Webber

This is what being psychologically overwhelmed looks like. Much like last night. Everything goes badly, and everything looks worse. Second guessing, afraid of stuffing up. It’s horrible to watch, but these kids are only human. Best we can hope for is some way to avoid the scarring it could create. Oh, and the 2nd worse thing, Collingwood will thump Eagles next week.

Beautiful work by Flanners again. I had a catch-up with him last week at a footy art exhibition in which I’ve got a couple of pieces. He doesn’t support any one club, but Flanners love for the Dees is entirely one with his love of football. He, more than anyone, knows there is no football without the Melbourne Football Club, and as the game’s essential truth-teller, he feels duty bound to romanticise on the reasons why. This is why so many of us love him, because he gives a voice to our emotional investment in the game and the club like no other in the media today. Believe it, he wants us to go all the way, because football needs that story. If anyone’s interested, the exhibition is at Glen Eira Council Gallery, until 7 October. Called Aussie Rules: Passion and Pain. Lots of good stuff there, excluding my own ?. The only footballers to turn up were Alex Neal Bullen (his sponsor had a piece) and Billy Stretch. Very classy boys both, remarkably engaged for 22 year olds. Impressive. Had a good chat with Billy, particularly as he’s studying physio. He was fresh from his surgery, and is itching to get back out there. They too are fully invested in the Club’s legacy. Go Dees.

He didn’t worry all of us. Some of us always saw the longer term plan, and that he had the essential qualities. Oscar has got where he is faster and younger than most were/are prepared to admit. The whipping boy treatment he got before probably the last half of this season has always been misplaced and ignorant.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

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.

He's a 'pure' footballer, I guess meaning that he seems to make all aspects of the game look as though he instinctively knows what to do. They're rare these blokes, and in Tyson, Kennedy-Harris, and I believe Salem, we've picked up three in one year. We know Hogan has that same quality, and I think Toumpas is learning to apply it, and there you have pure 'ball talent' as a nucleus. Add the pure culture setting physicality of Jack Viney, the competitiveness and personality of Max Gawn, and those seven alone will carry the immediate future of this club. Of course we're a way off seeing all seven of them fit and first choice, but when they are, this is going to be a formidable team.

Your last sentence made me realise I'm probably one of those, Fifty-5. I've been all for getting rid of JW since the middle of this year, and still think his lack of competitive physicality is shamefully obvious and hugely limiting. The one hope I now have, is that if THAT can be improved, then Roos is probably the man to facilitate it. JW's talent is just as obvious, so he's worth a bit more investment based on Roos feeling that he can work with him, and he's on record as thinking he should be retained, but personally I'd give him a 2 year contract at MOST. I'd say 1 year, but there's a bit too much of a threat in that, which could be crippling for any player.