The number 12

[Gorgoroth 13,017]

I have stuck up for Sylvia for a long time after watching him as a junior and seeing how good he was, but tonight it stops, He was disgraceful int he first half and did not go when required, did not chase etc and I know a lot were in the same boat but it sickened me to see the number 12 that Viney wore and made great by sheer determination, guts and effort. He must be disappointed that some one like Sylvia is wearing that number, If the kid stay and is not traded which I now think he should be, he should be given the number 50 jumper until he shows a glimpse of caring and a willingness to push himself to be a AFL footballer, I think he stopped when he was drafted.

[rusty_kingswood 0]

Although I agree with you on Silvia, I dont know weather giving him a higher jumper number will improve his football.

[Chook 15,022]

I'm fairly certain there's at least a thousand threads like this. Having said that, Sylvia's light at the end of the tunnel is getting dimmer . . .

[dazzledavey36 55,336]

for sum reason i just feel for the bloke

[JJJ 1,313]

I have stuck up for Sylvia for a long time after watching him as a junior and seeing how good he was, but tonight it stops, He was disgraceful int he first half and did not go when required, did not chase etc and I know a lot were in the same boat but it sickened me to see the number 12 that Viney wore and made great by sheer determination, guts and effort. He must be disappointed that some one like Sylvia is wearing that number, If the kid stay and is not traded which I now think he should be, he should be given the number 50 jumper until he shows a glimpse of caring and a willingness to push himself to be a AFL footballer, I think he stopped when he was drafted.

I know youre emotional but if you ever build up the courage to view the replay you will see that he was one of a small number willing to get 'inside' the contest early. He had a lot of handballs by virtue of the fact that he was in the clinches trying to win possession.

You may not be one of these posters but the amount of people with axes to grind regarding Sylvia is pretty staggering. In the eyes of some he will be forever tainted, no matter how good he may become.

[agent 99 71]

If I hear another person comment that he needs a proper pre season I will go POSTAL! He has had an entire season to to prove something and no pre season is going to make a difference anymore!

I like Sylvia but he has given us nothing so in the toughest of times I think decissions have to be made and I would not complain if he was traded.

How much longer do we have to wait for something. He should be producing, hes not a rookie anymore.

If he stays I hope he proves me wrong.

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,294]

3rd or 4th round pick will do!... We`d be very lucky to get that the way he`s travelling. I wish Yze Magic was here to tell us why on earth we should keep him :angry:

[Sir Why You Little 37,127]

Colin Sylvia will not be in a Melbourne Premiership side. He hasn't got it. Sad But True...Time to go

[Guest TheVoice]

I know youre emotional but if you ever build up the courage to view the replay you will see that he was one of a small number willing to get 'inside' the contest early. He had a lot of handballs by virtue of the fact that he was in the clinches trying to win possession.

You may not be one of these posters but the amount of people with axes to grind regarding Sylvia is pretty staggering. In the eyes of some he will be forever tainted, no matter how good he may become.

Gotta agree with you JJJ, while no brownlow votes will be forthcoming for colin, he did have a crack in patches tonight and was not our worst by a long yard.

Adding to this was the fact that he also was running Scarlett up the field most of the night to try and limit the amount of times he cut off our half dozen advances

into our forward 50. Some might call that a bit of team play from mr sylvia. But of course he is a very easy target to pot when things aren't going well isn't he?

[Sir Why You Little 37,127]

Gotta agree with you JJJ, while no brownlow votes will be forthcoming for colin, he did have a crack in patches tonight and was not our worst by a long yard.

Had a crack in Patches-Exactly. That's all Col ever does, when he feels like it. He is mentally not tough enough to play 4 Q's...

[pringle 42]

My lord what game were you guys watching??? He was much better than most tonight. Just another case of Sylvia bashing!!!

[Neita3000 37]

Prior to tonight I would have been devastated if Sylvia was traded at the end of the year, now after observing him put close to zero effort in an attempt to chase Andrew Mackie I really couldn't give a stuff.

[Sir Why You Little 37,127]

My lord what game were you guys watching??? He was much better than most tonight. Just another case of Sylvia bashing!!!

If you think Col was one of our best Tonight well we got a long way to go

[Guest TheVoice]

Thats an interesting measuring stick you got there neita. If you can be turned from his performance tonight well it mustn't take much. His last few matches have

been solid and if your willing to hang him out to dry after tonight, well you had better trade the whole team out as well. The cats were Quality and we stunk!

[The Sports Girl 0]

I'm convinced Colin Sylivia is "The Mole"

[danboyle99 2]

I thought Sylvia was good tonight. Actually worked and got some hard ball. Had absolutely no delivery to him on the forward line

I think we have to keep him for one more year. Give the man a preseason and give him one more year to prove himself. I think he had been looking promising as of late, and still think with a preseason he could become something good.

Make him do a preseason with Jones. Jones works his ass of preseason. Think pairing them up would be hugely beneficial to Sylvia

[H_T 3,049]

If I hear another person comment that he needs a proper pre season I will go POSTAL! He has had an entire season to to prove something and no pre season is going to make a difference anymore!

If he stays I hope he proves me wrong.

Well time to go POSTAL. Because he needs better endurance. He's 22years old FFS. He's still finding his feet and he hasnt matured yet. I can't believe how many want to trade him. How on earth are you meant to dominate in a game against Geelong at Full Strength. You can't against the likes of Scarlett, Harley, Taylor, Mackie, Hunt. Sylvia was far from the worst and most underperformed and he wasn't the best. FFS, we got smashed all over the park tonight! - By the Premiers mind you!

