who are they? Jetta, Gawn, T Mac, Hogan, Viney, Kent Jones and Garland are the only Daniher era players left on the list. Roos era started with 2013 trade/draft. 12 in 5 left. Tyson, Vince, Salem, JKH, Hunt 2014 11in 6 left 2015 10 in 7 left.

Define good clubmen. Does it include being one of the most senior players at the club having been there for 9 years and turning up from the break so unfit that you have to be put into the rehab group to get fit because you're too unfit to take part in the main drills. Imagine watching your good clubman senior player setting the standards by doing run through after run through day after day and not being able to keep up with anyone. Great example. What about if the good clubman had been read the riot act and still continues to make other non football things his focus. Maybe he played up during his rehab. I don't know but he came back and played two of the most insipid games I've seen him play. And it wasn't due to fitness. What about if the good clubman turned up to training session after training session after training session late and was told over and over and over not to do that and that as a senior player its critical he sets standards not breaks them. Do you just let that go on forever. Like Carlton and Fevola until its a disaster. I'd be guessing it must be s scenario like this. And if it is while he's a popular player I bet the players would understand why its happening. Nathan Jones made it pretty clear in that SEN interview that there were real issues with his commitment and the leadership group had to talk to him. I have no doubt that leadership group would be onboard with whats going on and would be making it clear to everyone else. How else do you set standards and behaviours. The two big catch phrases for building a team nowadays. I have no doubt leaders will be talking to all players including Jesse explaining all of this. I find it hard to believe he'd walk out on the Club if he's watching Watts behave something like that and that's why he's gone. A year is a long time in football. He'll be playing finals next year and Watts will be a memory.

Ablett Jnr & Stevie J were given them at Cats and look what happened. I mean before Ablett left.

Apparently going in for surgery will miss the whole preseason. Not an option.

Someone somewhere on here mentioned we were talking to a mature player at Cats. Gun midfielder Motlop?

Do you know if he get a choice or does the system dictate the draft?

Does he go into pre season draft or national draft. In same scenario Ball went into the National draft and he went all the way through toCollingwood’s pick 30.

He was a Restricted Free Agent and Adelaide said they’d match the Cats offer which forced Cats to trade picks. Lever is actually easier because as an in contracted player he can just walk and Crows can’t stop him. He can use Luke Ball trick. Put a ridiculous price on his head and say he’ll only take one year at any other Club and then go in the draft again. No Club would touch him and he goes to Dees and Crows get nothing. He goes to us and then negotiates a 5 year deal or whatever and the first year price is absorbed into the contract. Ultimately that is why Crows will have to be reasonable. Im sure I t won’t get to that. Also sure Lever won’t want to leave that way unless absolutely forced.

Dreamin' Don't forget who owns the Suns. Lynch is a current Captain and contracted for at least another season. The AFL's investment is looking desperate at the moment. A new coach will come in and Gil will make sure this doesn't happen. I can't possibly imagine any trade that would compensate for Hogan going. As a very gifted key forward, a very very rare commodity he's worth a hell of a lot more than an intercept backman no matter how good Lever is. The draft would be no good to us and I can't think of a player who would fill the hole. Can't see why the Club would offload JW in these circumstances. The place is gone to hell if this happens. Will put us back years structurally. No forward again. Wonder if this is going on in the background whether they would consider Stringer. Would he be an upgrade on JW? I'd rather keep JW but I certainly wouldn't rather get rid of JW and have no one. I choose to think it's all crap until the trades are finalised.

Ron, alternatively if they win he might be more prepared to leave having achieved the ultimate and knowing back to back is rare. If they lose he might stick around and think they're so close we'll get it next year and they are way ahead of that happening at Dees. This is why you've just convinced me to support the Crows on Saturday

People get arrested for unsheathing posts like that.

Because he invented the Toby Green don't argue flying for the ball with his legs parallel to the ground and feet directed at anyone who wanted to get in the way of him or the ball. All 70kg's of him.

If that's Stuie. I could almost put up with her BS.

Cool. Based on last night's game. He'd be ok. Still think horse trading will go on.

