The Chazz

Watch any game when Collingwood had Cloke, Dawes, Jolly and Brown playing in it (probably their premiership last year). When you're finished doing that, watch the replay of this year's grand final when Geelong had Pods, Hawkins, Ottens and West. Admittingly Pods went down early, but it worked most of the year for them! We'll be fine. B)

Not sure if this fits in here (the firs bit will, not sure about the second bit!), but will give it a go... I wouldn't be so quick in getting rid of Fitzpatrick. As we saw this year - it would only take a bad run of injuries to our big guys and we may be sweating on the likes of Fitzy to play a role. Let's not forget, he's coming in to his third year, and after a bad run with injuries, forced himself in to the senior side in the last round. If we can get 6-8 games in to him in 2012, I'd be happy. The bit that may not fit in here is this... Jamar has been talked about on a few different threads about being potential trade bait in the next couple of seasons. I am blown away by that thought. Look at Ottens, there is no way that Geelong would've considered trading him - he has played an important role in their 3 premierships, without being one of the best rucks in the league, and is in to his 30's. We have Jamar, who is easiyl in the top 5 rucks, if not top 3 in the league. Ruckman like Cox and Jolly, played great footy this year, and are both going around again in 2012 at least. I rate Jamar in that category, which to me, providing no serious injuries occur, gives him at least 4 seasons as our number 1 ruck. Now, if Gawn comes on, sobeit - LUCKY US!!! Geelong managed to juggle Ottens and West, I can't see why we can't do the same. What I'm getting at is that if we still have Russian playing great footy up until roughly 2015-2016, we are in very, very good shape. In that time, we can have the likes of Fitzy developing. The big challenge will be how we juggle his development at Casey, and give him as much senior exposure as possible, but without upsetting the Jamar/Martin or Jamar/Gawn balance. We also need to make sure that if Fitzy gets to consistent AFL standard, that he doesn't go looking for other opportunities (ala Mummy). At this stage, we are fine because he wouldn't be in demand at all. Players that I would see in the firing line would be the likes of Dunn, Maric (who is a monty to go this year), dare I say it Aussie, Greeny may be there in 2013, Bate, maybe Strauss (would want to show good form when back from injury), Joel Mac. This will probably be quoted, but Dean Bailey has to get some credit for the way he ensured the list be turned over like it was. He put list management before personal achievement. I strongly believe he put the solid foundations in place, and it's now up to Neeld to build a beautiful temple. Neeld now can put the finishing touches to what has been a tough period. It's because of this that I'm certain we wont see massive changes over the next 2 seasons, more just fine tuning, regardless of what sort of Superdarft it is next year. 2012 is THE year that we gain momentum on field. We are flying off it, it's up to the players now. We have to cattle to take this thing forward, might need 1 or 2 more to get to the destination, but I'll say the word again - STABILITY is going to be a key ingredient for the next decade.

Just for my benefit [censored], what has made you have this opinion? I'm not being a smart ass, but do you watch a lot of the Roosters games in person? I can't see how a bloke that wins club and league B7F's, gets BOG in a grand final (I think!), has made the past 3 or so VFL Team of the Year, can have not great skills. Surely there must be something there for him to continually perform? I'm all for Sewell. As a full time footballer, I'd expect him to add 3-5kg of muscle, bringing him up to 83-85kg. I agree with the thoughts that we, like other clubs, have had many opportunities to draft him in the past, and the fact his brother plays at Hawthorn and they haven't picked him up probably isn't a great reference, but wasn't Michael Barlow in the same boat (without the brother playing at Hawthorn)? I'd be keen to snap him up with our 3rd pick. We have a good history with kids picked in the 50's. In a weak draft, the risk is very minimal, and it might be a great way to target his brother at the end of 2012.

Will depend on Stef's next 2 seasons in my view. If he continues to develop and improve, he may just hold down a key position (other than ruck). If they caan groom him to become that CHB over the next 2 years, there's no reason why Jamar and Gawn can't share ruck duties (rotating between ruck/forward pocket). It may also be a way of getting an extra couple of years out of Jamar. It will also depend a lot on Watts, and where he (in 2 seasons) is playing his best footy (and how much he grows).

