Congratulations to Cameron Bruce

[alpha33 325]

TWICE-BRIDESMAID BRUCE WINS TRUSCOTT

CO-CAPTAIN WINS, BUT BROCK MCLEAN STORY OF NIGHT

Fully aware that there's been another thread in which the usual suspect are having a field day but, having been involved in coaching football at a junior level (and with different outcomes in terms of success), I fully understand the meaning of awards such as these. The winners aren't necessarily always the flashy types but the ones who earned the tag of "champion" because they followed the coach's instructions and were disciplined and unselfish in their play. For a player to execute what's required in any given piece of play it's a lot more difficult in a lowly team that has lower skill levels. Sometimes you have to sacrifice your own game to help a lot of the kids who are coming through and who might be struggling out there on the ground. Cameron Bruce stood up in what has been a horror year for the MFC and he earned the votes. He deserves our congratulations for winning the "Bluey" in such difficult times.

TOP 10

CAMERON BRUCE 75

Brock McLean 60

Brad Green 57

Matthew Warnock 47

James McDonald 46

Brad Miller 40

Cale Morton 40

Clint Bartram 39

Paul Wheatley 39

Austin Wonaeamirri 39

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Greenie was stiff... But well done Brucey... Would have been a bit off balance had he gone through his career with the dees without one.

[DemonWorshipper 304]

I want to echo those sentiments. Cam has alot of critics on this forum and on 'ology as well, but in what was an annus horriblus for the red and blue, he fully deserves the 'Bluey'. It was also good to see Green and Mclean right behind him though because they are looked upon as the ones to help lead us out the mire.

And now we can officially close the book on season 2008!

[Pello 1]

Well said Alpha. Cam Bruce has his faults but his has been a loyal and reliable servant of this footy club for many years and he thoroughly deserves the award.

Just another example of how little Yze Magic knows about football and football talent!

[Gouga 570]

Forget Bruce, McLean 60 votes in 14 games! Awesome effort. Also awesome to see Warnock in the top 5, who would have thought.

Little concerned the coaching panel rate Bartram so high. WTF? He was hopeless this year.

[Red and Blue Flame 191]

Forget Bruce, McLean 60 votes in 14 games! Awesome effort. Also awesome to see Warnock in the top 5, who would have thought.

Little concerned the coaching panel rate Bartram so high. WTF? He was hopeless this year.

so am i

has no idea what goes around him and just follows the man. the amount of times are saw him in or around our defensive 50and get wrapped up..was a joke

now has some trade worth for winning some young award and 8th B&F and 'run with' type. a pick and him could see us land a pick in the 20's or 30's

[H_T 3,049]

I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate Brock McLean. Based on the strike rate of votes in games he is head and shoulders our Best & Fairest. Having just played 14 games, had he prevented injury he would have waltzed in the Bluey. Congratulations Brock McLean.

edit: As Mark Steven alluded to in his article, Brock McLean was the big story of last night: -

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...4-19742,00.html

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,939]

I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate Brock McLean. Based on the strike rate of votes in games he is head and shoulders our Best & Fairest. Having just played 14 games, had he prevented injury he would have waltzed in the Bluey. Congratulations Brock McLean.

Hear Hear. Brock McLean is the unofficial winner of the 2008 Bluey!

[The Cold Hard Truth 0]

Forget Bruce, McLean 60 votes in 14 games! Awesome effort. Also awesome to see Warnock in the top 5, who would have thought.

Little concerned the coaching panel rate Bartram so high. WTF? He was hopeless this year.

Bartram is a great athelete and plays with good courage and passion for the club but his decision making and skills are not improving and I'd imagine the emerging Petterd, Grimes, C Johnson and Buckley will bump him out of the defence and we won't see much of him in the senior side next year.

He can run with any player and can do reasonably ok in that negating role, but has no impact on the game otherwise and can't hurt the opposition (similar to L Dunn).

[Slartibartfast 17,625]

Hear Hear. Brock McLean is the unofficial winner of the 2008 Bluey!

No he isn't, he didn't play the games and he didn't get the votes.

Why you can't allow a player who has only once finished outside the top 10 in his career (his first year) the enjoyment of his victory is beyond me.

Well done Cam, a well deserved reward for 9 years of footy for our club.

[deanox 9,989]

I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate Brock McLean. Based on the strike rate of votes in games he is head and shoulders our Best & Fairest. Having just played 14 games, had he prevented injury he would have waltzed in the Bluey. Congratulations Brock McLean.

edit: As Mark Steven alluded to in his article, Brock McLean was the big story of last night: -

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...4-19742,00.html

after reading that article i reckon that warnock can claim that he won a norm smith.

[Guest Vlad The Imposter]

All I wanna say is WELL DONE AND CONGRATS BRUCEY.

[jacey 333]

TOP 10

CAMERON BRUCE 75

Brock McLean 60

Brad Green 57

Matthew Warnock 47

James McDonald 46

Brad Miller 40

Cale Morton 40

Clint Bartram 39

Paul Wheatley 39

Austin Wonaeamirri 39

Agreed. Don't know why anyone would try to take away his medal and talk about unofficial winners.

Wasn't really fussed who wins but well done to Bruce. Was always gonna finish top 3.

Thought Brock might miss out top 5 but it really shows how much respect he has internally.

Tough luck Green.

Had Warnock in my top 5 as he has been fantastic down back. Plenty of shut downs. (although i also did have Garland and Wheatley in my top 5)

[Rampaging Demons 1]

agree with most and congratulate cameron bruce on his year....

yes he turned the ball over but in general he was leaps and bounds our best player...

i was surprised that wheatley was not higher - for mine, it was his best year at the club!!

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,939]

No he isn't, he didn't play the games and he didn't get the votes.

Why you can't allow a player who has only once finished outside the top 10 in his career (his first year) the enjoyment of his victory is beyond me.

Well done Cam, a well deserved reward for 9 years of footy for our club.

Yep fair enough. Very happy for a loyal servant to win it.

Just suggesting that if McLean played most games, he would've won it by quite a bit. Not saying I'm annoyed Bruce won it like YM and friends.

[Demonland 73,140]

I respect club b & f's as much as any other awards for the very reasons set out by Alpha in the first post in this thread. Cameron Bruce has seen us through a tough year and he's deserving of this award notwithstanding some problems with disposal that he's had from time to time. Then again, people notice the miskicks more if you get over 20 of them each week much more than if you only get a handful.