List changes and trade bait

[sharp9]

Go easy, Sharp. You are making a LOT of assumptions here and you are being deliberately inflammatory which detracts from your argument.

Before you accuse me of not wanting to make the world a better place, etc, etc (I worked for more than 10 years in an NGO in Aid and Development), I also wouldnt want him at the Swans because I think he looks for issues that perhaps arent there. I think that the other players would feel like they are walking on eggshells around him and it would be uncomfortable for all. I also wouldnt want Mitch Robinson because I dont think he is good enough - not because he may be any of those things in his personal life of which you accuse him.

Mmmm...but I'm not talking to you I'm making direct replies to another poster's comments. I carefully weighed up the "inflammatoriness" (!!!) of my comments and decided that these were things best said. His comments are the type of comments that deserve to be called out - and I decided to do so in the same tone of voice in which he was speaking. I prefer a world where it is not OK for people to derisively call someone like you "A Bloody Do-Gooder." And so - sometimes - a teensy bit of inflammation is OK (IMO). True this may weaken the power of my persuasiveness...but then as someone famous once said "You can't reason a man out of a position he didn't reason himself into!"

[sharp9]

You are right - I should have just said that you saying HL's actions are simply all about him crying "Me, Me, Me" were out of line.
I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

[Faunac8]

In America, yes. Was thought to have died out everywhere else in the English-speaking world until you revived it.

Off of used to be standard in English; the Merriam-Webster Dictionary of English Usage starts off with a Shakespearean usage in his book Henry VI, Page 98 "A fall off of "[1592] and continues with Pepys [1668] and Bunyan [1678]. In the last century, they show it used by Hemingway, Faulkner, and Harry Truman, among others. So if it is making a comeback, it?s no harbinger of linguistic doom, just a return to form.
There is nothing linguistically or grammatically wrong with off of. It?s nonstandard in some dialects and informal in most, so you should probably avoid it if you?re concerned about your writing seeming formal. But when formality isn?t a concern, use it as you see fit.
So I suppose being accused of reviving the use of the English language as employed by such luminaries as those named above is not the insult it was intended to be. However I do resent being told by narrow-minded rationalizers that I may not employ the language of William Shakespeare ,George Bernard Shaw and those well known Americans Richards and Jagger.

[Bloods05]

Off of used to be standard in English; the Merriam-Webster Dictionary of English Usage starts off with a Shakespearean usage in his book Henry VI, Page 98 "A fall off of "[1592] and continues with Pepys [1668] and Bunyan [1678]. In the last century, they show it used by Hemingway, Faulkner, and Harry Truman, among others. So if it is making a comeback, it?s no harbinger of linguistic doom, just a return to form.
There is nothing linguistically or grammatically wrong with off of. It?s nonstandard in some dialects and informal in most, so you should probably avoid it if you?re concerned about your writing seeming formal. But when formality isn?t a concern, use it as you see fit.
So I suppose being accused of reviving the use of the English language as employed by such luminaries as those named above is not the insult it was intended to be. However I do resent being told by narrow-minded rationalizers that I may not employ the language of William Shakespeare ,George Bernard Shaw and those well known Americans Richards and Jagger.

Just as well I didn't then. And it's rationalisers.

[Ludwig]

Sayeth no more.
Lest Thou becometh off of topic.

[Bloods05]

Indeed doth God forbid.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Jake and Harry will be going thru the roof in $ after their performances on Sat to top off very impressive 2014 seasons by both players !!!

12months ago i wouldnt be saying this with certainty but they have both proven that they will be most 150 to 200 game AFL players given their outside ability, their skill and dexterity and given that they are both only 19/20 yrs of age and already playing with such composure................and they can truly kick goals

amazing that in 2014 they are now so so important to our best 22

So i am leaning towards matt80 now with his argument that we can not contain all our best 22 talent and someone will be going from our top 25 alot like the situation that the Hawks found them selves in with Kennedy and McGylnn unless Shaw and Goodes retire at the end of 2014 or play on for peanuts

[Conor_Dillon]

Jake and Harry will be going thru the roof in $ after their performances on Sat to top off very impressive 2014 seasons by both players !!!

12months ago i wouldnt be saying this with certainty but they have both proven that they will be most 150 to 200 game AFL players given their outside ability, their skill and dexterity and given that they are both only 19/20 yrs of age and already playing with such composure................and they can truly kick goals

amazing that in 2014 they are now so so important to our best 22

So i am leaning towards matt80 now with his argument that we can not contain all our best 22 talent and someone will be going from our top 25 alot like the situation that the Hawks found them selves in with Kennedy and McGylnn unless Shaw and Goodes retire at the end of 2014 or play on for peanuts

It's incredible how clean Lloyd is..very rarely fumbles and never looks flustered. I can't remember which poster called him the Ice Man but it's absolutely spot on!

[mcs]

Jake and Harry will be going thru the roof in $ after their performances on Sat to top off very impressive 2014 seasons by both players !!!

