Diamond_Jim

Hard enough these days for a team to carry one ruck let alone two. Anybody remotely good would be looking for a number 1 spot or at the very least a club where you had a chance of challenging for number 1. Good example is North with Goldstein slowing down. As earlier posters have mentioned we need to pick a couple of KPP's and teach them ruck skills and rely upon those people as back ups. If they are in the best 22 all the better but perhaps they could be at VFL level on the cusp. Weideman is an obvious candidate but he will not stay post 2019 unless he sees a future.

I thought God was on our side at Waverley when the hot northerly turned and we kicked with the win for three quarters. Alas we all know what happened in the end. An eerie silence with people wandering the car park talking in hushed whispering tones. '87 was something very special.

This year' is anyone's really. Sure, Richmond are favourities but they are only 5-10% in front of the pack. They are very gettable. Is it our turn... who knows... there's some big holes on our game plan when it comes to playing in the major league as we all know and whatever they are we've got a week to fix em. A few weeks of straight kicking may deliver the holy grail........... here's hoping.

Thanks for bumping this. I have been in the air for the last few days and would have missed it. So special .... just wonderful

It is signed by Weg (William Ellis Green)... a famous cartoonist who drew most of the football posters. The original drawings by Weg are quite collectible I understand. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ellis_Green

Garlett and perhaps Bugg will be playing for a finals spot and who knows we could see Hunt and Joel Smith. Weather looks good at 17 and light winds ... maybe the perfect day for the famous egg and bacon roll.

Out of interest.... Have we ever played at the Sydney Showgrounds? I can recall playing GWS at Manuka but cannot say I can recall a Showgrounds game. Mind you GWS v MFC matches were never big on FTA.

must say that is what I thought but I have problems with tomorrow sometimes let alone ten days time ?

Years ago I was listening to the pre match talk back on 3 AW and a guy rang in (this was the days of Harry Beitzel and Tommy Lahiff) and suggested that players should have their own water bottles. In those days players drank straight from a big plastic bottle. Harry and Tommy nearly fell off the phone at the "stupidity of the suggestion". Hygiene wasn't a big thing in the early 80's. What a difference a few years makes

why do you say that?

If it's Sydney it'll be at the Showgrounds. Holds about 30k at most. Bulldogs played a final there in 2016. Lots of complaints about not enough tickets for Bulldogs fans in an effort to get it moved to either SCG or ANZ stadium but as I recall everyone from the Bulldogs who wanted to go got a ticket in the end. Mind you there may be more Orange People these days

I was using the term 'second round" to distinguish it from a low first round pick. For example no one would accept Weideman as a trade for the a low first round pick (top5) but a high first/ low second round is about his worth. The point I was trying to make is that free agency perversely benefits the higher ranked clubs because assuming they can match offers there is a lesser incentive for them to take the compensatory pick. Mind you I prefer this to the power club getting the high worth pick. Not sure that free agency is really doing much other than giving the players a little salary leverage. Perhaps a subject for the off season.

I'm sure the figures have to go through the AFL and they need to be assured that WC and the offeror can both fit the player within the salary cap.... this isn't bluff poker ( I hope)

not quite they would want something/ someone better than the comp they would be offered. I think the comp is at best pick 18 assuming they finish 17... so call it a very high second rounder. Other than Weideman I can't see anyone in that category that we and WC would even consider. Salem could be a possibility but hell I would hate to lose him. Never realised it till now but the free agency system does in a madly perverse way favour the top teams both coming and "going".

great.... that's a good enough reason for me to barrack for the Hawks on Saturday night. Have been overseas for the last three months and as an AFL member I can go to any of the games in Melbourne. Was thinking of a feast of football but other than our game none of the Melbourne games have much attraction. May take the long trip to Casey to get my early footy fix.

hell ... that is three weeks of pure agony ... each one has memories not to mention Waverley circa 1987. So who do you have for the GF on that basis PS.. the strange thing is that we would be a good chance in every game ?

Hell... we had a road to the finals thread for the last few years ... why not a road to the big one. So how do we want to get there. Do we want our prelim against WC in Perth or the Tigers at the G and if so what has to happen. Personally I want the Tigers because it would mean that for the fist time in my life we would be going into a GF as the favourites or at least equal favourites. Over to you gurus of the ladder prediction world. Can the Tiges game even happen if the results go to form this weekend and we win/lose to GWS.

Interesting concept.... so we wait until Gaff nominates his club and then WC can match and then if the nominated club still wants him you trade. No thanks ....the only trade we would consider that WC would be interested in would probably be Weideman. Given that Gaff is an RFA it just doesn't make sense to trade a top 22 player and it's not as though they are queuing up at Casey. Stretch maybe. Fascinating PS: I did not realise that WC would then lose it's compensatory pick..... Which of course is not worth as much to a top club... (doubly fascinating)

that gives the top 4 a two day break advantage when it only needs to be one. Didn't realise they did that last year. I was still getting over Round 23.

Interesting concept the Thursday night.... Presumably the next week will be Friday and Saturday night. The loser of the matches between the top four will most likely be rewarded by the longer break but I assume it will only be one day extra. So I think you can have a good guess at working out the order

Ah the experts are now where many of us were at a few weeks back. Interesting that King mentions trading Jess for pick 7...easy decision ....No. It gets harder for Freo's next 2 first rounders ..but I would want to be sure about the AFL's position on priority picks for Carlton and the Suns. Would also be influenced by what we could ontrade for given the spare salary cap. A mature club looks at these things with a hard head.

thanks ... now I see GWS cannot make the four irrespective of who wins between Hawks and Swans

Win and we most likely play Geelong at the MCG Lose and we most likely play GWS in Sydney at the Sydney showgrounds. Am I correct .... assuming Geelong and Collingwood win which are both high probabilities? PS: Oh wait a minute that Hawks v Sydney game can change a few things ...my head is hurting

Hogan when he has a 29 possession... 4 goal game Enough to win finals .... if only After that... Brayshaw and of course Oliver. Petracca could be but we certainly haven't seen it yet.

Fascinating ....now one of the fans' favourite players