Little Goffy

Brock Mclean comes quickly to mind - a specific point of reducing 'load' on his hamstrings. Well, his hamstrings seem to be coping better... We had an entirely redirected pre-season training program compared to the previous year's emphasis on building up body strength - another influence of the (I think we all now say it as an expletive) 'run-and-carry game plan'. Long running and sustained fitness was the goal. I love Cameron Bruce, but I don't think his body type should be the goal of an entire team's preseason!

Nah, I don't think it's necessary to trade Bruce. In fact, to be honest, I think we'll be pretty quiet this trade period - maybe Ferguson for an upgrade from pick higher 30ish to pick lower 30ish. I'd take the year to see if some of the undeniable potential stars can deliver under a new coach. We have a steady stream of 'natural' delistings coming for this year and next, I'd say five a year for two years. Unless a really good opportunity presented, I will always prefer stability so long as people understand their own limitations - if those senior players who drive us mad aren't stepping up again pretty damn soon, they should have a whole lot less payments coming there way... to make room under the cap for Judd (or any similar superstar quality player, Judd is just everyone's favourite speculation).

Maybe White will be a late withdrawal, bring us to the BIG ZERO players to play every game. As a point of reference, Sydney (who are allegedly having a worse than usual year with injuries) have 14. My guess in reality is that Robbo isn't really expected to play. Or Neitz, he's hurt still isn't he? Bleah.

If players are willing to take pay cuts for the sake of the club, more power to them I say. But you're right that it could be manipulated by heavy back-ending or front-ending of contracts to create a 'dip' year. But, how does the club hold on to the players expecting rewards in their next contract, AND keep the bright new champs payed appropriately? The annual salary cap sets a maximum, so if you don't pay out, say, $600,000 that you otherwise would in a given year, then that cap amount is gone, never to be seen again. The playing list as a whole gets paid less. Maybe the second round of the draft could go lowest to highest player payments? Then again, as a special for the Demons, maybe the second round could go in order of DAMNED BLOODY INJURIES. (That was irrelevent, I know, but it felt good.)

I'd laugh for a month if Carlton got penalised for tanking/match fixing and missed out on high draft picks. Cheating to win, cheating to lose - that'd be Carlton culture at it's finest!

Ok, it'd be really helpful if someone did an 'ins and outs' chart for our footy department. At the moment we're missing a Senior Coach and a Football Manager, right? And it seems ever more likely that we'll be selecting a new captain, too. Does anyone thing Williams might be doing a Ratten and moving on at the end of one year, too? Can't say I've been impressed with our midfield 'system' and Sydney-like defensive teamwork :angry: Still, I guess this means that a new coach would have a big opportunity to create his own coaching and leadership team.

While we might be able to knock over Freo at Subi, and Carlton might be able to put a real spanner in the Kangaroos finals postition, chances are we are going to be faced with an awful, awful prospect in round 22. Carlton wins, they lose pick number one. Melbourne wins, they lose pick 18(19?) and their pick 2 becomes pick 3 because Carlton keep the bonus pick at 1. For both teams, we're talking about picks and draft positions that would normally only be achieved by trading a star player. For losing. It's a blazing banner shouting to the world that the priority pick system is screwed up, seriously. There has to be a better way than the simple-minded setting of the bar at four games, which makes it an all or nothing benefit based on one extra win for a season. I like the draft order going from bottom to top, that's a fair enough equaliser in my opinion, and is incremental so wouldn't become such a disincentive to win (or, more fairly to the clubs, a disincentive for supporters to want cheer a win) What changes should be made? Option 1 -scrap it, it's stupid anyway. Option 2 -base it on a 'rolling' period of losses - eg. last 22 games rather than in a given season means that there won't be an 'all or nothing must-lose' situation. Option 3 -allow clubs to underpay the salary cap when performing poorly, and become entitled to additional picks based on how much they have underpaid the cap! (Freaky, completely out of thin air). This would base priority picks on the accepted market 'value' of the existing player group - if you have a weak team then you get early picks, but if you don't pay legitimate champions then they will, obivously, leave. So you can't 'tank' your salary payments. Let's hear better ideas than mine, because when we smack the $%%#$ out of the blues we'll be losing a Jared Rivers level draft pick, and I'm not happy about being punished for winning.

