Webber

I’m not saying we lack disposal skill, we lack competitive quality and certainty, It’s a mind thing, and it appears to be fatal.

Of course, this we know, but we don’t have the mentality to fix it. Look at our goal/behind ratio for our big games this year. Repeated misses from 20-30 metres with little angle is a product of a fragile competitive psyche. We are THE chokers of the AFL, pure and simple. We CAN’T kick straight because we don’t have what it takes.

No, we won’t. We aren’t good enough. How much evidence do you need.

Sure, but the point is that in these games we DON’T kick them because we choke, we choke, we choke. It’s part of being a successful team, holding your nerve. We simply don’t have what it takes.

I heard Nathan Burke on radio pregame tipping the Swans, because, and I quote: “Melbourne will choke. They always do”. It made me angry, because I wanted in my heart to know that he was wrong, but in my head I knew he was likely on the money. Once more we had everything to play for, but this time against an interstate team, at home, and down to 20 men effectively for the whole game. In truth, if we had an ounce of the gumption, belief and sheer fortitude that Sydney has, we would have won, and bearing life as a Dees supporter would be a breeze. As it is, this club currently has an insurmountable problem with their group psyche. Will it change? Maybe, hopefully, but nothing about their approach to big games this year tells me it will. And even if we make finals, it’s worth little, because quality teams know easily they can upset our apple cart mentally and tactically. We are horribly inadaptable defensively, have been all year, the good teams exploit it, and today happens. As a result, I couldn’t be more confident that we’ll roll over in the next two weeks.

Team high tackles, Goodwin was pleased. He's playing nest week.

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.

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.

I was expecting Matthews to retract after that......waited......waited......nada.

Reading this thread, and in particular seeing the wraps on Colin Sylvia from 2003, taken at no.3 in that draft, then watching Petracca's interview and both highlights packages, it's just fascinating how unpredictable the draft can be. CP is very very confident in his abilities, and this could be a great thing, or part of a 'young prince' complex. He's got all the weapons at this age, but so did Sylvia. He could be a superstar, or he could be a journeyman, or he could be a bust. To borrow from William Goldman speaking about whether Hollywood success can be predicted, 'nobody knows anything'. As is our lot, we can but watch, wait, and hope.