Just want to say that whilst I put in the effort to berate Houla, Johnson, Wiggins etc. I think it's important to compliment them when its due.

Johnson and Houla played an excellent game and deserve to be there next week!

Wiggins was very good and deserves to be there too.

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Houla would now go close to being in the top 5 players at the club!

Stevens, Fevola, Kouta, Lappin, ...

He'd certainly be in the top 10. He may occasionally miss for injury reasons (although he's actually very durable) but it's hard to see Houla ever being dropped.

Are you watching the same Houlihan that plays for Carlton?

On his performances over the last two years he would be one of the first picked each week.

I wonder if he suffers (still) due to his surname being Houlihan.

I think its the way he looks! Watched the game in a group of Carlton 'distant' fans on the weekend and just the hairstyle was commented on, over & over again as Houla racked up the stats. His goal was proof 'that he was a wingman!'

If he cur his hair, he may get more respect, but he may be pretty ugly under all that!

Don't tell me Teague's looks match the way he plays! What does it matter what he looks like.

Ofcourse thats how people judge Stevens by with his ripper hairstyle. Then again Bruce Doull...............

No, the thing that works against Houla is that he has a very economical style. Compare him to Wiggins. Wiggins always looks as though he is on speed - rushing around, intense, energetic. Like Johnstone at Melbourne, Houla looks as though he is lazy or uninterested on occasions. But that is purely a style issue, one with no more relevance than his hairstyle. It leads to a perception which is just not right. I agree with Stefchook that he is not a fringe player, so isn't in the same category as the other two.

The Wiggler should be commended. It was clear over the preseason that Pagan considered that he could be a big improver. He has just cracked the 50 game mark, and so he now has the experience at AFL level to become a contributor. His snap goal from in front was great to see, and he has the flexibility to play as a small to mid-size defender or forward, as well as a tagger. He should continue to improve, and his aggression and intensity will be an asset to the team.

Johnson is just shy of 60 games, so he is also at the stage where he has now enough experience to consolidate a position. In a club short of in-and-under types, he has the opportunity to do so.

was a good player at 17 who demanded a spot in a good side and has only got better since-
3rd youngest to walls and whitnall to play 100 games - dont care if he looks casual -so did rhys -jones- he is a very good player and has been for some time

You wouldnt have caught me saying this a couple of years ago but I would have to agree that Houlihan is in the top group of players at the club and would be an automatic selection every week...his game vthe Power was one of his best and against quality opposition.
Wiggins is getting better every week and thrived on the responsibility of being allowed some freedom...Johnson is probably in a different situation, hasnt done much wrong at the club and is a very honest competitor but needs to be play well when given the opportunity to keep his spot on the list.

Houla is definitely in our top 10, I'd say in our Top 7 players.

It is his style that makes him look lazy, unlike Johnstone and a lot of those type players Houla is actually very consistent.

Probably has a Brownlow in his future once he's relseased into the midfield for longer stretches.

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Houla reminds me a little of David Rhys Jones who had a casual attitude in his style always seemed like he had time on his side but was a very good player

The main diffeence between them would be Houla not as physical or as hard / lacks Mongral - Rhys would be thumped or thump other players so different players but similar playing styles

Just imagine if Jack Elliot hadnt have sacked Brittain to try and save his own skin, Houla and Fev would be elsewhere

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T E A M

Houlihan has always reminded me of a player in similar style to James Hird and not just because both of them got picked up with pick 70+ in the draft.

Houlihan has the skills to be just like Hird in presence and in delivery! I think the only thing missing from Houlihans game compared to Hird is the fact that Hird will dive at the ball like it's a live grenade where as with Ryan, he seem to get a bit scared at times? Does anybody else notice this or is it just me?

I reckon Teauge + Houlihan = Hird!

Loved his game on the weekend though. Wouldn't mind seeing him in the midfield a bit more often actually!

Holy shit did anyone else see that pig flying through the air?

Anyway well said Elwood just a quick question hows Sporns courage going?

Gday Scotty..Sporns courage?,I think I may have said initially that Sporn wasnt physical enough for mine when we first started to debate him...dont think I mentioned the word courage.
I dont use the word courage much if at all becuase I think all players have a certain amount just to get out on the park.
No one could doubt Sporns bravery v the Power..coming back on after a heavy knock where he had risked his body in that marking contest was Glen Archer type stuff so no questions about his courage...ditto for his mate Wiggo.
I thought Sporn was very good in the wizzer cup and his disposal and vision was great....didnt think his form in the home and away season had been so flash until the Port game and he had struggled to get the ball a bit.
I rate him now and view him more as a specialist tagger who gets some of the bigger names....a quiet achiever who probably wont ever be big on stats sheet but gets the job done..

Re: Houlihan....I was a knocker but he has proved me wrong and has improved out of site and as I said is in the top group of players at the club.
Moving him to half back was a master stroke by Pagan and he has become a smarter and more capable allround player who can now handle the physical side of the game..he is now making decent tackles and putting his body on the line when required a lot more and full credit to him...just wish he would stop fiddling with his hair

Anything esle I can help you with?...Scott Claytons recruiting record.....the progress of Daniel Harris...

Elwood you've questioned Sporns courage before.
Stevens would beat Houla in fiddling with the hair every game.
How are the Bulldogs going? Plenty of draft picks same old story! Same with that other favourite of yours he's left both Collingwood and Essendon* in great positions

i think fev's would give them both a run !

i wish he spent the same amount of time working on his footy as he does tucking his hair in


get a hair cut pls

Scott..Its the way Houlihan fiddles with his hair...
Look if I did question Sporns courage, bravery etc ..I dont now...I'm a believer...satisfied.

re: Blues recruiting ...you would have to say its improved under Pagan..and now Pagan/Hughes....dont you agree.

re: Bulldogs recruiting.....still think Clayton does a decent job on the players he picks but the Bulldogs dont seem to pick a balanced selection of players in terms of size. Cooney, Ray and Griffen are all going to be good players and join another group of good young players in Guido, Gilbee, etc etc but he/Wallace/Rhode and now Eade refuse to draft key position players ..maybe witht exception of Tim Walsh ..they prefer rejects like Rawlings, Bandy and Street etc as bigger options...put Franklin and Roughhead in the team and you have a nice team for the future....but thats not how it is and I guess you have to lay the blame at Claytons feet and say he hasnt been good enough considering the amount of early picks he has had...

Wouldnt try and defend Collingwoods recruiting....Judkins and Malthouse have performed poorly and its been amusing to watch their obsession with Shaws and Clokes...while the jury is still out on Travis Cloke I dont think the others haver suggested they are going to be world beaters although I guess Collingwood would argue they cant get their best team on the field to assist the development of their younger players...but yeah you got me on Judkins...

Essendon*....Judkins has been gone a while...you couldnt knock his record at Essendon*...Sheedy and Didoro have been in charge and made a cock up of the list by trying to remain competitive with rejects rather than taking a graceful dive to the bottom and getting some early picks. They dont have the talent to trade for early picks like they used to which used to be their method of operation and the well has run dry....Essendons recruiting has been poor but its not Judkins doing..

If Houligan was to play centre in our team he would be all australian. Last week was a glimpse of his emense talents, as was his effort a few years back with Jimmy Plunkett in the wizard Cup against the Bulldogs.

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Mjonc signing off at 8888