DeeSpencer

Sam Newman is quite the [censored] but he's no fool and his opinion on Barrett reflects that. He can barely stand his drivel. Although Barrett is also employed by the AFL fr a weekly segment so someone should tell him to STFU

yep. And financially the game is great. The first week of finals was amazing and I expect this week to be good. The game itself has been decent this year as well. He could easily roll over the peptide thing as well but if the commission didnt see it coming why would the CEO is probably his defense

I agree about his comments. Commenting on Dustin Martin for example is out of line. I'd be all for Demetriou going but I'd rather keep him than Gillon Mcwhatever.

The players will say whatever we tell them to. Take them on a training camp to Afghanistan and they'd talk about the hard session and bonding. And sure the training camp ties in well with the sponsorship and games but if you think the games are a bad idea (as I do) then the training doesn't make sense either.

As for the actual Swans list I can't see many of Roos' swans being too interested. I'm pretty sure most are contracted and if not are pretty settled in the best 22. They really don't have a lot of depth at the moment. When I think of those unable to crack a game I think mainly of guys I'd have no interest in - Morton (who's retired), Tommy Walsh, Tony Armstrong. The young guys who haven't nailed a spot are Harry Cunningham and Jed Lamb. Lamb's from Victoria and has only managed 12 games in 3 years so he could be keen but I think Sydney still rate him. And the concern is if they don't it might mean he's another Veszpremi. When I think of guys who have limited roles in the team I think of Parker, who's still pretty young or of Craig Bird who would certainly be a full time starting midfielder for us yet plays a lot of time forward, but he's a Wagga boy anyway. In terms of guys missing out due to strong sides we'd almost be better looking to Hawthorn with Shane Savage and Mitch Hallahan or maybe Geelong. But both of them have some oldies who might be slowing down and might see an opportunity opening up soon.

I get the feeling even if he doesn't get the job that Adam Simpson isn't ruled in or out at this stage for the senior assistant and therefore we have to wait until Hawthorn are knocked out for that to finalise. Then regarding other assistants I'd say the current situation is: Senior assistant: ? Backline coach: Rawlings Allison and Matthews for 2 of: Forwards, midfield and/or stoppage coach if senior assistant doesn't take both those responsibilities, development coaches (between 1-3). So I'd say we have between 1 and 3 more appointments to make in assistant or development coaches. I'd be keen for George Stone as he's experienced and heads Sydney's very impressive development program I'd also be keen for a young development coach who's fresh from another club either as a recent retiree or coach. It would just be good to provide a fresh view and someone younger as a guy who can be mentored up and join the senior assistants coaching panel when Roos leaves. Simon Black or Adam Selwood would be ideal.

I think you've forgotten that even if we wanted them, and we don't because Roos likes midfielders who run 2 ways not just forward (ie. Moloney) and who can actually get a kick at AFL level (ie not Gysberts) that these guys wouldn't come back. Do you want Stef Martin back as well? Or Ricky Petterd? Neeld was a giant stuff up, but we weren't going to be any good even with all the players he sent away. Time to focus on the future. Daniel Cross is a serious idea. Trading Pick 2 for a legitimate A grader is a serious idea and everyone is on board providing we find that A grader. Same with getting Taylor Adams. But that doesn't mean we need to regroup every cast off we've shipped off recently.

Here's the problem - the extra two teams mean that 44 guys who usually wouldn't get a game now do each week. Sure a lot of them are kids but put those GWS and GC kids at other clubs and they are getting games and forcing fringe players out. Richmond cleaned up on decent fringe players who had some elements of their games that weren't perfect but with a bit of coaching, a coach who believed in them and game time they proved more than handy. I'm talking Bachar Houli (who Knights sat in the reserves), Shaun Grigg (thanks Brett Ratten) and Ivan Maric (that ones on Craigy). Now all 3 openly expressed a desire to be traded to Richmond and all had some value but not enough for an open market. And Richmond at the time was almost a big a joke as we are now yet the opportunity for game time meant enough for these guys. At the moment the only 2 I can think of who are even close to this situation are Matt Thomas at Port and Jeremy Laidlaw at Carlton, but they are both a bit older than you'd want them to be and not with a heap of scope. There seems to be a genuine lack of talent who will be keen to move to a club just for a game and I don't understand it. Come to Melbourne, we might not win but we'll give you 20 starts a year for the next 5 years and decent contracts too as long as you aren't complete rubbish.

