dimmy

I agree, both short and medium term. I feel we will need to spend some fairly big lollies to keep some of the core young talent we currently have. Plus they are developing under our nose. We have some potentially very good young players who are really flourishing in our current environment. Spend money on development. O know GAff is a handy footballer, but not worth $1.2 M . Begs belief what Gawny/Oliver are worth. Or what Harmes/Salem are moving toward.

A much improved player. Just shows what confidence does.

That is the most complimentary 3 word SUMMARY ever !!!! I agree with all except Fritsch, because he floats around and rarely makes a mistake with his timing and disposal. A real find.

I feel JKH and Spargo were terrific all day in that theyt provided that forward prssure that reduced GWS taking the ball away with ease. That pressure gave our blokes time to set up . A very good game by all today. When you think that Spargo and Fritsch are first year players. Fritsch has that compoure and silky disposal that enable him to play anywhere. Spargo plays with heart and considering he is not real big he covers ground well. He provided a few handballs todat that opened up our forward line. Sam Weidermann is coming of age and is attacking the ball with a lot more confidence. I know this is the subject of another thread, but what would we get if we traded Lever, Viney and Hoges ?? (Before some peole get their knickers in a knot, not really. All it shows is that there is competition to STAY in the side, which is why Hawthorn had their dybasty )

Why is it ,that when we get a good to excellent player we seek to trade him. That just throws all the development work that has gone into that player and it goes to someone else and then we have to educate the incoming player.( how much development (and rehab) went into Scully and then he went off to the AFL team in Sydney. What type of player are we crying out for now ::: A Scully. What is standing out is the way in which sides are not working to have 20 stars, but a few stars and plenty of players with heart. i feel we are at that stage and have the advantage of having a lot of stars who are developing together.

I reckon some people have been a bit harsh on ANB. He has been one of our real improvers this year. He still has a bit of upside and that will come with confidence. His role is to be the everywhere man who covers as much ground as possible. At times his disposal is ordinary ,but a lot of times he places the little kick to a leading fwd quite well. He would be pretty hard to match up[ on because of his aerobic capacity. I also think some have been hard on Gus as well. Yesterday, I admit he made some disposal errors, but his clearances and tackling were first class. Plays with real heart He is a bit like ANB in that he has the knack of being available when the heat is on. We need players like that. The midfield has improved out of site since his second half injection in the Essendon game and the 15 minutes against Footscray (with Gawn, Petracca and Clarrie) was sheer class. Just think how good things will be if ANB Gus, Clarrie and Harmesy improve 10-15% ,and Spargo, Fritsch & VDB improve 15 %

Probably from the Coodabeens. A cousin of "Pearl from the Peninsula"

The reason I have Foxtel (and forfeit eating for 2 days a month is to watch Footy ad free while it is on AND to see Melbourne play, because Ch7 onl;y know the numbers and players of the big 4 (memberwise in Melb) i.e Cwood,Toiges, Essendon and Carlton. I think they are actually warming to Hawks too, probably because of their Triple Pships.(It has just taken a while for the penny to drop.

I had my reservations about Haemes, but the last 6 weeks has showb me how wrong I was. He has formed part of a strong (and young) midfield with Max, Clarrie, Gus. They all work very well together beit taging clearing or protecting one another. He has been on of my arguments against the chasing of Big targets, because there is so much improvement available in this team . They are playing with a degree of confidence in each otherand that is showing in the way they all are improving. I bet the Coaching staff cannot get the smiles off their faces ,because they are the ones who have developed the cohesion and compatability of our playing group. There is still rom for improvement as there is in any side. When you consider the current Premiers early last year, they were carrying some B- players but have developed them in side their club. Maybe it is a model. When you consider that today we had Viney, Lever & Hoges out who we would all of them as our A graders. I f this was a year ago we would have really struggled woithout them.

I have had reservations about Dom Tyson, but since his return he has been very effective. Even to say he is part of our midfield for finalS. If I had to make a choice I would bring Viney in for Spargo/Kent ( and only if he is fit !!!!). I feel for Spargo, but Viney is C0 Captain. However I feel our midfield setup is going extremely well with Gawn, Clarrie & Gus. As such I would play Viney as a small fwd and pinch hit in the middle if we are getting slaughtered.

