..surprised regarding Doogs, was excellent in his first season, injury interrupted this year and some positional changes too..

..McKay when talking about our talls recently, again had Hendo down back.. ..thing is if Waite gets injured again next season we're once again without any real KPFs except for Hammer, a ruck learning to play deep fwd and Levi, a very raw developing kid..

..admiitedly, not so crash hot down back either.. ..Jamo's just as likely to be injured as Waite is up fwd, so i guess the club feels [panics] that Hendo is a must down back.. ..other talls in reserve are Watto [macca didnt mention his name when he rattled off our talls], and White.. ..McCarthy is still very raw, and McInnes showed plenty but still LTI..

..losing Bower and Thornton is height and experience out of a side that is light-on for experienced talls.. ..i'm surprised that the players we've had to let go are talls, when we're not so blessed with talls in their prime.. .Thornton especially ought to have been retained, solid and dependable and reliable, and decent at either end..

..a few injuries to our talls next year and we're 'developing/rebuilding' talls again..

_________________
..if you can't be good, be good at it..

Duigan is what, 28?

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"I had to eat"

I'd suggest that Collins and Duigan would already be contracted, without the club announcing it, rather than unsigned with the club waiting and seeing.
Same with Watson, McInnes, Squidda, Patty Mac, Curnow etc.

My eyes deceive me regarding Davies. The guy went from bad to worse (maybe worst) this season in the 2 opportunities he was given. If you don't recall, go read the Post Match discussions for the Richmond and Sydney games in which he played. He was rubbish. Here's some highlights:

v Sydney:
"Davies struggles horribly. I hate to write him off, but I wouldn't be too phased if I never saw him on the field again in the navy blue."

"Touhy was ordinary and Davies was horrible IMHO when he came on."

"1- The Selection of Davies ahead of Thornton was Rubbish. Not only Davies ended up being the Sub but when he came on, he made Some Critical errors in Defense which Gifted Sydney 2 Easy Goals. Doesnt look an AFL Standard Player. "

"Which of his changers impressed you the most?"

vs Richmond:

"Davies should never have been selected."

"Richmond targeting Davies. Bloody obvious, open ur eyes ratten"

"luke livingston is a better fu#%en option than davies atm... im not kidding"

"Richmond know that when you isolate Davies in defence you get shots on goal. What a liability."

"davies is awful"

Unless MM somehow waves a magic wand and reinvigorates him, throw him on the pile as a guy who just isn't up to the grade required.

Sorry, but that's the truth.

Personally, I am happy we are selective with our trading. I don't see caddy for pick 11 & a player as great value. Gumbleton for 30s is hugely risky? However, we should be selecting 4 in the draft at least.

Malthouse is our million dollar recruit. The positive about next year is that the results will be a fair comparison with last year, as there won't be star playing recruits to make the coach look good

-injuries
-ratten's single gameplan
+malthouse's greater coaching prowess
+attitude and willingness to win contested footy
+somebody command the forward line
=finals, possibly top 4

Agreed

If anyone out there didnt have the hair on the back of their neck standing up when he kicked the winner against Richmond, they are emotionally crippled.

Excellent season from McLean. Just hope he doesnt do a Russell - but I dont think he will

If he is delisted next year, I hope the person or people responsible for giving him another year accompany him out the door. In my opinion, he hasn't done anything to deserve being signed until the end of 2013.

I think those people are already out the door Blueman.

The rules have changed from being allowed to have 6 (now called) Category A rookies, or 8 if you have not Veterans (like us this year) to 4.

So we are going to have 5 off the rookie list Tuohy, Curnow, Casboult elevated, Heyne and Carter delisted, and 1 rookie pick.

This does not apply to Irish and Internationals. I'm not sure what the go is with Zone selections (eg Bray and Lodge).

Did Brock kick plenty of goals?

NYTDOG has a new alias I see.

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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 was in total accordance with this thought until Geelong swooped in and used their compensation pick to snare him. If their recruiting guru Stephen Wells rates him highly enough to thrown that as a trade, then he's obviously quality. I dont rate anyone else more highly in the AFL recruiting circles. His strike rate with drafting kids is spot on.

A significant part of Geelong going after Caddy was need, in terms of him as a player but also as somebody able to go straight into the midfield right now to help out Selwood.
Some of their aging stars aren't up to being in the midfield any more.

And, as that compo pick can't be used this year, it is of more worth to GC than to the Cats

If GWS really wants Warnock, then what's a fair price?

Pick #12?
Pick #3 (throw in Bower, Thornton, Ellard, Russell and Curnow)?*

If they come sniffing do we play hard-ball, or look to profit from him?



(*this is not a serious suggestion, btw.)

If it ends up being a straight swap Warnock for Dawes, that's not a bad outcome regardless of the route. Warnock isn't a top 10 pick (heck, he's probably not a first round), but who cares what goes Collingwood's way if the result is 1 expendable player out, and 1 wanted player in?

It is actually. It is a terrible outcome.
The Pies desperately need a player like Warnock, because Jolly is nearly done.
We don't even want Dawes.

Why would we do a deal that weakens our list, and makes the Filth's stronger?

If it is just a straight swap (i.e. no component of salary paid at our end), I'd say it's favourable, but only just. Gain some much needed salary cap space, on the other hand - Casboult, Dawes and Waite? :S

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BLUES 2010: PAV AND JUDD = FLAGS. DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF DICK PRATT.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR TALKINGCARLTON SUPERCOACH 2009 YET?

At least if we get another key forward it actually allows Waite to play more of a flanking role. I think we can fit in Waite and another 2 forwards...might actually be even better.

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Essendon-Only team to have ever been found guilty of salary cap breaches in a premiership year!

Throwing shit at the wall here...

Warnock to GWS
Dawes to Carlton
Giles to Crows
Adelaide's pick they get for Tippett (20 something?) to Pies

_________________
BLUES 2010: PAV AND JUDD = FLAGS. DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF DICK PRATT.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR TALKINGCARLTON SUPERCOACH 2009 YET?