Webber

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.

It was definitely a low news day! Won't do too much damage to our sparkling rep I'd say.

And a good 2 cents it is. The China Study presents inconvenient truths from an epidemiological perspective, and is just too confronting for the larger meat fixated populus. It remains the definitive large scale study into diet and its relationship to disease and mortality, but peeps just don't want to listen, really. The taste allure of sugar and fat is a mighty power, and 'food' production companies will exploit it without mercy. The result is what we have now, with related diseases (diabetes etc) and pharmaceutical juggernauts to give symptomatic relief. Massive profitting off human frailty. So what else is new though?

I think you're somewhat arguing my case, but there is no need in ANY diet for refined or processed 'sugars' of any kind, when we use fructose from fruit and many vegetables, and convert complex carbs into glycogen. 'Sugar' as it is provided in the modern diet, is utterly unnecessary, and at the levels the average person consumes it, harmful. There is likewise NO justification for the human consumption of galactose from cow's milk, or in fact the milk of any species other than our own, which is limited itself to post natal development. I agree the Paleo diet is faddish, but as with many diets that advocate the abolition of processed foods, it has merit in that alone. It's focus on heavy proportions of animal protein is the most troubling part of it, and the non consumption of legumes and pulses just stupid.

Not really a 'radical' diet, just the removal of 'rubbish' carbohydrates, being simple sugars and processed foods (bread, pasta, and any sugar based junk). The removal of dairy food is a big positive in paleo eating also, another food with way more cons than pros. What it is not, is a ketogenic diet, which IS radical, and ultimately unhealthy, on account of being the absence of carbs and overdose on protein.

Great stuff, Moonshadow. Interesting to see the 'place-kick' used, I'd forgotten about it in Australian Rules footy. Would love to see it come back, other than for controversy and freak value. It's much more accurate, and would be further advantaged by our ball turning end over end better than a Rugby ball, and reduces the distance on account of the 'placed' ball being allowed on the actual mark. No playing on though. One for those who struggle with consistent accuracy in goal kicking, such as Richo did. Jake Spencer could become the place-kick KING!

Nail on head, WJ. Less games unavailable from less of our list will see a BIG improvement. It is still the strongest statistical correlation to success across the AFL. Less injuries = more wins.

This sort of gossipy presumptuous second guessing is lazy rubbish. Roos 'lost the players'? I wonder if 'the players' would agree with you, or think you're a clown? Damien Hardwick presumably had 'lost the players' at Richmond for the first half of this year, but re-found them for the second. Ignorant nonsense.

Well put b. The fact that we were a total handful of goals away from winning a few more games is very telling. In contrast to 2013, where we were 2 handfuls away from winning ANY game, it's a big difference. It's only close observers like us that see the nuances. Yes, there are 'glass half fuller's' here ', but equally the 'empties' abound amongst us. External observers see only that we won 2 more games, and pay more attention to the games where we got beaten up, because it reinforces the convenient pigeonholing that the past few years have earnt us. They dismiss the near losses, are oblivious to the huge personnel deficits (no Clark, no Hogan), and undervalue the degree to which new methods and coaching requires time to develop confidence and trust. We now have stability, familiarity, improving confidence and a better list. We won't shake the rafters, but we will be measurably better again. Luck with injuries will see us mid ladder.

People will start talking about the Dees again next year, and in a good way. 2015 IS the turn around year. Competitive, team based, winning football, that we saw plenty of times this year, but not bedded in enough to get the chocolates in all but 4 games. With the list improved, and the game plan consolidated, we will be just short of the finals. The one spanner in this, as for ALL clubs, is injuries. It makes or breaks seasons.

Doesn't matter if he gets the third or fourth defender, when he's closely physically attended, he hardly gets near the ball. His talents are there when there is space around him and when he has a CLEAR run at the leap and mark. His one on one physicality is very poor, and up to this stage, he can just be physically negated up forward. Which is why his best footy this year was intercept marking (space)or helping out as the second person of a double team. The long bomb speccy scenario, whilst it would be great, is not in JH's kit bag.

That is in fact the truth. We were lucky to have him for a year.

