Lutz

All I'll say, is that questions needed to be asked and still do, whatever the answer may be. It's simply prudent. Beyond that, timD is bang on.

Let's just see where Darling and Cook are at after 4-5 years... A medium forward should be expected to produce straight away; a tall skinny KPF not so much. The way Darling plays the game is irrelevant - a medium forward is what he is. And there's a school of thought that things were much easier for Darling to have an impact because of his side's success. Much like Fasolo, or Duncan / Menzel / Christensen / Vardy, or Smith / Stratton / Shiels / Savage. It's a lot easier with good coaching & great players around you. There's a reason why the top clubs seem to be getting gun kids late in the draft all the time.

They both lacked composure at times, but... Bell's issue was brain damage that made it difficult to concentrate and know what was going on around him. Caused by overt courage. Strauss' issues have been almost the opposite - tentativeness and a lack of confidence and aggression. Which was evident early in his career, but was fading quickly once he strung some games together in 2011. I actually think the common appraisal of Strauss is outdated and obsolete.

I'd select Grimes first. Some people see things others don't, I guess.

Wow. Great post. I've had many similar thoughts myself, but decided against posting them on this forum, due to fear of being literally burnt at the stake. Good to see some harsh realists on this thread, who have the stones to ask some seriously tough questions. There are still some serious questions that need to be asked about our club, but so far it seems to be working in spite of a potentially messy situation.

I was told early in 2011 by people that have close connections to the board that most on it thought Bailey just wasn't a coach who could take us forward and that he wouldn't last the season. I disagreed, vehemently at the time, but in retrospect, I think it was correct. Bailey may have been given the resources Neeld has at his disposal, but I'm not sure he could manage them effectively. I utmost confidence in Neeld. Looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds.

As does a lack of understanding of how the stats should be interpreted... Green and Davey were decidedly average in 2011.

He shouts a lot at training and has a prestigious blog, sir.

In my opinion, that is pure ignorance. Just my opinion of course.

Then how come Sellar didn't do that at Adelaide..? Not writing the guy off, but he's being given a lot of credit sight unseen.

Completely subjective, and not a view I agree with. I'm happy we don't have Darling.

Bit early to judge a skinny KPF after a single year on the list, isn't it? I don't think Neeld's M.O. is only bringing in players that can compete straight away. It's just that he saw it's what we desperately lacked and needed when he arrived.

Darling wouldn't be competing with Clark, Watts, McDonald, Martin and Cook for a tall forward spot. He'd be competing with Green, Jurrah, Howe, Petterd. We don't need him.

Isn't that what you'd expect of most 18 year old tall KPPs? Obviously Darling was available, but he's a mid-sized forward like Howe, Petterd or Jurrah.

Not sure that's exactly true.

Moloney isn't smart enough, nor a good enough communicator.

So Carl was captain/coach because he was a ruckman, was he? Cos that's the same reasoning you're using for Jamar. Using that logic all ruckmen should be in their respective club's leadership group. Not sure that's correct, WYL. I said that relative to the young man Grimes, Trengove is a kid. And that is only a small facet of why Grimes is better equipped to be captain. I've even clarified it for you.

Re: Aaron Jetta, apparently nobody watches the WAFL reserves when looking for talent, because usually young kids who are any good play colts, or if they are even better get promoted straight to the firsts. There's a school of thought that a WA team may have tried to hide him away in the WAFL reserves so they can pick him up cheaply, or at all, since he seems to be highly rated. Just repeating what I've been told.

He's more of a man than Trengove. And it's only one tiny facet of why. But keep misrepresenting others' opinions if it's the only way you can engage in debate...

Again, none of what you mention has anything to do with leadership...

I wouldn't call you a realist. Especially when you pot BP for missing out on Fyfe and Hanneberry. I think you might mean "we need more poeple on this forum who agree with me"...

Physically. Maybe "major" instead of "sole". I doubt the football department is too concerned with Morton increasing his running capacity at this stage. More than anything else, he should be focusing on weight gain and strength, in terms of physically building his body for the upcoming AFL season.

Don't get it, or don't agree? I think it's purely a narrow mindset that a player can't be captain because he was injured last year.

Not if you're Tim Harrington!

* BUMP *