Retirements.

[dimelb]

I agree Shaw and Goodes should retire at end of season. They may both have the capacity to go around again but they would be fading and in the end stopping younger players from getting development time. It might mean that we don't do as well in 2016 but if we play our cards right we will be back in town in 2017.

Although we lack run from defence there are players who can provide it; Rampe is the most obvious but McVeigh's field kicking can more than make up for comparative lack of pace, as is also the case with Lloyd.

I agree with Stuart Dew that games are won and lost in the midfield, and that is our real area of relative weakness atm. The rules that allowed us to lock up the ball are changing and we need something new in our approach, or at least enables us to run and carry as we can still do quite well on occasion. We need to see those occasions more often. We have missed Benny.

Also I've liked watching Brandon recently: he's having a genuine red-hot go and I can forgive the odd clanger because he's working hard on his run and his tackling. I think he'll keep improving. I would say much the same for Harry C. who I think should play as a forward with the odd stint as an outside mid. I don't see him as soft, but he needs to find where the ball is more often. He is still a good kick for goal and useful field kicking when he manages to avoid clangers. I don't doubt he's worth persisting with. We need to make more use of his greatest asset, his speed.

[Swanny40519]

If he goes around again he should stand down from the captaincy.

Agree.

Shaw, Goodes and Derickx should retire.

Parker to become captain.

Pyke - depends on how bad his knee is - could last one more year but that would've to be it. 2016 will be a difficult year due to the AFL $^$^*$&*^ trade restrictions so we may have to hold on to some fringe players until the end of next year. Nankervis is not up to AFL standard and we have to bank on Naismith getting a full preseason and be in the ruck so we can have Tippett and Buddy in our forward line to score goals. Cunningham is soft and Lloyd is playing well below last years standard.

[Markus26]

That's a fair call. I could see a few others being captain in due course.

[aardvark]

I agree. McVeigh is not finished yet! When he is firing he can dominate from the mids, off half-back and can push forward and create some havoc. Jarrad stays for a little while longer in my book.

If he goes around again he should stand down from the captaincy.

[Markus26]

Agree with this. It's been an odd year, with the team's seeming inability to play a second half. Even in our better performances, the second halves have been patchy at best. The team clearly can play good football but not for four quarters. I don't believe it can be attributed to fitness. If we were getting overrun late in quarters, maybe, but coming out after the long break and barely giving a yelp suggests its mental.

I think McVeigh is far from finished, but the gap between his best and worst this year has been puzzling (and disappointing).

I agree. McVeigh is not finished yet! When he is firing he can dominate from the mids, off half-back and can push forward and create some havoc. Jarrad stays for a little while longer in my book.