Well it would make the reserves the heart of developing players which would go back to how it used to be but I agree with you. The state leagues in SA and WA are particularly important and work very well. The NEAFL seems to be going ok as well and should only get stronger if the game grows in those regions. At least there's 4 AFL reserve teams in them to keep at least some competition for those sides. The issue is what on earth to do with the VFL in Victoria. Next year will have Coll, Geel, Ess, WB all with stand alone teams and Hawthorn and Carlton practically running their alignments. I think Richmond are moving for a stand alone team as well. Very soon the VFL will be AFL reserves with Port, Willy, North Ballarat and a struggling Frankston. I don't know if that will continue to suit both AFL and traditional VFA clubs.

Geelong don't go anywhere and I reckon they are the smartest! But they also probably get their players to the beaches in some capacity. Sydney under Roos used to do quite a few sand dune sessions and Hawthorn often go the gold coast and do boot camp style work on the beach. I think their is merit in using intense hot weather and also using beaches with the access to the water for quick cooling off and taking weight off the joints by using soft sand. My problem with Darwin was not the location but what they did. They did a couple of training sessions in the humid moist conditions that probably took away skill benefits and were probably not really worth travelling to Darwin for and then they did their big hike. Which they ran some of but also walked a lot of. To me all that does is burn off some hard earned weight and waste time. I know absolutely nothing about sports science and fitness but I'd take them to the beach and do work outs that use power and fast movements and repeat them to get the fitness benefit instead of a walk.

im no Gysberts fan but 30 disposals on debut at Geelong. Even if he was drafted a round too soon he had talent.Great news is we now have new recruiters and player developers

Mitchell and McCarthy are always injured and not much good anyway. Davies and Joseph aren't up to it. Laidler is the interesting one. He was great when he came to Carlton. Can intercept mark and use the footy although his speed is a concern. Very much a third tall forward. In my opinion he's a much better player than Dunn, although Dunn does have more versatility to play tall or small. I'd have some interest because you know he can play and he'd be another guy who's at least up to AFL or around the mark when so much of our list aren't. We can't get rid of Dunn but we could delist a Jetta or Nicholson who I think won't ever make it and put this guy on the list.

I do not understand why everyone is so keen for one particular captain. It's crazy when we don't have the guy. Jones, Dawes, Grimes, Trengove, Garland. Pick 2-3 of those 5 depending on preseason and go with it.

Patton and Cameron wouldn't be on much...yet Remember Ward, Phil Davis and guess who T Scully got big deals as well. But because they didn't get many older guys they front ended the crap through them. Also Franklin will get outside the cap money. Which is as you put it AFL condoned salary cap cheating. But personally I think their list building structure resembles us under Bailey. Too many kids, no culture. Gold Coast seem much more steady. If they get Franklin and Martin it will be a great way for them to end up in trouble down the track I think. And the salary cap pressure will come in the next 2-4 years. Taylor Adams might leave already and then lets see what happens to Shiel, Tomlinson, Treloar, Whitfield, O'Rourke, Coniglio, Tyson, Haynes, Greene, Liam Sumner, Devon Smith.

Why aren't you a recruiter then? And who's bring the beer (and extra curriculars) to that end of season trip. Jurrah, Martin and Garlett in the one team!

So in all you are right, about 2 per club. But it's not a linear correlation. I'd say the Hawks only have 2 in Mitchell and Hodge who are clearly better than Jones, but then they have a super even spread of guys like Rioli, Burgoyne, Lewis, Sewell, Shields, Smith. Where as Freo have the 4 in Mundy, Barlow, Fyfe and the tagger Crowley. The rest of their midfield with Hill being the best but Suban, Mzungu, Pearce, Sheridan, Neale aren't such big names as the hawks. I've got no doubt if we developed some depth which we have some building blokes for and we stumbled along stars - be they Taylor Adams, Dustin Martin, Jack Viney even if they aren't super stars and are just Jones level then the team will be right up there. Roos won his premiership at Sydney without a heap of star factor. Barry Hall (who was good but no Wayne Carey) and Goodes (who was a star but I'd argue not quite a Chris Judd level even though he won Brownlows) were the star factor. After that the next biggest star was Leo Barry after he took that mark.

