Finals

[Sandridge]

They were exceptionally poor tonight and quite frankly I think their list is in a fair bit if strife. Too many kids who have been given too much too early and never had to fight for anything their entire life. Shiels, Whitfield and even the Grub were all notable absentees. Know he was injured but is there a bigger waste of $1m a year than Jeremy Cameron, he is the consummate flat track bully and I have never seen him stand up when the heat is on.

This was discussed on Melbourne radio yesterday morning. As one commentator pointed out, GWS is full of guys who were absolute stars at junior levels and were treated accordingly. It was pointed out that they don't have enough players with "grunt." Certainly looked that way last night.

[barry]

I think the AFL pulling back on salary cap extensions for Northern clubs is part of the problem. Gill was even boasting of it on one of the footy shows.They have no depth. That Stevie j is being seriously considered, shows how poor after the top 20 they are. It has crippled them before they have established themselves. Swans are well established and can ride it out. Brisbane, GC and GWS are still to vulnerable. Melbourne centric AFL have really stuffed up the north again.

[Jeynez]

Cameron's injury could be a blessing in disguise for the Giants. I'm surprised they stuck with all 3 of Patton/Cameron/Lobb and then brought in Himmelberg (194cm) as well. They've gone way too tall, and there's no pressure on the opposition defenders once the ball hits the ground.

[AnnieH]

Still can't believe the bogans dropped Stevie J... their most experienced finals playing player.
Idiots.

[undy]

Bring Stevie J back in - I think that he could have kept them at level pegging last night over the first part of the game when they had the ball in their attacking 50 but looked incapable.

Are we there yet ?

[barry]

Cameron's injury could be a blessing in disguise for the Giants. I'm surprised they stuck with all 3 of Patton/Cameron/Lobb and then brought in Himmelberg (194cm) as well. They've gone way too tall, and there's no pressure on the opposition defenders once the ball hits the ground.

Totally agree. I'd drop mummy and play lobb in ruck too.

Patton is the laziest player I've ever seen.

[Mug Punter]

They were poor, but they were getting beaten up playing away against the minor premiers. The Giants list is fine, they were legitimately hammered by injuries all season and that took a significant toll on their reserves results- they had one or two games where they fielded a comically low number of listed players.

I know they had injuries but if you were a list manager I think you'd describe their list as anything but fine.

Given they have no concessions now and the benefits of frontloading the contracts of Scully, Davis Shaw and Ward are wearing off I think they have a huge % of their salary cap invested in a small number of admittedly elite players - Shiel, Coniglio, Cameron, Patton, Lobb, Whitfield and Kelly would all be on huge coin. And those kids have never had to fight for anything in their life and fall over when challenged. The only players in that club that have any character, and they have it in spades, are the trio of Davis Scully and Ward who were inspired signings. But when they leave in 2-3 years you look and wonder where the next bunch of leaders are. I don't see any - I see a bunch of teenage millionaires who just cannot wait to explore free agency when the time comes to maximise their career earnings.

Their injury list is not that deep now. Their only injuries right now are Kennedy, Griffin and Buntine so you cannot tell me that they would have made much of a difference.

They have only got two second rounders in this years draft so their improvement needs to come from within - I imagine Taranto, Setterfield and Perryman will get a run next year but they are no guarantees to be stars. And as I pointed out you have Stevie J retiring and Mumford and Shaw looking cooked. Recruiting Deledio looks like a ridiculous decision and Griffin is 32 next year so also close to the end too.

Now, if they lose Kelly and/or Smith their list starts to look even thinner and with free agency starting to beckon the only reason they will stay, winning premierships, is starting to fade too.

It's bizarre that experts as recently as a couple of months ago were talking about betting GWS v the field. Clearly they are not a crap team overnight but if they go out in straight sets I think the AFL would be feeling a bit nervous.

Until now GWS have had a rails run. Plenty of draft one picks so it didn't matter if they missed with a few. Surplus players to trade out for more first round draft picks. Well that cycle is over now. GWS need to develop and improve players like any other club. Like we do with a back six that came from the rookie list along with latter draft picks who we develop over years (Lloyd, Newman, Towers).

I'm not sure that GWS have the skillset or desire to do that, to knuckle down for the long haul now if things don't go to their business plan with a flag falling into their lap in years 5,6 or 7 as they were told by all and sundry would happen. I don't know if the Eastern Suburbs corporate types and ignoramuses that populate the corporate box on match day will hang around when the fun wears off. And will the players, who all seem to have taken the bait that a flag this year was a fait accompli, be able to resist the lure back home on more money to a proper football club where they don't feel like they are in the circus. And I sure don't think a lot of the window lickers in the crowd will keep on returning if they start falling down the ladder.

