Have any Melbourne players been suspended so far this year? I can't think of any offhand. If there are any it is certainly very few. It appears Melbourne have done a good job in slipping under the tribunal radar this year. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Have any Melbourne players been suspended so far this year? I can't think of any offhand. If there are any it is certainly very few. It appears Melbourne have done a good job in slipping under the tribunal radar this year. Please correct me if I am wrong.

All I can recall is a fine for coming into contact with an umpire.

All I can recall is a fine for coming into contact with an umpire.

Obviously it is a good thing not to have players suspended. But I think all great sides have some blokes who are very aggressive and close to the line. Hawthorn, Geelong (Scarlett, Mooney, etc...), St Kilda all have suspensions, but may be better for their aggression. So yes, it's disciplined, but it might not be all positive.

We've had a couple of reprimands that got there by being downgraded with an early plea + good behavior.

Obviously it is a good thing not to have players suspended. But I think all great sides have some blokes who are very aggressive and close to the line. Hawthorn, Geelong (Scarlett, Mooney, etc...), St Kilda all have suspensions, but may be better for their aggression. So yes, it's disciplined, but it might not be all positive.

I think we have had Davey, Sylvia, Moloney and McKenzie (for taking out an umpire) all reprimanded or fined, being suspended doesn't necessarily mean you are tough and aggressive, most of the time it means you are stupid and have done something stupid....Davey gets the same tagging that Rioli got but didn't react the same way............you can be aggressive but not stupid, we have two tacklers in our team who never even get pulled up for a free kick....

The only one I can think of was Sylvia (or was it Moloney?) getting cited for a head high bump but it was thrown out.

Moloney is one of only 2 players I think who have got off at the tribunal (although he still got a reprimand).

PJ was suspended in the VFL.

Ever since I read that in 2000 the Bombers, one of the best sides of the modern era and one many argue was the best in a single season, had something like DOUBLE the amount of suspensions, or weeks suspended... I realised that a bit of controlled aggression can help your win-loss ratio.

I would expect a team made up of teenagers (too young and wide-eyed to remonstrate), and senior consumate professionals the likes of McDonald, Green, Bruce... Would lead to a theme being set where discipline is paramount.

But I dunno. A little aggression isn't a terrible thing, is it?

I agree. As we grow and develop, a bit of physical aggression and intimidation will be required to win a flag.

Quite simply, without it we would just be another Bulldogs.

Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney, West Coast, Port, Brisbane, Essendon. What did they all have in common?

When at their peak they were all strong, hard, physical teams who weren't afraid to have a go even if it meant a few players getting suspended every now and then. There is a fine line i agree but i would expect the aggression and arrogance to develop in our team for us to win a flag.

It is one of the key ingredients.

Thanks all, I agree a little agression and toughness is required but it should be directed at the ball and contest and within the rules as they stand. Sheedy's style of thuggery is now obsolete and no one would get away with it in the modern game. I also note that his tactics did not arrest Essendons decline after 2000. As for Melbourne their agression has been admirable when they have been "on" in games this year and all done mostly within the rules. Suspensions these days can cost a team plenty.

Maybe this week we'll get lucky and get someone suspended?

No, no, just kidding

Thanks all, I agree a little agression and toughness is required but it should be directed at the ball and contest and within the rules as they stand. Sheedy's style of thuggery is now obsolete and no one would get away with it in the modern game. I also note that his tactics did not arrest Essendons decline after 2000. As for Melbourne their agression has been admirable when they have been "on" in games this year and all done mostly within the rules. Suspensions these days can cost a team plenty.

I don't know that that's true, that Sheedy's thuggery is obsolete. It worked for the Hawks and their "unsociable" football which is the same rose by another name. In the paper today they suggested that the reason they picked up form recently was precisely because they became thugs again, and have had suspensions more than any club this year.

Yes, you're right, thuggery is certainly what Sheedy produced, and my post probably looked like I was advocating bashing players. What I mean to say is that flirting with that line is something I'd like to see us do. A cricketer could stop bowling no-balls by putting his delivery toe 6 inches back. It's not that much of a difference, right? Well talk to any fast bowler and they'll say they'll go as far as they possibly can, even risking getting called for a no-ball.

I'd like to see that ultra-competitive attitude being brought to our physicality. Part of footy, one of the BEST parts is physicality to the man. As these boys get bigger there will be intimidating players, like Tapscott and hopefully Watts who can impose themselves physically on a fifty-fifty ball, risking high contact etc.

I think Riewoldt would be a good example. He's known for his athleticism and engine. But by gee the guy knows how to work a pack. Get these boys to that point we'll be laughing.

i do not think we have had a suspension this year, but i also think that we have had aggression at the ball from most of our players, if not all of them in recent times, jack watts sits in my mind as he has lately been contesting the ball on the ground well, or the ferocity in our tackling, like clint bartram on ben mcglynn, i think there is a very fine line between being stupid, and being aggressive, and at the moment, we have mastered it.

we have seen some brain fades from aaron davey, the carlton match, where carrazzo and the rest of carltons squad where roughing him up and he gave away a few free kicks, but nothing suspendable.

another reason why we probably dont have any suspensions, moloney, sylvia, jones, mckenzie(even though he is a younger player),when tapscott is playing he is a big boy too, who honestly would want a rough and tumble with a midfield like that, thus protection is there for smaller and younger players, such as trengove and scully, who do not have the weight on them.

bottom line is, the best way to intimidate opposition is to play hard at the ball, and not get involved with any ra ra from opposition players.

i do not think we have had a suspension this year, but i also think that we have had aggression at the ball from most of our players, if not all of them in recent times, jack watts sits in my mind as he has lately been contesting the ball on the ground well, or the ferocity in our tackling, like clint bartram on ben mcglynn, i think there is a very fine line between being stupid, and being aggressive, and at the moment, we have mastered it.

we have seen some brain fades from aaron davey, the carlton match, where carrazzo and the rest of carltons squad where roughing him up and he gave away a few free kicks, but nothing suspendable.

another reason why we probably dont have any suspensions, moloney, sylvia, jones, mckenzie(even though he is a younger player),when tapscott is playing he is a big boy too, who honestly would want a rough and tumble with a midfield like that, thus protection is there for smaller and younger players, such as trengove and scully, who do not have the weight on them.

bottom line is, the best way to intimidate opposition is to play hard at the ball, and not get involved with any ra ra from opposition players.

Well said, I would also add Jamar to that midfield list. Absolutely crunching at the ball up and in packs and I haven't seen him get involved in any ra ra or silliness. I don't think opposition players are keen to take him on.