Lutz

Spot on. And I thought the "Conspiracy theory" thread was stupidity / madness at the time, but you were bang on with that too.

Won't happen. And even if it does, I'm willing to bet Gold Coast would still had a slightly better record, leaving Port with number 1. It's be something like: 1 Port, 2 GC, 3 GWS, 4 Port, 5 GC, 6 Bris...

True, but I think loading the list with top-end talent is only half the battle -- the hard part is topping up the list with similar talent to extend your time in contention for a flag. It's also about maintaing the spread of ages to avoid a sudden drop-off when retirement age hits for your stars (see: MFC, 2007). Geelong and Hawthorn were both lucky, being able to get Selwood and Rioli with relatively late picks. We'll want a late injection of serious talent to increase our chances. I'd even be happy trading it for Jack Martin (probable number 1 17-year-old pick in 2012). He'd be unable to play in 2013, so it would work in a similar vein.

You seem to have no understanding of leadership whatsoever. Please explain to me what relevance being a good tap ruckman has with leadership ability?

That's not an answer and it could be said for every player on the list - just let them play footy. We've seen he can play. I'm waiting for him to lead the club.

That too, but I can't blame Neeld for coming in and insisting we select what he saw was needed. His job isn't to keep BP happy. That said, BP has been very good for us in the past. We were able to secure some decent players late in every draft he oversaw.

I'd be surprised if Morton was working hard on increasing his endurance this preseason. I'd expect his sole focus to be on strength and weight gain.

Those questioning the timing... think it might somehow be linked to the timing of the Carlton position becoming available? Just maybe?

With existing compo picks, we have to nominate that we will use them in the 2012 draft before the commencement of the 2012 season, i.e. in the next couple of months at some stage. Same as all the other clubs with existing compo picks. It's also worth remembering that GWS can still poach a lot of uncontracted players from clubs at the end of this season too, so there could be a lot of compo picks to be added later. I wouldn't be too surprised to see us only use 1 this year, to even out the talent influx by using another in 2 or 3 years' time. And I fully expect Primus to do the right thing by Port and secure a priority pick for Whitfield for the future of the club. Just like Bailey did for us, and Carlton did before that, and many others before them.

If he's such a certainty to be injured, why haven't we traded or delisted him? And if he was to get injured, wouldn't the vice captain take over? Isn't that the whole purpose of the vice captaincy role?

Good appraisal.

Very true, but the question is, who do you think is the best of the flawed candidates..?

Yes, a lot of people have back injuries and are forced to manage them. So what? It has not been a problem for years - he has managed it - as many do. And if Grimes is so close to shattering his porcelain body, why is he still on the list? Why haven't we traded him and cashed in on him while there's still time?? If he's on the list, it's because he's expected to play. If he were guaranteed to play all 22 games for the next 3 years, would you then make him captain?

Gawn's spot is up for grabs, and he seems to be leading the race.

Good question - can you picture Trengove pulling Brad Green into line? Telling Rivers or Jamar to pull his head in? Quelling a player revolt? He is a leader, and he shows promise, but he needs more time to mature. I can barely do the same of Grimes, but I believe he is still better equipped.

Fear-mongering and hyperbole at its finest.

If he had chronic soft tissue injuries, I'd agree. But he has had a back issue which has been fixed since changing his running style. He then experienced a few soft tissue injuries whilst playing a lot of impressive games. Then the medical staff found a hot spot and kept him off the track to prevent stress fractures - identical to Garland, Jamar and countless others at other clubs. This is a common occurrence and it is now commonly known how to deal with it - he will return to full fitness. He is nothing more than a victim of recent bad luck, with no cause to assume it will continue.

It's not a great one, but it adds to it. Grimes is 2 years more senior. Is a man. Is a better leader. Great in the media and great communicator. Despite what others may think, his time off with injury will help him, and will have made him more mature. That he is "injury prone" or "fragile" is a misperception.

2 years. Grimes has grown into his body and looks like a man. Trengove still has some serious growing to do.

Not sure a foxtel employee will have the latest telstra bigpond prices on hand...

I'd actually pick Grimes. And he has won the club's leadership award the last 2 seasons, so the football dept might agree. Trengove is still a kid. Grimes is actually a man.

Sellar being given a game pretty easily I reckon. I didn't think we were in dire need of an extra tall defender.

People are getting way ahead of themselves on the Trengove train... Grimes has a greater claim to the captaincy.

So now you think MFC were compliant in not playing Scully in 2011, so as not to void his GWS contract due to an insurance clause based on how many games he played?? If that's what you're getting at, it's mental.

My Round 1 22: FB: Strauss Frawley Rivers HB: Bennell Garland Grimes C: Bail Jones Bate HF: Howe Watts Petterd FF: Davey Clark Jurrah FOLL: Jamar Moloney Trengove INT: Nicholson Martin McKenzie (Blease) a Not necessarily the best, but that's how I'd have them line up. I struggle to find a spot for Green.