rjay

Agree with pretty much all of your points. The Taggert one is interesting, I would consider the same thing about using him as the sub and suggested it in an earlier post. The only downside is that he didn't do a full pre season and missed the first month of footy. We may be asking a bit to much of him to come in underdone in his first game, this is where Misson and the coaching staff come in, they should know if he is ready. If he doesn't get a run I hope they are able to drop him back to the development team who are playing this weekend so at least he can get another game under his belt. I'm sure we will see him at some stage if not this weekend, we need kids who can get and kick a footy.

I know it is a bit of a storm in a tea cup, and lets see what we can find to hammer Melbourne with this week but it just wasn't a good look.

Yeah I know, but because it has been so long it should have been fixed by now. A bit of a chicken and the egg on the wins.

OK, nothing new there but it is a major problem for the club in my opinion. Docklands is not the answer though, the MCG is our home, it is the spiritual home of football and we should be in the precinct. Time for the board and the CEO to get off their a... and get control of the area around Gosh's and get a home. KIck everyone else out if we have to, where have the atheletes gone? we can't keep rolling over.

Yeah good point. He has really set himself up well outside of football, but the call of the game can sometimes draw you back in. James Hird is an example of that and even his ex coach who has a lot of outside interests. It certainly wouldn't hurt us to at least approach him. The influence he could have on our young mids like Trengove, Grimes, Taggert, McKenzie, Viney,and draft picks could be similar to when Ratten was at Melbourne and how he helped Scotty Thompson's development, pity we lost him.

Brown and Lynch worked pretty well, but I get your point with Brown and Clark.

I've seen a few posts lately about bringing Lloyd to Melbourne and others about Royal as midfield coach,the development of our mids etc. So let me throw this one out there. We could do a lot worse than pursue Cameron Ling to be our midfield coach next year. When he retired he said he wanted a year away from football and would spend some time in the media before considering his next move. With the respect he holds in the football world for his ability, leadership, work ethic and not to mention he seems to be a pretty decent bloke, he would be a great addition to our coaching structure.

Maybe, and I'm sure they weren't the ones having a go at Stanton, but their was a big knock on their list from the so called football experts at the time and even up to this year their mids have been questioned, need to get some help for Watson, that's why they had a real go at Caddy. Heard has talked about developing from within and so far it seems to be a plus, there might be some hope for us yet. The coach, well it was always entertaining to listen to the Essendon supporters on talkback having a go at Knights.

But at the time most people were writing the Essendon list off as not being up to standard, poor midfield lacking pace. Dempsey, Davey and co frontrunners, Stanton the worst player to pull on a jumper, Lucas and Lloyd were past it but at least they had Fletcher down back still producing. It's only in hindsight their list looks good.

Ling wanted time away from the game but he would be the first person I would approach next season as midfield coach.

I also think he lacks peripheral vision and it's close ally, awareness. He reminds me a lot of Kossi at the saints in this regard and maybe the reason why both these guys frustrate supporters. They both seem to have everything going for them but just don't quite get it. Yes part is mental but I think the other stuff is there with both of them.

Very disappointing on Friday. I'm one that backs him up but he just seems to have gone backwards and looked so out of his depth. Maybe it's the weight of the injuries he's had and he is just not able to play with any confidence, it will be very interesting to see how the selectors react this week. I would have liked to see him get a run of games to build some confidence but the other night there was nothing to build on.

I think Watts uses the ball pretty well, it may be worth trying him in that half back role more as a Bob Murphy type than Chris Yarran.

Yeah we will, if we don't then we are going nowhere fast (we are now). I would expect us to have between 3 -5 players debut next season if we go with strong mids in the draft and I would also expect Taggert to debut at sometime this year and really step up in the next couple. With trades for Silvia and compensation for Moloney we could look for a Kennedy type around the 23 - 24yo so at the bottom end that's 5 not on the list and not including Viney.

I think we already did, and have Couch at Casey ready for a game (unfortunately missed with illness yesterday). Should come in for either Silvia or Moloney. I'm sure we will look for more season.

