Webber

Interesting thing with repeat ACL ruptures. The physical test we use to assess ACL patency is the 'Lachman's' test, and in my experience and statistically, they reveal more 'give' on reconstructed knees than non. If the tests pre-MRI are suggesting some laxity with inconclusive 'end-feel' (when the ligament snaps tight), it's not easy to be definitive. If the MRI is now inconclusive, I'd suggest he'll now have a sneaky arthroscopy to get the real status of the ACL. I'll admit that as much as you can rupture an ACL in innocuous fashion, yesterday's was particularly innocuous. My first thought was a meniscal tear (cartilage), given it may have been vulnerable post first reconstruction. That would be a whole lot better, so here's hoping.

After Lever went off, he took on his role. And played his own. Almighty effort.

Mark Neeld. Obviously. Plenty of free time.

Great Thread. 1. A fit list. Statistically the biggest market of success, also breeds player inter-familiarity. 2. Tom McDonald is the new Nick Riewoldt. But then so is Jesse Hogan. 2 Nick Riewoldts! 3. The best ruckman in the league, playing in his best form. 4. Oliver and Viney two of the top 5 (or so) ball hunters in the league. 5. Jones, Lewis, Vince, 3 exceptional older heads playing like their future depends on it. 6. Jake Lever and Michael Hibberd playing to their All-Australian form. 7. Oscar McDonald playing himself into the next 10 years of a career. Never in doubt. 8. The return to form of Angus Brayshaw, who is now (post Sam Mitchell), the most double-sided midfielder in the league. 9. Jake Melksham, currently the best one-on-one player in the league, by a long way apparently. 10. Younger players finally coming into their peak period of age and experience ..... Salem, Harmes, Nibbler. 11. The intangibles.....confidence, belief, motivation (last year's shame).

In 2016, was second only to Sam Mitchell for dominant/non-dominant kicking ratio. Mitchell was 51/49 if I recall, Gus 62/38, and the next best was in the mid 70's. If anything, he's evened that up this year. It's a brilliant skill, and the kid is simply a gun. Many, maybe most of us here knew it, and the wider football world are beginning to get the idea.

As a physiotherapist, I should be able to say it's good management, but the simple truth is that with the uniformity of elite standards in sports medical management now, it is mostly plain luck. For proof, a team may have the same staff, fitness programmes and injury management principles across several years, but whilst one year will be a clean sheet (think Richmond last year), the very next will be an injury riddled disaster. Collective consciousness? Morphic resonance? Who knows. I do know however that it can all go south very quickly, or all come together over a succession of weeks. All other things being equal, keeping your fingers crossed is about as much good as anything.

It's also where the Vineys live.

That's the context that all those dissing Oscar have failed to apply. He's going to be huge for this club, as he showed yesterday. Consistency comes with age and experience, particularly for a KPP. Too many of us just fail to allow for the bumps and imperfections along development road, thus having to make an about face when those players start reaching their potential. We do it to so many young players, but never learn it seems.

So many problems with this draft oversimplification and failure to account for the exceptions, that it doesn't warrant rebuttal. You obviously thought my last sentence of satirical hyperbole was a serious comparison though, which is a worry. Your claim that Oscar "CONTINUOUSLY makes errors, is slow to react and looks COMPLETELY and UTTERLY out of his depth" is some of the best hyperbole I've seen, and clearly nonsense.

For some on here binman, Oscar's card is stamped. They'll never see beyond his imperfections, but will nevertheless expect something closer to perfection than for other 'favoured' players. As you so accurately make the point, some of those other favoured players made mistakes that were just as significant yesterday. There's just no eliminating subjective bias, so Oscar will continue to get a bagging unless he miraculously morphs into a cross between Matthew Scarlett, Glen Jakovich and Gary Hardeman.

For a KPP of his size and age, he's way ahead of the curve, and always has been. Classic whipping boy status without an ounce of perspective or context from many posters. He's just gonna get better, and when TMac gets back down there as Gawn and Hogan come back, the brothers McDonald will become one of the great stories of the AFL over the coming years.

Absolute reason, Vogon Poetry. Those knockers will only see what they want to see though, and never let reality get in the way of a good whinge. It's the reason why clubs have match selection committees rather than a single selector. Imagine how the team would differ if we each got a go at being sole selector. The list would be halved for starters.

He's also a very good mark. Billy Stretch will be the player who is perenially left in the margins of discussions about our best players, but by my estimations he is already one of the first ten picked every week. And he's only gonna get better.

This. We got two first rounders last draft, and they both look like diamonds, so am perfectly happy to forego early draft picks this year considering the quality and balancing out of list age balance that Hibberd and Lewis provide. And, Hibberd is a gun, just the power and propulsion we need off halfback.

Wow, this idea that we were 'the better team' just continues to baffle me. Adelaide and St. Kilda are better teams than us, it's just a fact. The Eagles we should have beaten on the day, but they too are a better team. Ladder positions at this time of the year speak the truth. Skills, vision and decision making are all things that constitute quality, and those three teams have more of all of them, hence they are better.

His agility is his point of difference for me. Evades, sidesteps and wrong foots like nobody else in the team. A natural footballer from the moment he stepped on the scene, he's smart and clearly committed. Once he hits 50+ games, the extra polish and poise will only increase his core value.

The last player we could afford to lose, sadly. Not only is he our midfield grunt now, but he sets the culture for competitiveness. That and the fact that oppo teams now know how to expose our defensive shambles means it's going to get very very ugly this Saturday, and not much better for the next 4 weeks. All of a sudden getting to last year's seven wins is looking like a good result for the year I reckon.

Absolute gold rpfc! Just proves that nobody really knows anything.

Above pick 25 apparently, which is being talked of as a quality marker. The panel all thought it was a good deal and fair, and very Roos-like with its efficiency.

Big trade chat on ABC grandstand an hour ago with industry insiders. Melksham straight swap to Dees for second round pick on 4 year deal is done they reckon. Of all the trade talk they discussed they were surer of this than any others.

Agreed. He's rubbish, who'd want him?

Ok, I'll bite. Nate Fyfe to the Dees on an 8 year deal.

Clearly the ones you know are the moderate ones, maybe the Malcolm Turnbull variety. I wonder how they feel about Kennedy, Betts, Waite and Jacobs?

Exactly the attitude of Carlton supporters to Garlett last year.

Just because the Bombers supposedly play hardball on trading doesn't mean we'll cough up more than his value. The last 2 years have shown us to be very smart at getting more than we give. Garlett, Vince, Lumumba, Cross. Any exceptions? Wouldn't we expect the list builders to remain smart? If we can get him for value, we'd be crazy not to as he's just coming into the ripe stage of his career.