Nascent

No change, surprising.

Whatever has changed in the last 4 days has me excited

I really hope this eventuates, just hope he doesn't change his mind with the Suns seeming to find a bit of form and Melbourne far from a wise investment regarding likelihood of finals. Edit: Wouldn't mind a deal that included Lynch as well.

Seems like a lot of people on here forgot that we are still a below average team. Pretty predictable result really, I'm just glad I wasn't in a position to watch it. We'll win a few more for the year and I still believe we have improved overall, but gee we have a long way to go.

Rain makes inexperienced players worse? No. I believe having too many first year players will potentially expose any side to run out of legs and a wet weather game will be taxing on a young body.I wouldn't have thought it would be too unreasonable to suggest that hardened bodies with multiple pre-seasons under their belt could be beneficial in a game that is likely to be a slog and low scoring.

All bring 4+ pre-seasons/hardened bodies that in my opinion would be better suited to wet weather footy than a lighter body in their first season with limted preperation. Apologies, I didn't articulate my thoughts properly.

This is true and those three are best 22 in my book. Neal-Bullen and Harmes have strong contested ball winning games so perhaps I'm fretting without reason.

Perhaps i've got a touch of MFCSS but I'm feeling very uneasy about this weekend. Harmes 0 games Neal-Bullen 3 games Stretch 5 games Vandenberg 10 games Hogan 11 games Brayshaw 13 games That's a lot of inexperienced players, albeit a some very good ones in there. Given the predicted weather conditions, I can't help but think a selection of Grimes/Newton/Riley/Michie may have been a wise inclusion at the expense of one or a couple of the younger guys.

Tim Broomhead takes out round 11. Just about half way through the season and the dees duo Brayshaw and Hogan would have to be close to leading the race for the award with Saad, Cripps and McCarthy impressing and Heeney looking fantastic before injury. I agree with nearly all on here that the award itself is a bit of joke in how it is run/awarded, particularly the weekly nominations, but it does bring some attention to the young guns of the game.

Love the fact that discussion around Jimmy is quickly swinging from "is he AFL standard?" to "when is he going to sign a contract extension?" Great to see some genuine improvement and hopefully he gets a decent contract offer soon.

Probably a lot fairer for teams battling it out for the lower half of the finals

I'm surprised Billy remains in the team, 7 touches in the first half and 0 in the second. He did look comfortable out there at the start of the game but not sure he has the tank required to see a full game out at AFL level just yet, let alone against a team as hard as the hawks. Will surely start as sub. Does look like a decent prospect though and look forward to watching his game develop throughout the year.

I think an idea that would work still revolves around the 17-5 split that see's teams divides up into 6 groups of three. However, this should be established at the conclusion of the previous home and away season. This solution would eliminate the problems with the current proposal such as uncertainty in fixturing and venue location. Every team plays each other once with teams: - 1-6 playing twice, - 7-12 playing twice, - 13-18 playing twice. This could either be done after each team has played each other once or jumbled into the season as it currently is. This would result in more interesting top of the table clashes occurring whilst limiting lower teams to the disadvantage of playing the top teams twice, while teams that have to battle it out twice a year are closer in ladder position and produce more interesting games. There will be the odd anomaly with teams sliding or rising between groups such as Geelong and Gold Coast (so far) dropping away this year and GWS on the up. Another disadvantage is some of the rivalry games may only occur once a season. Based on last years ladder at the end of the Home and Away season. 1. Sydney 2. Hawthorn 3. Geelong 4. Freemantle 5. Port Adelaide 6. North Melbourne 7. Essendon 8. Richmond 9. West Coast 10. Adelaide 11. Collingwood 12. Gold Coast 13. Carlton 14. Western Bulldogs 15. Brisbane Lions 16. GWS 17. Melbourne 18. St Kilda Teams that play each other twice - Sydney, Hawthorn, Geelong, Freemantle, Port Adelaide, North Melbourne - Essendon, Richmond, West Coast, Adelaide, Collingwood, Gold Coast - Carlton, Bulldogs, Lions, GWS, Melbourne, St Kilda Pretty fair I think. Tear it apart as you will.

