Wells 11

Makes sense to me. We've all been burned...repeatedly. From Mclean to Trengove ( with way too many names in the middle....that dont need going over. Although, because Im a masochist, can I just say "Morton" one more time) they've ALL been more Slyvia than Dangerfield. So when I look at Petraccas highlights I seem to only see Sylvia signs. Lets hope whoever it is we get can help erase the deep Sylvia scars.

Maybe Im missing something with Petraccas highlights? I agree he's a great mark and great inside. Only that i cant see his pace or "explosiveness" that everyone keeps talking about and his kicking looked a bit shallow and wayward. He will, as will Mccartin, also be up against a lot of bigger bodies in the AFL and wont be able to dominate with strength in the way he was in a lot of that footage. Anyone who's seen him live want to talk about his pace? footage can be deceptive. We so lack in that department as a teamand I also feel with Tyson, Jones, Viney, Brayshaw we're not going to short on insiders.

I dont there WAS a lack of record keeping. Of all the crap floating around in this story that has to be the biggest turd floating in the pond. There is just no way that players being injected, on that scale at that frequency, were not being carefully monitored.

where?

If what Sir Paul is saying has substance, Im thinking that Petracca and Brayshaw would have been our 1 / 2 picks. Thats gotta be a good result . If it goes that way we'll have Hogan and Petracca and Brayshaw all debuting next year and all of whome could easily have been number 1 draft picks.

Im confused on this issue a little re Cockatoo and the age levels of that game. We grabbed Watts at number 1 at age 17 didnt we? ( Im not sure about that) Didnt GWS trade 4 kids in a mini draft that were17 and under? Weren't Hogan and Omeara part of that group. Its a genuine question Im asking here. I thought those guys were rated in the way they were because of how they played in that 17 year old age group.....Cockatoo is only 18 isnt he? should we discount that game because of the age only. I cant shake the nagging feeling that he's going to be the real gun in this draft.

I feel the same re Brayshaw and McCartin and Ive also come to accept it. Lets hope there both players. My preference was Cockatoo although I do accept it would have been a brave call.

hold the phone...Dank has just come out and said he has evidence that will clear the players. Farcical. Wallis has a photo of a vial of something legal and so teh whole case is in doubt according to the sun. im getting a headache. A question to the AFL and Lets keep it simple..." do we or do we not accept performance enhancing drugs in AFL". AFL.. "of course not.....but if its the whole team...and the press supports them then hmmm thats a tough one. I mean In theory we dont. But let me say this.... if we ever catch a solo player ( from a low club) doing that then lord help them!"

I agree, and I think all the player bashing that happened after 186 got the club deeper into the mire. It always looked like the club as a whole made them the scapegoaats for a whole series of inadequacies and stuff ups. Was it really such a shite playing group, or did we have shite fitness coaches or shite development or shite support for a coach the players loved ( Bailey) . One thing that is absolutey undeniable is that Neeld really brought the shite out in them. THAT he could really do. Neeld not only had no plan B......but he also had the worst plan A the game may have ever seen. Im just glad those tortured days are largely done.

Beat me by a second re your opening line BB.... I still the article is empty and meaningless but King still has some credit with me. He was the voice calling for Neeld to be sacked half way through his first season. It seemed such a sensationalistic, dumb call at the time but l wish we'd listened to that now. Although you could also say Neeld in 2013 created the path for Roos in 2014...but a fair bit of painful water under the bridge to get there.

Re Shiel, you gotta love these guys. .... "At the moment [the contract] is the last thing on my mind. I still have a lot of things in front of me [that] I have to work on to just get ready for the game," Which is now common football language for something like " This will be my last year at GWS and Im open to best offers. Within reason I'll try to do my best to play well for them in 2015 but its all about whats next for me now" Just hope Jones doesn't do the same thing.

you talking jones or shiel??!!