12months ago i wouldnt be saying this with certainty but they have both proven that they will be most 150 to 200 game AFL players given their outside ability, their skill and dexterity and given that they are both only 19/20 yrs of age and already playing with such composure................and they can truly kick goals

amazing that in 2014 they are now so so important to our best 22

So i am leaning towards matt80 now with his argument that we can not contain all our best 22 talent and someone will be going from our top 25 alot like the situation that the Hawks found them selves in with Kennedy and McGylnn unless Shaw and Goodes retire at the end of 2014 or play on for peanuts

To be honest, and I know the club won't do this, but if we win the flag, then it would probably be for the best if Shaw and Goodes were both given a tap on the shoulder. I know Goodes has been allowed to make his own decision up, but surely he can see that, if we won another flag, there is nothing left for him to achieve. Similar for Shaw I would of thought.

I think the club have probably accepted that Malceski is already moving on - although, and this is just guessing between the lines, I wonder if they are awaiting his final decision before making decisions over the few unsigned players remaining - in particular Jake Lloyd.

[Go Swannies]

A lot of the joy of following this team is watching the kids mature so quickly. The roar when Gary returned showed that. parker has quickly moved from kid to star. Lloyd and Cunningham are doing the same - I love watching their composure. It's so rewarding.

[Conor_Dillon]

Matt80 i'm shocked you haven't posted that we should pick up Leroy Jetta as a delisted free agent...he's pretty fast!!

[Matt80]

Matt80 i'm shocked you haven't posted that we should pick up Leroy Jetta as a delisted free agent...he's pretty fast!!

Brandon Jack and Jack Hiscox have to be given the opportunity to play the quick chasing forward position.

For an unheralded Academy player Hiscox gets a lot of goals at Reserves Level. I predict he may sneak onto the Rookie list.

[Conor_Dillon]

Brandon Jack and Jack Hiscox have to be given the opportunity to play the quick chasing forward position.

For an unheralded Academy player Hiscox gets a lot of goals at Reserves Level. I predict he may sneak onto the Rookie list.

Yeh it would be good if they rewarded him with a place on the rookie list...would be a great example for other young players and academy members that if you miss out once or twice, don't give up, just keep persisting and you never know what might happen.

By the way that was a tongue in cheek comment...I don't rate Jetta of the Essendon variety at all.

[Matt80]

Jake and Harry will be going thru the roof in $ after their performances on Sat to top off very impressive 2014 seasons by both players !!!

12months ago i wouldnt be saying this with certainty but they have both proven that they will be most 150 to 200 game AFL players given their outside ability, their skill and dexterity and given that they are both only 19/20 yrs of age and already playing with such composure................and they can truly kick goals

amazing that in 2014 they are now so so important to our best 22

So i am leaning towards matt80 now with his argument that we can not contain all our best 22 talent and someone will be going from our top 25 alot like the situation that the Hawks found them selves in with Kennedy and McGylnn unless Shaw and Goodes retire at the end of 2014 or play on for peanuts

I think the signing of Craig Bird is the signing that has altered the off season balance. This signing has also changed the Tom Mitchell situation in my opinion. They could have chosen to leave Craig Bird unsigned (Mumford situation), knowing they had Tom Mitchell to come in and permanently play his position. Instead they contracted Bird for another two seasons meaning now the club has four very good pure inside midfielders to call upon (Parker, Mitchell, Bird and Kennedy). You then have senior players like Kieran Jack, Ben Mcglynn , Jarrad Mcveigh and Daniel Hannebery who can play as inside and outside midfielders. Jake Lloyd and Harry Cunningham will also develop their inside games over the next two seasons.

John Longmire since round four has only played a maximum of three of (Kennedy, Parker, Bird and Mitchell). His preferred inside three are Kennedy, Parker and Bird. I think the signing of Craig Bird was a sign for Tom that in the short term the club is backing Craig Bird.

Tom may have a good pre-season and one of (Kennedy, Parker or Bird) may have an injury interrupted year. This would lead to Tom having an excellent break out year. On the other hand Kennedy, Parker and Bird may maintain their excellent physical resilience and high standards, which would lead to Tom playing more NEAFL time with the occasional senior run.

Having a situation where the Swans are playing either Bird or Mitchell in the NEAFL in 2015 for extended periods of time is nothing short of wasteful and has the potential to effect the medium or longer term monetary and reputational circumstances of those players.
Bird or Mitchell also have Heeney and Hewitt who will improve and start putting some midfield pressure on in 2015.

Having recently signed Bird, I think the best thing for Mitchell is to find a club who really need his talents and will allow him if fit, to play 22 high quality games. Young recently drafted inside midfielders such as Hewitt and Heeney should be the back-ups for Kennedy, Parker, and Bird. Not Mitchell as a 4th year player in 2015, who is ready to break out.

The Swans will also pick up a draft pick between positions 8-15 for Mitchell.

I hope I?m making some sense and not upsetting people.

[Conor_Dillon]

I think if a club put up an offer too good to refuse for Tom then we wouldn't knock it back...but it would have to be pretty substantial in the form of draft picks/players. Highly doubt he will request a trade.