stuie

You spelled "asshat" wrong...

We likely just did the rounds a little bit I think. This year they scrapped the compulsory meetings between clubs on day 1 which meant every club had to meet at some stage, so we might have done a mini version of that just to do our due diligence.

Definitely a fairer deal. I just wonder, with the way GWS have built themselves and the success of the Doggies, if draft picks have become even more valuable for a club basically rebuilding from scratch?

They don't need us for that. Dunn is worth a 4th rounder at best, can't see us getting pick 30 for him from anyone. I like the second half though, think it's highly probable Mahoney will use the points/picks situation again.

So basically Brisbane are giving up pick 30 for Dunn? Yeah don't think so.

Doubt it. More likely we're trying to even out our drafts given we have no first rounder this year. A second round pick this year and a first round pick next year is more balanced than both next year and nothing until the third round this year. (This is of course excluding us trading picks for picks which is a high possibility IMO)

Yeah true, and Goodwin is likely to continue Roos' mantra of everyone being versatile like that.

I reckon Melksham is more likely to play a bit of mid/wing, but that's just my opinion. Plus, having him allows someone like Salem or Hunt to play further up.

Good insight here. Sounds like Milkshake was pretty integral in winning him over. http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/why-michael-hibberd-chose-the-melbourne-demons-as-the-club-he-wants-to-be-traded-to/news-story/20fd9e1da7c2979a73e8de3b963c947a

For the record, the actual argument was that we were 3rd in line behind Hawthorn and Geelong as far as being a "destination club" goes.

NAB Trade Radio ‏@traderadio 10m10 minutes ago Hibberd reveals he had a beer with Jake Melksham, Bernie Vince & Jack Watts to get to know new potential teammates 0 retweets 2 likes NAB Trade Radio ‏@traderadio 12m12 minutes ago Hibberd: "My mind chopped and changed but I felt a fresh start would be best for my football." 1 retweet 0 likes NAB Trade Radio ‏@traderadio 13m13 minutes ago Hibberd reveals that "unless something drastic changes" he will be at Melbourne in 2017. 2 retweets 4 likes

Gone under the radar this year as one of our most improved players. We talk about run and spread and improving on skills, he's done both those things this year.

And we're back to using "alternative ladders'" again.. Yay.

Ummm arguing semantics on an internet footy forum?

Hang on... That's a bit of a shallow analysis I think AdamFarr. We won the game against the Tiges, the Saints always beat us (plus, Etihad), and the Bombers game... Well that was a massive failure by the senior players, agreed. But look at the opposition when we played a young side. Lions are rubbish, GWS were missing a bunch of key players, and the Pies were rubbish when we played them too. Don't you think it's a coincidence we just happened to pick a young side when coming up against a weaker opposition? Also, have a think about who the best players were in those games where we had the biggest differential (obviously opinion based): v Roos - Gawn, Vince, Viney v Hawks - Vince, Tyson, Jones v Pies - Bugg, Viney, Gawn I don't think it's right to be so critical of the senior players. You need to remember that it's a whole team game and the senior players are not only trying to do their roles, but also pick up the slack of the young inconsistent players while teaching them at the same time. Just have a look at the backline, they have struggled in a big way without Lumumba and Salem. Now I'm not saying our senior stocks are great, we still have work there, but let's not get sucked in to praising all the kids for their potential while bashing the senior players who are trying to not only do their jobs but also often some of the jobs of the inconsistent and inexperienced young players.

I don't think he was saying the whole club is like 2010, just the fact that we're having to play these kids in defence when it would be better if we had some quality mature players to shoulder the load a bit.

Haha been asked that a bit lately.... Nah, just blocked a few pests which increased my zen

I genuinely do. We may argue about it cos we don't see things the same, and I don't think it's necessary on a forum to start every post with "IMO" so I figured you would get that my posts are merely my opinion. You make some very good points, and a lot I agree with, big hopes for Hunt and Wagner especially, but I do worry about that "gulf" as I feel they need experience around them on game day and senior bodies to carry the load so we don't run them into the ground. For me, it's just about the balance and security. It's great if the kids are earning games and getting opportunity, but the lack of senior depth is a major concern for me this year. It may be bolstered next year with a fit Lumumba, Melksham, maybe some form improvements from others, but none of those factors carry much of a guarantee. I feel we need to improve our mature backline depth this offseason or I worry we won't be able to pace out the development of the kids properly.

Right, so that's a lot of posts you've made for someone who doesn't have an opinion then....

Just seeing you obviously didn't read it the first time and seeing you clearly struggle with context. Overall - We have improved. Backline - Has gone backwards. Do you disagree?

Where have I said we have gone backwards? Don't change the context of the comments Billy. Overall we have improved, but as I have said, the backline and it's lack of mature players, for whatever reason, is a worry as Roos has said MANY times that development should be a slow steady progress with no pressure on the younger players to carry the team. At the moment, we have a 26 year old and a 23 year old leading a backline full of kids. We've seen in the recent past what relying on the kids does to their development.

I think trade time might challenge that notion tbh. As I've stated, I like Hunt, Wagner and OMac, but my concern is for their proper development by having senior players who can lead them and teach them in that part of the ground.

Ok, just to clarify again, I'm talking specifically about our backline, do you think it's improved this year? It's a big need for us in the offseason. Our backline has gone from our biggest strength to our biggest weakness, so no, my argument is not flawed.

How will it come? Trading? Chucking all the kids in and playing them every week is not good development IMO. It's a never ending cycle if you just play kids who don't develop properly and then become the leaders to the next round of kids who won't develop properly because their leaders didn't.... Roos has talked a lot about this kind of scenario and it's what culture is all about.

Not in the backline we're not, and that is my worry at the moment. Jetta is a legend, but at 26 he is 3 years older than our next oldest regular defender Tom McDonald who is regarded as the backline leader.