A couple of observations

[rgauci]

Keplar Bradley aint too bad.

17 possessions. 8 marks. 1 goal 3 points this week.
12 possessions. 6 marks. 2 goals 1 point last week.

Its not world beating but its definately a contribution. I thought the emergence of Johnno as the backup ruckman sealed Keplar's fate as a delistment. The past few weeks have changed my mind.

Chris Mayne is a clever clever forward. Makes the most of limited opportunities and was sadly missed this season. An absolute steal at pick 42 in the 2007 draft. Im looking forward to Mayne after a full preseason.

Des Headland aint finished yet. So many supporters have been raising his name as delisting material. He's well and truly got some great football left in him. He's still got the passion and seems to be moving pretty well lately. His cameo down back last week followed by his game up forward this week have been all class.

Stephen Hill is a jet. His skills and decision making are such an improvement to anything we've seen in so long. Surrounded by 4 port players he handpasses 20m to the only player without anyone bearing down on him. His vision and evasive skills are first class. A bit like Palmer Port targetted him with some physical stuff in the 2nd half. Can't wait for another preseason to see this guy progress even further.

 

[silverscope]

De Boer + Broughton = The absolute steals of this draft! they are both on fire this season and good on them!

 

[masai]

Spot on Gauci and Silver, lot's of positives.

I was talking to a mate last week and he asked why I was so buoyant about the Dockers, shouldn't I be depressed. I told him that at this time of the season in 2001, I was still shouting for them but not looking forward to much future. At the moment I can see so many positives going forward, even though we haven't had many wins.

I reckon in the off season, I will pay little attention to the National Draft, and just concentrate on who we get as Rookies. From my observations, the Rookies turn out to be great investments as they have to play their butts off to get elevated to the main list, they aren't given any gold passes.

 

[Mundy]

Sorry but Keplar is still a very poor player.

No room IMHO

 

[Bateman]

Keplar Bradley aint too bad.

17 possessions. 8 marks. 1 goal 3 points this week.
12 possessions. 6 marks. 2 goals 1 point last week.

Its not world beating but its definately a contribution. I thought the emergence of Johnno as the backup ruckman sealed Keplar's fate as a delistment. The past few weeks have changed my mind.

Chris Mayne is a clever clever forward. Makes the most of limited opportunities and was sadly missed this season. An absolute steal at pick 42 in the 2007 draft. Im looking forward to Mayne after a full preseason.

Des Headland aint finished yet. So many supporters have been raising his name as delisting material. He's well and truly got some great football left in him. He's still got the passion and seems to be moving pretty well lately. His cameo down back last week followed by his game up forward this week have been all class.

Stephen Hill is a jet. His skills and decision making are such an improvement to anything we've seen in so long. Surrounded by 4 port players he handpasses 20m to the only player without anyone bearing down on him. His vision and evasive skills are first class. A bit like Palmer Port targetted him with some physical stuff in the 2nd half. Can't wait for another preseason to see this guy progress even further.

Kepler, the day a champion became a legend!!

 

[longsuffreosupp]

Sorry but Keplar is still a very poor player.

No room IMHO

He is alright for a backup ruckman, but once Zac breaks into our best 22, then he'll be a depth player.

 

[Rob]

Sorry but Keplar is still a very poor player.

No room IMHO

If we get rid of Kepler we're going to be getting rid of 12-15 players at the end of the year - a recipe for 130-13 beltings.

Kepler, as it stands at the moment, is our best option at full forward if Pav doesn't play out of the square. And I can't see that changing in the next year or 2. And TBH, you never know, he might become a decent player. Can take a mark, reasonably quick - if he stops being an unco bastard then he should be a good enough KPP until we draft some that can really play.

 

[PapaJ]

If we get rid of Kepler we're going to be getting rid of 12-15 players at the end of the year - a recipe for 130-13 beltings.

Kepler, as it stands at the moment, is our best option at full forward if Pav doesn't play out of the square. And I can't see that changing in the next year or 2. And TBH, you never know, he might become a decent player. Can take a mark, reasonably quick - if he stops being an unco bastard then he should be a good enough KPP until we draft some that can really play.

Yep. Kepler is like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, but he's shown enough to convince me at least that he's a better option than Murphy and Kiwi as a Fwd KPP who has the bonus of being able to go up the ground if necessary (something others can't do either). He'll be a depth player but, depending on balance etc, probably more in than out if he can stay fit. Plus he's so much fun to watch, he honestly looks like he's another species of creature at times.

 

[Mundy]

If we get rid of Kepler we're going to be getting rid of 12-15 players at the end of the year - a recipe for 130-13 beltings.

Says who? He's a crab.

Kepler, as it stands at the moment, is our best option at full forward if Pav doesn't play out of the square. And I can't see that changing in the next year or 2. And TBH, you never know, he might become a decent player. Can take a mark, reasonably quick - if he stops being an unco bastard then he should be a good enough KPP until we draft some that can really play.

No, just no. He's nowhere near that. Macca, Johno, Mayne, Campbell are all better options from Full forward.

I swear some people are pulling the piss on here.

 

[purplepassion82]

So 'Mundy' when Macca, Johnno, Mayne are all out with injury what shall we do then??

At the moment Kepler is a very handy player for us even though in the future I see him as depth only. DEPTH is the key word....

 

[FarmersWife]

I'm glad we have Kepler. Has been good value and filled some big holes in a number of areas on the ground. Surprised so many people knocking him.

 

[Mundy]

So 'Mundy' when Macca, Johnno, Mayne are all out with injury what shall we do then??

