Earl Hood

Which is all you need. I had a tour of the Footscray campus altitude rooms (with the Doggies in attendance) and the new wisdom is that you 'train high and live low'. That is do your work at altitude but its better for you if you sleep at normal altitude levels. They said the Arizona thing was good but you didn't need to go to that expense and in fact it may be detrimental (to fitness levels) by living at altitude for a month or so..

Just to confuse things, I am sure I saw an interview a few years ago with an Olympic athlete who was using an altitude facility at a uni here and he was sleeping high at night then training at full intensity low altitude on the track. The theory was that the gains in red/white? Blood cells that increases your oxygen uptake happen over time as you sleep but you can train intensely at sea level during the day.

Back on the NT trip, my recollection froom watching the daily videos they posted during the last trip and listening to the various players' comments was that the trip was a very effective bonding exercise, moreso than staying back in Melbourne might have been. When there are together 24/7 there can be no greater bonding scenario particularly when they were all pushed to test themselves out of their comfort zones. Personally i think that its a shame if we don't repeat it this year, particularly when we are enmeshed with the NT Government and committed to playing three matches there next year (one NAB Cup and two during the Season-proper).

Agree if the NT Govt is our major sponsor, why wouldn't we at least visit preseason. Good PR exercise.

Apart from the Age trying to run at least one derogatory sort about Abbott every day, the silence is wonderful. Abbot has taken Politics off the front page and the nightly news, to the background where it belongs. Politicians are paid public servants not media stars and if the Labor Party ever want to get back in to power they should take note of this.

Fortunately the elevation of "Pants Man" to the leadership of the Labor Party will give them plenty of time to reflect; meanwhile we can focus on who will actually lead them to the next election and just who it will be that will knife Bull in the back.

The silence is courtesy of News Limited Robbie; oh and add to that the Singleton Shock Jocks in Sydney. Their frothing at the mouth outrage at every Government initiative has suddenly disappeared. But strangely the new Government has not changed much as yet. Budget crisis? Well no not really we will just carry on as usual really; fairwork Australia, BAU. The Boats, well no new changes really just a three star general and a new monica "operation sovereign borders,oh and a new minister who tells us nothing. But suddenly Alan Jones and co are calm.

Actually I find it laughable that for nearly 3 to 4 years the captains of industry and heir acolytes, the various industry groups spent a lot of their time trashing our prospects and the Gillard Goverment to such an extent that economic growth was slow at best. Why has that achieved? Answer zero.

The issue is Cook was never going to make it at AFL level and that's a fact; some saw it early others didn't. Unfortunately the Melbourne recruiters were amongst the "didn't". I recall at the time, saying to my wife, what the bloody hell have we done.

How they picked him will remain one of the mysteries of our time, one of, if not the worst selection ever.

Agree with your thoughts but how did he get All Australian CHF??? That gave the pick some legitimacy at the end of the day. And I think BP worked off that fact. Did we actually talk to the kid and work out his work ethics and ambitions? I don't think so.

At the end of the day some kids play great footy under age with other kids! But the jump to playing with men can be a big ask for some kids. I know I found it very difficult at first. It took me probably 3 years to become comfortable playing with mature age thugs.

Hey Hood I would start checking your phone isn't tapped after that outburst.

Mgdee

Thanks for the timely advice. I have just chucked my phone down the dunny. Now I am free!!!

The Hood

For someone who once played for Blackburn North and St Peters, I think you might be out of your league here.

I am talking you Jumbo!

Hmmm had a look on google. Very nice but no match. But then beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I am thinking we could never agree but gee I think we could have a good date with either.

For someone who once played for Blackburn North and St Peters, I think you might be out of your league here.

11-14-2010, 08:18 PM

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cotter101

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top 25 2010 afl phantom draft should be accurate

1. GC. david swallow

2. GC. harley bennel

3. GC. Sam day

4. WC. andrew gaff

5. lions. dyson heppel

6. tigers. jared polec

7. GC. josh caddy

8. dons. shaun atley

9. GC. danie gorringe

10. GC. recee conca

11. GC. Tom lynch

12. dees. Jack darling

13. GC. jayden pitt

14. crows. brodie smith

15. cats. issac smith.

16 power. scott lycet

17. north. kieren harper

18. blues. Mathew watson

19. hawks. seb tape

20. freo. billie smedts

21. swans. ryan lester

22. dogs. mitchel wallis

23. cats. brad harvy

24. saints. josh green

25. lions. mitch halahan

what you think?

anyone see Lucas Cook ... most phantom drafts had Lucas Cook at pick 25-40. Everyone did laugh when we called him at pick 12. Missed Atley & Darling

It is getting late. I am feeling a bit ill.

