Wells 11

I know this is a bit off topic but supposing he does get off this...does anyone know anything about his wrist and ankle injuries? I thought he reinjured his wrist in the same game he did his ankle. Aside from court cases wrist injuries alone can kill a career.

I say go for it. He'd be more than just a full forward. He'd relay that we mean business as a club, he'd be both an awesome marketing tool ( more members) and a big physical precense on the field we currently miss. He'd also bring a success laden attitude to the players around him. Given he wont cost draft picks its perfect. But , aside from Neeld, why would he choose us? Think Darwin instead of USA preseason, think jones and Mckenzie rather than pendlebury and Beams kicking to you, think our grand final being a home and away game against his old club. IF we could do it it would be huge but its a massive if....... It pisses me off but If I was a blues fan Id be feeling pretty confident....

Hawkins is a father /son pick. He wont be traded. I'd rather Boak than Hawkins anyway to be honest. when is this season EVER going to end.

I agree. This seems like a really dumb track to be walking. I wonder what the players think about the Darwin idea?...and a pre season trip there. It reminds me of St Kildas great idea in moving its home base to Rosebud. It looks good on paper, when you study the numbers etc....but that move will come and bite them on the arse soon. Players dont like travelling there. I said it before but I get this sinking feeling that the football aspect of this club is being compromised AGAIN. But its all worth is because 173 extra members signed up with us.

Its Darwin...not the interstate thing. Id be more than OK it if we were playing home games in Tassie. But the climate in Darwin drains the players and affects them the following week. Seems like a dangerous direction to go for mine.

Something about our deepening relationship with darwin pisses me off. The tiges cant run away from the place fast enough...and the reason they are doing that is that they recognise you cant be a serious contender and play home games in Darwin. What if we're up there in the 8 in the next couple of years and we're doing this. Going further into Darwin smacks of believing we're not going to be anywhere near. Not only that We're not training at altitude pre season now we're going to Darwin. We've JUST SEEN, in Baileys time, the troubles that come with ignoring football club spending to promote the bottom line. It doesn't work. Its not just the size of the club either. How can North afford the best preseason high altitude facilities in Utah while we're going Darwin. Its a short term dumb decision. If you were a player wondering whether to go to the Dees you'd have to look at that and think.." a bunch of losers" I hope this doesnt turn out to be Schwab overriding the footy dept. Ive had enough of ignoring the needs of the football department...we just cant afford to get left behind again.

Yep...you're right. My bad. I think at this time of year, with the season(s) we've had, its hard not to start being more excited about the trade season than the playing one. Want to "win" something!

If you look at WB draw... and their form, I really doubt they'll win another game. We on the other hand play Port, GC x2 and GWS. Also....and I hate to bring the T word here. But having lost Ward to GWS dont you reckon the doggies would just love to bite back at the system and get a decent return on that compo pick. We wont be tanking thats for sure...but dont count out the doggies trying to maximise the draft pick.

Everyone keeps presuming we have pick 4 in this thread. Looking at the draw I think if we beat Port on Sat eve we'll finish above both Port and WB. Which means we would have picks 6 and 7 and have to use one of them on Viney. Port will most likely have pick 3 or pick 5 if they finish beneath the WB. Im not sure how much that changes things but it may well be WB that ends up in he stronger position of the vic teams

When Bailey came to the dees we were broke. He had no football department money to speak of and nothing like the support staff and coaches of the better clubs. The "culture rebuild" is on with Neeld because we're out of debt and the price of skimping on football department matters has never been so obvious. Players like Bruce got caught up in the free fall we were in. I hope he returns in some way , would love to have him back around the place. Just not teaching the kids how to kick!

I dont post a lot but definitely turn to you guys after a loss... or more rarely a win ....or when theres a trading scenario around. Appreciate you guys . Just donated.

Does anyone know anything about the diagnosis and prognosis of HIS injury? Not the lisfranc injury in general but that injury as it is in Mitch Clarkes case. Looking to see if there's inside info anywhere. On side of possibilities its Trent Croad...and never play again. On the other its Matty Richardson and his best ever season on the wing. Pretty huge difference! Depending on severity and other factors I guess. Looking for someone who might know someone he's spoken to.

