A bit of positivity

[SaintPav]

We're injury free and that is something. Actually, it's a lot more than something.

"If you can walk into round one and say, from a personnel point of view, that you're pretty much where you want to be, that's a good start. If we can take the [pre-season] on that alone, I think we're probably in a good position.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/s ... z1pVPxIQCD


http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/s ... 1vdqh.html

[perfectionist]

We're injury free and that is something. ...

Yes, but on the other hand, that means that things can only get worse!

[bergholt]

We're injury free and that is something. ...

Yes, but on the other hand, that means that things can only get worse!

yeah. i mean, you wanna win every week, but i'd rather be injury free and heading to the finals in round 24 than injury free in round one, if that was the choice.

[Old Mate]

By the sounds of things Riewoldt is a bloody cripple! I can't see him playing on after his current contract expires.

[Leo.J]

Maybe this has been a bit of a focus of the preseason...

To get through unscathed.

Most so called experts have been critical of our intensity.

Maybe thats because we've been advised to take it very easy during the NAB cup.

[Teflon]

By the sounds of things Riewoldt is a bloody cripple! I can't see him playing on after his current contract expires.

I watched him pull up a few times against Pies and he looked proppy ...I was praying this was the year he returned ets face it for us to be any hope this year he'd need to be back to his best)....I didn't leave convinced.... But am still praying for the miracle..

[Old Mate]

By the sounds of things Riewoldt is a bloody cripple! I can't see him playing on after his current contract expires.

I watched him pull up a few times against Pies and he looked proppy ...I was praying this was the year he returned ets face it for us to be any hope this year he'd need to be back to his best)....I didn't leave convinced.... But am still praying for the miracle..

Let's be honest, Roo is well and truly past his best. That doesn't mean he cannot be a valuable contributor to the team and kick his 30 odd goals this year. What we need is a couple of others to step up and give the guy a hand. Your time Siposs and Stanley.

[Leo.J]

By the sounds of things Riewoldt is a bloody cripple! I can't see him playing on after his current contract expires.

I watched him pull up a few times against Pies and he looked proppy ...I was praying this was the year he returned ets face it for us to be any hope this year he'd need to be back to his best)....I didn't leave convinced.... But am still praying for the miracle..

I was also hoping about Roo returning to some of his previous form, but I believe that is not going to happen.

IMO we are going to try and have a more even spread of goal kickers this year under SW.

Rooey flagged this in his OTC interview.

He's not the player he used to be, and there is less and less room for a predominantly leading forward these days with the congestion of the press.

Anyway it's been a while since a flag has been won by a team with a dominant spear head, like Rooey has been for us.

It's just too predictable.

Our goal kicking spead needs to improve significantly, and not just with our forwards, all of our mids need more score board input.

It's achievable... If Luke Ball can become a goal kicking mid, all of our guys can improve in that department.

[Moorabbin Man]

Roo needs to play out of the goal square or at CHB.

[SaintPav]

We're injury free and that is something. ...

Yes, but on the other hand, that means that things can only get worse!

yeah. i mean, you wanna win every week, but i'd rather be injury free and heading to the finals in round 24 than injury free in round one, if that was the choice.

really... maybe whatever happens some people can never be happy.

[Dr Spaceman]

We're injury free and that is something. ...

Yes, but on the other hand, that means that things can only get worse!

yeah. i mean, you wanna win every week, but i'd rather be injury free and heading to the finals in round 24 than injury free in round one, if that was the choice.

Well unfortunately there are no choices.

Having injuries now doesn't guarantee we won't have injuries at finals time. Anything can happen over a period of 24 weeks.

So let's just take the good report for the start of the season and be happy

[Leo.J]

Having injuries now doesn't guarantee we won't have injuries at finals time. Anything can happen over a period of 24 weeks.

So let's just take the good report for the start of the season and be happy

That said most people who are in the know will tell you that injuries in the pre season generally means that you will continue to get them.

An interupted preseason can lead to soft tissue injuries during the year.

And an interupted preseason means you've had less km's in your legs which with a longer season, and 2 on the bench will go against you at the pointy end.

While performing well in the preseason is good for confidence, it depends on what you're trying to achieve, and for us to have no injuires to our core group is a big win for us, and imo is more important than form atm.

I can't remember the last time we had pretty much a full list to choose from going into round 1.

Our form is poor, but most clubs would be envious of our injury list right now.

[yipper]

Spoke to officials yesterday at the family day - I made mention that our pre-season was a tad disappointing. Response I got was a smile and " we are happy, don't worry about the scoreboard. We will have a very strong team for Rd 1 who will be fit and healthy and hungry."

[clarky449]

Spoke to officials yesterday at the family day - I made mention that our pre-season was a tad disappointing. Response I got was a smile and " we are happy, don't worry about the scoreboard. We will have a very strong team for Rd 1 who will be fit and healthy and hungry."

I woudnt expect a different response.

[SainterK]

Watters all NAB cup has been about 'getting minutes into the guys' regardless of the scoreboard.

[Teflon]

Spoke to officials yesterday at the family day - I made mention that our pre-season was a tad disappointing. Response I got was a smile and " we are happy, don't worry about the scoreboard. We will have a very strong team for Rd 1 who will be fit and healthy and hungry."

I pray there is a smoking gun... and that the pre season has been a bit of a ruse.... I also had those same hopes for Thorpey... Anyway Port at home will tell us some things...

[Con Gorozidis]

pre-season results dont worry me at all. i remember 09 we were rubbish. even at half time v thge swans in round 1 i was thinking we were heading for a 9th finish.

on the roo thing. im pretty sure he is almot done now. after this year we should draft CHFs and trade anyone over 27 (if anyone offers anything). we should already be scouring the country for a CHF. anyone from age 17-22 who is 193-196cm fwd. we should be looking to get 2 or 3.

