pitmaster

For a reassuring article about the talent in Melbourne's recruiting department consider Jake Niall's piece this morning:- The journey He is writing about Adelaide being raided but the encouraging thing is that the Crow's strong drafting that Jake describes all occurred when one of our current assistant coaches was running the joint. Maybe we should all take a powder.

His name, according to certain Bulldogs supporters, should really be 'Sharon Gay'. It's a no from me.

You really can't spell, can you, Oilslick?

It's entirely consistent with what I heard two weeks ago: that for Melbourne EVERYTHING was on the table this trade period. So hold back from bagging the writers. What is likely to stop this going through is Wellingham's commitment already stated to West Coast, and the fact that later in the article the Suns are described as "more likely than not" to bid for Viney. But whatever your player manager mate says, Melbourne have put the message out that they will consider everything, so that much of the yarn rings true. Still don't think it will happen, and I think in the circumstances pick 13 is paying overs for Dawes, but we won't get him with a third round so it has to be 26 for our preference...and whatever WE on Dland think, Neeld clearly has a hankering for him.

Back on topic, the Swans are admirable right now, but deejammin's on the right track IMO. There's a lot of self serving BS flying around from the Swannies. Hopefully we can engage in the same in a few years' time.

At the risk of reigniting a footnote, from the point of the Coral Sea naval battle, which resulted in a flogging of the Japanese navy, they were, in football terms, rooted. They went in at half time 15 goals down on a wet track. Yes, your Kokoda heroes were magnificent, and those who fought in the Pacific driving the Japanese back were extraordinary people, but the turning point was on the water. If you want to cite military history then best read a bit more widely. Another apology to all for whom this is a diversion but I had to come back on this point...it's just me.

Sensible Pie friends of mine who see a lot of their team and are not the toothless rabble you see on the box rate him pretty highly. They say a hand injury this year troubled him and he did not hold enough marks but are hating seeing him go. I listened to the SEN link, and let's face it, MS wets himself over Natanui's highlights reel and seems blind to the many things NicNat does not do so his view of Dawes is not the final word. He ain't the almighty. I am still keen and it looks like he might go relatively cheaply. We might get lucky here or we might be masking a Pederson move. What do I know?

He had a rotten year. He is clearly gone. The club is content to see him go. But where are those who on this site once lauded his mentoring of young blokes with his self-designed three day boxing camp at Warrnambool? Or who reveled in him giving a whack to Brock when he walked out? Apparently we all thought he was terrific then. A little less pleasure in the bloke's misfortune, please people.

No choice. It must be used this year.

Correct. Drew only 30,000 to a home final.

Not to diminish the fine men who fought on land in New Guinea and South East Asia against the Japanese but the Battle of the Coral Sea had much more impact on the final outcome. Apologies for inserting historical footnote into otherwise absorbing discussion.

THIS FROM KDA But Cloke at least had some talent to begin with, he was always going to come good at some stage. Dawes on the other hand, different story for the big lumbering spud. Maybe this will change KingDingAling's mind and as much as I hate to pander to a stereotype Dawes does have Brighton Grammar/Sandringham in his pedigree...sounds like a natural for us.

Has always impressed with his physical presence and will do even moreso with our lightweight mob. Attacks the footy with intent, breaks packs - may be no Coleman winner but could fit the jigsaw. I say Yeah!

STFU

Flaw might be in the Bombers salary cap come 2014-15.

Interesting thought. The point is culture is not fixed. It can be remade and it can be lost. We had a culture in the'50s and '60s and grew complacent. The Swans have made a virtue out of necessity. I am hopeful Mark Neeld and the remade football department are hard enough to bring that edge to us.

absolutely - twilights are deadly, esp Sundays

Listen, I was rapt when the siren went with the Bloods in front. I loath Hawthorn and felt that the Sydney mob were a deserving winner, OK? But I don't entirely buy this Swans'/Bloods' culture we are now being fed by Paul Roos and short sighted journos. They were the Bloods when I was a kid and they stank. This culture supposedly means they don't 'bottom out'. Yeah right. That's what they say now and they say that's why they are on top. I am old enough to recall another explanation. When they were despatched to Sydney, what, 30 years ago? they were propped up for years by the AFL and still get salary cap concessions. THEN we were told the reason they topped up with imports is because in the 'Sydney market' they could not afford to bottom out. That's what it's been about, staying up so they did not lose that fickle crowd support Sydney offered, not some cultural thing but a marketing exercise that they now want to sell to us as culture. Just thought I'd set the record straight because this example is going to be used against us some time.

ALSO RB, people, me included, mocked him when he said, while Adelaide was struggling under his coaching, that they had a great list and he could see them doing great things. In hindsight, it says something about his ability to judge players and balance a list. He was gone before that year was out, but I am glad we have picked him up.

So be it. Would not like to see you complain about the standard of their work then. You get what you pay for.

They were lucky Swans won. If Hawks won that free kick count would have been a controversy.

Ahhhh... respect at last.

Was a pretty ordinary bloke in many respects but his background is a shocker. His father a very ordinary piece of work, so possibly his upbringing explains some of those dog acts for which he is well known. But I also remember being very pleasantly surprised at his special comments work. Fact: he understands the game and he is surprisingly articulate about it. I'd have him in the blink of an eye as a forward coach.

The missing overcoat is explained in The Age this morning. He is portrayed how his former players wanted him portrayed

Watson polled three more votes than, er Melbourne. Doesn't mean anything really. It's just another measure of what a lousy season that was, in case anyone was forgetting.