rjay

Don't want Martin but would be happy if we picked up Crouch. I really rate him, he's the best clearance player in this draft.

I've been pushing this view for a while now but their will be a few that don't see it. The only 2 premiership players (Rioli and LeCras) you have named spend time up the ground and are so much more than just small forwards. Rioli plays a pivotal role in the middle when they need to change the game up so yes he is a mid who would play a lot more time there if his tank and hammy's allowed. Small forwards can get goals during the year and help get you to the finals but they won't win them for you. As 'Deez' says they need a lot more versatility than being one trick ponies. It's to easy to put them out of a high pressure game. We need goal kicking mids, mids who run hard both ways. Some of them will get the goals that the small forwards would but will give us much more flexibility.

LeCras is a great player and definitely a required player at WC. He has played most of the season in case you weren't watching.

Cheers, then that's only a few week to a month type injury.

Mongrel 'stuie', not dh.

You're talking about on field issues and Shaw had a bit part in the Didak biz. No one is saying Martin can't play, it's off field that seems to be the problem. Roos doesn't have a history of picking these type of players at all.

Cartledge or reco, which one is it?

I think you might be underrating Aish by a long way.

He took on some players who had trouble performing well on field at previous clubs. I don't ever remember Hall having big off field issues, maybe the odd indiscretion. Shaw's issue was more to do with a GF. Who are all these troubled players Roos has a history of taking. The Sydney location factor let alone the culture was also big. The players could get away from the limelight and media scrutiny of a football state.

Not going to happen.

Doubt it, I'm not sure he has a long future in the game.

Is that you Mark Neeld, or is it Nathan.....

Yep, I would like to see that. I would have thought some good ideas had already been put into the mix here but maybe they were looking for the impossible dream. Keeping everyone happy whilst they remain at the top. I thought the whole thing was very condescending anyway, all clubs should have been represented on that trip.

Correct, and we have been playing one midfielder down for the last few years. It's why I would prefer to see Clark in the ruck, but whoever it is they need to make a contribution and not just in ruck contests.

He has a 2 year deal with the Cats.

Yeah, we used to play on some beauties, didn't we. Trying to kick the ball off the ground and it wouldn't move more than an inch if you were lucky, the kids that grew up in the drought years were never lucky enough to see let alone play in those conditions.

His career moves would tend to show that.

No...it is a lot different to those grounds. I played on a lot of those mud heaps and have come off grounds having to walk through water up to waist deep but in all cases you were either down on all 4's in the mud or upright with your feet stuck. Slippery surfaces were always a bit tricky but long stops helped. Also the game was slowed down by the heavy conditions, some of the grounds were so heavy we were lucky to kick a ball more than 10mtrs before the next contest. This ground is a whole different story, it's not that it's slippery, your stops dig in and then the ground shifts from underneath. I don't remember playing on a ground like that.

Lets see what happens if any players take action on an unsafe workplace. I think they are within their rights.

Agree with you here mate. The injuries from tonights game and the leg soreness from the surface really give Freo an unfair advantage even if the travel was not bad enough. I think the players association need to step in, this wasn't a fit surface to play AFL football on. Can't wait to here the spin. Any AFL games from now on need to be at the SCG.

Get no argument from me 'Redleg'.

Thanks for the post 'Bradvermont', and I really hope your son comes through. It must be such a hard thing for you and your family to be going through this. The players do cop a bad wrap at times and I think we forget they are people first, trying to do their best in life even if we find it frustrating. It's good to hear about the positive things they do. This is a supporters site and we are all Demon and football tragics, at times discussion will get heated about different players and their merits. I do however get really p...off when they are called flogs etc. In the end they are kids doing the best they can. Good luck mate.

Just a question; do other clubs have more than one supporter site? ...or is it just more of the divisive Demons?

Not for me 'old dee', used to have a soft spot for the Hawks, trained down at the Glenferrie oval gym, played junior and school footy with a few of their ex champs but they just p....me off these days. The Cats for me.

He's really stepped up mate, a real Swans player and that's high praise.