I think it's absolutely true that you just can't judge the work of these guys from outside, so much so that Roos can't even judge them. In essence he'd have to look at their resumes and interview them again anyway and that's even if he did have roles from them to take over. I'm don't feel these guys were the problem and I have no idea about their coaching ability but if their replacements are some combination of Adam Simpson, Brett Allison, Ben Matthews and George Stone then it's probably not a bad idea.

What Matt Thomas have you seen play? No way is a class above Terlich. He's a midfield stoppage specialist who could also play or rest as a defensive forward. Not athletic or skilled enough for the backline that's for sure. He'd provided a boost to the midfield and do Rodan's role as a clearance winner and mature body. Would take the pressure off Viney and let Sylvia play more half forward where he belongs. I'd be all for him as a short term measure.

Nah if we had that team all we'd do is complain about our lack of lock down defender. Oh and when the other half comes just take out the CHF and put Hogan in!

Blease was drafted in where expected. Some had him going to Collingwood just around our pick. Strauss was drafted a head of expected. BP at the time talked about his exceptional kicking off half back making him an important cog in a future team. Still could be. He's a great kick, just needs the other aspects of his game, it's not completely out of this world. Cook was a round early. Howe was a bolt from the blue but not completely unexpected. Gysberts some had as a second rounder, not sure many had top 12. Either way Prendergast was a bad recruited out of his depth and our development was even worse.

To me as we've practically got worse from 2007 on wards, with a blip in 2010 I'd consider anything but negativity to be foolish. The same can be said of the saints improving, if they've got things right then the decline of 5 old guys who play each week will be trumped by the 15 youthful guys who have now had another preseason. I hoping next year sees the competition come back together. Freo, Geelong, Sydney and Hawthorn won too many games this year for a good top 4 but not a great one. Freo pretty much avoided playing any other top team more than once. Sydney clearly have issues with some players and Geelong and Hawthorn won games at will against teams like North, Carl, Ess, Rich, Coll who finished 5-8 and need to bridge the mental gap more than any physical one between these sides.

Development and recruiting have both been awful. No point arguing over which was worse. But certainly Jack has talent to be better than he is now. That's on him and the club. Roos backs himself to fix both issues, let's hope so. By the way I expect a lot of clubs (besides GWS and GC) to end up without much talent from 2010 and 2011. The expansion clubs got a bunch of the best out of that. But our efforts in 2008 and 2009 drafts were deplorable and the development that came with it just as bad, although you have to admit that no player from either of those years can be considered fully developed yet even if they were at Geelong or Sydney or wherever.

Yeah but pick 2 in a draft should be used on guys who actually make a difference when a big game is tight. I don't expect him to be Judd level. I was just using that game as an example of a game where Martin had the stage and didn't take it. I get the feeling Richmond's hard line stance with Martin is just as much about on field than off. They don't want to break their player payment model to give him an offer that's bigger than one he deserves. They have Vlastuin, Conca, Ellis and co that if they lose Martin now they'll still be ok. Sign him for overs and in a few years time they wont be able to compete for free agents. We have to consider that as well to a degree. We are way short on talent to even have the problem but if we have Martin, Dawes and Mitch Clark all brought in the last 3 years and paid at top end market value then how do we convince Viney to help us out in a few years. Or Hogan. I shudder to think how much more Jack Watts gets from us simply because he was the number 1 pick and we want to keep him.

Improvement. But a victim of his fast start I'd say. Not enough goals or tackles but otherwise ok numbers. Will he go to the next level though? Otherwise we use pick 2 as a trade for a more steady on and off field player or we go the draft. They aren't superstar numbers.

I would remind you that Darling had a brain injury and a poor under 18 year and that every club including West Coast passed on him at least once. Martin now appears to be set to leave the club, which is ironic that Scully did the same thing but even us recruiting Martin now in some ways would justify not recruiting him at the time. But you raise a valid point.