Saturday arvo at the footy out in the open is what its all about. Looks pretty good today - few clouds. Open the goddamn roof you chickens. Oh we get a few drops of rain - boo freaking hoo. I want to fee like I've been outside today.

We have to get used to this new era of huge money offers for young players - Boyd, Sculley, Kelly, Franklin etc. Its the new model, bold approach to winning flags and if you think Paddy is exempt from it you are dreaming. Big forwards are in huge demand as they create the structure that gets you in ...

Its not hunting someone to point out the bleedin obvious. Why are you so obsessed with defending Plugger everytime he is mentioned? You seem to want to be his guardian angel. Its clear he's just going to keep rebooting himself so might as well stick around as Jackstevo so we all know what we are de...

Bolton comes out of that Clarkson structured Hawks gameplan where they like to keep possession to conserve energy and work it up the field. So will be an interesting clash against our more manic pressuring style where we like to move it quick but a bit haphazardly. Blues will try to absorb our attac...

I like Break-away Acres - cos that is what he does. Break his way through packs and then break away from players....ok I need to keep workshopping that.

Its not hunting someone to point out the bleedin obvious. Why are you so obsessed with defending Plugger everytime he is mentioned? You seem to want to be his guardian angel. Its clear he's just going to keep rebooting himself so might as well stick around as Jackstevo so we all know what we are dea...

Rooey should be retired Carlisle committed Richo replaced Rice playing LennyHaze razed The man who shot Liberty Valence ... a dibblydobbler no madnesses there ! Maybe you should make more jokes about people trying to kill themselves. That showed sooooo much Compassion. Easy thing to put on your sig...

Guys we are crap thats the reality of it. Last week we werent great. Shouldve been 130 points. Hawks werent even playing. If you think we have a chance tonight you are only setting yourself up to be dissapointed. Love the saints for who we are. A small struggling team who will always manage to neve...

Seems Richo is going back to his conservatism after having success mixing things up. Goes back to his good ole muscled up, physical lads he hearts so much. I think Dunny needs some time away from the white hot heat of AFL onball to work on his game. And I suspect he doesn't have full confidence in h...

Does Hugh mainly play full back in the VFL? You're on the money D-man. From what I've seen he plays very deep a lot of the time in that real anchor role. He's very vocal too. They are clearly grooming him to be that general set-up type that all premiership teams have who can get the defence re-orga...

There is no such thing as a "last line' anymore. You want a really fluid system with defenders covering each other as oppo players are designed to try ad run defenders out of position. Brown will often press up quite high if required following his man or setting up the press and then you see Ja...

This is the natural ebb and flow of footy. Applies to individual players as much as teams. You start getting good, you get respect and they put more work into you. It's why being a really good team at the top of the ladder is so difficult -there are no easy games with everyone going for your throat ...

They are. Very much so. They will be grooming Goddard to be that central pillar the defence revolveds around. He is strong, will get stronger and is also a very good flat kick for a big man. Not quick but if can read the play well should be able to cover things well.

I want to continue to improve on my aggression and my follow-up work around contests. I want to be a player that my teammates can rely on to block, shepherd and tackle when the other team has the ball That is what Billy thinks his job his - to be that aggressive, protecting and disrupting big guy a...

Brown has played well - the move has reinvigorated him. Just getting away from brainless bucks must be a relief. But we've been under the radar a fair bit. Things will step up now. Watch them trying to isolate Brown a lot more and try and put him under pressure with his kicking. Brown been pretty in...

just glad we didn't pay top dollar for an injury bust. r. see how do you know he's an injury bust? That is where you are going way early. He's played some games is out for maybe a few now and then could come back better. Already chalked up a huge possession game. Sports medicine gets better and bet...

From this angle it probably was a bit rough

I'll bet Out: Roo (why play him if he's having knee problems), Stevens (sus) In: Paddy - Give Paddy a Chance, Weller (if fit) - Richo totally hearts Weller This would be a good chance to let Minch, Gresh & Sincs have more of a run onball. I think we need to be trying Gresh out in particular onba...

just glad we didn't pay top dollar for an injury bust. r. see how do you know he's an injury bust? That is where you are going way early. He's played some games is out for maybe a few now and then could come back better. Already chalked up a huge possession game. Sports medicine gets better and bet...

1 Longer (StK),

Well the coaches clearly got that wrong because Longer was ordinary according to half the board who refuse to adjust their opinions based on data. Maybe this might indicate that Longer did play well? Maybe...mmmm....mabye yes?

Bummer for the big dude. Longer gets an extended shot at it now. Hopefully Hicks can come back strong later in the year and push for selection. Its great to have two strong rucks pushing each other - they've helped each other get better no doubt.

Just heard on SEN Paddy only getting a fine. #playpaddyrestnic

We don't have great kicking players in general so yeah that is what is going to happen. We probably need to have more shots than the oppo to win games.

You've also got to factor in that these trades - Mcevoy, Goddard, Dal Santo - were all designed to push us down the ladder to get the really high picks. Losing our big ruckmen, classy mid ball deliverer, and penetrating kicker from the back was always going to see us sink. So its not just the immedi...