George, I agree, but De Luca is contracted for next year, and going by the last 2 years I reckon you've got at least 2007 to not look forward to..

In : Kouta, Waite
Out : Sporn, Lappin (pathetic season so far)

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SMFC 1959 : ONE LIFE, ONE LOVE, ONE CLUB

Given Sporn's contribution of 3 possessions, 2 clangers, 1 free against and a champion data score of -1 I think he is GORN.

Sorry BlueChick.................i know your a fan. I don't mean any disrespect to you or any other Houlihan fan out there.

But yet again i saw him 'chicken out' of a contest today and whilst he knows how to find the ball, he doesn't do much with it at all. He racked up 24 or so possesions and that'll look good on paper but if you go watch that game again, rarely did those possesions do any damage.

I don't see Houlihan as part of our future and he is just taking up the space that a Walker, Blackwell, Russell, or (god forbid) a Jackson can take up.

Whilst on Walker - he's game today told me something - we are killing him in a similar style to the way we killed Livo.

Livo came to this team as a Forward with quite a bit of potential (maybe not enough to warrant pick 4, but enough just the same!!!).
We went and killed off his AFL career by shoving him down the back and claiming him to be the next SOS!
We are doing the same to Walker. He is being wasted in defense and it is eating away at his confidence, his skills & just his natural game in general.

Normally i wouldn't dare suggest this because i am a 'Massive' fan of 'Playing the Kids' despit what Denis says but...........................
I wouldn't be THAT upset to see Walker go back to the Bullants for a couple of weeks if players like Houlihan, McGrath & Sporn keep getting gigs.

For two reasons..............

#1) To be played in the Midfield under Barry Mitchells guidence.
BM's done well from his players in the midfield this year and loves to move it quickly through the centre - PERFECT GAME for Walker!

#2) To prove to Walker that he is an Elite AFL player and that VFL is below him. With realisation of this, Walkers self belief will grow!

Just a couple of weeks is all it's gonna take.

But i can't see that happening and Walker will continue to be wasted in defense.

Knowing how bad the MC has been this year, i'll change my predictions to:-

In's:- Kouta, Waite, Prenda
Out's:- Sporn, O'Halphin, Lappin (Just have a feeling on that one!)

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

But surely if Houls can stop Aker, he could be of some use to us somewhere.

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Karma

Loyal & Proud

I'd like to see how Jackson goes playing the same sorts of roles that Houla has played the last couple of years.

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There's so much I could say...

Knock Knock

Who's there?

Bryan, Smith, Jackson and Flint

Bryan, Smith, Jackson and Flint who?

Correct!

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“Every single element of the Club has to be the best in the league, meticulously and methodically, and only by doing this will we be elite and challenge for number 17.”
Greg Lee

Why would you drop Bannister?...18 disposals, zero clangars and of those 18 disposals a couple resulted in goals, he also contested well in several pack situations an didnt give the ball up..of our retreds I would only keep both him and Scotland.
The man has improved especially in the area disposal and decision making and deserves his place....has mobility and is suited for the modern game.

I wouldnt drop Lappin either....bring in Teague and Prenda..yeah right...that should improve our skill level??
Have a look at the ruck situation..French 9 hitouts,1 goal and an own goal after that handpass to Wilbur Minson.....Bryan deserves to play the rest of the season...Deluca has some ability forwward but both he and French are not up to it as far as being No 1 ruckman....

In Bryan, Waite, Jackson(promote)

Out French, Sporn, McGrath...

Setanta did well how could you drop him?...what sort of development is that?...

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

re: Bannister... did anyone else think he was under instruction to handball at all costs? It just looked like he deliberately handballed when a kick may have worked to clear the ball. He may not have been attributed a clanger but some of his possessions increased pressure.... but then he redeemed himself with that kick to kennedy!

But hell, he's one of the few players on our list that tries to run and break tackles... him and Simpson... and must be kept in the team, and on the list for 2007.

I agree 100% with you observation about McGrath. He is the dumbest footballer I have ever seen. His error count is staggering. The handball into Wiggins face yesterday was comical. His decision making is not at AFL standard

I'd like to see Bryce Gibbs play half a game for Essendon* and half a game for Carlton. At the start of the game they could toss the coin to see which end the teams will be kicking to and then do another toss to see which team Bryce Gibbs plays for in the first half.

Ask DP .............he Dropped him for this match against the Bulldogs, it was only due to Russell being ill at the last minute that Setanta got his chance.

While your asking him that, ask him why Sporn was a more favourable choice rather than Bryan.

Just on that, did anybody read the article in Sundays Herald Sun with Bryam? He said that Denis decided not to utilise him because of the 'Bulldogs lack of tall timber'????
Shouldn't we use that as an advantage? I don't get that?

Bring in Bryan, but leave in French & DeLuca - that way Aisakie or Batson gets a run with the Bullants Seniors alongside of McLaren.

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

Because their small/medium players are far more skillful and quicker than ours. If you turn the ball over they'll punish you like a catholic boys school teacher :shock. At least with smaller more accountable players we had half a chance (until Sporn handballed it directly to the opposition and cost him his career).

Apart from THAT handball which was the end of the match yesterday I thought French was poor and has had a really ordinary season compared with the last 2
He doesnt seem to have a feel for the game and doesnt even when playing that game fill the hole in the backline very well
Also his skill around the ground have evaporated - he used at least to pick the ball off the ground
We need desperately to recruit a ruckman -King murdered us round the ground last week -Street murdered us in tap outs -French murdered us with that handball
Cant see why on earth you would drop Houlihan - has had a good year and a lot more consistent now
As for Setanta like Kennedy should play the rest of the season - did well yesterday and will benefit from education of playing on Grant yesterday
I also agree that Bannister like Wiggins over the last few weeks has saved his position on the list and at least he gives some run and carry out of the backline - Teague cant offer this - also Bannister at a pinch can play on taller opponents

Dont agree..Street and Minson are nothing special in the ruck and not much value around the ground..Bryan is the type of player who could have got a bit of the footy around the ground and forced some different matchups...you give yourself options and try and win the game, not automatically go on the defensive.
I would have gone for size mismatches and let them do the worrying...rather than playing their game.

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

Because some people are never satisfied and can only see negatives (and will be wrong anyway so don't waste your time listening to them).

Mmmmmm, if we can find a trade for Houla I'd take it. I honestly don't think he contributes anything to the team.

We need tough defenders - he can't fill the role.
We need inside mids - that either.
We need rucks - nup.
We need experienced leaders who set an example for the youth of the team .

Sorry, I've tried being positive with Him for a long, long time, but man, I've had it with Houla.

Wow, BW - thats the most aggressive I've ever read you

Last time we played the dogs Eagleton got 2 Brownlow votes.

How much did he contribute yesterday & who played on him. That person who contributes nothing to the team?

Bingo Budzy! My thoughts exactly!!!!!

I'd prefer to see a Walker or Jackson fill the spot that Houlihan is doing.

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