If we do one thing this year....

[Nardz]

regarding her main points though....

i do agree that pretty much all of those players are in our best 22.. perhaps with a question mark over dawes.. if he is not in our best 22 he's close to it... i'm all for giving him some games though

and yeah.. we're past the halfway mark and we're sitting 3rd on the ladder. sometimes you just need to step back and consider that and consider whether or not you would have taken that prior to the season. granted it is much easier for me to do due to the fact i'm away at the moment and havent seen a game since the cats game...

the way i see it out of the prior to the freo game, we would have taken 2 wins out of the freo, geelong, brisbane, and dogs games.

the melbourne game was disappointing, but we have time to redeem ourselves.

either way as long as we finish in the top 2/4 all this home and away stuff doesnt really matter. we need to be able to deliver it on the big stage and against teams like the cats and saints. that is all that really matters. whether we can or not remains to be seen... anything can happen in september. it's probably less than likely but doesn't mean it can't be done.

i'm much more confident this year than last, and i think next year we'll be again more confident than this year, regardless of the outcome of this year.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

im no gambler.. but i think you need to revisit your logic there..

I didn't realise Geelong's favouritism stretched "that" far.

 

[PIES 4 LIFE]

Gee it seems to most of you that the seasons already over, and that Geelongs already won the flag, why the hell do you even follow football if that is your true opinion. I'm a realist too, but why should we throw in the towel right now, lets go down fighting.

Heavyweights have been beaten against all odds before by the new up and comers.

Don't give up yet guys.

 

[well left]

If we do one thing for the rest of this year, it has to be for Brad Dick, Ben Reid, Steele Sidebottom, Dayne Beams, and Chris Dawes to play ever senior game if they are fit.

I'm pretty sure all bar Dawes will play every game if fit.

Those players are all a part of Collingwood's best team. Chris Dawes straightens Collingwood and are more accurate for goal when he plays, and Cloke is better then too.

Could not agree more. I think the biggest stat for me out of the Melbourne game was despite killing Melbourne in inside 50's they actually beat us in inside 50's in the corridor. It was the same problem with Geelong and St Kilda. Good defences, and Melbourne's is pretty good already, push us wide when we go inside 50.

We need to get games into Dawes so we have both him and Cloke to go long and direct to, especially with Dick crumbing the packs.

As for Wood, he has to prove he is better than Fraser and Leigh brown. At this stage I'd be going with Brown as the 2nd ruck.

 

[Quicky]

We need to get games into Dawes so we have both him and Cloke to go long and direct to, especially with Dick crumbing the packs.

Agree with this. It's the biggest issue with our list as it stands that we don't have a genuine second tall target in our forward line. It's a big reason why we have failed to kick scores against good opposition and why we have broken down going I50 at times this year. Failing recruiting an established KPF we need to develop one from within our list. This leaves us realistically with Dawes and Anthony as options. Dawes isn't the player we need him to be yet but he isn't going to be if he is not developed in the seniors. His fitness and form has him ahead of Anthony at the present time. We need one of these two to stand and be counted.

As for Wood, he has to prove he is better than Fraser and Leigh brown. At this stage I'd be going with Brown as the 2nd ruck

Yep as it stands Woods form doesn't warrant inclusion. But I think a decent game in the twos and it's really important he is brought in as second ruckman for his development and the good of the team.

 

[well left]

Wood is a dilemma. Ordinarily I would say a player needs to string a couple together before being promoted so they don't take it for granted but we have tried it with Wood and it does not work. We've also given him consecutive games and that does not work either.

I'm not sure he deserves a senior spot but no one is putting their hand up at the moment so I say play him when he is in form and hope he starts to come good Jamar style (who would ever thought Jamar would be someone to aspire to!)

 

[Quicky]

Wood is a dilemma. Ordinarily I would say a player needs to string a couple together before being promoted so they don't take it for granted but we have tried it with Wood and it does not work. We've also given him consecutive games and that does not work either.

I'm not sure he deserves a senior spot but no one is putting their hand up at the moment so I say play him when he is in form and hope he starts to come good Jamar style (who would ever thought Jamar would be someone to aspire to!)

Others have mentioned that perhaps he's struggling as a second ruck and is better suited to being number one where he can get more gametime and find a rythym. But obviously Jolly is the better first ruck and so Wood has to settle for second fiddle. To me he needs to learn to have an impact as a second ruck while Jolly is in the team. As soon as he finds a bit of touch I think we need him back in the side for his development and for the good of the team in the long run.

 

[doppleganger]

I may have mentioned my views on Wood in passing in another thread!

I still fail to see how playing 85% of game time in the VFL as the number 1 ruck will limit his development in comparison to 30% coming on and off the bench in the AFL team.

Anyway, the other blokes have already proven they can add plenty to the team.

Dick forced his way into the best 22 last year IMO. Although in saying that, if his form drops we have plenty of forward options....and Lockyer proved that he still has a role to play in 2010 on the weekend.

Reid is looking comfortable down back, and he offers plenty of rebound also, which is important in modern footy. I think he could become our most important player in a few years.

Beams and Sidey, they may need a rest some time during the second half of the season, as we need them fresh and at their best for the finals.

Dawes he did look good in a couple of games, but needs to learn how to impact games when things aren't going his way (the same can be said for Cloke and JA too tho, this will come with experience). Is he in our best 22 come finals?? Up to him really.

Not sure about people already giving up on 2010, pies are a big show.

 

[Quicky]

I may have mentioned my views on Wood in passing in another thread!

I still fail to see how playing 85% of game time in the VFL as the number 1 ruck will limit his development in comparison to 30% coming on and off the bench in the AFL team.

Anyway, the other blokes have already proven they can add plenty to the team.

Dick forced his way into the best 22 last year IMO. Although in saying that, if his form drops we have plenty of forward options....and Lockyer proved that he still has a role to play in 2010 on the weekend.

Reid is looking comfortable down back, and he offers plenty of rebound also, which is important in modern footy. I think he could become our most important player in a few years.

Beams and Sidey, they may need a rest some time during the second half of the season, as we need them fresh and at their best for the finals.

Dawes he did look good in a couple of games, but needs to learn how to impact games when things aren't going his way (the same can be said for Cloke and JA too tho, this will come with experience). Is he in our best 22 come finals?? Up to him really.

Not sure about people already giving up on 2010, pies are a big show.

I think the argument is about the quality of the opposition not only in the ruck but around the ground. VFL doesn't compare to AFL. Either way if he could find a way to make an impact as a second ruck it can only be good for the team now and in the long run.

Agree on Reid, he'll be enormously important for our structure and could well be our best KPP in a few years.

On Dawes I think he needs to work on having an impact in limited space against good defensive sides. If he can't mark it at least bring it to ground and either lock it in or create a crumb. As it stands he does neither which allows the opposition too many easy rebounds which really hurts us the other way. I think this is why he got dropped.