Hells Gates

We really need to stop this "do it for Jimmy" caper, we need to start doing it for ourselves and not rely on emotional get me ups! Ive never disagreed with you WYL but I honestly think we are a very long way behind Judd, Murphy, Gibbs, Scotland, Carazzo even Simpson. We are nowhere even near it to be honest. The AFL set up a system for us to build an empire of mids through our own poor performances and at this stage I think we have failed badly. Theres hope for Gysberts to overtake McLean but by now, with all the rebuilding we should be well ahead of where we are. I dont want to disagree with you as I'm as hopefull as the next person but we are along way from the green & JV isnt going to bring us class.

Funny you should mention him... I was just about to propose Larry Emdur as our small forward solution in the other thread!!!

I understand that fully but my point is also not many make it. If one is about sure but if you look at stats we're probably better off hoping for Davey or developing a Blease, Nicholson, Jetta, Bennell or even Magner would fit the role perfectly - providing he can kick!

Yeah I get your point mate. Having said that Davey is 28 I think, Milne is nearly 32 and still going strong. Lets hope he fullfills the role.

Enter James Magner.................

Exactly my point.

Yeah mate I get ya, good work with the stats I was just adding to them. Jurrah should have a good year. But I think Aaron Davey is our man - he can sure match if not out do those that we've talked about. Bailey said alot of things though didnt he....

Interesting you say that Franky... I was only talking to my mate the other day about Joel Macdonald. When he first came to the club he was pretty hard at it but I do remember him making some disastrous decisions turning the ball over, especially one game v Port. To be honest I think hes done a Cale and lost complete confidence. Does need to lift though.

As said in the other thread a few of these early games are going to be dangerous... I said 5 in this vote being generous as 3-4 could go either way. Can't every game go either way????!!! For god sake bring on round 1!!!

Too easy mate.. Good to see some old school people still out there!! Im not sure that it was me who said that we would only have two wins... I think that may have been somebody else. Personally I think 4-5 wins but even saying that 3-4 of those games could go either way. Id be happy with 5.

Exactly.

Thankyou for taking the time to do that, but alot of the players you have mentioned are either midfielders or mid sized forwards which we have plenty of to develop. I have taken those players you mentioned and put in their average goals per game(which is quite underwhelming & suprising) and also their height. With the exception of Lecras & Johnson who are not small forwards but mid sized then I think we should maybe develop what we have considering we have so many. Bear in mind this thread is about small forwards. Height: Games: Goals: Average: Lecras 183cm 100 234 2.34 Very good record but a mid sized forward/midfielder now. Hill 185cm 66 75 1.13 Mid sized forward Nicoski 188cm 112 61 0.54 Mid sized forward who plays most of his footy in the midfield now Krackouer 176cm 125 137 1.09 Very good small forward who can turn a game, but still only averages 1 goal per game. Blair 174cm 36 33 0.91 He is a small forward but spends alot of time out of the team also. Beams 186cm 59 61 1.03 Mid sized forward and also spends alot of time on sidelines. Stokes 177cm 111 165 1.48 Good small forward when on the park, no doubting his ability. Varcoe 180cm 100 113 1.13 Holds down a midfield position now as rover, started as a small forward. Johnson 189cm 175 363 2.07 At 189cm is hardly a small forward, is a freak, Jurrah is our Steve Johnson. Betts 173cm 144 215 1.49 Quality forward who is improving every year, Davey could match this no worries. Garlett 180cm 54 99 1.83 I dont know much about him to comment. Jurrah 188cm 35 81 2.31 Not a small forward but heres his record. Out of all these there are only a few 'small" forwards in which Id probably only take Stokes. We definetly need more goals out of our mid fielders and a lift from all our mid-sized forwards, we need a lot more goals from Watts, Petterd, Howe & Green to kick more accurately.. If this is the case and either of the small forwards we have now develop & chip in we will have no worries about setting the scoreboard on fire. Then add Clark also. My typing didnt work but Im sure you can all read between the lines here!

Macca - I think you need to chill out dude. There was no attitude in my comment and how can you even suggest that from text - thats a very weird comment. My comment was based on peoples reactions to the other nights meaningless games - no attitude there chief. If anything it was a bit tongue in cheek. Dont take life too seriously!!!

Jurrah, Jones, Jetta, Bennell, Blease, Nicholson?

Ah this topic again... What we need is elite midfield class. From what I've seen personally Jack Viney isn't going to bring that, he will bring other things but not class. This draft is one of the most important in our history, get it wrong and dreams could be lost, that's how crucial it is. Personally I'd put a small forward on the back burner until the next year if we still need it, we just need classy elite midfielders desperately. By the way who are Geelong, Collingwood & West Coast 'small' forwards who boot a lot of goals...?? Small forwards are so hit and miss and not many make it, Milne is one in many candidates. I think our draft picks this year should not be compromised and we need the class and I'd seriously be starting to think strongly on where our ruck stocks are heading. But these views are only mine.

Yes myself and I think rpfc have mentioned this in other threads but yes there's going to be some pretty distressed people by then. Should finish the season strongly, I hope.

Cheers mate well here's hoping for him. Do u know if he put on any KGs this summer?? Good point about his height think he's around 190cm

That's interesting Benno. I can't remember the article from last year but will have a look where the afl are injecting alot of money to us over the next 5 years with the amount increasing each year. From memory it is in the top tier and we end up with a truckload compared to some of the more independent sides. Somebody remember this? Please correct me if I'm wrong as I faintly recall it.

Do you think they eased Gys into it just to save him from an injury in those conditions? Or did he play that badly? He might play a full game against pies hopefully. I honestly think this kid could be a star of the comp, reminds me of Pendlbury a little. Magner is a little nutter, love his work.

WYL didn't you know that these practice matches mean everything... Our season is already over apparently.....

Blues getting smashed early by Port. I guess their season is also over..... NAB cup - who cares!

Yes we were a bit scratchy. I guess we have only had the footy's out for just over 6 weeks when you think about it. Still 5 weeks until the real stuff with a few praccy matches in between to help us along more.

Ha ha nice one!! Too right!

It has to be Trengove but we need a lot more.... Jack Viney will not bring silk, his kicking is at times woeful from what I've seen of him play. Gets the ball but turns it over. Think Jones pre 2011

Personally from what I saw if these games were full length we would of ran it out and won by 40 points. Nothing to stress about here in the last week of February! Plenty of senior players missing in the first game.. Green, Trengove, Grimes, Sylvia, Jurrah, Morton, Rivers, Tapscott, Blease & Jamar, Moloney were subs. I guess what really killed us was the absence of a former number 1 draft pick... Oh whoops, did I just say that. Honestly guys lots of good signs and hardness and attack on the pig skin was pleasant to watch. We will be very competitive.