That Nathan Buckley being injured makes a news headline every week doesn't actually mean you've had 22 injuries to star players. And Pendlebury was close to the best player of the 05 draft several times on friday night, for sure, because Nathan Jones was playing. As for experience and playing kids - PLAYER - AGE - GAMES PLAYED PRIOR TO 2007 Bate, 20 years old, 14 games. (and injured) Bell, 22 years, 28 games (injured) Buckley, 20 years, 0 games. Dunn, 20 years, 11 games. Frawley, 19 years, 0 games (injured) (drafted for this season) Garland, 19 years, 0 games (injured) (drafted for this season) C. Johnson, 21 years, 13 games. Jones, 19 years, 8 games. Mclean, 21 years, 29 games. (injured) Newton, 20 years, 0 games. Petterd, 19 years, 0 games. (injured) Sylvia, 22 years, 36 games. (injured) Bode, 19 years, 0 games. And lets not forget Bartram, 19 years, 22 games in just his first season on the list, third in the Rising Star despite playing largely as a tagger, and injured for essentially the duration of this season. I guess what I'm saying is that of the 14 players who are both under 22 and under 50 games at the start of this year, including six debut players, more than half have been injured for multiple rounds. Our team looks older than we'd like it to because we've had no choice but to play veteran 'depth' players such as Ward, Brown, Bizzell and Holland. Meanwhile, you want to make a point of Buckley, Clement and Holland as major injuries? Robertson, Johnstone, Rivers, Yze, Neitz and Bruce have all missed at least 5 games this season, in addition to the above injuries. Davey will pass that line from here, because of the hamstring injury. And as a final cap, only two (thats one plus one if you have trouble with the maths) players have played every game this year for the Demons - White and McDonald. We have been playing the kids, we have had an unbelievably bad run with injuries, including to those kids, and Collingwood do have a soft as bum-fluff draw and are trying very hard to look like they've been hard done by when they've actually had a pretty nice run of, well, everything. For about five years. That's the facts, deal with it.

There seems to be a Melbourne tradition of a long-serving captain followed by a two or three year captain, then back to long-serving captain and so on. That certainly fit with the 'Brock in 09/10' theory that seems pretty popular. But honestly, I'm warming to Green, and I think the club is too. Last year he was right out of form, there's no denying it, but the key thing was he just kept working and working, even playing essentially a tagger role for several games just so he could be sure of making a contribution. This year he's been growing steadily - certainly he's been a consistent presence in the 'not rubbish' list, which has at times been pretty long. Only a handful of really exceptional games, but always contributes. I get the impression his radar is back on (unlike 2006), so he can go forward and kick important goals. He often provides the linking lead through the midfield, and has shown considerable determination when moved closer to the defense. He's definately comfortable with media and fans. A little media training should sort him out to speak for the club - which he's been doing more than Neitz this year, interestingly. I back the judgement a couple of people have made that he has played better when captain and has been very active talking to other players and 'working' the quarter time huddles. I'd speculate that the occassional great game he has at the moment would snowball a bit if he was captain and if those games got more recognition - Green is a player who's confidence would be boosted by captaincy (which doesn't seem to be the case, YET, for Mclean). I also think we do need to appoint a new captain. I honestly think it's starting to play on some player's minds, and we need some certainty that there will, in future, only be a change of captain when a new person is obviously ready, rather than because the incumbent has sacrificed more than their share. Green for Captain in 2008, and I think by the time the season actually starts we'd all be comfortable with him there. It's not like Neitz would disappear, he'd still be there being the inspiration full-forward - giving out that positive strength the same way Richardson can suck it out of the Tigers!

What amazes me is how many of those players who have made the 200 line are recent or current players. Add to that the likely 200-game milestones of Mcdonald, Green, Bruce and Johnstone and you're looking at most of our 200-gamers coming in since 1990. Green in particular could be one of our next big totals - still barely 26, about 160 games to his name, and he does seem to be reasonably durable/lucky on the injury front. And I'm sure he'll want to get in 100 games as captain...

