Jerry Lundergard

It's a bit simplistic to say Nat could be a forward. Jeff White has a great leap, can take a pack mark and is a good kick for goal, yet was never effective as a forward. It would be a mistake to draft him thinking he could be a great forward, only to find he can't play there.

End of the day, Melbourne will take Watts because we need a key forward more than any other postion on the ground, and he's the best prospect. You can always shark the opposing ruckmans taps. The Pies almost beat Geelong last year rucking with Chris Bryan.

It's interesting that we fielded about 10 of our young guns into a meeting to lure Warnock. I bet all Carlton did was get C.Judd or D.Pratt to get on the dog and bone and persuade him to come over and play for the Blues. Job done.

As much as a skilled pacy midfelder would be nice, i personally just want a midfielder who could go in and get the f*ckn' pill out of a pack with clean hands and precision!

As annoyed and gutted as i am, i think back to only a few years ago when a team down the highway was complaining about their inability to attract a big name foward to come down to their club and play for them. In the meantime,they went about their business of develpoing their own list of young players while they waited patiently. Who would want to go and play down at Geelong? was the question being asked. Eventually they got their man, Brad Ottens. And the rest, as they say is history.

Joel Selwood played in the TAC didn't he? He looks like he has been playing against men his whole life.

If we decide to draft Watts fro next season, and put him on ice for a year to let his body develop(he is a bottom age player, playing a key position), can Watts still play school footy, or does he have to play VFL? If he is not ready to go physically next year in the AFL, then the VFL is probably no better. However, he will still need game time, which is why i am wondering if he can play school footy.

Interesting that Mike takes a pot shot at us over about how he can't beleive we finished 5th in 2006. Hey Mike, where did the Eagles finish that year you pickle?

Bobby, i presume you watch the better teams play and they way the move the ball by hand with long sweeping handballs to moving targets. Now you can't seriously tell me that Bruce does this well can you? Now i know he is not alone with this skill defeciency, but he is a senior player and leader of our club and gets the ball more than anyone on our team and should be able to execute this skill better. And Cam Bruce will poll well in our B & F, by virtue of the fact he is the only player on our list to play all 22 games this season.

I actually posted these comments on Joeboys 3 word analysis after the Dockers away game, and got labelled a "Bruce Hater" by Bobby McKenzie. "Bruce - His Kicking > His Handballing" "I am not a Bruce hater, i was just trying to make the point that much has been written about Bruces poor kicking(which IMO hasn't been too bad this season), however his handballing has been appalling. His technique doesn't look right to me, he seems unable to get the necessary purchase on the ball to delivery it with precsion and crispness to moving targets." I am glad i am not the only one to have picked up on how bad he handballs. They are just so weak. If he is our No.1 ball magnet in a run and carry game plan, and can't deliver effective handballs. He can actually hinder, rather than help us. Stef Martin has only been playing for a few short years, but delivers beautiful handballs under pressure, and to people on the move. Why can't Bruce?

I think you'l find most teams employ this tactic at stoppages, Geelong did it all night against us when they flogged us. Problem is, we don't have enough ball winners at the stoppages at the moment. Brock is our best clearance player, so we have been hurt by his absence. JMac seems to have games when he dominates the clearances, and others where he is invisible. Jones is often found at the bottom of packs, but rarely gets out fast effective handballs like a Black or Mitchell. Bruce is never going to win much of the hardball around the stoppages. I actually thought we seemed a bit better in the clearances when Valenti was playing, but have not checked the stats to confirm this. It doesn't paint the greatest picture for us, but with Brock playing we are automatically better and it is definitely an area we need to draft well in. Rich would have been ideal, but as highly touted key forwards don't come along very often, we will hopefully uncover a "clearance king" later in the draft, or get lucky with someone already on our list developing into one.

Well i can't see us rising too far from the bottom in 2009, but i would like to see the beltings stopped and some more competetive performances given. Having said that, we will be in a position where we could be faced with a situation of where if we win no more than 4 games we could be looking at picks 1 and 2 or 3 in the last "pure" draft for some time. It's unfortunate to have to think like that, but if we are going to be near the bottom of the ladder again next year, the benefit of not winning more than 4 is ultimately huge.

