I expect the same for that reason. Gibbs Murphy Cripps Thomas Simpson to step up on field leadership.

I expect a few to step up with Judd gone.

I want to sort out our spine 2015-6, then go the guts on midfielders with other picks.

I see/ hope Plowman as a bigger bodied mid than Priddis to add grunt in the midfield with Gibbs and Cripps.

I see Tomlison as a temporary CHF with Jaksch but see him as our mobile 3rd tall to replace Walker iand if Menzel fades.

I'd be still looking at a FB and a CHF and possibly a FF if Jaksch and Casboult dont fill that gap.

I like Weideman because he will be available pick 7 if that happens, pick 12 and possibly pick 21/22. He and Weitering would be great KPB combo. I like Collins and McKay for KPF's, but maybe take best available this year and we wait for the other 2 in 2016.

With remaining picks I'd take 2 really strong mids and some pace. Kerridge for PSD hopefully.

I like your summary jimmae.

Rookie picks must include developing ruckman for 2015 and 2016 drafts...get rid of Warnock if we keep Wood with Philips as back ups.

We might even look at FA end of 2016 if we stay fit and the new coaching panel turns this team on.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Only problem is that at this stage the next kick goes to Jones

Yeeesh

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“Every single element of the Club has to be the best in the league, meticulously and methodically, and only by doing this will we be elite and challenge for number 17.”
Greg Lee

Well I guess it finally does feel like we are actually rebuilding. Although probably not entirely by choice. I think expectations are now nice and low.

I gather since he is not being discussed at all that we are stuck with Rowe for a bit longer? Have nothing against the man personally - just would love to have a key back that takes the game on. Apart from Hendo's 2nd year, Jamo had a brief burst about 4-5 years ago and then faded (shoulder?) and before that Bower had a good 4 games in a row before loop hand balling his way down the toilet. It seems like we have never really nailed this position since....Silvagni?
Are any of our rumoured pickups likely?

A key back that takes the game on... Now where would we find one of those?

Maybe that weitering fellow in the draft is worth looking at?

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Congratulations CK95

who's this Cribbs guy?

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In Bolts we trust.......Until we don't anymore

In what year should we start working on a forward line?

We're quickly building a bunkered team that can clear the ball well against the best, but is impotent and without any ammo. Three interchangeable tall targets please along with a couple of consistent smalls. So far it's only Casbault (if he stays) and Menzel, who we'll scrutinise unfairly when they have no help.

We are not going to fil all KP gaps and smalls and mids in this draft.

But we DO have some founding members of the rebuild, and in the forward line we will need to add a marking KPF to either draft and develop or trade/ FA, to improve and to add to:

Casboult
Everitt
Jaksch
Menzel
Thomas
Walker


I think Tomlison is the targeted Tall forward this year and in the draft perhaps Collins or McKay with a 2nd rounder.

Then who knows in next years draft perhaps a KPF FA who doesn't cost valuable first round picks as Tomlison becomes a mobile 3rd tall along with Everitt / Jaksch because Casboult if he doesn't improve his fitness speed and kicking may not be around in 2017 when his contract expires and Walker retires.

If, and it seems probable Sheehan and Byrne stay fit and take up where they left off then Buckley can be released as a small forward and maybe we snag a Rioli type in this or next years draft, and mids including Docherty Cripps Murphy Gibbs have stints forward or press forward as I expect Boekhurst to do with his speed.

I bet Bolton develops a better style taking the ball forward than Ratten and Malthouse bomb it and see.

I'm bullish now we are rid of inconsistent undisciplined pea heart types Garlett Yarran Waite Robinson Henderson...as they are replaced by those who want to play for the jumper and coach with a bit more grit and toughness at the contest.

I don't think it's impossible to solve this puzzle quickly, and can see us working our way out of bottom four next year regardless of what the pathetic media commentators have to say. All they seem to do is talk before they think and some gobble their crap as if gospel.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Pick 1 Weitering, will be our CHB for years.
Pick 17 (probably) for Yarran, best available.
Pick 20 Plowman/Sumner.
Pick 21 (lions) for Bell best available.
Pick 41 Sam Kerridge.
Pick 59 Phillips.
PSD Jed Lamb.
Delist Warnock.

Given the permutations up forward, a lot remains to be seen.

I disagree however with you labelling Robinson in the same way as the others in this quote. He's a child off the field yes, but none of those things you mention on it.

