#AFL Round 4 Weekly Discussion Thread

[stevoswan]

Murray is another product of our selection approach of preferring older players who the club's 'owes' for past deeds, instead of developing youngsters.

How many young guns do we need to lose ?.

How low on the ladder do you want us to go? It's a result of being a strong team, year in, year out.....we develop plenty of young players but they have to wait a bit longer. He's a product of our club recruiting to stay strong. Or would you prefer a Carlton style rebuild......where all the youngsters can have a go?

[barry]

Murray wasn't lost, he was traded, and for good compensation at that. The club is producing AFL quality players at a faster rate than can be absorbed, so some will have to be let go. ....
Trading players like Mitchell and Murray has actually helped keep the club younger, not older, as you suggest. How good is that?

Pretty bad. I could buy what kool aide you are selling if we were dominating and winning flags, but since we aren't wining premierships losing players like Mitchell and murray, and who is next? Newman?

[AB Swannie]

Pretty bad. I could buy what kool aide you are selling if we were dominating and winning flags, but since we aren't wining premierships losing players like Mitchell and murray, and who is next? Newman?

If we could get a second rounder for Newman in the upcoming draft like we did for Murray then I?d be more than happy with that.

[dejavoodoo44]

Looks like Carlton's season may have peaked in March. Brendan Bolton: this year's first sacked coach?

[Blood Fever]

Pretty bad. I could buy what kool aide you are selling if we were dominating and winning flags, but since we aren't wining premierships losing players like Mitchell and murray, and who is next? Newman?

Some people on this site would have a meltdown or drop off completely if we ever missed the finals even for a short period. Don't appreciate how spoilt we've been this century.

[Papernick]

Murray wasn't lost, he was traded, and for good compensation at that. The club is producing AFL quality players at a faster rate than can be absorbed, so some will have to be let go. This is actually a good thing, as we can use our superior recruiting and development to improve our position in future drafts, thus creating a positive feedback loop in the rate of quality player development.

The club hasn't found the need to enter the post season player meat market and overpay older players to fill holes in the club's roster, helping to keep the club roster youthful. Trading players like Mitchell and Murray has actually helped keep the club younger, not older, as you suggest. They are exchanged for draft picks which lowers the average age of our list. We also have an excellent retention rate of quality young players, in part due to the fact that we haven't overpaid for mature aged players from other clubs.

When our young recruits do make it to the senior list, they benefit from playing alongside club champions like McVeigh. How good is that?

+1

[Papernick]

It?s only round 4 but it looks like a race to the bottom between the Blues and Lions.

St Kilda could be another team to really drop but I think the Doggies will win their share of games if they can play like tonight the rest of the season.

I?d also expect the Suns to finish bottom 4.

North could be the team that outperforms expectations but they haven?t won against a strong team yet

[ugg]

If Essendon continues this performance and beats Port, the Top 2 in the AFL will be the Giants and the Eagles, both teams that the Swans have already beaten this year.

[stevoswan]

Interesting round in the end....actually, still is. This seasons ladder could be a close one like last year, with a dearth at the bottom in the Blues, Lions and Saints, maybe Suns and North as well. To me, question marks remain over the, Dockers, Pies, Dogs, even considering the last two's improved form. Everyone else is well in the mix for the eight really. Go Swans!

[barry]

Sun's will be knocking on the 8. They have a horror start to the year because of fixturing around the commonwealth games

[Ludwig]

Dominant ruckman leading to a +24 clearance differential. Probably not a coincidence.

Hawthorn-Melbourne Game: Dominant ruckman, (72-34 hitsouts), leads to a +17 clearance differential and big win. Probably not a coincidence.

Ooops! I think I've made a mistake. Should read: Dominant ruckman, (72-34 hitsouts), leads to a -17 clearance differential and big loss. You won't see that again.

[ugg]

Not every team has Tom Mitchell

[ugg]

Sun's will be knocking on the 8. They have a horror start to the year because of fixturing around the commonwealth games

Their horror fixture doesn't end tonight even if the Games do. They only get to play at their real home ground for the first time in Round 11! And between now and then they have that ridiculous 'home' game in China. Imagine the uproar if a Vic club was treated this way. However because it's the Suns, most of the VFL fans couldn't care less.

I have the Suns locked in for bottom 4, only thing I'm unsure about is which position in the bottom 4 given how bad the Blues, Saints and Lions are.

[liz]

It's a strange season thus far, with most teams showing a huge difference between their best and worst. Melbourne are even able to show both within the same game.

Essendon were putrid last week and yet come out and show up the ladder leaders. The Dogs have put together two pretty good weeks (notwithstanding they didn't get the points yesterday) after two awful games to start the season.

Gold Coast started well but looked clueless in their games against Freo and West Coast, while Carlton have pretty much looked clueless the whole opening month.

[crackedactor]

Their horror fixture doesn't end tonight even if the Games do. They only get to play at their real home ground for the first time in Round 11! And between now and then they have that ridiculous 'home' game in China. Imagine the uproar if a Vic club was treated this way. However because it's the Suns, most of the VFL fans couldn't care less.

I have the Suns locked in for bottom 4, only thing I'm unsure about is which position in the bottom 4 given how bad the Blues, Saints and Lions are.

You are right? If it was a Victorian side it would be all over the back page. Just to show how bias they are...In the AFL website the asked beveridge if he was upset about the two goals we got from free kicks in the first half. No mention of the second half one free kick to 12 or the overall count of 29 to 16!


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