DirtyDees DDC

Emma Quayle states in her article in 'The Age' today that Jack Darling will not go to the Gold Coast, which greatly increases the chances of him sliding to pick 12.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/the-golden-boys-20101113-17s03.html

On Ch 9 news tonight - Bruce is training with Hawthorn - adding fuel to the rumours he will be picked up by the Hawks in the national draft.

Is there any questions about his attack on the ball? He's a good size and the draft camp data indicates he's not as slow as some think. However a guy his size should be imposing himself at the contest, not just peeling off and breaking the lines with that fabulous left foot.

Yes we are. Truth is, none of them are any good.

It was Atkinson. He walked away from football when he found out he needed to train harder.

Neagle will keep training with Essendon in the hope of a rookie list spot.

Sad news about Atkinson. i thought he showed something. He has terrific pace and could have filled the small defenders role. Maybe he needs a good role model like Davey.

There is no doubt in my mind that the FD are trying to develop a culture and in it a climate that everyone is playing for their spot and if the FD does not feel you warrant being on the list- they will turn you over- however IMO- doing this to Bruce & Junior is going a little too far- but we will never know the exact situation that happened.

You were very confident that Bruce had a verbal agreement with Melbourne and would play on next year. So was DB and the club. Any inside goss or thoughts on what went wrong?

Positive signs for the club. All the young blokes in Scully,Trengove,Grimes,Bail Watts,Gysberts, Morton, Blease, Petterd, Wonaeamirri, Fitzpatrick, Jetta, Maric, Martin, Garland and McNamara are all participating so thats good for the development of these players as they have much time to prepare if they stay injury free, while we still have some of our more mature players participating aswell in Jamar,Moloney,Sylvia,Dunn,Jones,Rivers,Warnock,Bartram,Macdonald,Bate and Newton. I am digging the new training tops and shorts.

I am absolutely pummped for 2011! I hope we can snare John Anthony aswell!

looks like Garland at the back of photo 10. love to see him get a full pre-season.

No sign of Tapscott or Gawn.

Interesting how some say 'gee xxxx has bulked up' even though they have just commenced training.

I'm so disappointed with Cameron. He was a life member, a B&F, and stood with us during some very dark times. Our worst game in recent memory was the 150th anniversary debacle against Geelong in 2008. We got shellacked that day, but Cameron put his body on the line against hopeless odds. Now he decides to walk out just 2 days before training starts.

We'd better get used to it. This will become the norm in 2-3 years time when the league brings in free agency. Good players will try to move to the clubs with a greater perceived chance of winning a flag. It worked for Luke Ball and Darren Jolly.

Factors in favour of a recall:

- We have lost approx 600 games experience with the departure of Junior, Bruce and Miller from the team.

I believe at the start of this year that the club intended to retire Junior at the end of 2010; Bruce at the end of 2011, and Green by 2012 or 2013. It was going to be an orderly transition of leadership and knowledge to the new guard. By the end of next year the Scullys and Grimes and Trengoves and Frawleys would have at least 40 games experience and be ideal role models within the club. The departure of loyal lifetime member Bruce has thrown a spanner into this succession plan.

- We could have as many as 10 new kids at the club next year who have never played senior footy. Junior is highly respected as a leader and role model. He would be an excellent on-field and off-field mentor for the new recruits. He doesn't need to be the captain to perform this role but he'd still be a required member of the leadership team. I'm certain the current group would welcome him back if he wants to return.

- We do have a precedent for recalling someone to the club. Norm Smith in '65. Sacked on the friday night before the match (by courier - how bad is that!!!!)and reinstated next week.

Against:

- He is 34. The club has clearly indicated a preference for youth.

- Is he up to it? He took a while to get over an injury this year. It may be a risk.

- would he get a regular game in the seniors or would he be satisfied spending some time with Casey?

In August we asked him to stand down because we still had other experienced players to fill his role. The goalposts have now changed. There are vacancies. We have 5 or 6 spots on the rookie lists and we will have trouble finding good players or Jurrahs to fill all the spots.

If we change our mind, does he have to be picked as a rookie or can he come back as our other veteran (with Green)?

Bad for 2 reasons.

1. It's one year too soon. He finished 6th in our B&F and had at least one good year left in him. I don't think we would have retired Junior if we had known that Bruce was leaving. An ominous sign was his absence from the China trip. He clearly had a decent offer from somewhere else and was waying up his options.