The guy's not the prototypical key forward though. He's 21 so it's incredibly hard to say anything negative about him right now but I think he should be moving in to the midfield a la Jarryd Roughead because at his size I predict his improvement as a true key forward is limited. West Coast dont have a big midfielder so I see it happening.

It is difficult to give an answer on this post. So far he has nailed the half forward position for WCE, he is aggressive, kicked goals, set up goals, played the defensive forward role with agressive tackling inside 50. But look other than that he Is too young to work out his place in the side, really.

Forget the midfield, he is still killing them at half forward. And I like his ability to bounce back upright from a prone position. Apparently it is a karate thing but Shyte I like that.

He's good, but maybe it was just a drop of form that young players suffer from but to me he's starting to look a bit more like he's not quite the dominant key forward but more a dangerous and crafty slightly undersized tall.

Remember he dominated under 18's as a 17 year old and everyone thought he was the next Jono Brown. 12 months later he hasn't grown any taller, didn't play as well, messed around with a school girl and got his head kicked in on a night out.

Of course a clever team drafting for needs in a tall forward still would've had him ahead of Cook but an even smarter team might have avoided both and gone for best available. Or taken Cook in the second round and developed him properly and maybe today he'd be a decent B grade option at least. His post AFL career has shown he wasn't ever going to be a star. I also think when Cook was drafted he

probably should've been made a defender. Good reading of the play might have countered his poor athleticism and he did have nice foot skills.

I am biased I just wanted Darling at the time if he was available at pick 12. He had been an underage champion at 16 or 17 but then he got injured and didn't have a great under 18 championship as an 17/18 y.o. West Coast started the rumours of bad behaviour and concussion issues, allegedly. We all took the bate and the rest is history.

But really he is my prototype draft pick, gun forward, agressive, black belt Karate champion, physical build and proven record that he could kick goals. But then oh Shyte there's a risk I will pick Lucas instead. Give me strength oh Lord.

No way - Francesca Cumani.....rivals Natalie.

Hmmm had a look on google. Very nice but no match. But then beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I am thinking we could never agree but gee I think we could have a good date with either.

The premise of this thread is totally wrong. I mean none other than Rupert Murdoch has given his support to Tony as an example of our egalitarianism and equal opportunity that a catholic could become PM. A humble catholic Rhodes Scholar as a PM, it is sobering!

Ruperts call for an Australia that is an egalitarian, meritocracy brought huge applause from Lachlan M and James Packer. I am just in awe of Rupert, that he would have the gall to come here and talk this Shyte, but hey he gets away with it because he is worth skillions.

We need to be a country to embrace emigrants to be the most diverse and open society in the world, just don't come in a boat! I mean the man is beyond hypocrisy, this American citizen who keeps talking about us and we.

Hey Rupert F off!

Derby Day BBQ.

The guy there knows one of the recruiters.

A Roos 'project' - nearly choked on me lamb kebab.

I would have thought that the entire MFC is a 'project!'

I read today the Mel B was banned from appearing on CH10's The Project. I am shattered. Sexiest woman going around in my opinion.

His off field antics also contributed to his 2 nd round pick OD, fact is, clubs would have picked him earlier if he was worthy of a 1st round pick

Results so far say he was a top 10 pick!

We really need Clark and Dawes fit and firing to give Jesse the support he needs in his first senior year. As the third tall in his first year he'd be 2nd to none.

I would like him,to have been born in Victoria, that is my only extra wish here.

Hey, as a bottom team we've been given a draw that matches us predominantly against other lower ranked teams, that's fair enough.

It is of course, just a coincidence that the teams with the largest supporter bases and the greatest financial resources are all in the top half of the ladder...

JUST. A. COINCIDENCE.

That said, while I understand the AFL's reasoning for keeping the friday and saturday night games mostly for the 'high-demand' games based on a magic equation of 'current momentum X baseline appeal' of the teams competing, it kind of makes a mockery of things like the equalisation fund.

It is time the AFL made it explicit - some clubs miss out financially in the process of the AFL maximising the overall income from the most lucrative game times, and as such the equalisatoin fund should provide a direct compensation for that which the low-status clubs can use to actively promote their club, mobilise existing supports and attract new ones.

I agree it is time there was an open and frank discussion about equalisation and all the variables involved. The AFLmmaximises income through TV rights payments which is based on maximising the hours of content available to free to air at prime time, Fox TV and Telstra, etc. that means some teams have to fill in the less popular times, Sunday twighlights, Mothers Day etc.

if these off peak times were shared around all would be fair but we know they aren't. The big teams get the peak playing times which helps their corporate incomes and marketing exposure. The smaller teams take up most of the off peak playing times for less exposure and income. There should be a formula developed to recompense the minnows for this reality but don't hold your breath waiting for this admission of reality any time soon.

