Dappa Dan

Man. I just had a blue with someone over 3 pages on this topic a few weeks ago... Basically Eastie, the point you hint at isn't justified. Or more specifically, it's ALWAYS justified when yo're talking about a team on the bottom of the ladder with 30-something percent in the percentage column. If we had Bartram, Rivers, Dunn etc etc playing, and all our good players going well then we would rate them higher, and consequently our draft history would look better than it does.... Mark our recruiting over the last 5, or maybe 10 years where the players playing now were recruited. Our history in that time isn't as bad as people think.... finals series, finals won, grand final... And all with a number of chronic infrastructure weaknesses. Put simply. Our recruiting is ok. Not top-notch, but then how could it be? We've been in the top 8 a fair bit, unlike Richmond, Carlton, Dogs, Hawks etc etc...

Operative word in the title is maybe... Saying the club will go into oblivion is just plain stupid. Saying we're in danger of a few nasty realities like relocation, merging and al that is probably true... but oblivion? No. This was always going to be a tough time. Rebuilding is like that. Other clubs have done it and come out ok, and from positions similar to ours. I'm not naive enough to think we're going to be ok because "there has to be a team named Melbourne." I'm fully aware it's going to be a shitfight. But I'm not resigned to failure like some. Neither should you be. ANd oblivion isn't a word that should come into anyone's vocab on this topic.

Some of your finest work there bub...

We'll do better, but mostly because it's Bailey's first opportunity to light a fire under the squad. But I'm not picking us to win.

Playing an 18 year old kid, low draft pick, as raw as he is, is the stupidest idea yet. We're rubbish at the moment, but how will a teenage kid make the difference. PJ looked ok for us. White will have these weeks. Meesen hasn;t gotten a game yet, but will. And while Jamar is a Dud we have two other ruckmen who are our starters with White who are in dire need of game time. Spencer needs a few years at least at Sandy.

I remember thinking by about round 3 or so we were shot last year. Anyone who knows me on this site knows I'm no pessimist. But we are not finals bound this year. Simple as that. I don't want a wooden spoon, but I am looking forward to another draft.

I've always rated PJ. He has a long way to go, and one good showing does not a great player make, but I'm pleased he'll turn a few doubters around. He'll have rough patches this year, and may be dropped every so often, but progress is being made, which is more than can be aid for many of the jokes that play in the red and blue these days.

It's the AFL's own site... You would think that other leagues and codes would be secondary, but nooo.... The NRL one works better. Shameful.

Yep. Frawley will play I reckon if there's a dropout. Thrilled they've gone with PJ over Jamar who is cooked. Bode will come into the side in time, he's still young, no reason to freak out. I wouldn't have played Weetra, but at the same time I'm excited that the powers that be are all for him playing so soon. Shows they have some faith in him, playing him ahead of some of the other players. Morton isn't as much of a shock, but I still didn't think he'd play. I'll be interested to see what happens on game day. While they're playing debutants too, I worry about our depth. I'm not sure we'll see too much, but as far as I'm concerned this is a good day. DB has proven he's all for playing the young guys. When Morton and Weetra line up, we'll have taken a step already, no matter what the result.

White as a forward has never really worked. I actually like the idea of him as a defender, but from what I've heard when they trilled him there, things didn't go swimmingly. I like PJ. He's going to be a player. I just don't know that he's ready for a lot of time in the ruck just yet, and he may NEVER be a classy tap-ruckman. So I like him more as that flexible type... Jamar moves like a sumo wrestler, is lucky to be on the list, and will need to cover SO mch ground not to be let go at the end of the year... The only reason I'm not sure Meesen should be given the number 2 spot straight away is that he's so new to the club. The more think about it the more I reckon it's a bit silly that I think that way. If he's good enough, he should be put on the bench... If not, Sandy it is... I'm all for White + PJ/Meesen in the right games, or Just White + PJ (Meesen emergency), until Meesen comes on a bit. Maybe just give hi a year in and out of the side. His work ethic alone has to be rewarded in some way.

Yze to win the brownlow.

Exactly. In the oh so political world of Footy, it's your credibility that gets things done. Libba has zero credibility at the moment.

Yze was ND's lovechild.... No contest.

