Dappa Dan

When I asked this question in amongst a bunch of dees supporters, everyone had their own take on what it meant to "not worry" about a player. Some of the names: Watts. He would have nearly made my list, but I'll wait until I've seen what he does with a bigger body before I put him on Frawley's pedestal. Scully. I just worry about his kicking. He ticks every other box, runs all day and pretty quickly (though I think his top speed actually is a notch or two below some other really quick players). He DOES use his kick well, but past 40 metres there's going to be some not-so-good ones we'll have to put up with. Small price to pay. Green. A glaring omission. I can't remember a time he wasn't reliable. Though I remember he used to be. Davey. We've not played finals in so long people forget he hasn't proven himself in one. Also he's known as a player who can be distracted with the right niggle. Form is erratic too. Jurrah. Up until he came back, I wasn't completely sold. I thought his 9-odd games may have had a fair bit of good fortune. It's not that I don't believe he's capable of Buddy-like performances. I just think once they REALLY start giving him attention he might get frustrated... And based on the last round, it's sure to happen. Grimes. Kicking isn't terrible, but isn't great either. Again, not a player a "worry" about per ce... But one I can't put him in Trengove and Frawley's class. Sylvia. His body is now the only thing holding him back. Oh, and maybe a solid tag. Some of his dashes through the guts were Hodge and Judd rolled into one.

Mumford has been the third best ruckman this year. Been outstanding. If Jamar missed out it would be ridiculous... but Shane's definitely a threat. As for Deledio... nope.

On what planet? He may not be in Sylvia and Brock's class... but in his first three years people were saying he should have gone top 3... Then as recently as last year he had major media commentators saying he'd be in the top 50 players in the league. Agree or disagree with them all you like. He IS rated in the footy community. The kid has a lot of runs on the board. He's played only 19 games less than Sylvia and kicked 3 more goals. He was recruited a year later, and has always been a KP player who usually take longer. What is it with dees supporters jumping on players backs? And players who've shown a bit. More than a bit.

Good opening post. I think the spirit it was meant, was to kind of further the "Jones dropping was a good thing" thread from a few weeks back. What he's trying to say is that as good as Moloney's been, in a couple of years, when the Scullys, Trengoves, Gysberts, Bleases, and Jordies are demanding 22 games apiece, that Moloney, along with some of our other first selections, might struggle to be picked on some occasions. Like I said in another thread, along the same lines (though not relevant to Moloney)... Over the next few seasons we won't be seeing a mass-retirement like the Crows recruiters are enjoying at the moment. They're in the position where they can go to the draft and utilise a lot of picks, simply to bring their team back up to the required 44 (or whatever it is now). The demons only have Bruce (30) and Green (29) who are at or close to the dreaded 30. And those guys could easily play another 2 years. 4 in Green's case. After that it's Davey (27), Jamar (27), Moloney (26), Warnock (26), Johnson (26), JoelMac (25), Rivers (25) and the next cab off the rank hasn't even cracked 25 yet in Sylvia (24). That's LESS THAN TEN guys over 25!! We're going to see a lot of early-career delistings in the next 3-5 years. Which is, of course, a good way to be in terms of list development. But it does mean we're going to be watching the club make some tough calls.

Poor thread. Jack is one of two players I have zero worry about becoming a superstar, the other being Frawley. As for Bate... he's a trade option because we have Dunn, Watts and Jurrah all playing tall roles in the forward line, along with Petterd who also plays tall. Add to that that Dunn and Watts, as the only genuine KP forwards both play up the ground, and that Bate is ONLY good outside fifty, and it means as far as our recipe goes, Bate might get squeezed out, or at least play less than 22 games in a year. Given that he's a very, very good player, it means that he has market value + a LOT of competition for his spot = trade option. It's nothing to do with his poor end to the year. He's got a lot of brownie points.

There was one moment where he had oodles of space to lead into on a forward flank... He kind of stopped, decided then ambled forward at a slow pace. By the time he turned around, doubled back and went towards the contest that resulted from the kick he was in a position where he couldn't be used by anyone. Not as a crumber, lead or second option. Had he led aggressively then doubled back I think he might have been taken as the first option. It's not something that happens habitually, and I can't say I've noticed it much. But it DID seem weird. If I saw it in isolation not knowing when it was, I would have said he was tired. Not really sure what to make of it.

1. Petterd 2. Reliable and dominant backline for the first time in my life. 3. Wonna and Jurrah returning from injury and retaining their spots til year's end. Particularly Jurrah's ability to play only 8 games, but kick 21 goals and come 3rd in the goalkicking. I think this one was a big deal for me because I really thought the bubble might burst and that his amazing first 10 games might have had a fair portion of ass to them. But no. Even with a pretty hardcore injury, and pretty low fitness (he disappeared in the last quarter against the Roos) he still managed to have as much of an impact as you could ask for.

Trade Morton or Bate or both for pick 4/Gaff?

