Webber

For a player of Matthew Bate's size and perceived playing area, i.e. inside forward 50, his inability to take a contested overhead mark is basically a career killer IMO. He is predictably easily spoilt in the overhead contest, almost without exception. This basically comes from an inability to jump slightly early at the approaching ball, thus keeping the opposition player behind him from access. Robbo was a master at this, and stuck his bum out as well, which is why he was able to take so many contested chest marks. Adem Yze also an excellent exponent. Bate just runs straight through the approaching ball without any elevation, or props at the ball's landing point, offering no body shield. This has bothered me for 2 years....can you tell? That is not to say he couldn't have a life as a midfielder, but we've got midfielders lining up at the door. Therefore I don't see where his future lies.

You need to be registered at yahoo (no strings attached), as 'flickr' is a photo/picture networking associated site. Then go to www.flickr.com/photos/daubings. Tom Wills paintings are on the second page.

Am with you dee-luded. Stef is the forgotten man amongst supporters. A difficult year no doubt, but I still reckon he'll come back to that role with aplomb. Big and talented, and with more to offer on the contested mark. The most disappointing thing about Johnson, Newton, Miller and Bate is their inability to take a true contested mark overhead. Aside from Brad Green, Dunn and Petterd have shown the best chops for a contested forward line mark (and Jamar when he is there). Jurrah is freaky good, but not body to body, and Jack Watts will, I believe, start showing his contested marking next year.

Hey fellow supporters, I am a painter, and whilst photo posters are excellent, if you want to get really serious, only a painting will do. I would be happy to accept commissions from any of you! It has so many fabulous facets to it, that I suspect I'll paint a version anyway(with the 'home' uniform and shorts in replacement) My avatar is in fact a 'front on' view of the Shaun Smith mark using artists models (it's a bit hard to see I know). It is one of a triptych....front on, TV side view, and opposite side view. They are 5 foot tall, acrylic on canvas. I've also done a couple of modern impressionistic portraits of Tom Wills, both very football specific. If anyone is interested in seeing them, I can provide the relevant link to www.flickr.com where they (and the Shaun Smith) are in much higher def.

All class Brad Miller.....best of luck for the future.

Well said.

Total agreement....his improvement has been obvious, and his confidence growing. A lot of new players with theoretical 'upside' give me pause, but I don't have a shade of a doubt about Jack Watts future....he will be a terrific player for us. It's not his draft position, or the fact that we need a KPF desperately. It's because of the signs he shows in his football.

My thoughts completely.....brilliant. Jonesy's use of the ball yesterday was near faultless. His ability to pick the right option and execute it well has improved out of sight this year. If he can get his total possessions up around the 30 plus mark next year, he will go All-Australian. You heard it here.

Absolutely on the money. I'm a physiotherapist, and can tell you that not only will EVERY effort be made to improve Cale Morton's muscle mass, but that they will have an acute understanding of his physiology. His endurance capacity is married to a predominance of 'slow-twitch' fibres in his muscle make up (the converse being 'fast-twitch'...see Olympic sprinters). They don't increase volume to anywhere near the degree that fast-twitch do, and thus his weight gain will be slow, hard and ultimately not that impressive. It will happen however.

FIFA's 'book' would be the one that refuses to look at video referral for contentious goals etc., because they want the game 'experience' to be the same for Croydon vs Ringwood under 11's as for Spain vs Netherlands in the World Cup final! The World Cup 'blunders' throughout the tournament changed results of games. It was a blatent embarrassment. Their inability to change the rules to penalise 'staging' are bewildering. All the AFL proposed rule changes have merit. The 'post shaving' in particular is a no-brainer. It would not change the way the game is played one iota, and would eliminate controversy, a la Hawkins in Grand Final last year.

Brad Miller will not interest the Gold Coast. They will be taking proven AFL players. Miller is a VFL player and they know it. Anybody who thinks they will take him, let alone that it ends in draft compensation for us, will be disappointed. None of this is a disparagement to his effort and likeability, it's just the reality borne of his talent level. Nothing more to see here.....move on.

In honesty, daisycutter, which bits are 'rosy'? Instinct is a very reliable thing, and my instinct now when Jones gets the ball, is that something good's gonna happen. Wasn't always the case. Likewise Davey, Sylvia(mostly), Green, Moloney and Frawley. The longer he goes on, the more he reminds me of Stephen Tingay (just without the off-season steroids!)

