Good Times Grimes

You're right. Hopefully he's ready for 2013... we should throw in the towel on this season and just play for draft picks

I for one am looking forward to a season in which we don't have to seriously worry about clubs poaching our players. With GC in 2010 and GW$ last year, it will be nice knowing that no member of our team is signed somewhere else for 2013. And it's a bit of schadenfreude watching this happen to other teams....

He was fighting fit by all reports last pre-season as well. I'd be surprised to see it last all season. He'll be heavily tagged in every game he plays and will be lucky to get to sing the team song.

Sounds more precautionary than anything else. Hopefully he'll be back at it very soon.

If Garland were to be moved onto the wing, then what would our back six look like? Tapscott-Frawley-Rivers Grimes-Sellar-Bennell? I personally don't imagine Sellar getting a whole lot of playing time in 2012, and would much prefer to see Garland in the back line with players such as Howe and Gysberts on the wings. It will be interesting to see how we line up though, as I'm not saying that putting Garland on the wing is a BAD suggestion, just not one that I would necessarily do.

DL7 is right, I was just pointing out the number of players out of contract/inquiring as to the accuracy of that list. On a similar note, does anyone have a list of players who will be eligible for free agency at the end of 2012?

Found this, but don't know how reliable it is: Contracted to End of 2012 Rohan Bail Clint Bartram Matthew Bate Jamie Bennell Sam Blease Lucas Cook Troy Davis Lynden Dunn Colin Garland Jeremy Howe Mark Jamar Neville Jetta Nathan Jones Liam Jurrah Tom McDonald Jordan McKenzie (Upgraded to Senior List) Brent Moloney Ricky Petterd Jared Rivers Jake Spencer (Upgraded to senior list) James Strauss Michael Evans Dan Nicholson It appears to be a bit dated, probably from the end of last season.

I'm not worried about Jamar, but I think there are many other young players due to be out of contract at season's end. I know I've seen a list somewhere, but can't find the thread at the moment. Tim Harrington has a big task in front of him this year.

You said what I'm trying to get at just there. We have a new generation of leaders coming through with the players you mentioned, but by sounds of it also in others such as Watts and Nicholson. Sure, Green was not the right choice for captain last season, and Davey was down on form. Rivers, Jones and Moloney all had very good seasons and Grimes was allegedly leading well from the sidelines due to his injury. Davey needs a change of attitude, and should be dropped from the LG in 2012. I still believe Green is a good leader, probably not captain material, but deserves a role in the leadership group. As such, not a leadership crisis since many of our older players are not as bad as 2011 indicated, and we have a batch of young players with quality leadership skills coming through.

You make a fair point, but I still do not believe it's a crisis. If they're a good enough leader, I don't think it matters how old the players are.

We'll have enough trouble fitting all our forwards into the line-up anyway. Frawley is required in the backline. Up forward we have (off the top of my head, forgive me if I forget someone) Watts, Clark, Petterd, T. McDonald, Howe, Blease, Davey, Jurrah, Dunn, Green. That's 10 people for 6 spots. Down back we have not as many options, and nobody who could match it with Franklin's, Cloke's, Goodes's as well as Chip. It would be a complete waste to use him as a forward.

At this point last year would you really have said we had a crisis? We had 3 players who all had arguably the same claim to captaincy as the others (Davey, Green, Moloney). Only one of those players had a good season, but it was tainted by his late night actions. I believe all 3 of these players can re-group and fix the problems that they had in 2011 this season. I do not think we have a crisis.

Agree with you on LJ. He's the best kick at the club, in my opinion.

What a great match. And that Carrol tackle was a team-lifting play. I can't wait until we play finals again. I have a pretty good feeling about 2012!!

Who do you propose as the best kick on the team?

So we've got a re-match of the Giants/Patriots Superbowl. Time for New England to exact some revenge on Eli Manning? Or will the New York's playoff run continue? Should be a cracker.

Very impressive tournament from Lleyton this year, considering his draw. I was doing some research on him and apparently his old man was a pretty good footballer and played a few games for Richmond. Lleyton chose tennis over football relatively early on, but allegedly could have done well in either sport.

Eric "concussion" Lindros. He had all the potential in the world but couldn't seem to string together a full season. He played for Toronto in his last season and started as the best player on the team, but unfortunately he fell victim to the concussion again. 2010 was a great run for the Flyers, they seemed to come out of nowhere. Similar to St Louis in the MLB last year. They've lost many of the stars that they had from that run, but have somehow maintained their position as one of the top teams in the league. Very impressive management, really.

I disagree that it's a crisis. Sure there is no standout option, but it's not like we have NO options. There a quite a few candidates who could have a very strong case made for them: Jones: see what vanlo said. Frawley: All Australian full back who has stamped his authority on just about every FF out there. He leads by example in every game he plays, and will be around for the long haul. Trengove: Maybe a touch too young, but is red and blue, through and through. Moloney: Apart from one off field indiscretion in 2011, the role would be all his. Green: Leading under difficult circumstances in 2011, could be argued that he deserves another chance. Rivers: Leader in the back line, veteran of the club. Could be an interim leader while JT or JG continue their development. Grimes: Troubled by injuries, but by all reports a natural leader, and also a Demon through and through. Jamar: Strong on field performances in the past 2 years have changed him from a fringe player at the Demons to an all australian. I doubt he'll be selected due to a lack of leadership experience. I'm not worried about the captaincy, as I'm sure Neeld and co will make the right decision for the club, be it co-captains, or a standalone.

I agree with Lutz up to a point in that he has the ability to become a very good player. Before his injury he was just starting to show us what he's got. Hopefully his injury has made him realize how quickly a footy career can be ended, and now he'll take his opportunities and work his rear off to become what he has the ability to be. I think he has yet to prove that he will be a part of the best 22 every week though. He has quite a way to go in this regard.

Co-captains: Trengove/Grimes Leadership Group: Green, Moloney, Rivers, Watts, Jamar, Jones

Can't go past Breaking Bad at the moment. In terms of comedy I think It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a classic, but you have to watch it from the beginning and persevere through a relatively slow season and a bit until Danny De Vito comes in. I don't think I've ever laughed as hard as I have during that show. I also find The Office to still be quite good, despite Steve Carrell's departure. Can't see it going for too much longer though. Anyone seen previews for the new series Alcatraz? I can't decide whether it'll be Lost 2.0, or something that actually makes sense...

I'm a big NHL fan, Toronto Maple Leafs in particular. The season is just getting to the interesting point, as the contenders and pretenders are being sorted apart. The Leafs haven't won since 1967. I have never seen a team I follow in ANY sport win it all...I sure know how to pick them.

2011 was a great year for baseball. Probably the best "World" series I've seen. Living in Toronto, I'm a HUGE Blue Jays fan. Optimistically looking forward to this season; the Jays have a list quite similar to that of the Dees in that there are many young players with all the talent required to have success. They just need to put it together.

I'm in. Haven't done SC before, so happy enough to be in the lowest bracket.