Final Side vs Brisbane

[Swampfox 190]

White out ?

why are so many so surprised

Bailey has consistantly stated he rewards FORM

I am really impressed by Baileys commitment to long term success

far too many supporters are looking at players through rose coloured glasses

[Roost It 1,434]

A great day for the Melbourne Football Club

At last, a stong decision showing strong leadership and direction. Long time in the coming for this footy club.

Great decision DB

[beelzebub 23,390]

What we are now witnessing is the long awaited ( and wished for ) evolution of the list. Hurrah !! Hooray !!

Many have wondered about how to play Jeff next year. Ive always been under theimpression ( and there was a quip, cooment somewhere by him ) that its indeed unlikley he will even go around next year.

We all say...get a few games into people....let some assume the mantle they desire or caveat. This is it.

The future of this team is not the Yzes, the Robbos, the Whites or Carrolls...not even the Jnrs !! Certain folk such as Bruce might want to have a good look over his shoulder. Just being on teh ground getting a kic inst good enough.. you have to contribute in a way that warrants yo being out there...that is ..you..and no another player.

Bailey has the opportunity and indeed the mandate to find out what some of these guys can do..then slot them back into the magoos... and run the season out protecting the future talent.

This is going to be one hell of a trade and draft this year

Going to be very interesting come 1.10 on Sunday to see who is actually where and on whom.

[angryfijian 25]

Kudos to Dean Bailey - he has not shirked a tough decision yet!

He has made all decisions on individual form and the greater needs of the TEAM - the balance of the Force is shifting - he is Master Yoda.

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,297]

It's pretty simple isn't it? White isn't part of the future. His influence has dropped off so much that there is no way he will play in another final for Melbourne. Everyone knows that.

Jamar on the ther hand may be part of the future and will probably be given several week as No. 1 ruck to show if he is or not. If he shows enough then he stays next year. If not, it's goodbye and we recruit more candidates.

Very good decision by DB and the selection commitee. Keep playing the kids and experienting with positions. Find out as much as we can about the entire list so we can go into draft and trade time knowing exactly where everyone is and what part they play in our future.

Right on the money ST. Great call by Bailey. It`s a message to the playing group as a whole. Names and reputations mean nothing under Bailey whereas they did under Daniher. It`s also a message to Jamar. If he doesnt stand up in the next 3 weeks, he may well be gone as well come seasons end along with White

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Peoplo may notice that White, Neitz, Yze, Holland, McDonald (inj), Robbo (inj) and Carrol are all not playing.

Why? Because they are not the future.

Exactly. I would add Whelan as a doubtful starter for next year.

White out ?

why are so many so surprised

Bailey has consistently stated he rewards FORM

I am really impressed by Baileys commitment to long term success

far too many supporters are looking at players through rose coloured glasses

Agree with that.

[Rogue 585]

WHOA!

Can't write a response now, so...what Dappa Dan said.

Good ins.

[Yencks 8]

i agree with most of you that it is good to play the youngins but i am a little worried...i think we might win and this is a must lose game for us

in all seriousness, wrong thread, i know...but if we win on the weekend we are likely to miss out on the best of watts/natanui/rich....AND warnock

that wouldnt be good

i know brisbane are an awesome side, but i really like our side this week

ESPECIALLY with valenti

[45HG 1,559]

Valenti is hardly a match winner, and we've added a first gamer whilst taking out a 260 gamer.

Against another top 4, or thereabouts side, i hardly see how you could consider us winners. Especially with Jamar, Johnson and Martin rotating in ruck. Any combination there is a loss for us, maybe not for the future but on the day.

[Yencks 8]

i wear rose coloured glasses....i give us a big chance every week

but the way we played against the hawks and the second half agaisnt freo makes me think that they can do anything

i think we can win...i dont know why, and i am crap at tipping, but i really think we can win

[45HG 1,559]

I see what you mean. But the two halves we played against Bris last time are enough to make me want to smack myself in the head with something sharp. Not to mention most halves this year.

I'll take each week as it comes, whatever the performance brings.

[mo64 5,881]

The other benefit of White's omission is that Paul Johnson will play in the ruck. Whilst he did some nice things last week, PJ's future is as a ruckman and not a key forward.

[Pates 9,672]

If that's not a statement to established players than i don't know what is. It's a ballsy call from Bailey, but he's not copping as much flack as i'd expect. While i'd still have him in ahead of Jamar, regardless of future plans, this really gies us a chance to have a look at how these two will perform together, because even if we get Naita or Warnock chances are they could still be working together in the early parts of next year.

Good to see Valenti back in there, Bode needs to start showing something to retain his place IMO, and while i would've preferred to have Morton back in there ahead of either him or Bucks at least it's a very young team with very little game experience. Bailey's throwing them into the deep end and we're going to see who can swim.

I'm not saying we're going to win, but i wouldn't count us out of it.

[Chook 15,023]

A great day for the Melbourne Football Club

We Will Win This Week. I have never had more faith in my team than I do today. DazzleDavey, care for a threesome?