Just been reading about that injury. The really CRAP part of this is it may affect him in a permanent way. What is it with key big men in this club?! We either cant find them, or if by some miracle we do, they break. Every silver lining is forever replaced by dark clouds. Sorry....Im just having a downer about this.

Im with you on this dee man. I felt so much better watching the game yesterday and felt I could really see where we are going. I remember the last few times we've played carlton where we just got smashed in the physical elements of the game. Made me cringe. Not yesterday. Not until 3/4 time anyway. Yes Carlton were missing players. But we were also missing (from our supposed pre season best team) Jurrah, Davey, Slyvia, Green. In Feb I would have thought they were all big outs. Bar (hopefully) Jurrah the others are probably not returning now so we're rebuilding. We ran out of legs playing such an intense brand of footy...but that wont be the case for too much longer. Mc Kenzie was awesome on Judd, Nicholson, Watts, Blease, Frawley, Bail, Jones, Mc Donald...I KNOW we lost but honestly I think I saw the first sign of dawn after a long dark night.

Exactly. Thank you. Amazes me that so many of our supporters take aim at him. I had him in my best today and he was listed as such in the game write up. Think some posters need to distinguish between being [censored] off we lost and deriding Jack week after week. Yes, he makes errors....but he does some great stuff too. He's learning and IMO getting better in front of our eyes. He's one of the few things that make me feel better about the year so far. Was also SO much happier with the game plan this week...up until 3/4 time anyway.

sacking the leadership group for defending their coach blaming the leadership group for pretty much everything, then expecting them to perform like they were guilty catholics looking for atonement. leaving cam schwabb in charge choosing Neeld over Lyon

This. If the players are " passionless" we've got to look more deeply that just blaming the players. Its their careers and for some the ONLY decent career they will ever have.... If they lack "spirit" something is WRONG within the club

186 was a low point .........this is an extended low low period. Another actual 186 or worse could be around the corner.

Im sitting up on this stupid computer trying to feel better about things......but it isnt working. It just leaves such a hole in me to see us self destruct like this. So, I agree Mc Lardy has to step in....and find out what the hell is going on. This time though he better not dont blame the players if they give him answers he doesnt like. We need a big clearing.

The trouble is who cleans it out from the top?....The "top" is CS. I dont want to blame Neeld for 186 but he sure hasn't brought the group together afterwards has he.

Sooner or later the buck has to come back to Neeld and co. We're basically the same team that won 8 games last year. If he wasnt before tonight then pretty soon he's going to be coaching for his future....we just CANT be playing like this week in and week out without some serious questions. If he's going to be a great coach then he's going to somehow find a way through this and get them playing like a football team again. If he's going to keep treading the path he's treading he wont be there next year. Im no longer sure what result I want re neelds tenure.

No it hasnt....and until that is really addressed we're going nowhere. Its NOT addressing it to just say it was the players fault. Going down that line was a dangerous mistake. Neeld better find a way to repair soon or its going to be 0 - 22 at seasons end and quite possibly the end of his tenure.

YES to this. The big issue is that I dont believe Neeld has the players. Maloney won 18 brownlow votes last year and won our B&F. Played dangerously ill against the cats in 186 and gets the blame for what was seems like a football department issue. The leaders backed the coach, spoke out in his defence and were whacked for it. No wonder he's not responding to Neeld. If Neeld is the kind of coach we thought he was when he arrived...if he wants to be an AFL coach...he has to be flexible enough his thoughts about the playing style but more importantly he has to be humble enough to get back the players and heal the rift that exists after 186. I dont know he's going to do it but if he doesnt he's going to go down as the worst coach in AFL history

Have to keep Bennell in for a few weeks imo. He's still a potential player in my book and a player with pace which we lack. Selecting him one week dropping him the next is counterproductive. Its not like ANYONE bar Clarke and jones is playing that well at the mo . Whether by game plan, confidence or talent, Bennell is far from on his own. Give him a few weeks.

Nice try and I enjoyed the positivity....but no. I want to agree with you but I just cant.