binman

I'm loving the new avatar hood, very apt

Yes, yes and yes. For me this is absolutely crucial. To me the talent pool is the elephant in the room. The game is already suffering i reckon from too few really good players and too many teams. Without a good ongoing supply of talented players coming into the game 18 teams is not sustainable in the long run as the quality of games will be too low and the big clubs will dominate.

I wondered if that was you clint (same photo). Agree on journo even being there but even more unlikely is a news.com.au journo getting the story correct. Seriously the worst news site on god good earth (or at least Australia's good earth)

Can someone with a twitter account tweet the club and ask about Hoges? The suspense is killing me.

What would you know doc (insert smiley face indicating i'm joking)

Desperate for info on Hogan i thought i'd check Bigfooty to see if there was any info (which i hadn't before such is my concern). Read this post 'According to a poster on Demonland Jesse might have done something to his knee.' and this post in response: 'Nothing from the news.com.au article or anything on twitter. Most likely made up.' Gold

Your avatar GTG was never more appropriate!

Yep, i agree. I can see Roos adopting a similar approach. You're right Pyke was really important for them up forward. Didn't he take the most marks last year. Also great kick for a big guy who didn't grow up playing footy

Just curious really as i would have thought doing it near where their hq is would mean they didn't have to lug equipment and players to and from AAMI park. Also I read somewhere on DL that after the trial its back to Goschs and AAMI for more training. It makes sense i suppose if previous data is from Princess Park that they run in the same place but still conditions are likely to be different and 3ks is 3ks. Any who no biggie obviously. Can you bet on the outcome?

Or do it on an athletics track.

Out of curiosity why Princess Park as opposed to say the tan or Goschs Paddock which are near AAMI Park, our gym and offices etc?

. Perhaps - though I'm pretty confident of a dees win!

Roos talked about an early practice match in the interview on Dee TV, but didn't mention a date i don't think. I hope it is before end of Jan because i have leave late Jan and would love to watch it.

It matters in so far as if the club suddenly needs a backman to fill a hole (eg short term injury) and/or Georgiou is starring at Casey he is on the rookie list and can't play unless t a player is put on the long term injury list. This is not likely to be an issue with either Harmes our Hunt as almost certainly neither will be ready to play AFL footy next season whereas Georgiou is ready to go. However perhaps you are right and other clubs were considering drafting Hunt and they didn't want to risk it.

Its hard not to see parallels with the Australian Cricket side (ie the fun being back) in terms of the difference in styles between Arthur and Lehman

That's interesting, if true. Perhaps Taylor had some intel. I wondered the same thing about him being not rookied, however i wondered why Georgiou wasn't the one on the main list given he is mature age and AFL ready whereas Harmes and Hunt are unlikely to play AFL this year.

Spot on rjay, could not agree more. EFC have from the beginning tried to make this all about the legality of the drugs used to muddy the waters on the real issue - the potential health impact on players. At the end of the day that is by far the most important thing. And it makes no sense how confident they are about no negative health outcomes if they cannot say with 100% certainty (ie with appropriate records) what they gave players, in what combinations and in what quantities.

One of the most enjoyable games i have had the pleasure of attending. Arrived late, just as the game was about to start. As anyone who had been to a packed Vic Park could tell you this would ordinarily mean standing way back at the top of the slope, crushed in a sea of maggie fans and not being able to see anything. Fortunately there was one of those old tables right at the back/top of the slope (used by food sellers or the like) that wasn't being used. My mate and i stood on it and had a completely unhindered, terrific view of the ground (from the kew end, looking toward hoddle street) and space around us. Good access to the bar made it the perfect spot. No one asked us to get down either (we were right at the back/top and not blocking any one's view) - in today's over regulated world of trumped up mickey mouse security you'd be told to get down in a flash. An awesome, pulsating game that by rights we shouldn't have won. Jaka and Schwarz were awesome. Both had total x factor. One of Jaka's goals right below us from the boundary was outstanding as was his celebration. At the end of the game out of there in a flash and off to celebrate a great win. Am i right in thinking that was Collingwood's last game at Vic park?It was certainly our last game there.

Roos talks about his trip to Africa with burgs in the second part of the interview on Deetv. Basically says trip was long planned and club agreed to allow him to go. Was very cool about it all, basically said he trusts the players to come back switched on and there are good coaches on deck.

A decent run with injuries is absolutely crucial (it's part of footy culture to downplay the impact of injuries but in my view it is perhaps the biggest determinant of a sides success). Whatever anyone says about Neeld it has to be said he had terrible luck in terms of players being out. Surely we are due some luck on that front. I hope you're right about Hogan because every side needs a super star and i agree that we haven't had one since Flower (Shwarter was very close before his first knee injury and i have no doubt would have gone to be a super star of the game). Super stars obviously help on field but almost as important is the buzz and excitement they bring as well as the new fans that come on board.

I agree rjay, i can see Howe marking 60 meters out and pumping it in but also floating inside the 50 to take some screamers and a few mis here and there on the ball. Howe is not too bad when the ball hits the ground so he could even be a bit of a crumber'. Its interesting that Howe is so clear on his role so far out (and also that Roos doesn't see him as a mid given he is fit and strong, personally i love the idea of him up forward). Similar to Watts and Grimes. Obviously clarity of role is important to Roos. As for the forward line, even without Howe it is pretty big isn't it (when all players are in there). Its interesting that the Swans are also going big up forward. Two big guys seems to be the orthodoxy. Three might turn it up to 11. Good time for the rule to soften a bit on the use of strength to get position in marking contests, something Cloke has said he is pumped about. I imagine Clark, Fitzy, Hogan and Dawes are also pretty happy.

I'd love to see Clark as a skipper, however with his injuries i can't see it happening. It will be a stressful season for Clark i reckon, with the constant query in his mind if he'll get re injured. The club won't want to take his focus away from just getting back on the park and staying there. My tip? Three captains: Grimes - no way they'll demote him, he would have stood down if it was on the cards Jones - he's our clear on field leader and more and more an off field spokesperson, also has put his hand up - the stuff about him being an introvert is a furphy Garland - loves the club, determined, intelligent and played his best footy last year when it would have been easy to go missing - the mark of a leader

Sorry have i missed something? You trumpeted that the Toump was weak and in your view would be never be better than somewhere between Cale Morton and a B grader. Fine, everyone's entitled to their opinion. However you upped the ante when someone disagreed and you responded by saying you would bet that you are correct. I agreed to take the bet. I put up what are reasonable terms and you baulk. All talk. Nothing is more annoying than someone who talks the big talk and won't back it up. Do you seriously think that one season (his second in the AFL) will satisfactorily answer the question of how good the toump will become? You're either clueless or a troll - i suspect the latter. Anyway more fool me for engaging in this discussion. I will now put you on ignore ( a select group i must say so congrats). By the by i suspect the Toump will have a terrific 2014.