[barry]

Don't be fooled by the Victorian obsession that early draft picks are the greatest things ever.

Most of the finalists this year don't have many. Most of the strugglers have heaps.

[Hotpotato]

I know they had injuries but if you were a list manager I think you'd describe their list as anything but fine.

Given they have no concessions now and the benefits of frontloading the contracts of Scully, Davis Shaw and Ward are wearing off I think they have a huge % of their salary cap invested in a small number of admittedly elite players - Shiel, Coniglio, Cameron, Patton, Lobb, Whitfield and Kelly would all be on huge coin. And those kids have never had to fight for anything in their life and fall over when challenged. The only players in that club that have any character, and they have it in spades, are the trio of Davis Scully and Ward who were inspired signings. But when they leave in 2-3 years you look and wonder where the next bunch of leaders are. I don't see any - I see a bunch of teenage millionaires who just cannot wait to explore free agency when the time comes to maximise their career earnings.

Their injury list is not that deep now. Their only injuries right now are Kennedy, Griffin and Buntine so you cannot tell me that they would have made much of a difference.

They have only got two second rounders in this years draft so their improvement needs to come from within - I imagine Taranto, Setterfield and Perryman will get a run next year but they are no guarantees to be stars. And as I pointed out you have Stevie J retiring and Mumford and Shaw looking cooked. Recruiting Deledio looks like a ridiculous decision and Griffin is 32 next year so also close to the end too.

Now, if they lose Kelly and/or Smith their list starts to look even thinner and with free agency starting to beckon the only reason they will stay, winning premierships, is starting to fade too.

It's bizarre that experts as recently as a couple of months ago were talking about betting GWS v the field. Clearly they are not a crap team overnight but if they go out in straight sets I think the AFL would be feeling a bit nervous.

Until now GWS have had a rails run. Plenty of draft one picks so it didn't matter if they missed with a few. Surplus players to trade out for more first round draft picks. Well that cycle is over now. GWS need to develop and improve players like any other club. Like we do with a back six that came from the rookie list along with latter draft picks who we develop over years (Lloyd, Newman, Towers).

I'm not sure that GWS have the skillset or desire to do that, to knuckle down for the long haul now if things don't go to their business plan with a flag falling into their lap in years 5,6 or 7 as they were told by all and sundry would happen. I don't know if the Eastern Suburbs corporate types and ignoramuses that populate the corporate box on match day will hang around when the fun wears off. And will the players, who all seem to have taken the bait that a flag this year was a fait accompli, be able to resist the lure back home on more money to a proper football club where they don't feel like they are in the circus. And I sure don't think a lot of the window lickers in the crowd will keep on returning if they start falling down the ladder.

What an entertaining narrative. What's a 'window licker'?
Reminds me of a mates sometime girlfriend who drove him mad so he changed the locks, so she became known as the (window) 'Cat Scratcher '.

[longmile]

If Geelong win tonight and we win tomorrow I think we have the hardest draw to the Granny - Richmond at the MCG and the Crows at Adelaide Oval. Will be barracking for the Tiges tonight

[KTigers]

It's a fun draw for us isn't? And right now, Friday arvo, we're actually behind our maligned friends out at Homebush. They are actually
in Week 2 of the finals, we're not. Looking further ahead, I'm hopeful that last year's occurrence of both QF winners going on to
lose their prelims (possibly by virtue of having forgotten what a footy looks like by playing so rarely) repeats itself.

If Geelong win tonight and we win tomorrow I think we have the hardest draw to the Granny - Richmond at the MCG and the Crows at Adelaide Oval. Will be barracking for the Tiges tonight

[Mug Punter]

If Geelong win tonight and we win tomorrow I think we have the hardest draw to the Granny - Richmond at the MCG and the Crows at Adelaide Oval. Will be barracking for the Tiges tonight

Without doubt the hardest road but we deserve that.

For me anything past tomorrow evening is a bonus but I am feeling greedy now and want to win at least one final.

Either way the draw falls you'd think we have to beat all three of the Cats, Tigers and Crows away to win the flag. It would truly be one for the ages if we did but Gee it's a big ask.

- - - Updated - - -

I think it is insane that the Crows' "reward" for winning last night is to not play for up to 16 days after had a fortnight off already.

It seems an insane system but Gill the Dill seems very adamant about this one.

[barry]

The old final 5 had the top team miss two games as well. We seemed to survive that ok.

[MattW]

This was discussed on Melbourne radio yesterday morning. As one commentator pointed out, GWS is full of guys who were absolute stars at junior levels and were treated accordingly. It was pointed out that they don't have enough players with "grunt." Certainly looked that way last night.

With the notable, honourable exception of Callan Ward.

[Industrial Fan]

Phil Davis too