I keep reading these 'damning with faint praise'comments like 'he is hard and tries hard', and I wonder if you REALLY watch the game. Jones foot-passing is, with Aaron Davey, easily the best in the club, and both-footed. That this comes from hard won ball, having made the right decision, and frequently spearing inside 50 makes it even more impressive. He has basically eradicated his tendency to attract 'holding the ball' decisions, and has added excellent vision to his decision making. His only fault is his contested marking, but even now he is not being outmarked, thus bringing the ball to ground. Based on his vast skill improvement in every other level, there is absolutely no reason to think he won't improve here either, based on his age.....22/23. Yes, he is a hard worker, yes, he is a great club man, but MOST importantly he IMPROVES consistently, which is mighty high on my list.

Nathan Jones will be the very essence of our next premiership contending team......this is based on the 20% year upon year improvement he has made since drafted. He will peak in 2 possibly 3 years, and I relish the prospect. You heard it here.

This is exactly right about Jones.....I've searched the logic centres of my brain to work out why some posters are down on Nathan Jones. The only possible thing I can come up with is that they are thinking about 2 years ago, and have issues with remembering anything that has happened in the last 4 months. His ball-getting, decision making, and line-breaking are, with Moloney and Sylvia, the best in the team, and integral to our improvement. To have the 3 of them fit in the same starting line-up frankly makes me salivate. Moloney in, Bail out. Trengove was the weakest link in the midfield yesterday, but will obviously stay for future building reasons, and I agree with that. Somebody has to go for Beamer however.

Too true.... Watts has excellent vision.

Nathan Jones proves AGAIN why he is one of our most valuable players....his ability to pick the best target and hit it on the nipple by foot particularly, is becoming ever more frequently exquisite, and second only to Aaron Davey. I am completely non-plussed by those on Demonland who can't see his value. And that doesn't even begin to touch on his obvious value as a 'club' man.

Anybody out there know what the status of Colin Sylvia's contract is? Not to be a nervous (look out for theft by the Gold Coast)Nellie, but is he a demon for next year?

The idea of leaving out Moloney, given he was until his injury our best week to week player, heading for a B and F, and I believe our next captain for ALL the right reasons......is frankly laughable. If you don't see he and Nathan Jones as the engine room of our improvement this year, then you haven't been watching. Somebody has to be dropped of course, but it won't be a forward, and somebody will be unlucky, just as Addam Maric was last week. It's the most competitive selection dilemma I can remember for many years.

Well done to the boys for a vigorous second half comeback, but our starts are becoming a predictable embarrassment. The umpiring yesterday (whilst it didn't cost us the game)and in the AFL in general, is becoming increasingly maddening. Four woeful mistakes yesterday are beyond explanation. 1. The Joel Macdonald tackle on Ballantyne in the last quarter. Prior opportunity, yes. The perfect tackle, yes, and how. Non-disposal, yes. This defines 'holding the ball' Free kick MacDonald, no. 2. The Sylvia holding the ball in last quarter. Prior opportunity,arguable. Tackled, only after the ball had been knocked out by the tacklers arm. This defines an interpretation of 'play on'. And this after a clear throw by Freo player to keep the ball in play from the boundary. This defines 'throwing the ball'. Free given, no. 3.Liam Jurrah mark over the top in last quarter. Clearly, but play on is the call. This defines a (barely)contested mark. 4.Joel MacDonald grabbed by the jumper in a marking contest, and thrown to one side. Neither player in possession. This defines 'holding the man'. Playing interstate, you start with a 4 goal umpiring deficit before the ball is bounced. Nothing about yesterday's game contradicts this.

Given our run home, with a number of interstate games we have shown no real chance of winning, and that Richmond are currently a better side than us, I think we should be odds on to lick the dirty wooden spoon for the third time in a row. This weeks game against the Bummers will determine it I suspect.

There's no winning with you Belzebub.....bring him in now and if he doesn't meet expectations, he's not worthy. Bring him in later and if he steps up, then we should have brought him in sooner. What it ultimately comes down to is your wisdom against the club's....I wonder which one I'll back?

This idea of being frustrated about the progress of a 6ft 5inch 18 year old who is still growing (!), upwards, is nonsensical. The draft camp objectively detailed his elite athleticism, and his football ability around draft time was talked about AFL wide. Given his current growth and age, the expectations should be kept in line with those simple facts. His body will take 2 to 3 years to mature once he has stopped growing, and that's when we'll get to see the best of him. Also given the, what we can now call, very smart recruiting of Barry Prendergast it is just ridiculously impatient and frankly ignorant to suggest there is some mistake in the whole Jack Watts situation. Patience and logic.....take some big doses and see me in the morning.

Cale Morton will NEVER be big. He is an ectomorph, meaning he has less of the 'bulking' fibres in his muscles. Generally this correlates with a better endurance capacity, which is clearly his excellence. His future will not require him to be a bulky player. Remember Robbie Flower (that's rhetorical). Brent Moloney is an endomorph, the opposite. And between them are the mesomorphs, where most footballers fall.