Jaded No More

Every tiny detail is planned in AFL these days. That's the way the game is going. You have to be a thinking footballer to be an elite player. That we didn't have any set plans under Daniher would go a long way towards explaining why we were up and down like a smack addict every year. It would also explain why mediocre players made it to 100 games under Daniher. They all played to their strengths and natural abilities... it's just such a shame that they didn't have much of either.

When was the last time Newton kicked 2 or 3 goals at AFL level? You can play him, but you run the risk of having another useless tall clogging up the bench as we once again run out of legs mid-way through the second quarter. I'd rather play someone like Maric who can mark and kick a goal, or crumb goals off Miller/PJ/Spence/Bate/*insert name of makeshift forward*, or even push up the ground and play in the middle. That's versatility that we can use no matter which way the game is going. Newton is one-dimensional, and his one dimension has proved rather disappointing thus far.

God we miss Robbo in the team! Miller, Bate and Petterd will have a much easier time when he's there.

If you build a game plan around average players, you will always get average results. Please refer to seasons 2001-2007. Never ever compromise your plan to succeed around unsuccessful players. Bailey has a vision of how he wants us to play, that vision may be tweaked over the years, but the fundamentals of quick precise ball movements will not. Those who can't adapt shall find the nearest exist and get on the next plan to the Gold Coast.

Martin had 4 contested marks yesterday (Warnock 2). That's 3 more than our entire team took last week. Gun!

He's been ordinary since 2007? My my what short memory we have. He was excellent last year until injured, and cast your mind back to Jones not getting a touch last year when McLean was out of the team and all the attention was on him. He has plenty of runs of the board, and is by far our best midfielder when up and running. You can't drop PJ and let Gigantisorous play on his own. If you drop PJ and don't play Meesen you need to let Martin contest in the ruck, which could work, but knowing our luck Brogan will run into him at the bounce, he'll do a knee and never play again. I'd rather Meesen embarrasing us, than Martin injured.

Come on then Rhino, who do you have replacing McLean in next week's team?... yeah I didn't think so. I think you'll find that I'm very much aware of how poorly McLean is performing at the moment, but the fact remains that he still demands the opposition's best tagger and it's been 2 games and we're getting comprehensively smashed in the ruck which is not helping. I'd drop PJ not because Meesen is likely to be any better, but because PJ need a good kick up the arse. He has become lazy, which is unacceptable.

Without bias I think we all agree that Bruce is a horrid user of the ball (which takes nothing away from the fact that he runs hard all day long), and Sylvia is verging on uselessness. That you can be so critical of Bruce (which I don't necessarily disagree with most of the time), and yet be so blinded by Sylvia's shinny calves is actually taking away from whatever tiny shred of credibility you have left on the Bruce issue.

Garland's absence is going to make us realise very quickly why he is in the top 5 most important players on our list. Poor Jnr Fanta Pants had a shocker, but when Davey fluffs them on a regular basis you know you're in trouble. Rivers should be taking them in Garland's absence, but that's robbing Peter to pay Paul isn't it?

Unless McLean is actually injured, he will not get dropped. He's had 2 shockers, but has the runs on the board and deserves the chance to play into form and fitness. Besides, just having him there in the middle takes the best tagger away from Jonesy and Beamer, and we know how badly those two play when they are the number one target. Out: Jetta, PJ In: Maric, Meesen Can't believe I'm advocating Meesen's cause, but we're paying him good money to do sweet all, and PJ is useless, so lets see what he's got. Brogan and Lade must have started celebrating already. By the way, lets be realistic here. There are not going to be 5 or 6 team changes, especially not in round 2 and especially if (by some sheer miracle) everyone lives to see another day. You can't go deflating a young team's confidence by dropping every second player, especially when their replacements are not much chop (or have played a grand total of zero matches).

His skills are more suited to the forward line IMO, and he should play there long-term. Garland going down is the shittiest injury we've had since the Rivers-McLean-Moloney triple whammy, simply for the versatility and run that we lose when he's not there.

