Nasher

I'm not complaining, just don't get the funny.

Yep, this. T20 is popular because brings cricket back to the length of other sports, rather than the other forms of cricket which are one day minimum. Many people don’t have the time or inclination to sit down all day, or several all days, to watch a game. There is no need for a “fast” version of our sport, the main event is already the fast version.

It’s not that surprising that one season in the thirds and then the arse wasn’t quite enough to institutionalise him to be honest, WJ. Probably had the opposite effect in fact.

It’s a challenge not to go full @ProDee on your first two paragraphs, hemingway. I want to say what I think of the supporters and media who lit a bunsen burner under Goodwin in the early part of the season. I’ll just say I thought at the time, and still believe, that their opinion demonstrated hopeless impatience and a thorough lack of understanding of where we were at and what was happening. I don’t think it’s either in Goodwin’s or the club’s interest to sign any more than 3 years, on pretty good coin. He has moved out of “establishing” to “established”. That length gives him a clear signal that we’re a fan of his work and believe he’s the right man to steer the ship, without reaming ourselves if the unexpected happens and it goes south. From his perspective, it’s good certainty in an uncertain industry, with the opportunity for a big payday in 3 years time if he’s still delivering. Medium term contract should be where both the club and Goodwin are at in my opinion.

I read these posts thinking, "how could anyone possibly spell Jordan wrong???" Took me a good few seconds... The AFL draft tracker spells it Jordan, which I had assumed was linked to the official registered player database. The MFC social media group spell it Jordon, however it's the same mob who called Kade Chandler 'Kyle', so my trust in them to get it right is low. Which is it??

Exactly Red. I reckon it’s easy to justify all the reasons any player won’t make it. A player who has already been delisted once is particularly low hanging fruit in that regard. Visionaries will be able to see through that and project the possibilities for the player. I’m definitely not a visionary - I wouldn’t know a good player pre-AFL I fell on one, but I reckon Jason Taylor is, that’s why any player he takes earns automatic benefit of the doubt rights in my eyes. Wagner may well prove to be “depth at best”, but being right on that doesn’t earn anyone any extra cred in my eyes. It would be like chucking $20 each way on Winx.

Um, soooooooo... apparently I've been living under a "don't care much about the draft" shaped rock, but... why the heck is it going over multiple days?

Depth at best. You've used that phrase twice now and it's why I interpreted your post as rank dismissal. You're saying that the absolute, best possible case scenario is that he's injury cover, and that there's no possibility whatsoever that he could develop in to a good player in his on own right. The only other scenerios are that he's worse than a depth player, that's why being depth is the best. Unless you have some other meaning for the word "best"?

We might as well just delist him now based on Chazz’s appraisal. Obviously has no future. I understand the position, by the way; the evidence supports his assertion that players who get spat out don’t usually make it. I reject it though. I don’t see how he’s any different to any other ‘mature’ player, such as Michael Barlow, Aaron Vandenberg, Tim Kelly and so forth, who mature later and continue to develop as players in to their 20s and have successful AFL careers. The fact that he’s been on an AFL list before is irrelevant - not ready then doesn’t equal not ready now. As a 21 year old recruit, he’s clearly been picked due to his potential for development to be more than just a depth player. I am far more open minded about his prospects.

I wonder how many said this about James Harmes or Alex Neale-Bullen. Players can develop.

And you had to update it *yourself*? How could anyone live like that?! Nah, we had these when I was in primary school (90s). I remember once in 1995 we were doing a random quiz and the teacher asked which team was at the bottom of the AFL ladder. I put my hand up and confidently answered, “St Kilda”. “Someone check the ladder please.” “It’s Fitzroy”, said some snotty nosed brat. The two teams at that point had spent the whole season jockeying for the spoon and it had been Fitzroy the previous week. Whatever cretin was responsible for keeping it up to date had failed in their crucial duties. I was ropable and refused to look at one of those ever again.

The only downside I can think of is the captaincy may make Goodwin and co more reluctant to drop him than they otherwise might be when it gets to that point, but given Jones’ finish in the B&F, that point is probably further away than many think. That’s just me trying to come up with a counter-argument; I agree with your post.

You know there is officially nothing proper left to worry about when people start worrying Goodwin might leave for more money.

