No Dino it is patently obvious that Synbad is using Lucas, in part, to further his other agenda which is basically to attack other areas of the club, as he Lives to do. Lucas is just the jumping off point. Ratts is gone so he is just honing is skills on another Target. He can't attack MM because he was all for him so the feelers go out for fresh meat.

As for being baited he is the one who seems to have failed at maths. I'm thinking Julia could use him to fudge a few figures right about now.

He keeps talking about it being 4 seasons when the 4th has just started.
Now he talks about Kane being 22/23 when at the start of the season Kane was and still is just 21.
Synbad has never been much on facts it is more just LOUD discussion.

As for the 'Poor Lucas' thing I would suggest you are wrong there. Not one person is saying Lucas is a star. What many are rightly saying is that he has several areas he needs to work on but so far in 2013 he has shown marked improvement on 2012. Blind Freddy can see that. Of course he could be harder and of course he could hit more targets. But so could a few others who have been around a tad longer.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Just because young players are always blasted by fans does that make it right or even logical to do so.
Does getting paid more make them a better character at 18/19/20 or just able to afford a better car and yearly holiday. The 95% salary cap means many get paid more than they should but the AFL/Players Association have set that bar.
What is the support network away from the club for the shy 18yr old Interstate player living with a host family, with no close friends, who suffers an injury and can't join the main group because he is in rehab.
What is this Life training you speak of. If anything they are put up on a false pedestal at an early age by some and as a result struggle to cope with the adulation. The adulation can just as quickly turn to abuse when they miss a target or have a tackle broken because they weigh 75kg and their opponent is 95kg of seasoned muscle. How does an 18 yr old cope with adulation at 1pm and abuse on the internet at 5pm?

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

I'm not saying I endorse them being abused, just that I don't feel sorry for them. I actually defend players of a certain age eg Bootsma - as different players can take longer to develop.

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Just on hitting targets. Its a fine line. At one point against the crows Lucas placed the ball perfectly for a Yazz run at it and into goal. It did not come off but I liked the thinking. Was the kick off? Or did Yazz just not have the tank at that moment? Doesn't matter - not everything comes off.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

Well said Cazz. Let the kids be for f**k sake.
By the way Lucas will be a STAR!!!

Yep. Frustrating isn't it?

Seems to be a lot of focus on Lucas this year and the funny thing is that other teams are also questioning their selections around that mark.

#7 Sheppard: Plenty of W.C. people asking questions of him. Not many fans just yet.
#8 Butcher: Injured, out of form and has played only 12 games for a bottom side, to date.
#9 Moore: Question marks on him at Port also. Some see something in him and others don't.
#10 Melksham: Played the most games of any player listed here, yet is more disliked by the Essendon* faithful than any other player here.
#11 Gysberts: No more needs to be said.

#13 Talia: Got his break last year when other backs moved off and for injury to other keys. Not many Adelaide supporters are happy with the way he's travelling this year.
#14 Jetta: Had a break out year last year but is on the verge of being dropped after averaging 9 possessions a game this year.
#15 Howard: Nothing much happening here in a very poor side.
#16 Pittard: Not exactly a favourite down Port way yet.

One could argue that Lucas has shown more this year than any of the players listed here.
Funny how many on the W.C. board are talking of their interest in Lucas possibly coming home at the end of the season when his contract lapses. Grass............Greener?

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Cazzesman is overly defensive of Lucas to protect his real agenda that the clubs recruiting has been terrible.
I'm not sure cazzesman can be impartial in this debate as he really is hamstrung due to employment fit any kind of impartiality.

However, top picks being used on guys who are drafted early but can't kick or lack agility to play the game at a high standard is inexcusable.

Second... A guy in his fourth season of senior football I'd not a kid.... In football terms.

Third a fourth year player who cannot kick lacks strength can't tackle is a guy who has not been focusing on getting the best out of himself by preparing himself to be the best be possibly can be.

Fourth if people believe this is acceptable and should be the norm we deserve to continue on being average.

Low standards.

Over our dark years we have drafted poory developed poorly and held very low standards.....

Good luck with Lucas and Watson's early draft picks.........

