Dappa Dan

If he can learn to pick up more touches he'll basically be Lumumba reincarnated. Could potentially win B and Fs. Which is saying something.

Biffen-translator says: I agree.

Or conversations, or that many people. Anyone who's actually left Melbourne before realises Melbourne is just a great city, in too many ways to count. Even within Australia it's miles ahead.

Good point. We're nothing like as dangerous a side going forward, without Hogan. Is Fyfe a free agent? If so... wowee... if not... Who else could get that trade to happen? Watts (also a free agent)?

Oh wow. Is this the same FB page that kicked me off for suggesting Mitch Clark was a [censored]? If so, you're missing nothing. If you think this place is childish at times, you have no idea.

This Fyfe stuff... I got from a sauce a few days ago that Fyfe wants out, doesn't like Freo's direction and Lyon's game plan (seems a weird assertion given he won a brownlow under him) and wants to go somewhere he can win flags in his all important 25-30 years of his career. Suddenly Hogan to them for the best player in the game makes a lot of sense. Hogan from 21-35(ish) I would think is the richest commodity in footy vs Fyfe for 5 years, IMO, I'd rather Jesse. But as we know, what we want doesn't always materialise.

If we have to play these guys in prelims etc... never will there be more importance placed on who ended up higher on the ladder and got home ground advantage. We'll be punishing on the G, but we won't be able to stop their run up there.

OK. Now THAT'S more like it. Good post. Phew. Demonland has a paucity of these, these days. - I think that's what it is. If I'm completely honest, he's been one of my top keepers that I gave up a pretty price for in a UF league I've been in for 7 years, so I watch him VERY closely. My mail was that he really shoudlnt' have come back this year and that he was gonna be out for a couple of months after surgery. But he stayed in. Watching him in those years, and given his young age, it really does look like a temporary problem. Like Brayshaw's MCL. Having said that, I see your point. If it's an injury that curtails him, then maybe he'll be curtailed 50% of the time, for the rest of his career. - Yup. - That's a good point. Embley-style? And yeah, when you watch his games when he's loose, you see 20K 10HB, and a bucketload of marks. Then when he's required inside it's 15-15 split, and 8 tackles. When you watch closely, he just knows both roles. - Good point. It's a tough midfield to get into. What we have to ask is, is he better than player 22. Or midfielder 8 (whatever the last picked mid is) and can he play multiple roles, say forward or back. And yes, while Hunt is absolutely a flyer... he's only 1. We need more than that. - Yeah I see what you mean. The whole Hurley, Hibberd, Prestia thing... I had Prestia #1... but now. I take Hurley first. He will cost an arm and a leg, and he's maybe not the best KP defender in the league... but there's not many others. Hibberd might be right next to Prestia in terms of needs, cos he's a superb footballer. And then Prestia is last for the same reason you gave above.

Fair enough. One man's trash etc. I would say though that you don't need to see him in a gun outside role. He's already done it. We're not crystal balling here. 2013 and 2014 he played that role, and was averaging 25 and 27 touches a game those years. 2015 was the same til he was hurt, and he's not been too good since. Lost that extra yard and hasn't been too good disposal wise. As far as kicking is concerned, I encourage you to have a close look at his delivery to forwards. Distance, shape and accuracy are what I see when he's not under an injury cloud, which he has been all year. But as I say, to each their own.

? Hard to think of two mids less like him. He's only playing the inside role right now because they've got so many injuries. And while he's not playing at an A grade level right now, he does have a history for a couple of years there of being elite in a number of areas. The big ones we need in particular. Don't let his current job fool you. He's a super outside player. Pace, endurance, kicking. He's a jet.

Melksham vs Hibberd? Hibberd all the way. Better player all round. Melksham I'm lukewarm on. Goes in hard, tries his guts out, but meh disposal. If one thing's been made clear to me this year (apart from how good we're gonna be in the next 5 years or so), it's that we need a little more pace and a lot more skill.

