To achieve in 2008, who needs to step up / improve?

[Bas]

If we can get this blokes mind in the right place he would be the type of midfielder we need.

There is the problem.....

He isn't worth a first round pick. He comes with his own bag of problems, He is a "top up" 28 yr old midfielder who unlike Schwass or Williams is more concerned more with having a good time than playing.

Third round pick OK then.

[bennyfrou]

I agree with those names.

Looks like Roos is admitting we need a bit of improvement too.

Great, sounds like he's doing exactly what you guys are suggesting. New faces in Rounds 1,2,3. Hail mary!

[Robbo]

The young guys from the reserves need to play themselves into the first team and show us how good they are. Laidlaw, Barlow, Jack, Moore, White & co are our future and if they don't stand up to be counted soon then things could be grim. Sure, some of the older guys will have better seasons, but for everyone who does better, there will usually be one or two others who go downhill. It's called getting old.

As for Jude, if there are any offers from Melbourne clubs I reckon the club should take them. As he gets older, his lack of talent shows more and more.

Mate, there was a 5 week period where Simon Phillips kicked 5 goals plus each week and his form was simply ignored.

Moore had an outstanding season in the ressies, winning the Mulrooney medal, but somehow he only played 2 senior games all year, one of those was against the Kangaroos where he was on the ground for 25 minutes.

liz, the things you said about our young guys not getting a chance is spot on, but no matter how hard I try, I can't see the current core group getting us to another GF, let alone knocking off Geelong. As you said, we have to evolve, the only way to do that is to bring new blood into the side IMO.

[dimelb]

Here's an idea, look at every second post from Swantastic, play the Eski in the middle in the "Paul Williams" role.

No, he's a fine player but he's not fast enough for a PW role. Tadhg should do that, and the Eski should be HBF.
And as for some stepping up, OK, the ones named should do so. But a few others should step down.

[Lucky Knickers]

O'Keefe has the ability but doesn't impose himself on games often enough and as 2006 showed, he has struggled with the extra attention being paid to him by opposition coaches. I've said this before and been shouted down so I'm waiting for it again

I agree 100% Hammo - failed to convert much of his hard work off the ball into scoreboard pressure. Thought he improved and managed to assert himself more noticeably later in the season.

Kennelly needs to stop falling over and damaging those knees. I worry that with such a year of repetitive injuries there is an inherent weakness there and we seem to place so much importance on him as a player.

Hall needs to sort his groin/back/hammy/attitude out and get some passion back into his game.

Fosdike can definitely improve also IMO and play more consistently.

On TJ - one of the reasons Dees have performed well over the last couple of seasons so be interested in that trade.

[goswannie14]

O'Keefe has the ability but doesn't impose himself on games often enough and as 2006 showed, he has struggled with the extra attention being paid to him by opposition coaches. I've said this before and been shouted down so I'm waiting for it again

I think O'Keefe is similar to James Hird early in his career. In the early seasons everone knew that he had the ability to be a champion, however, he was very inconsistent, and rarely won the matches off his own boot. This changed markedly in the latter part of his career, when you knew that Hirdy could win any match and did win many a match off his own boot.

[reigning premier]

Easier to list those that DON'T have to step up.... There's far fewer of them.....

Goodes
Kirk
B2
Malceski

To the rest of them, lift your game!

[AnnieH]

All of them.

Maybe Roosey should send them all on a couple of those touchy-feely corporate team-building seminars. It worked for the pussies this year - I read they did a couple.

After that, he should send them back to the Roosters so that Freddy and the boys can teach them all how to tackle again. I'm sick to death of guys standing around, "making an attempt", and then just going back to standing around. We used to be the best tacklers in the business.

Behind the scenes, Longmire should be sent back to coaching the forwards - and he should bring in someone like Williams to coach the midfield.

Tickets are on sale for rides to my fantasy land. Hurry tickets are selling fast!!

[Chookbilly]

Oh no, looks like pick 11 to demons for Travis Johnstone. Such a waste!

How bout Travis Johnstone for Jude Bolton... direct swap.

I definitely wouldn't be paying more than a second round pick for Johnstone.

[reigning premier]

All of them.

Maybe Roosey should send them all on a couple of those touchy-feely corporate team-building seminars. It worked for the pussies this year - I read they did a couple.

After that, he should send them back to the Roosters so that Freddy and the boys can teach them all how to tackle again. I'm sick to death of guys standing around, "making an attempt", and then just going back to standing around. We used to be the best tacklers in the business.

Behind the scenes, Longmire should be sent back to coaching the forwards - and he should bring in someone like Williams to coach the midfield.

Tickets are on sale for rides to my fantasy land. Hurry tickets are selling fast!!

Bags front seat.....

[RogueSwan]

No, he's a fine player but he's not fast enough for a PW role. Tadhg should do that, and the Eski should be HBF.
And as for some stepping up, OK, the ones named should do so. But a few others should step down.

I am thinking quick skills will be enough, he shouldn't need a lot of time to steady himself and drill some passes into F50 or towards the sticks.

[mcs]

I definetly agree with sending Longmire back to the forwards- it comes as no suprise to me that our midfield was the worst it had been for years and our forwards also struggling with a player who never stepped foot in the middle of the ground coaching the midfield instead of doing what he had done brillantly for us in 05/06.

[bennyfrou]

I definetly agree with sending Longmire back to the forwards- it comes as no suprise to me that our midfield was the worst it had been for years and our forwards also struggling with a player who never stepped foot in the middle of the ground coaching the midfield instead of doing what he had done brillantly for us in 05/06.

Agreed, we need a new midfield coach. Move Longy to the forwards

[jude_boltons_babe]

what about how crap Barry hall has been

[ScottH]

what about how crap Barry hall has been

He's been trying his hardest.