[Old Mate]

pre-season results dont worry me at all. i remember 09 we were rubbish. even at half time v thge swans in round 1 i was thinking we were heading for a 9th finish.

on the roo thing. im pretty sure he is almot done now. after this year we should draft CHFs and trade anyone over 27 (if anyone offers anything). we should already be scouring the country for a CHF. anyone from age 17-22 who is 193-196cm fwd. we should be looking to get 2 or 3.

Mitch Clarke would've been perfect

[plugger66]

pre-season results dont worry me at all. i remember 09 we were rubbish. even at half time v thge swans in round 1 i was thinking we were heading for a 9th finish.

on the roo thing. im pretty sure he is almot done now. after this year we should draft CHFs and trade anyone over 27 (if anyone offers anything). we should already be scouring the country for a CHF. anyone from age 17-22 who is 193-196cm fwd. we should be looking to get 2 or 3.

You want to trade, Joey, Dal, Chips and a few others if they are wanted by other clubs. What are you taking? And I cant beleive the crap on here about Rooy being gone. What are they all taking?

[meher baba]

Those who underestimate a champion like Riewoldt do so at their peril. I'm sure there are 17 other coaches in the comp who are not underestimating Riewoldt in any way, shape or form.

The challenge for Watters in 2011 is to find a game plan that enables us to take full advantage of the opposition double- and triple-teaming Nick. GT could really only manage it when two out of Gehrig, Hamill and Kosi were fit and playing (ie, rarely, if at all), and Lyon never really managed it at all in his 5 years at the club. I think the secret is actually to develop a new strategy for Nick. Simplistically, the competitive nature of the bloke is such that he seems to always try to get free from his opponents, no matter how many of them there are and no matter what sort of position he ends up in. It seems to me that he needs to mix this up more with some decoy running to create space for others. Hopefully, as was not the case under Lyon, there will actually be some other guys pushed forward who can take advantage of this space.

It was my impression that Lyon never got over the idea of trying to use Riewoldt in a similar sort of way to the manner in which Roos used Barry Hall: that is, have other players try to clear space around him inside the forward 50 so that he could use his superior speed and strength to mark the ball in dangerous positions. It worked to a certain extent, but Nick isn't as physically strong as Hall and can't jump as high these days; so, when he failed to get clear of all his opponents, he was always going to lose the contest (Hall on the other hand quite frequently was able to mark the ball against two or even three opponents).

It is this aspect of our match play that I am really hoping Watters will be able to improve.

[SainterK]

You are correct MB

So much time must go into Roo and potential matchups.

Nobody will dare leave him on his own, or think he is 'gone'

I still think playing him deep has merit though.

[MCG-Unit]

pre-season results dont worry me at all. i remember 09 we were rubbish. even at half time v thge swans in round 1 i was thinking we were heading for a 9th finish.

on the roo thing. im pretty sure he is almot done now. after this year we should draft CHFs and trade anyone over 27 (if anyone offers anything). we should already be scouring the country for a CHF. anyone from age 17-22 who is 193-196cm fwd. we should be looking to get 2 or 3.

You want to trade, Joey, Dal, Chips and a few others if they are wanted by other clubs. What are you taking? And I cant beleive the crap on here about Rooy being gone. What are they all taking?

Yep trade anyone over 27, madness It's a wonder he didn't take the opportunity to take yet another cheap shot at Wilkes....

[Con Gorozidis]

Im pro wilkes. hes a good honest player. Seems like a top bloke. All I have said is he was drafted on the back of his goal scoring as a fwd in the WAFL last season. That is where is brough himself to the attention of the recruiters. Not sure why people want to argue on this point? hes not a backman and wasnt recruited on the back of good performances as a backmen in the wafl. jes a good honest back-up. How is that a cheap shot? Would you prefer I said he was a champion ?

I didnt say trade "everyone" - we all know trades rarely if ever happen - so id say anyone over 27 is on the table yes. We might only get one offer..

[Con Gorozidis]

pre-season results dont worry me at all. i remember 09 we were rubbish. even at half time v thge swans in round 1 i was thinking we were heading for a 9th finish.

on the roo thing. im pretty sure he is almot done now. after this year we should draft CHFs and trade anyone over 27 (if anyone offers anything). we should already be scouring the country for a CHF. anyone from age 17-22 who is 193-196cm fwd. we should be looking to get 2 or 3.

You want to trade, Joey, Dal, Chips and a few others if they are wanted by other clubs. What are you taking? And I cant beleive the crap on here about Rooy being gone. What are they all taking?

Rooey is gone. Did you watch the entire 2011 season?

For him not to be gone - you have to be saying his knees have healed? is that the case? And are you a surgeon or a Dr?

[plugger66]

pre-season results dont worry me at all. i remember 09 we were rubbish. even at half time v thge swans in round 1 i was thinking we were heading for a 9th finish.

on the roo thing. im pretty sure he is almot done now. after this year we should draft CHFs and trade anyone over 27 (if anyone offers anything). we should already be scouring the country for a CHF. anyone from age 17-22 who is 193-196cm fwd. we should be looking to get 2 or 3.

You want to trade, Joey, Dal, Chips and a few others if they are wanted by other clubs. What are you taking? And I cant beleive the crap on here about Rooy being gone. What are they all taking?

Rooey is gone. Did you watch the entire 2011 season?

For him not to be gone - you have to be saying his knees have healed? is that the case? And are you a surgeon or a Dr?

Rooy is gone based on one year. Complete madness. You are the big caller though. Do you still think Ray will be our next Captain? By the way are you a surgeon or Doctor because you seem to know about his knee. Is Lenny gone as well or anyone else who had Knee surgery. You can actually make problems better with surgery.