2. The timing is poor. This should have been stitched up during trade week. We could have linked him to the Cheney deal as a 2 for 1 offer and maybe picked up the round 1 compensation pick that the hawks used for David Hale. Or we could have pressed the hawks to swap their 38th draft pick for Cameron.

It is probable that we had these types of discussions in trade week but we couldn't close the deal. Now we've been blindsided and have nothing to show for it.

There is no way on Earth Cameron Bruce's kicking is better than Jack Grimes'. Other than that, you're spot on.

Lindsay Gilbee from the 'dogs was talking on SEN this morning. He is starting up a kicking school for youngsters.

He was asked who is the best kick in the AFL?

He said that Nathan Buckley was the best kick he's seen.

Of the current crop he picked Nick Malceski, and one other (I think it was joel selwwod),

but he also made a special mention of Jack Grimes.

150 of us in a shoe box in the middle of the road!

Luxury!!

Good to see Gysberts on the track, and Grimes. I also saw Fitzpatrick in the background.

Is that Tapscott or rohan Bail standing just behind Aussie in the group photo?

No surprises here. Delisting Johnson may leave us one short in the rucks, but we could pick up a back-up ruckman with one of our 5 rookie list selections. It's possible they may re-pick PJ, although there doesn't seem to be the same arrangement with PJ that was offered to Newton and Meeson last year.

Newton's re-selection on the rookie list defies gravity. "What goes down must stay up!"

We seemed to improve our kicking skills compared to previous years. 10 years ago the only way we could move the ball forward was a string of handpasses (now limited to 4 in a row). Our short passing was much better, and typical malthouse defensive work slowed their game plan. It's good fun; no injuries too.

The difference is that Newton and Meesen were contracted and agreed to be rookied if not taken by another club first.

good point. But i think we still have to find 2 extra points on our list, instead of using picks 49 and 52 for McKenzie and Spencer.

My guess is that 2 more players (maybe Johnson and McNamara) will be delisted, but picked up in our rookie list if they are not selected by anyone in the drafts,

similar to what occured with Newton and Meeson last year. Is this possible? Is there a limit to the number of senior rookies on the list?

This would free up our picks at 83 and 100 in the draft to promote McKenzie and Spencer, and leave us with picks 12, 32, 49 and 52 for new blood.

I also see a thinning out of the rookie list - moving on Hughes, Healey, Meeson and maybe Newton.

Mate... this is how it goes:

Females start their growth spurts earlier and stop growing by age 18.

Males start later and end their growth spurts at age 21.

Obviously everyone's body is different and some males will start their growth spurts earlier and some will finish theirs later etc.

Don't be worrying yourself sick about Jack's lack of height just yet.

Interesting news story from Europe - 'Early onset of puberty means choristers voices are breaking early'. Apparently boys are starting their growth spurt earler than ever, partly due to a diet full of proteins (too many chooks?).

I hope Jack still has room to move. At least he wont get drafted by the Vienna Boys choir.

That's actually an interesting point I hadn't thought about.

One quality big strong 196+cm key defender and key forward is probably missing.

I think we hoped Martin might play that role, and i'm sure the club has hopes for Fitzpatrick in the future... but we definitely need to keep trying to find this kind of player both forward and back

It's a pity we'll have to wait 3-5 years for Fitzpatrick to develop. He's a mobile 200cm and could well fit that key position role somewhere. If he's inaccurate in front of goal he may end up on the backline. Some people are good kicks but just can't kick goals.

I'm thinking about the opposition too. There seems to be a trend for taller forwards, with Tippett is 200cms, and Gumbleton and Sam Day at 196cms. Garland and Rivers might struggle at that height.

FORWARD:

SENIOR TALLS= Watts, Jurrah, Bate

SENIOR MEDIUM= Dunn, Pettard, Green, Bennell, Bail

SENIOR SMALL= Wonaeamirri

DEPTH= Maric (183cm), Tapscott (186cm)

Senior talls: 7.5/10 - I’m based my score largely on potential. Could be a real strength in future years, but we do appear to lack a really big strong 196+ style forward

Senior medium: 9/10 - A real strength, all players difficult to match up on. Capable of marking and equally good once the ball hits the ground. Some great talent there

Senior smalls: 5/10 - Wona is a pretty good prospect, but I’m tempted to put him as a medium forward, bc that’s really how he plays. Doesn’t kick many genuine crumbing goals front and centre.

