Dappa Dan

Watched him closely. He had a limp up very often. No excuses or anything, players play with worse all throughout the year, only has to look as far as his captain to see that. But Jacks first and most important strength that's led to him being a real AFL player is his ability to cover ground (QB winner). Take that away he's just a neat kick who can't get into the areas he needs to to get it. Every opposition supporter you know has him as an early second rounder. round 16 he was a first rounder easily.

This game stinks. Nothing to see here. Except for Macca. Who's doing cartwheels.

Bears front 7 looked like a sieve. Packers OL got the easiest drive you've seen. This game looks over already lol.

Giants and Dallas are for most teams like Pies and Dons for us... You hate whichever one is more of a threat that year. Personally though, I don't operate like that. I hate Giants #1... Dallas close second. Which makes last weekend all the sweeter.

Yeah. And then there's Rodgers... Either he goes off and we see fireworks (and Cobb gets me 30 points in fantasy)... or his line screws up and we get to see him throwing on the run, which is always pretty amazing... And maybe that causes a close game. In any case. Packers are always a treat. Like watching Seahawks D, Broncos D, Brady, Atlanta in general, Newton, OBJ...

Comfortably backing the Packers. But these games are often a surprise.

If he was, the Watts news wouldn't even rate a mention.

Suits a list that needs a mature head. Not a list that already has their mature head recruits, and is struggling to fit in some of the younger players as it is.

Yeah, see. Even that I'm not sure is true. Howe's role at the demons wasn't the same as it is at Pies, where incidentally they told him he'd be a winger and a forward. We could have played him 22 games a year in defence, but we didn't because we had big plans at the position. Add to that the fact he wanted to go, and needed a new start after a number of years of awful results. His heart and mind weren't at the demons. I think maybe you're saying we didn't get value for him, given the stats he's put up this year and last. But when he made the decision to walk, we didn't have control over that. All we could do was get the value we could at the time, which we got. Watts situation is different. He's contracted.

Not gutted massively. If you take away the emotional investment he's a player who's gifts are matched by his faults. He's not a Hogan type who you absolutely know what you'll get from. I feel like wherever he goes, he'll improve and be a good player. KP forwards tend to improve in their late 20s and early 30s. But as much as he'll improve, he'll never be a champion. With that in mind, if you're brutal about where we are as a club and how serious we are as a list, then a trade makes sense. Also factor in the sentimental side. He's been a good servant. If it's what he wants, I think he's earned it. Personally I've been all for a trade of him for a number of years, based only really on what he's worth on the open market vs what we get from him if he stays... It's a 50-50 call. He could stay and be solid. He could go and get really good as a player. Who knows. Total crystal ball thing... So with that in mind, it comes down to price. People are saying he's worth a 2nd rounder only, based mostly on how he finished the season. Earlier this year, and at any point from about round 2-16, he was a first rounder easily. KP forwards, albeit odd ones like Jack, don't grow on trees. Anyone that's 195cm and kicks like he does is a known entity, and is definitely worth a first. I have a sneaking suspicion it involves a 2018 Port pick. I feel like that's the trade we're trying to get into, and every other club is trying to get into. So with Port's first rounder this year not available, and a first rounder next year probably way too valuable... I feel like it might be their second rounder this year and next, with a third rounder and Watts from us. Something in that ballpark. Fear not though, folks. The list management at the club aren't spuds anymore. Whatever call they make, I'm confident in. If Watts leaves, it's because they made the call. I can deal with that, sad as it may be. Also. You just never know. Gibbs was supposed to go. Stayed and looks like being a 1 club player. He's not gone just yet, Jack.

Jeez. And I thought last week's picks were tough. Umm... I dunno. Eagles (just cos), Bengals, Giants.

Yeah, sounds to me like you're not giving your offense the respect it's slowly earning. Probably smart though we're only 3 games in. And Seahawks have been there done that. I feel a bit the same about Eagles. Cowboys have been patchy, but are still 2-1 and undefeated in the division. I feel like Eagles are playing about as well as they can. So yeah, playing for second and a wild card really.

