binman

I laregly agree and also want him to stay. I disagree about Danger though. We'll get him!

Was FC on at all? Does Oaks coach Oakleigh?

One of their ruckmen?

Now please this is getting silly. I'll support Watts because he's a dee. But i'm not so blind as to not see his weaknesses. Recruiting a player with the same weaknesses (and a couple of others besides eg poor disposal) would test my ability to fully support MFC players (though i have to admit other recent imports, notably Dawes have tested that abilty - i even broke my rule and let out an exasperated "Dawes" yell at the footy this year - though fortunately i stopped short of calling him a spud)

Auspicious. He's a dee

That was actually the worst bit of the article - and the slight on MFC. Basically saying we were weak and would not offer him a contract because he would say no. I mean seriously what's that about? As Pro Dee we have already asked him for an extension. And surprise, surprise he agreed. I'm sure Jesse and all of us hope that by the end of 2017 we will be making finals and pushing for top 6 finish in 2018. If that happens he gets to play in front of big crowds, play final, play at the G and be part of something special with a group of mates. If that's the case is he unlikely to want to go back home and start all over again, particularly with Freo who won't have won a flag by then.

Que?

I really only watch demon games these days (with the exception of finals). And when i do i can't distinguish between opposition players and unless they kick a bag or are really cutting us up don't even notice them. So i don't have a clue how good Melksham is. That said i would two things. Goodwin has coached him and so i assume wold have a pretty good idea of his ability. Secondly since Hird went to the club it is safe to assume it has been a nightmare at EFC, certainly since the ASADA thing blew up. Hard to reach your potentail in that environment i suspect. Perhaps he can at the dees and Roos etc think so then that good enough for me

And we get Russell? His biased but not in the way your other examples are. The Anti Bias

They said it really hinders recovery, again particularly for big fellas because as even though they are in business class and have more room it is still pretty cramped and it is a really long flight. One of them, an ex player said also the pressurised environment didn't help things. The consensus was clear that it shortened careers with someone noting Bluey McKenna was adamant it truncated his by up to 2 years. Add to the problems associated with a long flight the extra hassles of getting to and from the airport (geelong to Tulla anyone?), flight delays, red eye flights, problems players with certain injuries face with flying and having to spend every second week in hotel rooms and away from your own home and you start to have more than a few disincentives to play for a Perth team. And that's not even taking into account that some players hate the fishbowl effect in SA and WA. Edit: it would be interesting to see the averga number of games played by WC and Freo players and how they fare with players reaching 200 and 300 game milestones. Is pav the only docker to have played 300?

#iagree. Alternatively don't raise the draft age but prohibit players playing senior football in the forts year. Cripps and Hogan are perfect examples of the benefit of this.

Am i right in thinking Port still have considerable debt issues? MFC on the other hand are getting our fiscal house in order. Another point Russel misses is that if we continue to improve on field and win say 11 games we will average up around the 40k mark in attendance and we play most of our home games at the MCG. So actually not that unattractive after all. Particularly if you factor in that the down side for the Perth teams is that whilst they get a crowd at their home games (though i doubt they will fill a 60k stadium every game) they have to travel interstate very second week. And often have to play at crap venues like ethiad, in tassie and at Metricon. I heard some talk on the radio on the weekend about the impact on flying from Perth to the east coast every second week. I forget who it was but they were saying that some WC players believed it shortened their career and was particularly hard on big players (which makes sense).

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