Harrisonrules

Zipp out of five. You don't seem to understand what the pre-season is all about.

Put your money where your mouth is and quote your suggested odds. Or have you already given up on most games

So you've given up on the strength of last year. Hope you enjoy your footy as much as I do

Every game is winnable That doesn't mean we will be 11 zipp. But the only team I know that it will be very hard to beat is Geelong but a 15% chance is a chance. We have a 40% chance of beating WC, 45% Hawthorn and Collingwood 50% Carl ( We have a good history against Blues at G even in bad years) 55% Syd Saints Bombers 60% Dogs and Tigers. 75 Lions

What's you criteria for selection. Why wouldn't you give these types of players plenty ground time. You've already forgotten its still practice games. By the way nothing wrong with Bennell's game. Tom Mac rarely does anything wrong. One of our better marks. Gys needs work. Fitzpatrick was competative and needs every bit of expwerience that he can get at this time of the year. Alternate Jamar and Martin. We don't need to burn them out.

These are all secondary. When it comes to ball sports, its all in the mind. A fraction of a second can turn a slower person into someone who is always in the right spot. The shorter person reads the flight of the ball quicker than the taller and positions himself more quickly. The qicker the mind the better the anticipation. The more quickly they see the options.. You can put on bulk, you can practice longer than others,and yes it helps you reach you optimum but if you don't have the elite mind you won't climb to the top. Ask the elite batsman or the elite slips fieldsman. Its the mind that turns the good footballer into the great football. Think about it.

Already a number of responses have given you some factual response to your questions. As a mid 60 year old supporter from almost birth and member for how long I haven't calculated I'm prepared to take your frustration and impatience seriously. Who doesn't share a little, but if I get your drift it seems its got your life down. You either stick with it or you get another club. Obviously the latter is not possible. Impatience and frustration is an emotional response, its yours and the fact others are working hard to change the status of the club and are doing it to most peoples satifaction suggests we need to know a bit more about you so that we can find out what's really bugging you. I suggest take as much space as you like and just start writing. The demons need all that energy your've got but by using it in a positive way.

Discussion about the leadership team has progressed way beyond this forum, and generally I hear mixed reviews. More qauestions than affirmation. One thing we can all agree upon there is no perfect solution. And it is Neelds privilege to choose who he wants. However he did declare that the slate was clean. I would now doubt it. Many obviously had black marks against their name from past history. The clearest example is Moloney. At the prime of his career. The lead in the engine room, spiritual motivater etc. He was one for whom the slate was not clean. His past black mark was still squarely emblazoned across his forehead. The confusion for many is that a couple on the leadership group, got a soft entry, for the criteria must have been relatively restricted. Supporters are sick of the 'good guy' leader who is extremely limited in skills, eg. Miller. Apart from those who have unwaivering affirmation for the limited Bartram, this does leave most baffled. Make a list of the backs or mids and it is very hard to see how he will complete the year. If he is still there by the end of the year many of our young hopefulls will not have improved as we expect. I refute the clean slate. I would have made different selections, as many others would. There are probably a dozen different combinations people would present. Neelds is one and his prerogative to choose. We all live with it. Clean slate? no way.

On the apparent youth philosophy of the leadership selection criteria I would have had him in the leadership team. Would have created a better balance across the team Backs: Frawley, Garland, Bartram*, Grimes*. (4) Mids:Trengove, Jones, Jamar (3) Forwards: Clark. (1) * Bartram and Grimes could shuffle the Backs and mids quota to 3-4 or even 2-5 I see leadership potential in the third Jack

Go with grunt if you want to continually chase, Pressure on opposition comes in many forms, and one of the greatest is having the ball and long accurate kicking or good ball carry.

Glad they've found something for Bartram to do. Just don't give the ball to him and we'll be right.I don't see him playing out the season. Having said that we also need leaders at Casey. Personally believe the wiser decision would have been to wait on Trengove and Grimes. Very little to be gained and a considerable amount could be lost in their development. Neeld has unneccessarily risked his judgement at such an early stage. I like so much about what he has done. This team of leaders I question. Craig's judgement on Sellar is his soft point.

Playing level of football in my opinion does not equate to ones ability to assess football or footballers. Personal experience tells me that of the teams I have played in those who display the greatest ability to read what is going on does not equate to the standard of player in the team. Through the years of following football and enjoying discussions with countless over the years similarly illustrates the same point. It is a totally different activity of the brain than physical ability and intuitive reading of the play.

