godees

Forwards don't poll well.

I don't think anyone suggests CAC is the best recruiter in the AFL but he is top 5 IMO. And yes not every pick has become a great player but there isn't a recuiter in the AFL who hasn't made some howlers like molan, rogers etc. There is no doubting that CAC is a very capable recruiter and who knows what we will get with whoever we hire to replace him - that is why so many of us are disappointed to lose him.

His biggest failure is probably his inability to draft a champion but I'm not sure there is a better recruiter with late picks (bruce, whelan, McDonald, Robbo, davey, bartram etc)

Two reasons why CAC shouldn't be blamed for us being "predicted to be so bad again?"

1. Draft penalties and good results (i.e. top 8 finishes) have reduced the number of early draft picks that he has had to work with and there is a definite hole in the list (and these players would be coming into their prime) where the draft penalties were.

2. There is more to building a team and success than drafting - trading, retaining players, injuries, coaching, development etc all contribute a great deal.

And finally who believes the so called experts anyway?! How many of them tipped geelong, port, collingwood and the roos to finish top 4 - I'm betting none. The 'experts' are judging the ability of our list on 2007 where (as we all know) we were hit with one of the worse runs with injury I've ever seen, and when the injured players returned many of them were unable to return to full fitness. With a decent run with injuries we will surprise a lot of people. And looking forward I think CAC has brought together the nucleus of what can be a very successful team with our group of under 23s. We will see...

I almost thew up when i read in todays HUN that a Melbourne supporter has paid $12,500 to join a Carlton Dick Pratt coterie

What! Why?

The rookie draft order is the same as the preseason draft - so richmond, carlton, us, WB, essendon and so on.

How did you hear this?

If they want to promote melbourne rather than demons and that is why they are changing the jumper, why not just do a red jumper with MFC (like carlton's CFC in the centre).

I don't like the idea of a third colour. It should be red with a small amount of navy blue like the current one IMO

I like Frawley as a player with the ball in his hands. BUT I think his defensive ability is very poor. Rarely does he get a fist in for the spoil, despite often being right with his opponent. However, the fact that he is right with is opponent is a very good sign. I think he can be taught to spoil better, but this should be done at sandy. Had we been incontention for finals later last season, I wouldn't have wanted him in the team. He isn't ready yet.

I agree with distance demon. It would be interesting if a trade like that ever happened (closest being WCE and WB this year - very sneaky indeed by the dogs).

I am hoping for cotchin first but I highly doubt he will slip. But I think Morton is a very realistic chance and I would love to get him as after losing Johnstone and our recent drafting of pack-busting players, I think we are lacking a bit of class which he would bring to the team. I don't subscribe to the idea that Richmond will take him and that is why they traded for his brother - I think they will go for cotchin and WCE may favour Masten, leaving morton to us. I don't want Palmer. I would be very happy with henderson as well. I haven't seen him play but its not that often that you get the chance to pick up a very highly rated KPP.

So basically I'm hoping for Morton, if available, or Henderson, if fully recovered from injury and deserving of pick 4, or Masten (go home factor and OP are worries though), in that order.

As far as I can gather, no other Trent played for vic metro so probably is him. Copped a fair spray.

Round 12

Friday, Jun 13

Essendon vs. West Coast Telstra Dome (SEVEN) 7:40 pm

Saturday, Jun 14

Western Bulldogs vs. Brisbane Lions MCG (TEN) 2:10 pm

Fremantle vs. Kangaroos Subiaco (FOX) 2:10 pm

Sydney vs. St. Kilda SCG (FOX) 7:10 pm

Adelaide vs. Hawthorn AAMI Stadium (TEN) 7:10 pm

Sunday, Jun 15

Geelong vs. Port Adelaide Skilled Stadium (FOX) 1:10 pm

Collingwood vs. Carlton MCG (SEVEN) 2:10 pm

Richmond vs. Melbourne Telstra Dome (FOX) 4:40 pm

Can someone explain the logic of this round to me. Surely the AFL could see the logic in moving the "blockbuster" Dogs v Lions match to the Dome which is empty on Saturday or Sunday and then having either the Pies v Blues or Tigers V Dees played at the G on Saturday with the other on Sunday at the G ensuring a maximum crowd for all three matches. Is that not in the best interests of the game to maximise attendances. The Dogs home ground is the Dome anyway. Please explain.

It is because both us and collingwood play on Monday the week before so to play on sat would be a 5 day break.

I'd have all of the other 3 before Grimes if what is written there is a good indication of where they are at. Unreliable kicking is a BIG cross for me.

I'm really warming to Rance though. With pick 4 and 14, I hope we get at least one of Cotchin, Henderson, Rance or Masten if his OP is not too bad.

I am very against it pretty much for the reasons you have given. I love the loyalty in the afl and not only would free agency push us more in the direction of the disgustingly loyalty-less rugby league (where players sign with opposition teams mid-year), but I fear it would also favour the big clubs. No thank you! The AFLPA can get stuffed.