Frost will hopefully develop into another

Opposition analyst. Not sure if that refers to game day or scouting players from other teams. If the latter, he maybe the brilliant mind behind the recruitment of Liam Jones, Mathew [censored], Jason Tutt and GWS pair Jaksch and Whiley (unsure if the last two can play, Jaksch looks a bit iffy but is still a young KPP) I digress, lets get the thread back on the subject matter at hand before we further derail the thread further. Hannebery. Can play, would very much like.

Well we are heading into Round 7 and no one is seriously discussing the draft yet, perhaps tangible proof that 2015 has shown immense improvement for our developing side. Nevertheless, with the NAB U18 Champs around the corner, the AFL website has compiled a list of the top 20 prospects at this early stage in the season in what is rated as a "shallow" draft. The 20 to watch who are this year's most exciting draft draft prospects From my well researched and considered opinion*, I like the sound of the following players (academy players excluded). * My opinion consists of reading the small blurb in this article and thinking to myself "yeah, he sounds like he can play" Darcy Tucker 184cm/78kg 23/1/97 Midfielder/half-back Vic Country/North Ballarat Rebels After a stellar championships last year as a rebounding half-back which saw him named an All Australian as a bottom ager, Tucker has moved up the ground this year into the midfield. With great speed, agility and smarts, Tucker can influence a game many ways. The controlled North Ballarat captain recently gathered 43 disposals in a TAC Cup game. He loves to run with the ball, zigzag through traffic and swing onto his left foot. Darcy Parish 181cm/75kg 25/7/97 Midfielder Vic Country/Geelong Falcons Parish is a go-getting midfielder who makes things happen. With run, carry and very neat skills, Parish is quick to keep the ball moving forward and takes his team with him. He belies his smaller size to throw himself into contests and hunts the ball with ferocity. Parish started the year in brilliant form, being close to best afield in the first few games he played. Thumb surgery will sideline him for the opening part of the championships but he'll have plenty of time to tuck the ball under his arm and dash off. Sam Weideman 196cm/91kg 26/6/97 Key forward Vic Metro/Eastern Ranges Weideman is a tall, imposing and efficient key forward who shapes as a very early pick this year. The grandson of Collingwood legend Murray Weideman and son of former Magpie Mark, the 17-year-old starred on the MCG last month for the NAB AFL Academy. Weideman is prepared to fly at the ball and into packs, he can kick on both feet, and has the natural smarts of a goalkicker. A reliable shot for goal, Weideman booted five last week for the Eastern Ranges. Jacob Weitering 195cm/94kg 23/11/97 Key defender Vic Country/Dandenong Stingrays A powerful, smart key defender who can set up the game from centre-half back. Weitering is strong overhead and a penetrating long kick, and already has the frame to outmuscle and outmanoeuvre opponents with ease. The 17-year-old has played up the ground as a forward and even as a wingman, but is best placed in defence with his sure hands and mature frame. The leading contender for this year's No.1 pick.

Us Demons were quite keen on Jack Redden for pick 35 before Brisbane swooped in at pick 25 (see link below). With all the stories about us assuring Rory Sloane that he would be picked here (which I believe from all that has been said on these forums) just makes you scratch your head in bemusement. Warning: the following link contains a story about our 2008 drafting with "insight" from Barry Prendergast. Read at your own risk! the demons most pivotal draft day (sorry for opening old wounds)

Round 6 goes to Cory Gregson cory gregson earns nab afl rising star nomination for round-six

It's been a while since I've looked at this type of literature, but a quick google and read of some of the articles suggest that evidence is still lacking that helmets/protective head gear provide any benefit with regards to concussion.

Adam Saad has it for round 5 with his 26 disposal, 7 mark, 3 tackle effort against the pitiful lions Rising Sun Adam Saad now a rising star

Is Salem injured?

I'm not sure what the process is in regards to selection of nominees round by round, but wouldn't surprise me if they just look at the stats rather than have a panel of judges that watch all 9 games and examine the performances of each eligible player. More disposals and more goals would make it an easy choice for someone looking at the figures alone.

Cameron McCarthy (GWS) is more likely to take it out this week I suspect. With 13 goals so far from the first four games of the year, he picked up 18 disposals, 6 marks and kicked 5 goals 2 against the suns this week. As much as I like Hogan, it would be hard to overlook that performance. Amazing that with GWS losing Tyson, Bruce, Adams, Boyd, O'Rourke, Jaksch and others over the past few seasons that they still have an embarrassment of riches in nearly all parts of the ground.