Nasher

Wha, there was a ODI series on? I switched off literally the minute the last Test finished.

You can target more than one type of player at once.

Since you seem to know all about it, how does that figure stack up compared to what we're paying the rest of our players, and our position on the salary cap(/floor)?

It's a community that means something to some people. Doesn't mean anything personally to you - fine. I for one would be pretty pissed if Andy and Jack were tricked in to handing over the keys to Demonland to some fruitloop who saw my patronage of this site as some means to some crazy end after a decade of contributing to the site.

Ask yourself the question: if you were Paul Chapman and you thought you were still capable of playing, would *you* leave Geelong to play for Melbourne? I know Roos has pull, but I doubt he's going to shake loose any elite players from the best sides unless they've got serious question marks, or they're after monster cash. Chapman will retire a one-club player.

Salary cap pressure never squeezes out first string midfielders. It squeezes out Blake Caracella, Justin Blumfield and *cough* Chris Heffernan. If you're really lucky you might shake out a player like Craig Bird, but honestly I can't see the Swans having that much of a problem with the cap. Enough work goes in to salary cap management these days that clubs almost never back themselves in a corner with unsustainable large contracts.

I conceded a long time ago that I have SFA knowledge about footy, but this would just confirm it. I have no idea what Jolly adds at this stage of his career. I can't see Jamar being traded for anything worthwhile and I can't see why we'd want to carry two ruckman whose best are a *long* way behind them. If it's coaching we're after, hire a coach. Don't hire a ruckman who no longer seems capable of playing a complete season of AFL footy. In Roos we trust, I guess.

Great story. I don't even care whether it's true or not.

Yes, sorry, at work today and left my phone at home. I'll give you a buzz later on depending on how late I get home.

Sorry. Brain operating had less than optimal levels today.

He is. Well, was, until a few hours ago before the site thief revoked my access. Don't worry about that though, there are other ways and means to skin this cat. It just has to wait until I get home.

Redleg, I don't understand why you're so anti-Byrnes. I get that he didn't have a great year, but he wasn't any worse than a number of other contracted players and the team on the whole was an absolute trainwreck, yet you single him out repeatedly. The idea of paying him out is just silly; there are more than enough uncontracted potatoes for us to give the boot without flushing money down the toilet by paying out a contracted player, who could still prove to be useful under a competent coach. I'm not pro-Byrnes by any means, I just can't see a justification for your extreme far-anti position.

What the..? I did some work with gsmith a while ago but life got in the way and it all stalled. I've still got the keys - if someone can tell me what's going on.... ??

Bzzzt. Byrnes was a UFA. Gillies was the delisted free agent we took from Geelong.

Likewise.

It depends on if you're expecting to lose any free agents, I guess. If you thought you were going to lose (say) Sylvia, you'd offer pick 99 (or whatever pick we've got). Otherwise you'd just save all the hassle and take him as a DFA. Do DFAs even count as compensation for the loss of a UFA/RFA?

Why can't we have someone better than Cross *and* Cross? "For what" - because he makes our midfield better. I'd like our midfield to be better, even if it's only for a year. Wouldn't you? The only question I had on Cross when this was first raised was whether or not he was finished. He didn't look at all finished to me when we played them in round 22. I'm definitely in favour and hope we get him.

And yet, he's not coming out and saying that, even though improving on the field is clearly the intent.

Not that it really matters in the big picture, but he has easily been the best coach of my lifetime. His achievements were remarkable considering the cesspools that occurred either side of him. Get well to one of my favourite adopted Demons.

He's a sensitive kid who is up to his neck in feelings, so he's probably more prone to confidence swings than most players. He is exactly the sort of player I'd expect to respond to a coach like Roos, who connects with his players better than most. Furthermore I imagine his hip troubles would play a huge impact in his present lack of core strength. I'm still very bullish Toumpas. He's skilled and clever, just needs confidence and body strength to go with it.

Indeed. If he wasn't a cultural sore we wouldn't be having this discussion, because the guy can clearly play.

I wonder why Rawlings has been spared? I have always had the impression that he was a class above the others, but it's a view that I have nothing to support other than perception from a long distance.

This thread isn't about the PP, so I have removed all the posts that seemed to pretend that it was.

I'm all for bringing in hardened experience and so forth, but I'd prefer we avoided players who are clearly finished.

Anyone else get the impression that Redleg isn't a fan of Patrick's?