Little Richard

What the hell is potential worth if it never develops? Absolutely nothing.

Further to what I said earlier: People have commented this season that Watts has changed as a player and is on the way up. He had a couple of impressive games early in the year but truth be told, he has hardly improved. This seems to be his consistent pattern, like many before him. Play a couple of good games early on, people begin to think he's turned the corner but then his season goes to garbage as his mental strength is exposed. I'm trying to not get personal here but I think it is clear when you see him on field that Jack Watts lacks the mental strength and fortitude required to make it as a player in the AFL. For the record, I was pro-Watts for a long time, but this has gone on for far too long.

I wish we'd missed out on a few 'potential superstars' and traded the picks instead. I believe Morton, Gysberts, Scully, Trengove and Watts were all put in that category at one time or another.

We picked up two good quality midfielders in Vince and Tyson, to add to our stocks of ONE other good quality midfielder in Jones. Sadly, as much as Roos did last off season in terms of trading in players to fill holes, we still have enormous deficiencies which cannot be fixed by drafting. As well as the midfield we have a gaping hole up forward which Hogan cannot fill. I'm all for us trading our top picks again, for the right price.

I voted to trade. The fact of the matter is he has had plenty of time to develop and improve his game, and he hasn't. I'm not saying that it's Jack's fault and there are a number of others in the same boat but the bottom line is that we can't wait forever for players like him to develop. There has to be a time when we cut our losses and move on and this will be required to, in part, begin shedding more of the baggage that has held this club down for far too long. A question for those who voted 'to keep', how long does he get?

This simply means I'll be copping a lot more crap at work tomorrow. Thanks a lot, MFC.

Two thoughts that this subject brought up: - I'm sure that quite a few of our players aren't even good enough to play the role required of them. - Neeld had the same thoughts on role players but he handled it poorly in that players were playing roles that they weren't suited too, and their roles were extremely narrow, in that following the instructions he gave them the flair was taken out of their game. It seems to me that Roos has a real knack for finding the balance.

Hogan won't be running through the middle. And it's more about weight than height I believe. An inch or two different means nothing unless the players leap is taken into account and even then, weight when splitting packs apart is more of an asset. If you can't physically move a player out of the way you'd have to jump right over the top of them and the only bloke who can do that at the moment is Howe.

If you do a comparable list for Melbourne, I think you'll find it is significantly longer than any of those you put up.

Hang on, we can't criticize Caro - jumbo returns says it's misogynistic!

Jeezus, this is like OJ Simpson all over again.

I'd like to think Roosy made them re-enact the Merrett/Pedersen hit, using McKenzie as Merrett and showing the players what they really should have done. That was the most pathetic thing I'd seen on a footy field in a long time. Edit: Funnily enough it was the 'uninterested' Frawley who remonstrated the most with Merrett.

This was definitely the case with a number of players but I think Roosy has realised that there are even more who are well and truly beyond saving.

What's the point of bringing this thread up? Obviously both of Wines and Stringer are well ahead of Toumpas. Just more wrist slashing over something that can't be amended.

It seems like we get excited every time Clarkson's contract nears its expiry, only to be disappointed yet again.

Based on what evidence? His performance in the past has no bearing on what he can do at the moment - he's barely cracked a game this year.

It's not like the intellectual might of Demonland ever had a choice in these matters but I do agree. I tend to think he's well past it but if Roos and co think he'll have a positive impact on and off the field, then so be it. The recruiting under the new regime so far has been excellent.

Doesn't that preseason game count?

Really good player in his prime, which sadly wasn't at the Dees. Still, he gave it everything when he wore the Red and Blue, which was more than many others. Unnecessary.

If that happened, the players salary (if a contract is in progress) would clearly have to be adjusted to match, so he'd have to be on substantially more if that does in fact happen.

The bolded line brings to mind Jeremy Cameron. A conspiracy enthusiast might suggest there is something untoward with this 'ankle injury' that's seen him out for the rest of the season.

This thread is full of the classical Demonland mix of paranoia, hand wringing and misguided hope.

I just wouldn't be able to voice the pain I felt if we finished bottom again. We've obviously improved on field but at the end of the day (and season) it's about points, wins and ladder position. And if we haven't improved in that respect I'll be bloody seething.

She has a very annoying voice, yes. But I'm still waiting for the evidence on these 'gender attacks', jumbo.