RalphiusMaximus

I have to question Snoop Dog's list. Only one of the picks he's assigned us is on the list of those training with us. He's also left us one pick short. I suspect it's more a list of where he ranks players than who will take them.

First off, I really can't let this go. There is a very good reason the financial benefits failed to materialise for these two events. There were massive concerns for the safety of international fans at these events. The threat of gang violence and terrorism kept many supporters away, to the point where they were in many cases unable to even give tickets away. This threat was realised in South Africa where a number of Australians were involved in a violent robbery situation. Compare this to Australia. There is a significantly lower likelihood of visitors being attacked and/or robbed during the event. We are a popular tourist destination already. The It is a given that every game would be a sell-out if it were held in Australia. You can not possibly compare the economic benefits we might derive from this event to the two examples you have used. As for the whole screwed up mess of a voting system... It is a sad fact that the powers that be in FIFA largely regard Australia as upstarts who haven't yet earned a place at the table. This has been born out repeatedly over the last decade or so. We briefly succeeded in spearheading a push to have the Oceania confederation granted a full qualifying place to the world cup, only to have the decision overturned within months, before we had even had a chance to compete for the vanishing place. The fact that the FFA then managed to find a back door by moving into the Asian confederation may have been a masterstroke in helping us to get into the cup, but it has done us no favours in political terms. Many of the Asian nations see us as taking a place they might otherwise fill, and as such we are in a position where even our own (adopted) confederation will not support us. We were the only country bidding for the tournament not to have a vote to cast. We had been told repeatedly that we would not be backed by the Asian vote. This coupled with our whole above-board, clean as a whistle approach to the bid speaks of massive naivete to me. Our stated tactic was to attempt to survive the first rounds and pick up the votes of those who had been pushed aside. This is a defeatist attitude that was never going to win us the support we needed. If there is one positive to be taken from this, it is that the FFA may have been given a lesson in how to play the game at an international level. The fact that the two best equipped bids with the highest likelihood of running the tournament successfully and well were bypassed a tiny nation with a massive bankroll and no hesitation to make a shady deal is a clear message. If we want to bid again, we will need to do so from a position of strength withing the FIFA community and we will need to be ruthless in our pursuit of the prize. I would also like to note to all those complaining about a low-scoring game, that one of my biggest gripes about Aussie rules is the ease with which goals are scored. One player getting their hands on the ball for a second is enough for a goal to happen. Where are the tactics in that? Where is the team play? What so many bemoan as boring because there are no goals being scored is to me a tight tactical battle. How can you not love seeing the resolution as an hour's work results finally in a breakthrough goal?

Awesome. I've been wondering about Stretch Junior. Now all we need is news on the Lyon kids.

Not overly worried. Realistically, GWS are not only looking at Scully, but Trengove, Martin, Jetta, Rowan and probably every other first round pick in the last two years. If they can get their hands on one of the really good young players it will be quite a coup. However, the main purpose of the player-poaching powers they have been granted is to get some experience into the side to balance all of the young talent they are stockpiling. While they will no doubt make a play for some of the young guns, they will be more focused on signing some high-profile experienced players. Look for them to target Bartel, Selwood, Hodge, Judd etc. I doubt most of those names would even think about it, although Judd is a well-known mercenary, but that's the direction they are going to be looking. Not overly stressed.

Good luck to him. I really hope he manages to get onto a list and play some games.

In some ways I agree, but I've never liked the notion of changing numbers. If I were a player I'd want to stick with the first number I got. It would hold a lot of significance to me and I doubt that I'd want to give it up.

I have to say, whoever put that together should be shot. Highlights for a key forward in which he takes one mark and kicks one goal. Pathetic. Yes it's good that he chases, tackles and passes, but we want to know that he can take a contested grab and kick a 45-50m set shot.

Agree with this. He's a point guard. His best games for us have been when he played like one. He has amazing vision and really good passing skills, and will happily float to 60m from goal and nail the pass to one of our other forwards. That seems to be more his style than playing from the square and kicking them himself, although he is more than capable of doing so.

Let's not forget that Viney is coming. We are going to have at least one more elite midfielder added to the mix.

Yeah, that's be the one.

I'm seeing Cook as this year's version of Bail. Not a similar player but a really good athlete, a little older and more or less ready to go physically. They'll have to do a bit of work on his game perhaps, but the rest is there.

Agreed. He hasn't steered us wrong so far. I do have a concern about the number of talls we have on the list, but it's not a huge issue. Better to have some in reserve than not to have any.

We've obvioulsy gone out and filled some holes in our list here. I think it's a good option, but it may make next year interesting. I don't see any of these guys have much game time next year. Maybe Howe.

I'm pretty happy with the tack we took. Obviously it was decided that we need to work on our firepower, and that's what they've done. If only one of them kicks on that's a win for our forward line. 2 would be great. I doubt all 4 will make it, but that's the law of averages talking. I'm smiling.

53. MELBOURNE - Jeremy Howe Height: 192cm Weight: 85kg DOB: 29/06/90 Club: Hobart (Tas) Draft range: 50-rookie A year ago, the high-flying forward was playing country footy with Dodges Ferry, outside Hobart. In 2010 the 20-year-old impressed greatly through his aerial feats with Hobart in Tasmania's state league. If he plays in the AFL in 2011, he'll be one of the stories of this draft. Ok, so he got one of them right, even if at a different location. I freely admit to being wrong in thinking that he had absolutely no idea.

I'm sure I saw an article on McDonald earlier today, but I can't find it. Will see if I can track it down.

Don't really care who goes after this, so I won't post a lot ore of them.

53 Melb... Deep thought from our lot. Were they hoping for O'Shea? Last live pick for us, I guess we want to get it right. T McDonald

52 PA C O'Shea

51 Rich D McDonald

50 Melb... T Davis

49 GC J Gilbee

48 A Brown

Isn't he a little on the short side?

45 Coll. A Fasolo 46 Coll. Farmer 47 Rich B Helbig