rjay

Have to agree 'Macca', the congestion is a direct result of the time and method allowed to dispose of the ball. Correct interpretation of the rules would stop these problems and all the other changes to the game that the powers that be seem to think are needed to fix it. Simple, interpret the rules you have properly in the first place.

North were successful because they brought in the right cattle, Rudi had noting to do with it. Of course like all sheep in the VFL/AFL everyone wanted to get the latest snake oil, think altitude training and you'll get my drift.

Agree...

If we picked up McCartin there would be a lot of very nervous backs taking short steps at other clubs. Very similar to Hogan in the way he plays the game, no prisoners.

As with all awards being mid field awards these days then Martin as favourite makes sense. Hogan polled well at VFL level which is against the trend for key forwards so he does get noticed.

Right on the money here 'dee-luded', in total agreement.

Meditation has nothing to do with the stuff Rudi was peddling.

I hope he is better than Phil Clearly.

There are various forms of meditation 'hogans_heroes'. I have done mindfulness in the past and the meditation along with implementation into daily life which is in simple terms concentrating or bringing your mind to what you do makes sense and worked for me. I am in the process of getting back to it now as I find myself a lot more productive and clear thinking when I do.

Sometimes discussions go down different paths, at least it has been a serious football discussion and not a slanging or one up-manship match. The merits of selecting someone like King or taking the Richmond approach and going for more players with senior experience I would think are relevant to the thread. I've been interested in the differing views on the topic, not just my own.

I love that too. Need to aim high and why not.

Looks like we are working on getting the ball and keeping it. Fair chance we are heading in the right direction.

It's a really good point 'master'. I think the timing is against Richmond in their run at a flag but it's all yet to be seen.

Yeah, Kelly will be a good player at worst a good ordinary player. I reckon I'm right on Tyson and I know he loves being at the club under Roos. I hope I'm right too.

Thanks 'Machsy', that's what I would say about Jordie. I think his last couple of years haven't been his best but he has shown in the past he has a lot to offer. Like many the Neeld era hasn't been good to him, even if he got the coaches award.

I know it's a big call 'P-man' but given an injury free run he really has the attributes to be one of the top liners, he sees the game in slow motion and only the top players do that. Think Pendles and Mitchell. As for Kelly there is as much doubt as there is with any new draftee, to me he looks like Scully with an upgrade on skills. A running machine with a professional attitude, no real x-factor whatever that is. Will he be a good player or a Brownlow medalist, I think the former. The Tiges, they do miss a quality tall and it's why I think they made a big mistake in not taking Grundy. Not hindsight, I bashed it into my Tiges mate on draft night. Must admit partly because the Pies got a free hit (have said this above but it still p…..me off they got him. I don't think he was for us but…). I don't see them as a lock on the 8.

Getting a little bit paranoid there 'Ralph'. I think they might know that Frawley is a pretty good player already. Maybe Greeny had a bag of cash with him to prime the deal.

Ok, so let's leave all the other players and examples out of it. You think Brown would be a better bet than Nicho who is the new Cale Morton at the club. There's no doubt he has had the better career and has been the better player by a long way but that's not now. He is at the end and probably finished as a player, Nicho could well be in the same boat. One cancels out the other in my view. Do we need someone to stick up for our players? I don't think we need that now, the bruise free thing came up in Bailey's time as coach and was probably right. Since then we have been just been no good. I think the list we have now is capable of looking after itself and the game that Roos will introduce will be in a big part about that. The old days of the protector are long gone, Brown would bring nothing but weeks on the sidelines and or 50 metre penalties for doing something stupid.

Barrett and Denham seem to think we've given up a brownlow medalist in Kelly and I guess there is inherent risk in any strategy. Time will tell but my bet would be that Tyson will be one of the top 5 mids in the comp by 2015. I think we would only have brought in low-end talent with any of the senior players left over and Taylor flagged that we thought the lower lever comps (VFL etc) had been milked of talent over the last few years and there wasn't a lot on offer. Vince and Cross really add a hell of a lot that we haven't had for a long time. I think we got the balance right. By the way, I won't come at the Dawes, leader of men yet until I see him do it on the ground. He talks a good game and showed some glimpses on the ground but it's there that he needs to lead. Not saying he won't be and I hope he does but so far the talk is cheap.

…3 battlers and good on them, I hope they push on this year plus one guy who can't get on the park and may have been a waisted pick. I much prefer the way we've gone about things this year in the draft trade period.

I expect I will get a lot of disagreement on the Tiges and I understand they have got some good ones in the last couple of years. I reckon Ellis is a beauty and I like the look of Vlaustuin but I think they should have taken Grundy ahead of him. Not hindsight, told a Richmond mate at the time. In fact I was angry that the Pies got him so cheap. I wouldn't be surprised if they missed the 8 next season and can't see them making top 4. I think the players love Hardwick and you can understand why but he will be under pressure if they fall back and as I say, I just don't rate him as a match day coach. Just a different viewpoint mate but I know where you are coming from, I may be well off the mark. You're right with Hunt and King but I think we need to take the punt now and back in the development guys we have at the club. I would rather go there than with what else was on offer. I think we got some good balance in the list with our trading, Tyson and Mitchie more than make up for what we missed trading for Clark and Cross adds that bit of leadership the club missed with draft sanctions in the early 2000's. Vince more than covers the loss of Silvia.

No, you made the point about Brown as a player and the value he would have with us and in making your point you brought in the names of champions of the game. Yes the point is irrelevant as many of us have tried to point out to you, Brown is just not that good a footballer. As for hatred of the guy, I'm sure all the other fan forums are getting stuck into him at the moment too. When you play the game like he does what else would you expect. People are arguing with you about his value as a footballer, he has none for us now. Maybe a few years back. My favourite Brown moment was at the 'G' a couple of years back and someone kicked a high ball over his head just near the MCC members. Brown was running back with the flight of the ball and looked around to see if anyone was coming and saw Howe heading towards him. Lip reading the word f….coming from him as has spotted Howe. He backed back took his whack and of course Howe took the mark.

I like our approach now better than Richmond's. I think we made a big mistake in following their model last year when we picked up Peders, Byrne, Gillies and Rodan. They will hover around the 8 but never be a true GF threat with the list they have and the approach they are taking in building it. All they have done this year is build on mediocrity. I'm also not convinced about Hardwick as a match day coach, makes too many mistakes under pressure. There is a good chance that some of the players we picked up like Hunt, Harmes and King will make it. There is a big wrap on Hunt and he was well worth the pick at 57, a couple of years in the system and let's see what we have.

The only comments I've seen suggest that he could improve his contested ball stats, that seems fair comment. Some of the posts have been taken way out of context.

Yep 'old dee', as you are alluding to…you have to get it before you can keep it.