Nasher

I watched the West Coast game last week and I saw: - Tyson Stenglein at full back -- and persisted with, despite getting a genuine spanking by Morton - Mark LeCras on the ball - Adam Selwood at full forward Fair suck of the sav, if that isn't tanking then it's the worst match day coaching you will ever see. Tanking as such is a pretty easy game, just make sure your match winners are out of the way when the game is up for grabs. It's not about "not trying", it's just making sure your best isn't quite good enough. That means playing players out of position, resting key players at key times, etc. West Coast really have mastered it. We need to be able to do it too. Like others have said, if we win more than 4 this year it'll be a complete waste. Based on all of that, I predict long periods of bench time for Aaron Davey, particularly through third quarters, for the rest of the year.

I agree -- can we please try and engage brains before posting threads please people?

Personally I wouldn't pencil in any dates/rounds. As soon as he starts getting his hands on the footy more, he's in IMO, be it next week, round 22, or next year. He won't be useful to the side before that, but once he's getting more of the ball his elite kicking will be essential.

That's what I thought too. Seemed a pretty obvious contradiction.

As a footy lover, I can't wait to see how he goes. I reckon guys with freakish athletic abilities like Naitanui are good for the game, regardless of who they play for and at what position they were drafted. As he develops, if his football ability catches up with his athletic ability, he's going to be really exciting to watch. I'm not happy or unhappy with our decision to take Watts. It's just the decision we made, so now we deal with the consequences, whatever they may be (good ones, I hope). I don't like the coulda-woulda-shoulda that goes on around draft picks retrospectively. All it does is get people upset.

Never let relevance get in the way of a good story

Out: Robertson, Johnson, Whelan In: Miller, Martin, Dunn Outs Why: Robertson: After his tackle on Sidebottom in the second(?) quarter and subsequent goal, I thought that maybe the guy was actually starting to get the message. His tanty later in the game undid all his work and then some. For all their flaws as players, neither Brad Miller nor Michael Newton would've lay prone punching the turf while his opponent ran away with the ball. I'm happy to keep playing selection ping-pong with him so long as he keeps doing things like this when in the side. He's been allowed to carry on with this nonsense for far, far too long. Chastise yourself for a mistake, sure, but do it after trying to correct it. PJ: How much longer are we going to persevere with this 'experiment'? He was recruited as a NQR forward, and has taken baby steps to eventualaly reach his final destination as a NQR ruckman. When he arrived at the club, we were told he struggled with the 'big man' things such as marking overhead. He marks overhead just fine now, but he's just a small trapped in a large body. I'd be more intimidated on the field by Neville Jetta, seriously. I've been waiting for five years for him to become a good player, and he just hasn't. If I were coach, I'd call him in to my office and tell him to start preparing for life after football. Whelan: I'm a Wheels fan, but his days of being an elite stopper are behind him. Being injury prone and well over the hump of his career, I personally just can not see the point in playing him any longer. A few cracking tackles a game on its own is not enough to hold one's spot in the side for mine. Ins Why: Miller: I know many people here on Demonland have given up on him, but I haven't. I still think that in a good side with good delivery and a bit of confidence, he has something to add. Martin: With my having crossed PJ's name off the roster permanently, he needs to continue his forward development in the main squad so that he can spend 5 minutes a quarter giving Jamar a break. If Spencer were knocking on the door for selection (which he isn't, based on Casey form), I'd let him continue his development at Casey, as time is on his side at the moment. Dunn: I'm not a fan, but I get the impression the FD haven't given up on him yet, so for that reason he must be selected on merit. His game for Casey on the weekend was very good and he deserves another crack. I'd love to squeeze Bennell in there somewhere too if fit, not sure who for though.

If Sylvia's last month is a true indication of the rest of his career, then it's been well worth the wait.

6. Sylvia 5. Bruce 4. Davey 3. Grimes 2. Jamar 1. Bate

Agreed. I think his role (i.e. the phonecall) is an example of just how little any of us know about what the Captain's real role is. I reckon the vast majority of the work a good captain does is completely shielded from the outsiders' eyes.