Oliver : Best phonebox footballer ever ( Never ever thought I would quote BT)

The defence : Magnificent Midfielders : Gave a lot Forwards : Very good. Weiderman : Best game ,provided marking/competitive option. Lewis : Cool Head Luke Jetta :Build a statue Brayshaw : Leave your hat on. You are too essemtial to us .

6 Harmes 5 Oliver 4 Brayshaw 3 Jetta/Omac 2 Tmac 1 Anyone I missed !!!!

We lack experience, simple as that. Goody talks that we need to learn. Either that starts tomorrow ,next week or next year. Do not know

Too late by the sound of it. But it would be a lot cheaper to be chasing some of these "hungry"middle tier players than clogging our list with more midfielders who cost us the Southern Stand (already sold) Northern Stand.

Have heard one scenarion ( from a Geelong supporter) that Geelong could get Gaff. I said they would have trouble with Salary cap. His reply was Kelly wants to go home (do not know why when WC & Freemantle did not want a bar of him over the years). Taylor may be retiring , Ablett is not costing then much and Menzel wants out. So by throwing in a Trade may swing a deal. Far fetched !!!, but it is amazing how some clubs work their way around things. (Like being a promotions officer for a large sponsor)

Personally I feel TMac is the outstanding leader. No nonsense ,can lift, speaks well. Let Viney get right without pressure. (Plus he may have to learn a new playing role to prolong/maintain his career.) Nothing against Max, but : You do not make a fast bowler captain and Max is too busy coming a media star.

The big advantage is that he is 8th on the tagging list for opponents. He is a real find and his mental capacity to absorb and learn new roles makes hm a terrific prospect. p.s. Maybe he could look after Buddy on Sunday. Reason : Quick enough, Left Footed so thinks LH . Any wins he has will ensure we score at thew other end because Sydney t6hink it is all over when it goes into Budderitory

I really feel this thread has lost its relevance, and by continuing we are failing to let the matter lie and be controlled by the people directly involved.

Actually the Feds are at the Airport to arrest Stevens before he slithers back into his hole.

Far be it for me to comment, but an apt sentence would be until Andrew returns to football.( Brayshaw that is )

I agree, but by the law of the land ,there are people doing time for öne punch "actions and are vilified as such. The same principles should apply to sports people who do not discipline themselves and in a moment of "madness" change their own life and the victims . I have no doubt that Andrew Gaff would do things differently if he had thought things through.

Even before yesterday I have been consitently arguing that Gaff is superfluos to our needs( and throwing the Southern Stand at him is a waste). We currently have ANB , who has improved enormously in the last year (and still has plenty of upside) . Harmes who is continually proving me wrong on my initial assessment of him. Fritsch (fat Robbie) has shown enormous talent in his first year . Spargo, first year ,only 19. Jayden Hunt has had a year to forget so has enormous upside. Let us not forget , Dom Tyson is only 22 or 23 , and is still finding his way because we have too many midfielders. Remember at the start of the year some posters were in for trading Gus Brayshaw based on this argument. To Dom's credit he has shown a lot more flexibility in his game style since he has returned and it is starting to show. Then we have Jack, Clarrie and Gus . With due respects to Jack, the midfield is working really well in the last few weeks and earlier in the season. He now needs to get himself right (hopefully) and not use himself as a human battering ram so much. Have not mentioned Jesse & Trac ,whic just shows our current depth. We need to be multiskilling Dom and Jack,as we are with Clarrie and Gus, then we are approaching a super middle sized group of players. Team harmony seems absolutely great amongst this group (shown by the way they all hang it on Poor old Trac ) indicates they are gelling on and off the field. Sometimes seeking the perfect solution turns out not to be so. Richmond have got where they are through a Team based approach with some icing on the top (O doubt whether some of the Toiges bottom six would be in out side . Footscray won a Premiership through genuine team ethics and approach. We have got the structure, the personnel and are developing the will and the skills to succeed.

A "Red Card" had never really entered my mind until a couple of incidents e.g. Bugg(Melb), Hall and now Gaff ,which are quite blatant transgressions. We have cameras everywhere (except to adjudge goals) so the video "referee"" could suggest to an umpire that a very very serious incident has occurred , especially off the ball. So for mine a definite yes, because Gaff played out the game until Fremantle blokes made him a target and caught up with him (which if implemented takes that aspect out of it). Andrew Brayshaw will not be playing for the rest of the year either. Serious Off the ball incidents are not commonplace, but are a serious blight on all levels of the game.

The "love affair" with Dom Tyson continues. Spargo : Long first season