Dappa Dan

I'm not as across the Pack as I am NFC East teams, but that was my guess too. The two first rounders are there for a trade too.

At long last. Speaking of big time defensive players... any interest in Mack, @Macca?

He was in the team when we were healthy. Not to take the [censored]... Your post was well considered (whether or not I agree)... Outside of Lever and Nev, he's first picked in our backline. If I'm having a rough day... I look at our under 25s.... And everything's ok again.

I was a little critical when he came to the club. Loved him as a player at Crows, but didn't think he would be there when we play finals. Very shortsighted on my part, as he's been one of the big difference makers. Him, Lewis, Cross and other mature agers have had a huge impact on what we all see as a great list build. Well done Bernie, enjoy a well-earned rest, and well done MFC for a great recruitment.

Love the Bridgewater move to Saints. Brees done in a couple of years.

Oh man. How has no-one said this... Remember years ago when we were desperate for Judd to choose us over Carlton? Feels exactly the same. Honestly, I love the rumours about Jesse leaving. Just keep the WA fans praying while we feast on what he produces for the next ten years.

Hoooooly crap... Hundley. Rodgers record setting contract... Little bit of Kendricks insider trading... What say you @Macca? Save us the trouble of searching the internet for details.

It still blows me away that this is going on on any level. Obviously when Kingy says it it has to be looked at, followers will be followers. But why have we considered trading this guy ahead of anyone else on the list? Oliver? Viney? Tracca? TMac? Gawn? If Hogan's tradeble then they are all tradeable... I have a sneaking suspicion that for many who want to look at trading him, they're only proposing it because they fear the next ten years of trade rumours that will follow him as he racks up 300 games in the red and blue. It's almost like they think they're "onto something" by getting in early? It's absurd to the point of stupidity. Get used to it folks. It's only JUST starting. For years we've had kids with potential getting poached who hadn't won anything... Just you wait and see what the media will be like if/when we DO actually start blooding players who become decorated with AAs and Colemans and AFLCA champion awards. I mean, I can't be the only person on here who's fantasised for YEARS about having a gun CHF from another state that everyone creates rumours about? It's like dating a really hot girlfriend. The reason people look is because they're attractive. It's part and parcel of HAVING the good players, isn't it?

I had Cowboys down as a serious scary team this year. I'm not really interested in pre-season, but looking at their list, they're gonna need to find a few guys to do damage this year. Defence might get a bit better with Lee, Taco and Gregory coming in... But offence, gee whiz. Frederick looks like missing most of the season, their WRs aren't big names at all... if Dak or Zeke were to miss time, they'd be in trouble.

Thanks to Chook (I think) for pointing out his record on the gameday thread. He's the first ever to crack 1000 in a home and away season. If we play a couple of finals and he does what he normally does, he'll go from second into first over Goldy. Thought it needed it's own thread/bump.

Super. It's one thing to say he's offering a target inside fifty... another altogether to say he's giving Gawn a chop out, who ALSO can go forward now.

Yeah, I guess. I'd have liked to have seen some of the backups push. The Eagles injury list is massive at the moment, so many will be pressed into service. But whatever. 3 weeks is an eternity.

Good Eagles. Not one point. Oh well... At least the D showed up I guess.

Oh man. No Wentz as it turns out.

Here we go Wentz... Pass for 0/10, 3 sacks, 4 picks.... I don't care. Just leave the ground on two legs.

I really wish we could do that in the AFL. The team-specific calls, that is. I've let my gamepass lapse finally. Too expensive, not worth it.

Welcome to the thread Zeph.

DV... Mate... What the hell are you talking about. What's this now. 10th quote and you're still full of hot air? Still haven't said anything new? Keep digging.

Ha. much appreciated Macca. You're a gentleman and a scholar as always. I have seen it, just the once, so I'll enjoy again. Yeah would be good to get the comp going again. Comps run quite well with 12 names. I have 2 others who I know would enjoy. Possibly 3. Maybe even 4 (myself included). You gotta have a critical mass of 50% of those really into it though or it descends into a bit of a waste of time, as it was last time. My brother and I actually started the original demonland AFL keeper league, and it was a similar disaster of abuse and misunderstanding. I pulled out when he was being abused, he pulled out soon after. So it IS a hairy concept. So I think I'll keep prompting everyone, and if they go for it one day, I'd be happy to manage. But until then... I'll be taking you @Gorgoroth @layzie @cowboy_from_hell down, and returning to my rightful place on the NFL thread throne.

