"This is as poor as we're going to get" - Hardwick

[Smokey]

it seems most ferals are like haig happy to make the same mistakes over and over. happy to do the same things that get them nowhere.

I'm impressed Claw - you do know a bit about military history (a favorite subject of mine).   

had no choice about it. the old man fought in ww2.learnt about that war at an early age. great uncle fought in ww1 is buried in france. another came home with only one arm. uncle jake dads brother fought in middle east  brother and in law fought in vietnam. yeah military history has played a big part in my life.

Pretty much my background too.  I'm 3rd generation Army in my family and have 2 sons and ex son-in-law in currently so that makes the 4th.  It's the only reading I do nowadays (apart from footy forums  ) - I can't read anything fiction ie. that I don't know to be true.  Then again, what am I doing on here?   

[Mr Magic]

[yep its a reason or even the single reason why glass half fulls like jackson get a game. simmo probably hislop whos in his 4th yr of afl i hope the club can make a decision on him this yr. tuck is probably another although tucky brings much more to the table than jackson.

if i was planning for three or four yrs time the first thing i would be doing is asking who is going to be there and why, who is not and why. with the latter the next obvious q is how many have enough positives to possibly be turned around.
based on strengths, weakness, and performance,  with age and potential upside as an over ride, the following players have to go.
but also remember we may be ,forced to keep the odd big experienced body who are deficient, because as we knew ages ago and are relearning in a hard way you cant compete without good structure and adequate size and height.
anyway those who have to go.and they can go and you would not miss them.
1 mcmahon delist.
2 polak delist.
3 white dlist.
4 simmonds retire.
5 graham delist.
6 jackson trade/delist.
7 king delist
8 thomson delist.
9 nahas delist.
10 hislop delist.
11 mcguane trade/delist.
12 tuck.delist.

thats 12 in a rough order and theres plenty others you just know will/should  join them the yr after. none of the 12 are babys they have all had a chance to prove themselves in the afl system.  for all sorts of reasons they are in the gun.

Good posting claw.
You always have justified your reasoning and on the whole remained consistent (even if not always correct) rather than just being a purely negative whinger.

[eliminator]

It all comes back to what can only be described as very average recruiting. We have not had a proper Centre half back in ages. No contingency plan was put into place until too late regarding replacing Richo. Hardwick was left with a terrible mess. With the exception of Polak Tuck and Nahas agree with claw.

[Mr Magic]

Hardwick was left with a terrible mess.

Of course he was. Yet some would have you believe it's all his fault that the players aren't good enough yet.

[Chuck17]

But MM you are forgetting it is all about the game plan, it doesn't matter that our list are practically boys competing against men.

Hardwick needs to be punished and thoroughly too, put him in a room with Jack who can fill him in with his views on rfc coaches and how he wrongly got the rs by wallace for being a spud.