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Im sorry but Synners - why does Lucas need to beef up? He is a runner. Runners who are 90kg+ are VERY few and far between. Lucas looks stronger than Simpson and I think from memory that guy has played a few games and doesn't squib out of contests. To me, his size and shape look fine to me. He could add 2-3kg in muscle and probably not adversely affect his speed and agility, sure. He is 21. It doesn't come easy for everyone to put on weight and I am sure come next season if the club wants him heavier, he will be heavier.

It's a mental thing with Lucas, not body size or shape. Mental things usually take a lot longer to fix than physical.

Your constant negativity about the kid is borderline stupid now.

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"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman

Don't start that misleading rubbish. I'm defensive of Lucas for 1 reason.........."You are wrong claiming he isn't improving'.

You are wrong because the facts from 2013 sample so far don't support your argument.

No bias or impartiality to be seen at my end, just rhetoric and blindness from yours.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Synbad.............I don't come here too often but at times I think I'm just reading the same thing over and again.

You say:

1. Lucas and Watson are no good.
2. We have drafted poorly.
3. We have developed poorly.

That may be completely right or completely wrong or any of a thousand shades of grey, in between.

My little mind tells me you have an agenda and that you may well know what you're doing and why you're doing it.
You may well be a quiet genius or a petulant child..................or any of the thousand shades of grey, in between.

Hope your project comes to fruition. ...really...

The continual focus on recruitment over development continues to baffle me. 20% is getting the pick right, 80% developing it properly once they are through the door.

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The only way for some people to understand is for them to be on the receiving end

Left wing moralists
In self serving denial
They shit me no end

I don't think that Synbad has suggested that Lucas hasn't improved in 2013. Nor do i think that he wouldn't be chuffed for that improvement to continue. Its just that Synbad prefers not to beat around the bush in recognizing that Lucas's improvement to date is expected from a round 1 pick, its not irresponsible to judge the worth of a selection in the light of what you paid for it, its also realistic to place a responsible time limit on improvement, minimum AFL list/draft selection rules along with the competitive nature of the competition compel clubs to do so. He's just taken a non mole-coddle approach to the way he highlights and discusses what those areas of improvement may be. We all hope the improvement continues, well done so far in 2013 Mr Lucas.

I think you're both wrong. Synbad - Lucas is improving. Cazzesman - you clearly have a conflict of interest. I'm fine with both. Move along, nothing to see here.

So you are happy with out recruiting'
You are happy with Lucas pick twelve from four years ago.

All is going great ?
Our recruiting over the course is very good and you're all satisfied with the results ?

I'm arguing my case.... What do you mean I'm mudding the waters ?

I'm saying the recruiting is below par and Lucas has not done the work needed.

Are you really arguing this by showing me an article by bartel talkng about kids?

Lucas is almost a middle aged footballer.... who would give us a trade for Lucas?

How old must Lucas become too be criticized?

Plenty of younger players picked much later doing much more than Lucas... Not only can be not kick and is a squib but he didn't work hard enough on his deficiencies....


Yes the beef is with crap recruiting and a draftee who doesn't work hard enough on his weaknesses.


If you believe the recruitment is great and Lucas had done every possible thing needed to make it..... You're a problem for the club!


Standards seem very low around this football club and its little wonder we are average!

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Ignore my rants and keep taking half back flankers.... guys that can't kick with pick twelve And talls that run slow and stiff!

Sounds like your plan over there ?

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

I'd say 50% - 50%

I don't know enough about it or how it could be effectively measured - but surely there must be some sort of metric that could spit out a number on what level of improvement a player has in him. Ditto for coachability etc. They would seem way more important to me than raw talent. At under 18 level everyone can kick, get possessions, take grabs and spoil. It's how that translates to senior footy as you develop that, to me, doesn't seem to be considered.

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The only way for some people to understand is for them to be on the receiving end

Left wing moralists
In self serving denial
They shit me no end

Id say 65% getting the pick right (not all potential is equal) -30% developing the potential. But then again I know SFA about recruiting

i think you need a fair dose of natural talent in a number of areas to make an AFL list - and then the right development to accentuate that talent