CarltonClem wrote:
Before I put my thoughts on Houlihan to writing, I have to say this "my sources are better than your sources" stuff isn't particularly becoming of this site...
It might be interesting to note that those posters who used to use this card are, in the main, no longer with us (for a variety of reasons). Of most notoriety were the posters who used another poster's location as an indication that their sources were not all that good. A bad vibe is brought to the site by this method of asserting authority.
On Houlihan, not entirely sure whether he is the best option moving forward. I'd consider a trade but if we kept him for another year I probably wouldn't complain. Needs to earn his spot. Being skilled is not enough; look at their players, none are soft but many have the skills of Houlihan. Whilst a certain amount of class and polish is needed to win football games (see Swans last night), you need to be physical when you need to be and that I think is Houlihan's problem and probably has been since he came to the club. No doubt about it, Houlihan has polished skills but in the pressure of a finals situation, how many sides would give him the time and space needed to execute those to the best of his ability? Port Adelaide maybe

but this is something that needs to be considered.
..and fair enough too.. ..not sure i entirely agree with yer assertion that he'd not be as effective come finals (plus with our team we've far too many untried players for finals action to hold that against him, when the same could be said of many on our list).. ..but, let's say for a moment i agree that he'd be no good come finals.. ..don't play him in finals if you can field a better team.. ..we need to get beyond the idea of best 22, you need to have a best 30 to get thru a season and into finals.. ..and i think hoops can help us get to the finals.. ..once there, we can revisit team selections..
..on another note, in regards to $$.. ..in a few years he'd be on our vet list along with Fev.. ..we could backend his contract maybe to help salary cap pressure couldn't we..?.. ..i mean, after Hoops there's a few years before we get another vet list player right..?..