Bloody Hell!! If that happens I'm jumping ship.

I'm afraid if it came down to a contest between enjoying AFL football and supporting the Blues the AFL would win out.

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Just because I'm offended, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

nah, but there was many here that where saying out list hard next to no players on it that wouldnt get a game at another club.

i never thought that myself.

ive always like the look of simpson, bentick, carazzon, t-bird, waite etc..

murphy is quality and i hate finishing last but he sure made it worthwhile

but i also like the look of russell, blackwell, kennedy, setanta etc.. and most of the kids/young men we have coming through and im pretty happy with where we are at and where we are going.

also, for those that bagged mcClaren, he is going to be very handy for us. I was abit iffy when we first got him, but that was thinking he was round the 26, 27 years of age, didnt know he was only 23.

Thats a steal getting him for nothing. Thats a 10 year / 150 game player for us baring injury and he does some very good things around the ground.

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

Interesting listening to Clarkson last night - he felt hawthorn had gone too youth orientated at the selection table. Needs balance not just throwing kids to the wolves.

We ar eplaying a young list. When Kennedy is fit he will be in but not before - I'd call that smart.

Everyone wils about Russell and Blackers. Now Blackers is a talent I reckon but is still light and he will get smashed. Play him later in the season when the heat is out of it a bit.

Russell is being developed - play in in the seniors and he will be occupied with surviving rather than developing. devlop him now play him next year.

Edwards and Raso - same as Russell.

Bower will play at some point (maybe like Blackers - later rather than sooner).

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

By Collo annoucing he resignation unexpectedly i think thats him trying to say 'you guys think you can do better' stick this up your clacker lets see who has the last laugh. It's obvious that there is friction at board level and no more collo's way or the highway.

when its obvious we out of final eight contention the younger plaers will be blooded, at the moment Dennis has to select the most competitive side to win games as we are only 3 games into a new season. To early to be playing the kids we cant afford to be getting smashed as membership figures are low maybe 9-10 games in Blackers, Kennedy, Harts, Bower and the likes will sneak in a few games.

agree mate, if they are fit to play, then play them, but dont play them if they arent up for it, will do them more harm than good - look what happened to Livo - thrown to the wolves and he is only just now starting to crawl back to where he once was.

maybe we have one spot in the 22 though where we cycle these players through - one week for blackwell, then the following russell, then after that bowyer etc... etc.. and give them a taste, let them know how much more they need to do before cementing a spot in their side.

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

I for one wish Collo had stayed on till the end of the year.

Danny are Blackers and Russell lighter than Murphy and Betts - I dont buy into this rubbish about they need bigger bodies - most teams dont play contested footy anymore they run to the space - Cue Western Bulldogs

IF Murphy had of been pick 4 and not 1 he wouldn't be getting a game. And yet he has been one of our best each week

Pagan is reluctant to play kids - If Russell is not playing by the end of the year dont be surprised if we lose him. Monfires is no bigger than Russell and he bagged 5 last week.

Who ever takes over the as President needs to set a plan - give the plan to the coach and stick to it - we have been neither here nor there over the past 3-4 years

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Well the Hawks won, didn't they?

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Just because I'm offended, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

My stance on an alternative strip?

I think you'll find that I've accepted the possibility of an alternative strip, however, unlike slavish EPL fanatics, I don't think it should be a lay down misére for every away match.

Besides, who was the one quoted in The Age about the alternative jumper? And what were those words? And what was the design that person was talking about?

If games are sold interstate, then the AFL will reduce interstate away trips. So Melbourne people will still get to see the 16-17 matches every season in Melbourne, as opposed to Sydney fans who see 1 match every 3 to 4 years. Even Adelaide fans get Carlton every year at least once, and Perth people get us twice, for the last umpteen years running.

Just as I've been pragmatic about my approach to the alternative jumper, I think a lot of Melbourne fans have to be pragmatic about the concept of selling matches interstate, and try and look at the situation and concept as an opportunity for the Club, not as a way to "steal" matches off you poor deprived Melbourne-ites.

I think selling the match in Sydney against Sydney would be a winner, both in terms of gate takings, incentives, base support in Sydney going up and increased memberships here from that etc.

As Slammin Sam says: You know it makes sense.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Kade Simpson was an All-Australian TAC Under 18 player, it has taken him 3 full pre-seasons to get him to a stage where he can play AFL football week in week out.

