rjay

I think that's true, I share a similar opinion to 'Machsy' on him so not going to slash my wrists if we miss. Laverde looks interesting but he worries me that he can run himself into trouble on the little I've seen of him. Murdoch tonight again brought this home to me, good pace, big kick but no football brain.

It wasn't a duck he charged the oncoming player with and put his head down as a battering ram. Free kick.

They're ok but you can't replace champions a few are gone and a few are coming to the end. It will take a big q from Bartel, Kelly and Taylor to get the Cats out of this tonight. Do they have one last effort in them?

Good decision, he put his head down into the player coming the other way. Not only dangerous but a free kick every day of the week.

The signs have been there for a while. Their senior players have been making mistakes over the last year that show they don't have a lot of time left. Think the Mackie kick, Kelly badly beaten by Thomas early, Bartell ineffective, Enright making mistakes, Taylor not being allowed any space. Of the kids Cady started poorly but really got them back into the game late in the first quarter, Duncan is going ok but the others have been unsighted. Murdoch 1 kick in a half of footy, Thurlow 2, Guthrie 2.... Think you might see more retirements after this game from the Cats.

We were never ahead of North, they always had the edge on us but we should have been somewhere near or approaching them now.

Don't know about Ballantyne, his teammates seem to like him and I admire the way he goes about his football. Would love him at Melbourne. ...and Crowley is supposed to be a top bloke. Not a bad player either.

That's great news. The only way we will ever get part of the truth of this whole mess is through Robinson's court case.

Playing hard ball in this case 'Jack' is being prepared to push him to the PSD. If St Kilda don't take him we can, not that we will but the threat of it might be enough to get a better deal. Say it's Collingwood, well how badly do you want him. Ok you're not offering enough he can go to the Saints for nix.

Been injured. I would take him ahead of Robinson.

I think our board have been lame ducks for a while now, there are still some from the past that need to move on and I will never be comfortable whilst they are still there.

I'm not so convinced with Dawes 'Chook', he will need to do a lot more in the coming season to win me over.

I still think our board could do with a bit of weeding, I really don't care what they do.

Unfortunately there are board members who will. These are the "liniment sniffers", they like to feel important and will express views outside their level of expertise. Often their opinions are ill founded and or carry no weight at the club. That's why I would never take a comment from a source at board level as being gospel. These type of board members are very dangerous to have in a club.

I guess my point is I'm not losing any sleep over any of them. It's not like we've given away superstars. Cat's fans will also say Riv is no Scarlett, he's slotted in nicely and I'm happy to see him doing well. Sammy would need a big turnaround to even match what Bennell is doing.

No, Brock has had the better career than either of them. Not a star but has been a good player, Peders is a depth player only and Gysberts a bust.

A few observations on coaching from great NRL coach Wayne Bennett; always loved reading his articles on league, life and coaching. "Coaches don't win, players win, and a coach is not as smart as people say when their team wins nor as stupid as they say when they lose." "That's a key part, standing by decisions, being confident that you're going to make enough good ones. Having a plan, and changing it rarely. Poor coaches change it often." "The most difficult thing with coaching is that you have to rely on other people to make your career a success. So, crucially, you have to know people and be with those who want success for themselves and want to help you along the way. Winners. One hundred per cent people. And if you can't recognise those attributes in people, then your time as coach is ticking away, faster and faster. Tick, tick, tick..." "There are two types: the coach that builds and the one out there looking for a quick fix. The quick-fix coach comes in, upsets everyone and everything, gets some results, but within two or three years his organisation is in tatters."

Star? A good serviceable player I would have thought. I don't have sleepless nights thinking about losing Brock. Certainly done better than Gysberts though.

It's the old story of "You take yourself wherever you go".

Like Silvia, Moloney.....Rivers has been serviceable, Petterd borderline, Martin a good 2nd half of the season. So who are these players that have starred at another club?

The trouble is there may be no sub next year. Fair chance that rule will change and about time, one of the more stupid ideas. With less interchange on the cards in the next few years and no sub the game will have passed by players who haven't got aerobic capacity.

I wouldn't now and I think Ablett is the best player to play the game but he is 30. Not the right time for this trade, would have traded that other millionaire superstar Scully for him, in fact I would have traded Gary senior for him.

Yep, I guess my point is more about them chasing Clark. Happy to get compensated for Clark and take Carlisle for nix.

Why not, if they want Clark seems like a good swap.