I would think DB is definately not anticipating a bottom 2 finish in 2008. In 2006 if not for 2 losses to carlton (due to our getting ahead of ourselves culture), we would have finished top 4. This year we finished 14th with 5 wins in a season where we lost 4 games by a goal or less (and during all of these games we led at some stage in the last 2 mins) and we were hit unbelievably hard by injury. From memory, apart from the first 1 or 2 games (when we had about 5 best 22 players out), in every game we were missing between 7-12 of our best 22. No team (have a look at WCE at stages this year when they had that many out) can be expected to perform to a very high standard with that many quality players injured.

IMO DB and all of us should be anticipating a top 8 finish next year. I wouldn't think we will seriously challenge for the flag for 2-3 years yet but who would have thought at this time last year after collingwood traded their talented but inconsistent (sound familiar?) forward Tarrant that collingwood would come so close to a grand final berth. And it was collingwood's youngsters that got them there - maybe it will be our group of under 23s that will step up next year.

I think Charlie Gardiner will go ok at the saints. I was interested in us getting him cheap but I'm not too disappointed we didn't go for him.

I think a lot of these trades are about getting a player (that is very much fringe/going to be delisted) to the team they want to go to rather than forcing them to risk going through the preseason draft. Basically the teams are thanking the player for their service by helping them get where they want to be.

I am not impressed with pick 14 for TJ and if the choice was up to me I wouldn't do it. But I quite like Sherman as a player and I think we should push for pick 14 and Sherman OR pick 8.

Pick 14 IMO is not enough. TJ is not only a very talented player himself, but he also takes a lot of attention (taggers) away from other players allowing them more freedom.

I will never understand any of you who are happy-happy-joy-joy about this news.

Trading TJ for Pick 14 (Mr. X who could turn out to be a complete hack) and a player from the Filth?

I will literally cry when I see him tearing it up for another team.

This is a sad, sad day and I hope I'm not the only one who feels this way.

I agree completely.

Demons4eva, are you for real. For starters, Rivers is 100 times the player Ferg is. Rivers holds our defence together. We simply cannot afford to lose him under any circumstances.

Reilly - "a quick skillful defender...which we need" - We have plenty of good small defenders (Bartram, Petterd, Whelan, Wheatley, Bell) and players like Reilly are in abundance in the AFL. What we really need is key defenders, and a hell of a lot more than small defenders.

I don't know where you heard rivers wanted to go home a few years ago because I'm pretty sure he never said anything like that and never sought a trade.

We are getting Meesan any way. No matter what Adelaide try to do we have the upper hand and really have no obligation to offer them anything for him so he should not be considered in this situation.

I find it astonishing how low you rate Rivers. Maybe I overrate him a little (I wouldn't trade him for anything less than the first pick in this draft) but IMO he is our most important player and our defence was a mess this year without him. And you only have to look as far as the premiers to see how important a good defence is.

He wants to leave.

Ebert and Masten have OP - we shouldn't go anywhere near them.

And I don't think our previous record with Falcons forwards should have any impact on the decision. He hasn't played much for them anyway - he's an APS boy.

But we should definately go for best available - meaning who we think will be the best player in the long run (not right now).

I don't want us going anywhere near anyone with OP which means Masten and Ebert.

If it is a toss up between a tall and a small we should pick up the tall.

I'm not sold on Palmer. He does look good but he reminds me too much of Sylvia.

Seems quite stocky already and I read he doesn't have great pace.

Maguire would be a good pick up, no doubt but I don't think StK will let him leave. It'd definately be worth having a crack at him.

Another who it has been suggested wants a change of clubs is Jayme Graham from WCE. He'd be cheaper and has done some good things.

As for McGregor, he is just as injury prone as Maguire. I had a look at an Adelaide site and basically they think he has dodgy knees and won't be much of a loss (although I think he is a bit of a fan favourite). I'd only take him if he came very cheap!

I wouldn't think these will be the only delistings. One of Ferg or Warnock would have to go. Is Warnock really contracted? Which idiot did that? He is close to the first person on the list that I would axe.

I AGREE WITH SYLVINATOR KNOWING A LOT ABOUT HENDERSON HE LIVES IN THE SAME TOWN AS ME BIRREGURRA (famous for a former great melb player Alan Rowath) I HAVE SEEN HIM PLAY KNOW HIS FAMILY HE HAS A GREAT ATTITUDE HE IS VERY IMPOSING ON THE FIELDDEDICATED SUPRISINGLY QUICK AND LIKE HIS MOTHER VERY STRONG HE HAS THE SAME BUILD AS HAWKINS HIS KICKING NEEDS A BIT BUT CAN TAKE A PACK MARK WOULD BE AN IDEAL REPLACEMENT FOR NETA YOU WOULD BE VERY IMPRESSED ONLY ONE PROBLEM HE BARRACKS FOR COLLINGWOOD HIS PARENTS HOPE THAT MELB PICKS HIM UP

That is hilarious. I know the family too and I love how you say he is very strong like his mother =) Clubs contacted the family when he was 14 so he has been on the radar for some time. We are definately interested but I suspect everyone is.

What was said? Being in Sydney i don't get to see the show