bing181

It's pretty clear that his family is important to him. I think he'll be professional about it in terms of playing, but in the longer term it seems pretty clear that Adelaide (city) is where his heart is.

Think Melb have their work cut out if they want him to be a long-term player and sign an extension. Would make a lot of sense to try and maximise our returns now and give us a chance at Reid. Trouble is we badly need Petty, as we saw last year.

So no more rumours?

Don't think so. Believe it's a journalism student who collates info/posts from some of the main trade journos.

"I spoke to someone a week or two ago, I got a pretty good grasp on Angus Brayshaw. I'm told neurologically speaking, medically speaking, expert speaking, it's largely okay. He's been told everything he has wanted to hear, there is no additional cause for concern. He's on a break, having a rest, playing golf and planning on coming back and resuming pre-season like all of his teammates when that time comes. There is no cause for concern at the moment with Angus Brayshaw." - Sam Edmund

IOW, there's someone we want who'll be there at 11 but not at 14.

I just don't think our picks are high enough for them, especially that pick 6 ... no matter what we pair it with.

Perhaps, but not really like for like.

Independently, various of the trade journos/experts had us going hard for Lynch but also asking the question of Mckay and Hawkins. Take with a grain of salt of course but these kinds of rumours have been coming up fairly often. Who knows if there's anything in them, but a bit of smoke around.

If Darling to North has wheels, there goes our chance of pick one. North in the driver's seat.

Nick Haynes could sit the year out, he's the plus one. You pay the million to get Pick 7. Add that to what we have and we could really do some damage draft-wise.

Girlfriend in Adelaide as well apparently.

They've got 10, 14, 20 - though then nothing after that.

Yes, he's looked great up forward but it's only a few matches, a tiny sample size. We would need to see how he goes over the longer term, and in particular how he goes once opposition clubs start working him out and putting some time into him both onfield and in how they prepare for him. Still, would hate to lose him.

Suspect that this is bigger than that, but once again, support and understanding can't be a one-way street.

Would be handy in the wet.

Not sure it would be Lobb plus McKay, but who knows.

Re Lobb (FWIW):

Just a reminder that this year's Norm Smith medal went to a guy that was traded for what amounted to a future second-rounder. You don't always have to take big name players to do well out of the draft.

For reasons beyond our control, I don't believe we had the same forward set-up for any two consecutive weeks. That lack of consistency was always going to get found out, especially in finals. You don't necessarily need stars - just look at Collingwood's forward line! But you do need players who really know how to play a role and work together.

Lots of talk about Collingwood this and Collingwood that - though as we showed, they're more than beatable. But if it's one thing we can take from them, it's their ability to do what's needed in the dying moments of quarters. Whether that's a late clutch goal, or shutting down and defending a slim lead, it's the one area in their game that they have over all the other clubs, including ours. Helps having a couple of really experience and skilful players to drive/lead all that, but I hope our FD and players were paying attention.

I don't know ... taking two KPF's as our first choice in the last two drafts, bringing in Schache as cover, using Petty forward, training up J Smith as a forward ... It was injuries plus a suspension that kiboshed those plans. We have the cattle.

Lions only themselves to blame. That 50 to Sidebottom turned the game, but they just looked sluggish when they should have dominated around stoppages.

And not to mention training up Joel Smith as a forward - where he wasn't half bad, at least in the finals.

Not necessarily, the "bring in some fresh ideas" argument seems to have been one of the deciding factors.