It looked truly awful on TV. They ran a whole series of distrubing slow-mo replays of him getting crunched and close-ups of the shoulder - I swear there was a 'straight edge' pressing against the outer skin, and they couldn't get the arm back in the socket. Looked terrible and they had to get him off to hospital. Which makes me think - with club doctors accompanying first Holland and then Bell to hospital, who did we have left? What a nightmare injury run. What are we up to at the moment, twelve out? I for one think Holland deserves another year, but if he decides to hang up the boots then there is always... wait for it, you'll love this... Ben Holland - strength and conditioning. (The guy obivously knows how to build his strength and work on it properly, and lets not forget it is 'Doctor Benny'.) Shane Woewodin - fitness and preparation. (A midfield equivalent to Holland - whatever people think about his play I haven't heard anyone suggest he isn't a first-rate trainer) Frankly, I think that's a genuinely good core to the fitness staff. Now, I'm not on the 'Bohdan is the devil' bandwagon, but I don't think he's a good as we would want and can get.

Green, Bruce and Robertson. Because -someone will mention to them that Neitz might be playing his last year. -the new coach will also be putting a regular set of rockets up them. -Robertson and Bruce have both been constantly undermined by injury this year. Let's not forget, all three of these players have shown that their best is All-Australian level. Note that I've excluded players who are out with injury but the returns of Yze, Whelan and Rivers in particular add A LOT to our line-up. Note also that from all of the young kids we should get a few who'll take another significant step. I'm particularly keen on the Dunn/Bate/Newton trio drafted together all now reaching the next level of maturity. So that's three different sets of three who I reckon we'll all be seeing a lot more of next year.

For one of the Anzac day games up in Sydney I ended up roughly behind the goals and had a great time watching Neitz kick a bag (and Greeny cutting across the 50m line like some kind of single-minded predator - how much do we all want to see that again). What made it so much fun, even though I think we lost, was that early in the game Neitz missed a shot and some clown started shouting "you're s**t Neitz" every time he came near the ball. Six goals later people were echoing the shout right back at the pratt who'd started it. Could a 'Neitz appreciation thread' be the only place where everyone on here will agree? The big fella just brings the whole club together.

Adelaide - B Rutten Brisbane - J Brown Carlton - M Murphy Collingwood - T Lockyer (despite the smell) Essendon - M LLoyd Fremantle - M Pavlich Geelong - P Chapman Hawthorn - L Franklin Kangaroos - S Grant Port Adelaide - K Cornes Richmond - Nah.. St. Kilda - N Dal Santo Sydney - Kennelly (d'ya have any Irish in ya? Would ya like some?) West Coast - Gotta be Judd, though Cox could be more useful positionally. Western Bulldogs - B Johnson Scary how similar a lot of these lists are. I like the idea of the list of young players someone suggested. Throw em all together and win for a decade.

That's been my concern - why play without rest when so far below fitness and form in a 'dead rubber' game? I really worry that it's about getting to the three-hundred and then stepping away. Some of it might be Captain pressure - meaning that the lack of new leaders to step in for him is actually physically damaging Neitz. I hope that some of the more 'complacent' of our senior players realise this and are appropriately shamed into action.

Every time I see Brown and Ward in our top possessions list I cringe. It's their disposal - routinely a bad decision, kicking off target and frighteningly often they produce genuine clangers. This is particularly bad when we're trying to build confidence and system into young players, who find themselves having to suddenly drop what they're doing and respond to yet another turnover. Ward and Brown deserve to have careers studded with Norm Goss medals as they power Sandringham to ever more premierships, and their effort is commendable, but they just aren't damaging players - has anyone ever seen either of them tagged? Getting back to Bizzel, I think his decisions and disposal are better, and he is actually a reassuring presence because he is often in the right place to take the 'relieving' defensive mark. I wouldn't mind seeing him still on the list next year.