Melbourne will continue to fail at list management and drafting until the club poaches a head recruiter from a team who has demonstrated these qualities. Clubs such as Geelong, Hawthorn, Collingwood. Until the club can do this, the list will increasingly fill of the Gysberts, Morton, Steven Armstrong, Daniel Bell, Nicholas Smith, Sylvia, McLean, Bate, Dunn, Petterd, Morton, Maric, Watts (may prove to be ok; still unknown), Blease, Strauss, Scully, Trengove (refer watts), Gysberts, Tapscott, Cook.

2009 draft: Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Tapscott. Yes ok he landed Gawn, Fitzpatrick however the class was earlier in the draft. 4 picks in top 18 and I suspect we blew every one of them.

I know it serves little purpose discussing our drafting however I feel so resentful of the MFC management from 2000 (and perhaps before that I wasnt aware of) to 2012.

I am not sure about your idea here of the super recruiter. I have always found it interesting that the first 25 players in each draft are predicted every year by Emma Quayle and others and with a few exceptions it pans out as expected. As we know MFC has not done that well in the first round selections. However BP did break with expectations with Cook and Gysberts. The rest of the early selections we followed what was predicted and got what we got.

Rather than the super recruiter concept we may have, in Roos, someone who's recruitment strategy gives us an edge. The ability to pick player types to fill a role, in the knowledge that for the past whatever years those guys have been playing a role at AFL level. I think Roos strategy is to seek out players who have made that initial transition from 18 year old to AFL player, that is the biggest step that sorts out many gifted kids. I also remember listening to Roos a few years ago extolling the virtues of a number of his rookie upgrades and recycled players at the Swans. He contrasted their hunger for success and humble work ethic versus that of the first round 18 year old selection who has elite expectations of what your club will do for them.

Recruiters and their recruitment network can come into thir own in the later rounds if they have really good intelligence on the roughies. I suspect that MFC has a reasonable record for picking players from the 30's to 60's over the years. We have done well with late picks, getting some serviceable players but we have failed for decades to uncover one or two elites. That has cruelled us. In the 90's we could pick and develop talent at will, now we seem to search in vain. Maybe in time we will find we have some.

hmmn, sorry OMR, but Cales foibles were onshow from his very first game, & the fact he was allowed to continue getting his cheap tricks in his favorite back pocket gained from short kickins, is a travesty against this club.

He was reluctant to tackle from game 1.

& Bennell was taught in the 'new school' methods, as well. but he can play?

Funny in his first year I saw a different kid. In a dysfunctional side I saw a kid willing to present himself for a pass here and there. A kid willing to run forward and back. A kid who managed to kick 3 goals here and there when thrown forward. he had deficiencies and I wished we had picked Dangerfield of course but we did not manage this kid well. In first year he looked okay. It all turned to Shyte from there. He always struck me as a kid lacking confidence so he needed mentoring and managing. I don't think he got much of that and my impression is formed from reports from MFC at the time.

This was a kid who had talent, needed nurturing at all costs to keep his confidence up. I saw him run back into an on coming pack of forwards in a preseason match at Visy Park, he did his knee but it said to me this guy has got some guts. Injury and problems with coaches did him in at MFC. That said from there he went down hill and never recovered. In a top team I think he may have had a better run. He did have some ability.

25s game over 3 seasons and eventual Captain of Box Hill Tech, 150+ games at Pioneers in ESCFA in A & B grade only and was DVC for a couple of seasons.

Vice captained U 17 Interleague side against West Gippsland League, had a few training runs at Hawthorn and a couple of years at the Zebra's in the EFL.

Played a bit of footy with Crozier and Marshall at Pioneers. Marshall was a freak but a touch undersized. I was always a full back, could kick it a bit.

Hey Still Waiting

You were a year ahead of me I think. Adelphians were largely made up of Box Hill tech or Koonung guys. You would have played school footy with was it Erwin Spurl? And did you play with or against a guy called Valkenberg? He played centre half forward in under 17's and I got the biggest bath of all time aginst this guy, big learning curve for me at the time. The team got smashed as well. I hadn't played much footy but he seemed to have talent in spades. Wonder where he got to. I went to Swinburne with one of Adelphians best rovers of that time but I can not remember his name, Peter someone, great guy.

To be fair he nabbed Scott Thompson with pick 16 in 2000; Sylvia and McLean in 2003 (doesn't look good on paper - but look at those taken around them) and a few reasonable rookie and late draft selections.

He completely bombed out in the 2001 superdraft as well as 2002, 2004 and 2007 so shouldn't be hailed as a genius. Prone to errors like the rest of us but only a middle-of-the-road recruiter for mine.

