MadAsHell

Magner and Couch were both recruited to add midfield depth while we built our list and now that 2 years on the rookie list is up there's every chance they'll look to replace them with others players to continue to add to that depth. Cockie is in Sandringham's best every week and Sewell along with being a good clearnace player can play as a tagger and covers the ground better then both Magner and Couch. Not saying they're stars but they're the type of player I reckon will be looked at for midfield depth.

For me. IN: Byrnes, Clisby, Frawley (if fit), Magner OUT: Dunn, McKenzie, Pedersen, Rodan This is based strongly on the assumption that Chip may get up for the Saints game as I heard mentioned by Spud and Chip on the radio yesterday and that Dawes may be right. Either way I'd have both Davis and Pedersen on standbye as emergencies just in case, with Davis to get the first crack. I'm also under the belief that we can now uplift another rookie so I'd be lookign at uplifting Clisby who's run and disposal could be very useful. Couch may feel hard done by but Clisby's been very good for Casey. FB: Garland, Frawley, Terlich HB: Howe, McDonald, Clisby C: M. Jones, N. Jones, Byrnes HF: Tapscott, Watts, Davey FF: Fitzpatrick, Dawes, Kent FOLL: Jamar, Sylvia, Magner INT: Blease, Toumpas, Trengove SUB: Evans EMERG: Davis, Pedersen, Rodan Howe and Clisby to run off the half back flank with some reasonable disposal which we desperatly lacked on the weekend. Byrnes into the midfield mix as he has an ability to rack up some posessions and use the ball well. Magner into the middle to help get some centre clearances. Dunn goes due to his horrible performance on the weekend and should never play again. Hopefully we can trade him for Cale Morton at season's end ... McKenzie, too one dimensional. At least Magner can get the ball. Pedersen was ok but if Frawley's fit then goodbye. I'd have Pedo on standbye in case Dawes doesn't get up to play up forward. Rodan, wasn't horrible but needed to do more. I'd prefer Byrnes. This is all conditional of course on Frawley and Dawes getting up and Clisby being eligable to be elevated. Very good chance (dependent on Frawley & Dawes) that we can have another 2 debutants on the weekend. This 2nd half of the season will be a good chance for us to see what a few players have and if they're worth persisting with.

I expect both to be delisted at the end of the year and mature age midfield replacements brought onto the rookie list at seasons end. eg Adam Cockie & Myles Sewell. But that's just my train of thought.

To be fair to Col, 7 of those marks were in the last quarter when Collingwood had the ball in their half 96% of the time. He did well to restrict him that much IMO.

Always a difficult one to judge given different roles and different positions people play. Since the start of the 92 season (first season that I clearly remember following from round 1 to GF) my best 25 for Melbourne would be: FB: Sean Wight, James Frawley, Matthew Whelan HB: Steven Febey, Anthony Ingerson, Matthew Febey C: Steven Tingay, Shane Woewodin, Adem Yze HF: Garry Lyon, David Schwarz, James McDonald FF: Allen Jakovich, David Neitz, Jeff Farmer FOLL: Jim Stynes, Todd Viney, Glenn Lovett INT: Cameron Bruce, Brad Green, Nathan Jones, Brett Lovett, Jarred Rivers, Russell Robertson, Jeff White And rest of the AFL: FB: Matthew Scarlett, Stephen Silvagni, Nathan Burke HB: John Worsfold, Glenn Jakovich, Gavin Wanganeen C: Chris Judd, Robert Harvey, Garry Ablett Jnr HF: Garry Ablett Snr, Wayne Carey, Peter Daicos FF: Jason Dunstall, Tony Lockett, Phil Matera FOLL: Dean Cox, Michael Voss, Greg Williams INT: Nathan Buckley, James Hird, Anthony Koutoufidies, Peter Matera, Andrew McLeod, Nick Riewoldt, Paul Salmon Big appologise to Mark Riccouto but couldn't find a spot for him.

Craig Smoker yeah???

Not this discussion again.....

That's all well and good DO94 but teams don't just offer up established gun midfielders for trade willy nilly. I think there's a very good chance we'll end up keeping that pick but we'll wait and see.

You mean the same Liberal party that was responsible for the Great Australian Lockout? Massive increase of our foreign debt? Children Overboard? Tampa Boat Crisis and breach of international law? Privatising Qanatas/Telecom who's service has gone backwards? I could go on further but this is a discussion about football so I wont.

One thing I will say about Kennett for those questioning his ability to fulfil the job given his passion as a Hwks supporter. He's the kind of person that throws themselves into everything they do. If Kennett has any passion greater then the Hawks it would be his own success IMO.. So I'd have no concern as to his ability to perform the job.

Yep you're right. My bad.

Mal Walden & Hamish Blake are two others!

9 not 10. McLardy, Spargo, Thurin, Trotter, Grimshaw, Healy, Freeman, Jalland & Hayes. Or am I missing someone? Edit: thing to one.

Ox and Garry are probably the closest people we have to Eddie or Jeff but as we know Garry's to bussy and Ox probably doesn't have the nous to be a club president. I'd be willing to listen to what Jeff had to say but as I said it would have a lot to do with who was on his ticket and what his plans were.

Would depend who else is on his ticket? Argus & Wells would be good addiotions to the board also if he was bringing them in. Also for me it would be dependent on his plans. re: relocation/merging??? Edit: Plans.

I hope you see the Irony in this post of yours BH in a thread calling for unity......

