monoccular

I guess if it means thinking outside the norm, then yes we should be doing that, not necessarily as the basis of our recruiting but as a part. Presumably when we have had all these fantastic high picks over the past decayed decade we have been "conventional" with the metrics: - U18 performances playing against boys; - beep tests; - other draft camp metrics like skin folds etc etc. I dont know but is there any degree of psychometric assessment?: - 'mongrel'; - passion; - absolute desire to be the best. So maybe, and our recent recruiting has demonstrated that fairly clearly, using the conventional criteria is not necessarily what is best long term for the club. If that is what is meant by this post header then bring it on. Podsiadly, Barlow, Magner, Saad - all have shown that there is hunger outside the conventional U18 pathway that can be tapped.

If Jordie modelled the rest of his game on Joel Selwood I would be very very happy.

Well hopefully he will learn from this and put more focus on playing footy as i should be played - hard and ball focussed: it looked pretty funny at the time and he did fool the maggot :-)

Umpires influenced by Crowd Scurrilous header - it doesn't happen because Geishen says it doesn't, so .............LOL! IMO it is just generalised ove-umpiring. They are presumably frustrated footballers who could never influence a game as a player, so they get their jollies by blowing the whistle.

...and those that don't won't be there next season.

HYPOTHETICAL: Choice 1: Confront a huge problem with a high profile player in a successful club, or Choice 2: Drip feed the media fuel for a fire involving a struggling club to generate massive diversionary coverage. Which is easier? Which is right? Am I paranoid? Am I right?

I know it is speculative, but hell if the rumours turn out to be true then the AFL has a big problem by not coming out and saying what is what!!Bringing the game into disrepute if they just leave it under the covers.

I usually reserve my optimism for the pre-season, though I guess that we are already in ours, so yes I will be positive (despite the lacklustre showing yesterday). It was only a year ago I think that some here were wanting to trade or delist Jones: he has shown just what focus, dedication and bloody hard work can do - and could do for other more highly skilled, highly rated and naturally talented guys on the list (we all know who at least some of these are) should they choose to do so!!! Mitch Clark is an obvious huge plus for 2012, until injured -- it is vital that his rehab is very carefully managed as this can be a career ending type of injury, and he has shown just what an important player he is and hopefully will continue to be. Sam Blease to me is another plus, and if he and Missen can get his fitness up to AFL standard he could turn out to be an absolute beauty. His goal sense and flair could really help us forward. Most have mentioned JW and I agree he has had a breakout season: however I remain uncertain as to where he would best serve the club. IMO he was wasted yesterday collecting cheapies across HB when we had little up forward, nor great delivery from the mids to the forwards. IF we can get a defensive structure up and running without him I feel he would contribute more as a wing link or an athletic leading HF in the Reiwoldt mould. Even though he fell off as the season progressed, James Magner showed that mature VFL players can perform at AFL level. With another preseason hopefullyhe will have a longer productive season next year. Tom McD should have a long career with us, and again although he is learning and producing at CHB, could he become the CHF we have lacked since the Ox did his knee all those years ago? I will have to leave that to wiser heads than mine. Jeremy Howe needs little discussion: he is becoming a well rounded excitement machine, with his incredible leap but also ability to earn his own ball in contests, to tackle and hassle. He must spend lots of time in the preseason brushing up his kicking and he will end up a dangerous attacking machine. Given far better luck with injuries, and another hard pre-season and general fitness, we do have a lot to look forward to. Throw in Jack Viney, and throw out anyone who doesn't like hard work and discipline ...

I was a fan when he started out, but haven't been recently: however his recent games as a defender have shown he has something to contribute especially in terms of depth. He has needed some decent guidance and coaching, which he may now be getting for the first time. He does seem to be a bit of a tool though: pity he finds the need to stage for so many frees.

Well let's hope that Taylor is really [censored] off with the Pies and leaves them with a load of rubbish. I guess as a professional, he won't, but one can but dream. But seriously, this IS our most important draft and I hope that any potential perceived conflict of interest on Todd's part does not effect adversely on his calls, either by being "too easy" or overcompensating and being too harsh on the JV call.

.....and didn't we actually start the rot, or did we just consolidate it? Feels almost as good as our poaching of Neeld being given as a cause for the Magpies' GF failure last year.

Thanks KCLooking forward to your incisive and insightful review as always.

I am sure KC can walk and chew gum at the same time....he always does a sterling job and will answer what he can, when he can, without BH help.

Goalkickers KC?

Thanks KC - who got the goals please?

I was feeling a bit excited .....until you mentioned the "M" word.

KingDingAling seems to think that he broke the leg because he was soft, or skinny, so WE must be wrong about him. Granted he did have a slow start due to other injuries, but he is now looking like he will produce the goods. I must say that I did have my reservations early on - mooted as an elite kick but one who couldn't get enough of the ball to show it.

So the opinion of a second year BL player was relevant? And he didn't go home at all.

It certainly isn't a great vote of confidence that our much maligned first round pick is "coming along nicely".I know he hasn't had a preseason, talls take time etc but even he must be starting to have his doubts. Worrying signs even the super optimists would have to concede.

Agree MoonshadowI hope that increased strength, general fitness and endurance will result in significant improvement, together with greater familiarity with the game plan.

Are you suggesting that perhaps the AFL should have some, any, influence or say over team selection and placement of players???

One of the best summaries of the situation.IF there is a perception that something was amiss, and it can never be proven, but changing the system -- but pleaaaassse NOT to the current one where priority picks are "at the discretion of some (questionable) joker at AFL HQ" -- would be a good way of stopping this.

Well done Brad - a great club man and his never say die efforts are an example to many with greater skills. It would be interesting to see just how things would have rolled out with different coaching and different definitions of his role. He showed even this year that when he decided / was instructed to take a kick instead of looking for the hand off every time he could actually kick goals.

Hopefully doing whatever is needed to FULLY recover from whatever ankle injury he had and to get himself 100 % right for a massive preseason 2013. Frankly I don't give a rat's whether he plays again in this miserable meaningless season provided he does those things.

Liam, the club and the AFL are really in totally uncharted waters on this one. So many "issues" never encountered before. I don't think anyone can predict the outcome with any certainty, but I guess those of us wo are on the pessimistic side regarding Liam's long term future playing sublime footy for MFC have reason on our side...........and I sure as hell hope we are proven wrong. The club can surely only be expected to carry him for so long.....sure support him as long as it takes but in a cut throat professional competition where every man counts it is difficult. Hopefully the AFL will be supportive of the club if they do decide to carry him into 2013 then things go belly up.