Keyser Söze

Something has really hit a nerve with you, hasn't it? FFS relax. I hope Australia never hosts a World Cup purely cos it might weaken the sport of AFL. I'm happy to travel to other host countries to attend matches and stay up late to watch it on TV.

'chaos' and 'run amok'

I agree with these predictions on most points, but I think Essendon will again be fighting to scrape into the 8, not losing any ground, but not gaining any either. And the Roos are better than people give them credit for. It'll be those 2 and the Dees who will scrap it out for 8th position, in my mind.

Yep, the magic 192cm is a cliché and a running joke. I still maintain 6cm is a decent height advantage, even if it is the length of a car key.

Chinese whispers. Its probably just a rough timeframe in which he is aiming to get his first senior match.

Doesn't removing them from the senior list involve terminating those contracts? and then signing new contracts as rookies? Edit: I don't think they would be eligible for the draft or to sign with another club if they have another contract in place. Technically those contracts must be terminated then new contracts formed. A player cannot be 'moved onto the rookie list'. His senior list contract can be terminated and a new one is signed for the rookie list. This is why it is only a 'pledge' to draft them as rookies - because no contract is signed which ties the club to actually selecting them as rookies. Either way, its all semantics as far as we're concerned.

I wouldn't believe that... maybe Blease doesn't think he'll play from Round 1, but should be able to earn a game by the time QB rolls around... There is no way the club would tell him that, especially at this early stage. Cool your jets.

I disagree - there has been a mutually agreed termination of the contracts, whereby the club has agreed to pay them out in full. But, in the end, it matters not - I agree with you that they will both end up back at MFC and it will be less than an anti-climax... if that's possible.

Let's just hope he stops there and doesn't reach the dreaded 192, or else it's curtains for Gysberts!

Why Another Nonsensical Kwestion Everyone Resents..?

I resisted earlier, but I'll correct you here: its 'glean'.

Teams can rise and fall pretty quickly. In 2007 before the season began MFC were predicted by the majority of the 'experts' to finish as the top team from Victoria, after we had knocked a decent St Kilda team out of the finals in 2006. We finished that season 3rd last. Conversely, Geelong had a miserable 2006 season and some were predicting they were ready for a rebuild. Thompson almost lost his job at the end of 2006. They started the first 5 games of 2007 in poor form... then went on a run of wins over the course of 3 years that has never before been seen in AFL history. Essendon in 1993 came from nowhere with a group full of kids to win the flag. We won't do this, but doing better than bottom 4 is hardly impossible, in fact I think it is highly probable.

$$$ possibly? Not as big a step as you might think - I believe Adidas own Reebok. Or it might be Nike that owns them - either way, using the same technology and sweatshops.

I agree that Watts will battle like Franklin did, but Watts has spent plenty of time playing on a wing or a flank and doing quite well... this wouldn't be the role envisaged for him once fully developed, but whilst he grows and gets a feel for the game he could easily spend a bit of time in these positions. He's more than mobile enough.

6.25cm is 2.5 inches. I think that is a significant advantage in aerial contests. May I also point out that often increased height also comes with an even greater reach advantage. Your theory on Brock getting us Tapscott is still unfounded, as is your assumption Gysberts would have still been available. Some experts said Gysberts would not have got past Sydney, but in the event that he did there was no chance he'd get past Geelong.

whinge whinge bloody whinge...

I'm talking on filling the spot on the list. Even if Brad Miller does not play one single AFL game in 2010 he will still make a valuable contribution to the club through his leadership and professionalism. At the conclusion of the 2009 season we could have chosen to not re-sign him and picked a kid at pick 66 in the National Draft who likely would not be ready to fill the same positions as Miller on the field, for the sake of team balance. He will at the worst be a depth KPF. If we signed him for multiple years I could understand your objection, but as there was not a better alternative this year, what would you have the club do? Or is there a better alternative that you are aware of..?

I think you're right about Dunn. I think in the 2nd half of 2009 he finally translated his great VFL form into very effective contributions at AFL level. Things seem to have clicked for him.

Surely he would've learnt after the dees delisted him for that very reason...

Nice work.

But you have to be realistic -- what is the alternative to Miller?? Its not like we signed him 4 years.

Its all about getting whatever edge you can. If jumper design helps by 1% that might be enough to get up in a game decided by a point. Its the same as having quick-dry material on the backs of shorts so players can dry their wet and slippery hands before taking a shot at goal in the wet. If you can make things better for the players, within the rules, then why not? Another team will.

Not at all. During the act of being tackled the old neck created strong and weak points causing a player to twist their body when caught. This rounded neck spreads the load evenly and pulls the player back in the direction that the tackle is coming from, making it easier to stand up in a tackle and maintain balance.

Until I started to form a 22 I didn't realise how difficult this task was. The fact that so many players were missing for significant chunks of the season means that certain players played well in the same spots and it is necessary to do the team All Australian style. Personally, with Maric, I watched him closely and thought he did quite well with the role he was fulfilling, made the right decisions considering the situations he found himself in... just unfortunately he didn't exert a great influence on games like I think he should be able to do in the future. I'm a fan. ... but I concede I was kidding myself to include him in the 22 at the expense of a player like Mclean.

Yeah, good call. No one has accused Morton of being lazy even though at times he seems to become skinnier since he arrived at the club...