rjay

...and the other Scott might be calling as well, the way Hawkins monstered them the other night.

2 of them...

You don't need a profit & loss statement to tell you that.

I would like to think the season counts for something 'Chook' otherwise just making the 8 would be enough, it wouldn't matter where you finish. I think the current system is pretty good, yes it gives the top 4 teams an advantage and in my mind they have won that right.

Wines really turned it on in the 2nd half. He looked a bit overwhelmed earlier and struggled to make an impact, the 2nd half was a beauty though.

Yep, I will go with this until someone proves it to be different. Nobody has yet, it's easier to blame Neeld I guess.

I know kids who have done the same and they never got out of the local leagues.

To be fair I think Port have only had one difficult week of footy. Last week was a training run. I don't think the rest will be the difference, Hawthorn & Sydney have been clearly the top teams this year and deserve to play off. I hope we get some good footy next week but I don't think it will be close 'Chook'.

Not going to happen, I think we will get 2 easy wins next week from Hawthorn and the Swans. It's been a good run from North & Port but it ends next week.

How about his call of O'Shea kicking out when it was Pittard and a kick later it gets to O'Shea in the centre and he reckons it was good running to get the ball again. He would have had to run the 5 sec 100 to get that.

If he's presented to the board then it is only to tick off on a decision already made by Roos. You wouldn't leave a real football decision to this board.

Was it the one where he said Crowley was going to Wines when he was clearly following Boak step for step.

In Geelong's case I don't think they were resting or backing off in games this year. It was a real struggle for them to win, it was very rare for them to have a game under control. Winning a lot of games by around a kick is not the best way to run a season.

...and they would say thanks but no thanks. If we were throwing the cash around I would take him ahead of Danger...

Ronnie Tutt Elvis' drummer

I don't think Hinkley was overly concerned either 'Macca', he would have been if Boak, Grey or more particularly his ruck had of gone down with an injury. On the other, there is no doubt we are coming from a long way back and the competition is set up to favour the clubs at the top of the tree with cash to spare.

I think they will pay him close to $2mill to keep him out of court. They're trying to get away with not paying that much money but you can guarantee that an undisclosed settlement will happen and when it does you can also guarantee he will be getting close or right on his $2mill. Robinson knows they can't afford for everything to come out into the open.

It was a very interesting discussion with Voss. I forgot he was Clark's coach at Brisbane, I hope SEN put it up as a podcast as it's well worth a listen.It seems there is a lot to this story and perhaps we should have gone in with our eyes wide open when we first approached Mitch. As 'timD' posted the other day, he thought Clark had been poorly advised and shouldn't be running away from his issues (hope I am quoting the gist of your post correctly). Voss was saying pretty much the same thing. As for Collingwood, I would play hardball and make Mitch walk to the PSD and threaten to pick him up if they don't give us overs.

Was having a friendly shot at you on the lottery thing 'Macca', I understand your viewpoint on it. Not sure if I fully agree, I think a really good recruiter has a better shot at getting it right. I've loved watching the Cats play, at least its made footy bearable over the last number of years when our club hasn't but I think they now face a difficult time. Organisations are always said to be well managed when they are at the top of their game but it's amazing how quickly things can change. Lose a few games and questions start to be asked, trouble makers come out of the woodwork. The dominance of the Australian cricket team in the Taylor, Waugh,Ponting era is a case in point. We supposedly had the best coaches, best development systems, best management....lose the champions and that changes. Suddenly your management is no good, the shield and development system need an overhaul, our coaches are garbage... GC & GWS have artificially kept teams like Geelong and Hawthorn at the top of the ladder, now comes the downhill part of those clubs effect on the top teams. Free agency may help them but if they think Frawley will be good for them as a swing man or that Taylor can make it as a forward they have another thing coming. By the way, as you know there was no percentage to be had in the Port game 'Macca', it was a final. Geelong's poor percentage was due to them being on the slide, they weren't resting they were not as good as they have been. They just had enough in the tank to win the close ones, players like Selwood will them over the line but there is only so much he can do.

He took over from Bill McMaster in 1995 'Macca' ....a couple of good articles you might be interested in. http://www.theage.com.au/news/rfnews/mcmaster-of-his-trade/2009/11/24/1258824712384.html http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/master-geelong-recruiter-stephen-wells-cant-dodge-the-plaudits/story-fni5f22o-1226762008459

...now 'Macca' you keep telling us the draft is a lottery so he won't make a lot of difference. The coach has yet to be really proven, he was smart in his first year to let the players play but now he has to coach. We will get a real handle on Chris in the next few years. As for the percentage I think you might also find they wouldn't have minded if it was a bit higher. They are well managed but with GC and GWS on the rise it's going to be harder for them to hold a top 8 spot over the next couple of years. You just don't replace champions that easily, they have a couple of really good kids coming through and a few ok's. They won't make up for Enright, Mackie, Bartel, Chapman, Scarlett, Ling, Ablett, Lonergan, Corey, Ottens, Kelly......

They will need to look at putting some value up for trade though and he would be one. If they rely on free agents to top up they will be well and truly on the slide. Jimmy Bartel will have some good games but he is making more mistakes and playing less good games as time goes on. He should go out on top. They are placing a lot on the idea of Vardy making it or Taylor making it as a forward. I don't think Taylor is a forward and it is effecting his game moving him around. He needs to be settled for mine. Vardy has shown no more than Stanley at St Kilda. With Selwood and Hawkins along with Duncan, Christianson and Caddy...they will be ok but not the powerhouse any longer. If Hawkins goes down forget it.

I wouldn't take all the rumours as gospel 'good oil', I think you will find we are talking to every player available and probably a lot more not considered to be available. Remember bomber Thompson was still unhappy with Roos grabbing Mummy from under the Cats noses. For all the talk of Roos philosophy what most are missing is that he has a history of trading in players in their early 20's, Tyson is a good example. If you look at the Sydney list, most of the trade ins were around this age when recruited. What most see now is the finished list, they didn't start at 28. Frost looks an ideal for the Roos model if the past is anything to go on, if we want to predict we should be looking for players on the edge of getting a game or getting a game but not being well looked after. Forget Malceski, who is the next Malceski, who is the next Shaw, who is the next Kennedy (Tyson), who is the next Richards, who is the next mummy...

Would not be surprised if Kelly retires. Bartel should definitely think about it, Enright will scrape together one more year, Rivers, Mackie and Lonergan not long to go. Varcoe probably up for trade.

You would think so but maybe Robinson really does want his day in court. Can't see it happening either but it would be the only way we will get close to the truth. I truly hope this goes all the way.