The playing group

[old dee 23,781]

While I have been less than happy with our game plan and wondered about Baileys ability

The five games this year have had me wondering if our playing group are as good as we think.

Perhaps they are not good enough!

Perhaps they would struggle to win against the better half of the competition with any game plan.

Over the last 2-3 years we have taken a number of early draft picks and swallowed the PR

that they are all champions in the making and all we have to do is be patient

( where have I heard that before)

But after last night I have serious doubts that a number of the group are up to it.

Unfair to pick him out because he has quite a few mates but I doubt Wona is the good enough.

At best he seems to give 1 or 2 quaters per game then goes missing.

How many games in the last three years would you have put him in the the best 5?

Honestly I can only think of 2 or 3 games.

How come we pass on players like Darling, Rich, Martin etc because they are mature bodies

and in the long term our selections will be better.

I could handle a few more "mature bodies" right now.

Every side needs a mix of mature and developing.

The MFC team at present appears to me made up of a mature group who are not good enough.

e.g. Green, Wona, Sylvia, Bartram and Dunn

and a bunch of kids of doubtful ability who have yet to show anything much e.g. Bennel, Strauss, Jetta.

Perhaps our side is just not good enough.

Over the you guys.

[Yokozuna 1,004]

Unfortunately at this stage I have to agree with you.

I hope the young players can develop (as quick as possible please) and become stars.

If you look at last night the WCE experienced players smashed us - Cox, Embley, Kerr, Kennedy, Lynch, Glass etc, while our experienced players - Green, Davey, Moloney, Sylvia gave us nothing.

That being said though the experienced players from WCE gave nothing last year, injuries aside, so it does not take long for players to turn their form around.

Lets all hope that a better game plan and some confidence comes to the players and we see the best of them, because we all know that atm we are seeing some of the most disappointing football we have ever seen.

[Grandson of a gun 276]

Looking at the drafting logically:

2008- Watts was the best in the comp- so they take him and he is progressing (albeit slowly). And for all the hype of Nic Nat, Watts showed last night that he is ahead of Nic...

2009- Scully and Trenners were clearly the best two with Martin a close third- there was no complaints when we got either of them. Gysberts still has a light frame but he has shown how good he is and Tappy has the mature body you speak of.

2010- Cook was all australian CHF and looks ok. Darling was passed over by every club at least once, and some clubs with multiple picks- perhaps their mistakes but hardly something to really crack MFC about.

As you would well know Old Dee, football is a simple game. Forget presses, zones, rotations......IT'S ALL ABOUT PRESSURE.

Footy has not changed in 100 years in this regard. The best teams, and the teams that win consistently, have the mental strength and desire to tackle and harrass the opposition like their life depends on it. It doesn't matter if you are the best player or the worst player, EVERYONE can tackle and chase and harrass. Unfortunately, under Bailey Melbourne do not exhibit such a desire on anywhere near a required or consistent basis.

I was a defender of his until last night, but i have now changed. The game plan is a shambles. The way he has our forwards playing means we have no targets coming out of defence, AND HE HAS NOT INSPIRED OR DRILLED INTO THESE BLOKES THE HARD EDGE OR REQUIREMENT FOR CONSTANT PRESSURE AND TACKLING that he should have...

I think the list is very talented. I don't think we have the right man at this point to advance the group.

I really hope Malthouse is interested...