Lamb won't be PSD as he's contracted, as are all the 'GWS5'.

Sumner - 2016
Plowman - 2016
Lamb - 2016
Phillips - 2017
Tomlinson - 2017

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"They're [REDACTED]'

If the Lions got decent compo for for Leun.... they might have stuck to their threat of Aish to PSD I wonder if they would consider a straight swap for Bell. The pies can't have much left to swap if they are going to get Treloar and Howe. Concerned that SOS seems to not be looking much beyond guys he picked for GWS who aren't good enough to get a game. He has massive responsibility, if he gets it right predominantly, then genius, if he gets it wrong predominantly, he's Wayne Hughes.

I am not to worried about a lack of trades. This time last year some on here were high fiving at us landing Jones! In terms of trades, retirements it is no wonder we are near the bottom having lost Judd, Carrazzo, Mitch R, Garlett, Betts and Hendo and Yarran and probably Bell over a couple of years. I don't mind most of those, I get the reasons. From trades have added Everitt - good, Docherty v. good, and a non playing free agent in Daisy. We are at the bottom so at least we are forced to go young and through the draft.

The frenzy over Spuddy Carlisle shows how far a player's reputation rises merely by being available. Two first rounders! #5 pick! These clubs are mad. He hasn't been top ten in the Bombers b and f the last two years which shows what they actualiy think of him. I can't believe the Hawks wouldn't give Lake another year on minimum wages as they chase a fourpeat but are willing to give up #15 and #18 for a sook. Hopefully he will be the player that brings the culture undone and sends Clarkson to a nervous breakdown.

He was probably our most undisciplined midfielder when it came to the line between affecting the play and late contact.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Clutching at straws there, could say the same for Gibbs, Jamo, Rowe.....
Etched in my mind was a loss against the Saints where Fev was hugging and joking with opposition players seconds after the siren. Only Robinson grabbed him by the scruff and reminded him where loyalties belonged, while the loss clearly burned. For a pick 40 and ordinary coaching around him, he otherwise threw his all at the contest. Anyway, he was also a simple minded lout, and he's gone now.

That doesn't cost you weeks at a time. Robinson's good and bad regularly cancelled each other out and left him very average.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

This.

we need to find our next gun midfielder in the draft / some1 with pace

McKay is still here

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O say does that star spangled banner yet wave.

If we get pick 12 from Richmond i wouldn't mind this guy.........

14: Western Bulldogs – Harley Balic
Height: 186cm, Weight: 80kg, DOB: 05/01/1997
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons
Draft Range: 5-15

A basketball convert with terrific vision and awareness. Has played at mostly half forward but showed this year he will ultimately become a tall midfielder in the Pendlebury mould in time. Has a lovely-timed handball in traffic that releases an outside runner into space. An outstanding mark which is the highlight of his game, kicks some really classy goals, and is an excellent decision maker.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

I think we have a similar thought process and That's why I am not keen to get rid of Casboult just yet. Or Bell for that matter but that may be out of our control.

Throwing out the baby with the bathwater in the hope we will get everybody we need in one go is a silly approach IMO. This is going to take at least two years of good drafting/trading and a bit of luck with injuries to get us back near the eight or just out and that's if we do it right. It's more likely to go three to four. BB might well try an introduce a Hawks-style gameplan and according to Hodge, it's 'complicated'.

If thigs go well, I can see us jumping to 10-15 next year in my wild optimism and the year after that 8-10. If we do that we have really laid the foundation and we can start looking for need through FA instead of best available. Players will want to come once we make a statement on-field.

We wanted Giles as our mobile key back but that went pear shaped. Had he kicked on we would have been able to trade for a big forward this year on the back of Giles and Weitering down back. However that's not to be and that's why injuries can hurt so much in the strategic planning of things. Thomas didn't help either.

If we can develop a better entry into the F50, Casboult and Everitt can both kick goals. I am hoping Walker plays forward for the rest of his time at the club. Gibbs, Murphy and Cripps isn't a bad midfield core if we can get them all on the park in the one game. Add some of Curnow Holman and Graham, perhaps Touhy and Bell and it could hold its own with plenty of other midfields.

Your basic premise is sound. We finished 18th but we were cruelled by injury and in the end I think we were just flattened mentally and physically and never played out games. There is something there to work on.

I am a glass half full type of person.

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

Supposedly only a small chance of making it to 12, but GWS's top 10 picks being consumed on academy players would help.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.