It looks like there is pressure for spots in the senior side and some players like Brad are starting to understand this.

Miller beat up on some young players. Big deal. He's still a dud and won't make it back into the seniors unless half the side fall over with serious injuries.

I'd be far more concerned about Bate and his future at the MFC which I see as iffy.

(Don't forget to pack your sunscreen Matty).

Calling a player a "dud" is always pretty [censored] poor, particularly when you're talking about a guy who has forged a 100 plus game career on sheer tenacity and hard work. That said, I don't want him back in the side on the strength of todays performance.

Without wanting to take anything away from Miller's achievement today, the fact is he was playing against a very young opposition who had no big-bodied key defenders to match up on him. He was also very much the "go-to" player today; they kicked to him at every opportunity. He was very good today, but he is still the same player he has always been, he still won't be on the list next year, and so there is still no sense in playing him in the seniors.

And one who will be back in the seniors next week

No doubt Miller will HAVE to be looked at going into the game vs Hawthorn - 10 goals is not easy even if against a 2nd last-placed VFL side.

HOWEVER... all of us here know just how Miller plays in the AFL - sub-standard. Below average. No good below the knees. Inaccurate.

I hope Bailey and his coaching staff are strong enough to say to Brad, "Look mate... you played out of your skin for Casey and kicked 10 of the best. Do you know how bloody hard that is to do at any level of footy??? Go back and show us that same effort again and show us you can back that effort up".

Miller beat up on some young players. Big deal. He's still a dud and won't make it back into the seniors unless half the side fall over with serious injuries.

I'd be far more concerned about Bate and his future at the MFC which I see as iffy.

(Don't forget to pack your sunscreen Matty).

This is just wrong, on so many levels. Maybe you think miller should have done more to earn his place in the seniors? Maybe ten goals, twenty odd possession and ten marks not enough for you? Maybe you don't believe in rewarding performance? Geesh what else can the guy do to claim a stake in the ones? Bet u would have creamed your jeans if it was any other mfc listed player, Mr Preconceived Notion.

10 goals is 10 goals. Miller will be selected next week. Can't argue with that, and he was good the week before as well

This is just wrong, on so many levels. Maybe you think miller should have done more to earn his place in the seniors? Maybe ten goals, twenty odd possession and ten marks not enough for you? Maybe you don't believe in rewarding performance? Geesh what else can the guy do to claim a stake in the ones? Bet u would have creamed your jeans if it was any other mfc listed player, Mr Preconceived Notion.

Dead right. If everyone's little golden boy Addam Maric had kicked 3 the peanut gallery would be screaming for his recall. Miller could've kicked 25 and he'd get no love.

Say whatever you like about the pluses and minuses of his game, the big plus, for us fans, is it will answer a lot of questions. Both his game and Newton's game will have the same effect.

If any of our enigmatic forwards have average games this weekend, one of the two players will HAVE to come in. Given the youngsters' form, you'd expect one or more of them to be quiet.

If one of the two DO come in, the one who does has hope in his career, the other is done.

Dead right. If everyone's little golden boy Addam Maric had kicked 3 the peanut gallery would be screaming for his recall. Miller could've kicked 25 and he'd get no love.

Ahh but alas I have a question: Who is the potential future? Maric or Miller?

Ahh but alas I have a question: Who is the potential future? Maric or Miller?

Probably neither.

I hope Bailey and his coaching staff are strong enough to say to Brad, "Look mate... you played out of your skin for Casey and kicked 10 of the best. Do you know how bloody hard that is to do at any level of footy??? Go back and show us that same effort again and show us you can back that effort up".

I am really sure that no coaching staff member in their right mind would contemplate that.

Dead right. If everyone's little golden boy Addam Maric had kicked 3 the peanut gallery would be screaming for his recall. Miller could've kicked 25 and he'd get no love.

Correct. BTW, I thought Maric was just so so in the VFL today. No recall on that match.

Liam Jurrah should be nervous after his ordinary performance last week. If Miller was emergency this week and then kicks 10 in the VFL, Jurrah should have all incentive he needs to perform.

Dead right. If everyone's little golden boy Addam Maric had kicked 3 the peanut gallery would be screaming for his recall. Miller could've kicked 25 and he'd get no love.

That's because -after 8 years and 133 games- we know exactly what Miller is and is not capable of. While he was good today, the performance told us absolutely nothing about him that we don't already know. He's strong, he's a good lead, and at that level -especially against a physically underdeveloped opposition with no key defenders- he is capable of completely tearing the game apart. Full credit to him for doing so, but again, it doesn't tell us anything new about him.

A good game from Maric (even if it was far less dominant than Miller's) would be greater cause for exitement because, with Maric, the jury is still out.