Valenti is apparently injured. As for the side, I'm pretty happy with the final bench. Disappointed to see Bennell out as I reckon he can play, but at the same time Cheney's VFL form made it impossible to leave him out. I would've dropped PJ and played both Bennell and Cheney, but that was never going to happen realistically. And as has been mentioned already, Bennell didn't play in the VFL today, Newton and Dunn both did, so he's the emergency kept on ice incase needed.

Anyone able to tell me what the question marks are that have prevented him from getting drafted? I've seen him play twice on TV now and he looks fantastic at VFL level. Each time I've watched he's looked as good as anyone else out there.

I agree with the general principle of what you're saying, but I'm not sure if it works in this specific case. He's competing with Warnock, Garland, Rivers and Frawley, all of whom are ahead of him at the moment. He looks like he'll be a good player, but I can't see him being better than any of those in the short term. If he wants to be capable of cementing a spot in our side when competing against four very good players for a position, he needs to be versatile. I believe we'll also see Garland go forward a bit when he's back, for the same reason (and make no mistake, when Garland is fit and ready with match fitness, he will walk straight back in to the side). I don't think any of Warnock, Rivers or Frawley would be useful in the forward line. Personally, come trade time I'd put Stef's name on the table and see what could be on offer. I reckon he's a dead certainty to make it as a defender, so given that we're overstocked and there are plenty of clubs with a shortage, we'd be in the prime position for negotiations.

that is exactly the way I do it too. Glad I'm not the only one!

To play on what tall? Warnock takes first tall (Cloke), Rivers to take Anthony, and once you get beyond that there's not much else for Collingwood, and he's been struggling as a forward. As CB said, it won't hurt at all to give him a run at the lower level if they want to improve his skills as a forward. It's far from silly for mine.

:D

My preferred bench from that lot: Maric, Jones, Bennell, Cheney I would've liked to have given Newton the nod ahead of Robertson, but that won't be happening now. No room for both of them in the side with that bench. The most likely bench: PJ, Maric, Jones, Bennell with Cheney to break the record for the most stiff player in history not to get picked. Doubt we'd go in to the side without PJ now that our only backup ruck (Martin) is out.

I had a peep on a few opposition supporter forums earlier, and after the hysteria on here I was genuinely surprised at how negative the 'rest' of supporters have been. For me, it took absolutely no gloss off the moment whatsoever. Screw what anyone else thinks.`

I did actually say that in my post, that the score is important for university entry. So did deanox, actually.

In the job application (not my first) I recently did, I was required to give a copy of my academic transcript, even with 5 years working experience. That said, I got the job, even though my uni results were utterly shithouse, so maybe you're right

I agree with that. I have never, ever had to present my (equivalent of) ENTER score to anyone beyond uni requirements. I wouldn't even have a clue what my score was. Beyond university entry, these scores are purely for pissing contests and nothing else. Uni results, on the other hand...

I'm just about there too. In: Watts, Cheney Out: Miller, Whelan Forward for forward, defender for defender. That's my final offering. Hardest week for selections ever.

Can't make up your mind, Clint? Neither can I, truth be told. I've changed my mind every time I've opened this thread.

I agree with this. The ruckman's primary role is to give the smalls first use of the ball. Part of that is winning taps, but it's also about clearing space at ground level and using their large bodies to keep others out of the way. This is where Jamar is very good, and PJ is very poor. I think there's little benefit in having a ruckman who gets a lot of the ball in general play if he can't assist in the winning of the ball in the first place. PJ for mine just plays as a poor midfielder, rather than a good ruckman. Cox is a great ruckman because he does both parts very well -- contesting at stoppages and getting the ball in general play. Kreuzer could also be in the same class -- early signs are looking good. This is what Collingwood would have hoped when drafting Josh Fraser as well. Large bodied ruckmen who don't get a lot of the ball but contest very well (like Jamar) usually come very cheaply in the draft. While that's the case I'd continue to be loath to spend high draft picks on ruckmen, because you can usually pay a lot less for someone who does the job adequately. It'll be interesting to see who is more valuable to their side over the next few years, Kreuzer or Cotchin (depending on fitness)? Nick Naitanui is probably an exception to all of that, thanks to his unprecedented athleticism.