western dee

I'll watch Cheney at Hawthorn this year with interest as an example of what you're discussing. I like him as a player but as I think Bailey developed our backline first he is the type of player being pushed off the cart the other end. I also got the impression that their draft recruitment this year was about adding one maybe two good players to the list as they along with a couple from last year Tapscott and Fitzpatrick will be competing for one spot maybe two up forward, other than that they will have to be better than Garland or even Warnock down the backline or they will become the list drop-offs in and around 2013.

One thing to keep in mind with Howe is he is actually older than Watts. Cook is very skinny and probably won't even play next year but I'd be hopefull (howe hopefull?) pretty hopefull and I reckon the FD might be hopefull too for Howe to play real early and make an impact next year!

I, like everyone, has watched Jack with interest and hope and have read all the posts about him and enjoyed them as well (except for the posts criticising the fact that it's another Jack Watts post)and I reckon' he has had a great second half of the season. He reminds me of the Port player Westoff at the moment (which is no great wrap) but he's gangly and unfit and probably not ready but some of the things he's done this year are fantastic, I reckon' he's going to be a gun. I think his vision is really good, yesterday even though he didn't get it too often when he did he used it so well, and for a player in his 18th or so game to have that skill is pretty exciting especially compared to a lot of our core players (who I still like for other reasons, although Bartram tested me yesterday.) He's actually ahead of where I expected him to be. Next year fitter, stronger starting to demand a bit better than the third defender, two years time is the real test, can he win matches off his own boot and take the very best defenders in the league. As for him demanding the ball more, that's great it means he's starting to feel like he can have an impact out there. Jack Watts is all good, and how about Scully! I cant wait till next year already.

The umpiring of the game is a complete mess. NO-one can suggest AFL is the best game in the world while umpiring is in such a poor state. I appreciate it is a hard game to umpire but so often umpires are making calls on 50-50 decisions, I actually think they are being encouraged to be pro-active, don't sit on the fence, make a decision and as a result most games are over-umpired and each decision is open to interpretation. I think the two worst blokes as far as umpiring is concerned are Jeff Geishen and Kevin Bartlett. Geishen has IMO taken umpiring well backwards and needs to move on and Bartlett is so biased in his views that umpiring is going well that ultimately nothing substantial gets done except pathetic little add-on rule changes that people dont want to see. I know it's boring but IMO umpiring is in such a parlous state they need to almost start again, and try to simplify it because at the moment it is a really flawed game and while the AFL sticks its head in the sand and refuses to admit it the game can't move forward. Phew! Got that off my chest.

One thing I've always thought with the coming of the two new soulless clubs over the next two years is that there will be a lot of trade opportunities thrown up. As the article says its not just out of contract players up for trade but through all the low draft picks GC will be willing to swap for experience and the money they can throw at players and managers the flow on effect will be that the inside footy world will know of a whole list of players GC may not get over the line but are still willing to move for the right deal. Throw West Sydney into the mix and it's going to be a massive free for all I reckon'. From my perspective I hope we and the players stick together coz I think one or two clubs might get torn apart.

I think Green short term and Grimes long term like many others but one not yet mentioned but held in the highest respect in the footy world and within the club , also of the young crop the one that will be the first to be named all Australian and although probably not the most eloquent chap going round I think all the different groups within the club would gather around him and that is James Frawley.