Wells 11

Its a bit of a waste of time comparing players I know but imo he's our version of a Jaidyn Stephenson. . Doesnt look like he's got the body to be elite but is...or is heading that way.

Agreed. But to be clear I didn’t mean his contract size I meant the blues offer to GC. I hope they don’t get rewarded for lowballing. My personal feeling about a Martin is that he will be a gun at the blues and worth every cent.

They’ve just had too many walk outs to not make a stand. Both there captains last year. The blues were both complacent and predatory in there approach and the suns can’t put up w that either. So i hope the blues pay a price. I found it strange that when the swans couldn’t land daniher, the news was all about how the swans let him down and how the dons wanted him more. But in THIS case none of that at all. if the blues wanted him they needed to pay the price... and they didn’t. for THAT they should pay the price.

I’m in the same boat... without the vinyls! Hope to see u Bk at courthouse in 2020, both our homes still standing.

Agreed. We paid the price for thinking another way ignoring Wines because we had Viney. At this point I’d be happy with Green, Young, Jackson or Roberton at 3. So it’s seems hard to go too far wrong. I’m sure we’ll end up regretting we didn’t get this one or that one but as long as who we do get is a really good player we’ll be ok. Id still like to get two picks in the top 20 for 8 and grab Pickett.

Highlights or main points? He’s my preferred target now.

He sounds like a super knowledgable but personable guy. He was really positive about the mind set of the boys. Said they were very focused and determined. Players he hadnt met yet calling him from overseas to ask about preparation. Also said only 2 or 3 would be starting late due to surgery this year as opposed to 16-17 last year. A good listen.

Sad...but true in football and politics as well.

yawn.

yes, your right. drafted 2007 and first played 2008. and yes, when compared with the others from that draft its not that clear who the best of that group is! What a year that was. But still the point is valid. We went with Cale because everyone thought he was a top 5. It almost made me weep looking at the others from that draft. So I think you need to be able to think at least a little bit freely with picks.

I think most of us agree we go young at 3. But Im not sure we have to stick with a formula til 2021because a key forward seems to have been sadly over estimated. Weid will get his chance this year and I hope Im surprised, but aside from ONE game I havent seen him look like a key forward. Not in the air and not on the ground. I just cant see him being a key in a premiership.

wasnt worth 29 either

Cyril rioli went at 12 in 2008 and was real part of the reason the hawks won the flag that year. Was clearly the best of that draft...yet had the dees chosen him instead of Watts or Natanui the club may have been burned down. Of course it didnt need supporters to do that as it did it to itself a few years later. But I think these days you have to be shrewd in your picks and think freely. Choosing Oliver up the order from expected was the best thing we've done in years (Still imagine how we'd be now If we'd picked up Curnow next to him) Im a fan or both Pickett and Jackson for our second pick or for splitting the pick to pick up Pickett and another after young.

Just checked and your right. My memory playing tricks. 3 kicks, 5 handballs 1 behind , 1 mark and zero 1 % ers An outstanding debut still talked about to this day!

Agreed Jack looked waaaay underdone. It was an embarssment we've lived with ever since. But he still kicked 2 goals . Of course there was that Geelong discard full back in Neelds time ( forgot his name) that looked grown up in body but in no way was ever an AFL player. And Petty against the saints in 2018 also comes to mind, at least of recent times. But I still rank Chandler as the least ready.

He looked to me like one of the most under prepared players to play a game for us that I’ve ever seen.

Yep agreed. If he went to the national soccer team or cricket Australia that would be one thing. If he marched into collingwood or the tigers that would be next level embarassing. Heres hoping he has some loyalty in his charecter and gives us a decent few year run. Might be he just wants to see if we're a basket case or a real thing. After 39 years supporting Im not sure I know myself!

If we were to pick up Bennell and Murray ( and if they get picked up the presumption is they are off drugs and will play) then I think Jackson at 8 is a good move. I dont know much about him except the comment made that he would be a better forward next year than Weid. IF thats so then Im all for it. A forward/ ruck rather than a ruck/ forward. Im returning to the camp that I existed in pre the geelong final in 18 that I dont think Weid is going to make it. Or at least not as a 1st or 2nd forward. We're missing a big precense up forward and you dont usually get them with anything less than an early pick. Happy to be wrong again with the Weid...but putting all our eggs in his basket feels to me like a bigger risk than going with Jackson.

Interesting. It’s depressing about Sam though. Really hard to stomach that we chose him ahead of both curnow and Keogh now. both of whom look like future stars to me...well Curnow sort of is one now already. Preuss was a mistake and only good if max goes down so we do need another more mobile tall.

Someone like Martin falling through to the PSD is a hugely rare event. I’m quite sure the dees are exploring every option and every method of persuasion behind closed doors. At least I hope so.

Compensations? Don’t be crazy. You’re forgetting our place in this world. This is the dees we’re taking about not the hawks or the pies.

Jesus we’re a depressing bunch on here lately. This is a bad as I remember it ever being. Although on the positive everyone seems in agreement on the depressing sentiment so there’s little arguing. Im going to go out on a limb here. Melb has an industry acknowledged wealth of talent.. we were absolutely crucified by injuries last year and a lack of prep preceding that. People know this. Goodwin still seems to be held in high regard and our facilities aren’t [censored]. There not like the pies but they’re not [censored]. If im Elliot and I get to train really close to where I used to, get a better deal with a side that may come again with a rush ( I’m a believer) in 2020 then why not us?

Which is why it’s only happened once in our entire history. Im struggling to see your point. Even IF what you allege is accurate , and it well might be, you can be damn sure all clubs do that . But your anger seems very directed at our club only. Re Frost, he clearly divides opinions. Personally I love him and wish we could work around his assets more as they’re very unique. But as coaches and casting votes post game, how the hell do you rate his brilliance against his deficiencies and how well he gets the job done. I’m sure votes for him are wildly divided also. Do u rate his 6 excellent intercept marks and 5 running bursts from the backline higher than the 5 times he gave up goals thru poor positioning or turnovers. Top 10 finish is about right for frosty imo.

On the positive, I remember how we all spoke about melksham.

That was a year that felt as long as 2013. One good win against the swans at the scg when I thought... ok, now we can start. We didn’t. One good qtr against the bombers when I thought...ok now they’re clicking. We never did. One stupidly close win by a point in the final second... but that didn’t really count as a good feeling because it was against the bottom side who lost 19 games straight. Shocking run with Injuries then more injuries... then a backline formation, game style, that made us look like amateurs. Then injured players re injuring themselves because we played them too soon. Continual and systemically Horrible kicking for goal that regularity cost us games and a miss after the siren as if to just add salt into bitter wounds. 2019 can just [censored] off fast.