Undeeterred

I know it's history, but some of our best teams didn't have dominating big key forwards (Barry Bourke!), but others did (Bob Johnson). Doesn't that tell us something? Shouldn't we be moulding a team, rather than just following the latest moves of other clubs? Currently, the Hawkins/Cloke style of forward is in vogue. Maybe we should be the innovators and go for multiple goalkickers regardless of size or position - time to think outside the square? Just a lateral thought for a moment.

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.

All depends on team structure. The Swans are doing well without a marque forward. Adelaide have two fickle forwards. The hawks seem do do well wilth fill in's for Buddy. Pies have Cloke with their version of Seller. North have plucked a few out of no where. To many different solutions.

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.

Not to be pedantic rpfc but Blease is signed to 2014 not 2015.

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.

I don't disagree with you, but my point is that we should not over-emphasise (or over pay) Cloke. Too many people fall for the 'one good player and all will be well' trap. We should have the midfield as our first priority - in whatever form (experience, youthful potential etc) - and then look for the additional big forward who may or may not be Cloke. Whilst Cloke is a very good player, I am cautious about him for our club and at an inflated price and contract length.

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.

Interesting isn't it? MFC is frequently slated for poor development of players yet Sellar, who was on the scrapheap, has developed into a servicable part of the list. Good luck to hikmj!

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.

There is not much alternative. One would play deep and the other higher up, perhaps Cloke for his lead up marking strength. The way we are playing now he would need to play up to the wing to get a kick. negates his worth. Would turn out to be another Dawes.

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

My point is a player like Cloke would be ineffective in a poor side. All my Collingwood friends say he is fair weather player. When things are tough he disappears, can't handle pressure and is almost a certainty to miss a crucial shot at goal. Not surprising they are always jeering him when things go wrong. Going for someone like him at his price is a blinkered quick fix assuming money will solve our problems ignoring the rest of our game which is still not up to AFL standard all around the ground. He's not worth even half the figures that are being bandied around.

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.

Onya Sammy.

I reckon Scully's BFF's Blease and Bastinac both faked him out. "Yeah do it Tom, take the offer, we'll meet you up there next year!" *wave goodbye* "Well thank f... he's gone."

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.

I agree he isn't in the best of form but around the middle of the year people were calling for his to replace Clark. As shown above, I wouldn't have him in the best 22 but there's no harm in allowing him to put on weight and play against stronger bodies at Casey for now

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...

God how desperate are we for a glimmer of anything that we're ( some ) considering Dunn a fair dinkum keeper.

Do we really have the bar that low ?

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

Agree. It seems that people are saying we should keep him because there are worse. To me, that's not a reason for keeping him.

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.

*Yawn*

.....Another plainly obvious run through the list thread.

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.

you turd , the bloody cheek of ya , you are just a wanna be bad mouth us faithless fool dees supporter ive been a dees man for 52 years now and i never hung crap on any player that has played for us, some good some not so good , some great , but they are all demons , and who the f are you biffen ? well your a dog and you need a good biffen , im up for it , jump on carlton fool i dont like turning on my own , bugger off !

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...

Jurrah gone, but not leaving Demons

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.

Bye, bye, Ricky Bobby.

Shame.

And Freo beat WCE last week by ten goals.

And Richmond, on the 'G.

You forgot Cook, Williams and Fitzpatrick. Between the three of them I would hope we have one decent prospect to take a key forward role. Cook seems to think he'll be ready to go next year. To me Williams is actually playing better football than him, so could also be ready to go.

True - I didn't think too hard beyond those named. Honestly though, if we are comparing, I'd probably take Cloke over Fitzpatrick, Cook and Williams combined.

Tell me that's not Jako doing a sit up... A photo showing that would be as rare as hen's teeth.