How can someone who finished 4th in the b&f be inconsistent? He aint a defender, he's just been played there because we don't have enough size around the ground. If Hadley can get some fitness, I'm sure we'll see Hoops played in a more fitting role

Houlihan?....he turned 26 yesterday; and was great last year; so why?

Hoops played every game last year; averaging more than 21 disposals, with a best of 35 against Hawthorn in Round 4.

Judd, Hadley and Stevens FAR outweigh Kouta, Lappin and Lance.

Kouta - injuries kept up with him and ended his season pre-maturly
Lappin - didn't really have a year to write home about, but hung in there.
Lance - was a waste.

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

Look guys if we get the right set up around Ryan Houlihan he can be a very effective and damging players. he only needs a few kicks to rip teams another asshole. Are people forgetting the pinpoint passes that fev has recieved in the past. Honestly i can see Houlihan playing off the HBF flank and kicking few to bust games apart! he might still be a tad soft however give him a half a chance with other teams focussing on Judd Stevens Murphy etc he can be anything!!

One thing we have to admit is he is much better player than what he was a few years back! And I can still see 30% more improvement in him!

I think EX is more appropriate

I simply prefer others...

Gibbs Anderson Scotland in defence rebounding and occasionally rotating through the midfield.
Stevens & Simmo owning the wings and rotating through the midfield.
Walker Betts & Fish playing forward with AW & Eddie occasionally rotating through the midfield.
Judd Murphy Carrotts spending most of their time on the ball and Hadley Armfield off the bench.

The point of the thread is that the newbies definately will provide more than whichever EX-players they replace and together with the natural growth of our existing talented youth we have to improve performance.

BLUE SKIES AHEAD!!!!

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There's so much I could say...

ryan 2000



Exactly how I read it.

We're both BIG Kouta fans Ryan (although I'd talk to him when I see him), but he was at the end of his game in 2007.

It's really obvious we're miles better off with the new inclusions.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

budzy wrote



There's nothing wrong with your viewpoint there budzy.

Hopefully Anderson gets match conditioned soon to give himself a chance to break into the team; a disrupted preseason isn't much help, but he is tough and fast. I like his pace on the last line.

AW in the forwardline would be a hard match up for anyone. I'm not sure he's got the finishing skills of Houlihan, but he sure will get the nut. I prefer him in the middle, but I like the idea of trying him as a forward.

The classy proven Hadlee should be right to play after a disrupted preseason, but Armfield hasn't proven anything yet. I don't think he'll break into the team despite all the hype and some of those 'doctored' photos of a boy in a strong body. He may be tough and fast, but he has to read the play and adjust to the pace in the Ants or NAB (if he gets a crack) before we can put our money on him. I think Pfieffer is ahead of him atm.

As I said, there's a lot of promise in your set up, and the thought of having Houla on the bench as a pinch hitter makes your team look really dangerous...says a lot about our newbies and the depth they have created.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Warby wrote



Geez they're good stats. Very impressive for a player in a team whose coach was interested in bombing the ball forward no inkling to sharing the ball with team work. How didthe coach's directives go again?..."beat your opponent with the ball, get the ball back and kick it long towards Fev; he's only got 3 players to beat". Yeah right.

I'm not sure if the doubters have seen his stats. That should give them an insight as to why he did so well in the BnF.

Thanks for sharing that with us Warby. I expect Houla will end up with stats like that from HF with Ratts' game plan.

Anyway, they're last year's stats, and he has to do it again as far as I'm concerned. His job is to keep his position in the first 22 away from those aspiring for a senior call up.

Pressure is on everyone, including our stars.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Warby actually put up the 2006 stats and the good news for Bondi is that Houla did back it up in 2007. He played 21 games and averaged 20.5 disposals with a top of 33 vs Essendon* in Round 20. Only Scotland and Carrazzo had more disposals than Houla.

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We're getting closer to 17

Cheers 16 Flags

Houla goes allright I reckon....but pressure is on for young and old.

I just hope our young rucks stand up: Aisake, Hampson and Kreuzer.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Bugger cheap stats, I want new blood with some intensity, real pace and bit of aggression!!!

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There's so much I could say...

I'm with Budzy, you want take on the best players from the best teams in the comp and beat them then we need to beef up, get some more pace and aggression.
Otherwise its going be another season of watching the same gun players who arse whip us everytime they play us doing it again and again.
I think the coaching and recruiting staff have wised up that having a flotilla of sweeper types like Houlihan, Scotland doesnt work when you need proper defenders to stop players.....you play Geelong then you need to have real good players on Chapman, Ablett, S Johnson etc.....big stat winners are not required...Andy McKay/Dean Rice types are what is required and I thinks thats why Armfield and Browne have been recruited.

When Scotland and Houlihan are battling to hold their spots that will be the sign we are improving and have some real depth....

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"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen

Elwood Blues wrote



I agree with that. I hope that happens in 2008 without Scotland and Houla losing form.

I expect presure to come from the kids, both newbies and recent draftees: Anderson, Grigg, Russell, Jackson, Pfieffer, Hadlee, Armfield, Browne, Benjamin and probably Shields.

Whilst I can't see Scotland losing a place in the 22 in 2008-9, I can see him moving further downfield making room in the HB line with speedier, closer checking and maybe taller kids.

Houihan, no doubt has great skills, and he has 1000's of miles in his legs, a stronger body and importantly experience over the kids. Nevertheless, I see his position under threat as the kids step up. But geez, they've got to earn it first.

The pressure is on everyone to perform week in week out; that includes Betts, Simpson, Carrazzo, Gibbs... Any excuse to give the kids 'knocking on the door' a chance, is a chance the MC may/ should take to ensure we keep the pressure to perform on everyone.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

*sniffs bait ... keeps swimming*

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There's so much I could say...

Houlihan and Scotland are not great tacklers IMHO and they have a few mates....how many times have I seen Ablett, Chapman etc barge straight through our players and cant be dragged down, ditto for Didak, Farmer, S Grant, Mitchell, Hodge etc etc....

Armfield, Hadley, Pfieffer and Browne is theme recruiting and that theme is strong bodies, good tacklers, body on the line, attack the footy and the man hard with a good level of skill to back up those other attributes.

Houlihan and Scotland provide you with skill level and rebound but none of the other attributes.
Wiggins, Bannister give you hard bodies and effort but dont have the skills to hurt you on the rebound...

Hughes this time has gone for players who are all of the above and its a sensible approach....agree that Houlihan and Scotland may find roles further up the ground but its going to be a packed midfield of talent and some are going to miss out...

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"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen

Bondi & Elwood I like your assessment. I think if Jammo can step up to FB and release Thornton to BP or HBF that has flow on effects for the likes of Scotland and Houlihan being considered up the ground. I also think that a close checking crumbing BP or HBF position is crucial, suiting the likes of Anderson or possibly one of the new recruits

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I need some new conspiracy theories; all my others have come true.

Elwood Blues wrote



I think Scotland is a great tackler and has a strong body and strong approach towards the ball and the man. He shows those strengths best when he's in the guts. He should be in the guts.

Anyhow, that's how I see it.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

bondi blu, blu944, ryan2000 and Elwood Blues1 have all mentioned Richard Hadley in this thread. I think he could be the smoky this season.

He showed his class in the Lions' 2004 premiership year and played some fair footy last year in his first back from a reco. It's public knowledge that Leigh Matthews didn't want him to go.

Now in his second year after the op, and if he can stay fit, he could be more than a bench player.

Exciting isn't it! I can't wait !!!

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1. Walker,
2. Menzel,
3. Murphy,
4. Gibbs,
5. Judd.