I like this post. I have no idea if there is any truth to the OP, but recruiting is so fundamental to the club its good to thrash it out. Intreaging why Pendergast should leave a respected recruiting job to take up a low level coaching position. A recruiter with reputation amongst a small body of specialists should do better than join the army of the many 'never will go anywhere' assistant coaches. But then everyone to their own. My hunch is that there is an untold story, yes from dissatisfaction at Melbourne to more money at Carlton. I reckon some good rumour will eventually surface

I'm totally with you on this one. Leave the kids to play. I'd stick with Greeny, he will have learnt a lot from last years experience.

He's from the giants, maybe its just the culture of the place.

Pity Daniher didn't know of the Ox's good years. I remember a radio broadcast involving Swan McKay following a dominant performance by the Ox, speaking of him as the Nureyev of football. Or the day in the final when the Ox had received a knock on the head five minutes from the end after a premier performance by the Ox and a big Melbourne win, the reporter arked Balmie if he had thought of taking him off as a precautionary move as the game was well and truly over. Balmie, laughed, 'Why I just love watching him play. So easy to have forgotten the enormous range of skill he had, sensational marking, wonderfully kicking and exquisit agility. Perhaps the closest thing we have had to a modern day superstar.

You may be right, but I think that's a long shot to conclude they are being groomed for the forward pocket. We know both have not been running well (endurance wise), may purely been related to progress.

I can't see Couch and Magner being much different to Valenti. I didn't mind Daniel but basically a C listed player. The occasional game.

I think a number of our selections have been modest. At this stage Mitch Clark seems to have been the hot selection. The rest have an awful lot to prove. But with our developing list one need only expect a couple of this years selections to make it. Clark and Sheahan look the most likely to me. Stella has a lot to do but if he improves in our environment that would be a coup. All the other runners might help, perhaps with a few games as we need replacements through the year. And who knows a smokey might come good. We got what we need for the moment, but recruiting is a long term game and I'm not to worried about the overall success of this years recruiting. Next two years are the important ones as we use the high compensation picks.

I didn't say anything about different opinions. In fact I implied that was what we all do and its part of the football culture. My point was that if you take your own opinion too seriously then maybe you do need to get a life. I guess if the shoe fits then....otherwise move on.

The OX's great gift is he takes everyone for who they are. David doesn't need to prove anything. He's been close to the top, hindered by those knees. A couple of degrees isn't a bad effort either. He's smarter than his happy go lucky persona portrays. He's managed a career that lets him play golf and go fishing. He's probably pretty happy with his lot in life now. To many commentators have never been there and are still trying to prove something. Clinton Grybus put the hours in because he was still trying to make it. I can take Plough for an hour once a week but imagine him for three hours every night. Too many commentators have never been there and are still trying to prove something. Some analyse the game ad infinitum and they can be interesting at times. Most are just sprouting opinions that rarely have much bearing on the game. How many of the so called experts lead the tipping competition? But that's what football chatter is all about. A bit like this forum, we all put up with the good the bad and the ugly. It's all hot air, but that's what most of us want in the cold winter. As soon as you take yourself seriously when it comes to talking sport, especially footy, then you've got problems. It's time to get out and get a real life.

I agree too many certainties. Spare me the thought of Bartram a certainty. The whole team has to lift considerably if we are to eventually get to the top 4. While I'm not advocating Jones will be a key figure in a few years, I think you might be best to check his disposal count. I recall he was regularly in the 20's this year, a big improvement on previous years and also fewer times getting caught. He has improved but still needs to improve more if he is to be part of a top four mid field.

This suggestion is a wayward theory and just shows how badly we can all begin to imagine things when we are duded by someone. However, what I would support is a criticism of Vlad because he has slowly changed the entire ethos of the AFL so that collectively people can so unwittingly misuse a system that examples like the Scully debacle can happen. Vlad is responsible for the horses bolting and it was way beyond him to draw them back in. In this ethos the Scully's were able to get far to far ahead of themselves and the offers were far to good for themselves to knock the opportunities back. They were not the type of characters who could see the problems that would ensue. They will get their fill but at a price. Their reputations have been sullied and they will have to live with the knowledge that others will always find a way to speak ill of them. In my opinion the conspiracy theory is way off but it was certainly an incompetancy issue on Demetriou's part.

I agree on Tom McDonald.I amjust waiting for him to push up ahead of some others like Rivers. Of the mids I wouldn't overlook a fit Evans

you forgot the ability to get the ball