Shouldn't have been said by Ox, doesn't help the club in anyway! I'm not saying it isn't true, but it doesn't help. I'll never go to a game hoping the Dees get smashed. Ox should be hoping that they improve and that Neeld stays coach, but if they do get smashed then his position needs to be further considered.

Grab 5 more wins: Dogsx2, Saints, Brisbane & GWS No more losses under 10 goals. Put a fright into all the other teams we face with hard fought performances that they have to fight tooth and nail to get over the line in. Clark and Dawes to have at least 6 games together at the end of the year and have them kick 10 combined in at least 1 game as a sign of things to come for the following season. Secure Sylvia & Watts on 3 year deals. Gawn & Taggert on 2 year deals. Secure all major sponsors. After encouraging finish to the season, Neeld at least able to start the final year of his contract, meaning even if he is sacked next year any pay out would be reduced. Re-structure of the footy department with clear roles for all. Partial un-contested spill of the board with some new blood coming in. Argus for example. And Freeman to become new president. Go hard for Daisy Thomas. Don't trade early picks for the sake of it, make sure any trade is balanced. No harm in securing a Daniel Cross for example as a free agent.

Great minds pm!

Could be asking for a heart attack if Swooper took the job Biffen you're right. But I've mentioned on another thread that he just ticks so many boxes for mine. Including taking two clubs that had missed the finals for 22 years & 12 years back into September. Been there and done it before. It would certainly require making sure he had some experienced assistants who were ontop of the current games trends. Lethal is an interesting one, dark horse maybe. Not sure if he has the desire anymore (like Thompson & Craig) but you never know....

Experienced coaches I'd prefer to Matthew Knights 1. Paul Roos (lead candidate) 2. John Worsfold (if West Coast continue their current form he may become available) 3. Rodney Eade (Runs on the board with Swans & Dogs and probably more stable then Williams) 4. Mark Williams (See Eade's cooments. Bonus, coached Power to premiership) 5. Brett Ratten (Got Carlton to three consecutive finals series after 7 years out. Was flying last year until injuries) 6. John Northey (Dream of mine and ticks all boxes. Age is the obvious barrier) 7. Dean Laidley (Did a decent job with North. They were always a tough team to play under Laidley) 8. Garry Ayres (Decent coaching career in AFL and has had sustained success at Port Melbourne). Edit: Forgot Laidley.

What player exodus??? Oh you mean the media lead rumor of a player exodus? The same media that said McLardy was standing down yesterday and Neeld was sacked and Rawlings was in as caretaker? Forgive me if I disregard your post......

IN: Blease, Sellar, Sylvia OUT: Frawley (inj), Bail, M. Jones FB: Garland, Pedersen, Strauss HB: MacDonald, Sellar, Terlich C: Evans, N. Jones, Rodan HF: Howe, Watts, Tapscott FF: Fitzpatrick, Dawes, Kent FOLL: Jamar, Sylvia, McKenzie INT: Davey, Dunn, Trengove SUB: Blease EMERG: Davis, Jetta, M. Jones Sylvia in is a given. Sellar in for Frawley ahead of Davis is a given also I believe given the size of Collingwoods forwards, I think against St Kilda after the bye would be a much better place to debut Davis. Blease should also get a run as he's put some solid weeks together back at Casey and his run will be well needed. As for the outs as we know Frawley is foced. Bail although nt terrible on the weekend just has a lack of polish and losses out with Sylvia coming back and Evans having shown more then Bail over the previous week. Matt Jones I think is just starting to show the signs of the rigours of his first AFL season. I'd make him the designated non playing emergency this week leading into the bye to allow him 2 weeks to freshen up. I'd also do the same with both of Tom McDonald and Shannon Byrnes who are in line to return from injury this week. Give them the extra week heading into the bye to make sure they're cherry ripe to go for the 2nd half of the season. I know some people have also called for Fitzpatrick to be dropped and he was far from impressive on the weekend, but I want to see him given a few games ina row to see what he can do. He keeps coming in for 1 game and then out the following week. Give him this game and the Saints game and if still no good then he can be Gawn for Gawn and will probably be Gawn at seasons end also.

I agree he should get a chance, but I reckon after the bye against St Kilda would be the perfect place. Bring he and Tommy Mc in against the Saints with Tommy Mc on Riewoldt and Davis on Maister. Bringing him in against the Pies and expecting him to take to overly big Cloke or Lynch is a big ask first up. I would have thought Sellar would be the perfect like for like match up on Q-Stick. Pedersen's 193cm & 96kg and Sellar's 196cm & 97kg v Cloke 196cm 108kg. So weight wise they're about the same, Sellar's the same height as Cloke which is only about 3cm bigger then Pedo however I'd argue Pedo's got the better engine to follow Cloke around the ground. The one thing I'm sure we can agree on however is that Gillies is not the match up!

Options for mine are: Garland: Our most in form defender. but has shown when matched up against Kennedy in Round 3 that he struggles against the giant forwards. Sellar: Will get burned when Cloke gets on his bike Pedersen: Probably gets first crack. Has the height, build and agility to do it. Skill level is the question? Davis: Would be setting the poor kid up to fail. Tom McDonald: You'd think would require a week at Casey. Joel MacDonald:Towled Cloke up in Round 2, 2010 and certainly has the agility and physical agression to go with Cloke. Due to the size difference though you'd need to heavily rely on the like of Garland & Dunn to peel off their men and help Joel out. I reckon he would be worth a look.