Nasher

Looking at the list, Hunt starting to show something and Harmes' form throws a spanner in to the works re: list management this year. At this point, I have lines through Jamar, McKenzie, Fitzpatrick and Bail. I re-contract Gawn and Cross. I'd like to elevate Harmes; King retained as third year rookie and White as second year rookie. That's only a net 3 changes to the senior list; not enough turnover. Someone out of the players who I would prefer to keep (in order of most to least merit) - Pedersen, Toumpas and maybe Riley, will have to go if Garland and/or Howe don't. I'm not as dead set on retaining Garland as I was earlier in the year now. Having Terlich on a lengthy contract will hurt us this year I think. Is Michie being contracted until 2016 correct?

For a fella who I reckon is one of Demonland's more knowledgeable posters, you sure act like a dolt sometimes. I'm not content with being average. I merely don't ride the roller coaster of "we'll push for finals" to "we won't win another game all year" that crops up on here from week to week. Surely you can see that describing this week as the "tipping point" is nothing but rank hyperbole? Jeez, it wasn't even the worst we've been this year, let alone in the last 5. We knew we had a propensity for being crud when we shouldn't be. We knew that our effort and intensity are inconsistent. I don't know why we carry on after each loss as if it's something new. And it'll all be forgotten when we win again. Until we lose again, of course...

Just giving this thread the quality of contribution I thought it deserved.

It's going to be hilarious on here when we beat Collingwood next week.

There's always one.

Would you prefer that they didn't try?

We are unwatchable. It's not the defensive focus or the rolling scrums, it's the fact that you just know with every movement forward, we will torch the entry in to 50 and lose it. It's just so bloody frustrating. Stretch, vanders, Brayshaw and Harmes - these young blokes all add something at their best and have really bright futures, but there are too many of them in our side and when they all fail at once, it leaves too much for too few. It's not their fault, it's just how it is. I expect to see Matt Jones, Bail et al reappear and finish the season out shortly. It sucks, but that's why they're on the list - to take punishment instead of the valuable youth. I don't know why the selectors bother picking Michie. I'm not particularly a fan, but he is being set up to fail, or so it appears from my bean bag. Bernie, Jones, Cross, Dunn (if I'm generous). Thank God for these guys. Carrying the side on their backs at present. At least it's not poor old Jones on his own now. I don't forecast a bleak future based on my most recent memory like many, I've seen plenty to remain optimistic this year. The risk for me is that I die of boredom waiting.

Hah. Ol' Bronwyn ruined it for everyone eh?

Considered catching a helicopter, Song?

It's only you and every other non-North supporter on Earth. That he's a great player with impressive longevity isn't in dispute though.

Only 4 kids, Bub. Is that enough to qualify me for comment? And yes, I know it sucks to be the only loser MFC kid in the school when everyone else goes for a good team. I was that kid once.

<--- appreciates Bernie (Edit: Me, not Gus and Christian, though they probably do too.)

I have to say I'd love to see someone decide to be a smartarse and take a place kick after the siren from half forward one day.

I reckon the pull of bonding with Dad outweighs a kid's want of success, and by the time they're old enough to care about success they're too entrenched to change. I've changed my tack with my kids lately and it's improved their interest 200%. These days it's more "yayy Melbourne, go Demons, yayyy! Oh never mind, we lost by 80 points again. Let's have icecream." It's very different when I'm watching on my own!

Knowing our luck, Hogan would fall over it and do a knee.

If I were going by myself I'd agree with you - get the best angle and enjoy the luxury of winding the buggers up should the chance arise. Not with my 5 year old son though.

I'd sit with the MFC people. If you want to successfully brainwash the boy, it's a no-win situation sitting with the Freo fans. If we're losing/getting thrashed, it's going to be hard work sitting there glum and grumpy while you're surrounded by a rabid euphoria dressed in purple. If a miracle happens and we're winning, he'll miss the great atmosphere and bond you get with other supporters when your team gets on top. I doubt a slightly different perspective of the game is going to be the difference between winning him over or not.

Final bench Grimes, Michie, Stretch, Harmes for mine.

John Fidge posted on Demonland a few times a couple of years back. I recall him being a bit confused by the guy who has "Ted Fidge" as his username. I wonder if JF still visits?

It's yesterday's argument anyway. I really doubt we'd be that much better off if we had NicNat instead of Watts. Both are good players with flaws that will prevent them from reaching the top shelf. Both players are a case study in how elite attributes don't necessarily translate in to an elite player, and that even very early draft picks are still just a lottery, no matter how sure a thing you think the player is.

Thread too far gone to rescue.

1) Clubs, particularly shrewd ones like Sydney, don't rate draft picks anywhere near as highly as supporters do. There's no way they'll offload a good player like Parker for what is essentially a lottery ticket. A bird in hand and all that. If anything, they're much more likely to offer "reasonable" value for players they want - see first round draft picks for modest role players Ted Richards and Darren Jolly. 2) If they truly have salary cap issues, they won't offline players out of their top tier, they'll lose middle players (see Heffernan/Blumfield/Caracella from the Bombers mid-00s). I doubt they have issues anyway - they wouldn't have taken Franklin and Tippett if it meant having to ditch really talented mids. There would be some magic happening under the bonnet there somewhere. 3) Adding guff (Fitz, Spencer et al) does not increase the value of the trade, it devalues it. Sydney do not want our junk. I know I was being a smartarse with my previous comment, but in Sydney's shoes I would truly dismiss the trade with a curt "not interested".

Yep, the fixturing sure comes up with some strange scenarios - playing the Saints twice in very close proximity when there are still teams we haven't played yet. Hopefully the rematch has a happier ending.

I wholeheartedly disagree with everyone who reckons Harmes needs a rest. He's played 2 senior games, and is still gaining momentum. Nothing in the way he played yesterday said "tired" to me. I have no doubt he'll end up back at Casey before the season is up, in the meantime let him capitalise on the form he has built up over the season.

I put my Sydney hat on, laugh, and walk away. And I'm keeping the hat.