Nasher

I couldn't believe our luck when Carlton paid what they did for McLean. Doesn't bring in anything we need to our midfield now. Thanks for the laugh to that guy who said he offered the leadership we need though.

Just leave it alone.

Umm, no, I looked at the draw and saw them all there. I'm not hoping for anything. I'm not saying we WILL win them. You understand the difference between "winnable games" and "games we will win", don't you?

What's that all about? The quote is weird - he says "were not a club", "it was all about...". He's talking about something in the past but the headline implies the present - seems out of context to me.

I hope what?

Mediocre? Clark has been worth every one of those considerable number of pennies so far. I feel sick just thinking about what we'd look like without him at the moment.

Quote from Brad Scott after North rolled Geelong today: Let's consider that next time we're thinking of ragging on the coach about his performance in press conferences.

It's one heck of a draw, isn't it? Yikes. Pretty much all our winnable games are in the second half of the year.

Oh good. I'm sure the AFL, with its media rights deal and army of lawyers ready to enforce it, is very grateful that you've allowed one player comment per match, but respectfully disagrees.As I said, the clubs have an (contractual) obligation to provide a certain amount of player availability for media commitments. The players have to say something, sometimes. If you're not a fan, don't read the articles and don't watch the clips. Easy peasy.

I'm interested in people's updated thoughts, particulary from B-H and the others who have questioned Watts' appetite for the contest. I haven't seen anything that has made me call his commitment in to question so far this year - if anything there's been a number of moments that make me think he's getting the hang of it - that warms my heart. Certainly he's had fade-outs though, but that could just as easily be about fitness. How's he going?

The game where they're down by nearly 100 with a full quarter to play?

So what happens when the journos turn up for their obligatory interviews that the club is responsible for ensuring happen? Just sit there in silence?

Easy peasy! Except for that pesky other ruckman trying to tap it to _his_ bloke, but that's a minor detail.

The footy world is full to the brim of stupid people with no clue who talk complete rubbish, and those Richmond supporters are just case in point. Don't believe anything anyone says unless it's from someone who has proven trustworthy, that's my advice.

Next time tell them to lay off the crack. None of what you said they said makes any sense.

Defenders don't usually have to spend 25% of the game covering the entire ground (and jumping as high as possible every few minutes) on top of their work in defence, though. A ruckman spending time as a defender would be a very heavy workload. That's probably why no clubs have a player who plays this role despite it sounding like a good idea in theory.

I knew trying to apply a little rationality and analysis to the inane would be wasted, but you can't blame a man for trying.

So when does Martin rest? He'd be doing more work than any other player on the field with that kind of role. You can't "rest" in defence in the same way you can rest in the forward line.

Frees up Frawley to do what? Frawley does fine at being an attacking option and a checking defender at the same time. I don't think he'd "attack more" if he had a lesser opponent. If Sellar makes a better forward than Martin, then Sellar should be the ruckman/forward (assuming he's competent in the ruck), and Martin should be out of the side. Sellar played as a ruck/forward. I didn't see anyone mentioning how Martin was just a basketballer and not a footballer through his purple patch last year when Jamar was out. I know he's not playing well at the moment, but how short are our memories? He's not without hope of redemption like you and others imply.

Hyperbole at its best, wyl. Our situation both on and off the field doesn't compare to the 90s Lions. If I remember correctly, they had less than 5000 members in their later years, and were completely unable to retain their talent. Scully might've walked out the door for the coin, but Mitch Clark walked in - that would never have happened at Fitzroy.I'll also remind you of Carlton's run through the 00s: 2002: 3 wins 2003: 4 wins 2004: 10 wins 2005: 4 wins 2006: 3 wins 2007: 4 wins An average of 4.6 wins over 6 seasons. (How good was this, btw? I loved seeing them down there.) We'd have to win zero this year to equal their average through that run - that isn't going to happen. So we're not even the worst team since Carlton 00s, let alone since Fitzroy. Their turnaround was also quick after that absolute horror run - they suddenly won 10 in 2008 and have been on the rise ever since.

Martin might not be doing that well as a forward, but what's the point of playing him in backline? He doesn't add anything back there that we need. He either needs to usurp Jamar as the number one ruck, or figure out how to be an effective forward. Otherwise there's no role for him in the side and it's bye-bye. I found it interesting that we went with Sellar as the second ruck instead of Martin yesterday. If we consider Sellar to be a ruckman-forward, then he and Martin are in direct competition with one another for a spot in the side. There isn't room in the side for both in that role.

It's not the couple of turnovers I remember, it's his failure at any sort of a second effort after a contest. Admittedly it's only one, but it's what sticks out in my head. Watch the replay if you get a chance (I'm presuming you were at the game) - can't remember when it happens (second quarter?) - Mick Malthouse gives him a serve over it.I don't care about a handful of turnovers - that happens, and he has friends there.

Yep, one of the few carrying the load at present. Wasn't a perfect game today by any stretch, but he worked very hard and was literally everywhere. Really loving his development at the moment.

Clark, Watts, Howe, Jones. Can't find another two worthy and can't be bothered ordering them properly.

Yes stu, it really is that ridiculous. Why would we deliberately humiliate the club by staging a 10 goal loss to bloody Richmond when there is nothing obvious at stake? Come on, think this through just a little bit.