Rogue

Given that our third pick in the draft will be nearing #60 I doubt we'll want to cut too many players, so I'm not expecting too many interesting delisting/retirements. McDonald won't be anything like the White, Robbo or Yze scenario. Bruce could be an interesting case, but if he plays good footy in 2010 I think there'll be a role for him in the future. There are still players on our list we'll decide simply aren't up to AFL standard. Why wouldn't you? First, you might never get another chance at senior level. Second, you'd be leaving just as the list you built was ready to progress. I highly doubt there'd be many sides trying to poach you on the back of 8 wins, and you'd be crazy to give up a senior gig after you've spent a couple of years presiding over a rebuilding. He'd be the first AFL Coach who, after taking his side to two wooden spoons and then ~11th on the ladder, turned his back on a two year contract extension because it wasn't long enough!

Sure, fair enough - was just checking since the OP imagined a scenario where everyone was fit. The footy departments at WB and Geelong seem to have a different view to yourself. I'll give it a shot. I've left out all the 2009 draftees plus Watts, Blease and Strauss: B: Garland Warnock Bennell/Cheney HB: Rivers Frawley Grimes C: Morton Moloney Davey HF: Miller Bate Green F: Martin Jurrah Wona R: Jamar McDonald Jones I: Spencer/PJ Bruce Sylvia MacDonald E: PJ/Spencer Petterd Jetta

Were they gloomy when we picked up McLean?

For sure - I'm agreeing with you. Yes, I find this a bit silly.

You're open to the possibility of seven delistings and yet call someone a '[censored]' because they list eleven possible changes? That makes no sense. As for the players you think it is so outrageous of RR to suggest are possible departuers, you seem to concede Garland's injury could play a part. As for McNamara and Cheney, they're kids we picked up with late picks in the draft and neither have cemented a spot in the side. I don't think we're likely to cut anyone born after '88, but stranger things have happened.

...and there should be, given our draft picks. Has BP done better than what you'd expect from the picks we've had? For mine, it's way too early to tell. He got lucky with Jurrah, though!

...only from first-class games (and Tests) from what I read.

Given that our third pick is likely to be nearing #60 in the draft and we've still got a few average players on the list, I'm not sure a player we rated quite highly as a youngster (like Maric) is likely to be in the gun. Those types will be persevered with, given access to young talent in the draft will be more difficult.

That seems largely irrelevant, unless you feel that he's good enough to play as the sole or #1 ruckman, White-style. (I don't).

I don't. Four of the five KPDs you listed are in our best team (the other is McNamara). I think they're a good bunch but that doesn't leave much room for error - two of these have a history of injury problems. Five of the six KPFs you listed are in our best team (the other is Fitzpatrick). I'll concede Watts, despite him showing little at AFL level so far - it's fair enough to bank a #1 draft pick as at least a serviceable option IMO - but Morton's no certainty to play a KPF role, and neither is Martin. That leaves two kids who were late picks (McNamara and Fitzpatrick) as our only KP depth on the primary list, leaving aside Miller (who could replace Morton on the list of KPFs, and won't be around after 2010 if the consensus view is correct). The only KP rookie we're likely to be 'developing' next year is Newton (who also won't be around after 2010 if the consensus view is correct). You're banking on virtually all our KP players being fit and in form for each game, otherwise we need to change our structure to deal with it. What happens if one or more of our KP options fail to make the grade, acquire a serious injury or walk out? Doesn't that suggest our KP stocks are thin? A more likely explanation for our draft selections is simply that at 1, 2, 11 and 18 there were no KPPs worthy of the pick. Occam's razor.

Needs to be quicker than he was. It looked like he would be, given the reports of his fitness in the pre-season, but then he broke down and didn't play a senior game for us.

Playing only two talls (edit: plus Jurrah) in the forward line when one of them is Watts is not the way to go. + Hall + Hawkins

Virtually everyone who is born before 1989 and is not in our best 25.

If McNamara makes it as a tagger I'll be amazed. Cheney isn't so outlandish a prospect, but I still think it unlikely.

...and my contention is that regardless of who is selected they're likely to do well against WI.

The major issues are that we're slow and we lack talls, so it'd be nice to remedy that. Virtually every [non-ruck] tall on our primary list is in our best 22, and the only tall on the rookie list will be Newton (assuming we pick up him and Meesen, as suggested on melbournefc.com.au when they were delisted). The ruck cupboard is also pretty bare, which is a bit of a concern considering how long young ruck prospects take to make the grade. However, they do seem to be a 'type' you can trade for. IMO we also need to find a small crumbing forward (as Davis333 has said) and a quick 'lock-down' defender. The options for the former seem to be Wona and Maric, while options for the latter seem to be Cheney and Bennell. Our midfield's not quick, so it's important Blease comes on.

How's that? It simply means a tendency to have injuries. It's not a value judgement.

A-grade Bruce.

That forward line is way too small/under-developed IMO. Watts can't hold down CHF atm. I assume you've decided Garland won't be fit.

I think Nasher's on the money. Spencer's probably the best prospect with any chance of playing regular footy in 2011, but I wouldn't be putting the house on it. Even if he makes it, the cupboard is still very bare. PJ hasn't shown he can play 'first ruck' and doesn't have another string to his bow that you need to be a relief ruckman. Meesen's shown even less and, given he was removed from the primary list, the Club clearly isn't too concerned about the prospect of losing him. As for the 2009 draftees, Gawn will still be years away. Fitzpatrick will also be a long way off, and isn't necessarily a number one ruck prospect anyway - if he makes the grade it could just as easily be as a forward.

Such a poor start to the summer. Given the opposition, it's going to be hard to make judgements about a few players.

Funnily enough, the Club does communicate that kind of thing.

A cynic might suggest we could simply save some money and use a modified version of their campaign picture.

Congrats. The ballot idea's pretty cool. Haha

Newton's showed more than Meesen. He's generated enough shots at goal to have cemented a spot in our side, but his kicking woes meant he didn't convert enough of the many 'gettable' shots.