Maric got run down on a wing by a ruckman over 205cm today. He is too slow.

Easy to say Miller just dominated a young, undersized defence, but where were Bate's 10 goals if things were so easy???

That's because -after 8 years and 133 games- we know exactly what Miller is and is not capable of. While he was good today, the performance told us absolutely nothing about him that we don't already know. He's strong, he's a good lead, and at that level -especially against a physically underdeveloped opposition with no key defenders- he is capable of completely tearing the game apart. Full credit to him for doing so, but again, it doesn't tell us anything new about him.

A good game from Maric (even if it was far less dominant than Miller's) would be greater cause for exitement because, with Maric, the jury is still out.

Agreed. How many times has Brad played well for Casey and been amongst the best for weeks in a row... gets granted a spot in Melbourne's 22 the next week... and then plays like he's not even out on the park??? Too many times, that's what.

Bailey... don't fall for the easy solution. Please.

Maric got run down on a wing by a ruckman over 205cm today. He is too slow.

Your argument was that people on this forum unreasonably favor players such as Maric ahead of the likes of Miller; that people get very excited when someone like Maric has a good game, but don't get excited when Miller has an even better game. I was simply responding to this, and pointing out that the reason a good game from Maric would garner more exitement than an even better game from Miller is that we all know by now that Miller will not make it, but Maric still might. I wasn't trying to say anything about Maric in particular, who I thought was pretty ordinary today.

Easy to say Miller just dominated a young, undersized defence, but where were Bate's 10 goals if things were so easy???

Of course ten goals is never "easy". It was a fantastic performance in anyones language. My point, though -and I'm repeating myself here- is that we already knew Miller was capable of this kind of performance. We also already know that at AFL level, he doesn't quite cut it. So at the end of the day, while it was a great performance, it really doesn't provide the selection panel with anything new to think about when deciding whether to give him a game.

Edited August 7, 201015 yr by two sheds jackson

Lynden Dunn kicked 8 at Casey got recalled and has resurrected his career.

I'm no Miller fan but give the guy his due.

Lynden Dunn kicked 8 at Casey got recalled and has resurrected his career.

I'm no Miller fan but give the guy his due.

Couldn't agree more! It's a shame people still want to pull him down - fair play to the bloke for kicking 10 and if Jurrah who, in all honesty, hasn't set the world on fire in the last month, doesn't perform then Miller deserves his spot.

10 goals is worthy of a call up. Miller rides again.

Pressure is on against the Tiggies.

Maric got run down on a wing by a ruckman over 205cm today. He is too slow.

I don't think speed is his problem.

He is a kicker and instinctively looks to find an option to spot up by foot.

He is not a runner; he doesn't instinctively look to run the ball.

Gee the Miller bandwagon is off and running!!!

Please, I hope people don't get too disappointed when he puts on his next display for the MFC if he gets into the 22.

I don't think speed is his problem.

He is a kicker and instinctively looks to find an option to spot up by foot.

He is not a runner; he doesn't instinctively look to run the ball.

That's a major flaw in the Demon's 'play on at all costs' game plan.

Lachie Henderson kicked 10 goals for the Bullants this year(same round as Dunn i think), and didn't get a recall. If the team wins today again, i see no reason for a change.

I also had Maric for just about worst on ground yesterday. He found a bit of the ball, but his decision making and disposal were abysmal.

Lachie Henderson kicked 10 goals for the Bullants this year(same round as Dunn i think), and didn't get a recall. If the team wins today again, i see no reason for a change.

I also had Maric for just about worst on ground yesterday. He found a bit of the ball, but his decision making and disposal were abysmal.

I'm worried about Strauss as well; I'm not quite sure what his niche is? He is mid size, mid speed, and, like Maric, was drafted with an "amazing" laser boot that isn't so amazing.

It looks like there is pressure for spots in the senior side and some players like Brad are starting to understand this.

My soft spot for Miller aside I doubt there is much of a future for Brad with us, but I love the form he showed here......

Ten goals is a great effort under any circumstances, and good form should be at minimum acknowledged. And if nothing else that kind of form in the reserves will (should) put selection pressure on the

forwards in the current Demon twenty two, and may well make them play better so to make sure their spots stay that way. And pressure for spots can only be a good thing (see Collingwood).

Anyway whether we see Brad again in the red and blue is up to the selectors (thankfully not us), but a great performance (by anyone) should be applauded.

Concerned for Maric. I think he is contracted for 2011, admittedly he does have some time to prove himself and mature a bit more - football nous wise, but his appetite for doing something constructive needs to improve, as is the case with making it in AFL - consistently. Maric's feather attempts at tackling yesterday were reminisce of my nephew's U9's. Indecisive when in possession of the ball most times and failure to apply any degree of physicality for a contest is still evident.