His pre draft highlights reel was dead set the best I've ever seen. Had everything. Was given plenty of opportunities to prove himself at Swans but never stepped up. Just didn't quite have it. Not as good as a lot of our players outside our best 22. Unfortunately definitely a No.

Don't know why people are wasting time debating two first rounders. Won't happen. Crows know this. They said themselves last year on Gibbs trade 2 first rounders would be irresponsible list management. I know this isn't Gibbs but he was contracted Lever isn't. It will be some sort of combination amounting to a 1st & 2nd & maybe steak knives of pick swaps and or a player of a Wagner level. Picks are only worth what you get for them. I have a feeling there will be a combination of other trades involved which might effect lots of horse trading not just what happens in this one. A few have mentioned maybe Motlop. It'll all wash out. All I know is the first time since 1964 we have the right people in the right positions making these decisions. I trust their judgement more than mine or anyone on here or anywhere else.

The Club has agreed with Jesse Hogan to allow him to move back to be with Ethan and his Mum. They have also agreed to trade Jack Watts there so someone will dress him with the appropriate East Coast boardies. Hows that work for you. Oh yes. This comes from a very strong sauce. Not BBQ either.

I don't think anyone in the industry thought 2 first rounders was a reasonable offer for Gibbs.

Have also heard that elsewhere. Frightening to contemplate sitting here with Billings watching Kelly do what Kelly's doing. Would have been such an MFC decision. Doesn't bare thinking about. And at the same time the rest of the footy world was absolutely clear it should have been Kelly and were right.

I went to a Sydney v North elimination final up here a few years ago that had 19,000. Homebush is a wasteland

The Australian are saying Gibbbs has told Blues he wants to go to Crows and they have started negotiations and this time will have the Lever compo to get it done. Let's hope last years experience will have softened both of them up for us. Sober all get reasonable deals done. Last year Deledio was a year older than Gibbs is now and GWS gave up this years 1st & 2nd rounders for him. That seems very high if you compare it to the Dangerfield deal which was a 1st & 2nd rounder plus a chump player. I hope that's the yardstick. If Deledio is for Gibbs who will be 29 in March you could see why Crows would want 2 first rounders for Lever. I really hope we don't have to give the up. It would be way overs as far as I'm concerned. The Dangerfield deal seems more realistic. It now we are probably dependent a bit on how reasonable Carlton will be on Gibbs. They are apparently one of thebClubs keen on Steinger and he'd be a good get for them so that might help it all along. Could end up being a 4 way deal.

Priceless. Especially for such a young kid. And doubly priceless as its the original Italian Job not the dud remake. There's also another side piece of relevance that I'm sure he wouldn't know to that nickname. The actor's real name was Maurice Micklewhite. His agent said he had to change his name and he walked past a cinema where the Caine Mutiny was playing and thought that'll do. I'll change it to Michael Caine. Now you add that to the story and you get a guide cane called Michael. Full of useless information.

Wish we'd had them playing for us in the last round

My definition of a small forward attributes are not in order : 1. Elite speed 2. Uncanny ability to read the play 3. Ability to get in the right place to collect balls off packs 4. Ability to lead to the right more obscure place to create non existent opportunity and goal. 5. Elite kicking for goal from difficult positions 6. Apply great forward pressure. Like the man who invented it. Mr A Davey. 7. Etc Etc Jeffy is the only one who has those attributes. Ideally you need two in the team. You also need some who can come in when Jeffy has his annual form slump or gets injured. Maye Dion Johnston will become one but I don't believe he has that burst speed. JKH doesn't have it and not a great kick for goal. Trac has it all but is more a high half forward slash midfielder. I guess Melksham has shown a bit of all of that but again more as a high half forward. ANB too but without the elite speed and without the elite any of the above but has it at a non elite level. Put this together and you get more than 3 reasons why we need more small forwards.

Hopefully they've learnt a lesson from the PJ Demons play book. Don't leak until deals are done. How damaging to put all your targets out there and then have the footy world laugh at you when you don't land them. I love Jason Taylor's only comment on Lever. Something like "If a player like Jake Lever wants to move Clubs we'd talk to them." The master of understatement. If for some reason he ends up not coming to us no damage done.