Pates

There's always one club that is used to light a fire under another club's ass, to be fair on our us we have a clear intention on what we want and we're having a good hard crack at it. If it does turn out we're being used I'm still happy with the way we've gone about it.

His player profile for anyone that's interested: http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/tabid/8483/Default.aspx?playerid=19914 Bear in mind that he'll be 22 next year and that we all know that KPP take longer, let's not bury him just yet. I honestly couldn't give a rats either way if we get him or not.

There was another version put on the AFL themes album a few years ago and it was MUCH worse than this. This just seems like a slightly updated version of the old song with a stronger banjo added, don't know why it needs to be changed TBH.

Moloney - I reckon we'd be the first club in history to actually trade the B&F winner of that year, forgetting that he'd be in contention for the captaincy next year. Jurrah - One of a few marketable players, he had a bad year in 2011, but one bad year at his age does not mean he is done and should be traded. Had a hell of a lot to deal with, and I knew a tough year would come once the opposition started to respect his ability, once he becomes a second/third tall forward with a knack for crumming we will see his true ability. Rivers - Much the same as Moloney, and he has always had so much support for his leadership abilities, something we sorely lack. Green and Davey both had terrible years, but they are experienced players, again something we lack. I'm backing both of them to get back on track in 2012, but they may need to adjust their playing styles to Neeled's. Reading into what Damian Barrett is saying on Twitter, I feel we'll try to offload a few of our picks with the likes of Bate/Dunn/Maric and perhaps Spencer as sweeteners. Especially when he says that we've got room from Scully's departure.

No doubt one of my favourite players, and I couldn't agree with you more Lutz. Given how much pectoral injury set him back it's an incredible effort for him to still show the form he did this year. If he stays injury free, I'd say he's just about a certainty to get back to AA form next year. IMO second only to Jamar in our most important players list.

All the best to him, glad to see he got a position quickly.

At worst he's handy depth, but personally I like him. He's a hard seasoned body, something we desperately lack and you can always count on a 100% effort. That said he has a few brain fades every now and again.

Loved the joke about how the coaches are "trained" not to make big statements and he made one on his first day in saying he wanted Melbourne to be the hardest team to play against! Also really liked his comments on Jack Viney, can't wait for him to join the club!

I don't think he was having a crack at us, but not altogether sure who he is having a crack at! It's interesting reading this article, I firmly believe Malthouse wouldn't be quitting the game if he had the blessings of the Pies to continue coaching, but because through the whole year Eddie's been saying stuff like "contract" and "lawsuits" I think he's just sick of it. I also reckon if they hadn't put this succession plan in he would've been more than happy to continue at Collingwood.

Cheers Jacey. Neil sounds like a very intelligent person to have at the club.

I have been so impressed with Neeled's ability to assemble his coaching panel, and not only that but his ability to demand nothing but the best from the club. Full credit to him, and full credit to the club for giving him the best back up possible. It's interesting to think about how little we have spent on the football department compared to the likes of the Pies, Bombers, and Carlton. That extra money in the bank given to us from the TV rights deal has been put to excellent use thus far.

Winner: Collingwood Margin: 13 points Norm Smith: Pendlebury First Goal: Ball Crowd: 98,673 Match note: Stevie J to play, but go down in the second quarter with a knee injury. Gamble backfires with the cats leading at 3 quarter time but running out of legs for the pies to go back to back.

I like to see the player review every year because for me it reminds me of the old year 12 assemblies that used to go on at my school when it was their last assembly before VCE exams. It's just meant to be light hearted fun poking at each other. It was great to see them all enjoying themselves and not taking themselves too seriously. That said there were two criticisms i had: 1. Too many professional dancers (particularly male). Fine back them up with a few to make them look better, but half the time there were so many performers on stage I didn't know if I was looking at a player or a pro. 2. More of a criticism of the St Kilda players, SERIOUSLY HOW THICK ARE YOU!!! You must have the combined IQ of a five year old if you couldn't realise the connections that would be made, and if you did then you're even dumber than that. Channel 9 knew exactly what they were doing when they put that routine to the saints players.

