Hannabal

Only fools would bet on the outcome of a NAB Cup match, eh Schtack ?

I know I'm wasting my breath, so to speak, and I should be using crayons, but here goes. The Swans have never won a NAB Cup match with Roos at the helm. And other clubs don't want to do well in the preseason comp due to the protection of their upcoming gameplan. This strikes a cord with me. Bailey has one closed training session a week. Whenever Bailey or one of his assistants is interviewed and asked about the new gameplan all they offer is that "they'll be playing for each other". Well having been to training sessions, let me tell you that they practice far more drills and set plays than the previous coaching staff. Bailey doesn't want to let anything out. He also had no interest in winning these matches. That was obvious from the side that played Geelong. He's aiming everything at round 1. Now the nervous Nellies, ill informed, footy stupid, overly emotional, pessimistic, and just plain dumb supporters can work themselves into a lather, but I'll wait til round 1. Obviously I don't know what we'll do this year, but I'm far from concerned by what's happened to date. And if we are terrible it won't alter my opinion of the preseason. I'd rather experiment with kids. Frankly, I feel like spitting on the footy stupid. Especially you, Schtacker. And to think that you must love my all time favourite tv show. ***patueey***

Go to sleep kid.

There were seemingly no injuries and it was the first hitout for a number of our players. And said players were reportedly going to play around 60% of the match. I'd hate to be in the trenches with you people. I'll wait til the performance I'm given on round 1. I won't slag off about a match I didn't see and when I'm not privvy to the FD's agenda. But I'm sure the experts on here will knock themselves out.

Any chance of having the game thread a 'sticky'. It would be great if it was also locked so that the only comments on it were either score up dates and notes about the game by those in contact with the sources. That way I and others wouldn't have to read the calibre of posts which include "go Bater", or "come on Dees", or "yeah Davey goals", or "Maloney (sic) is on fire !!" It would be great to not have to sift through the barracking and just get the facts. The rest can come later in separate threads. Do you know what I mean ?

I tried to highlight the word 'available'. It appears to have been in vein.

We needed the best 'available' candidate to develop our players and win games of football.

You've just been 'owned', Mo. I'd quit while your well behind.

Injury didn't help, but his career was ruined by questionable commitment and questionable ability. I'm certainly over it though.

Superstars are great and we all bemoan the lack thereof at the MFC. However, our challenge in the short term is to develop A graders. Geelong have about a dozen A graders. How many genuine A graders do we have ? For me it's probably our greatest concern and what prevents me from having terribly much confidence in 2008. We really do need everything to go right to play finals footy. A separate thread accurately rating each club's A graders could be quite revealing. There's no doubt that the draft penalties and the 2001 disaster are impacting now. Also, maybe someone can find CAC's comments on other club's first round disasters. I'm not sure whether it was prior to the new forum. It's quite enlightening and may be of interest to Robbie. PS Gouga - even CAC acknowledges that drafting Molan was a mistake. It's about time you do too.

I concur. I saw him a few times at training and was very underwhelmed. He fumbled, had poor disposal, and just looked out of his depth. He's transformed himself and much credit to him.

Petterd/Carroll/Frawley Bell/Rivers/Bartram Green/Moloney/Buckley Sylvia/Miller/Bruce Robertson/Neitz/Davey White/McLean/Jones I/C Meesen/McDonald/Bate/Dunn EMER Newton/Wheatley/Morton Yze doesn't make my side, although I know he'll be in come round 1. Whilst I'm not 'sold' on Miller, and others will have Newton, or even Garland ahead of him, I suspect he's in Bailey's short-term plans. I'm not asking for a debate on this team, it merely represents the team as I'd like to see it. Of my 'best' side there are 10 players missing from the team that lined up against Richmond last night. I believe that all will be available by round 1. It's little wonder that I'm not nearly as depressed as some on here. In the 1980's Carlton hardly ever won a practice match, but they were right to go for the season proper. I don't know where we'll finish this year. And we may very well be crap, but I'm certainly not concerned by the results of the last 2 weeks. Whelan seems to be a fair way off, so he's not included.

From twodogs on Ology. He was staying at the same hotel. "Just had a quick word with P.J. ,Newton,s neck is fine, is hoooning and wrestling in the pool with half a dozen others."

No ! I won't have it. It's all very worrying that our best players aren't out there in these important pre-season matches, and I'm very worried that we're in for a terrible year !

I love this topic. In order: Carlton Richmond Essendon Hawthorn St. Kilda I acknowledge that I'm kinda weird. I quite like Collingwood

I suspect that newly drafted players would be 'untouchable' anyway. They are guaranteed 2 years on a list and I doubt the AFL would want them shunted after one year. So do your top 10's without Morton, Grimes, ect.

Well, I have been drinking, Loosey.

I'd need to make 20+ evaluations. Sorry. Chess beckons.

We had 8 first game players today. Weetra, Martin, Valenti, Cheney, Maric, MacNamara, Aussie, Zomer. Add Garland, Bode, Meesen, Buckley, Warnock, and Newton who've played less than 10. That's 14 players to have played less than 10 games of footy. I thought the "outcome" was amazing under the circumstances. Many of these young players won't make the grade, but Bailey has already shown me that his players will have a read hot crack. We virtually played Sandy Seconds today. My best team out: Neitz, Rivers, McLean, Moloney, Petterd, Davey, Bartram, Carroll, Dunn, Bruce, Whelan, and possibly Wheatley, Frawley, or Miller. Half the bloody team. I found your post far more "pathetic" than today's effort.

I virtually disagreed with everything.

No. They would have had to have had some gametime, whether that be NAB Cup, or Challenger Series.

Missing through injury and missing through management and preparation for round 1 can be 2 different things, yeah ?

I agree. It's certainly not newsworthy.

Your post tells me much about him and much about you. I suspect he's good at his job.

What a waste of money