Return to Glory

Can he not change with Stef Martin as a ruck/forward? I would have thought that would be a likely scenario.

He is certainly more than the one dimentional player we thought we were getting. Moves well and makes good decisions. Thrilled to have him in the side.

Austin will hopefully surprise in 2012. Yes, he's had some setbacks but he has wonderful talent and a solid preseason will make the world of difference. Go mate!

The trouble is that he can't kick accurately and, as far as I can recall, has never been able to kick accurately. I feel that we are attracted to the idea of a highly performing Tippett rather than the reality. The sum certainly doesn't equal the parts imo.

Robbie F, I think you'll find that Cook was injured for a period at the end of the season.

Why trade Jamar? All Australian 2009 then injury curtailed him last year. If anything, play him forward a little more to allow Lucas Cook or Petterd to be a second tall with Maric at the base and Jurrah as a third tall. May be time to put Davey forward as he did appear to lose both creativity and confidence down back. Too often Jurrah was having to play as the main lead up forward and a couple of talls would free him up. What we need to see is Cook given game time. Dean Bailey perhaps chopped and changed with the forwards and injury didn't help. A Dangerfield would be a great compliment but surely not? Don't forget also that these boys will have had another preseason under their belt.

I agree Pennant. I also wouldn't necessarily assume Bate , Dunn, Maric etc are dispensable. It may be the red hair but it would be interesting to see whether Bate could play a run with role such as that performed by Ling. Remember that Ling was almost gone a number of years ago.

First post so go easy. I'm not quite sure why there is a huge push by some to trade into the club older, relatively unsuccessful fringe kp players. If you take a longer view, we are travelling reasonably well in terms of developing kpp's. The key, surely, is giving them time. For instance, how can some possibly write off Lucas Cook at this stage. It's ludicrous. I have been down to Casey and, before he was injured Cook was moving well and looking threatening. What I would like to see is the club looking to bring in young mids with a little desperation and mongrel. Viney is exciting but the great sides always seem to have two or three that can rotate - think West Coast in their prime, Geelong, Hawks. It gives these sides a relentlessness that provides the psychological edge. Related to Swans Luke Parker, so incredibly biased but there's a kid who is ferocious with his attack on the ball. If we're going to go after someone make it along those lines.