Yep RR, you can harp on about the salary cap issues, and no-one will comment on it... Which is a shame, because you're dead right. We're reaping what we've sewn. As for the original post, it's not a bad effort. I pretty much agree on everything, but there were one or two things I'd dispute, like the fact that Robbo has 3 good years left in him, and that it's too earlky to dig into Meesen... but at this late stage why bother? It was pretty sound throughout... This 22 rounds are going to be a balancing act where the club tries to minimise the damage to its reputation and players' market value, while teaching the young guys how to become 22 round players... The next big decision that REALLY effects the club will be one of two things... The replacement captain, who could potentially come mid-year if Neita gets injured or gives it away a la Ox - OR - Who we get rid of to make room for our 2008 draftees... If we get rid of 8 players, we still won't have cast off enough dead wood to make a genuinely fresh list... Neita, JMac, Holland, Yze... Maybe White... and Whelan, given his injuries... ALL possible retirements before you even need to pick up your red texta... Then there's Warnock, Jamar and arguably CJ who should be out a the next opportunity. The first two are just plain not up to it. So that's 8 potentials right there... ANd I haven't even spoken about the rookies who, while good, are simply less likely to make it in the long run. (no disrespect to Valenti and Martin) If you're being realistic, they'll beg White to go around again. Looking at the age of many ruckmen left in the game, I doubt they'll let him go. Whelan has earned enough respect to be persisted with, and he can teach the young defence how to do their jobs... But those aside my point still stands. A couple of these guys were persisted with only because you can't delist 12 in one go. We've a long way to go...

Yep... couldn't be less enthused, and certainly can't remember a time when I WAS less enthused... I'm ok with the direction the club is taking, but it's going to be such a long time coming. We're going to have retirements galore at the end of the year, which will limit the amount of dead wood DB can rid us of. And then when we DO finally get the list he wants in place, they'll all be yet to have their first shave... This is probably the MOST important tme to be a member...

HA!!! H is gonna tear you a new one!!! :D

Sylvia will be the next Trapper. We will CLING to him until he has one good season, maybe this year or next year... then he'll rest on his laurels until we trade him to another club, and when he goes to the dons or pies he'll dominate with a more serious culture, and a coach who'll smack him properly when he's a naughty boy. You heard it here first...

There's gonna be mid-season retirements abound... In many ways, it could be WORSE than 2007.

Correct. I want to put someone ahead of them, and I think a club will probably do it given the even-ness of the comp and Geelong's luck... But I can't figure out which it will be... Too much crystal-ball gazing...

I'm not happy it happened, but I'm thrilled the club took this action. He keeps on getting in the media saying he'll pull his head in, but either he doesn't know what that means, or he's flat-out lying... Hopefully he'll see that given what he wants to do with the club, he has to make some sacrifices... And grow up.

Geelong - Boring. Adelaide - I rate them. I reckon all they need is a season or two in the doldrums then they come crashing back to premiership contenders. Port Adelaide - Good enough. May be being kind here. West Coast - Judd and Cousins weren't there last season and they still made top 4. They'll not win the flag but they're still a great club. Collingwood - McChins factor. Brisbane - I rate them. Have a LOT of players that are hard to stop, and Johnstone is a great trade for them. Hawthorn - They're the good stuff, but they're not there yet. Fremantle - Will keep up the best MFC traditions of one year on one year off. They have the list. Harvey will need one full season to become a premiership threatening coach. St. Kilda - Hard to fit them in. They have a good list still, just some holes... Carlton - Wanted to make them 9th. Essendon - Even with Knights... Sydney - Crash... Western Bulldogs - Never rated them. North Melbourne - Were NEVER the real deal. Played 8 positions above themselves last year. Richmond - Will battle it out with: Melbourne - Hate me all you want. I like our list, but it's all young guys and old guys... We are 14th at best IMO...

That's a good point. And that's why I reckon a second year is no GREAT surprise. We know exactly nothing about how good he is. One season isn't really enough to know whether or not he has what it takes. If we start seeing cohesiveness when the majority of the mids sare on the park, we'll sing his praises pretty damn quick. And STRAIGHT away he'll get poached by another club

Good to see that positivity os coming along... I can see why people would be disheartened... but I can't see why they'd be surprised. We did this all last year. We have a list of young-uns and under-done oldies... This is what happens when you play all kids. They blow their loads within the first half. Personally I'm ok with the idea that some younger guys, and some mid-age guys found some form. I don't like seeing veterans do ALL the work, and in this case we had Bate, Sylvia, Bell, Davey, Jones etc play good games. Sounds ok to me. I mean... a win would be nice, but you can't have it all!

I just admit I wondered why Williams was kept on... It probably wasn't his fault, but our midfield were no good last year. I supposed there was no reason NOT to keep him on, but there doesn't seem to be a compelling reason to retain him either... Behind closed doors he must have gained some respect.

I don't believe it... I saw the thread title and was going to write the same thing...