I've been thinking about the arguments for keeping or delisting Holland. I went back over our 'big full back' history and noticed that Nicholson was originally supposedly a ruckman. So, thinking out loud - Jamar and PJ and both 200cm and around 100kg. So definately big enough. I'm not sure of Jamar's burst speed or reading of the play, so he'd definately be the 'new Nicho'. Pj seems both a bit cleverer, quicker on the initiative, and simply a quicker player. I think it would be worth experimenting with - both these guys are unlikely to play every game selected just as a ruck, maybe adding the patented Benny Holland 'drop-in gorilla keeper' role to their capabilities could increase their usefulness and their career prospects. We can't be assuming that Frawley, Warnock or Garland will automatically become big enough to take this role, certainly not in the next season or two. For the record, I really, really hated loved Nicholson, and I've come to the conclusion that sad as it is, it's time for Holland to go.

I get excited if I think about the 'ins and outs' for next year, assuming we continue with the policy of resting the injured (Robbo, get off the ground until you can get up off the ground!) I've taken some latitude here, but this is a thought process, not a grant application. I also haven't included players like Brown, Ward, Bizzell, Holland, Ferguson and Pickett in order to minimise 'But he's leaving anyway' comments. Yes, Miller is still in there. Please let that slide and stay on topic! Currently not playing and not likely to play this year - Rivers Yze Petterd Whelan Bartram Currently playing obviously injured or seriously out of form Neitz Robertson Mclean Davey Question marks on current form and/or match fitness from interrupted seasons Carroll Jamar Johnstone Miller Moloney Bell Bruce Young players with credibly anticipated imrpovement to come Jones Buckley Petterd Sylvia (still) Newton Dunn Frawley Bate It doesn't take long to see just how dramatically this team can change. Imagine a year with a normal injury rate. Imagine some renewal of form for a few players (I haven't even included White and Green, who I think could both do a lot better even though they aren't 'failing' at present). Throw in a high draft pick or two and a driven, energetic coach... I'm actually confident that next year will see competitive performances. I won't predict further, but yes, my fires still burn! And to those who have looked up our worst season ever stats, I think it'd be fun to see if there has ever, ever been a team which didn't have a single player play the entire season. Get that record and 2007 becomes a meaningful part of history, instead of just a miserable year - anytime it comes up, the 'talking point' would be the incredible injury run, not the terrible performance!

AAAARRRGGHHH!!! Can't a young guy play well for a year or two without being our 'NEXT CAPTAIN FOREVER WOOHOO GONNA LEAD US SINGLEHANDED TO A PREMEIRSHIP'. Sorry, I know that's exaggerating, but damn that is one bit of hype that really worries me. Miller couldn't handle it when he was made 'NEXT CAPTAIN' before he had assemble a decent few years base of confidence. Mclean is really suffering from the pressure now, I'd speculate. Now Jones? How about - "Jones for player who the leadership group makes a point of supporting so they can build confidence and not get knocked out of games by older heavier bodies..." Although Davey could do with a bit of the same support. Sometimes I think that the 'job' of flying the flag in support of Davey has been assigned to just two players - Whelan and Pickett. Sometimes I think back on the last few years and get the feeling each player has been taught to think too much about their own, precious little role, rather than the things that everyone needs to be doing all the time. You know, tackling is McDonald's 'thing', long searching leads was Miller's 'thing', courageously filling space across CHB was River's 'thing', long kicking is Moloney and Wheatley... So no-one else needs to do them...

I hate to say it, but the Bulldogs might even be in a worse position than our lot over the next few years. Grant, West, Johnson, Darcy, Akermanis all likely departures. While they've coped without Darcy or Grant for long periods, and Akermanis ain't what he used to be, losing the lot puts a huge whole in any team. Brad Johnson must be just about the most irreplacable player going around, simply because no-one else does what he does, and West is undeniably critical. The form and fitness of these players, despite all the 'young doggies' hype, is the barometer of the Bulldogs performance, and they are all one their way out soon.

Wow, if that is how the teams really line up then I'm afraid I'll have to starting thinking Riley has been part of the problem all along. Who is Holland coming in for, anyway? Tredrea? He'd spend the whole game watching from five metres behind. Maybe Motlop or Pearce. #%^ing #$%^ of a %^$ what the $#%#$@ why would $#% do $%^$ when the $^#% is $^$*ing %^%ed. I'm sure I'll get solid agreement on that last sentence.

