Dappa Dan

What's the Army award for again?

No. If we want another pick, or two within the first 20 we're going to have to be crafty. Like a player and later pick for an earlier one... Maybe a Bruce or Green along with pick 17 or 18 for say a pick 6 would be about the best we could hope for... Not that I want to lose either player. But it is true we DO need another in the first 6 or so to pick up another tall. We are in more dire need than any side on the comp.

I'm getting to the stage where I'm having trouble seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with him. I'm sure he'll come back in some way shape or form to footy... but to what end? He's missed out on about 60-80 games (like Moloney) of education. His growth will be stunted. Not that he needed to have a WORLD of education... I reckon he knew already how to play well... but I want 250 games out of him, not 200...

I can't believe it hasn't got more air-play! Richo is enormous, and Davey is TINY. I thought it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen in footy.

It wasn't our home game right? So we don't receive any less money? Also, if they really want us to turn up STOP GIVING US SUNDAY GAMES! A Saturday arvo, or either night game would make for a better turn out, and as someone on 'ology said, I'm kind of glad we voted with our feet... or lack thereof.

Absolutely Freak... He's a good player, but won't be a potential leader unless he does a Ling and emerges from the tagger-role to damage opponents and take a place in the woder footy community. Leadership group role is a possibility though.

Wel it was probably CJs best game yet.... still not stunning, but I thought in defence he showed enough to get another week. That said, if he doesn't life at least another few notches by seasons end I'm still off him...

One of your better weeks Joeboy. I was surprised to see the media speak highly of Davey. It wasn't his worst match but it was far from his best... even with the MOTY contender... one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Having a good year there Joeboy, in fine touch.

Score 1 for Geddy...

VERY underrated fact on demonland and elsewhere... people are so keen to get a priority AND early first rounder that they neglect the fact that we could potentially get picks 1, 17 and 18... pretty sensational. If we could SOMEHOW wangle another pick in the teens or under ten, then another in the early 20s... we'll be doing almost EXACTLY what the Hawks did... I bet that got peoples' attention. Another side-note with tomorrows match. The Toigs have won 3 and drawn one. They beat us, then they and Carlton are both no longer eligible for a priority pick this year... importantly BEFORE the first round. Now you may say that the Tiges look likely to win another game this year, but remember last year when Carlton were 4 and 7 at this stage? They didn't win any more. Different situation of course... Coach/list situation are completely different, but still, it gives one a moment's pause.

Wouldn't it be nice if he had some trade value though? Probably wouldn't have any even if he played every game for the dees for the rest of the year. I agree with the sentiment... It hurst to see someone like Moloney out, but with Carroll, you know he likely won't make up a BIG part of our future, so why stress?

We're a big chance on Sunday. I worry that we don't have the player we need to go with Richo, but I'm happy enough for him to be allowed to kick at goal. Purely on match ups (that one aside) I think we're in good shape to pick up a win.

If we're so worried about identity, the absolutely... Better to have something than nothing.

I needed a cheap bench warmer on dream-team, and I drafted him in... I fear I will regret it, but for some reason something made me show faith.

Holy crap... I hate soap operas, but I gotta say this is entertainment.

Yep... Congratulations PG... How often do you see outgoing presidents and club leaders leave in a hail of abuse and relief. Paul did as good a job in difficult times as you could ask for, and we were lucky to have him. Hope to see him around in the future too.

You don't wan to rethink this do you? 2 reasons why it doesn't make any sense. 1: He's pretty much the only guy in the side racking up enough possessions to be called anywhere in the vicinity of elite. 2: In the current side, it would be EXTRAORDINARY to see him dropped. He's one of our few winners and one of our best (if not our best) clearance players) A couple of quick stats I heard... Firstly, the side is apparently doing quite well with clearances statistically... Obviously we're not translating it to success on the board, but we are strong in that area... Secondly, I read in yesterdays paper (or Inside Footy I can't remember which) that Brock is among the worst in the league for long-short kick ratio... I'd like to see him back himself a bit more rather than switching up play. It's probably due more to DB's game-plan than anything, and the fact that the right option ALWAYS seems to be the guy 20 metres from him... but still... I remember in his first couple of years he was a solid kick over 50 metres. Not much MORE than that obviously, but I liked watching him dob it from the paint too, on the run...

Who are you and what have you done with Y_M? Some of mine that are less spectacular... - Generally it seems he's playing young players more readily... happy to play 18 year-olds rather than blooding them in the VFL for 3 years. Not playing his love-children without form which is having a palpable effect on the team's work-ethic. - Miller has gone a fair way to bridging the gap between his worst and best. His game on the weekend a good example. He was being beaten but kept working and in the end put together a tidy game. - Green is playing just about his best ever year. - PJ. Not spectacular, but is being given lots of ground time. This one was perhaps not a huge surprise. - McLean, Jones and Moloney seems a bit one-paced but it's worked surprisingly well. Our clearances have been respectable. - The biggest one for me is the startling difference between our early rounds and now with our skills... We have improved out of sight. It's a completely different side. Bailey said that's what they would focus on and it worked. Surprising how a bit of transparency goes a long way. I think the cons will come out when the side settles in the second half of the year. If you look at new coaches in recent years... like at the Saints, the worst period is the first 12 rounds where everyone finds their homes. The second half will show a LOT, and next year will really be where we come to learn the MOST about him... I will say though, Y_M, that he's not even halfway to putting together his side yet. So I'll judge him when he has his own 22 in there. If it's a good 22 for modern footy, then it's a pass mark. 12 players does not a premiership team make.

