Rolling Stone

Nice timing as always by the chief football writer at the sinking ship known as Fairfax. Just when a club is on the up and up and ready to go on to big things, out comes another story rattling skeletons in the cupboard. Well played Caro. Isn't it time for a story about Dustin Martin and his bikie dad who got deported or about men who take on females in Asian restuarants with chopsticks?

Is it true that St Kilda who were going neck and neck with us for memberships in recent years have passed 30k?

It would be an interesting exercise if someone could do an analysis of the effect the loss of 1,000 points would have had on GWS in the 2016 draft.

It's not as if we supporters haven't had any expectations in the past. What could go wrong anyway?

Well, now that Mr. Lumumba has left us, do we allocate the number 8 to another player - perhaps Joel Smith if we upgrade him?

Do not touch him.

One thing I don't understand is why we would promote Wagner or Smith off the rookie list instead of using the choice in the draft when those two could stay on as 2nd year rookies anyway? Aren't you entitled to lift one player automatically at the start of the season and then others if you have long term injuries? If you elevate one of these players, you would be dropping down in selection order and miss a late choice.

Is it a Dunn deal?

Panel beater mate had nothing to offer but said Essendon would finalise a deal this week for a Melbourne player. He's repairing a De Lorean so the recruiters at Bomberland can travel forward twelve months to help them decide whether next year's second round pick is going to be better than this year's.

Stay tuned. My wife and I are about to visit my panel beater friend who's barber has his shop over the road from Windy Hill (a few doors away from that clinic where the injecting went on). Anyway, my mate had a haircut yesterday so I reckon he'll have lots of good oil about the trades for me. I will pass on any information I glean if you promise to keep it confidential.

Sooner or later it will filter through that Rockliff to Melbourne is simply not going to happen.

As has been alluded to elsewhere, the Pies might be interested in Lynden Dunn or Colin Garland to assist with their issues in defence. They might want Heritier back too! However, by the look of it they have nothing to offer us. We've had enough of reject Collingwood players and they're not likely to give up third 2nd and 3rd round picks.

The post didn't describe the kid as a "winner". He's just not a loser as some painted him because he got senior game time in practice matches and is showing improved form. I think the club has been the "winner". This time last year I was feeling quite ill after we lost a NAB Challenge game to an Essendon full of top up players. That's losing.

Is anyone able to describe how Roos handled the transition to Longmire at the Swans in his final season? From all accounts it was a seamless changeover and it didn't take them long to win a flag under Longmire.

Lots of teams in the rebuilding phase use young players - doesn't mean their clubs aren't exercising a proper duty of care.

Darcy Parish is a teenage Selwood ready to go

I can't see him being in charge of the drinks if he comes to us.

Geez Carlton look very ordinary.

Roos uses the defensive style as a means to an end and has been successful in the past by utilising it to wear down the opposition. The result achieves wins that are often ugly in terms of aesthetics but from where we've been I'm happy to cop the ugly wins if it leads to success somewhere down the track.

^ ^ ^ Actually, players from every AFL club get drug education programmes on a regular basis under the aegis of the AFL and these things are constantly drummed into them. The argument Lees made was that as a VFL player he was never informed of the dangers of buying supplements on line. That's still no excuse for getting on the supplements but Lees deserves a bit more sympathy than the Essendon players who are highly paid and better informed.

The fact that ASADA received a smashing from the media over the Herald Sun is consistent with one of the arguments that the names were leaked to embarrass or discredit ASADA's investigation. Now, who on earth would want to do that?

Agree that Roughead was the dominant player but why on earth was he given so much latitude all day? Surely the coach is not going to allow the opposition's most dangerous forward get a free run at the footy for so long when the real thing starts?

Who's going to be the first to demand we reinstate Neeldy?

Was it Demetriou who ran him out of business for his constant criticism of the AFL or am I mistaken?

Does anyone know if Max King is related to former Geelong ruckman Steven King who also came from the Murray Bushrangers?