Undeeterred

Right - didn't know that. Nevertheless, regardless of what the minimum is, there will be a big gap between the '2012 Actual' and '2013 Possible' numbers...

My understanding is that the salary cap is $9.139 million next year. If we were paying 92.5%, as per this year, that's $8.45 mil. Just bumping it up to 100% gives us almost $700k. I know how simplistic that is, given we are signing new contracts which presumably take account of this, but I reckon ballpark it would be pretty close, especially given Green and probably Moloney's wages will be freed up too.

True, that was just the best example I could think of! All I'm saying, and I stopped writing the post PSD just wrote about halfway through, was that its just so important to have those big guys. And at the moment, only 1 is available, and he wont cost us anything except a pile of money we have to park somewhere, so might as well be him!

That's because most of them were smart enough to draft them when they were 18, or professional enough to develop them between 18-25, and didn't need to buy them in.

Yep, that worked when we drafted Bate, Dunn, Jurrah, Green, Petterd, Maric and probably 3 or 4 others I can't be bothered thinking about. Lots of pee wee goal kicking options, and look where that got us. The reason that big marking, key position forwards are in 'vogue' is because they have been for years and years and years and (albeit with some exceptions) are essential to win premierships.

Sorry, hold on a tick. Did you just compare him to Sellar? Seriously? And have you not noticed that Buddy's fill in is Roughead? And I'd hardly say Drew Petrie has been plucked out of nowhere, even if you were to suggest that one of our non-Clark spuds is equal to him. I don't say this very often, but if that's what you mean, you have absolutely zero credibility from here on in.

Ahh excellent. Thanks.

I think that last graphic was rpfc's 'wishlist', wasn't it? Or am I missing something. The one above that (which wasn't updated for Blease yet) is the current picture.

Think people are going around in circles on this. 1. There are no decent FA midfielders. There is a big b@rstad CHF available, though. 2. We are going to choose about 1000 midfielders in the upcoming draft. 3. While those midfielders develop, we have nobody at whom to throw a substantial portion of our salary cap. 4. Why not throw it at Cloke, front-ended, and keep him until the midfielders we drafted in 2012 become truckloads of $$$, at which point we will be paying Cloke next to nothing? 5. It would sure help those youngies develop if they have Cloke and Clark to kick it to, rather than Clark and Petterd, or Bate, or some other spud.

I am seeing more and more signs that the 'poor development' thing might be a thing of the past. We are turning more players like Sellar into serviceable, 7-8 year career type players, I reckon. This year, the improvement shown by Blease, Jones, Howe, Tom McDonald and a few others gives me hope that we are on the right track in terms of getting the most out of players. Even Sylvia looks a bit more like he has got the message. When you really boil it down, the only ones who have gone significantly backwards are some of the oldies like Moloney.

No, he'd turn out to be someone for Watts to kick it at from half back, who isn't Mitch Clark.

That's ok - he'd probably fit in really well over here because we'd all be nice to him and yell out 'good show Travis' at him a lot. Maybe he doesn't kick straight over there because he's just scared of being bashed by them in the carpark after the game.

Gold. Enjoy 6 years in Breakfast Point, Tommy Boy! Thank f.... is right. We convinced the right one, in my book.

Brilliant news. A key part of the plan, and a further clear sign that the players who we need are buying in as Greeny wants them to.

Just because people on Demonland want him to play, doesn't make him ready, or even competent.

When I saw the title, I thought maybe Neeld had wandered down to Casey and let him have it there too...

Yes, we do. So, for now, he is a keeper. Hop on the reality bus!

Um, yes it is. If you cut everybody who wasn't up to it in one hit, we'd have 15 players on the list. Why can't people see this is a 2-3 year process? Dunn will probably go in the next 2 years. However, I wouldn't say he is in the first 10 out the door. Ergo, he stays. I think he's improving and is much better off the backline. Give him a job and a focus and I think he's much better, rather than playing him in the forward line where he has to make the play.

Frightengly, now that Carlton is tearing Essendon a new one, they look pretty good to make the 8. If they beat St Kilda it round 23, it will be down to percentage between them and Freo. So, it might depend on how hard Freo spank us as to whether Carlton make finals...

I'd rather eat horse manure than barrack for Carlton. Seriously.

Settle down - the guy has 6 posts. If it is some muppet that has been here for years go for it, but cut people a bit of slack.

Poor old BarnDee just found the first time in Demonland history where a poster has potted a player... BarnDee, just for you own sanity, I wouldn't open too many other threads mate.

I don't think anybody is suggesting it was the players...

To be honest, just because Cam Schwab says something doesn't make it true. Feel for the guy, but I just can't see Jurrah coming back. No matter how we try to spin this as Liam going back to be with his family, given the season was 'over', he left without telling anybody, and presumably was right to play for Casey for the next few weeks until the end of the season. That doesn't sound good, in my book. Good luck getting it together Liam!

Presumably you don't have a straight face. Because, just quietly, it would be complete lunacy to advocate with a straight face that the board sack Neeld three weeks out before the end of the season, when we are about to head into trade and draft mode. Will just repeat for everyone: lunacy.