Melbourne v Sydney Swans

[Akum 2,660]

he is right. here are the final ins/outs:

In: Cheney, P. Johnson, Miller, Newton, Valenti, Whelan, McKenzie

Out: Brock McLean (knee), Mark Jamar (quad), Brad Green (scaphoid), Jack Grimes (back), James Frawley (back), Neville Jetta (flu), Russell Robertson

I laughed when i saw it. tank you very much

If this really is tanking - by which I mean if any one of these injuries etc aren't genuine - expect us to be in serious trouble. There was enough media chatter about the 5 changes, now that there's another 2 unfit to play, it's going to come to a crescendo. There's no way the media will let us off the hook, there's bound to be a "please explain" from the AFL.

And if it really is tanking, we've showed appalling incompetence being so blatant and ham-fisted about it, especially in a game we're likely to lose anyway even with all these players available. If this really is tanking, I'd be ashamed that my club is so damn incompetent at it that we'd risk the AFL taking a PP off us, or worse.

I don't think the Dees are that incompetent actually; I agree with Paul Roos that we've actually done very well with player development and I can't see that we'd throw it all away. I prefer to take it at face value - it's much more likely we've just hit a terrible week for injuries.

[Its Miller time 6]

Stupid thing about tanking in the media is it only started once we won 2 games in a row. Im sure injuries are all legit though Back injuries are one of few injuries that wont show up on scans.

Frawley and Jetta are in career best from i doubt they would want to mess with that unless they were genuinely injured.

[beelzebub 22,268]

Honestly...who could care less what the media writes. They neither have influence on our Football dept nor any thinking person.

[Akum 2,660]

Honestly...who could care less what the media writes. They neither have influence on our Football dept nor any thinking person.

Yeh, I'm with you in the "couldn't care less" about what the media actually writes or says. What I meant was that, with the current amount of chatter everywhere in the footy world about tanking, there will be so much pressure on the AFL to check out our "outs" that it won't be possible for even Vlad to ignore it or turn a blind eye, and we'll be asked to "please explain". If they're not all genuine, we've got a lot of explaining to do.

On the other hand, it may be a brilliant ploy by DB, because if they are investigated and found to be all genuine (and I'm certain they are), it will lower the temperature of the "tanking" chatter so that everyone can relax a bit.

[rpfc 27,590]

I'm not sure we are faking injuries, only overreacting to those injuries.

And this is not incompetence by DB - it's a masterstroke. Sauron's eye this weekend is focused to the west for the Derby.

Next weekend it will swing back east for the August 2nd debacle between us and the Tigers, when I go to the footy and hope my team loses...

He can keep the injured out another week, make Sylvia do penance, and bring back a few names to give the illusion of a team that isn't doing something it is clearly doing.

Well played, Mr Bailey - You are no mere hobbit.

(And for those who aren't LoTR fans - Sauron's eye is a metaphor for media spotlight.)

[jacey 333]

and we'll be asked to "please explain".

Why? AFL has no business to tell us who we can and can't drop?

Hardly have to explain team selection.

As for media, who's give a siht.

[Axis of Bob 10,298]

They let Carlton off without so much as a second glance. This effectively tells teams that it's OK to tank.

Each of the moves is defensible, because you just say that we think it is in the long term interests of [player X] for them to miss the game due to some slight injury. We say that we're preparing for next yyear so we don't want to take even the smallest risk with any of our players.

Easy.

[BAMF 3,787]

Out: Brock McLean (knee), Mark Jamar (quad), Brad Green (scaphoid), Jack Grimes (back), James Frawley (back), Neville Jetta (flu), Russell Robertson

As if we will have to explain anything to the afl! Even looking over these message boards we can see these points about the players.

Mclean - Has clearly been playing injured for awhile now.

Jamar - Has had a history of quad problems this year and is not surprising.

Green - Has a serious injury that will keep him out for a while. Its not like we are saying he's out with general sorness or a mysterious injury that the doctors cant work out a la Kerr.

Jack Grimes - History of back problems, as if we are going to risk him. Is hardly a senior player only having played a couple of games. on paper wouldnt influence a match.

