Pates

Fitness is his biggest enemy right now, he has shown what he can do when he gets out on the park.

I'm finding the idea of people entertaining us trading out Gus just laughable. Last year was his first year of getting a clean run at it and look what he produced. This year the club had an awful year, and from some reports Gus was playing with back issues, so with those two factors why would we consider moving him on when he's one of few on our list that has actually shown to possess quality in him?

What I find the most puzzling of this whole thing is that we apparently haven't offered him a contract. If he was leaving because the Hawks offered more money/longer contract than I wouldn't be as concerned but the fact that we are letting him walk out the door without putting anything on the table (especially after signing up OMac) just seems to be mystifying to me. The one positive out of this is that there will be no chance of a Frost/OMac combination with honestly gave me nightmares.

I still believe in Weids becoming our key forward forward target to kick the required goals, while Tom hopefully next year TMac is able to recapture the form that made him so dangerous in 2018. For me it's the small/pressure forward that is more critical to us next year, as well as having a forward structure and game plan that is more intelligent that kicking it directly to the opposition's floating defender.

He could well be added to the pile of players that had massive talent and massive upside but we failed to turn into a superstar. Development of our young brigade remains to be a serious issue for the club. Looking at our younger players that have “shown something”, so far not many have taken the next step to becoming out and out stars. Oliver would be the one name I would say is a star, but even he probably lowered his colours a little this year, But Weids is an example I would point to of someone who genuinely has shown some great ability but seems to disappoint. I’m not saying he won’t make it but after his breakout finals series I think a lot of us had hope he would show more this year.

Hard to take anything this guy says seriously, very reactionary in his opinions rather than looking at trends and analysing teams.

Can we please take Sam Flanders just so we can have a variation of this in the Demon Army....

He’s shown it in parts, never an entire game. He has that burst and upper body power that makes me think he has it in him to be someone that takes a game apart in a way a star player can. His two biggest drawbacks appear to be his kicking for goal and the fact that he can drift in and out, he has asked for more midfield time next year, it will be interesting to see how he’s used.

I’d like to see us do some later pick shuffles that see us get say an earlier 3rd rounder for our 4th rounder

I won’t shed any tears at his departure, has failed to become anything more than an average player. Can’t imagine we’ll get much for him, good luck to him at GC.

I’d love us to have the guts to go after someone like Bennell, the risk is on his injury status and whether he has really changed in attitude.

Well it’s obviously a bad trade if we don’t need to trade for him! Also he’s a young tall forward prospect, would be of great value to many teams.

I’ve come around to this, he can develop nicely while taking pressure off TMac and Weids. My only concern would be that Weids would get stuck behind him and not continue to develop, I still believe in Sam but jeez we need him to get a wriggle on.

If that’s what they’re offered I’d just say he goes into the draft and we pick him up again. For once using a bit of bargaining power melbourne! For me our defence works with him being in there with May and Lever fit. May takes big body #1, Frost takes big body #2, Lever floats as the interceptor, Nev small defender, Hibberd flanker #1, Salem flanker #2. Sell it to him Melbourne, make him feel wanted!

Trac had a good season, but for his talent and ability, I’m sorry if this sounds harsh but we need better than good. We need him to be outstanding if 2020 is to get us back in the premiership conversation. We need him, Oliver, and Brayshaw to be a triple threat of stars that have opposition coaches thinking “how do we stop them”. They each have that in them.

I had to laugh a few weeks ago when there were people calling for Jonesy to step down immediately after Walker did it. Nate has been a great servant of the club and deserved that break at the end of the season to make his own assessments (he likely knew before then anyway). Stepping down as Tex did looked bad for me, it reflected poorly on himself, the club, and the coach. Jonesy on the other hand let the season breathe and did it in a way that just made it a mention in the news reports but not a big deal. Right call, right time. Thank you Nate for your captaincy, I hope you’re able to make 2020 a good year to (likely) bow out in.

Viney’s year wasn’t good imo but I’m sure there are certain things that we don’t see that the coaches do. That said I would hope that Viney himself reflects on this season as a poor one by his standards and that the place we finished is a reflection on his leadership group’s inability to drive higher standards for 2019. I’ve said this a couple of times, 2019 might be a failure that can lead to greater success if assessed and used properly. It doesn’t have to be a wasted year. Congrats to Oliver and Gawn on tying for the B&F, I would’ve had Max in front but Oliver was still good this year (without being incredible). Now bring on 2020 (hopefully with no injury list!).

I'll be wanting Richmond to win this one, there's something about GWS being premiers before we break our drought that really sickens me. Also was kinda hoping for a Pies v Tigers GF more the atmosphere but seeing their fans devastated is also enjoyable.

I think he's got potential, Gawn was a fairly late bloomer as well and who better to teach him ruck craft? As for whether he fits into the team as a second ruck on a regular basis, obviously his forward work (marking in particular) needs to improve.

Yep apparently it's his fault because him being around makes us biased towards Jack and that Todd was a part of the "boys club" or something like that. Sports fans sure know how to eat their own. ?

I'll be frustrated if Frost goes, zero doubt in my mind that with May and Lever fit, Frost fits in nicely as the second KPD with Lever floating as an interception defender. He has great speed which is great for breaking lines and chasing down players that underestimate him. Why can't it be Oscar touring Waverley?!

Relax, we probably would've ruined him like every other high draft pick we've ever had.

I gotta wonder if the club is trolling it's fans (particularly Demonland). They've released articles of Brayshaw being a better player this year, and Fritsch happy as a forward. FWIW I didn't have a huge issue with him being played as an intercept defender while we had literally no one else, but there came a time when the swap back needed to happen and it did actually happen for another 2-3 weeks. Lack of genuine forward options was a big thing for us this year, Fritta could've provided that.

I might be wrong but I thought PJ stayed with the club a bit longer than initially agreed upon. Don't forget he was retired from this caper when he came on board. That said I don't disagree that we can't seem to stick the landing in becoming a club that has a fight till we die kind of mentality, more of a look great when everything's going well but when the sh*t hits the fan pack it all in and accept our lot.

And what did those picks do for us? Not a hell of a lot. They need established senior players that can compete and guide their young brigade, if they had a number of them coming to the club I'd have little more faith those picks wouldn't go to waste but right now it looks like those kids will either go up there to fail or develop and go to another club after 2-4 years.