CarltonClem wrote:
Wondered the same myself Bluebernz, even the initials match up...
Anyhow...
In my opinion, there are some players who are really on the borderline this year and how many will go at the end of the year really depends on how many we can draft.
If we get a priority pick, then we'll get picks 1, 2, 18, 34, 50, 66 as our 6 picks. If Whitnall goes for an additional pick in say round 2, then we'll have 6 picks in the top 50.
If we have 2 2nd round picks, we may trade for a player who can give us much needed grunt - and besides with 4 picks in the first 2 rounds, a mature body would help the kids develop no end.
We have 38 on the list, therefore to draft 6 after trading Whitnall say, we need to chop 7, and this is assuming that we don't promote any rookies. If we promote Setanta, then we chop 8. If we promote any more then we have to chop accordingly.
1. Bowyer*
2. Clarke*
3. Bannister*
4. Johnson*
5. Bryan (I suspect he will be a like a Mott and unless he shows the required intensity he's gawn)
6. Norman#
7. Morrell
* = likely to be out of contract at year's end
# = signed a contract but may chop because of attitude problems
They are my top 7 - the ones looking at the chop the year after will probably include Scotland, Sporn, Wiggins, Davies, Prendergast, Teague
Why Teague? He's not a genuine HBF, he's a stop-gap CHB who's too slow and too short. I feel for him, but like Manton, we're asking him to do jobs that don't suit him. Not only that, but a genuine HBF needs to be capable of attacking and disposing well into the F50. That David hasn't shown yet. He hasn't the toe or the smooth disposal skills.
You can't delist all the players at once, you just can't. Some of you need to look at it logically if you want to delist players like Bentick and Simpson. They're barely 21 if that, and Bentick is into his 2nd season, Simmo into his 3rd. For crying out loud some of you...
I agree with the delisting above except for Teague.
Teague is struggling this year for a few reasons.
Thornton and Livo have been out for the majority of the games and he has to take if not the best defender but the 2nd best and players taller than him.
Also, last year Livo wasn't there but Thornton was, so was Norman who had a good year but where is he this year??? Also Morrell was there but he is struggling this year also.
Last year Teague was allowed to take on a player of his calibre and also leave that player and help out the other defenders. This year he hasn't been able to do this with our injuries to key defensive players and other players struggling.
I think with a few of our key players back and a couple of games under their belts the confidence will come and Teague can show us that winning the best and fairest is not a one year wonder. (Not that he will win it again this year.)