He did actually explain why we took these two players.

We need more bogans on the list.

I think we've got too many players I'd be happy for my daughters to marry, and not enough Swan and Beames types.

This guy too
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/g ... 2492s.html

He did but that still contradicts the theory.

_________________
#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

I pointed this out a couple of weeks back.

Get BOGANS !

Agree....... Need more tough Bogan players.

I'd love for us to go after Koby Stevens. Apparently unhappy with the amount of games he's had this year at WC.
I think he has huge upside and can play inside and out. Thoughts?

_________________

He's a capable footballer, not A grade (yet?), but knows where to run and how to find it. A Brent Stanton type and like Brent, he can undo a little of his hard work with poor finishing.

Watched him closely on the weekend and he's a leader in the midfield at East Freo at the moment (not just a stats accumulator), so he doesn't mind responsibility which is good for a young player. Needs to work harder when his team doesn't have it.

Yes, Tom Swift is getting a game ahead of him (worst player on any list in the universe!), and I don't know why, but Swift does have a better tank and is more accountable.

_________________
I hope Essendon* folds.

What are his bogan attributes though? Sleeve tatts? Beaten up his missus? Beaten up a cabbie?

_________________

Reasonably bogan name. That's a start.

Yeah exactly. I'd even settle for juvenile convictions at this stage.

This is where we've got it wrong.

We've got a crownie-drinking, mullet-sporting, f*** youse all bogan president, and cultured well-spoken and polite players. Completely arse about. We need players with neck tatts and bikie dads, asap.

I'd say he's a fair bit harder than Stanton, and has more mongrel in him.
Would you agree with that from you've seen cimm?

I know he was captain of the AIS team as a junior and Buckley saw a lot in him.

_________________

He's in Houlihan meteosexual areas.

With some smart recruiting and trades I seriously believe we will be right up there in 2013.

B: Touhy White Laidler
HB: McInnes Watson OKeefe
C: Gibbs Bell Yarran
HF: Walker Henderson Robinson
F: Betts Casboult Waite
Foll: Kruezer Judd Murphy
Int: Carrazzo Simpson Armfield Lucas


Forget positions etc but look who is missing form this line up on our list already?

Bootsma Duigan Garlett Warnock Hampson Collins McLean OKeefe Jamison Dale Buckley Davies

Add a gun player or two and some top kids and it looks very very good!

_________________
#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

It's hard to agree there. Bootsma needs 15 kilos, until then he's not up to defending in the AFL. It could take the kid 2 or 3 offseasons to put on that kind of weight.

Lucas, ROK & Collins have not had enough footy -- or in Lucas' case shown enough -- to have a grade put on them. And there's no way given the last month any of them can be named in the side before Garlett.

Waite, Walker, Laidler & Henderson all must have questions over their ability to stay on the field for an entire season & playoffs. Walker and Waite are pretty much injury prone. Laidler and his patella may never be the same again, if Henderson has OP the same might apply to him. Throw in Kreuzer's possible degenerative hips, Hampsons knees and Warnock's chalk and you could easily make an argument that our list isn't up to scratch.

imo we are in need of 1 or 2 AFL ready KPP. We are probably a couple of mids short too and that's counting on Bell to keep making the grade. Looking at the elite teams, and they're batting 7 or 8 deep in the mids rotation. Come finals, that's the difference between going for a flag, and failing at the prelim stage.

Hopefully some bastard this offseason will step up and take a mid position like Dane Beams has done at collingwood. What's ROK's engine like, can he possibly do it? Buckley is in the same boat as Bootsma, he needs muscle on his frame, and is 1,2 or 3 offseasons away.

Right now, looking at getting a rolls royce in the middle to eventually replace Judd has to be a priority. He's 29 and at times this season, he's looked every day of that. I see Judd winding down his career on a half forward flank, and then a forward pocket ala Voss. Could Yarran be the guy to do it? If wells can for norf, I see Yarran as at least his equal in footspeed and skills. He needs the engine, I guess.

Every time I watch Bell, I think he has Dane Swan potential. Can break tackles, runs hard, strong thru the hips etc. He just needs the football brain -- which we haven't seen enough of ?-- and he needs softer hands & a cleaner, quicker disposal like Swan's.

Scotland is another question mark. His best footy for mine is left at the CHB flank. His disposal is crisp and clean and he can think his way out of trouble. This frees yarran up to the middle of the ground.

Trading one of Kreuzer or Warnock is a must this offseason and draft a prospect ruck late in the draft. With the return from one of these bigs we could get a mid that we really need.

The way I see it, is we're a 5-8th rank team with our full & fit list, and we have a bit of work on & off the field to be considered top 4 material at this stage for 2013.

The key reason I believe Ratten is not the right coach is his inability to improve and get the BEST out of our players. This is effected by a number of reasons such as confidence, consistency, game style, belief, injury and roll within team.

I have said on a number of occasions that it is extremely difficult to judge players, especially young ones when a side is struggling or is inconsistent.

On pure ability, and I believe with the right structure around them, I seriously believe there is some real potential in guys like Bootsma, OKeefe, Watson, McInnes, Bell, McCarthy, Casboult, Mitchell, Buckley, Davies, Dale, Lucas etc.

I also see improved consistency and improvement in Robinson, Gibbs, Yarran, Garlett, Laidler, Touhy, Armfield, Walker, Waite, Hampson, Kruezer, Warnock, Duigan, Jamison, White etc.

How many of our players have had very good seasons?

IMO there is a huge upside. We have a better list than Adelaide. Look at their improvement. I would say we have a better potential list than Freo, WCE & Sydney. With some real improvement I have no doubt we can challenge Hawthorn and Collingwood.

We just need to get it right.



PS as for Bootsma. He is very "young" in football terms. You also wont add 15 kgs to him and you dont want to. I see him more and more becoming a running mid ala Fyfe. He has that bit of time and class. Just needs time.

_________________
#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Fyfe is wiry strong though. Bootsma gets pushed around. Okay, he might not need 15kg on his frame, but he needs 15kg of strength on him, if that makes sense?

We've waited all season for Gibbs & Kreuzer to take the next step. They've plateaued, and that's been a big disappointment. Hopefully htey have more to give under a different structure, gameplan & coach?

My point was, while I don't disagree with your analysis of where the club is at off the field, your player assessments are relying on many variables, such as players -- who haven't up until this point -- be able to stay fit and on the park, players to put on weight/ strength, and for players who were good at juniors to carry that into the VFL & AFL.

It just doesn't happen very often.

It's one thing having upside and potential, it's another to meet that expectation.

Like I said hard to judge individual players given current structures. I have serious belief in the list if changes are made.

As I said my statement is made on POTENTIAL. There is some real hope IMO.

As for Bootsma I dont know how you can make those observations. He is just so young. Give him a chance.

_________________
#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Just a small further point on Bootsma.

On Saturday at Wili.......Quarter time break........Harris slams Bootsma...says "Seriously Boots you need to harden the F&*K up"

Dont thnk its a matter of weight or strength with Boots. Its more he is still a boy in mind playing a top level mans game. He has the agility and ability and loads of potential. He nees to strenghtn his mind.

_________________
Go BLues