Dr. Gonzo

When he was asked whether he had spoken to anyone at Melbourne he said no not since he spoke to PJ 3 weeks ago. He was then asked about Gillon McLachlan and he made some comment about seeing him after On The Couch last week after GM had played a basketball game or something? He seemed to have a slight smirk and tried to change the subject about how GM's team lost by a point. I dunno, he seems to all but rule it out but then I think if he's not going to coach us, why not just rule it out completely. He all but said he was not interested in coaching us next year but then seemed to contradict it a sentence later to an "at the moment" type answer. I fully get why announcing him as coach now before the President and Board is selected and while Craig is still coaching would undermine Craig which is why it seems to me more likely than not he is a strong chance as otherwise he would just definitively rule it out, no questions asked, money back guarantee.

The idea was right but the execution just left a lot to be desired. A major plot-hole was the fact that in no world does anyone buy the suggestion the Dogs would trade Libba Jnr. I'd give it half a star.

1) Don't exclude umpires from senior AFL level because they can't bounce a ball. They are there to adjudicate they don't need to have a skill. 2) Make the umpires full-time/professional and hold them to certain standards. 3) Simplify the rules and stop demanding changes in "interpretations" every 5 seconds (week to week as well as year to year). These three things would improve the umpiring dramatically. You could also consider "teams" of umpires so that they get to know each other and have a better feel for how each will call the game - they should learn to position themselves better as well to work in tandem rather than being thrown into different groups each week and the players may begin to better understand how certain teams of umps will adjudicate the game.

MIDFIELDERS, MIDFIELDERS, MIDFIELDERS!!!!

Someone else brought it up earlier in the thread but the reason Roos would be a better choice and the first option over Craig, Williams or Eade is because he would "coach the club". The others will still be good coaches but we don't just need to fix the team, we need to fix the club.

Remember what happened the last time we made an experienced coach go through the "process" - that old coot Sheedy will now hold a grudge against the club to his grave.

Pretty sure that would be holding the ball.

The last answer he gave seemed to strongly indicate had Neeld stayed Watts would have been gone at years end.

Yep pretty much, that and he's going to be a very very good player. I'm assuming our second pick will be around pick 20.

He was very diplomatic with his answers wasn't he? Haha

It would be but it won't happen I'm afraid, West Coast will definitely nab him if he's there at their pick.

I agree almost completely with your assessments STMJ. I haven't seen much vision really and don't know what it is, but what I have seen I just have a feeling Sheed will be the standout mid of this draft. Billings looks like too much of a flanker, Scharenberg a 3rd tall utility rather than a pure midfielder, Kelly relies too much on receiving uncontested possessions. The only one I'm unsure of is Aish; he's highly talked up and clearly has "class" but I haven't seen enough to know if he's a "head over the ball" midfielder as well or just a classy player. Dunstan I haven't seen much of either, he looks ok but I just like the look of Sheed better. My choice (on the limited amount ive seen and read) would be Sheed over Aish but would love to grab a PP and get both (though I doubt it will happen). FWIW Knightmare on BF was asked whether Aish compared to Toumpas and he said Aish was better so I assume they play similar roles. For mine we need a player to help Jones and Viney win the clearances first and then we can work on getting the rest of our midfield sorted. Another big tick for Sheed is it seems he's a goal-kicking mid, an attribute which is vital for mids to have these days.

I'm not an expert by any means having only seen and read bits and pieces on these kids - however I would have thought Sheed would be right up our alley and am surprised he is being touted as a late first round pick. Aish seems like he will be a good player but we get dominated out of the centre and desperately need to develop a midfield who can extract the ball as well as use it. Aish seems like more of an outside player whereas Sheed is inside/outside (and can hit the scoreboard). Scharenberg seems like a classic utility but could go into the midfield down the track in the vein of the tall Freo midfielders. However it seems like at the moment he would be playing a similar role to Watts or perhaps Garland and I think we need to focus exclusively on the midfield. Billings is another who looks more like a flanker than a midfielder.

I watched the first quarter of Casey v Blues last night and he absolutely dominated kicked 2-3 goals and hit the post once as well. Can't wait for this kid to play next year he's going to be a beauty. He does have a weird set shot style though, he runs out to the right even when directly in front but as long as they go through the middle that's all that matters.

You guys miss the point - there is a difference between tanking for a PP and getting one because we are just rubbish.

They're playing a more run & carry style and closer to the flanks/middle rather than riding the boundary.

Yep and Barry Hall said that the players were "knackered" as they came off the ground, a complete turnaround from earlier in the year against Port I think when he said they were hardly sucking oxygen at all.

With Gawn, Fitzpatrick and Spencer fit and playing as they have the last two weeks I can't see Jamar playing again.

Gawn was out on his feet and the Dogs had Boyd, Cooney and Griffin in the square at quite a few of the bounces, a midfield that wasn't far of successive GF's only a couple of years back.

His first half last night was very good. He'll be a gun once he matures and has a season or 2 training in the AFL. He's one of our youngest on the ground and you can see him directing players where to run when he has the ball.

I don't see why this would be the case - pretty sure the Swans never or rarely had a top 10 pick under Roos and his coaching style is about building the culture and systems for players to prosper rather than relying on early draft picks.

How about this; 11 home games at the MCG and 11 away games at our opponents home grounds. Yep makes sense to me. Darwin, Tassie, Docklands etc can all GAGF.

He may not be a "List Manager", he may be brought in as a "Contract Officer"

How can you contest when you're relying on the AFL for survival? Just one of the drawbacks but one of necessity at this stage.

It states Healy is in a "casual vacancy" role - can anyone elaborate on exactly what that means? He's only been there a short time so not sure he can be hung out to dry but if Leoncelli wants back in now that Schwab & McLardy have gone I'd be more inclined to have him there.