I was thinking the same earlier in the year, about resting him completely. Or perhaps just leaving him out of AFL. Obviously he's in just as much danger of hurting his mush again in the VFL since that's where he copped his head knocks. As for being left out this season, I think it sends a bad message to him not to respect his willpower to get back in. We want the whole list fighting for spots consistently, so to encourage that is important. A good/great last 10 rounds from him will get him on the way to getting his confidence back, which I worry might be desperately low given what's happened to him, especially his courage in the contest. Anyone who's had concussion, or had worrying impact injuries knows those first few hits, you're more anxious than you normally would be. Also, factor in the early knee injury in the NAB Cup. I remember thinking at the time that even if he does come back for round one, he's not going to be 100% for months. Those MCLs play up for ages before the player can hit full stride. I'm excited to see what he'll be able to do without bing hindered by it.

Still think the same thing. The club sees something in him I don't, and with this administration I have enormous faith, so I watch him, and I look on him positively. Even with that in mind, I'm not seeing enough special stuff. With his big bro, I do see special stuff. But then I didn't at first. Thought he was a clunky tall late pick defender. All we knew is he had a big work ethic. I have a feeling Ozzie might be liked by the panel because they look at Tmac's parents, and the work ethic instilled in him, and think they will have two of him now. Seems a bit of a reach tho. I'm gonna wait a couple more seasons til I make my mind up on him, and that's ok, especially with talls. What I'm stunned by is that he's playing in a team that's hunting a top 8 spot mid year when Dunn is in the magoos. The experience, kick, and credentials Dunn has are worth more right now than a developing kid. Bravo Roos on having the guts to continue developing the kids, even though we're still in the running. Paints on the wall for Dunn though when he can't get a game against the gorillas we were against today.

Foles is doneskies. If he got another starting job I'd be stunned. If he landed at Jets though, he could do ok. Watched him at Philly when he was "good." Nobody liked him, even then.

Was probably our best in the quarter that won the game for us. I'm still off him. I still think the lack of pace will break him. But I have a glimmer of hope that he finds a Mitchell-style engine to be a useful in and under. His goal, and then his long kick to Watts, on a day when we showed one of our big weaknesses (skill) was why. Too skilled and smart not to be given the time to find out what he's got when he's 100%.

Yeah I was gonna say. I would have thought jaeger is better inside, Prestia better outside. Though at their best, before their injuries, both were pretty good at both.

Don't have to. I only have to look at Viney circa 2016. Oliver. Vince. Hogan isn't lacking for courage. Tyson. How good is footy...

Crazy isn't it. In fact MMM and the TV crowd kept tsk tsking the inaccuracy and how poor we were at times. Derwayne actually disagreed... "I reckon they've been a little better than the scoreline suggests. They've been awe-inspiring at times." The world has gone topsy turvy.

Not necessarily. We've seen development talls play, like Omac. I'm thinking if Jack's form doesn't pick up he might be shifted up the ground. Pedo also is very crash and bash, and is probably to miss a game here or there through injury. Or suspension, he very nearly missed one this week. But yes. I'm hoping we're alive right til round 22 for finals. But failing that... a 2016 weed debut is looking like a necessity for next year's plans.

lol Now now... Manners JH. Pretty good example of the attitude you see on the facey groups. Children.

lol "at times" Yeah. You should see what the facebook pages are like. Got booted off one for making a fair criticism of Mitch Clark one time. Turned out i was right. There is such a thing as loving your club TOO much.

Noone who follows the game gave him a chance. When he fumbled that first ball, he was a dead man walking. Heh. Sook. Bring on Wentz I say. lol I would even get excited about the inevitable high first round pick. But we traded it away.

Yeah. The experience I'm not as worried about. It comes when we get games into these main kids. I see about 10 names to get seriously excited about, but almost all are under 50 games. Some aren't even in double figures. Do we go get experience? I dunno. We have it in Jones and Vince. Mostly I freaking love our list and our 22. I knew I liked it going into this season, but the outrageous success of Olly and Gawn, along with Viney... it's vaulted us into a stratosphere I didn't see coming. But yes. Some more skill. And outside pace a la Kent.

I'm not expecting much from Hulett, just through painful recent history (Davis, Cook)... But Weed I'd LOVE to see come in for the last round or two, and kick 4 playing as a foil to Jesse. If that happens, along with our kids, just watch what the media does with us. They'll say Ruck, midfield, tall and short forwards all sorted out. Good CHB and small defenders sorted too. Not much left to get there....