Dr. Mubutu

This is the best-case scenario, for mine. Doubt we'll get Sidebottom, they'll surely want to lock him in, but Beams...........

Jesus Christ, this reminds me how much we DON'T miss one C. Bruce. I just facepalmed at one of his many hospital handballs in that vision, even knowing it was coming.

Really? NO! We need midfielders! Cloke would be a massive waste of free agent cash! (Unless, of course, we're recruiting him as the biggest-bodied midfielder ever..........)

If at all.

Not a chance. Probably just me, but I don't see him as "the next big thing" that everyone else is. And if we'd drafted him, he'd only be known as "the kid that punched out a cabbie".

I think you're forgetting: Geelong Kardinia -186 -43 +143 So only about 4 goals worse.

Put me down for a vote for a keeper league at this stage. Since that's what the NSL is doing, I figure that's the best way to go for us as well. At least at this early stage.

Aw yeah. Won the hit outs with 20 this week. 10-3 victory!

To nitpick: how well did Darling do on Saturday, when expected to shoulder the same burden Melbourne's young recruits have been expected to? Just a thought.

Someone at Melbourne needs to link the fake Jako account. That'd be magic.

Wow! 14-1 on Monday morning! However, St.K v Carlton tonight: 0 players left v. 2......... Definitely gonna lose marks and tackles, let's see how the rest pans out; could be a nail-biting finish!

Once.....for purely academic purposes (which I realise is a contradiction in terms.....)

Which can often be the most important responsibility of all........

Wag Nation is even more about the footy than the Footy Show is.

Exactly. We're all expecting far too much from players who are far too young. Looking at other class midfielders (with the exception of Judd, who is a freak), most of them have taken a few years, usually in lesser competitions, or in the case of Ablett Jr., in lesser positions, to come on as expected. However, due to our lack of midfield talent, we've expected these guys to come in and perform IMMEDIATELY. Closer to home, one only has to look at N. Jones. Yes, he got DISPOSALS from day dot, but he's only been performing at a level one would expect of a first-round draft pick for the last two years. This is why, I suspect, Magner has started has well as he has. Sure, he probably doesn't have the elite fitness required to continually be in the engine room at the AFL level, but he has the maturity and discipline required! As much as it's a dirty word around here, I think we just need some PATIENCE with our young midfield, especially given the baptism of fire most of them have had to endure.

I've found out that they've only got blue, so my Irish guernsey will be staying 'fixed' with the green gaff.

An excellent story on one of the most underrated midfielders in the AFL: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/keeping-up-with-nathan-jones/story-e6frf9jf-1226352487943

This exactly. Frankly, I'd be surprised if this kind of talk WASN'T happening, especially with free agency. Knowing he is one of our best players, is in line for free agency, and is out of contract, frankly his agent would be remiss NOT to explore options, or at the very least make the appropriate noises that he is. For all those who want the club to become more mercenary in getting contracts, this is the inevitable flipside. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

This is essentially it. I'm all for him putting the effort in, but given he has a terribly high centre of gravity, most tackles, especially on shorter, stockier players, won't stick anyway. He needs to find a better way to curtail these types of players, so obviously this is why he's still at Casey. Jose is definitely right, I have many friends who appear to be well-built (much like Watts) who just can't tackle me because my centre of gravity is so low. In the words of Montgomery Scott: "Ye cannae change the laws of physics!"

Awful opinion piece. Why would the players care about not having Naitinui? We already have players who can jump on their shoulders, and those guys are more likely to clunk a mark. Mitch Clark is one of the few shining lights for this team at the moment. Surely if they were miffed at him being paid so much, they'd be doing their best to show he was overpaid, not fully justifying the decision by letting him be the clear standout? I think the players would be more angry if HWMNBN had stayed, especially at the $1m he's getting paid to be a link player (albeit, one who is on his way to becoming an elite one.) The Neil Craig thing? Non-issue. Just because THE PUBLIC aren't exposed to him doesn't mean the players aren't. Cheap shot to include Jimma. Of course the players are still feeling it. Although I will say this for him, it's definitely achieved what it's set out to do, get attention.

That should be quite the intriguing matchup, if only to see how Clarkson deals with it! I, personally, can't wait for Jordie to be all over Mitchell (or Birchall possibly) like a cheap suit. Given the degree to which he irritated Goddard and Bartel in previous weeks, it'll be the matchup to watch, for mine.

The only reason I stick with it! I know SFA about footy tactics, but compared with most on that group, I'm a veritable Len Smith!

That depends. Did he meet the expectations of the coaches? Not having seen the match, I can't tell if his effort, pressure and workrate were where they need to be. But if they were, surely it'd be good for his long-term development if he was rewarded for doing these things?

And this is exactly why we will be picking him regardless. End of discussion.

To nitpick, realistically, we'd be getting #5 (JV with pick 3) and #3 (with pick 4)