I think we have, at the best of times, maybe 5 players that fit that description... At our worst moments I struggle to count two players that would be "top 4" players a la the MAJORITY of Geelong's starting 22. McLean and Jones seem to fit in there most of the time (though not all the time), and there are players that show it's within their reach, like Garland and Bate. But I agree, Bell would be outside this group, which is why I advocate a trade. I don't think he'll ever be as valuable as he is now on the market. His shortcomings MAY be read as fixable at his age by a Malthouse/Matthews type of coach who respect hard work and heads-over-the-ball above everything else. My point being, the entire side is NEVER going to be made out of "top 4" players as you say. Not even Geelong can boast a whole list like that. SOME of our youngsters won't scale the heights of superstardom, but they'll still be required.

Agree with those 4... Even for the right price they're not going to get us anywhere, or fill a gap left by all the departing players.

No. Good games. I counted a couple... then there were a few games where he was just going. There were CERTAINLY no other games where his decision making and delivery cost us as much as on Sunday... And I disagree. His position is an obsolute pain in the arse to play. You've gotta be kidding yourself if you claim the ALL HB flakers play the same job. Bell is an accountable defender first. He thrashed Medhurst up and down the ground, and he's an older more experienced IN FORM forward. If you were to drop Bell you'd need to bring in an accountable defender, not another running player a la Daniel Ward. If you want to bring in Buckley or CJ then you have to drop Wheatley, who is playing their role at this stage. I'm talking in absolutes of course... there are players who can both play accountably AND rebound, and it's this kind of player that we're trying to make Belly into... But I feel that he'll be accountable in 16+ games a year, but only able to rebound effectively in perhaps 10 games tops... which is why he frustrates. It's also what makes Whelan such a genuine MFC champion. So yeah. Drop him, give him some time to think about his game... when he comes back we'll probably be screaming out for an accountable defender. That's certainly true. You would think the message would get through. Things he's always had on his side is work ethic and humility. I back him to come back within 3-4 weeks depending on who's in and out at the time.

I think that's about right. Everyone has form drop offs... but you'd be a moron if you siggested he's played badly ALL YEAR. He's had some good games... as a defender when you play well you're invisible. WHen you play badly it's ALL your fault. As the people who are in the know keep saying, he's no star, but then where is it written that he has to be? He's a late first round pick... no-one was expecting him to dominate. A Wheatley-like career would be a good return...

This is the first time I've ever wondered if he was worth retaining. He's a ripper Beamer, and his footy this year has impressed me, though not overwhelmingly. If he is able to string together 2 good years, then falls to injury again, you have to ask yourself... why? In the end I say he's earned his spot... but jeez I'm getting sick of our injury-prone list...

Pros: - He's actually a good player. If he got to peak fitness, as a leading FF he would create the contests that Davey, Wonna and presumably Maric would need, even if he didn't mark... There would be nothing speculative about him. - He's of a good age for a KP forward. 27 would be too old for our purposes, 25 gives him 7 years on the list given the fact he's missed a LOT of footy. If we can't be threatening again within 3 or 5 at the outside, then we are really doing something wrong. - We have no-one in the square, and we have no-one besides Newton who's suitable out of the square (besides Zomer who is largely an unknown quantity). Even Newton would be wasted being that deep as he could be a CHF if he got his head right. MFCs list is screaming out for a player like Kosi. We could recruit three KP forwards and there's a possibility NONE of them would come on and be as good as Justin. Just look at '04. Dunn is playing as a tagger, Bate is playing as a midfielder/HB flanker/lead-up CHF, and Newton is... well... I don't think anyone knows what's going on with him... NONE of those guys look to be able to fill the void Neita left. - The gurnsey. Stop and picture it with me. Looks good on him doesn't it? But then again our home gurnsey looks good on most people. Dame Edna would probably look good in our home gurnsey. Cons: - Injury prone. Do we really need ANOTHER injury prone player? His awareness, which everyone says is his problem, isn't a big thing playing out of FF, but I can still see him getting to round 12, having kicked 30-40 goals, and then he gets towelled up by Croad or someone and then he's breathing out of a tube... - The price-tag, both in the Salary cap and in terms of what we'd need to trade. Ask any Sainter and they'd say late first rounder as a MINIMUM, which I would NEVER want to use to pick him up. I'd even be loathe to drop a second rounder on him, what with the inherent risk involved. So ask yourselves this... Rivers for Kosi straight swap? Both are injury prone and former rising star winners who because of missed games have not risen to the heights they should have... We are screaming out for a 50 goal full forward, and they are screaming out for a replacement for Goose who could be gone... Lyon likes his defenders. I think it'll end up being a case of him being worth more to them on their list than for another mid-range draft pick. If our plan is to succeed we need to get 5 picks inside the top 20-30 and trading FOR Kosi would just weaken our position in the future. This year's draft is supposed to be chock full of good KP players... My answer? Only for a third rounder, which quite plainly, will never happen. Maybe a third rounder and a player who we know will never hurt us at another club... like Wheatley, Miller, etc etc... I don't reckon it'll happen. Not for us anyway... the bulldogs however could use him, and maybe the Crows.

Only further proving my point. No-one's trying to say he's going to be the next Johncock/McLeod etc etc... But plenty of good solid players have good years followed by off-form ones. Drop him to the twos, get him to find some form, play CJ or whoever to see if he has what it takes... Simple really, and no need to dig the boot in, writing him off for his career as you so astutely have. We whinge and moan about players never playing well. Bell has actually shown for what is tantamount to a full year that he's made the grade... we have a list chock full of guys who have had years in the system and never been good enough to play a whole season and play it well. Jamar, CJ, Newton... but we still love them and don't hurl abuse at them. For the record I saw Bell manning up Medhurst a lot of the day and he didn't have as much influence as he has had in other games this year. Also, when kicking in did you see ANYONE make a definitive lead? In the last quarter we were atrocious in our set-up.