Keyser Söze

Well... to be honest, your half-back-flankers play more like defensive midfielders these days and with rotations, picking a 'back 6' is almost obsolete.

It sounds like hyperbole, but I reckon he moves like a skinny Matthew Scarlett. Is definitely fast and mobile enough to play on the smalls. Kicking skills are ok, but have never struck me as exceptionally good. Better than Rivers at least. Cheney's footy smarts are actually one of his strengths imho. But I agree that he is better deeper.

On exposed form Jack Trengove would appear to be leading the way in terms of young dees in contention for the NAB Rising Star Award. Although none have even been nominated yet, Trengove, Scully, Blease, Strauss, Watts, Tapscott, Gysberts, McKenzie, McNamara and Spencer could all be eligible and have the talent. Jack Ziebell was red hot favourite with the bookies until a recent spanner in the works - Naitanui has played the max 10 allowed to still be eligible and if he keeps his form up he would have to be a certainty to take it out. Here's hoping one of our boys can take it out.

What you've said doesn't make any sense. Players are not interchangeable between the 2 lists. You can't just drop a player from the senior list onto the rookie list. A player must be put on the Long Term Injury list to be replaced on the senior list, which prevents them from playing. That player then remains on the senior list but are inactive; they do not drop onto the rookie list. Edit: what Nasher said.

This is why they are hard decisions.

So far, the same could be said about Bailey. Freo do have some promising young players, but I'm convinced their list is in as good shape as ours (in terms of having talent to develop for the future). I think they'll be good enough to sit about 3rd-6th but never really contend for the premiership, just like collingwood are so good at doing. Harvey has resisted making some tough decisions like we did with Trav and to a lesser extent Brock. We've managed to get a decent return. They could get even more for Pavlich or Sandilands, yet don't. It puzzles me.

Its a different game today to what it was back then. You have unrealistic expectations of what these kids can achieve.

Probably not by hawks or pies supporters after they got a good look at him last year. In fact they'd probably rate him exactly where everyone should - obviously capable of being a wrecking ball, but bearing in mind that it was only one isolated game.

I love the fact that, for Liam, in spite of all his ridiculous talent and value in the AFL system, money is far from the determining factor for him. Loyalty, honour, representing his people, contributing to his community, being with his mates - these are the things he values. And we could not be happier.

When I say "better influences", I mean more appropriate. In that, he will listen to these guys by nature of his relationship with them, rather than the way he had his head in the sand early in his career. Maturity helps also.

I think there are few ppl who have their hopes relying upon Sylvia - our future is banked on much younger and better prospects. Consistency is something Col has never had, but it did start to emerge last year and if we're lucky he will be more consistently brilliant this year. Focus is the number one thing for Hank, but with maturity and better influences around him hopefully he can maintain it. Col has always been a 'hope' player. Never the old trustworthy type. I don't see the point to get all negative about him after his best season to date. Maybe its an attempt to protect ourselves from having our unrealistic hopes dashed..?

Yeah, fair enough. But to be fair, rather than calling him an idiot or the like, I am saying what I think of the stance he is taking... it's a fine line, I know. But i feel nothing new has been brought to the table here - he is just sticking the boot in.

Wonderful to see young Silvagni doing well over in the west. All the best to him (as long as he plays poorly against the dees)

Is there any constructive point to this thread, or did you just want to stick the boot in without adding anything new to the discussion..?

True. I should qualify that. For a player that was supposed to be the best kick in his draft class, his kicking at times was diabolical. I didn't see any mistakes even close to that bad from Strauss. But this is one isolated game and I'm not going to jump to any conclusions. My point was merely that the criticisms and the signs could be much much worse. Like you said earlier: time to take a step back.

I was there and saw that Maric's disposal was absolutely diabolical on the day, but logically, if that has been seen as a major strength of his in the past, it should then be fixed relatively easily. I'd be much more concerned for him if he could still kick, yet was not fit enough to keep up and didn't go in hard enough. Fortunately, this is not the case. He's still only 19 fcs, give the kid some time.

I'm flabbergasted that some people can actually think it is important. To what end?

Depends on your definition of 'having the brakes off'. I think a lot of people have taken that to mean that Bailey was holding back as a coach and will now implement a better, more competitive gameplan; not that it is an indication of the players' effort.

Only so many can fit in! Remember Aussie is back from injury, Col Garland will be soon, Maric didn't play much last year, Green was out for 2/3 of the season and we have to squeeze Joel Mac in there now. A lot of competition for spots - isn't it great?!

Just for now I'm unsure if his fitness is where it needs to be for AFL, and also I have queries about his reading of the play. In time these things will develop, but I think he's a little way off playing yet.

I'd settle for Cousins and Hird.

Hopefully it won't exactly 'haunt' us... fingers crossed.

I do agree BB59 and HT. I just think it's pertinent to reign in this unbridled optimism because some are losing touch with all reality, and that will only lead to angst and disappointment once the real games begin. We'll improve and hopefully quickly, but patience is still needed and we can't let our expectations to get too far ahead of themselves. Davey is very very good and I think he is capable of taking over a game like the 5 mentioned... but he is yet to do it. Don't count your chickens.

They are, but expecting him to achieve those on the same timetable is unrealistic (as MikeyJ has just pointed out) In terms of glimpses, you are arguing semantics. In the context it was used it would suggest moments of brilliance, but not sustained performances. But if you want to take it that literally, then you are correct.

zing.