Little Goffy

I'm more over this season than I realised until I actually thought about it. I've got surprisingly little interest in the finals race and premiership contenders and all that. I've even let footy tipping slide It's hard, when you can't see your team moving out of the bottom four even with a good run. I care about Sunday's result, particularly since my brother supports Carlton. I definately don't want us to 'tank' for draft picks, but it would be annoying to have five wins instead of four and the extra pick around 20. If it came down to one loss for an extra likely player / Judd-trade sweetener... I'll be upset if we lose, I always am. But the pain lies in how we lose - getting smashed all day OR losing in the last minute because of some weak free kick (I still hate Lloyd for that Elim Final Dive) would really [censored] me off. Can't go, live on wrong planet, spaceship out of order. We'll see if the break in the weather comes through by Sunday. I reckon there will be more people curious about this game than we'd expect. 38,000

Don't forget Davey 2003 Rookie. It's a shame Bartram is out. Must be something like 80% of last few years draftees playing in that scenario. Who's missing? Neville - I haven't heard anyone get excited about him yet Garland - The standard message seems to be 'good prospect, but don't expect instant results' Warnock - Seems to get about a 50/50 split of people who think he'll either just barely make it, or just barely wont. Weetra - I know nothing. Neaves - Most people seem to expect he'll be promoted from the rookie list eventually. Then there are a couple of other rookies who aren't write offs - like Bode and Hughes. Phenomenal stuff.

It's not so much a question of what we would offer Carlton, but what would they offer us to sweeten the deal if we agreed to take him off their hands.

My brother is a Carlton supporter and because of that I get an inside view of what it's like having your team's fortunes hanging on a player so grossly inconsistent, irresponsible and unreliable. Not to mention overpaid and self-glorifying. Please no. No no no no no. No No No. NO.

I'm really excited to see Wheatley back in the mix following injuries and some poor form. He's been good since return. Any time he gets the ball I'm pleased because WITH WHEATLEY YOU CAN BE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT HE WON'T [censored]-FART AROUND ON THE HALF-BACK LINE. He is, in that respect, a cure for one of our Ills. I also still love him for beating the little bastard Matera after Matera had kicked four goals in the first quarter with Whelan on him. Good player, Wheatley. I had him on the list of possible 'outs' at the end of the season, but I'm very happy that he's back and performing.

No.

I honestly think is was the correct, albiet unpleasant, decision to advance the date of the review. But I'm not happy at all with Gardner's mouth. He's managed to show disrespect to both Daniher and Neitz in the space of two weeks. I'll still be rating him on how he does his 'core' job, but he really needs to bring the chat under control before he makes Melbourne a media slapstick routine.

I'm starting to think Gardner just needs to keep his mouth shut - someone else commented hat club presidents should be 'seen and not heard'. I can see the case for being ruthless with regard to the football review, but Gardner's careless talk gave it an air of disrespect that it simply didn't need to have. And now his response to Neitz offering a mild rebuke for that has prompted Gardner to make a totally unneccesary response in which he basically talked down to David Neitz, suggesting he was 'just' speaking out of emotion. Neither Gardners original comments nor his response to Neitz's comments were necessary or helpful for the club. Dare I suggest they were driven by Gardners 'emotional' need to justify himself? I'm not impressed. Gardner had better deliver on his promises on making a profit and getting the new facilities together, I've already being stung but his 'overestimates' of income in the last couple of years. Again, his excessive talking actually undermines satisfaction with the clubs off-field progress over the last couple of years. He needs to keep his mouth shut and not let his ego, emotion and dare I say it conscience create controversies for the media to play with. Oops... anyway, as to the actual point of this thread, I would think Neitz would put in another year at least. Unless he becomes the new coach. I can dream of seeing, in a few years, Neitz and Stynes being assistant coaches under Viney, can't I?

oh, and a final thought - "Newton the hard-working responsible team player" Daniher's final legacy?

Well said Jaded. I was really pleased with the team efforts like that chase and some responsible play instead of trying to be the show-pony. It's a shame that first shot didn't go through, would've been worth about $300 from the pledgers! I don't think Dunn is in trouble, as some suggested. Dunn has added a little extra versatility lately which should see it possible for both to find spots in the team. And you'd think Netiz will be out for a while again after last night - he was seriously banged up out there, what a freak for managing to not only play on but even keep performing. Robbo might even miss a few as well, if we get serious about using the remainder of the year to put players through necessary surgery and rest. It's pretty clear that his knee still isn't quite 100%.

Yep, I can confirm that. If we only win four games for the year then we'll be getting top pick plus pick 17 AND 18. (This assumes that Richmond win three more and pass us, otherwise it'd be pick 2 + pick 19 and 20)

Oh come on, when was it serious to actually say that one error costs a game. Brown screwed up because he had a brain freeze under pressure with 30 seconds to go. It's a problem, I'd suggest it's his last season and he wont get many more games, but don't overdo it, huh?

Didn't help that bloody Bruce 'The Goose' Macaveny still called it as 'White' when PJ was rucking. How does he still get allowed in. He deliveres commercial hype and stupid outlandish comments ' oh, the best game in 100 years' and idiotic garbage like that, which just undermines the genuine recognition which the other commentators give players during a game. Bah.

I'll say exactly what I replied to Jarka on 'Game Thread'. Aren't you a sour one? Cool it for an hour and a half, could ya. Then he wont be your problem any more and you won't be his.

Aren't you a sour one? Cool it for an hour and a half, could ya. Then he won't be your problem any more and you won't be his.