[Lord Travis 10,793]

White dropped, Jamar still in the side?

It's official then.

Melbourne FC=

08

Lets hope Naita is worth it!

[Jarka 767]

I'm not expecting to win tomorrow but I'm still happy with the changes. We're now in development mode (and have been for several years, it's just that some of us didn't realise it) and as good as White and others have been they're not part of our future.

[Guest redandbluethruandthru]

Melbourne win by 13 points.

You can quote me later bi-a-tches.

[Jaded No More 68,975]

White dropped, Jamar still in the side?

Lets hope Naita is worth it!

You can't honestly think we dropped White because we're tanking.

It's called DEVELOPING A TEAM FOR THE FUTURE. Besides, when was the last time Jeff White helped us win a game of football? People are overestimating his worth to the side these days. He's been ordinary around the ground, and less than ordinary in the ruck.

[deanox 10,045]

very interesting how half of this thread sees us as tanking, and half looks at the team and thinks we will win.

personally i think white has had a poor seaswon, has not been effective at the ruck and has gathered a lot of useless possessions around the ground, and often not used the ball well, or simply been so indecisive he has held us right up. it will be interesting to see how jamar goes. i dont think we'll win - but i dont think us winning or losing will be a result of who is rucking for us. i will be interesting to see how effective jamar is at the rucks using his body, and if he can get any possessions with some more game time.

jamar looks to get more possies when he is allowed to lead at the ball, than when he is standing around or running past. perhaps we need to try and utilise him in those sorts of roles, pushing up the ground to the wing to get possies allowing bate and miller to stay a litte closer to goal?

[beelzebub 23,390]

To be quite up front I couldnt care less if we were 'tanking'. Season prepping seems quite reasonable to me. It amounts to jockeying for position when they hand out the lollies !! Only a fool wouldnt. As long as the competition benefits contestants in such a manner that they need to adopt this stance in order to replenish then boyu thats what you do and to not admit this as a tactic is in all reality foolhardy. False magnificence and bravado of self denial will do nothing. We dopnt make the rules, we simply try to work within them to advantage, call it a tactical retreat if you wish. Theres a time to stand and fight and a time to recoup and gather yourself.

Win tomorrow ?? doubt it... Should we ?? doubt it. Should we go out to lose.. ? NO . Dont have to.

Bailey is developing for next year. You cant do that without trying things. He ( DB ) has signalled that what was...was. Player pecking order will no longer be based upon what yo might have done but what you may be able to do tempered with what you are showing on the track and any opportunities to back it up in the big show.

I will state my position simply.. I dont want to see another win for the year. There is no sense in doing so. What I want to see is intelligent experimentation by the powers that be together with a competive tilt by those entrusted to develop. Im more concerned at the moment that the players hone their game in preference to harming the scoreboard. I want to see the little things signed off on rather than any singular moment heroics. I want to see players imposing themselves in a manner that creates a consistency of resolve with ability.

Call it live training if you will. There is a changing of the guard...theres bound to be stuff ups.. thats why you practice. Thats what were doing.. practicing and building...but theres no sense winning right now..To win is to lose' only an idiot doesnt get this !!

[Rogue 585]

White dropped, Jamar still in the side?

It's official then.

Melbourne FC=

08

Lets hope Naita is worth it!

How much help to us was White's second half versus Sydney?

[beelzebub 23,390]

You can read Whites demotion in many ways. An aspect to this is simply a signal from on high...that " when your considering your future, consider the next step" This is a hint that as he's out of a job come seasons end..that he may wel lbe out of a job and how does he ( JW) want to manage that !!

[Pipefitter 2,213]

We seem to find out more about our ruckman once they move clubs (Simmonds, Jolly) as they have always lived in his shadow. Lets play Jamar and PJ for the rest of the year and see if they have what it takes. What have we got to lose anyways?

[Demon Rob 2]

We seem to find out more about our ruckman once they move clubs (Simmonds, Jolly) as they have always lived in his shadow. Lets play Jamar and PJ for the rest of the year and see if they have what it takes. What have we got to lose anyways?

Correct. There is not much more to find out about Jeff White, a marvelous servant of the club over the last decade but not part of the next premiership tilt. We havent been able to develop a forward to replace Neitz or a ruckman to replace White while they were there, so hopefully we can develop one without him in the team. Aint nothing to lose by trying and everything to gain, i.e. identify a Jolly or Simmonds BEFORE they are forced to leave to get a game.

This in fact was one of Daniher's bigger failings - remember the games he played Jeff White into the ground, and even the final he played with just Jeff White, as if anyone would kick his head in during the game.

Tanking? Ridiculous - the club needs a win for morale and definitely will take one when there is a chance, unlike a certain blue team. If we wanted to tank then we would have in the last game last year (more's the pity we didn't). Any talk of it is just silly.

[Yencks 8]

Lord Travis=

WRONG!!

lol