Dappa Dan

Gonna go positive... cos if ever there was a night to go positive this was it... Jetta is a man amongst boys. How he got to the stage where he's that heroic, in that kind of pressure... it makes you rethink every rookie you're thinking has to be delisted. Viney is amazing as well. But we have to take a serious look at Hogan and Tracca. That kind of drop off isn't acceptable. Actually, you know what, I will go negative. I NEVER pot the umpires. But that was biased, homecrowd, amateur nonsense. I try to sell this game to overseas (USA) types, and I'm not sure I can after that. And the worst part is the rest of the league will say it was a cracker.

He's shown more than most of those names. I don't think they adjust it for age/maturity though. Of course guys who are 21 are going to make more of an impact in their first 12 games than 18 year olds. I think the point is some people look at production and ignore potential, which is what's happening here.

Still going through it. Fritsch at times looks like he's come straight from a Harry Potter film. Wait til he gets thicker.

People forget quickly, don't they.

I dunno... I really don't think there's that much between him and Wentz. As I've said before, he's even better than Wentz at certain things... And Wentz will be top 2 in this you'd think.

I thought it was good credit. He is a gun.

Wow. Goff into the 30s in NFL top 100 @Gorgoroth

Ah I see. I think we're clashing on definitions here. To me Jack Watts is a 200+ game player, but a draft bust. According to the yanks though, you have to be an absolute disaster of a footballer to be termed that, so I can see the confusion there. Yeah, again, all about opinions. I'm not comparing those players directly to Billings. Some aren't even similar to him in any way, like AVB for example. My only point is the list management one. If we decided half those names weren't up to it at AFL level, then yeah, Billings becomes a target. But it's clear Goody loves a lot of those names and wants them in his side. For what it's worth I want to see all of them at MFC next year, including Garlett and AVB. No you can't guarantee. Unless you're working for MFC? In which case, for gods sake get off this board. lol What you can do is attempt a prediction. I don't agree with it though, which I reckon is all we're doing here. If the Saints get rid of him and it's not for a first rounder, then I'll come back and see I was right. 70 games for a pick 3, then traded out for a second rounder is a bust in my book. You're welcome to assure me. I'm going to assure you though, that we won't take him if we still have our current crop of small forwards. The whole thing is a bit of a yawn for me really. I mean... After yesterday it's clear we have a need for speed and skill through the midfield. Shiel-type/Gaff-type players. Mostly though we need a graders. We were shown up badly by some big name mids, and Billinsg doesn't solve that. Just more of the same.

What the hell are you talking about. Wingard's played multiple super seasons, dual all-australian under 25. Stupid comparison. He's a star out of form (til the weekend) and being played out of position. How does he compare? Billings kicked 5 goals in a game and everyone got on board last year, but he wasn't the second coming of Gary Ablett jr was he. He's massively over-rated and is currently a big draft bust. He's played 70 games and you can count on one hand the ones he affected the result like the star he was drafted to be. Lynch was a first rounder, 3 years into his career he hadn't done much and went for a second rounder. And he was a KP forward... a rarer commodity than a 183cm mid. You can rate him as high as you want, but you're delusional if you think he's worth a first rounder. First rounders only go to players who've put together whole seasons. And yes, I did watch Billings last year. If that was supposed to be his breakout year, then I call it a draft bust. Bont was taken a pick after, and has left Billings in his wake. The Braysh comparison is at least closer to the mark. The injury side of things is where they differ. I'm not suggesting Tyson as a straight swap. I do reckon the Saints would love a player like him though, and he's viewed by many (not me) as surplus. Tyson plus overs would make sense. As I said in previous post, we're "swimming" in small forwards. Jeffy can't even get a game. He kicked 40+ last year. Hannan, ANB, Melksham, Harmes, Tracca, Spargo, Kent, AVB, Balic, Fritsch, Bugg.... all are serious players who've played serious minutes. Many are champing at the bit to get a game. Billings probably offers slightly more than a few of those names, but giving up a first rounder for a player in an area we're already strong is just dumb list management. In other words, Billings' value is what he gets in a trade. Right now there isn't a club who'd give up a first rounder for him.