Right, I see. A little excess exuberance. I suppose with the amount of anger directed at the coach around here it's easy to think he wasn't liked. Mumy and Daddy still love eachother, and we both love you, we just need to be apart. I wonder if any players will be running away from home?

Dunno about a coach to get Judd. Get the best coach we can is the best way to advertise. As for the potential cleanout, if I had to prepare the full list of the possibles it would go something like - Retirements/Delisting Brown Ward Pickett Holland Bizzell Yze Ferguson Neville Trade options Johnstone Miller Jamar And in fairness to other's opinions Godfrey C. Johnson So, that is a lucky 13 of potential departures. The sheer bulk of possible delistings is part of why I don't think Godfrey or CJ should be on the chopping block. Ferguson might be tradeable by some fluke. Then again, the poor guy deserves a change of luck. Lets see, Johnstone and a second round pick for Ball to come back to Sandringham! Jamar and Miller to boost the early picks, either adding new ones or upgrading existing ones. Delist Ward, Brown, Pickett, Neville, Ferguson (who would be traded if possible, ala Peter Walsh). Leaving six or seven slots open. Target a couple of these rumoured superhero ruckmen/forwards in the early draft (2 picks), go for speed and a speculative KP backman with some of the remaining (3 picks). Be sure to leave at least our first pick in the pre-season draft to collect any departing players from other clubs (eg. Judd or Riewolt) Interestingly, Ball is a friend/teammate of Riewolt now, and played for the Sandringham Dragons alongside Judd, back in the day. The final result is, out of our best 22. - Johnstone (the rest simply aren't best 22) + Ball + whoever we can snaffle in the pre-season draft + at least one top rated ruckman/forward + a host of kids The shift from Johnstone to Ball would be a major step up in leadership and hardness, without any major loss on skills. After Judd and Sandilands he would have to be one of the best options. I personally wouldn't be prepared to trade away the kind of draft positions that would be demanded for Riewolt or Judd, though I wouldn't flinch at grabbing them in the preseason draft. With so many senior players retiring or soon to retire, and players like Robertson and Bruce soon to be eligible for veteran status, we should actually have a little bit of room in the salary cap to accomodate a star recruit or two.

What a stupid poll. The tone of the question is clearly driving for a 'no' response. Quick sentence analysis - Did any of you actually like Daniher? - establishes that the author didn't like Daniher. Did any of you actually like Daniher? - establishes that the author looks down on those who did. You're poll is actually a pretty lame attempt at bullying people into the desired answer. Says something that there is you and maybe four other people who would say that they didn't like Daniher. I just hope that whoever our next coach is doesn't have your ego and lack of respect for others.

Can you imagine that kind of attitude becoming normal around here? 1) Thompson, Jolly, Viney (as coach at Hawthorn if that counts), if Viney doesn't count then Simmonds. 2) Ferguson, Jamar, Neville (like others, I see it as good for them) 3) Brock Mclean, Jared Rivers, Brad Green. You're welcome, good luck with the project.

Heh heh. I'm sure once he sets his focus on it there will be hundreds of little Godfreys. Although he may be more use preventing champion players from other teams having their own. Eew. This train of thought can go to very bad places very fast.

Wow, I'd forgotten all about it. I'm gald someone reminded me because it is a big milestone and Godfrey is a player who has worked damn hard to get there. Only one full season (2003) in his entire career, but despite being routinely dropped and even spending long stretches out of AFL level, he still is totally committed to the club and the task at hand. Take Godfrey's attitude and plant it into every young player on our list. Maybe throw in a little Gary Lyon arrogance... Congratulations Simon Godfrey. I can't wait to see what the banner says!

Yep, I'm not interested in Connolly as head coach. It would make dropping Daniher look profoundly stupid if all we do is sign up a coach who would give us nothing that we didn't already have. Fremantle have underperformed drastically. They are only now rising to the level of hot-cold streaks and up-down seasons. The demons achieved that years ago, and do it better. For christs sake, the man RECRUITED Tarrant! (Although, the whole deal may have just been to get rid of Medhurst) Not to mention that Fremantle have the highest rate of both on-field and off-field discipline issues. And they aren't actually that 'tough' a team, so no excuses for the endless tribunal visits - it's not hard play it's careless, stupid play. I could see Daniher crossing to coach Fremantle (and doing very well), but I can't really see Connolly being taken up anywhere else. Maybe Demonland should run a poll and sent the result to the club. Select one option - Chris Connolly. vs A stack of ripped bicycle tyres and a ferret name Gretel.

My first thought was that the suggsetion would be to recruit Woey as an assistant coach. I guess that just shows how little credence I give to the idea of him playing at AFL level again. What might be interesting is Woey being a player/assistant coach for Sandy, like Rigoni did for a year after he was delisted by the Demons. But of course, there are probably going to be about four of the demon's older players all looking for a spot in Sandy next year! Sandrigham line up for 2008 - B: Brown Holland Lamb HB: Woewodin Bizzell Ward etc.. etc..

Yep, I hear it too, though not by any reliable source! Hopefully he can provide a few party tricks for Daniher's farewell, and remind us all that the club still has a good future despite a terrible run these last six months. Then again, maybe the entire bloody 'senior' line up could do that for a change, instead of loading it on a kid. Finally, I get to actually see the kid playing!

Robbie Flower. Jimmy Stynes. Ron Barassi. Steve Waugh? Roger Federer? So long as Connolly is kept at a distance and evetually some kind of consensus is reached I'm pretty comfortable with the process. Oh and a final thought - let no-one who is in any way connected to the Carlton board get involved.