Ron Burgundy

But harsh. Watts foot skills and vision are also very valuable in terms of setting up play. It may be that Roos sees his value in a quarter back type role off half back/wing.

I have to say I think Mitch Clark will still prove to be player we really miss next year. Not Frawley so much. Hogan, Clark, Dawes, Gartlett, Kent and Petracca/Howe would've been an awesome forward line.

I'll raise you a whammy. Double whammy.Read the above Dinosaur.

You seem to be embarrassing yourself here. Read the rest of the loop - and my other posts on this issue generally. In short, you seem to be picking an argument with the wrong poster here. Big time.

That is unreal. The stuff of cartoons.

Great post - thanks. This is exactly the type of post that makes these training session threads absolutely worth reading.

Frawley was, in my strong opinion, our best defender. He will be missed. But not as much as what we have gained in return though. And in saying that I don't mean simply pick 3. I like the fact that the club didn't pay massive overs for someone who was given every opportunity to commit to the club, but who ultimately was flirting around for the sexiest offer. We don't need that. We need leaders with real character. He'll be good for Hawthorn. But I'm glad the club drew a line in the sand and essentially said we'd like you to stay, but not on any terms. This club now has dignity, expectations and minimum standards. The days of absolute compromise and capitulation are over. Brayshaw will fit well into the new model - in fact, he might even be the very embodiment of it.

I would like Pearce Hanley almost as much as I would like Dangerfield. He is an absolute gun.

It's only from a few bozos. For the overwhelming majority of us, the training reports are a godsend.

Never in doubt. This is what a club leader looks like. Bloody stoked. Loyalty is not dead to certain players. Never was.

Would've got game in our forward line last year with those stats.

I typed North Melbourne because it seemed the most ludicrous club to suggest. I think he will remain a Demon.

Simple - there's a lot of cliched carp stated on these threads. Jones will remain a Demon. For life. Why? Because he wants to. And the club wants him to. He's loyal and committed to the club and he knows that, as a leader, he can influence the club's transformation and its future success. And he wants to be a part of that. There's more to footy for some players than simply the $$$. Some of you seem not to get that.

It's apparently just a business now. Loyalty means nothing anymore. At least, that's what I hear from some here. He's going to the highest bidder. Possibly GWS. Or North Melbourne.

The most important posts that occur during the off season are absolutely the training reports, particularly Saty's. For those of you who don't agree, go muck around on some other app and stop criticising those who take their time to update us on what's going on during these sessions.

I have to say I never thought Frawley would leave the club. It's an indictment on the way this club was run for so long that he did. It's also an indictment on him that he left when it's clear the club has finally got its act together. I don't get this whole search for a premiership medallion for one's CV - surely it's the journey with a club and a group of mates that's more meaningful in the end. That said, everyone's got different priorities and perspectives in life (I say that before rpfc or nutbean come back at me with the obligatory 'there's no loyalty, it's a business' post).

Petracca - 26 goals? Put your house on him for the Rising Star Award if that eventuates.

I agree with this. That said, he would've been elevated to Captain by now under Mark Neeld.

Sweet Dee might come to regret that comment.

Outside chance for the leadership group. Really important player for the club.

I like it. Except that I can't see Brayshaw being ahead of Toumpas (or some others). Not yet at least. Would probably move Lumumba to the half back line (for Brayshaw), and then add another hard bodied mid to the midfield for Lumumba.

I don't think anyone here is seriously expecting either of them to come in and perform like Dangerfield from round 1. Not even Dangerfield performed like Dangerfield in his first year. Relevantly Paul Roos has effectively said he won't even allow it to happen - he will ensure the club develops them properly. He also demonstrated the gap to them between TAC and AFL in their very first training session with the club. And they only completed 50% of the session. Doesn't mean they aren't absolutely sensational long term recruits for this club though and we shouldn't be excited that we landed them.

It's also self evident that 'only time will tell'. But you can say that about virtually any player. Or, in fact, any issue. In life. Becomes a slightly meaningless perspective IMO, as it effectively censors/neutralises any and all debate on such topics.

I don't think you can actually discount what's been written about them or how they have performed to date or how they have been rated by coaches/experts etc. I think it's absolutely relevant.

I don't really get this thread. Should we have passed on Petracca and Brayshaw, or at least not be remotely excited about having recruiting them, simply because they were extremely highly rated juniors, just as Sylvia was?