Just wondering what everyone thinks.

For my two bobs worth

We need to be competitive

We need to be physical, but not stupid!

We need a gameplan that works (no stacking the back line)

We need skills to show through

We need accountability from all Players and the Coach

But most of all we need everyone involved to show pride in our club both supporters and players and that must shine through tonight .

Win or lose its up to you, the result is not predetermined. Its how you play the game tonight that determines the outcome

Go DEES!

Tonight might be make or break for the rest of the season, but it might be "make" for the years to come. We will have a paddock full of kids, some amazing junior talent (Scully, Watts, Trengove), this could be the game that sets up not only the future of this playing group, but everyone involved at the club.

Bailey has basically got what most would cosider our best team in 4 years time, if he can get them playing inspired footy, doing those 1%ers, and playing as a team united, who knows what might happen at seasons end.

Tonight might be make or break for the rest of the season, but it might be "make" for the years to come. We will have a paddock full of kids, some amazing junior talent (Scully, Watts, Trengove), this could be the game that sets up not only the future of this playing group, but everyone involved at the club.

Bailey has basically got what most would cosider our best team in 4 years time, if he can get them playing inspired footy, doing those 1%ers, and playing as a team united, who knows what might happen at seasons end.

Who knows what might happen tonight.

Well said. by the way.

Meaningless cliche, in my opinion.

Events are only ever "make or break" in retrospect.

Meaningless cliche, in my opinion.

Events are only ever "make or break" in retrospect.

Artie, I normally like your posts and often have similar views to you. I fully realise that this is a public forum, but mate, sometimes unspoken words are better.

Of course tonight can be make or break. If we come out and play soft footy, it'll bloody near break any chance of the coach getting a new contract. Next week will also be make or break, and to be honest, every game for the rest of the year will be. The entire football world will be watching our games more closely than ever for the rest of the season.

I honestly thin we'll just go through the motions again tonight. Nothing I've seen or heard has inspired me to think any different.

No ... Tigers game is our key game over the next few weeks.

Artie, I normally like your posts and often have similar views to you. I fully realise that this is a public forum, but mate, sometimes unspoken words are better.

Of course tonight can be make or break. If we come out and play soft footy, it'll bloody near break any chance of the coach getting a new contract. Next week will also be make or break, and to be honest, every game for the rest of the year will be. The entire football world will be watching our games more closely than ever for the rest of the season.

Rubbish in my opinion.

We could lose this game by 80 points, then win the next 5 straight, making this game largely irrelevant, having not "broken" anything.

And every game can't be "make or break" unless you have a different definition to what I do.

If the following game is "make or break", then winning this game doesn't exactly "make" anything.

It's a poor cliche.

It is only really relevant in retrospect where you can look back and say "that win in round X gave us the momentum to finish Yth on the ladder."

Or alternatively, "that heavy loss in round X hurt the team and sent us spiralling to finish Yth."

(and again, it's all about perspective, because heavy losses can hurt and remind the team of what is required, creating the catalyst for a string of wins; while big wins can lead to believing your own press and overconfidence, and be a catalyst for a bout of poor form.)

I honestly thin we'll just go through the motions again tonight. Nothing I've seen or heard has inspired me to think any different.

I'm not sure anything we'd ever see or hear would be an indication either way.

I honestly thin we'll just go through the motions again tonight. Nothing I've seen or heard has inspired me to think any different.

whatddya mean? we've said that tonight we have to make a stand and..

oh. hang on..

In that we've been ordinary all season and we flopped last friday there is an element of make or break. However this isn't the defining game for the next few seasons. We need to stand proud tonight after the week we've had. If we don't I'm not looking forward to next week. In my opinion Collingwood is going to spank us.

Hardly make or break, but I am definitely looking forward to watching the midfield tonight.

For the first time probably ever, all of Scully, Trengove, McKenzie and Gysberts are playing together, with the added bonus of Max Gawn in the ruck.

They probably won't win the clearance count, but it's a glimpse of our potential premiership midfield.

I reckon I could go through every week of the season and pull up a quote from someone who claims that a round's game is 'make or break'.

Let's assume this game really is 'make or break'. Let's say we play in a similar fashion to the past couple of weeks and get beaten by 40-oodd points - I assume that's a 'break'.

