binman

We have to select a mid. Will select a mid. I have no idea about which mid they'll pick but you mentioned Salem and Freeman. Did you also say Salem is a left footer? I'm wondering if they are both there at 9 and the club is 50/50 if being a left footer might sway us to Salem. I reckon left footers have a small advantage as when they have the ball opposition players often instinctively cover the right side and they get a bit more space. Along with mids we really need players with a grade kicking skills so i'm sure that will come in to the mix. Is Salem considered a good kick?

I 100% agree with you. Of course it would seem obvious that winning is important but without wanting to open up another debate about Neeld at the heart of his failure as a coach (and it has to be said the board and CEO who ratified the approach) was a seeming disregard for this basic tenet of sport. And if you can't win you have to be competitive. As you say we simply have to win some games. ASAP. As that annoying ad says Simples.

Its interesting actually because on one hand you are right in that from a commercial perspective it is a poor draw. However as others have noted on paper we have some potentially winnable games in the first quarter of the year. Winning games is crucial financially and if we can snag some early, increases in membership and attendance will help negate some of the issues with scheduling. Also it has to be remembered we are selling out games in the NT.

I heard Mahoney say (after what i thought was a meaningful pause) that there will be no NT pre season trip this year. He said something along the lines that with a new coach that they would be staying in Melbourne and getting to know each other. I have wondered since last year if something didn't go down on the NT trip. I only ever heard platitudes about the trip from players (and coaches for that matter) and there was no sense that it helped to bond everyone. I thought Roos would scrap it.

Iron Man not playing footy? He'll be annoyed, but perhaps he can become a major sponsor

Phew, i hope Clisby isn't a DL regular! I was going to say he'd be unlucky to be cut given his form in the handful of games he played

Gold. Best series of posts i have read in ages. Top work Hazy.

A D huh? Leaving aside the hate for Barrett what do people think a realistic assessment might be? Hard of course but because it is hard to assess it without knowing who we get at 9 and even then we won't know for some time how good a player he is/will be. Also i suppose you have to take into account the opportunity cost of not having pick 2, which would be hard to define given it would not be clear who we would have taken with number 2. Its not out of the realms of possibility we will get the same player. Again leaving aside the hate for Barrett it is hard to fathom how he could be so critical of that element of our trading (getting Tyson for our pick 2) given that Tyson was taken number 3 only 2 years ago, and has done ok since and has the benefit of 2 pre season (albeit one being hit by injury). Also we still have a top 10 pick (even though we had to give up pick 20 to get it). We are desperate needs of mids and we need them now so again i don't get the criticism of the deal. Any whooo. Tyson, Pick 9, Vince and the minch - i give us a cautious B.

Not sure, i was joking

Are we a chance to pick up a collingwood player?

Did that used to be one of those affirmations painted on our change room wall?

Well that wasn't the choice (i wasn't arguing that we should not take Kennedy if available) however to answer your question yes.

As much as it would have been great to get Kennedy i have to say i like the idea of getting an untried talent to the club. Hopefully we'll find a future star (which would be a nice change) but even with all the testing and analysis there remains a large element of luck in choosing which 18 year old kid will become a Fyfe or a Dangerfield (and of course development comes into it, which i hope we will better at now than in years past). Its like a gamble and i love a gamble. With skill in selecting and a bit of luck we might get a young gun to develop alongside of Hogan, Toumpas and Viney.

And further, despite the vitriol he received for leaving it appears now in hindsight that the his alleged misgivings about the culture and player development systems were spot on.

That's better finally a rumour on the trade/draft rumour mill thread

NSC, thanks for the goodish oil. Has your source heard anything about Black coming to the dees as an assistant coach?

Yes, good point. The Roos game plan is based on having 8-10 strong bodies mids who can play through the middle but also off the half back and half forward flanks. Indeed this has become the norm in the AFL. Roos was impressed by the size of the freo mid field in his commentary and i suspect he will try to build something similar. Looking at that list above they're all pretty solid guys. Add Watts to the list above (most likely as an outside mid/wing) as Watts has said that Roos has indicated that's where he'll play. Also add Matt Jones who will be much stronger next season and i reckon has all the hallmarks of a player Roos will love. You have to include McKenzie as well as i'm sure he will be our tagger in the middle (and told not to kick!). I think though he'll play Grimes down back. I forget who suggested on it DL (and was roundly howled down) but i agree that Roos might occasionally run Dunn through the center and crazy as it might seem i agree that if Pedo can get fitter there is a chance he may get some time in the middle coming of the hb. I can also see occasions where a Gawn or Spencer is rucking but a Fitzpatrick or Clark start in the center as well (in the same way that at several center bounces in the grand final the hawks had Roughhead in the center with Bailey or Hale doing the ruck work). I harbour dreams of Jetta running through the middle and i think Bail, Kent and Evans can take their turn as perhaps even Howe at times (though i think he will be a high half forward in the main). Tappscott, with his build should be a mid/half forward but i suspect Roos will trade him. If he doesn't trade him this year he will next year if Tappy doesn't take a step up. I hope we get Vince and another good mid with the number 9 pick. Our mid field has been woeful but so has our basic disposal skills. With Tyson, Michie, Toump, Watts and Vince all being good kicks we will be much improved in our ability to maintain possession and to hit targets into what will be a genuinely dangerous forward line. Some success this year is a absolutely crucial and because of this although i hate the idea of losing a possible champ in Kelly or Aish taking Tyson is the prudent move, particularity if the recruiting guys can earn their money by picking a gem at 9. With a much better mid field and better skills we will obviously be much more competitive given how crucial these elements are. Roos understands that we simply have to win some games of footy and be competitive in those we don't. If we can achieve that we will be a much more attractive option fro players next season and will not have to trade our top pick. Oh oh i can feel a bout of Pollyanna syndrome coming on!

Channeling your inner BH BB?

I think Neeld was run over by the reality bus

An excellent point McQueen, particularly in regard to the dons as its not just next season they have to be concerned with. If they don't get some good young players in the next two drafts they will struggle in 4-5 years with the sort of gap in decent players that the dees managed with no draft restrictions

Oh to have a mid field that a decent player struggles to get into!

Would love to see how Col goes under Lyon, with his players needing to super disciplined. Lyon is the Colonel Kurtz of the AFL - Sylvia might be Captain Willard.

I thought it was my wi fi at home but my mobile is super slow at home (i'm on Telstra) but weirdly if i turn wi fi off it is faster

The Swans will have the second best forward line in the league