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This could be a very tricky phase for Gold Coast. They aren't the fresh meat anymore; they've passed the point where they can pull out the "we did OK for a bunch of kids" line. With the ludicrous talent they have, most of whom are now there or thereabouts with the physical demands of AFL, they...

It begs the question: was Ratten actually doing a decent job with the stocks at his disposal? Always wondered if he really deserved that bullet...

The beauty of Hurley as a backman is he can genuinely shut key forwards out of the game. This knack will only become more important as the season progresses, when players get tired and the defensive system starts to loosen a bit - having a guy who can actually beat the Clokes, Riewoldts, etc one...

Love seeing this guy get some real time in the middle. Has always had the tools to be a clearance king, now Bomber's given him license to use them. This form alongside Watson and Dyrsn Herple makes for good times ahead.

5 Hocking 4 Chapman 3 Merrett 2 Winderlich 1 Carlisle One of Budda's best ever games for us. The rest is a lottery, really - comprehensive team performance.

Good to see Hardingham start the year well, and how sweetly is he hitting his set shots? Good stuff from a guy who was struggling to get a game in the back pocket last year. It's a very interesting setup with him and Winderlich down there, neither is really a traditional small forward - Hardy's...

I've heard all about this mythical time... my uncle won a flag with them, allegedly.

Hey, Phil Collins says Ringo was the best drummer in the world... Pretty sure Phil is a Richmond supporter though.

Couldn't agree more. Brownlow night has been a joke for years, and tonight it had more cheese than stuffed-crust margherita with extra cheese. I considered setting myself on fire when they did that stupid Baumgartner 'parody' intro to one of the eleventy-billion highlight segments... Never...

Myers leaving now would be a huge blow, and I don't see it happening anyway. No, he's not going to win the Crichton; but he PLAYED and was consistent too - I can't remember him having a single stinker. I think he's one of those players who could be very important without having to be a star -...

Dustin Martin is a flog and a fonc and shouldn't even be discussed as an option at Essendon. We've already got a 60-minute star in Zaka (although to be fair he usually turns up in the second half... wonder if we can mash him and Martin together in some kind of science machine to make one very...

Sandy is not the answer. You know what footy telecasts really need? More bookies and odds. Axe the entire commentary team, install Tom Waterhouse as lone anchor. Get straight to the point, no more faffing around with this 'football' nonsense. Markets, odds, moniez 4 da puntaaaazzzz!

I am aware of that, funnily enough. Just if I was picking a team, I'd actually pick some backmen who can defend rather than three midfielders playing loose behind the ball.

Hibberd missing the 40 is a crock that highlights why the AA is a joke. Rance should've made the long list too - I don't like citing stats, but his numbers in spoils, intercept marks and the like are superb this year. And if Malceski and McVeigh get in, then Walker and Simpson are stiff...

Ludicrous that he didn't even make the long squad - one of the very few small backmen in the comp who proved adept at both attacking AND defending this season. Could see them going without a genuine small defender altogether and picking midfielders (McVeigh, Mitchell, Hodge, et al) like the good...

I've always thought Pears was more a half back than a key defender; the extra man rather than a genuine stopper. The main thing with him is he needs to play aggressively, especially with ball in hand - when he moves it quickly and trusts his skills and his eye he looks a very very good player...

5 Goddard 4 Watson 3 Hooker 2 Hocking 1 Ryder Pears, Hurley, Melksham, Hibberd all excellent as well

Yeah I think Colyer's a bit unlucky, thought he was doing fairly well actually... Ryder v Kreuzer should be interesting, good to have Hurley back - would like to see him and Daniher rotate through half forward a bit, like how Joey plays when he gets up the ground more.

I'm half expecting Caro to write "We've always been at war with Essendon" in one of her articles...

Credit to him, he's come along in leaps and bounds as the year's gone on. Turning flashes of competence into genuinely good performances. Always hoped I was wrong about him, let's just hope he keeps his head on straight and continues in this fashion.

Noooooope. Considering the discussion currently going on about Zaka's workrate, this guy has all those problems and plenty more besides. What's he done to deserve that sort of money, anyway?

That would be all well and good if Zaharakis was an elite player. He is not, and it's the lack of workrate that stands in his way. Yes, quality playmaking midfielders typically lack defensive output, but that's because the best of them work so hard in attack - instantly on their bike to...

I'd have thought Martin and Dwyer would be head to head for a spot in Collingwood's best 22 (Martin came in when Dwyer was out, if I recall rightly?). Not identical players, but they'd both be lining up at half forward. I've always rated Dwyer and am delighted to see him do so well in the AFL...

As if Melbourne needed another hurdle in finding a top coach... surely all the top candidates would prefer Brisbane. Roos will be all over this one.

Fully agreed on Faulkner, Phone. I rate him very highly, but there just isn't a spot for a fast bowling all-rounder in that team - would have to get a game on his bowling alone, and there are plenty ahead of him there. As for the collapse... Warner and Clarke got beauties, but the rest were...

'The Thick of It' is worth it just for the vitriol that comes out of Peter Capaldi's mouth... I read somewhere that Armando Ianucci sent all the scripts to a 'swearing consultant' to fine-tune the carnage. Great show, one of the very best. I used to watch Dr Who for Billie Piper, I'll be...

I think it depends on what we want to do with our midfield. If we get another quality player in there, I could see Crameri leaving with either Hurley playing as the third tall, or someone like Goddard or even Myers spending more time forward. I'd be wary of selling off Stew, though. Whatever...

Of course I wasn't serious about Zaka deserving a knee to the spine, just a passing comment on the fact that even good ball-users make errors in execution... I never said Baguley's decision making was excellent; I said that Hardingham's is worse, in my opinion. Baguley knows his role and tries...

Yeahhh, not actually a remotely serious comment...

I think Baguley's copping an unnecessary pasting from some on here. I'd say he's been one of our more reliable players this season, and it's no coincidence that he, like the rest of our defence, has struggled when our midfield has been smashed. Aside from Friday night, West Coast and Mark LeCras...