Dockett 32

ok I think you are mad.

Think it was the other clubs that pedalled the argument to the AFL who accepted it. Don't think you can pedal it forever though.

People have been saying its in the mind. Well Roosy how about a change of mindset? Would surprise plenty.

Depressing we are on to this after round 3. Lets try and get Dawes, Hogan and Gawn in the side plus Colin Garland and I suspect the structure will provide for an improved outcome and in the second half of the year maybe one of last years kids might be knocking on the door.

I think you might be right and the way things are looking we may have plenty of room under the salary cap. Rather pay up a little bit for a really promising type with a few years on the clock, than massive overs for someone approaching twilight.

Hasn't played a game yet.

Don't go with the development line sorry. We're onto out third or fourth recent coaching group ( cant remember exactly) and I don't believe they were all poor. Our playing group have burnt coaches like an arsonist on speed. You simply can't make strawberry jam out of ....................................

Maybe Red but will take an eternity to develop a strong list operating on this basis and meanwhile as the kids improve we get picked off at the back end as the more successful/wealthier ,wait for the good ones to come out of contract. IMO Free Agency has effectively devalued the National Draft and both need to be reviewed. Replacing a mature, quality player with two quality babies might work for some clubs long term, but wont help us much, so question seems to be would trading a hypothetical draft pick two get you an 'immediate' Frawley type replacement? If not, isn't the system unbalanced and prejudiced toward the strong? Silly situation to me.

Jamar fit again.

Concept might be alright, but it needs fine tuning. System open to manipulation by players/managers and clubs ( Refer Tippet/Franklin) in conjunction to the national draft which provides for only a limited short term initial contract. Put together its a beautiful set up for stronger local and interstate clubs to simply be predators and pick off the top liners , both younger and older who are coming out of contract. Clearly they have a competitive advantage both in terms of the 'go home' factor or an enticing finals opportunity others may not. Accordingly the current free agency arrangement makes life for weaker clubs such as ours and others, far more difficult having only the $ card to play and a limited $ card at that against clubs with the stronger balance sheet or interstate clubs with AFL backing. Maybe the initial contract term might be the point to start with an extension to 3 -4 years. Of course such action would cause additional risks if you keep drafting duds as you may have to keep them on the list longer but it would make it more difficult for the predator clubs who are in the main (excluding pick trading) initially out of the top end of the National Draft. Seems like the system is only partially fair at the moment.

Wont be the top two as they are both big blokes.

You just said a mouthful.

We tend to have an unwavering desire to recruit midgets or soft big blokes.

Plays quite a bit there.

I would have thought the appropriate way to respond to this rather typical footy criticism would be to grit your teeth and make sure you go harder so its fixed pronto. Will the players lose confidence, do we give them a hankie do we get them to see a shrink? Give me a break. How do you reckon they would deal with this terribly delicate issue at Hawthorn?

Has had a fair go. Time to give convince us he's up to it.

I don't think you could be done for tanking after round two with our score line and besides I thought I heard Roosy say it 'could' be a different line up or words to that effect. Personally I would like to see Tommy M given a run up there with Watts and Fitzpatrick. Maybe play Howe up the ground and see if he works hard both ways. At least it would give us some size and a contest up there. even if its only a temporary measure. As for Roosy being rattled, I don't think he was but he would be aware that the pressure on him is increasing. Wouldn't like to be a player if we lose this week.

I'm prepared to give him one more but he has to produce. As Roo's said there are some non negotiables and I think there are a number including some more senior players than Jack who need to get by next week.

Reckon it would be nice if people were upfront and just gave us the truth. Mightn't like it, but could deal with it.

Behind the cheer squad behind the goals. Slept out overnight to get a standing room ticket. Was chewing on my heart after the Gabba run, only to see the frog a fine ex Carnegie player save the day. The Frog lived around the corner, was a lovely bloke and was a premiership player in two disciplines. ( Rare breed). Little did we know....

Mitch has a right to his privacy and I respect that. I would simply like to know when he is likely to play and don't think that's unreasonable.

Troy Davis might be handy.

I just want to know when he's going to play? His personal life is his own business to deal with.

Selectors have a couple of challenges. Firstly to to match up on a very big strong defence and secondly to get far more aggression into our blokes. Yet again our list seems big and strong enough but we never seem to get them on the field. Even before games start our match ups and structures are underweight and give the opposition many options against us. 51 points just doesn't cut it and I would like to know who is going to kick goals for us.

Nothing wrong with facing the music. Suggestions of preferring to play softer targets makes me cringe. Sooner or later we'll turn this thing around. Our pre season has surely given our "available players" valuable insight and we haven't lost any premiership points. We new we were short of big blokes up front today as evidenced by our 4 goals. They had us cold on matchups from the word go. I feel sure we will improve in that area as we progress.