I agree he probably could have got more game time in 2005 (no thanks to his place being taken by Cancereale) however 18 games in 2003 and 2004 he would have been smashed.

I think Blackwell is in the same category as Simpson and needs a little more time, probably more so as he doesn't have Simpson's pace.

Agree that bigger body players like Kennedy can be thrown into the fray earlier.

Players like Murphy are freaks and can get thrown into it immediately (and aren't we lucky to have him), however he will probably have to be nursed a little second half of the season.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

What are the likes of David Glascott, Adrian Gleeson and Fraser Brown doing these days? Are they at all interested in a board position?

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There's so much I could say...

'Danny are Blackers and Russell lighter than Murphy and Betts'- no and therein lies the problem.

'I dont buy into this rubbish about they need bigger bodies' just because you don't buy into it doesn't make it rubbish, it makes it a different opinion. -

'most teams dont play contested footy anymore they run to the space - Cue Western Bulldogs' - the game is still about winning the contested football - re Bulldogs think West, Johnson, Smith, Cooney - all big bodies.

'IF Murphy had of been pick 4 and not 1 he wouldn't be getting a game.' why is that? or are you meaning because Kennedy isn't. Kennedy did not have a full preseason and you want to toss him in? Can't we at least get him fully fit first or do you think Caz was lieing when he spoke about Josh running out of gas last bullants game - remember the bullants did not play this week also.

'Pagan is reluctant to play kids' played Tex, played Murph, played Fisher, Played Eddie - but if you mean a team of all kids- yep you are right there. i think denis seeks to introduce two or three at a time (rough estimate)

'- If Russell is not playing by the end of the year dont be surprised if we lose him. ' - based on what?

Monfires is no bigger than Russell and he bagged 5 last week. - yes and they have Monfries and????

we have Betts and Murph - two light bodies - and you want to toss in two more Russell and Blackers... That'd be four light bodies and two bigger bodies gone. So now Murph must take even more hits, so must eddie, plus Blackers and Russell. Its all about balance Sydney. two light on's are enough.

'Who ever takes over the as President needs to set a plan - give the plan to the coach and stick to it - we have been neither here nor there over the past 3-4 years' - yes we have we have been building. just that some want to build Rome in a day.

Alistar clarkson was explaining why he thought the hawks were doing better, and about why they wanted to keep Everitt and picked up Guerra.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

I'm just interested - there has been talk that a lot of people have kept away from princes Park during Collo's rein because they were fans of Jack. I gather this means blokes like Richard Pratt. Does Collo's decision to go bring these people back closer to the fold, or will it require a fairly substantial change of Board for this to occur???

I here what you are saying Agro and Danny but I'm sure the fans would like to at least see them - give them a game or two - Tease the fans - ease them into it - They did do this with simmo over the three years- Blackwell and Russel are not even under the radar - Play off the bench for a couple of games see if they can cut the mustard - If they cant then send them back for a few weeks- Just give us a look at them

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

blackwell played NAB - he's on the radar.

We are 3 games in.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

heee heee.... Smorgan "steels"... farrrr-neeeeeeeee

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Love Cricket? Love me

Smorgon reminds me of Gabriel Zombie that almost bankrupted the Dees.


Selling home games to interstate is not a magic solution.
It is an unimaginative short term stop-gap for those who havent got a clue what to do. Look at the clubs that have sold games, Roos, Doggies and Dawks, Saints. Which of these clubs is benefitting long term. St Kilda wants to ditch the deal. Roos are loooking at a permanent move and the Doggies are probably insolvent and may be saved by a Liberal pork barrel.

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T E A M

Fair point.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Wow, isn't it amazing that as soon as they changed the priority pick rules, Clarkson had an epiphany and suddenly realised that if you play 15 kids every week you get smashed and can't win games of football.

Every kid we have who has consistently shown themselves to be above VFL level and/or played well in practice games/NAB and is eligible, is getting a game. That includes Murphy, Betts, Fisher, Murphy, Carrazo, Simmo, Walker, Bentick.

There are certain players who will always rise to the level they are playing at (Murph is a fairly obvious example). But if a player can't rise to the top in the reserves he is not ready for the main game. Simple as that.

We have a good young team playing good competitive football. I don't understand the need to rush with Russell and Blackwell or the whole "but 'insert name here' from the same draft is playing seniors for 'insert team here', and I want to see if we got dudded" mindset.

Kennedy will play as soon as he is fit, and Russell and Blackwell will get their chances later in the season (assuming they earn them of course).