Jeez. Just looking at the delistings and retirements in the OP... We're going to be delisting a LOT of young talent in the next 5 years or so... some well before their time.

How about an end of season "in three words" for the whole year? Could be tricky... So we'll let you have 6 words.

Check out 0:07... he's the guy completely flat out on his chest just outside the square. 7 seconds later he's going up for a mark 40 out.

For 2 nothing games, that was a pretty good Sunday.

Bate's a good player, but we all know when coming off injury niggles and droppings, he takes time to get going again. Odd choice to play him this week. But then, so was playing Juice... and Miller not playing...

I thought we missed Grimes more. 17 goals against... we're a better side than that at the G in defence.

If Port lose, we're 10th. Here's the breakdown as far as I know. (Assuming Port lose or draw) If we win, we get picks 16, 33, 50, 67, 84 and so on... (incidentally, the roos who are 9th, would get pick 17 straight after us... Gold Coast's picks in the first round end after the team who comes tenth... until the start of the second round). If we lose we get 12, 31, 48, 65, 82 and so on. Not a huge difference... but unlike any normal year, we would drop 4 spots if we won tomorrow (and Port lose).

I'd be surprised as hell if Bailey is picking his side to make VFL finals. You can say that about dozens of players. Every club can. Hird was F/S.

Wow. Newton playing for his career. Jamar going it alone against Brogan. Bail out, maybe cos of his frees against.

Yes. I went to a private school. Is that supposed to hurt my feelings? I reckon he'd be just about the best player in the league. If not, then very, very close to it. I really hope, against hope, that Tappy gets a Grimes-like round 22 start. Blease too, though I'm not sure he has the confidence in his leg yet. Mostly I want to see Tappy get out there and show what kind of player he is. He seems to love the hard stuff, and I reckon he'd like to be in a side with Trengove, even if it is a dead rubber. Probably won't happen... But whatever.

Saying JMac was "just a tagger" is like saying Dunn was "just a defensive forward" against the Tiges. Doesn't come close to representing what he brought to the table. And hey. If one of our kids only plays AS WELL as JMac has over his career, I'd be thrilled.

I know it was an old post, but I thought it was worth mentioning... I have heard that one of the reasons Tappy's kick hasn't come back to look like it did in that video was some residual confidence issues related to his hip surgery. No reason to think it's permanent, but from what I hear he's had to adapt a bit. This got me to thinking. We will either have the next Chappy on our hands, like all the glass half full people think. Or we might have another Moloney on our hands. Now Moloney's a very good player, but his looong looooooong kick hasn't often been used to the effect it should. Hopefully Tappy can find that prediction and vision that Davey has (or part of it).... if he does, he'd be the best kick in HISTORY! :D

I reckon if I meet TMR, 2 things will happen. The first is ring the nearest hospital to give them my details for when I wake up there in a few hours... the second is go up to him and apologise for writing him off a few years ago. Interesting. But ultimately just plain wrong. Now, now, no need to be jealous because these kids concentrated when they were at school. You know what IS soft? Hiding behind a profile on an internet forum taking generalised pot-shots. The last resort of the under-educated = try to bring down those smart enough to go out and GET an education.

Of course we should be worried. We should be expecting some sort of downturn ANY time a good player retires. But they can't play forever, and EVERY team goes through this. With all due respect to Junior, I think given the gifted youngsters coming through, the downturn in on-field performance won't be as bad as it could be.

Flash or Moloney. Bruce could be a smokey... Mostly because he's far higher regarded by the club than he is on here.

I think it also shows what we're going to miss next season. If there's one thing kids need when the pressure is on, it's perspective. I must admit I understand the reasoning but I don't like it. Wasn't it at the end of last year the club came to HIM to ask him to continue? I get that it's good for the club, and a tough but sensible choice. I just don't think it's good for ALL parties, like so many are saying. I also reckon that with a handful of injuries... we're going to be wishing we had a trustworthy, hardnut in the guts. JMac's footy, before injury, was pretty damn sound. But whatever. It could easily turn out to be he right thing to do. And you do have to back your kids in. I'm loving, also, that he gets to leave the game while still being a contributing player. Not limping to the finish line.

Any way you cut it, this a such a great day for him, and his club. When he was appointed, he must have known he had only a couple of years left at most, and that he would likely be overseeing a joke of a football team, that played for a basket-case of a club. What a credit to the guy that his respect remains intact, and he leaves the captaincy of a team that's in a FAR batter state than it was when he got the job. I remember thinking then that the Bruces, Greens, JMacs and at the time, Robbos of this team deserve medals for sticking with a team that was probably not going to give them many wins. We are, and always have been, lucky to have him. And his effect on this squad will last LONG after he retires. Now drop EVERYTHING on these last two games. You've earned the right to go out with two big wins. The last one at the 'G. And what a sensational position for us to be in knowing it's his last two weeks, and that we aren't in tanking mode.