The interesting thing about Howe is that he can jump from the front or the back of a pack onto blokes shoulder., It's not that easy to stop him jumping unless he's double teamed

lol.....but only if that was tongue in cheek.

This convo is going around in circles. One last time....Forget SAFE. No such thing with draft choices. Scully was a local boy from Berwick...right out near casey fields. Take the players we think are going to develop into the best footballers. Not the best at age 18 or the highest ranked by the press at 18. If thats cockatoo....then Im sure the "go home" factor will be addressed in interview and gut instinct. For me pick 3 is cockatoo, Mccartin or lever. Unless we get Petracca.

why? This argument is old and cyclical. Apparently we didn't choose Natanui because of the "go home" factor and others think that doing that was a "disgrace" in that we didn't back ourselves in to keep him. If he looks like the one we want Id expect us to back ourselves. The "best bloody footballers" are not always the ones everyone thinks they are at 18! Id back roos in to spot one young in front of most...and if thats cockatoo Id be wrapped. I dont CARE wheres hes ranked. Fyfe was pick 23. Re Cook and Gysberts. Cook was a dumb mistake as he was taken as a "needs" player that looked good at 18 and Gysberts was well......... Gysberts. An inside mid with the body of an outside mid but with no pace, desire or application. I think our recruiting team isnt run by kindergarten students now. At least I hope so!

just quietly I think Petracca might go ok as well

What we really cant afford is to totally mess it up in the same way we have in the last 7 years. But low risk is neither the best option nor will it hold back the criticism and anger if we blow it. We've all been well and truly burned and thats the baggage we bring in to this draft as a club. Personally I hope we can get past that and that the recruiters think well and freely about it and don't get too affected by who's rated where when they're making their choices.

Love the pace and size of him. Super impressive. I think Im coming around to want to take the punt on him for pick 3. Massive upside and big time x factor. Given our recruiting misses, Ive got my heart in my mouth a bit this year. But, as many have commented on already, if history has shown anything its that rarely does the predraft order match the order of player value in 5 years. I hope we go with him.

El presedento?

Sounds like he fits the bill jarka. I sense that roos won't give a toss where players are graded by t media . If what you say is so I think he could very well go this way. We def need some pace.

I haven't seen him yet. What qualities do you think he brings?

I feel for you Ash. As a passionate supporter you must feel the pain of the actions your club took at that time deeply. And despite that yes, of course you gotta buy your membership and keep doing so! Yet Its an unpalatable truth that the results you got at the start of that year were very VERY likely the direct result of drug use. Its absolute rubbish to think that they dont have records of exactly what was given. I feel frustrated that, via robbo and some of his cronies, everyone has banded together to attack ASADA and defend the club/ coach/ doctor from indefensible positions.When the dees were slugged and shamed re the whole tanking that was an AFL issue that got directed at us. This, sadly, is a club issue that some people have tried to turn back the other way and have it be an AFL issue or a ASADA issue. It isnt. Essendon is a power club and will bounce back in ways we mightn't have had we been in your shoes. dont I wish we had the media defense unit that your club has. ! But imo evans was right at the very beginning. Own up to it...take the whack.....move on as best you can...and let it wash away over time. It IS a shameful chapter in the clubs history .....and no one can undo that regardless of which action is taken. But leaving the coach intact only riles up everyone else watching on. Its good you want a new coach as If a new coach AND board isnt put into place you cant expect much sympathy from the public in general. It feels like a refusal to see the magnitude of what they organised/ agreed to. Which is the flavour in the air atm.

Given that the Dogs and GWS will probably be arguing up to the deadline ,and each trade they're trying to do affects trading with Stkilda, theres got to be a chance that the saints are forced to keep pick 1 and go w McCartin. Which could mean that Petrecca is available as well. For all the Kennedy talk I think Id be more excited about that duo coming to the club along with pick 23.

I agree except whats he actually being offered? a 3 yr deal at 400 isnt it? gotta be 2nd round