Not too many cheetah's either; at the moment we would have to be among other things the slowest team in the game. Let's play the kids and see who stands up, enough of the same old...

Just watching the Essendon West Coast game and a few things I noticed that relate to us; How the West Coast defence started to make uncaracteristic errors because of the weight of ball coming in with their midfield being thumped. Made me have a greater respect for Frawley and co. as they have to cop this every week with our mids. how good would our guys be if they had an even break. A lot of turn overs and mistakes happen because no one is working to postition to take a kick on the way out. Without Priddis and Selwood, Kerr being tagged and no Nik Nat, Shuey and Gaff have been ineffective at best. It's easy for young players to look good when they have senior players leading the way. Maybe Trenners is not going so badly, still think he is carrying something (besides a lot of senior players) and Jones is really stepping up. Jack Darling is having a go but again he is ineffective without good supply and without the pressure being taken off him by Kennedy, LeCras, Nik Nat. he draws an A grader. Mitch Clark has been doing a mighty job with little supply or assistance. Liam Jurrah last year was better than people give him credit for. You don't need to be super quick to be a good player, eg: Jobe Watson, strong attack on the ball, quick thinking, working within limitations. Sorry had to put this one in but Luke Darcy is self opponionated dick of a commentator, love Ling, just out of the game and really good insights.

Pretty close to my thoughts on this Old Dee, might push Garland up into one of those lists but it depends which Col it is. The confidant one or the not so. I think Howe is a class act and when you think he has played only 20 games in a very average side, would be a star with a Collingwood or Hawthorn. Not so sure of your opinion on Blease, he did get in and lay some good tackles today plus he can hit the side of a barn, both feet. We really need some run in the AFL so lets hope he can bring it, needs to string a few games together at senior level. Forget the tried and not so true, Dunn and co. but I think Taggert looks promising in only his 2nd or 3rd game. Another kid who can hit the side of a barn, we really need to bring players on who have some skill and can get a ball and kick a ball. Jurrah of course is a class act, so much time the way he sees the game. We really need him back to state the obvious. At least with him and Howe there will be some entertainment value.

Jimmy Toumpas will have had 2 years at senior SANFL level by draft time, one premiership under his belt already.

Can't argue with you much on this, pretty well summed up. With the 2 week break I would almost consider giving Taggert a run as the sub. Some of his kicking and spotting up targets was top class today and do we ever lack that at senior level. Sheahan is another who can really kick a ball and set up a couple of nice goals today. Blease was really good, great to see his hunger to pressure and tackle today as well as his outside skills. He needs to come into the side and be given a good month of football to consolidate. Yes he is a natural right footer. I think we will see Jurrah and Watts, maybe Green and Martin with lack of match fitness being the thing that may hold them back. For all that Green has been through in the last couple of seasons he is keeping his head up, good on him.

This one I agree with you on Big Jim. Why we have a makeshift recruiting head is totally beyond comprehension to me. ...and I think these guys have a lot to answer for too, they are the common thread that runs through the last 4 plus years. The elephant in the room that the board must address. Even the media tip toe around this one, Tim Watson says the fish rots at the head and then goes no further, Greg Denham has little pot shots at CS and goes no further, Gary Lyon won't because they are his mates. At least lets get everything out in the open, let's rebuild properly or we will fall over. What is Brian Cook worth to this club?

We slid back last year, remember 186? I still think the board needs to answer questions about that, clear the air before Neeld can take the blame. I'm really p.....off but not ready to pass judgement on the new coaching group just yet.

The kid is 187 and weighs in at 84, he is a fair size particularly through the lower body. Will gain a lot more strength in the upper body as he has more time in the system.

Taggert will make the grade and the sooner the better. He can get the ball and use it when he gets it.

I like these guys too, and Haynes for real pace, Vlasuin is another. There are plenty of good kids in this draft and we need to clean out and get in as many as we can, a mini GWS, GC but with by then a few good players with experience coming through.