Agree. Not saying they're rubbish, but they're not amazing either. Mind you. That D. Phew.

We've taken it to PM.

Every year it's close. Eagles have the 2-0 division record. Giants 0-2, Skins 0-1 and Dallas 1-0... Every year it comes down to that metric. And Eagles have the start to stay in it now thanks to a ridiculous kick. I still have Dallas comfortably taking the division. But Eagles will have to be thereabouts now. The draw isn't too bad either, somehow. Yeah they're a damn talented football side. A lot will depend on pass rush. If Lawrence gets to Goff, things will get dicey. How good is a high octane offense tho. All those good receivers. Goff has the weapons. I'll tune in.

Yeah. Wentz deep ball isn't accurate. That's why I asked. Goff has this awkward pocket presence that they identified on the weekend, how he doesn't step up, backs out to give himself more time which is something that plays into the hands of the opposition. Thing is, that's fixable. He doesn't lean on his athleticism like Wentz. He's more like a Brady/Manning style passer that lives and dies by his accuracy and release. All the stuff you can measure and can't really fix, like release time, accuracy, decision making etc... Goff's got those in spades. Wentz has got out to the early lead, but I think Goff has the potential to go past him. Albeit not by a lot. I see Wentz more as currently a Rothlisberger type. Big heavy lad who moves great and can throw. His attitude is exemplary, and he's a great leader. But when it comes down to that last play in that clutch game for the title, and you need a quick accurate pass. I think Goff might be the guy you lean towards. Good time to be Eagles and Rams.

@Macca Did anybody get ANY right? lol Quick scroll back I think most people I looked at whiffed on all three. Impossible week to pick.

God I hate him. You'd think by now he'd start getting to the point he won't be making all the other teams his [censored]. Seems to me he's either stayed exactly the same, are even marginally improved what with his new receivers. You and I with our sparkly new QBs, we're supposed to compare them to Brady? Ugh. Speaking of QB comparisons... Where do Wentz and Goff sit now?

What. Ryan Griffen? The guy can't stay fit or get a game. League footy went past him about 3 years ago. Even as an unrestricted free agent, we shouldn't take him. Wouldn't even get a game with the mids we have needing to get on the park. And are people seriously discussing a Max Gawn trade? On any level? Bloody hell. Guys, just take a break. Silly season is nearly here and we can do it for real instead of making up stuff.

In other news folks. 61 yards. 61. Sixty-one. Biggest at the Linc. Biggest by an Eagle. Rookie playing his second game. After missing a 40 yarder earlier. Against a division Rival with OBJ playing and dominating... to make them go 0-3 with their vaunted defense, Eli, JPP, Marshall... Eagles might not do much this year. But wow. That was as good as it's gonna get this year. The hair on the back of my neck is still on end thinking about Wentz charging in to hug the kicker he met a fortnight ago. I'm not saying it's Tom Macdonald at Subi.... But it's something.