Jetta - Is learning the game still. Whelan is the one who came in for him. Harldy tanking.

Robertson - Clearly was going to be dropped after last weeks game.

Frawley - This one is the only question mark.

Of the ins -

Everyone has been playing well for Casey over the last few weeks and deserves a run.

[Sir Why You Little 34,697]

If this really is tanking - by which I mean if any one of these injuries etc aren't genuine - expect us to be in serious trouble. There was enough media chatter about the 5 changes, now that there's another 2 unfit to play, it's going to come to a crescendo. There's no way the media will let us off the hook, there's bound to be a "please explain" from the AFL.

And if it really is tanking, we've showed appalling incompetence being so blatant and ham-fisted about it, especially in a game we're likely to lose anyway even with all these players available. If this really is tanking, I'd be ashamed that my club is so damn incompetent at it that we'd risk the AFL taking a PP off us, or worse.

I don't think the Dees are that incompetent actually; I agree with Paul Roos that we've actually done very well with player development and I can't see that we'd throw it all away. I prefer to take it at face value - it's much more likely we've just hit a terrible week for injuries.

What a ridiculous piece of writing..I mean Really. Should The Club be scared of Mike Sheahan or Mark Robinson, even worse Caro.

The Club can play whoever is on their list. The Papers can yell all they like as it is only tomorrows Bog Paper.

Most Journalists have been saying all year Melbourne should not win more than 4 Games, & that's what i hope happens.

Get Stuck into the Eagles, not us. Those Bastards won a flag 3 years ago, look where they are.

And it was there own fault..

[Jaded No More 58,659]

Well done Melbourne.

Doing what is right for our future!

[Nasher 33,133]

You know your career is in trouble when there are six forced changes but you still get dropped.

In addition to that, of the emergencies, Bail is the only who is match fit -- Buckley and Spencer have come straight from part-games in the Casey twos, so Bail will probably be the emergency to travel. Robbo will be the only fully fit senior player playing at Casey this week.

Alarmingly, I'm still concerned that we are at risk of beating Sydney.

[rpfc 27,590]

Some of you above are kidding yourselves - this is tanking in all its glory.

McLean played with his injury against Geelong and Green has been playing hurt for a month. They are out because they are tough and could still contribute, and we might win a game in the next three weeks.

I am all for what we are doing, but don't sit there and type something we are not doing.

We are not taking risks with players that we would normally do if we wanted to win a game.

We are giving players opportunitities they would normally not get.

We are playing people in positions they are not used to.

These are the tools of tanking - we are going out of our way to lose.

Again, I'm all for it but don't tell me it isn't tanking.

[dee-luded 2,958]

he is right. here are the final ins/outs:

In: Cheney, P. Johnson, Miller, Newton, Valenti, Whelan, McKenzie

Out: Brock McLean (knee), Mark Jamar (quad), Brad Green (scaphoid), Jack Grimes (back), James Frawley (back), Neville Jetta (flu), Russell Robertson

I laughed when i saw it. tank you very much

Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha. Bewdy,!

[dee-luded 2,958]

I saw Frawley out of the team and laughed more than a little. I'm still smiling from it!

The good thing is that we have dropped so many this week that only dropping 2 or 3 decent players for next week's game will make it seem like we aren't really tanking. It's brilliant!!

Tank, for a month, we cannot afford to win a game before Freo, then play a half decent side.

[Lord Travis 10,217]

Hoorah for Cheney! Has been stiff this year I reckon, and hopefully he gets a good run for the remainder of the season.

Best of luck to Jordie and Valenti also.

[Lord Travis 10,217]

Yeah agree.. "biggest tank team ever"... :angry: HOPE IT BACK FIRES and WE WIN !!!!.

NO TANKING !!!!!! Very disappointed in team selectors. ... we are as bad as Carltank and others. I feel/hope for a big win this weekend !!!!!

am so disappointed in the team selectors, that I have emailed the club and said as much. I HOPE WE WIN :angry:

Yep, sign me up for pick #5 in the National Draft! Can I ask how old you are? Do you understand what we as a club are going through at the moment?

I'm sure the club has read your email and are deeply concerned! Here's what probably happened.