Why does everyone think Grundy got Gawn? I didn't notice one ruck get a serious hold of the other on the day. Stats aren't everything but they support this. 5 more hitouts to Grundy, Gawk kicked a goal. Also, Grundy's great strength is getting touches around the ground, and Gawn beat him on that count too.

Didn't disgrace himself. I don't think he has Lever's read of the play (who does?), but at least in contests was good enough. His setup/launching work, as many predicted, wasn't there... which is something that can be built on. The worry now though is matchups. Taller forward lines will eat him up.

lol @ poll results. He's been a great get. Did everything he could on the day. Gee some people are hard to please.

Define "selling him short?" I know he was setting the AFL world on fire last year. I'm not saying we shouldn't be interested. It's only a question of price. He's not worth an early-mid second rounder. With a player who's draft value is almost entirely potential-based, you shouldn't give up good draft capital. Refer to Lynch (I know, I know... he's a KP forward and they take longer)...he was a first rounder who was traded for a late second rounder... That's the key. If you take a highly drafted player and hope that his potential works out at another club, then that's ok, provided you don't give up much to get him. Besides all that, it's more about how much room you have in your 22. Who wants to see him languishing at Casey when our fleet of small forwards are dominating at AFL level? It's not that he's not good enough. But a small forward? We're swimming in them at the moment.

I'm not used to reading serious posts from you. I kept waiting for a chuckle in there. At least throw in a pun somewhere... so we know it's you.

Little bit of Benken around him. If you traded a second rounder for him, you'd likely be eyeing the second rounder's career as a comparison, and not be happy with what you see. The real question is... we'll have plenty of players wanting to play for us. So do we need him over another small forward who's keen on the red and blue? Is there even ROOM in our 22 for a small forward? MFC's small forward brigade would, as of now, be one of the hardest roles to get a game in league wide. When you consider our starting Fs, there always seems to be about 14 of them. So good luck to anyone trying to squeeze those guys out. I'm all for the trading of a 3rd rounder, or a past-it spud for a former top 4 pick. As long as the club realises that's all they're doing. Trading for pretty much a draft bust.

For a bit of balance... Yes Rance is a diver and is overrated... What I can't stand though is how Tigers supporters have him past SOS and Scarlett as the best KP defenders. He's not even close to either.

Filled out a bit, hasn't he.

I wanna see the numbers. Felt like a 40+er for Tyson... Which may have been a reflection of how well he used it...

Watched about 50%. Answer is yes for me.

If Weed had a bad first half, this last quarter he's been the opposite.

Oh Frost. Wow.

Superb Keilty

It could still happen, Bradford style. We're a long way from week 8... The usual media on Wentz. Cleared for 7 on 7 this week and on track to come back in time. Players saying he is throwing it as well or better. It's all the regular stuff though... we won't know anything til we see him move. His ability to evade is critical to his success. Personally, I have Goff as the sllliiiiightly better arm for release time and precision. If Wentz can't go sideways, he will need to find some clever new tricks to get past Goff.

I gotta go with RGRS. As long as the 22-24s are performing like 25-26 what's the point? It's not like we're the baby bombers, or Hawks in 2008... I fully expect we will turn the list over. A few choice 28 year olds will come to us and we'll lose a Hunt here and an ANB there... but overall I reckon the core won't be touched. Every demons fan's core will differ slightly, but they'll usually have the names Hogan, Petracca, Oliver, Gawn, Viney, OMac, TMac, Salem, Lever, Melksham and Brayshaw in there. Every one of those is under 25 aside from Gawn (26), Melks (26) and TMac (25). Keep them and allow for some movement elsewhere, and you have yourself a premiership window that takes up one whole wall of your house. 25-26 year olds be damned.

I (prefer to) have no memory of when it was.