Every year we get a new bunch of teams that have to be watched. Rams, Jags, KC... And a list of about six that are next tier... Pack, Skins, Pats, Titans, Raiders, Cowboys... NFL is football Mecca. Even in a "defense first" year like this year. Well. No need to misunderstand just cos you're sheltered. I hate America more than most, but until you live there, and are black, you don't qualify to claim any intellectual high ground. In the world of demonland? You're a smart man. And nothing if not entertaining... But... Let me put it this way. Stand in front of my mate Jesse (not Hogan), and tell him you know more than him about kneeling at a football game in the name of race relations. I bet you wouldn't. You don't know as much as you think you know... People are entitled to their own opinion. Some footballers realise they're lucky to have the privilege their bodies and athletic prowess allow them, and want to do something with it. Why hate? You've certainly proven in our little community here that you are smart enough to know that you are NO authority on USA race relations. Correct me if I'm wrong? (honest request, not being glib). On the subject of the runoff rule being stiff... You know I love my Eagles. A few years ago (2013) Chip Kelly got his bunch of spuds to the division title. A year later (2014) he got them to the exact same finish (10-6) and because of the rules... missed out by a hair. A season later, he was 7-9 (good enough for second in the NFC east), and out of a job... and his career has yet to recover. Probably won't recover. At no point in the 2014 season, as an Eagle fan, did ANYONE complain about the rules. Not Chip, not Lurie, not any fans. Noone called for a change. We all came into the season knowing what needed to be done to make playoffs. We all accepted it and competed in full knowledge. Your rule, in game, might be hard to watch unfold. But everyone knew it. Everyone adhered. What no-one talks about is how, as AFL fans, we all think it's our privilege to [censored] about it. NFL fans? They know their place. It's more important to them to win according to the rules everyone else plays by, than to win if they get a sneaky rule change. Maybe Cotchin/Hall get past a suspension. Maybe Buddy gets away with a curve on his set-shot approach that noone else in the history of the game gets away with. Not in the NFL. The only recent instance is the tuck rule, which was pretty brutal. And that was 15 years ago!!! Otherwise, everyone is on board. They have a disaster of a commissioner running the thing. They have controversies that are so bad (concussion) that it's actually made players in our own club walk away. And yet, everyone in the league understands.... we all can whine... but in the end, we respect the rules of the game. If we didn't make it, we weren't good enough. Long story short. Falcons won. Noone's disagreeing. Noone's bitching. They can lament... That's football fandom. But Falcons won. Man. I wish we could have some of that in AFL. Pies fans have been ringing in 3-4 months after Queens birthday claiming they only lost cos of the umpires. NFL fans would be laughed out of town for that behaviour.

I reckon it's totally fair to review. They should, really, every year. I don't think it's fair to say he's gotta go though. Everyone knows our problem was discipline, injuries and the big one... youth. We won 12 games, and many of them we ran down leads late. I think we're ok, but we need that one more year into the players that are doing the heavy lifting. Tracca particularly. Olly to some degree as well.

Amazing what an OL does. I remember when I first started watching NFL. I was thinking, ok, I get the WRs, RBs, QBs... I get that you need CBs to stop the great stars.... and you need DEs to get to the opposition passers and sack them... But what's the big deal about the OL? 5 guys who seem to soak up money and let you down all the time? Then I saw Jason Peters, Evan Mathis and others dominate.... Then I saw what a good OL does at Dallas over the last few years. Now I get it. This game is won and lost in the trenches. Zeke is a good player. Dak isn't awful. But they're NOTHING without that line blocking for them. Boys will be a force for many years to come with them in there. Rams with Whitworth are seeing what happens when you give a young talented kid time in the pocket. First he finds a few WRs with slant routes and check downs. Then he gets confident and starts spreading it to Gurley. Then he gets really keen and starts hitting the WR they picked up only a couple of weeks ago for some ridiculous catches. All the while the lanes are opening up for Gurley, and he's currently the highest scoring RB in football. All because Goff has protection. It's a beautiful thing. People will tune in specifically for that offense now. Oh... and the best player at Rams isn't even on offense. Their D goes ok as well.

Wow. I totally forgot. Yeah I did. It was fun, but from memory only about 4 guys stuck around. @Kraken on here did mostly cos he was making me coffee every morning and wanted to have someone to smacktalk every day. I'd be happy to do it again for next year. I'll give everyone a simple run down of it closer to the date. Yeah, unfortunately, you get out of it what you put it. I wouldn't say it's a LOT of work... But you should check in a couple of times a week. Basically, you need about 30-60 minutes on draft day to make sure you get the guys you want. You can autopick as well, and that usually works out well. After that it's a system of picking up guys on waivers that come in, particularly running backs, through injury. Hunt this year is a great example. Would have been on not too many lists in leagues, then Ware happened, and Hunt is outdoing Zeke at the same stage last year. If you don't pay attention to who's out, who's coming in for them etc etc... you can easily end up with a team that loses every week because you don't drop your injured guy, or guys who have byes.

How 'bout them Rams Gorg!! Man that was fun to watch. Tripled their viewership for the rest of the season now. Watkins, Woods, Kupp... That's 3 that will be among the best in the league... With Gurley running it, and Goff slinging it near perfectly all day. And they have a great D, though they didn't play great today.