*Techie reads email*

"lol get a load of this guy. He wants us to WIN. Hey Gertrude check it out!"

"Omg wtf lmao!!! okok.... deep breaths Gertie.... ok send him a reply saying we're trying to win.... that'll keep the old croan happy rofl! By the way bring in Juice, Valenti, Mckenzie, Bail, and anyone else who's name I dont know. And drop Robbo and make up some sh*t about Grimes' back. Dont wanna accidentally win one!"

That scenario is entirely plausible, and likely did happen.

We are a team that's in rebuilding at the moment. We are not going to play finals this season, and likely not next season either. What we should be doing is stockpiling young talent before the draft is comprimised next year onwards by Gold Coast entering the league. Think about it. If Carlton didnt beat us in Rnd 22 2007, they wouldnt have Judd. We are now in the same position, and we cant afford to stuff it up this time. We can have 2 picks in the top 5, one of them being pick #1, or 1 pick in the top 5. You're telling us you'd rather take that one pick so that you can watch the team beat up on Failmantle, Bitchmond, West Coke, and the Poos? You sir are certifiably mad! Noone will remember those wins as anything bu the ones that cost us Tom Scully!

[Bobby McKenzie 2,193]

THE GREATEST DEES SIDE EVER

MELBOURNE v SYDNEY SWANS

Melbourne

B: Lynden Dunn, Matthew Warnock, Matthew Whelan

HB: Brent Moloney, Jared Rivers, Cameron Bruce

C: Clint Bartram, James McDonald, Aaron Davey

HF: Jamie Bennell, Michael Newton, Cale Morton

F: Brad Miller, Matthew Bate, Liam Jurrah

Foll: Stefan Martin, Ricky Petterd, Nathan Jones

I/C: Paul Johnson, Kyle Cheney, Jordie McKenzie, Shane Valenti

Emg: Rohan Bail, Jake Spencer, Simon Buckley

In: Cheney, P. Johnson, Miller, Newton, Valenti, Whelan, McKenzie

Out: Brock McLean (knee), Mark Jamar (quad), Brad Green (scaphoid), Jack Grimes (back), James Frawley (back), Neville Jetta (flu), Russell Robertson

New: Jordie McKenzie (Geelong Falcons)

Glad McKenzie got a game. Hope he will be as good as me!

[rpfc 27,590]

am so disappointed in the team selectors, that I have emailed the club and said as much. I HOPE WE WIN :angry:

I feel for you, buddy.

But sometimes you have to get your hands dirty to get something done.

Try to understand wher ethe club is coming from or you'll go insane.

[Tony Tea 2,792]

Hopeless Frawley is quick out of the blocks: "Melbourne will use Stef White in the ruck."

[Cards13 9,117]

1st goal to Swans from a free kick out of the ruck contest in Swans fwd 50. Against Stef Martin.

The little things annoy me. Bate jogging on a lead thinking he had 5, tried for a chest mark whilst his Swans opponent screams in full tilt and punches it away. ARMS OUT EXTENDED BATER!

[Cards13 9,117]

McKenzies 1str action in the AFL, laying a tackle, free kick to him!!!

Edited July 26, 2009 by Cards13

[Cards13 9,117]

Horrendous viewing so far. Contested game, we're not handling the pressure that is being applied to us so far. We're getting enough of it but then run around in circles with few options ahead of the contest. Miller and Bates 1st possesions have come from across center half back and the centre circle respectively.

[Cards13 9,117]

Turns overs killing us by hand and foot. Bruce and Miller the last two culprits.

Finally get a fwd 50 entry, Jurrah went 1 handed.... Should have gone with 2.

[H_T 2,941]

Fumbling early. Can the skipper take the ball with one grab? 3 goals down already. Thumping looking ominous.

[Cards13 9,117]

Newton couple of decent things, layed a nice tackle followed up with an inside 50. Jurrah crumbs a contested marking opp in the fwd 50, gives a 1-2 with PJ has a snap.... 1 behind.

Swans race it out McVeigh has a shot and misses. McVeigh looking like he is playing with his own footy early. 7 possies already.