I kept a close eye on him, IMO he tackles hard, he does chase, he shows endeavour, and when he presented the ball was heading this way, that way - hell, even for Port Phillip Bay! The delivery was poor, there was no delivery to the forwards, the ball was held up with handballs, transfers from left to right, back to left, back to centre. ANd more often than not when the boys did this, sure enough it was turned over by skill errors and pressure from Geelong.

IMO - He'll prove you wrong.

My lord what game were you guys watching??? He was much better than most tonight. Just another case of Sylvia bashing!!!

Ditto.

If you think Col was one of our best Tonight well we got a long way to go

Not one of the best, certainly not in the worst.

[danboyle99 2]

Well time to go POSTAL. Because he needs better endurance. He's 22years old FFS. He's still finding his feet and he hasnt matured yet. I can't believe how many want to trade him. How on earth are you meant to dominate in a game against Geelong at Full Strength. You can't against the likes of Scarlett, Harley, Taylor, Mackie, Hunt. Sylvia was far from the worst and most underperformed and he wasn't the best. FFS, we got smashed all over the park tonight! - By the Premiers mind you!

I kept a close eye on him, IMO he tackles hard, he does chase, he shows endeavour, and when he presented the ball was heading this way, that way - hell, even for Port Phillip Bay! The delivery was poor, there was no delivery to the forwards, the ball was held up with handballs, transfers from left to right, back to left, back to centre. ANd more often than not when the boys did this, sure enough it was turned over by skill errors and pressure from Geelong.

IMO - He'll prove you wrong.

Ditto.

Not one of the best, certainly not in the worst.

Agree with you. He was good tonight, he can lay a huge tackle and presented with [censored] delivery all night.

Give him a one year contract i reckon. He will come good

[Beamer 1]

Agree with you. He was good tonight, he can lay a huge tackle and presented with [censored] delivery all night.

Give him a one year contract i reckon. He will come good

What do you mean.

He's already contracted for '09, surely?

[danboyle99 2]

What do you mean.

He's already contracted for '09, surely?

I was under the impression he wasnt contracted?? I may be proven wrong though

[Gorgoroth 13,017]

He chases hard when he wants too, as I said I have defended him for the last 5 years and last night I cracked, he gave up , turned his back on play at times, walked around, Scarlett ran off him with ease, If he put in 4Q of effort he could be a great player but he doesn't and there lies the problem, he is happy staying in the F50 and trying to do as little as possible and kick some goals, he is becoming Yze jnr. All effort runnign with the ball, no effort when he does not have it.

[JJJ 1,313]

He chases hard when he wants too, as I said I have defended him for the last 5 years and last night I cracked, he gave up , turned his back on play at times, walked around, Scarlett ran off him with ease, If he put in 4Q of effort he could be a great player but he doesn't and there lies the problem, he is happy staying in the F50 and trying to do as little as possible and kick some goals, he is becoming Yze jnr. All effort runnign with the ball, no effort when he does not have it.

Sounds like you're describing Bate's game.

[Nasher 33,617]

My lord what game were you guys watching??? He was much better than most tonight. Just another case of Sylvia bashing!!!

Completely agree Pringle. Sylvia is just this year's whipping boy in my opinion.

I don't often go out on a limb for players who have been in the system for 5 years and not really "turned it on", but I still believe a lot of people will have some humble pie to eat regarding Sylvia over the next few years.

[drdrake 3,187]

This constant Sylvia bashing has to stop. The guy was a No3 pick and we all want our early picks to be stars, this guy still can but at the moment struggles for consistancy. He is playing as a small leading forward in a team that can't kick, a team that struggles to get the ball inside 50 and when we do we don't kick to the advantage of our forwards.

Last night I thought his 1st and 3rd quarter he worked hard especilaay in the 3rd he just kept presenting. I had a good view last night and the amount of time Col was in the coridor on a good lead or had space and we didn't have to confidence to kick it to him because we would rather play the boundary.

We are rubbish this year no question and Col Sylvia has been far from our worst.

[Blind_turn 42]

Without question Sylvia has been a better performer this year and it’s primarily due to him getting a fair run with injury.

Focusing on the No.12 may make some feel better, but it is not anywhere near the root cause of our "uncompetitiveness" for long periods in a game.

Last night was a brutal example. Let’s face it, it was boys against men.

If you put Sylvia in the Geelong side I'm sure your perspective on his contribution and relative value would be markedly different.

Like everyone, I was gutted last night and spent most of the evening either groaning or shivering (or both!).

But with a new day, brings new hope and a little more perspective.

It is very hard to play in a team where nearly all the players are 5% to 10% below AFL standard. Surely we have all seen it time and time again this season. We get the ball and the first disposal is either not the best option, not executed quickly enough or executed badly. That places the next possession under pressure, leading to an even less effective disposal after that. Guess what, we look like a rabble, we either cough it up or kick it straight to the opposition.

We can blame the players, we can blame the coaches, but it is what it is.

For the time being we have no choice but to play boys against men.

But there is hope.

Skinny young boys inevitably get bigger and stronger and with a summer of honing skills and decision making the team will be more competitive next year.

I’m not saying that all of this group will make it. In fact I have serious question marks on a number of them.

But the No. 12 is not one of them.