The important thing for me is that Neeled stated he wants to be surrounded by good and ambitious coaches, much like what Malthouse built at the Pies. I really think he's trying to change the "near enough is good enough" culture we've had in place for too long.

Definitely a fan, although it was a bit of a shock when I first came onto the page. But well done Demonland, top work as always.

A lot of people wrote him off when he was injured, rivers as well, both have done bloody well to come back and become important members of the team. Top year, Beamer. Well done!

Such an amazing man, he embodies everything I'd like the MFC to be going forward.

I can't for the life of me understand how people can want Grimes as captain. No doubt he's got leadership qualities and when he's out on the park I love the way he goes about it but the poor guy has been struggling from one serious injury to another. For crying out loud let him get some games into him, hell let him get a close to full season before we thrust this important responsibility on him.

It's a very tough call on who should be captain for 2012, I believe that the only player that's currently showing captain material is JT but I feel for his development it would be better for him to be a VC and do a sort of apprenticeship before taking it on. Moloney is my tip, I reckon he'll be one that Neeled identifies with and there is no doubt he has a huge passion for the club. I wouldn't be unhappy with chip though, he is one of only two AA players in our team and for me one of the best images is of him blazing away and shrugging off a would be tackler. But I just don't know if he's captaincy material.

The thing about the pies I like is that if one of their players misses/loses a one on one contest they genuinely seem [censored] with themselves and the bust their gut to make for it the very next second. If he can instil that culture into our team then he will have done an enormous job.

Bailey always impressed me in the way he spoke, I think he's just an honest person and I reckon most people would've felt the unrest towards the end of the season gave Scully more of a reason to go, but note the paper that ran with it: the herald sun. They love a "headline" line, Dean provided that when asked a question and answered it quite simply. I don't see this as Bailey throwing things back at us, I see it as Bailey being Bailey.

Wow, clearly you must've been right in the inner sanctum when we were selecting our last coach. Otherwise, how would you they "kicked sand in the face" of Sheedy? Sheedy went for a job and presented for it, Bailey presented better. Does choosing someone over him constitute insulting him? I will probably be the odd one out here, but I'm backing in the last selection panels decision on Bailey. You can only choose the best person based on what is presented to you, Bailey promised a period of development, where he'd play kids and play for draft picks, he has done that. I always questioned whether he'd have to ability to get us to the next level, but I felt at that time the concern was secondary to what we required. So was their appointment of Bailey wrong? IMO it was not. Was their sacking of Bailey wrong? Hell no, he'd taken the list as far as he could. Am I glad we didn't get Sheedy in the beginning? You damn right I am, he is nothing more than a promotional coach at GWS, make no mistake the real brains at the Giants is Choko.

If true, I reckon we've done as well as we could without landing a big fish senior coach. We wanted Malthouse, we wanted Clarkson, and we wanted Lyon (but I definitely wouldn't have wanted him for the Freo $$$$), we didn't get them but I have no doubt we have got the next best thing. We have got seemingly the best credentialed untried coach and most sought after, and we have got a senior assistant with great experience in fitness and applying it to AFL. I can see our assistant coaching structures getting a major reshuffle by the time pre-season comes around. IMO it looks like we should be very happy with these appointments, and I look forward to certain players having a clean slate to kick start their careers again.

It's amazing how much the landscape of the AFL has changed within two years. As soon as Gary Ablett was rumoured to be going to GC money became EVERYTHING. Ablett went and made his millions, Thompson left the cats for cushy migh paid assistant role, $cully, Ward and Co. got lured to GWS for way over their current worth, and now Ross Lyon has not only gone behind the backs of the Saints but his management group to take a very nice and extremely well paid gig at Freo. Reading all that there is one league that reminds me of that, the English Premier League. As much as I love to watch EPL it sickens me that our great game has fallen this way. EDIT: thought I'd add the fact that the players have rejected the latest deal from the AFL and are threatening industrial action to add more lining to their pockets.

Did not see that coming at all, very harsh IMO.