My point is that we can all see that Trengove will be a star, and there's a massive majority (me excluded) that think Gysberts is a gun-in-the-making. Where we differ from Collingwood, among other areas, is that we need stars now to help the development of JT/JG. We need Moloney to be more consistent, and we need Sylvia to get to Top 20 in league stuff, and maybe even Jones to become an A-grader. New coach (who has an excellent record of assisting some players get to that level), new game plan, anything is possible. I think the end of 2012 will tell us a lot more about what we need. As I said, if the above "senior" players can thrive under Neeld, we may not need to target am established mid - we may just have them in the team already. In regards to KPB for when our window will be open - we will have Frawley, Garland as "established" KPB, plus we have got Davis, McDonald (who I thought should plenty in his first game), and Martin if need be. I think we're travelling ok. I'm not saying "we've got enough, let's shut up shop and wait", but I think the list we have got now can grow into a premiership team. It wont hippin over night, but it wull hippin!

Apologies - I forgot we could select more than 1 option for that answer! If it were one or the other, I'd pay $700k for Buddy before I paid $700k for Sandi.

Hey Dee, I love how you claim that is possibly the most balanced team on paper. I just hope the interchange stewards know what to do when Grimes runs off, with the expectation that Bail is going to replace him, but instead, Bail is up in the stands because you didn't pick him.

That's a bit harsh RR - we didn't have much option when we listed Shannon (was obviously after and trade/draft/preseason draft period, so while we wish we never had to sign him up, you can understand why we did. In response to the OP, I'm not sure how many more mid-sized forwards we need, we have surplus, and some.

As opposed to $700k for Buddy, Cloke, Jonny Brown, etc? Especially consdiering our ruck stocks were fine and we needed a key forward?

People have been so obsessed with youth/draft picks Furious, that they have forgotten what team stability is. You don't get rid of a player, like Jamar, when he is 27, and has 4-5 years of top footy left in him. We want a team full of top players that will be strong for a decade, not get them to their potential then wave them goodbye!

FB: Garland Frawley Bartram HB: Blease Rivers Grimes C: Bail Trengove Jones HF: Sylvia Watts Howe FF: Green Clark Jurrah Foll: Jamar Moloney McKenzie Int: Tapscott, Martin, Davey Sub: Petterd Emg: Jetta Gawn Gysberts * Bring on 2013 when Rivers, Davey and Green aren't auto-selections. * And I'm looking forward to seeing the Howe/Petterd battle for that HFF position - may be a big call but I have Howe in front of Petterd based on the season just gone. * Who honestly knows how Neeld is going to start them??!!

If that's the case DC, we wont need to target any established mids. If the players that we have earmarked on our list as potential stars, we should be fine in a couple of years. Give them time to grow like Collingwood had to with Daisy, and I'm sure we'll be rewarded.

I've always wondered why we don't introduce a strategy similar to this; A forward ruck (perhaps Gawn) to ruck only when the ball is inside F50 A "middle"/main ruck (Jamar) to ruck at centre bounces and around the wings/in the guts A back ruck (perhaps Martin) to ruck in D50 How fresh would that keep Jamar - especially late in the third/all of the last quarter when the opposition rucks are flat on their feet. The parts about how it would work when the opposition ruck goes to a ruck contest outside of where Jamar goes, that's to be worked on...!!!

It's not about the massive investment RPFC, it's about getting stability in our structure, and looking at what are our current strengths/weaknesses. Our ruck division, made up of (in order) 1. Jamar 2. Martin 3. Gawn is healthy. Healthy doesn't mean elite, healthy means bloody healthy! When we need everyhing to be "elite", which will be 2013-onwards, I have no doubt our ruck stocks will achieve that level (we're not that bloody far from it!). Our forward line structure is the most important "work in progress" for 2012. We start getting it right, we start winning more games than we lose. Clark is a massive + in this area. Maybe we invest in a quality mid at the end of 2012, maybe we don't. A lot will be determined by what players step up next season. Imagine if Sylvia has the consistency we are crying out for, and if Trengove takes another step forward, and if Jones establishes himself as a true top 5 at the club. All of a sudden, we may not need to spend big on a quality mid - they may already be on our list.

