binman

Oh Damn. Lets go with Thinking Big in the derby

My best is Osborne bulls. Race 3 no 1. Its run on rubbish ground in the Everest was huge (cost me the trif - which I thought I had from the vision). Redzel form is primo and ob is a winner. Also suspect track will suit run on horses. Which I hope is right as I have made my selections based on that.

Of course the TV networks have some pull. Like der. I never said they didn't. That pull can be seen this year. 7 would have made it crystal clear they wanted good, evenly matched top teams scheduled in the marquee slots. And no carlton. But having some pull is a long way from the control you have previously suggested on multiple occasions (but seem now to be walking back from) tm7 and fox have.

Got it wrong? Are you still seriously suggesting channel 7 advocated for blues to get Friday night games? Not a single person in the world would have expected them to be competitive last year. Even if you knew zero about football all you would need to do is look at their record and points for and against for the preceding decade to know that. But you think a station that has been covering football for 40 odd years got it wrong. And the television era? Please.

What the? You maintained Channel 7 controls the scheduling and used that power to ensure the blues got multiple Friday night games, because of the old boys club , them being power club, the 70s and 80s yada yada. I said that was ridiculous as they are a commercial operation, answerable to their shareholders, interested in ratings and profits and if they had the power you have maintained they do they certainly wouldn't use it to have Friday night games that no one watches. Passing on memos?. What memos? memos from Channel 7 to the AFL telling them to schedule the blues on Friday nights? Please refresh my memory.

I do too. I assume they have done the maths. Have we singed up for two beyond this year? The issue isn't really financial as we are compensated obviously. The issue is does giving up home ground advantage make it harder to win games (ie the 2 NT games and the ones after because of the travel, heat and humidity)? Last year we won both NT games, flogging the crows in a massive performance that really got us rolling. And am i right in thinking we won the next game both times? If we repeat last year's performance then you have to say we have done ok from the deal, particularly if the heart of the country game in the Alice gets similar exposure again. But given we play two top teams, who we most certainly would have a better chance of beating at home, winning both is pretty unlikely

SYWL what's your explanation for carlton not getting a single Friday night game? Perhaps the AFL didn't get channel 7's memo telling them that carlton HAD to be scheduled for multiple Friday night games because they are a power club and channel 7 is interested only in seeing them rise up the ladder. Or maybe they did and realised it was dated 4 October 1979.

We don't 'agree" to play two home games in the NT.. We choose to.

Very tough last 5 games though. But an advantage of playing other contenders is winning against teams competing for top 8 ladder position, and potentially top 4. Lots of 8 point games!

Deservedly tough draw. We are a top 4 side. Other teams will not look forward to playing us. Huge from a financial perspective and brilliant for sponsors. Some huge games against big Victorian clubs will make for some terrific games and big game atmosphere. 13 FTA is massive as is the fact we gte get six stand alone FTA games (3 Friday nights, a Thursday night, the ANZAC eve game and QB). That's a brilliant result.

We'll i don't think that is true this year. We will get FTA exposure for this game and it is one that is likely to rate well, particularly given the thriller last year down there (how many times will we see 2EES goal in the pre game coverage? And by the sounds of the orchestrate leak we will get plenty of plumb FTA night games this year. Lets see on that front but given where we have come from in terms of coverage i would suggest we are winning the battle for exposure.

That's frustrating we have to play them there. Means I likely won't go. We better get a second game at the g (I'm sure we will). The upside is that game will FTA

Agree

On the NT games i had thought bubble. Would it possible to play those games back to back? Say fly to the Alice on the Friday, play Saturday, then spend the week in the NT before playing in Darwin the following Saturday. Use Alice as training base and do all the community stuff during the week between games. i understand routine is super important and there would be logistical challenges but they exist for both games already. And in terms of routine they fly up on the Wednesday or Thursday i think to do community stuff so they already a it out of wack. Might help with recovery as less travel would be required and could be pumped up in the NT as the Demon week.

Bingo

I'd like to know if my assumption they will put a premium on foot skills and outside run in this draft period is correct. He is probably unlikely to answer that question directly (or give a one word yes or no answer)so perhaps the question could be are we at the stage of filling needs (as opposed to best available) and if so what are those needs. He might well say they will aim for both. Fritter was arguably the best available last year at that pick and absolutely met a need. A fantastic selection that they obviously targeted. On fritter, he will be huge for us next year as he will have a second afl preseason under his belt and with may in the side and lever back he will surely play high half forward, where he belongs. Having him kicking regularly inside 50 will improve our entries enormously and this combined with his sure hands and accuracy kicking for goal will go a long way to offset the goals we will miss from Hogan.

Bingo

Well I hope being a bloody good kick is #4

You must be a plumber

Yep. It's true of the whole team as well. I expect in the draft we will target players with excellent disposal skills, with some pace who can play a link, outside role. Obviously don't grow on trees so the recruiting team will have to show their talent spotting skills again. Maynard fits the goody mould, he's a Melbourne person. Hard at it, fierce, team first and super competitive. But he does indeed lack polish, specifically with his kicking. He's not overly quick either. You'd think he is competing with Oliver, Brayshaw and viney as an inside mid. So up against it. But like the selection of smith goody has shown a preparedness to back such players in so he will get his chance.

Totally. Shots me

Do we know when they will announce the fixture? i have to say i love getting that first look at the fixture. Its a great chance to look into the future and see what days what life will revolve around!

Any Friday night game is gold for the club. The friday night game is not just important for FTA exposure during the game it also means all the radio pre game build up across all stations and then on the Saturday all the footy radio stations do a reviw of the game. Great for the club, sponsors and most of all fans. We are a popular side, that will push for the flag, plays an exciting brand and until we win a flag will enjoy the support of other club's fans and neutrals. As result I reckon we will get 3-4 Friday night games which would be a great result

Agree, his kicking was much improved. took less risky options, but didn't eliminate the risky kick all together. Which speaks to better decision making, which i suspect is what the club told him to work on at Casey.

The reason i put up the stats for May and Omac at comparative stages was to highlight that like May did Omac is likely to improve significantly over the next say 2-3 seasons ad n is well on track to becoming one of the better big defenders. Frosty has some upside perhaps but not as much and he is certainly unlikely to get too much stronger. on disposal the DE rating is always going to be higher for players playing deep back as they do a lot of short crosses and kicks to unmanned players. Mids are more likely to have take riskier kicks, as is Hiiberd who often goes long to contest. I guess you argue Frosty plays a similar role to Hibberd so maybe his DE is ok. But turnovers are the real issue. One more per game than OMac is a lot given turnovers from defenders often result in scoring chances for the oppo. But as i have said i don't think Frosty is competing with omac for a spot. His competition is Lever, May and Hibberd (and possibly Hunt). Frost's advantage over OMas is he is stronger (though that will change) giving him first crack at the biggest opposition forwards, like Hawkins. But in future May will almost certainly get those players leaving OMac on the second forward.