Nasher

Arguing over whether we should have used 29 (which we didn't have yet) instead of 25 just reeks of whinging for the sake of it. Practically speaking the chances of that changing the player we select in the draft very remote.

There goes that ironyometer again. They're the professionals mate, you're the amateur. Not the other way round.

Don't reckon pick 25 would have got us Dangerfield or Selwood (edit: assuming you mean Joel - if you mean Scott, wgaf? There's players like him everywhere).

Pfff, what would Pelchen know? Or Goodwin, McCartney or Roos? Demonlanders said it was a terrible deal so it must be.

Or maybe it's because all humans are different and respond to stressful situations differently? Just putting this wild, crazy idea out there... The other wild crazy idea is that the Essendung supporters could be full of crap.

I willfully ignore it. I can only assume the club knows what it's doing in that regard.

Pick 25/28 seems like a bargain for an established player to me. Reckon people way, way overestimate the value of draft picks.

Still sounds like serious hyperbole from Gossage though. Gossage is the typical hanger-on that the AFL is full of - peripheral commentators who have to say big things to remain minutely relevant.

Thanks for the goss GD. Wonder if I'm the only one who skipped all the Wines stuff and got straight to the Hartlett bit If we land Hartlett I will be stoked.

Yeah! What would that buffoon Goodwin know if he likes Melksham? It's not like he's coached with him or worked closely with him for several years or anything. We fans clearly know more than that idiot and his terrible judgement.

To be very clear, abusing somebody by private message is every bit as frowned upon as doing it publicly on the forum.

Yep - there was a moment when a GWS player (do they have names?) kicked a goal from nowhere, and all that could be heard was the sound of crickets, and the weak groan of the gears in Derwayne's brain trying to work out what had happened. It was eerie seeing GWS players tussling each others hair with no crowd noise. We also sounded very vocal on TV.

No doubt it's embarrassing, but it doesn't help when we're playing against a team nobody gives a rats about.

Please tell me you are kidding.

Maverick Weller. That tackle really was a thing of beauty. High degree of difficulty, caused a free that would otherwise have been a goal, and would have hurt the recipient like a bastard. Great stuff.

If only it were at Etihad, eh? Could have sank three of them at once.

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.

What, no ANB this time? Disappointing.

Our time and energy is not limitless. Sniff about, sure, but focus the bulk of our resources on targets that are actually likely to bear fruit. This one isn't one if those.

Sorry, realised at the time but had to run. Fixed now.

Does bringing in great players on great money ever really cause instability? I've heard supporters use that line often, but I can't recall any evidence of that happening in my lifetime. I would have thought in the professional era, most players would look past the envy of the big income earners and would be quite happy to have a superstar added to their side to enhance their flag chances.

Oh, were they? There's nothing like blatantly making stuff up to argue against a point nobody made.

To be fair, I doubt that view was shared by the overwhelming majority. The great thing about forums like this is the variety of views; the cost of that is you get the odd silly one pop up.

He basically just tackled him by the arm, having had no choice after Weller gave him the "don't argue". It would have seriously hurt, and also happened to leave Weller no legal way of disposing of the ball. Loved it.

Squad for WI tour: NSW Michael Clarke Steve Smith Brad Haddin Josh Hazlewood Nathan Lyon Peter Nevill Mitchell Starc David Warner Shane Watson QLD Ryan Harris VIC Fawad Ahmed Chris Rogers Peter Siddle WA Mitchell Johnson Shaun Marsh Mitchell Marsh Adam Voges Tas and SA not represented. Harris was named with an * next to his name, and is apparently not going. Not sure why he was named in the squad, then... Lots of the usual bitching and moaning on facebook and stuff about NSW being over-represented, but it's pretty hard to name anyone from the squad who doesn't belong there. Everyone has their opinion on Watson, but he's obviously still well in favour with the selectors. There are even a few other NSW players whose cases could be pressed, such as Pat Cummins. Peter Siddle is lucky to be in the squad IMO. Good to see Adam Voges selected as a reward for good form. Players being overlooked for being too old despite great form is hopefully a thing of the past. Hopefully they've learned something from Chris Rogers being overlooked for many years. Anyone know where James Pattinson is at? He took 0/131 in the Shield final and only bowled 5.5 overs in the second innings. Injured again? His brittleness has to be a worry, although we seem pretty well covered for talented quicks at this stage. Really pleased that Fawad Ahmed is in the squad. He is far and away the best spin bowler in the country IMO.