Too cynical. I know for a fact that coming back to Melb city was the prime mover last year, and PR talked him into going around for another year. Also that his co-dweller wasn't sure that they wanted him around the house full time.

GS is retirement age, so just a natural transition.

Different kind of excitement. I was very happy about Roos and George Stone, and the admin stability, and thought we'd improve on field, largely on account of a fit Mitch Clark.....hmmmm. I was aware there would be teething issues with a new way though. So I'm anticipating a much more obvious playing improvement for 2015.

I'm very excited about next year. This year played out pretty much as I expected, which was a great effort, considering the loss of Mitch Clark and Jesse Hogan for the year. They were HUGE holes in this year, and too many forget that. We were much more competitive, defensively accountable, and as a consequence, in winning positions much more, where we were NOWHERE near it the previous year. The group predictably tired toward the end, and had too many passengers (e.g. Chip Frawley) but I enjoyed watching the team in 2014. The pick-ups we've got so far are excellent. Speed and x-factor in Lumumba and Garlett. I don't think many on here understand how significant a fit, happy Jeff Garlett can be. He is an elite small forward. Lumumba is also an elite of the AFL, whether you like him or not. And he will have an enormous effect on 'straightening us up' out of the backline. Frost is 21 years old. At his height and size, he's got enormous upside. He's a great mate of Dom Tyson, and coming home to his family. He reminds me of David Neitz in his attributes. Billy Stretch, whilst young, has well reported professionalism and diligence. And he's got skills. I don't have a single doubt that picks 2 and 3 will be used for talent and exactly that kind of diligent culture, something we've stuffed up in the past. Not now. I also have confidence that Michie, Riley, Salem, JKH and Viney are going to have big percentage improvements. Then there's Jesse Hogan. If he plays 18 or so games on top of a full pre-season, all the signs point to a game changing contribution to this team. Gear up people, Roos, Goodwin et al are building a club and a team we can be proud of, and that has pride in themselves as a 'team'. Don't discount that last bit, cos it alone will put lesser teamwork to the sword next year, and scare some of the 'big boys' of the AFL along the way. GO YOU MIGHTY DEES!!!!!

Depends on fitness. If we remain unscathed through pre-season, and avoid major injury to the bulk of the list through the season proper, we will push for the finals. We have stability, familiarity with the coaches and game plan, and growing cultural and team standards. Lumumba, Garlett and Frost are ideal pickups, Hogan is effectively a new gun recruit, and some young'uns such as Salem, JKH, and Toumpas are going to be revelations. However, it all comes down to injuries, or lack of.

When did Lever do his knee, anyone know? That is, what month?

Pick 2 and 3 for Kennedy and Frost (from GWS for pick 39) is an absolute win. One superstar and one long term known quantity who is known quality with lots of upside. 2 and 3 are UNKNOWN QUANTITIES!

I'm sure the club will do its duty in providing JT the best medical outcome, and whilst I don't want to pre-empt further diagnostics, the club would be crazy to keep him on the list, rookie or otherwise. It's become unlikely his foot will recover to AFL standard now, and if it does, it's a very very long and uncertain road back. A horrible situation, but the way footy is, there's no room for keeping players on as an act of pure good will with no value to be gained on game day.

Sadly, this is precisely the thing you don't want with a navicular, on account of it representing the likelihood of developing 'avascular necrosis' of that bone, meaning death of the bone through lack of blood supply. It's not done just yet, but Jack's playing future is now doubtful. Huge knock for a seemingly very good bloke, whatever the MFC planned for him.

The hype on Scully and Trengove was enormous. Much bigger then than Petracca and Brayshaw now. Some people have short memories...

It's this part of Flanners article that I took too, 'hells bells'. He's managed to utterly nail the essential loss that the modern free agency era is driving. The future of the AFL is the fans.......us. It is a club based sport, and we value loyalty and diligence probably above all things. Yes, players have essential rights to self determination, and they should be protected, but if the current trends are working to diminish the importance of the kind of attitude that Robbie lived, breathed, and played, then woe to them that encourage them. Do you think the AFLPA and Gill and his mates will realise it? I'm not hopeful.

Sam Mitchell doesn't bother with ANY steps before getting ball on boot, and he's not bad.

Very informative, thanks Mondê.