JLT 2018

[frenchconnection]

He played 15 min last week being his first full contact hit out. Not two weeks ago. And reported that he pulled up well from the Sat session after rhe match sim earlier in the week. So you are now fabricating rumours to support your argument.

How things turn out is a moot point.

The issue being discussed is you and others keep saying the club isnt informing fans on whats happening when in fact they are. Ive listed the key reports released over the past 12 weeks.

What else do you want from the club?

There is no definitive time line its a wait and see approach with no benefit to rushing Nic. The season is a marathon not a sprint.

Is it that surprising Nic isnt at the same fitness levels as players with no injury issues?

Unfortunately there are a few panic merchants amongst some Posters on here!

 

[avishka5]

Play Mcinnis as our ruckman and play jd as the back up ruckman. Should experiment now with a smaller forward line and team.

 

[avishka5]

Gaff has got bigger in the preseason. He’s 85kgs now and that’s the same size as redden and Hutchings. He’s also a lot shorter than redden.

 

[ziad]

Yeh I wanted Ryan too, but in the rookie draft the year before, the fact that we had to use a second rounder on him this year just irks me I guess.
Agree with you on Brander, he certainly looks like he's going to be a good player, he might actually come on a bit quicker than I thought as well based on yesterday.

I recon Ryan is going outstandingly well for a pick 26 in if first season and without the full pre season that comes with time. Not sure if people expected miracles?

 

[frenchconnection]

We still won't have a decent midfield though.
Agree on Petrucelle, actually seems to use his speed as a weapon (unlike Ash Smith) and seems quite hard at it. Keen to see how he develops.

Unless we get a draft pick in the top few which hasn't happened for some time pretty difficult to draft gun midfielders - also on top of that we can't seem to get players out of contract to come West - so the only option we have is development. Our hands are tied to a certain extent - the only option is to "tank" like Melbourne did so we get one of the top draft picks, but I wouldn't like to see this happen! Anyway it's early days yet so a bit of patience is required to see how our midfield will go.

 

[Noctorniquet]

Play Mcinnis as our ruckman and play jd as the back up ruckman. Should experiment now with a smaller forward line and team.

We still have Lycett who is a more than serviceable first ruck, whilst he doesn't have the x factor of Nic, almost every other team in the league would happily have him. Will most certainly play round 1 and be the incumbent when Vardy is fit again, which means he will have to earn his spot back, which is healthy competition for spots.

 

[Godfather32]

I recon Ryan is going outstandingly well for a pick 26 in if first season and without the full pre season that comes with time. Not sure if people expected miracles?

Not sure where I said Ryan wasn't doing well? My point was that we could have had him in the rookie draft the year before like many of us on here wanted and then used pick 26 on someone else.

 

[frenchconnection]

If he played last week, and isn't right to go next week, then *Drum roll please* that is actually a two week period...so good job with the math there mate.

I have no issue with not having a set return date, in fact I'm all for it because clearly there have been a huge amount of complications and IMO we won't be seeing him for a good while yet, if at all.
My problem has been with the way the club has milked his return for near on half a year now as a way of generating marketing and ticket sales, and yes I understand that they are well within their rights to do so, however I personally find it incredibly dishonest and distasteful.

You seem happy being fed their bullshit, good for you.

Maybe it's not "bullshit" as you say - it's a day by day proposition and unless one is clairvoyant very difficult to give a definite date for return. I would say most of the comments from the Club have been more 'hopeful" than "definate", at least that's how I read it, as there can always be setbacks when returning from major injury.

 

[avishka5]

I

We still have Lycett who is a more than serviceable first ruck, whilst he doesn't have the x factor of Nic, almost every other team in the league would happily have him. Will most certainly play round 1 and be the incumbent when Vardy is fit again, which means he will have to earn his spot back, which is healthy competition for spots.

I know that. I’m just agreeing with the folks that want to rest him this weekend.

 

[Noctorniquet]

I

I know that. I’m just agreeing with the folks that want to rest him this weekend.

Ahh yeh, makes sense, agree in that facet also. Not worth the risk so close to round 1. Ruck Fmac and anyone else this weekend.