Well Steve, for a man who has played at a fairly high level, you are being very short-sighted. Of course Geelong has a midfield of the true "elite" status, but when their era started, how many games had all their mids played? We are atleast 2 years away from being in a comparable position. Our backline is also well on track to becomming every bit as good as Geelong's. I shouldn't have to tell you - it should be pretty clear for someone with your playing resume, that the premiership core at Geelong were together for atleast 5 years before they "clicked". While some will say we are already 5 years in to our rebuild, I would argue that we are only 2 seasons in to it (next year being our 3rd).

I wonder how much of that Andrew's review Cam actually tried to implement the recommendations, hence some feeling like their toes were being stomped on?

Totally disagree. Geelong still won premierships with Nathan Ablett, and then with Tom Hawkins holding down ket positions. At that time in each of those players careers, I'd rate Martin above them.

The question of our ability to play all big guys really depends on the oppostion. For example, if we play Geelong, they geberally have; 2 Rucks - Ottens, West/Vardy 3 Forwards - Pods, Hawkins, West/Vardy In this case, we would need something like this in our match-ups; 2 Rucks - Jamar, Gawn/Martin 3 Defenders - Frawley, Martin(?), Garland We have seen Rivers is quite vulnerable against bigger forwards. Gawn is still probably 12 months away from demanding a best 21 spot, while if Maratin can carry his 2011 form in to next season, he is easily in our best 21. The thing I'm looking forward to the most out of 2012 is to watch what kind of structure Neeld will have in mind with his forward line and back line. Rivers wouldn't want to plateau and Martin continue to improve.

I find it funny how we obtain a 200cm player in the trade, and now all of a sudden we have too many talls? FFS people, it was these "experts" that said we are crying out for a big-bodied forward. Now, for some common sense. Gawn is NOT to be traded. Jamar is NOT to be traded. And YES, we can play with Martin, Gawn, Jamar and Clark ALL in the same team. The issue for most supporters is their obsession with mid-sized forwards. I've got news for ya - our team can't have all of Petterd, Green, Sylvia, Howe, Tappy, Dunn and Jurrah playing as mid-sized forwards. These guys have got 2 options - either be a gun half forward flanker, or have the capacity to rotate through the midfield and have an impact when doing so. Syliva get's the tick for the latter, Jurrah gets the tick for the former. I think Howe can be a gun half forward, and Petterd and Tappy can potentially play the latter also. Premiership winning forwardlines have multiple big bodies. Don't believe me? Tell me the last one that didn't have them. I have no issue with Clark at Full Forward, Watts at CHF, and the resting ruckman in the pocket. It could mean Martin does become our CHB (now that we have that KPF). Watch the highlights of Gawn on the MFC website - he is a very good mark, and will only get better. Ideally in a couple of years time, Gawn will take over that number 1 ruck role. That's when I could easily see Jamar playing in a pocket alongside Clark, then have the resting ruckman on the bench. Collingwood did it this year (used the bench for their rucks), and while it limits the amount of interchange rotations for our midfielders, with the new fitness/sports science gurus on board, hopefully we will be able to accommodate this. Please guys, let's get some stability of our list for a couple of years before you start calling for blokes like Jamar or Gawn to be traded. I know you ask if Jamar will be there in our window, but let's not forget, we need to win games to make the 8 first, then we can worry about winning flags. Taking Jamar out of our team in 2012-2014 will not do us any favours.

Any chance you can look in to that crystal ball and get the lotto numbers for me B59? I'll be sure to put every number other than those that you see!!!

Hey, there is a lot of sarcasim involved in my post. These are far from my personal views!

I think it's this part RPFC. Neeld obviously sees a role for him, can offer no other logical reason for not trading.

Melbourne overpaying Clark... Matthew Bate playing 22 games in the VFL, when we had the opportunity to trade for pick 39... Eyes will still be on the MFC Yoda, especially if we start the year 1-6.

God, I'm sick of not being able to atttract decent players to this Club. What has Harrington been doing all week? (Nb. joking)

Surely not. Red-haired, fair skin, covered in freckles, sending him to the Gold Coast? Surely we wouldn't be that cruel!