My thought is that Sheedy is such a big personality and recognised as a legend of the game that he could make some hard moves, disturb some 'comfortable' players and really change the culture. A little like the Return of Barassi in the 80's set up a renewal of vigor. I'd predict a 3 year job to kick in a few walls, shift the attitude and groom a successor (I still think Viney eventually) and be remembered as a Richmond champion player, the greatest Essendon coach, and the man who restored the glory of the original football club after almost half a century of faltering. I think the timeline would suit Sheedy's retirement plans, I think the goal would be 'worthy' of Sheedy's ambition, and I think it really could revitalise the club's image - you can't ignore or not care about the club Kevin Sheedy coaches...

Presuming we only manage one more win, we should get picks - 2, 19, 20, 34 or something like that. So Definately a good idea to delist four for a starter, I'd say. Brown and Ward just turn the ball over or screw up some other way far too often - when you're trying to build up the confidence of the younger guys you can't have experienced players constantly sending us into mad scrambles to cover sudden big holes (consider poor Frawley against the Roos - that's just not fair on a young guy). Dropping these two reinforces the usefulness of keeping Yze, covering the role Brown & Ward have filled, except with maybe some footskills. Don't forget Whelan, too. And Bartram, Petterd, Bell... all better options for skill and discipline. Five players out who would all be ahead of Ward & Brown. I think Holland can go. Gorilla-keeper theory is all nice, but Rocca must be the only major FF slow enough for Holland to still be there when it counts. Dropping Holland increases the value of experimenting a little more with Miller. I think he might have been a decent FF if the spot had been there when young, but it doesn't look like it'll ever happen now. So give him some time down back and see if he can step up next year. If not, it would probably be his last. I'm over Pickett, to be honest. I'd want to hear a reason for him to be kept, rather than feeling a need to justify his departure. So that is four. Notwithstanding above comments, I'd accept a good-value trade for Miller. Might be best for him too. Jamar is now behind PJ, and honestly I've lost confidence in Jamar's prospects for improvement. A lot of clubs need a 'decent' ruckman, and I still reckon we should be aiming for a top quality ruckman with the first pick, so I think the trade would work out. But I'd hardly be upset if he was kept another year. If a trade like the one arranged for Walsh (to Port for about a three-pick advancement in the third round of the draft) could be arranged for Ferguson, it might be best for all concerned. Again, no problem for me if we persevere with him. I like the guy, despite his appaling luck. I'd like to keep the established playing group mostly together - I'd be horrified if Green or Bruce were traded on the eve of a new coach who might be able to push them the extra step to champion level. As to coaching, I like Todd Viney simply because he got results in the Hawthorn midfield. He's also got out-of-AFL coaching experience and fitness expertise. And can we please bring in Jimmy Stynes for even a couple of sessions a week as a specialist ruck coach. Hmmm... that made me think of something - Jeff White's miserable habit of winning hit-outs and tapping to disadvantage has been around a while and is getting worse... is he teachable? Maybe he thinks he owns the ruck position? Both Jamar & Jolly were starved for opportunity because White liked to ruck alone. And other people's comments about his slow slow decision making and low impact despite his pretty good stats ring true to me as well. I've lost confidence in him and honestly think he's a smokey for a shock delisting! Jamar, PJ, Neaves and a top draft pick as a ruck division would be a risk, but when you really think about it, what is White providing at the moment? So, do I get the coaching job?

O'keefe is a likeness I approve of. He does some very good work providing a lead in the forward line, I've often seen him be the extra forward that just meant the that opposition defence couldn't cope anymore, so everyone has a day out. I'm glad he's adding a bit of versatility too, because he deserves a spot and so do a couple of his young 'competitors' up forward. Looks like everyone has a theory of what he'll become. But we're all agreed he's likely to do well, at least.

I reckon Pickett will be given a couple of games to round out, and maybe proove that he's worth persevering with. Though I personally wouldn't want to see him on the list next year. If I had to guess, I'd say round 16 (Nth Melbourne) or 17 (Port Adelaide) would be chosen for his 200th, 'for old times sake'. If we give him a run, it may as well coincide with the more personally significant games for him. Unless he's really stepped up by then, though, I don;t think he should get more than two or three games to show us his worth.