Depth: 3/10 - Only 2 in the depth, so a little thin. But, with 9 really talented forwards in the senior team, depth is not as important as it is in the mids and defender. Tapscott a great prospect who will make an impact next year, but Maric looks like a bit of a flop

ANALYSIS

- I identify our needs as follows:

o Running/small defenders

o Back up ruck/ Utility ruck

o Small genuine crumbing forward

o Big strong 196+cm full forward

o We could use maybe 1-2 more midfielders to add some more depth in the midfield

- For all positions, we have some genuine top-end talent… but we are struggling for depth almost all over the park. We will struggle if we have many injuries next season. If we stay healthy, and add another 3-4 quality draftees, we are really nicely set for the future.

Thoughts…?

According to the yearbook Tapscott is closer to 180cms and Maric is 176cms, and I'd switch Dunn with Jurrah as our senior talls.

We desperately need Blease to come on as a player. Our inside midfield includes the unspeedy Moloney, Jones and McKenzie. We need another speedster like Davey to break the lines.

I also have a query over our general height. Kevin Sheedy highlighted this in an article, unfavourably comparing our goal to goal line with that of Essendon and North. We may find we need a tall defender as much as a tall forward. Matthew Watson sounds like an option in the draft at 196cm. and 98kg. Be nice if he's available at pick 32.

We will get at least 3 new players a year for the next 4 years. hopefully we can crack one good/very good addition to our list per year to fill the gaps.

If we take draft picks 12 and 32 + Spencer we don't have another pick to use to upgrade Jordie!

Someone else must be be about to get traded or delisted, Jordie must join the senior list with Spencer....my guess is Cheney or Paul Johnson

If no trade is available is it possible that they can move PJ to the rookie list - similar to Newton and Meeson last year?

That would give us 4 draft picks. The club can then use the last 2 to promote McKenzie and Spencer from the rookie list.

I see PJ joining Newton as our senior rookies - Newton is picked for the China game and looks like he's still a required player.

There were plenty on here that thought Jamar was a spud until this year in fact there were heaps on here wanting him to be traded at this time last year. IIRC i pointed out that if we did we would have no one to play in the ruck.

There were some who considered using Jamar as trade bait last year, but the majority of supporters had Jamar as our No 1 ruckman for 2010, and based on just 7 games in 2009. We could see the potential in the big Russian. We could also see a bare cupboard of talls at MFC.

Explain the difference, the amazing difference, in talent between 12 and 17 and maybe those members will stick with you.

Otherwise, when they calm down - they'll be with me.

It's not just a matter of numbers, although at pick 17 the MFC has 5 fewer chances to get the player they want.

We could have picked up David Hale for pick 12 - no question.

But we didn't offer pick 12 for Hale because of the clubs' assessment of his form, his ability and his age.

So we offered pick 32, or we offered pick 12 with strings attached. Maybe we should have also thrown in a Maric or a Warnock or another listed player with pick 32 if we really wanted him.

I agree that Hale would be a better option for second ruck/tall forward at the moment than Spencer, Johnson, Martin, Gawn or Fitzpatrick. But we only offered a guaranteed pick at 32. Hawthorn could offer more, so they got him.

Jones may have signed, but he may not be happy with his current role at Melbourne. Essendon and West Coast were interested, however southern suburb sources indicate he wants to remain IN Melbourne with a local club.

Say it isn't so. If it is for the mooted first round pick swap plus a second rounder, we have just made our first trading blunder in two seasons...

Agree. i don't like it. Collingwood gave up pick 17 last year for a top 3 australian ruckman in Jolly. We are giving up pick 12 for the number 4 ranked ruckman at North. I don't think he's worth it. Maybe at 32.

We have had a youth policy in our recruiting for the past 3 years - now we are going to pick a 26 yo with below average defensive skills. he couln't even get a gig when Petrie was injured. No thanks.

If his growth rate has slowed for the past 18 months then he might be one of those unlucky kids that towers over everyone in school years 7-8, then refuses to go to school reunions in case they call him shorty. Has he added any inches in 2010?

Be happy if he can reach his dad's stats - 183cm and 90kg, and can kick!