Morton had 2 shockers from memory, but overall he gave us some brilliant run out of the backline. He is so smart, has great penetration in his kick, and played his role perfectly. He is also becoming more confident in his body, so he goes in harder at the contest now, which is great. Still needs a good feed, and IMO should end up as a key forward, but we have a really good player on our hands. Some of his evasive moves, given he is 191cm (192?) are amazing. I don't know what's going on with McLean. I doubt anyone is more in love with that man than myself, but he's had two shockers and today was the worst game I have seen him play. Either he is terribly unfit, having had a late start to the pre-season, or he is getting tagged out of the game. I'd give him a couple of weeks to play off the half back line or even as a small forward, and get some touch into him. Seems very frustrated as well, which can't be helping.

Spot on. Although Petterd needs to be persisted with as a forward. He gives us another dimension as that medium-sized forward that can play smaller and taller (a bit like Robbo really). Obviously he won't see much action when we're getting smashed in the middle, but than none of the forwards will. Also I think poor Miller fights his heart out, and battles really well against 2 or 3 opponents at a time. He rarely gets soundly beaten in a contest, and more often than not will create a spilage, if he doesn't manage to grab the ball. The issue of course is his kicking. He has to learn to convert. If he finished with 3.0 instead of 1.2 you'd say he had a very good game. As a third option he is excellent, but he ain't no Franklin and he can't do it on his own. Bate is complete hopeless inside the forward 50 right now, which doesn't help of course. Martin is going to be a gun when he learns to really tighten up on his opponent, because his skills for a big man are awesome. Love him :D

Bennell did some good things but Jetta needs time in the VFL to develop. If Maric plays a full game his week he should definitely replace Jetta next round. We need to look at the two halves in isolation. First half is where we're heading, second half is what happens when a bottom of the ladder team takes on a top 4 team. As infuriating as it is we are not going to get better over night. At least we can walk away from the game knowing that Morton is going to be a gun, Warnock is a defensive rock and Ricky has a bright future as a forward. I rather lose with a young team than an old one.

Terrible third quarter again. Shades on 2008 and our midfield is getting torn into shreds. This could well turn ugly.

You and I seem to be the only two who pass their time during the breaks on their iPhone Very impressed with the first quarter, but as you said we've lost the plot a bit in the last 15 minutes. Turnovers are going to be the hot topic again. Brock has been quiet and Bruce's disposal particularly bad. Morton and Martin however have been fantastic. We are still very much in this.

8 contested marks to their 1 in the first quarter... Or so the scoreboard says.

We really can't catch a break right now. Garland was set for a great year, and our backline was finally starting to take shape. In fact, our backline seems cursed. Either we have hopeless defenders, or we find good ones and they're always out injured (Rivers, Whelan, now Grimes and Garland). I guess the silver lining in all this is we'll get to promote another rookie and they might become a revelation (ala Aussie, Spence etc...)... and we're now even more likely to get those top 2 draft picks *ducks for cover*

I see your Newton and raise you Meesen :D

Carlton forced to relocate to West Sydney :D

For our sake I hope you're wrong and I can ban you for making up fake injuries... please oh please!

Thank god nobody here is our list manager, or we'd now be without Garland, Warnock and McLean. Oh dear! :D

What is with our defenders and injuries?! Martin, while it would be good to play him as a forward, will definitely be needed to take one of Collingwood's talls. Good to see all 4 debutants get another chance.

The only memo Jared Rivers needs to receive is the one about NOT GETTING INJURED. Rivers is the perfect example of how to be tough, not a thug. He displays courage each week, and stands up for his teammates without doing unnecessarily dumb things that will get him suspended. Thank god he actually retaliated after Junior had his head taken off. We need to show our opponent, and more importantly demonstrate to the youngsters in the team, that we will always protect one another. It gives a strong message of unity to the opposition, and lets the young players know that the older players are there to look after them.

There is still a lot of work to be done, not only to completely eliminate the debt, but to create revenue and above all else to ensure that we never EVER find ourselves in this position again. But to wake up in the morning and not be terrified of the fact that your club is on its death bed is a liberating feeling. To feel secure in the knowledge that our current crop of youngsters will be able to wear the red and blue long enough to bring us that damn 13th flag, and to live in the hope that our kids and grandkids will get to see many more flags beyond, is the best feeling I've had in the 10 years that I've been a member of this great club. GO DEES!