Recruit a young player, someone we can develop and give him the chance when those above go down with injury. Basically, I think an 18 year old roughie with some talent would give just as much.

At the moment Kepler is a very handy player for us even though in the future I see him as depth only. DEPTH is the key word....

I'd love to have some real depth, not hacks for back ups.

 

[Rob]

Says who? He's a crab.

Says the general consensus that we have about a dozen crabbier players than Kepler that should get the chop first.

No, just no. He's nowhere near that. Macca, Johno, Mayne, Campbell are all better options from Full forward.

I swear some people are pulling the piss on here.

Mayne is not a full forward, Campbell couldn't outmark me after i've had a bottle of scotch and McPharlin and Johnson are ordinary forwards who make far better defenders, and hence are not great options at full forward.

 

[Mundy]

Says the general consensus that we have about a dozen crabbier players than Kepler that should get the chop first.

Who?

Little worried that you can peel off a dozen TBH

Mayne is not a full forward, Campbell couldn't outmark me after i've had a bottle of scotch and McPharlin and Johnson are ordinary forwards who make far better defenders, and hence are not great options at full forward.

You didnt say full forward, you said option. Sadly, as you have rightly pointed out Macca and Johnno are better defenders than they are forwards, sadder still, they are better forwards than Keplar.

I think you underestimate Mayne's ability to hold down FF, watched him for 2 years play as a leading FF for Perth in the colts and he did rather well.

Handy option leading from the square.

 

[Selggad]

This discussion on Bradley should really be on the list management thread, but anyway, I'm for keeping him. As has been pointed out, we have many more crabs (Murphy and Campbell as full forwards who are less talented and offer less versatility) then there are Thornton, Browne and Gilmore who have to go and Peake and Drum who probably should go, so how far do we chop this year? An eighteen year old prospect won't offer as much next year as big Kep regardless of what Mundy thinks, so keeping him for another year is a no-brainer to me.

 

[summerthebat]

Certainly wouldn't be de-listing Kepler, but he has done this before, strung a few games together where he has looked like a permanent solution and then turned super dog shit in the following games.

I still have a flame of hope for Kepler.

 

[Rob]

Who?

Little worried that you can peel off a dozen TBH

Pretty easy to rattle them off.

Obvious delistings: Browne, Head, Gilmore, Murphy, Campbell.
Players that should be delisted before Kepler: Peake, Dodd, Drum, Thornton, Foster, Solomon, O'Brien. Possibly even Grover.

I'd probably get rid of 8 of those.

You didnt say full forward, you said option. Sadly, as you have rightly pointed out Macca and Johnno are better defenders than they are forwards, sadder still, they are better forwards than Keplar.

I think you underestimate Mayne's ability to hold down FF, watched him for 2 years play as a leading FF for Perth in the colts and he did rather well.

Handy option leading from the square.

As a surprise occasional move, maybe. But he can't play FF week in week out.

And i'd dispute McPharlin is a better FF. He sucks balls there. Johnson hasn't played there often enough for me to know, but I doubt he could hold his own in a one on one.

 

[Mundy]

Pretty easy to rattle them off.

Obvious delistings: Browne, Head, Gilmore, Murphy, Campbell.
Players that should be delisted before Kepler: Peake, Dodd, Drum, Thornton, Foster, Solomon, O'Brien. Possibly even Grover.

I'd probably get rid of 8 of those.



As a surprise occasional move, maybe. But he can't play FF week in week out.

And i'd dispute McPharlin is a better FF. He sucks balls there. Johnson hasn't played there often enough for me to know, but I doubt he could hold his own in a one on one.

Fair enough, some of those blokes are going due to age, I'd keep foster.

Still think he's times up.

 

[The Purple Jesus]

Pretty easy to rattle them off.

Obvious delistings: Browne, Head, Gilmore, Murphy, Campbell.
Players that should be delisted before Kepler: Peake, Dodd, Drum, Thornton, Foster, Solomon, O'Brien. Possibly even Grover.

Excellent pont Rob I agree totally. Just because Kepler may never be a super star he is a better option going forward than any of those guys you have listed. Am also pretty sure he is only still 22yo (maybe 23). We have bugger all young big guys so you cant get rid of them all

 

[Selggad]

I'd keep Dodd next year too. He can play a good defensive game and when we play running open football his disposal errors are not as critical. We can't afford to chop 8 - 10 player again if we just bring in future dumb-arses and if we draft deep again , that's what we will probably do.

 

[Mundy]

I'd keep Dodd next year too. He can play a good defensive game and when we play running open football his disposal errors are not as critical. .

What?

 

[masai]

Thumbs up to Kepler for the present, yes he may be depth player next season, but every team needs depth players ready to go.

Harvey has said the team will cut 20% of the players this year, that is around 8 players. Rob has named 5 (agreed), plus the rookie Connelly, gives you 6. What is the contract status for O'Brien, Foster, Thornton and Drum ?.

Players like Solomon, Grover, Dodd and Kepler definitely are required next season. After next season, we hope that we have players to oust them due to solid form, not because we just want to do a clean out. We require pressure from below to keep pushing the senior 22 for places.

 

[The Night Shift]

Yep. Kepler is like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, but he's shown enough to convince me at least that he's a better option than Murphy and Kiwi as a Fwd KPP who has the bonus of being able to go up the ground if necessary (something others can't do either). He'll be a depth player but, depending on balance etc, probably more in than out if he can stay fit. Plus he's so much fun to watch, he honestly looks like he's another species of creature at times.

yes yes yes
agree...

what species he is can be fun to work out as well....


I have him troll crossed with human