If you are a crap team it probably doesn't matter what structure or game plan you have in place, you'll still look bad and get flogged a fair bit. The Bombers have a far more attacking game plan, and move the ball inside 50 alot better than us, but they have copped just as many beltings as us, but on their plus side they have managed to win a few more. I couldn't make it to the game today, so i listened in on the radio and then chose not to watch(first time this year). I just couldn't bear to watch us play another pathetic game, it was bad enough listening to the radio commentators lamenting our skills and play in general. I want to have a crack at Bailey, but i feel that i need to wait until next season gets into full swing before i can really make an objective opinion about him.

If we want Watts and the eagles want Rich like reported, there would be no need for this trade from Freo. Maybe the Eagles are considering Natanui???

I hope Port gets up today. That will make their loss last night actually hurt even more.

I am positive Reiwoldt kicked a couple on him, but the others are spot on. He was unlucky against Bradshaw and even a couple of Buddy's, but got he towelled up Motlop last week, first week back from a hammy. Garland shows a certain kind of desperation playing as backman that reminds me a little of Craig Bolton. I think we will find it hard to move him forward, because it is pretty hard to replace players with great closing speed and spoiling techniques, and can also play on bigs and smalls. We've got ourselves a gem in Garland i reckon.

Not quite sure what you mean here. We were surmising as to whether Bate is fit or not, if he isn't fit that would explain his poor play. If he was fit, i would say his form wouldn't warrant him getting dropped. Go back and look at the Demonland votes for the Bombers game which was only a couple of weeks ago, he played a hell of a game.

I don't think Bartram has been playing too well of late, but has remained in the team. Bate was just about BOG against the Bombers only 3 rounds ago, i wouldn't be surprised if he was carrying an injury of some sort. Dunn was forced out of the side due to illness 2 weeks back where he lost quite a bit of weight. Had a poor return last week, and i would say has been given an early spell due to not being 100%. I don't think you can read too much into these final round selections. Three playing farewell games, and Carroll getting a game perhaps on form?

I guess it's like most rules, it comes down to whether the umpire interperets it the right way. eg. - His hands were in his back, but did he actually push him - He chopped his arms, but was it a legitimate attempt to spoil - He dragged the ball in, but did the other player jump on top him and hold it to him. etc...

I second that motion.

I wasn't sure if Dutchy was going to be used as a backup, but it looks like Carroll gets the gig. It will be interesting to see how he goes. Maybe we won't need to recruit Warnock after all

Intersesting that Carroll gets what seems like a farewell game, even though he is contracted for next season. I know he was best on ground last week at Sandy, but that was as a back up ruckman. Will he be playing that role again on Sunday?

I for one support the chopping of the arms rule. Nothing used to annoy me more, thna watching the like of a Dustin Fletcher or Ashley McIntosh be nowhere near Neita on a lead, but get bailed out by just chopping his arms.

THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Matthew Whelan Nathan Carroll Daniel Bell Half backs James Frawley Matthew Warnock Colin Garland Centreline Cameron Bruce James McDonald Brad Green Half forwards Ricky Petterd Brad Miller Simon Buckley Forwards Addam Maric Colin Sylvia Adem Yze Followers Jeff White Clint Bartram Nathan Jones Interchange Jack Grimes Ben Holland Cale Morton Paul Wheatley Emergencies Stefan Martin Michael Newton Shane Valenti In Nathan Carroll Jack Grimes James Frawley Ben Holland Addam Maric Ricky Petterd Out Matthew Bate Lynden Dunn Mark Jamar Stefan Martin Michael Newton (all omitted) Austin Wonaeamirri (hamstring) New Jack Grimes (Northern Knights) RICHMOND Backs Chris Newman Will Thursfield Kelvin Moore Half backs Jay Schulz Luke McGuane Jordan McMahon Centreline Matthew Richardson Shane Tuck Brett Deledio Half forwards Matt White Joel Bowden Richard Tambling Forwards Shane Edwards Jack Riewoldt Trent Cotchin Followers Troy Simmonds Kane Johnson Nathan Foley Interchange Daniel Jackson Mitch Morton Adam Pattison Greg Tivendale Emergencies Daniel Connors Dean Polo Alex Rance In Adam Pattison Greg Tivendale Out Tristan Cartledge Daniel Connors (both omitted)

With Rivers, it's like i said RR, high risk/high reward. And Rivers would fit perfectly in their backline, zoning off and playing that spoiling role, while Croad takes the big forwards. I don't know why Armitage doesn't get a run with the Saints, seems to play pretty well when he gets a chance. I didn't think pace was an issue, and if it is, why would they have taken him with their first pick in 06 when that was an area they lacked in?