binman

A good assessment. His lack of speed is a huge worry, particularity given how few players we have with genuine speed. I also don't think he is scared of the contest and yes perhaps he could remodel himself to be an inside player.

I reckon Russell's issues with Melbourne are all about projection. He commentates a lot of our games? Why? Because he is on the Foxtel B team. And unlike say a Jessie Hogan who could pick any side to play with Dwayne is stuck in the B team. So he is angry and hurt. Collingwood played Essendon on the same day as the dees gws game. Much bigger crowd but alas Russell was stuck covering the dees again. And that article? Lordy what was the point he was trying to make? I mean good players wanting to leave struggling clubs for more success is hardly a new phenomenon. I have said this before but from the beginning of the comp players have left clubs. Look at the dees in the seventies and early eighties. Two Melbourne greats in Alves and Wells left chasing premiership glory (and found it). As did greats from other clubs like Doug Wade and Tony Lockett. Russel how about proposing some solutions? For example not allowing free trade players going to top 4 sides.

The AFL tables make for fascinating reading. Some of Hogans numbers are crazy eg 52 marks inside 50, 13 more than the Gartlett at number 2; 90.4% playing time and 20 games and 2nd most goal assists. In terms of Watts it comes as no surprise that statistically he had an ok year without setting the world on fire. Some noteworhty Watts stats: 7th most disposals in total 6th most uncontested possessions 10th most disposals average per game Third in goal assists (behind Brayshaw and Hogan) 11th most contested possessions 13th most one per centers (ahead of Vince and Brayshaw) 10th most contested marks 14th most tackles 11th most clearances 5th most hitouts 9th most inside 50s

I'm not convinced though that gun forwards such as Carey and Brown got more love from the umpires later in their career but I certainly hope you're right.

Keep them coming Norm

Brent Crosswell. Well perhaps not the best but certainly one of the more entertaining recruits. And also after checking Demonwiki (i've said it before and will say it again but my God what a brilliant site) he is outside the 30 year window, having retired in 1982 (at only 32 years of age). By the by Demonwiki notes Crosswell's son Tom Kavanagh played two games for the Demons in 1989 - something i didn't know or had more likely completely forgotten. There can't be many players who retired at 32 who had a sone play AFL footy only 7 years later. I really liked Steven Icke (who sneaks in to the 30 year window having retired in 1987 at 31) but it's hard to go past Brett Lovett for the reasons well outlined.

Well i'm thinking of changing my avatar to a picture of Danger. Didn't work last year but it might this year

Spot on - and a point Gerard Healy makes after this fith (?) in the saints game. Makes Leigh Matthews comments about him being someone who is not great on the ground strange, particularity given i heard him comment about this twice - once at the beginning of the season and again closer to the end.

Not sure i agree Webber. If he was going to get frees i reckon it it would be more likely early in his career. It says something about his ability and how quickly he has established himself as a gun forward that umpires are not more inclined to pay more of the borderline frees (let alone the obvious ones he's not getting). Perhaps you're right about getting better at drawing frees but there is fine line between that and getting a reputations as a stager which always seems to hurt forwards. It is amazing hat this early in his career teams are already double teaming him and using dubious blocking tactics. The great thing about that is if Watts is up and about all season (and or a Frost or other tall marking forward - though not Dawes) and Petracca is as damaging on the half forward as i expect him to be then suddenly opposition teams have an issue covering everyone.

Yeah right on. Use of prescription drugs, painkillers and alcohol is righteous though

Not only that he kept on making references to getting hammered. Must have been at least 5. He also said harmes played well on Friday night. Only two days out. The hilarious part actually was that he broke the bombers going to Adelaide story but didn't realise why ie that they had broken a commitment to ask other clubs first before talking to assistant coaches. He was clueless. Probably thought he was doing a solid for efc when in fact he put them right in it. His only genuine story and it was a mistake. He did a Homer. Gold

Who said anything about best 22 meaning he can't be traded. Pretty hard to trade a player outside our best 22. Hey gws what can we get for McKenzie?

Of course he is

It will be interesting to see how they both go next year. Second year players often drop off a bit but I can't see Jesse being one. He already took the oppositions best defender and was often double teamed. So there's not much more they can throw at him. Plus he'll be even bigger. Cripps on the other hand will get tagged from the get go and will find it harder. Much like rich

If he had a problem with it he would have left him in the twos. He didn't. Go figure.

Gary Baker was one of my favorites. Had his number on my blue tracksuit top.

Roos applauded him for doing so. Roos selected him the next week and played perhaps the best block of games in his career. But I guess you know best

Yep maybe he thought he was supposed to get baked

I would hate to see Jack Watts play for another club. For better or worse he is a demon. I felt exactly the same about trenners - and for that matter hundreds of players over the years. Roos made it clear last year that everyone is tradeable and with the Treeners near trade the club showed that they are prepared to make the hard calls. So it wouldn't be a shock if they did trade him. But i for one really hope they don't.

Spot on McQ. Annoys me to hear Bennell compared to both Darling and Martin. Also dislike the comparison to Gartlet. He might have had some issues but he wasn't in the Bennell class. The thing that worries me as much as anything about Bennell is his actions have been stupid. Take drugs? Well not smart as an AFL player but it happens. Not ensuring an incriminating photo is deleted from the camera or phone? Dumb. Getting kicked of a junior tour? Dumb. Getting on the turps against team rules? Again probably happens all the time. Doing so in public? Dumb. And this last indiscretion - the dumbest of all. Your coach bans Mad Monday and publicly says it will be a clam off season. His vice captain reinforces this. What do you do? Get on the [censored] and allow yourself to get baited by a meat head bouncer. Dumb. Costs him his contract at the Suns and probably 150K per annum of his next contract. Dumb. Should we chase him? I'm not convinced our culture is robust enough to deal with another dumb footballer with issues. But i'll back Roos et al to do so if they do get him. One thing is for sure and certain. Our biggest issue is our lack of midfield class and as someone said earlier this call is risk v reward. I keep thinking about that game a couple of years back where he destroyed us at the G. I recall thinking then that he is just what we lack. Dangerfield and a switched on settled Bennell would certainly give us a boost.

It was too late by then. On a related note a player deemed not good enough for the dees may well play in a grand final.

That is his smile

Are you there?

He did shave this morning. It just grew since then. He's a machine

I hope not. It will half my payout