hoopla

.... and Viney who was his midfield coach for 2 years and knows his style , his approach etc - must reckon he'll fit in with the people , the philosophies etc All good ... b- good!!

Also its supposed to be a very thin draft this year - I wouldn't expect many delistings - a few trades if we can do it - but not many delistings

I noted this as well .... presumably success will be written all over the backgrounds of the appointments to come Same ....also for no reason ( except that straight out of a premiership ( hopefully runner up !!) team - he meets the successful background criteria) Question - are we sure that Kelly O'Donnell's position isn't one of the 8? If not - the substantial uplift in numbers is evidence of significant under-resourcing during Bailey's time

Not a comparable situation. Mitchell stepped down as a highly successful captain to honour his "Kirribilli Agreement" with Hodge. He had a young family - and wanted a bit more freedom to concentrate on his own game. Even if Greeny resigns - without pressure to stand down - , the perception will be that he didn't measure up. As captain he did have to cope with serious off-field tensions. Would the divisions have been wider - and would the players have been even more inconsistent - with someone else in the captain's chair? Without answers to these questions we need to be careful not to bag him outright. It would say something for his resilience if he threw his hat into the ring for a leadership position again.next year.....egocentric perhaps, unrealistic maybe - but tough nontheless To me it is very important that he remains at the club ... and that we as a group encourage him to play on.

How can you possibly say that? Highly respected in the industry .... midfield coach at St Kilda in 2010.....

Not entirely true because an experienced player can add impetus to the climb up the ladder ... and inject the right sort of attitude into a developing group.However I agree that any target should be mid age at most

Latest from AFL website is that Dawes expects to re-sign with Collingwood shortly. Realistically there mightn't be anyone of quality on the trade table

If it were a choice, I'd get Swan! ..... Seriously there is no way we could get Goddard ... and why people keep mentioning Gaff just because he was a Melbourne Supporter ( like Judd) is beyond me - get real!! Because of Collingwood's salary cap pressures Dawes might just be a chance ..... but Collingwood would drive a hard bargain. He is the sort of player we need.

Agree As I recall, Junior was playing very average football when he got a "sore hamstring" in Round 11. He was out for 7 weeks - during which people like Gysberts really showed something. There was a big question mark over his ability to get another year out of his ageing legs. I reckon that was when they decided to cut him. They should have kept an open mind until Round 22 ... but even then he was a risk. As it happens, he is probably better remembered now than he would have been if he'd limped his way through another season . A tough decision for both club and player. The way it was handled - apparently led by Connolly - was the disaster. It is obviously a tough time for Greeny ... especially given his relationship with Bailey. It will hurt him to lose the captaincy after such an awful year ... and it will take guts for him to front up again - a real measure of "toughness".But I hope a one year contract can be worked out - because he still has something to offer - and a good year in 2012 would see him out as a great servant of the club.

Agree. There is probably a role for Bartram in a struggling team ..... but not in a team seriously challenging for a place in the top four. Every player at Collingwood is a penetrating kick ... same with Geelong and Hawthorn - and West Coast ( even Priddis gets a bit of distance). If Bartram is in our best 22 in 2013-14, then we won't be as far up the ladder as we want to be

This topic is headed "Who would you target from other clubs?" Why then is every second post about last year's draft - Darling v Cook etc ... blah blah blah. What's done is done - we have Cook - let him develop and move on!! On topic , I have noted four names - Dawes .... is that realistic? - Stewart ... agree he shows something on occasions ... is he up to it? - Jordan Russell ... beautiful kick but seems to lack something - Ed Curnow ... two clubs seem to have found something missing Any other suggestions? - Jesse White .... Gerard Healy regularly bags him as "lazy" - Tyson Goldsack .... must be frustrated to be dropped for Tarrant and Davis - Michael Duffield... is he the type we need? Others?

Not a help question ... but a request .... even a plea I have just read a well-intentioned update on Jim's health. You have locked it - for all the right reasons In deference to JIm - and to his right to communicate his prognosis as he sees fit - please delete it altogether as soon as possible

Let's not forget that Mark Neeld emphasised that he wanted people who knew ( and expected success). Kingy's success as a player might be a be a bit too far in the past now. But he shows a great understanding of the game He coached Carey Grammar between media commitments this season .... and got rave reviews. If word goes from Jack to Todd .... and then to CS ... he could be in the mix?

I know his surgeon. Absolutely delighted with his progress to date.... couldn't be doing better.

Well I think we do know that it was his approach to the sacking of McDonald and Bruce that started the rot.....

Definitely.... the classic square peg in a round hole! Sorry Chris ... but we need a fresh start ... and there is no place for you

Amazing coup by Freo. I thought they were mad sacking their coach 2 weeks after season's end .... and all the time they have been negotiating with a hot property behind the media's back. Really dirty treatment of Mark Harvey ... but an amazing coup nonetheless 2 Questions - Why did Lyon pick them and not us? - Have we any interest in Harvey? To me the answers - Freo more decisive - more professional(??) - Not really

More the point ..... to what extent did Scully's signing have to do with Jr?

Half way through the year he started playing with Old Xavs in the VAFA. He didn't set the world on fire. Word has it that the standard of VAFA A Grade is somewhere between VFL 1st and VFL 2nds

Good call WJ. Having seen his club sack his first captain and his first coach , Tom was never going to turn his back on several million dollars out of a sense of loyalty. I'm prepared to take him at his word - that he has only just now made his final decision. Anything to help put it behind us A new coaching team , some salary cap space .. and a couple of early draft picks in the offing: All Good - Positive exciting stuff ahead.. Go Dees

At the start of the year Casey made it perfectly clear that they do not see themselves as our development arm. Casey and Melbourne are not working together to achieve a common goal - they are separate entities trying to use each other to meet disparate goals. It is not surprising that the "combine" lacks the passion of pure VFL sides like Port and 75% VFL sides like Werribee

.... and having delayed all this time - how can he credibly make a decision without knowing who Melbourne's coach is going to be? This massive joke might just become a farce.........

Well if they are only shadows they're pretty dark ones.......... Extraordinary headline Obviously we've been a lot worse ... but "delight" at a loss to a team that had the wooden spoon sewn up !! Help....

No Jack ... I confess I haven't had that pleasure ... but is the contrast a comment on the difference between Melbourne supporters and Port Adelaide supporters rather than a comment on all SA/WA clubs and all Vic clubs. You've never seen Collingwood supporters boo the umpires off the ground?

I can't let this sad case of Victorian parochialism pass without comment. To somehow suggest that the home ground advantage enjoyed by the SA and WA teams diminishes the spectacle of our great game - and that there is no such thing as a home ground advantage for Victorian teams - is ridiculous. How can you possibly say that Fremantle has a "spectacle-destroying" home ground advantage when it plays Collingwood at Subiaco - while Collingwood does not have a home ground advantage at all when it plays Freo at the G? There were some shocking decisions yesterday - but the fact is that we are the only interstate team to lose to Port in Adelaide all season. Their only other wins were against Richmond in Darwin- and the Crows!!