Terrific stuff Pickett. A bit of mayo thrown in there with the wording too, I like it. But I STILL have the urge to put the gun-to-your-head question... I'll hold off for now though. OH YES THERE IS! lol Like Pickett, I'll be putting that question to you if we all live long enough to see Clarrie retire in the Red and Blue one day and get to take stock. You've more or less answered it for now. Robbie the best you've ever seen play the game? Says enough. And yes, great point on Ollie. If we want to break down players into types... Neitz is still the #1 KP forward. Hogan isn't there yet, and I suspect won't get there. Schwartz would have beaten Neitz by a nose... enough's been said on that topic. What Ollie does, though... Here's yet another way to look at it... You know how we're a poor club, and other clubs get these logic-defying players... Voss, Hird, Sam Mitchell, Ablett jr, Dangerfield, Fyfe... These absolute magicians that play the game in a way you don't really understand... Watching those guys as an opposition fan, you never really knew what it was like to be a fan of their club. We had so many stalwarts. Proud players who did more than I'll ever do... But we never had anything like this. And it's not a one-off year for him, or a short burst of brilliance. The whole league has taken notice inside of 50 games. Elite really isn't a big enough word. Some of the stuff he does... No-one else in the league does. You're absolutely right... If you really feel every possession that MFC gets, then watching him is a kind of joy none of us have ever known, other than when watching other club's players with a healthy dose of envy.

Maybe the one BIG area AFL has it over NFL. The spread of game times. I like your idea of watching live. Thing is, in a fantasy comp, you get the news more or less as it happens. I can't hack the 4-5am games... Sometimes I wish I wasn't hooked on fantasy footy. I still feel like maybe one day we'll have enough demonlanders to start a league.

Always one, isn't there. Aussie fans have a long way to go.

Yeah that's a good point. I wonder if you can prepare a young list of midfielders for that. I don't even reckon the coaches knew what they had when he was recruited. I remember in Oliver's second pre-season the media were always asking who's the best of the big 3 young players who've come to the club... Oliver, Hogan and Tracca. You expect Hogan cos of everything he does and what he represents. But nearly everyone had Oliver out in front. I was confused as I hadn't seen enough. Almost 2 full seasons on... and I get it now. So if he's only had 43 games playing at this level, how well can you know what he's going to do if you're a midfielder playing next to him? How do you coach the players around a freak like that to take advantage of the absurd Jedi-like things he does?

Yeah exactly, if you try to cram other names into the conversation, there's always caveats. Scott Thompson should absolutely be in there, but he left. Certain players are outside and he's inside. Certain players played what amounts to a different sport... So I understand there's a problem with oversimplification there when you ask "who's the best midfielder in your lifetime." Thing is... As you say, on pace, he'll have them all beaten very soon. I think I posed this question 21 games ago for the first time when he rounded out his second season, and in that time I expected people to throw restrictions on the question, or categories... and it's actually gone the other way. Now I'm wondering if he's the best PLAYER we've seen in our lifetimes. Never mind this midfielder stuff. I was 7 in 1987 so never really got the Robbie Flower experience that our long-in-the-tooth friends on here did. THESE are the guys I wanna hear from. What would Clarry have to do to get into the Flower/Oliver conversation? I sometimes ask a similar question about Mitch Johnson's ashes series and push them on a comparison between that series and how Lillee played. How close were they, who was scarier, who was faster etc etc... And it's that sort of level of comparison. I can't make the comparison, so I look to my elders. The Jedi thing. Mate... it's not one a week. It's many of the contests he goes to. There's the thing a player like Braysh does where he barrels through and by force of will releases a loose ball. With Oliver, my best guess is that as a kid he had a coach who told him to set up at a clearance and look closely at where your opposition is... then if the ball falls to you (and it does, cos of Max), get it as soon as you can and release as soon as you can in the direction that those oppo players AREN'T. It's like watching Vader predict where the lasers are going to be before he light-sabers them away. And it's not just one massive play. He does something freaky at 5-10 contests a game.

I mull this over every time he puts another paragraph on his legend. Is this what we'll have or will he adapt further. I don't wanna be glass half empty, but I think it's pretty much what we see now. He's taken the criticism and I think doubled his metres gained this year. They put him forward on the weekend for good results. But I think mostly he won't get quicker, or find a bigger tank. The only jump up we might see is 10% when other clubs start playing youth and he's 25+. He is already so professional. Genuine question... Who was it 20 years ago that he hasn't overtaken yet? I put this to a mate who was born in the early 70s... who's the best midfielder the clubs seen in your lifetime... and he said Todd Viney. Clarry hasn't quite got the accolades Todd did yet, but I think it's fair to say he'll go past him. That's amazing. I remember seeing it when he was drafted and thinking, ok yeah, sure, but is he quick enough? I didn't know that that wasn't just his highlights. That's every contest he goes into. His pattern recognition and ability to understand when his opposition is off balance... he's like a Jedi. Man, the recruiters really do earn their money.