Dr. Gonzo

If they were the dedicated professionals we want them to be though they would treat everytime they are in the weights room or on the track with 100% professionalism. The best players and teams have that hunger to be the best and it comes through in everything they do, whether it is a "core" or "non-core" session. You would think the competition to be the best amongst each other and within the AFL would be the motivating factor to giver their all. That doesn't mean they can't have a joke or muck around but you can't excuse players not pushing themselves and putting in when they're throwing some tin around. People talk about the culture of our club and this (and Green's/Stynes' supposed comments) is a perfect example - we are an amateur club still struggling to come to grips with the professional competition 50 years after it by-passed us. That is what was meant by Neeld when he told Malthouse we were/are a club that is about anything other than football. The biggest achievement is getting drafted and getting a game. Winning is nice when it happens but don't beat yourselves too much over it (see Jack Watts quote on what losing means to him a couple of years back).

This is meant to be funny? Whatever.

You'll be waiting a while I think.

Fixed.

Essendon v Richmond round 22, 2001.

Where do I start? No losses over 30 points. To go in every game knowing we have a chance. Consistency in performance no matter where we play (MCG, Docklands, Subiaco, AAMI etc). A midfield that works - HARD. Improved fitness and strength. Trengove & Watts to shut up the knockers. Jurrah to stand next to Clark and light up the forward line again. To beat Carlton & Essendon. Minimal injuries especially to key players. Marked improvement from Strauss, Gysberts, Tapscott. Cook to prove to me that he actually exists. Finals.

3 years??? OK, I guess...

No-one's disagreeing about his lack of pace at the moment. It's just some of us look at all the facts including his history and make a reasonable assessment that it is temporary due to factor/s we don't know of while others are running around like Henny Penny shreiking the sky is falling. How do you account for the fact that his pace/explosiveness declined over one pre-season if not for injury and/or training loads?

So you're just disregarding his 2010 & 2011 seasons where he showed no signs of being slow? The fact there was such a marked drop-off this year is a sign that something is not right physically, you don't just stop being able to run fast at 21 years old.

I don't know why I'm bothering but definitely not.

Why don't you believe he is injured? You have as much clue as anyone else here. Many players have played through OP before especially when playing through isn't going to make the injury any worse and resting isn't going to fix it. What is it with people with no idea needing to make outlandish statements to try and make themselves feel relevant. You're acting as bad as Mark Robinson or David King or any other media nuffie here, it's quite unbecoming and a little embarrassing.

That was disgraceful.

He is, but I was more looking at Trengove's ability to shift gears rather than the fact he was beaten to the ball. Fact is he couldn't go up a gear, he had no explosiveness and its been like that all year. It may be a combination of training load and slight OP but its not just training load because he doesn't deteriorate during games he's the same at the first bounce as he is at the final siren.

Lost a race to the ball against old man Johncock - couldn't sprint only jog. If he doesn't have OP I would be extremely surprised and a little worried.

Needs a tank, no good playing if you can't run out games.

I'm at the game - wish I didn't come.

The seasons not necessarily too long but in the interests of fairness it should be shortened so every team plays each other once, alternating H&A every other year. 17 games over 19 rounds allowing for two byes each and possibly a State of Origin weekend as well. Won't be too much difference in total games from a TV rights perspective to what there was two years ago. 22 x 8 = 176 17 x 9 = 161 You could potentially also add in a wildcard finals round having 7 v 10 & 8 v 9 for the final two finals spots giving teams 1-6 a week off before finals (though this is probablt unnecessary.)

FFS some people will find anything to have a whinge about, anyone would think you're a pack of Poms! Getting back on topic, can anyone else give a run down of the night? It might have been stated but I probably missed it through all the petty mud-slinging. Congrats and thanks to the club and those who donated - I wish I had the coin to be a Foundation Hero but alas I think that is still a while off yet.

I'm actually the opposite, I have a gut feel we won't and he will go to either Carlton or GWS (Richmond/Adelaide as outside chances).

I wouldn't be unhappy if we didn't get him but I would also understand if we did. At the end of the day it is an option not a must.

Yep Bennett was good in 1990 and OK in 1989. Don't know if he got 90 though more like 70 but yeah, was still a very good player that year. OK then you can count our good forwards in my time on one hand and a thumb. B)

Really? Because in my time watching the Demons I can count the number of good forwards we have had on one hand (Lyon, Jakovich, Schwarz, Neitz, Clark).

He's only 25 though and you have to offer a bit more to try and pry him away from the Pies.

Pretty sure Collingwoods terms would have been around $800K/year whereas ours will be closer to $1M/year.

If landing Cloke didn't inhibit our ability to get/develop/retain our midfield would you be against getting him? I get what you're saying but although he will get paid a tonne I just don't think it will negatively impact our ability to obtain midfielders. If it did then I would be against getting him so I think we're basically on the same page. But with our current situation including money to burn in the salary cap I don't think it will ruin us like some think. Clark is only on about $500k a year as well despite some reports so it's not like all our cap will be wasted on the forward line.