If we then go on to pound Collingwood and win four games on the trot was this game really 'break'?

I reckon I could go through every week of the season and pull up a quote from someone who claims that a round's game is 'make or break'.

Let's assume this game really is 'make or break'. Let's say we play in a similar fashion to the past couple of weeks and get beaten by 40-oodd points - I assume that's a 'break'.

If we then go on to pound Collingwood and win four games on the trot was this game really 'break'?

It depends on what one's definition of make is, and what one's definition of break is.

If by "make" you mean "win", and by "break" you mean "lose", then yeah, it's a "make or break" game.

.... goes hand in hand with "breakout game".

This game isn't important at all, neither is next week and neither was last week. But the season is important.

You might struggle with this concept but that's the way I see it. It just puts what Artie is saying in another way.

Are you suggesting we are "broken" or in some major way "worse off" if we lose tonight. We won't be.

But of course it will be ammunition for the supporters and media to "maintain their rage".

I think you have nailed it Snoopy. The focus should be on the season and not unnecessarily overweighting/underweighting one or two games.

I'm not overly fussed if we win or lose tonight, but I'd like to see some consistent effort. You can have effort even if your 8 goals down.

Fwiw, I think we'll win.

I'm not sure anything we'd ever see or hear would be an indication either way.

EXACTLY

harcourt can you please provide us with a hypothetical example of something you could see or hear that would make you think we are going to turn things around

what possible event could occur

please i would love to hear it

Make or break I think not, however it seems that MFC has to be abused by either its fans or by the media or opposition to consider the game important enough to care about, maybe even if we win tonight we can pay some Essendon nobody to say we were crap, and then we might fire up against Coll%$#&

If you were a "stalwart" you would realise and consider what team we're fielding and their stage of growth (embryonic stage), where we're at in the greater scheme of things. Instead of wondering if it's "make or break".

That said I hope they put on a good show and win.

I'm of the opinion that some players, mainly the senior guys (what's left of them), will have to come out tonight so that their career wont break. I;m not saying that a 40 possession game by Brad Green will make his career, but if he is seen to be pulling out of a contest, especially after a week where we were labelled with the most offensive term a football club can receive, this should/could break his career.

If tonight it doesn't break, then next week will too be a test. We will be watching to make sure that it isn't a one off, so next week can potentially be another stepping stone in making this a successful team. However, if he has a great game this week, but next week does those "soft" things, then again, it has the potential to break him as a leader.

This is one example of why I think this could be a make or break game. Another example could be if Strauss can replicate his good form from Casey, and put it on the big stage. While it wont break him if he doesn't, it could be a big step forward in his career to making it.

That's what I mean by working out what your definitions of make and break.

I'm not overly fussed if we win or lose tonight, but I'd like to see some consistent effort. You can have effort even if your 8 goals down.

I'm with you there.

If you were a "stalwart" you would realise and consider what team we're fielding and their stage of growth (embryonic stage), where we're at in the greater scheme of things. Instead of wondering if it's "make or break".

That said I hope they put on a good show and win.

How many years have you supported Melbourne? Me lets just say im in too the second half of a Century , Ive been through more dissapointment with the Melbourne Football Club then you have changed your socks.

Ive heard every appology under the sun, from the MFC over the years, oh and by the way this is not the first time we supposedly have rebuilt

I know these players are young and if you notice I didnt say they had to win I said it is how the play that counts, the endeavour and the committment they show tonight is what its all about

This should be expected every week in week out , unfortunately it hasnt been, so dont get me started .

I wont these boys to succeed, I want them to be successful, but I wont make appologies like some that post here.

If we are beaten by a better side so be it as long as they give their best .Unfortunately the fact they havent in some games to date , combine this with our injuries list gives them the excuse they need at times as to why they dont succeed.

To me they have to move beyond that and maybe some supporters do to.

I'm not overly fussed if we win or lose tonight, but I'd like to see some consistent effort. You can have effort even if your 8 goals down.

Fwiw, I think we'll win.

Ditto.

I think you have nailed it Snoopy. The focus should be on the season and not unnecessarily overweighting/underweighting one or two games.

Problem is it's not 1 or 2 games it's stacking up to be half a season. Need to show something tonight,