Apologies if your reading this CAC1963

Looks a lot like the law of averages in play here. CC got it right in 99 but it all drops away in 2001 and 2002 etc. I think I might have about the same hit rate as these guys. I pick Scott Thompson one year then I pick Bate and Dunn the next. Is that recruiting talent or the law of averages? Geelong and Hawthorn seem to have picked the eyes out of a number of drafts, did they have better recruiters or better opportunities in drafts that had real talent. I always look at the drafts of 2003 versus 2004. Both MFC and HFC had similar priority picks but look at the talent pool!

Oh hold on we are now going to get into the player development argument. All I will say to that is I remember Neil Danaher saying he interviewed Roughead and said he would be a champ and I saw Buddy's first game against us in 2005 as a skinny tall kid playing on the wing and said to my Hawk friends, who the hell is that kid? You could see the talent immediately.

The Hawks managed it again in 2007 with Rioli. Within 3 months of training he was playing exceptional, if erratic footy and played a great finals series. My point is there was minimal player development here, more an inspired selection yet again by a good side. And that adds another recruitment variable. Recruiting a player into a good team adds to their chances of success.

Great read but still leaves me with questions. At the start of the season Jones is confident things will be better. The measureables are all up; we are fitter, stronger, bigger, more experienced and training well. The leadership players are all on board and with Neeld who has their confidence. Then bang, the first game against Port. I was there and I was gobsmaked in the first quarter. We hardly got a possession in the first 15 minutes, didn't lay a tackle, didn't chase. This wasn't a group of players going back into their shell, introverted, afraid to take a risk after numerous thumpings, that happened later on. No this team never got out of their shells from the first bounce. What the hell was going on then? Had the coaches and player leadership group been totally divorced from the playing group all along?

The following week against the Bombers was the lowest point in our history in my opinion. Players standing around looking at their oponents run riot and not giving a Shyte? Could not believe what I was seeing.

My point is from Emma's article it shocked Jones and we know it bewildered Neeld at the post match conferences - "I didn't see that coming!" The reality bus hit all of us head on.

I think there would be clues if Emma had been able to find out what was said when Roos met the leadership players and asked them what had changed between 2010 when we thumped the Swans and 2013. I would love to know what our guys thought.

At the end of the day I am no wiser on the root cause for our most shameful season in 155 years. Lets hope Roos learnt about the real problems at the club in that meeting and is confident he can work through them.

You think that the three years he spent here had no impact at all on his growing body?

The fact that he spent his formative years as an AFL player at the same club where Cale Morton, Lucas Cook, Jack Watts and co. all failed to develop muscle mass in line with draftees at other clubs indicates we did little to help him.

Not convinced with logic of your argument here. These players all have a similar body type, tall and skinny. Some body types dont build muscle easily. That was the issue many of us had with BP's (or was CS in there as well?) drafting; "oh please not another skinny outsider!" Lucas Cook was the last straw for many of us who thought we needed a mix of types, that is after the succession of choices of lightweights, we needed a few more aggressive types with physiques to match.

It was obvious BP was following some formula based on what seemed successful elsewhere; Tall mids this year, skinny, quick outside runners, next, then good kicks, who knows? All we do know it has been a shambles. Development has been bad but you need the right cattle to work with.

One more story before you all tell me to Pissoff. Late seventies, I have played 150 odd games mostly on the ball but now doing it pretty easy at half back playing on the sort of average forwards who find themselves at half forward. Back then most of them were decoys for the key centre half forward. Usually no problem shutting my man down to a goal here and there. We line up at Brighton United ESCFC. I am at half back picking up a 15 year old, looking for another win and easy day at the office. Holy [censored] this kids kicked 4 on me and set up another 3 by the 20 minute mark of the first quarter. Con Gorodizdis who went on to play for the St Kilda and the Dogs. Never seen anyone as good at 15! Stand in front he was on your shoulders, stand behind and all you saw we're his stops in your face. I tried some physical stuff and he nearly throttled me and this from a teen! We lost big time that day I think he got 9 or 10. But it was a previledge to witness what real talent looks like. And gee he was a shooting star in the VFL that faded. it never ceases to amaze how some people can be so gifted physically.

If your experience is correct, I'm staggered. I haven't been at training since the Daniher days and the video seemed in step with those days. What happened under Neeld?

Not a lot that I saw. I went 5 or 6 times as I worked nearby. If I got there early I would get bored waiting for players and coaches to wander over from AAMI at their leisure. No sense of urgency or regimentation. Maybe all the teams show up like this. Then you spend 30 minutes watching them to stretching, trotting around the ground. There would be a few drills here and there but I never saw anyone busting a gut or being forced to execute skills under intense pressure. The way we were playing on game days I thought I might have seen a few sessions that were a bit more intense, physically demanding, where players would need to make quick decisions in heavy traffic.