How about we just let Will Phillips play some footy first?

I watched what was supposed to be a friendly roast of Tony Jones attempting to kiss Bec Judd on the cheek on air. The panellists all relished TJ's obvious embarrassment, but Kane Cornes was malicious and had clear hatred in his eyes. Now I think TJ was boorish and should never have agreed to be set up in front of the camera when Bec Judd obviously hated him (and shouldn't have had to put up with the invasion of her space) but the whole scene was at the insistence of the producers and all Kane Cornes could do was take things way too far. Apparently these two go toe to toe all the time. Does Channel 9 think this is good for ratings? All it does is show that Tony Jones is a dinosaur and that Kane Cornes has to resort to being nasty and churlish to generate retweets. Pathetic.

Kane Cornes has given Tex Walker plenty of fuel to have a late career revival. In fact, the Melbourne bubble echo chamber seemed to go along with the Cornes campaign, constantly chipping away at Walker during games and throughout the media. Playing in a winless side after relinquishing the captaincy with constant injury during the Covid season seemed to have counted for nothing as everyone said Tex was cooked, led by Kane Cornes relentlessly scoring points on every media platform he could. Now Tex is slaying opposition defences, is injury free and his new coach has finally said "Oy, fellas, don't just kick it towards the Texan, kick it to where he can snaffle it." No doubt the "stand the mark" rule is helping the Crows to do that, but the rest has been all Tex (and a bit Kane).

North could do worse than chase Cotchin, Reiwoldt, Edwards, Selwood, Hawkins etc A couple of leaders from successful clubs would help develop these high end draft picks. Melbourne’s experiment with Grimes, Scully, Trengove should be an example for all

I won’t listen when Cornes is on. Too much aggro for me. Needs to attend players functions and face the music.

Numberwang

If Curnow and TDK get fit again I can't see Casboult or McGovern getting a game for the blues and therefore they would be very gettable

Leppa is a strange character. He was never one of my favourite players during my Bears/Lions fan days and to this day I don't understand how he got All-Australian as a failed forward. He was a terrible head coach and seems to have found his speed as a line coach. IDK but maybe Aker got all the media training because outside of Vossy, all the ex-Lions from that era come across as total boofheads. As for Leppa's claims about Lachie O'Brien, I call BS. O'Brien went to the Blues at pick #10. The Tigers didn't have a pick until #17, where they took Jack Higgins, who was traded to the Saints for much less. Then Richmond picked Callum Coleman-Jones at #20 ahead of Oscar Allen and Tim Kelly because I guess they weren't a Richmond enough guys. Noah Balta at #25 was an inspired choice, although Liam Ryan might have been on most boards. They picked Ben Miller at #63, indicating that height was more of a priority for Richmond considering 3 of their 5 picks were big boys, rather than Leppa's claim that the unattainable O'Brien was never on the Tigers' board.

Seriously they are only young boys, who have a lot to learn I think you can tell where are career is going over 2-3 years of football not one game If a player is not good or shows potential within their first three years they'll struggle and will be delisted simple cut and dry as that I do think norths biggest flaw is their forward set up Even with comben Comben Larkey are the only two genuine key forwards on their list Walker can play as genuine key forward But this year at the trade table they will need to think of someone Suggestions: Darcy Fogarty Billy Frampton Mitch McGovern Levi Casboult Nathan Kreuger Josh Jenkins Harry Himmleberg Jeremy Finlayson Tim O'Brien Mitch Lewis Tom McDonald Peter Ladhams Todd Marshall Josh Schache I think it was dumb not to add Sam skinner in the ssp and he probably would have played game by now Get the scouts on the planes to perth and adelaide respectively and closely analyse the wafl and sanfl find a mature aged key forward from there Jackson Callow was unlucky Paddy McCartin would be great at North Melbourne

What number were you?

I was

I don't think anyone would have been fine last Friday.

North were really hoping Comben would be on the park to partner with Larkey. By all accounts Comben was doing great in the present before his setback. We just need to be a little more patient with our younger players, which aren't the one who haven't been putting in the effort!

I think McDonald would be fine wherever he was. If he wasn't getting a kick in the forward 50, he'd just be sent up the wing to roam about. North were bonkers to leave their forwards so depleted. Poor old Larkey must be struggling to see the logic.

Agree wholeheartedly but he also really targets players, he has been trying to get Plowman dropped for the last 2 years yet he has been top 5 in the B&F both years. If he has decided Phillips was a bad call he will ride every mistake he makes.

Kane Cornes has been a deliberately controversial commentator ever since SEN SA launched two years ago. He seems to be in a constant desperation for relevance. It appears to be driven by the 2 team 1 paper town mentality. The reality is that Kane isn’t even the most outrageous Adelaide media voice, just the most mainstream.

"Clearly the best player available for each club was different to the echo chamber of public opinion" - Interesting to hear Leppitsch talk about O'brien and saying he "wasn't for Richmond". As you say every club has different things it values and "character" tests that those on the outside don't see play a part as well.

The media, and Cornes in particular, seem intent on driving players into depression. Cornes for 2 years has banged on about how the Blues got it wrong taking Walsh despite him romping home in the rising start in his first year and the AFLCA best young payer last year and finishing second in the Blues B&F - if that can't shut Kane up Phillips doesn't stand a chance. I am pretty sure that McDonald wouldn't be setting the world on fire if he was in North's side right now either.

The 2020 draft was fascinating from start to finish. The top 7 rated players were rated a cut above the next 50 odd, but there wasn’t a lot to separate the top group or the rest. The fact of the matter is that 2020 draft player ratings were based on varying sets of data. For Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Will Phillips, they hadn’t played since they were part of the same team as Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson in 2019. Logan McDonald that year was part of the amazing WA side, but he never got the same predictions as Will Phillips until he started playing WAFL. Players aren’t picked to save clubs in their first year. Tom Powell was predicted on draft night to debut before Phillips, which became evident in the preseason because missing a year of footy at age 17 isn’t ideal in any sense. I had Phillips at 7 going to the Suns, but wanted McDonald or Nik Cox. Clearly the best player available for each club was different to the echo chamber of public opinion. Second guessing the thousands of hours of work out in by North, whose List guy has assembled the core of two premiership teams in Scott Clayton.

You're right that it's unfair to put that kind of pressure on Will but it still looks a daft decision. It was bizarre the way they pushed Brown out of the club; it's even more bizarre that they overlooked a ready-made key forward to replace him.

Not sure back pocket on Tiny Tim English is his spot.