 

[Biggie]

My point was that we could have had him in the rookie draft the year before

I'm going to bank on the fact (from my own head and based on nothing actually factual) that he wouldn't have made it had he been taken in the draft the season before this one

 

[Godfather32]

Unless we get a draft pick in the top few which hasn't happened for some time pretty difficult to draft gun midfielders - also on top of that we can't seem to get players out of contract to come West - so the only option we have is development. Our hands are tied to a certain extent - the only option is to "tank" like Melbourne did so we get one of the top draft picks, but I wouldn't like to see this happen! Anyway it's early days yet so a bit of patience is required to see how our midfield will go.

It's difficult but not impossible, look at the top midfielders in the league and there's plenty that aren't top 10 picks. Merrett - 26, Kennedy - 40, Sloane - 44, Zorko was passed over in 3 or so drafts, Neale - 58, Parker - 40, Steven -42, Fyfe - 20, Crouch - 23. And that's without going into the father/sons that were picked up later in the draft because it's difficult to say where they would have gone. We're just shit at picking midfielders in the draft lately.

 

[dajesmac]

Is our forward line our new backline where we now have talent flowing out of our ass?

 

[FKASC]

As desperate as we would be for this to occur, I actually think this is better than Darling or McGovern to the ruck. If we get more injuries, use Schofield in the Trengrove style of ruck rather than ruining one of our key players (or taking them out of position) or young guys in there. He isn't getting in the team any other way on current form. We really do have limited options if Lycett or McInnes go down and NN takes longer to come back.

Also think Lycett needs to play this week and no point putting him in cotton wool. He needs the run (even if not for a full game).

Yeah that’s what my reasoning was too. If he wants to make himself useful, learn how to chop out in the ruck

 

[FKASC]

Is our forward line our new backline where we now have talent flowing out of our ass?

Flowing out of the ass is probably not the most pleasant analogy but yeah

 

[frenchconnection]

It's difficult but not impossible, look at the top midfielders in the league and there's plenty that aren't top 10 picks. Merrett - 26, Kennedy - 40, Sloane - 44, Zorko was passed over in 3 or so drafts, Neale - 58, Parker - 40, Steven -42, Fyfe - 20, Crouch - 23. And that's without going into the father/sons that were picked up later in the draft because it's difficult to say where they would have gone. We're just shit at picking midfielders in the draft lately.

Too early to say re Venables due to his previous injuries. Hope he will be one that will come on and show what O!Brien and others saw in him to draft him ahead of Powell-Pepper and others.

 

[Woobla Stainz]

You dont need to be fresh to watch the finals from Bali.

Yes Freo all freo players know this well

 

[FKASC]

Looking forward to the highlights package that the club will eventually hopefully put up.

I wanna see these Brander marks

 

[Godfather32]

I'm going to bank on the fact (from my own head and based on nothing actually factual) that he wouldn't have made it had he been taken in the draft the season before this one

Hey come on, it's not like we passed on him to take a guy who didn't look at any stage like he had a single AFL quality and who we dumped after a year is it?

 

[Biggie]

Hey come on, it's not like we passed on him to take a guy who didn't look at any stage like he had a single AFL quality and who we dumped after a year is it?

Unheard of move by the WCE recruitment team.

 

[avishka5]

Ahh yeh, makes sense, agree in that facet also. Not worth the risk so close to round 1. Ruck Fmac and anyone else this weekend.

Would love to see darling lose the tap to sandi then follow it up by slamming Fyfe into the turf.

 

[Godfather32]

Unheard of move by the WCE recruitment team.

This is true actually, we normally just hold on to them for a few years too long and re-rookie them 2-3 times.

 

[Godfather32]

Would love to see darling lose the tap to sandi then follow it up by slamming Fyfe into the turf.

Darling should start rucking with his chest, seems to get some good distance on the ball when it hits him there

 

[ArdentEagle]

Not sure where I said Ryan wasn't doing well? My point was that we could have had him in the rookie draft the year before like many of us on here wanted and then used pick 26 on someone else.

It's almost like they were too scared to take the risk on someone at the time who was seen as potentially a little mentally weak, for want of a better word I suppose.

We had to come across as the golden boys of the AFL and couldn't risk any more tarnish at that stage.
If you ask me, it ****ing weak leadership from the very top of the tree.

 

[lewigie]

Ugh.. I can't stop thinking of McInness getting reamed by Joe Daniher last year. If he plays a substantial amount of games this year then god help us all.