I still say there are 2 sides to a football team and there are two ways of defining a successful football club . The marketing department pumped the side up above expectations resulted in record membership and masses of supporters turning out each week
Winning football games doesn't lead to a successful club Port and the swans are good examples of that . If the club is going to be able to source and afford the best it needs the off field right first and this year that side of the club has won their premiership

We have read post after post of why are we so defencive why so negative why are we turning everyone over 190 cm into a defender well there us a good reason for this and that is for the past 7 or so years we have had the worst defence in the 100 odd year history of the club it has been our Achilles heel for several years now That side of the football team has almost been fixed

They are working on the midfield still need hardness in there

the forward line is a major worry but despite that we are the 3rd highest scoring side in the comp

what needs to happen is to get all of these sections working as one

that clearly isn't happening

Ratts might not be the man but one thing for sure going into a game each week thinking that we should win this is a lot better than knowing you are going to get flogged
At least now if they lose you are disaapointed after the loss in years gone by you were disappointed before the game had even started

We have gone from hoping to win to expecting to win that has to be a step forward

Melvey as previously quoted you obviously have never played a team sport. If you knew anything about what Scott is talking about you would know that he is talking just like it is. Sure coaches are important but players don't play for the coach. They can respect the coach, they can like or doislike him but they play for thier mates which is the team

I dont think that going to the footy "thinking we might win compared to going to the footy knowing we will get flogged" has anything to do with Ratts coaching...

yep I'd say the end of next year is about right - Ratts will either be gawn or not by what happens this year and next year. People can panic and get angry but I think that's the reality.

As for the Scotland/Stevens gone backwards - I actually see that as a progression. We are moving past these players because they have no place in our structure unless they become more accountable and more consistent in the things we want them to do not just in the things they like to do.

Before one even looks at Ratten we need to ask questions of the person in charge of recruiting.Is he more important than ever?


Has Hughes vacated the premises?



Do you think we would have won some of the close games this year if we had Rich in the team? Ratten would look like a better coach if he had Rich at his disposal.

Brisbane's recruiting over the years has been exceptional. Rich, Black etc from the West. I guess we are recruiting more Western Australians, so that is often a positive step.


I can remember seeing one of Rich's first games of AFL and thinking...jeez...this guy kicks it 10 metres longer than other and 5 seconds quicker. Is there a better long stab passer in the game than Rich?

Hindsight eh... i guess 5 or so other clubs passed up Rich as well.

You can find teams in the suburbss playing for their mates each weekend... but it doesnt make them tactially proficient or skilled.. or at AFL stadard...

What you and Scotty are saying is our players dont like each other and are more selfish than most teams .. and dont play for their mates...

Football today is abit more sophisticated than that baz......

Sure you play for your mates.... but it all comes unstuck in the hurly burly of the competition if youre undrilled... confidence evaporates very quickly if youre not sure of what youre meant to be doing in the heat of the battle..

I definitely think our recruiting methods need to be heavily reviewed and probably adjusted at the end of the year, taps, but I really think the Rich vs Yarran issue is a red-herring.

yep I'd say the end of next year is about right - Ratts will either be gawn or not by what happens this year and next year. People can panic and get angry but I think that's the reality.

As for the Scotland/Stevens gone backwards - I actually see that as a progression. We are moving past these players because they have no place in our structure unless they become more accountable and more consistent in the things we want them to do not just in the things they like to do.

I like the look of Yarran. It isn't Rich vs Yarran. If I had the picks again I would have:

1) kept pick 24 used it on Yarran if he was still there (keep in mind he didn't have a phenomenal u18 carnival due to injury, so he might have been there at 24).

2) used pick 6 on Rich.

3) pick 40 - Robinson - good selection.

We had Sauce and Hampson already-are they a lot worse than Warnock?
The Warnock trade may have been a mistake, the not Rich picking also could have been a mistake.... recruiting is just enormously important.

Melvey as previously quoted you obviously have never played a team sport. If you knew anything about what Scott is talking about you would know that he is talking just like it is. Sure coaches are important but players don't play for the coach. They can respect the coach, they can like or doislike him but they play for thier mates which is the team

In my opinion - Rattens future may depend on how well we go against Essendon* when we play them next. If, once again, we are run off our feet through the corridor then I think 'it will be clear' that he is not the man for the job as he is clearly not learning.

I like the look of Yarran. It isn't Rich vs Yarran. If I had the picks again I would have:

1) kept pick 24 used it on Yarran if he was still there (keep in mind he didn't have a phenomenal u18 carnival due to injury, so he might have been there at 24).

2) used pick 6 on Rich.

3) pick 40 - Robinson - good selection.

We had Sauce and Hampson already-are they a lot worse than Warnock?
The Warnock trade may have been a mistake, the not Rich picking also could have been a mistake.... recruiting is just enormously important.