rjay

NikNat would have been considered the most irreplaceable (in fact he was according to many) before he went down, and how did that work out?

Why do we keep bringing blind kicks from the full back line back into the middle of the ground & open the goal face up for Adelaide?

I think the pressure might come off Richo a bit with the injury/illness issues giving him a let out. They just need to show they are up for the fight. I think pressure this year will be on Bolton if Carlton still can't get on the scoreboard and win some games. The list is pretty good, the coach now needs to develop it. If they can't get 6/7 wins this season he's gone. Hinkley is where the real pressure is. Port will be expecting finals and not just to make up the numbers either, they think they've got a shot and let it go last season. I don't think they're that good and reckon he's gone...

Hartlett unlikely according to him on a recent interview. Said he needed match practice and more likely to play some SANFL games, but hey stranger things have happened...

Sucked in.... The AFL fly this kite every year around the same time. Got to fill the news cycle until the games start.

Happy if they're consistent but you can guarantee this will be relaxed as the season goes along, especially if it involves a Brownlow favourite.

Is their first game on April 1?

Come on 'bub'...the Brisbane player wasn't negligent, he just didn't expect May to be so stupid. It was a dumb act, a bit of a brain fade. ...but as 'Gonzo' said, minimal impact. A fine and move on.

He must of had a bad preseason to drop down to 6????

Freo didn't have the Vic-bred assets to get Hogan either... Nothing in this world is static.

One thing you can be guaranteed of 'Ethan'...the fans won't be listened too. I think you have the scoop again mate...the only source I go to for my news.

...and that's the problem. When there is a vested interest in giving teams like Carlton undeserved Friday night fixtures then rusted on AFL supporters like myself who love watching a good game turn off in droves. The AFL have treated their TV viewing supporters with contempt and have been paid back in kind. They need to understand that it's the neutrals that make up the big numbers on prime slots. Very lazy thinking and a little bit of funny biz (Who did the former Chairman play for? let me think a minute) at head office...

Not buying in with the Hibberd knockers but he had an average season last year, particularly compared with a stellar previous season. ...by the way I thought Oliver was really poor yesterday (and I'm one of his biggest fans) despite reasonable possession numbers, his ball handling was way off the mark. I expect him to fire up in the season proper, hope he doesn't buy into the Gary hype.

Not so sure 'Dr'... Smith, Tommy and Weid are not working well together. Part of the problem is the delivery into the forward half but a lot of it is positioning. They are spoiling each other and getting in each others way. Does Smith make way for Melk?

A lot of people wanting to put things into perspective from my readings.... ...so here's my perspective. We're not good enough to cruise through preseason games just yet...if these games are meant to tweak the game plan and fine tune for the first game then heaven help us. That was a dogs breakfast. No amount of perspective can change that.

Reading between the lines it appears the AFL are using this as some kind of scare tactic. If it was a real issue then all clubs & club doctors would be right on to it not just "Some club doctors and football department officials have passed on the message to players" According to ASADA even though they can detect usage, the levels are not high enough to warrant a suspension. In other words the tests show that players didn't use the drugs on match day & didn't have enough in the system to give a competitive advantage.

Jacobs is ok... I think their 2 big forwards are front runners & their defence could be suspect against good opposition talls. Also need to keep their small/medium defenders honest, that's where they launch from.

People laughed at Gale when he targeted 75k membership and premierships. Who's laughing now. Dream big, but also do the work required to make it a reality. Happy to see us not content to remain a small club, we were once big and can be again....

It's out of control if true 'bin' and no reason to believe it's not. Apparently sharing across private groups. The world is a better place since the advent of social media said no one....

Listening to Andy Maher they other day callers talked about it being rife in all AFL clubs as well as in local footy. So, yep it's only a matter of time before it starts coming out.

I get the idea of cutting back on preseason games. ...but I hope they don't cut preseason itself back any further than the current 3 week Christmas break. If they do then you can guarantee more off field problems. Think NRL have trouble now, the AFL off-field indiscretions will sky rocket. The AFL need to look at this as a whole and not just as injury prevention. Players need structure, time at the club is important to this structure. Young men, big money, big ego's and plenty of free time...I mean what could possibly go wrong?

By legalising it you have more chance of controlling it 'Ethan'...it is already out of control under current restrictive policies, that horse has bolted. If you take the marketers and distribution network out (criminals) then maybe you have a chance. The war on drugs is a failed public policy backed by those who make money out of the misery. Many in so called legit businesses.

I pretty much agree with what you are saying...there's a lot of self interest and big money propping up the war on drugs and it's not all on the criminal side. ...but if the AFL want to continue the current farcical system for me it's one in all in... Maybe then they will have a good think about what they are doing... Me, like you I think they need to stick to weeding out the performance enhancing stuff.

You don't think that Dill is on bigger bucks to perform (much more than any player)...or Eddie, Gary, Robbo, Sam??? I would think the decisions made at AFL executive and board level are more important than anything a player will have to do. Shouldn't they have a clear head. ...and those reporting, wouldn't it be good to know they are not being hypocritical in their views. Coming out strongly against drug use but privately in it up to their eye balls.

This list shows where we've been since '64 & why....we've lacked real star power. Oliver is the best mid I've seen at the club (apologies to Hassa one of my heroes growing up but the memory is fading) & well on the way to being an absolute champion of the game.