The Davey Train is off the rails

[Striker475 696]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/aaron-davey-must-bounce-back-to-kick-start-melbourne/story-fn7si05c-1226047939540

[beelzebub 23,200]

http://www.heraldsun...c-1226047939540

Has become a little too cushy with that pay cheque

[StevenStretch 1]

I think we have a bigger issue then this, its sustainable forward pressure, we had Davey, since we have had Jurrah and Wonna and watching the last few weeks, Jurrah's chasing out of the forward line has become a little tokenistic and I have not noticed Wonna much with the pressure and chasing side of things either... Jurrah and Davey can both be extremely exciting players but when you see them not wanting to work hard and chase they can also be our most frustrating. They need a good rocket.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Has become a little too cushy with that pay cheque

Snap. Glad the article was written. Aaron is coasting on the big bucks and extended contract.

He needs to toughen up, go in harder, break the damn tags and earn back some respect.

On a weekly basis, too. Not just when he feels like it, in patches in this match or that match.

[Guest watts04]

fair article I reckon

big bucks and inconsistent - needs to be better

but then again all our so called leaders are inconsistent

[Disco Demons 92]

i wonder if he's still suffering from his broken leg last year against the hawks.

[Demon Disciple 11,680]

Has become a little too cushy with that pay cheque

I said exactly the same thing to jayceebee at one of the footy matches this year. He got his 4-year contract worth the big bucks. Now he doesn't have to pull his finger out until it is up for renewal. It may seem like a long bow to draw, but i strongly believe that it is an accurate one. Put it this way, if it was Aaron's final year on his contract, he would be putting in much greater effort. Sad really, seeing that this is one of our vice-captains.

[Guest watts04]

sad is the state of our whole football department

[Yokozuna 1,004]

I totally agree that Davey is not doing as well this year and I hope he pulls his finger out and shows us his worth.

However I do love how "journalists" can pull out stats to back up their arguments.

The game has changed and I doubt many players at all are having too many running bounces anyway. Especially the way we are playing, having all 18 players in one half of the ground barely gives you any room to bounce the ball.

That being said I would love to see Davey break the lines and run through with some bounces this week, and hopefully we have some forwards actually standing in the FORWARD line for him to deliver the ball to.

[PeterJames 46]

To be fair to Wona, Jurrah and the other forwards the ball entered our 50 3 times in the first quarter and I think at least one was the West Coast player kicked backwards into it.

Our issue is the Centre Half forward to Midfield area.

Davey will be lucky to get a game I think, his attitude is terrible and I am sick of him sooking it when he gets tagged.

[praha 11,124]

As with most players that come to Melbourne, he has slowly waned into near non-relevance.

[btdemon 482]

Has become a little too cushy with that pay cheque

Rubbish! He is a professional and passionate footballer that would take great pride in his performance. Footballers generally don't play at that level for money. They play because its their major source of expression and joy. While they negotiate the highest paycheque possible once that is done I'm sure they don't spend much time thinking about it. Davey may not be playing well atm, (not Robinson Crusoe here), but he would be doing everything possible to rectify this.

[beelzebub 23,200]

Rubbish! He is a professional and passionate footballer that would take great pride in his performance. Footballers generally don't play at that level for money. They play because its their major source of expression and joy. While they negotiate the highest paycheque possible once that is done I'm sure they don't spend much time thinking about it. Davey may not be playing well atm, (not Robinson Crusoe here), but he would be doing everything possible to rectify this.

Really ?? . Hes not putting in the effort required. He needs to lift.. Not just my impression or thoughts but those of Mark Stevens ( HS)

I quote;

"Davey is the highest paid player at the club in the second year of a four-year deal. With that comes responsibility, and there is mounting pressure for Davey to deliver. He is averaging only 11 uncontested possessions this season, an indication of a drop-off in workrate.

And because he is not getting into space to launch, the running bounces and metres gained have stalled.

If you average 450-500m gained a game as a midfielder you are elite (making Dustin Martin's mind-blowing 959m gained against Brisbane on Saturday night all the more extraordinary).

At his best in 2009, Davey was averaging 463m a game. It dropped to 432m last year and has sagged to just 339m this season.