Even if Kolodjashnij turns out to be Viv Michie reincarnated, so what? The risk is super low but for the reasons outlined by ProDee above, the potential upside is enormous. The only thing at stake is the emotional well-being of fans who can’t cope with their own disappointment. I’m prepared to back him in; I think he will prove to be a great pick-up. If I’m wrong, oh well. This is sweating the small stuff.

This guy sounds like he’s on a one way trip to a mental breakdown to me, but that’s 100% rank amateur psychology for me. He’ll have no trouble adjusting to the professional demands of AFL footy, but he’s going to be culturally different to most footy players. Who knows what effect that will have - he may end up a social outcast or he may be able to positively influence it, or it might not have any effect at all. I don’t feel like any of us are in a position to tell how his fastidiousness will translate in to an AFL career, so I can’t conclude “steer clear!” or “get him!” like so many of you seem confident to do. It’ll be interesting to watch play out all the same.

The AFL is a governing body of a sport. It’s objective must be to do whatever is in the best long term interests of maintaining the health of the sport. Sustainable profit is a part of that, but it’s not all of it. I’d go as far to say if the AFL’s profit margin grows too large, it’s indicative that they are underspending on the game. Pointing to the fact that they have an ABN and report profit and loss is just silly - they’re an organisation with an enormous turnover; this level of governance is required by law. To say the AFL’s objective is profit is a bit like saying the federal government’s primary objective is to run a huge surplus every budget. It’s clearly not.

At risk of sounding like an old fart, it hadn’t occurred to me that there would be adults on Demonland still young enough for Colin Sylvia to have been included in their idols growing up set. His era feels too recent as the years fly by. It adds another dimension to the club’s collective grief that I hadn’t considered. Condolences to yourself and others out there in that boat.

When did you start using the Aimoo forum software? That site is still around believe it or not.

I reckon the challenge is how do you develop another ruck without interfering with the development of your existing rucks? If Preuss ends up in the VFL a bit, if Bradtke is also in the side, another ruckman is only going to get slim pickings as far as actual ruck time goes. Whether we take another ruckman depends on our view about whether Preuss will mainly play for Melbourne or Casey, which is highly speculative at this point. If Preuss plays VFL but we take another ruck, we end up crowding Casey with developing rucks. If Preuss plays AFL and we didn’t take another ruck, Casey only has one ruck and it’s a development opportunity lost. Tricky call.

You could also just set fire to it; at least there’s a much lower chance of it ending up in the hands of crooks.

There are murmurings that there might be an exchange of picks on the horizon, but I think it's more likely just what's happened is the end of it and there's nothing more to come. I thought the whole thing sounded bizarre to start with as I thought he was one of their better players, so I was expecting to hear outrage from the (few) GCS fans, or their administration, or whatever, but it seems they are happy enough to let him go. More to it than meets the eye I think.

Fitzroy in 1964 were the last team to go through a whole season winless, and before that it was Hawthorn in 1950. As we know all too well, there have been some terribly awful teams in that time, but even Fitzroy in 1996 won a game while in their death throes. There will always be awful teams, but the AFL as a competition is still even enough that they only have to play out of their skins once, or have some bunch of hacks coast and drop their game, and the awful teams will get their one win at least. It won't happen. Have fun flushing your $100 down the toilet lads!

Yay! I think. My experience there in 2017 was the pits. Seats where my kids literally could not see anything, food lines 100+ deep, and the MFC played like arse. Walked out of there irritated, hungry and miserable. Shame North Hobart oval isn’t up to scratch as an AFL venue. Have never been a massive fan of Bellerive, partly because when I was a kid in to local footy, it was the home of the mortal enemy.

Two players named Ciaran in one draft? Did they not know which was which so just took both?

This stings. We all have our views on players. We like to argue and get heated over it. Sometimes we’re bloody harsh about it too - we’re passionate football fans after all. That all goes out the window and seems so petty when this happens. All I see is a bloke I can identify, who is about my age, who has had his time cut terribly short. The idea that in your 30s your best years could be behind you and what lies ahead is absolutely nothing is sobering. I recently dealt with the death of a mate and the impact it had on his family is indescribable. The football world can offer an enormous support network; I hope Colin’s family has access to it. They are going to need all they can get. I am gutted for them. Vale Colin.