binman

My ban list has just increased by 100% - from one to two; see ya Jackie, have really enjoyed your constructive, intelligent contributions.

It sounds as if you are in furious agreement

So easy to post rubbish isn't it

G'day HG. Keep posting your occasional inner sanctum insights on the club, i really enjoy them. I'm interested in your view of how Neeld is going about things and feel you have been pretty consistent about this. Am i right in summarising your view as the jury being out (ie not 100% sold on him) but also prepared to give him enough time before deciding if you think he is a keeper? You seem a bit more bullish about Misson. It is interesting actually because he has great reputation for minimising soft tissue injuries. The Weapon was all the rage early in the year but the bombers soft tissue drama has practically wrecked their season. We have had a shocking run with injuries this year but as you note many have been collision injuries. This is a huge issue for a club that is already thin on the ground for talent. You also have noted on several occasions how unfit we were before this year. In your opionion what is realistic time frame to get the team up to the level Misson and Neeld want/need them at? I'd be guessing at least the rest of this year and two more pre-season.

Back in the (colonial) day - where did they send Tasmanian shop lifters

Mediocraty is a greek philosophical bookie who owned shares in the truth

And so the trolling 'ology members warned off has commenced

What's the Northcote Social Club got to do with it?

Evans, he muuuuust be there, he's just got to be there, Evans.

Not sure about being above WB but i reckon there's a good chance we'll end up 15th as we're on track for 5-6 wins IMO

That would be a case of robbing Jordan to pay Port

That's a really interesting point. With FA coming in (and the likely increase in the salary cap) clubs will have more of these sort of situations where it is clear mid season a player is off. How they deal with it - indeed how the whole system deals with it - will be fascinating to watch and has implications or the culture of clubs and the game as a whole. Do they not play a player and if so do they do that openly or under the guise of an injury. Do they continue to play them as is the case in most sports (which means a commited player misses the oppoertunity to play and develop)? How do they manage the tension and conflict that might arise between team mates (as seems to have been the case with Boaks team mates demanding he make the call)? Do they encourage players to be open and advise the club (their preparedness to do so would obviously be influenced by the answers to the q's above) Fascinating stuff and unfortunately it will all inevitably become grist for the media mill and we can get used to multiple annual will he or won't he sagas (which the AFL will love because they clearly take the view that media saturation is good for business - witness how they structure the trading periods, fixture announcements, NAB cup etc etc to ensure there is almost 365 day AFL coverage)

Where do today's reports (Hun) he has opened negotiations with Port sit with the above info?

Trade Magner. Good porn name. Bad idea

Agree with the ratings on the whole Prof. One comment is you have Jones rated as above average, which is fair. But he used to be a terrible kick, both in terms of accuracy and depth, and has improved this part of his game enormously. Whilst i agree that players often struggles to improve their kicking (because their technique has been honed since Auskick, similar to tennis payers and golfers who struggle to change flaws as a pro) Jones at least provides an example it is possible.

Not this year no. But when Hird came on board he said they were no where near it and this year their focus has been on building the strength required to macth it with the big boys

Is that Steven Icke singing the eagle song?

I assume Essendon is number 1. Interesting as both clubs were not fit or strong enough and high profile fitness experts have been brought in to change that. Hird said the other say that the injuries they have copped is the price to be paid for getting a club up to speed fitness wise (or words to that effect), or in his words to be as strong and fit as the legit premiership hopes

What! Two years! The sky is falling!. We need results now! Rome was built in a day! I've been waiting (insert relevant number here) years for a flag and i have to wait 2 more! I know Neeld said it would take time, the players were not AFL standard in terms of fitness and that it is big task to turn around a culture but i thought he was being ironic! Exclamation mark!

Didn't think so - 'nuff said

Care to make a bet on that? P.S what's with the strange use of capitals?

In the words of the fonz - exactamundo.

Not trying a wind up (honestly) but who was it that you were 100% certain was gone (to GWS). ,Can't be bothered going back through old posts but am i right in thinking you had it on good authority Jamar was off up north westish?

Shhh! You'll worry the demonland posters who are adamant we made the wrong call and get all those who didn't all het up

Spot on b59. Sometimes i just have to shake my head at some footy fan's (and professional commentators for that matter) refusal to recognise the impact of injuries - either in a match or across a season - to a team's fortunes. It seems to be ingrained into footy culture - old school culture at least - not to blame injuries, but in my opinion it is by far the biggest factor in football, at least when teams are roughly level. Look at every winner of the flag in the last 30 years - they have one thing in common: a great run with injuires and sufficient depth to cover the inevitable problems. And not just the number of injuries but who they are too. GF winners generally don't lose too many of their key players. In this match we lost Jamar early and Martin was clearly stuffed. And because of injury Sellar was not there to give him a chop out (and made sure Garland ghad to play up back, robbing us of a forward option). Grimes was injured and off for some time and when he came back on couldn't offer the usual run. Bennel was off and robbed us of rotations. Add not having Clark - who provided our forward structure and created our shape - and Watts out (who in a short time has become super important down back interms of our set up - just look at how we struggled with both kick ins and back half clearances) added to our difficulties. Of course a Collingwood say, who has the depth to cover injuries, or Wet Coke for that matter will manage them better than a time light on for talent like the dees. But if Collingwood lose Cloke and WC Cox those clubs premierships hopes are shot - depth or no depth. To not acknowledge the impact of injuries is,to my mind, just plain silly and reflects a really simplistic, naive view of footy.