In 2009, Davey was ranked 13th in the league for metres gained. He's now ranked 126th."

go on..argue away

[daisycutter 29,341]

there hast to be be something wrong with the water at aami

with all the improved facilities over the Junction we couldn't possibly go backwards so badly

we should get the water checked post haste

[Rogue 585]

Davey's been very poor this year, and to be a decent side he's one we need more from.

As an aside, here are five names for you - Davey, Green, Frawley, Scully, McKenzie.

Coming into the year I'd have expected good performances from all of them, and I'd have thought all of them would have been important for us (the latter two especially important after McDonald and Bruce departed).

So far we haven't had much - for varying reasons - from any of them this season, and it's no surprise we're struggling.

[daisycutter 29,341]

BTW anyone see the picture of Flash in the Hun?

If thats a darker red I'll go he. Certainly looks pink to me

And while we are talking strips why did we have to wear a clash strip against the eagles? BTS out of me.

[old dee 23,503]

BTW anyone see the picture of Flash in the Hun?

If thats a darker red I'll go he. Certainly looks pink to me

And while we are talking strips why did we have to wear a clash strip against the eagles? BTS out of me.

DC I was wonder the same, by the way I am off it.

Was listening to SEN on friday and someone said "look like marshmallows and play like marshallows"

That about covers it

[Striker475 696]

DC I was wonder the same, by the way I am off it.

Was listening to SEN on friday and someone said "look like marshmallows and play like marshallows"

That about covers it

I have this year's jumper, really does depend on the light - in a bright light it's the right colour, in a softer one like that pic it seems that pinky colour

[Grapeviney 9,538]

Was astonished really to see a player of Davey's calibre turn the ball over so many times against north - this from a player whose skills and delivery are usually so precise

Looks like his good game against the Crows was just a blip in what is becoming a pretty average season

Edited because half my post was missing

Edited May 17, 2011 by Grapeviney

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Was astonished really to see a player of Davey's calibre turn the bal

how was that one that slid directly along the carpet to a North player from the second it left his boot, cost us a goal

he does always do plenty of amazing kicks though that get taken for granted a bit

he's lsot some sort of edge though lately

[Jordie_tackles 354]

One thing to look forward to will be in a year or so when Scully, Trengove, Moloney and Sylvia are taking all the tags, Davey can go back to looking like absolute silk until then i dont know

[Axis of Bob 11,217]

Really ?? . Hes not putting in the effort required. He needs to lift.. Not just my impression or thoughts but those of Mark Stevens ( HS)

Not defending Davey, but I love it when people use other people's opinions as 'evidence' for their own opinions. Hannabal does it all the time, but seems to have gone quiet of late.

Anyway, Davey's work rate seems to be down, but it is also likely that it is due to his role and the ineffectiveness of our contested ball winning midfielders. Davey is a finisher, but he has had limited opportunities due to our inept inside midfield.

But the pressure aspect of Davey's play is disappointing. As a leader, and someone who held himself up as a captaincy candidate, he should really be setting a better example than that.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Not defending Davey, but I love it when people use other people's opinions as 'evidence' for their own opinions. Hannabal does it all the time, but seems to have gone quiet of late.

good call. I would trust my opinion and that of many others before Mark Stevens. I would like to see how much he knows about the club of he was to come on and match knowledge with some of you heavyweights!

plus every 2nd jerk in the media just loves to kick us when we're down

[kallioota 0]

good call. I would trust my opinion and that of many others before Mark Stevens. I would like to see how much he knows about the club of he was to come on and match knowledge with some of you heavyweights!

plus every 2nd jerk in the media just loves to kick us when we're down

what are you all talking about he is doing a GREAT job just like DB

[Rollo2 64]

After the game on Saturday I was pretty sure Aaron had played a shocker, but after watching it again (it was on at my work, I'm not that much of a tragic) I actually think he played pretty well. His mark, play on and spear pass straight onto Jurrah's chest (which he spilt) in the last quarter was at a crucial moment, and was exactly the on-field leadership everyone seems convinced he's not showing. His form has been down admittedly, but after having what for me is a rare chance to watch a game twice, I was definitely surprised by how much I had underrated his game the first time around, and in future I'm going to keep that in mind when judging his performances. We may be taking a lot that he does for granted.