rjay

All those picks were best available. The classic recent needs picks were the Saints with McCartin over Trac ...and us taking Toumpas. When you get to the later picks it's pure hope...hope we can land one. You trade in needs. Have a look at our recruiting under Prenders and you will see that WE Have been there before. Only a fool drafts needs.

We've been here before.... You don't draft for needs. It's a recipe for disaster. Best available every day of the week. You can think of picking for needs but then make sure you extinguish that thought and pick best available. ...and that best available must be a competitive ball winner, tall, mid or small. If they're not then they're not best available.

That's an understatement 'Dr'... He should be talking to the ambulance chasers to see if he can get it embargoed and take action on who put it together.

Unfortunately when they link the salary packages of key staff into revenues/profits that's what we get. As a not for profit this should never happen or be allowed to happen.

Yep, draft should always be best available. The draft board is littered with clubs who got this one wrong. Trade for needs...

I think you are writing his obit a little early 'hemingway'. The form of Leukaemia Bruce has can hang around a long time with minimal intrusion. It's not like the more devastating forms some get in early life. My father had it for near on 30 years. ...and it doesn't excuse him calling EFC everyones 2nd team. They most certainly aren't mine...who in their right mind has a 2nd team anyway?

Don't agree 'norm'...he's not up to the level no where near AFL standard. Gets knocked off the ball too easily, not quick enough or enough tricks for his size. I think JKH finally started to come good toward the end of season 2018 and showed enough to be kept on as depth. As for Maynard, he still has some growth left in football terms and gives coverage as an inside, hard at it player. A position Honeychurch can't cover. He would add nothing to our list...

I didn't know Garry was that old...

It's called a scoop, that's what he's paid for. Like him or not, he's good at his job... Yep, I get that he's annoying though.

Despite what they are saying I believe the AFL are just holding off to create a few more headlines. I can't see them making any changes to the schedule apart from maybe a few cosmetics. It gives them another major headline and some great talking points before the release now on Thursday. Adding some tension to the mix was probably always in the plan.

So...anyway, moving on. Corey looks to be handy backup. ...he needs to work on areas of his game craft not just disposal skills. I hope they had him watching a lot of footy during his rehab as he gets caught out of position a bit. Given that he's relatively new to the sport at this kind of level, despite his age, he probably still has a bit of improvement left in him.

Happy to be home on a Saturday arvo game. ...but Carlton. Seriously the AFL have not learned their lesson. The opening game of the season should be earned not inherited. Carlton have not earned the right to play in this game as they have not earned the right to play in any premium Friday night slots in 2019.

When does the SANFL kick off?

Sheeds was a regular where I worked....he was always great with the fans and a lot of fun. I had him sucked in one off season when I said that I had seen an opposition player going into a clandestine meeting with him across the road. He was most relieved when I told him I was only joking but it was pretty obvious from his reaction that he was there for that meeting. I just didn't know who it was with. One of my favourite Sheeds stories though is about his first season at GWS. The story comes 2nd hand from one of the players who was there at the time and may well be apocryphal but it's a good one. He really was the front person (Williams did the hard coaching yards) and initially didn't really know the players. Phil Davis (one of the co captains) walked up to him at breakfast to introduce himself and Sheeds thought he was a fan and started signing an autograph for him. I know he gets a lot of stick on here but he is a good bloke and very good for footy. He does a lot of work pushing the game all over the world. He believes our game is the best in the world and he is probably it's greatest ambassador.

...and you don't think Scott put it to him on these terms. I think there's more to it than not just chasing or laying the odd tackle. It suits the football media & general public to have a simple narrative but I'm sure it goes much deeper.

If we're recruiting for depth then I would recruit Goddard of the Brendan variety. Probably the best depth of the delisted's but I'm not sure anyone will touch him and I'm not saying we should. ...but if it's depth we were looking for then he would be handy as he can cover back, forward and mid...and is still a much better player than any of the other delisted players. I'm not sure Goody is looking for depth.

It's not Garlett's spot he would be pushing for, he's not a small forward. It would be Petracca, Vanders or Hannan's...

On the injured list??? Murdoch is no good, can run fast but has no idea about footy. Better off with Usain Bolt as a cat B rookie, I hear he's looking for a gig.

Doesn't seem to matter much these days... Brayshaw is going to be a good player, I just rate Cerra. All going well I think he will be an absolute gun, he's got more tricks than Kelly and everyone is going bananas about him.

I don't like the people taking shots at him either, all will become obvious in the fullness of time with Jess... ...but whilst a very good & exciting developing player he was hardly a champion of the club. ...and whilst I wish him well in life I don't wish anyone well at another club (just the way I am, I'm only interested in our players going well) with the exception of Trenners and Lyndon Dunn who I think both put in a lot through very hard times & deserve some reward.

I've said this before but seriously they need to can this academy idea. It makes sense in the non football states if they draw the boundaries correctly and not include strong football areas like Southern NSW. Other clubs shouldn't have academies it's just another half pregnant AFL solution to stop a few F...W.... complaining.

I would have thought that gives you more than a C+ but who cares. In the end it's all about premierships. We need to start winning them again.

Sorry, don't see the comparison apart from athleticism. Frosty has been in the system a while now, his decision making & disposal is what it is & won't get much better. He proved valuable when brought into the team but really is a classic depth player. The big area of difference is in the contest, White was hard to beat one on one where Frosty is hit or miss. Despite his physical strength he often gets out positioned in marking contests. He also dropped some fairly easy grabs that proved costly.

Sounds like a few people on here are trying to con themselves. A bit like jilted lovers. Hogan wasn't really that good after all, not part of the team, didn't do the hard yards, doesn't play well in the big games... In this case I prefer to look at the glass half full approach, we traded out an exceptionally talented kid who didn't want to be with us and in doing so we came away with a better balanced list. Hogan hasn't had a clear run at it since starting with us, back, father, cancer, foot. The only thing that will hold him back now is injury or the like. I'm sure he isn't going to Freo with thoughts of playing with a perennial cellar dweller. They will be a lot better than given credit for and with a fit list will be around mid table to possible finals next season. There biggest problem is going to be the go home factor with some of their kids and I hope we are into them...

That's true...I guess Ben Brown is an exception and this guy has similar attributes. He impressed me on very limited viewing of the GF, liked the way he attacked the footy. If he's there at our pick he could be a good get but then again it depends who else is on the board and where the FD rate them. ...by the way, I'm not neglecting Tommy Mc in the late pick KPF story it's just Brown made a better comparison.