TOPIC:

Until the ball stops leaving the Centre
bounces in the wrong direction we are in big trouble in my opinion.

Hit Out stats 51-22.  Minus 29
inside 50’s.   56-41    Minus 15 

Once again we let an opponent have 40 possessions.

 

Chris Mayne has just announced his retirement from AFL and wants to come home to raise his kids with his wife. Sounds like he’s been a busy boy studying and due to complete a teaching degree next year. Intends to play on at some level which is encouraging news.

Can we get him back in red and black? Would be awesome to see, we haven’t had much luck lately, we are due for some.

My understanding of Chris Mayne is he’s red and black through and through in saying that the club hasn’t progressed since he was here all those years ago.
So it could come down to finals and a flag before he retires in which case that counts us out.
Let’s hope loyalty wins out.

I think Chris Mayne is an outstanding person, and would be welcome back. But he is 34 years old next year. Him, Conca and Kent would provide some depth and experience, but we need a 35 possession a game midfielder, a 50 goal a year forward and a ruckman who can get 15 possessions and 8 marks a game. Trouble is, every club is Australia needs those players too. 

Ted Nugent wrote:

I think Chris Mayne is an outstanding person, and would be welcome back. But he is 34 years old next year. Him, Conca and Kent would provide some depth and experience, but we need a 35 possession a game midfielder, a 50 goal a year forward and a ruckman who can get 15 possessions and 8 marks a game. Trouble is, every club is Australia needs those players too. 

 

Agree Ted.  Either on the field or off the field there must be a roll at the club for him, in my opinion.

According to the West, Peel are the frontrunners to get Mayne. This was always going to happen - the AFL clubs would manufacture some kind of assistant coach/mentoring role for delisted/retired players. That way, they can be paid outside the salary cap. I don't really mind that much about not getting Mayne from a playing perspective. He is 33 going on 34 next year. The transfer fee will come in handy. But I would have liked to have him back at the club in some role. Peel snaffled Tendai as a runner, and WCE had McInnes for a season with some kind of off-field role. I bet Peel will try to keep Conca on board as well. It's bad enough losing players to proper WAFL clubs, but at least those clubs use the points and have to pay reasonable match payments, but I hate losing them to AFL clubs. 

My concern is that we will see more of this from the AFL clubs. The Eagles have already whinged about losing a few early games. I reckon they will go to the WAFC and say their precious young players need senior heads around them and get points/cap exemptions to keep players like Vardy and Hutchings if they get cut. The alignment clubs are on ongoing blight on the WAFL. All this stuff from the Eagles about not wanting to be dominant is crap. They would love to win flag after flag, and when other clubs complain, just bring out the old Subi line that it's up to those clubs to lift their standards. Gets harder all the time to maintain interest in this comp. 

no to targeting, Conca, Kent and Maine. Usually I argue not to target players over 29 as it lowers our $$ cap to target players like Luke English who could play for 10 plus years not 1 or2 like Masten, Bateman and Leon Davis. 

PD1899 wrote:

no to targeting, Conca, Kent and Maine. Usually I argue not to target players over 29 as it lowers our $$ cap to target players like Luke English who could play for 10 plus years not 1 or2 like Masten, Bateman and Leon Davis. 

 

Yep, agree. Stick with the youngsters. And develop and back them to match the effort of Zac Sanderson today who stepped up and show he can compete at league level and Brodie Grey who did a top job tagging Ramsay.

don't mean to barge in but when the chance passes along to get a former player back to help the tyros you have to at least consider the benefits - two years assistance may gain 5 or 10 years experience and protection for those tyros to get conditioned to the game
only 2 cents worth though

 Spot on Southerner.
All ex Demons that have carved out an AFL career should be welcome back as one point players.
You need experience around the kids you develop plus we don’t have enough talent coming through to rely on them getting the job done.
Mayne is in good shape and would be a welcome addition to a KP role in our forward line a forward line that is absolute crap and has been for a long time.
But don’t worry you’ll get to see Mayne tearing us a new one playing for Peel next season.
Conca has pace something this team just doesn’t have and Kent I think will stay in Melbourne but if he doesn’t he also would be a welcome addition.
I reckon English was going to EF regardless.