TELL ME NO STORIES

[old dee 23,118]

Green couldn't compete with Port Adelaide's midfield, let alone Judd.

Terrible suggestion.

If anything, he should be playing in the VFL.

I agree but he was never going to be left out this week.

But next week is another story.

[old dee 23,118]

Green needs to do a Lloyd, and Sewell Chris Judd at the opening bounce to win me back.

Some horrid foot skills with those ins, but at least 3 of the ins are hard at it, and one has something to prove.

Will never happen there is more chamnce of me getting a game.

[beelzebub 22,542]

I agree but he was never going to be left out this week.

But next week is another story.

I concur... Hopefully teh lay of the land was explained in unabiguous terms to him though !!

[Sydney Pennski 270]

Could the historians around the place please tell me when was the last time a Melbourne selection committee has made a statement like this?

I can't remember but it might go back to the John Northey era.

Happy to stand corrected.

[old dee 23,118]

Could the historians around the place please tell me when was the last time a Melbourne selection committee has made a statement like this?

I can't remember but it might go back to the John Northey era.

Happy to stand corrected.

How long since we got beaten by 186 points.

Seriously not in the last 3.8 years.

[mrtwister 650]

Green should go toe to toe with Judd, he may get beaten but at least we will once and for all find out what he is all about. LEAD FROM THE FRONT or stand down.

No way. Two complete opposites. Judd keeps his feet ALL the time, no matter what. It's freakish to watch.

Green goes to ground ALL the time, no matter what. It's freakish to watch.

[Jaded No More 59,538]

Brad Green has to pull something massive out of his backside this week because he is LUCKY to have survived, and is only getting a game because he has the captain tag.

I'm hoping that our need to make a statement will pull us through because I can't sit through a big loss to Carlton after the shite week we've already had.

[Friday 71]

jurrah was dropped for the puffy jacket.

htfu

[RudeBoy 164]

Very disappointed to see Liam picked out as a sacrificial lamb.

Playing forward in a team smashed by 31 goals, he had very few opportunities, but still collected 11 disposals and kicked a great goal from outside 50m. His previous game he kicked 3 goals and had 3 goal assists.

Not happy.

[Cards13 9,117]

Very disappointed to see Liam picked out as a sacrificial lamb.

Playing forward in a team smashed by 31 goals, he had very few opportunities, but still collected 11 disposals and kicked a great goal from outside 50m. His previous game he kicked 3 goals and had 3 goal assists.

Not happy.

Mate he was not on his own, few other dropped with him. Love LJ but he has been in fits and spurts this season RB. I know you have the inside word and maybe he has been coached a certain way but from the cheap seats he looks like he needs to give a little bit more. He has not been flying for marks, lots of average looking chases etc.

Can't wait for him to have a full preseason coming up with no injury concerns and see him absolutely destroy the comp.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,377]

Very disappointed to see Liam picked out as a sacrificial lamb.

Playing forward in a team smashed by 31 goals, he had very few opportunities, but still collected 11 disposals and kicked a great goal from outside 50m. His previous game he kicked 3 goals and had 3 goal assists.

Not happy.

Rudeboy as much as I am a massive fan Liam does not work hard enough and gets by on natural talent rather than ethic. Just like with Sylvia it is about intent rather than statistics this week. I hope LJ and Sylvia learn from it and both come back more complete players.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,377]

Strauss's repeated inclusion in the team is evidence of the ongoing belief at our club that it is okay to be timid as long as you can kick the ball well when you've got 20m of space. He is the quintessential Melbourne softy.

Disagree. Please provide evidence of contests he has pulled out of or when he doesn;t put himself on the line.

[dee-luded 2,958]

Very disappointed to see Liam picked out as a sacrificial lamb.

Playing forward in a team smashed by 31 goals, he had very few opportunities, but still collected 11 disposals and kicked a great goal from outside 50m. His previous game he kicked 3 goals and had 3 goal assists.

Not happy.

This has nothing to do with last week, but it's a shift in Selection attitude to go forward with. This is a statement If I'm correct, about what it will take to get into the team in future. It will take guts and hard physical play, full of tackling, chasing, bringing opponents down when tackled, got running and real chasing with Intent.

Too many players have been getting games without any physical commitment.... 'The Times they are a Changin' !

[pitchfork 181]

Strauss gets a shocking run on Demonland! Wow. Far from our worst. Hasn't got enough of the ball to show off his kicking, which, line Tappy's, looks worse than it is because of the total lack of movement upfield. Defensively, he's been ok and mostly been beaten when everyone has been beaten with the ball coming in too fast and too often.

[Melbourne Man 0]

Not sure how Green survives and Sylvia goes. Must ne more to it.

Totally agree, the whole reason why Green has'nt been dropped is imo because hes captain. He's too selfish, kicks his 2 easy goals and thinks his stats are worthy. What a statement and kick up the backside it would be to the boys if he was dropped. A captain has to lead a team and be inspirational. Green is not. Instead he crunches team lifting goals (sylvia) to reap self rewards. No captain should be like that.

[Hip & Shoulder 64]

Outs: Jamar (Foot), Sylvia, Jurrah, Maric, Nicholson

Pleased to see Jurrah has been dropped. He needs to realise that he has to work harder at ground level. He's a fantastic sight when he's soaring over the pack to take a mark but doesn't work hard enough when the ball is at ground level. Todd's starting the way he intends to go on. No favourites. You have to earn your spot or - as they used to say in the old days - you'll be kicking the dew off the grass!

[Melbourne Man 0]

Rudeboy as much as I am a massive fan Liam does not work hard enough and gets by on natural talent rather than ethic. Just like with Sylvia it is about intent rather than statistics this week. I hope LJ and Sylvia learn from it and both come back more complete players.

Jurrah has to learn to go get the ball himself, every time if he has to. Once he figures out second efforts, he will be a great player. He needs to give 110% to realise his own talent and grow within himself. At the moment hes running at 35-40%. I think maybe if we could get a BIG more oldschool full forward, who just leads from the square, thats it. Jurrah will become a great forward pocket with his skill and explosiveness.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Jurrah has come from the middle of nowhere to have kicked 75 goals in 33 games in a side that has largely been smashed the whole time he has been here. That is a brilliant effort and he doesn't deserve this.

[Rollo2 64]

Jurrah has come from the middle of nowhere to have kicked 75 goals in 33 games in a side that has largely been smashed the whole time he has been here. That is a brilliant effort and he doesn't deserve this.

Agree. Very harsh on Jurrah. One of our few players who really threatens opposition defences and gives opposing coaches match-up worries. And yeah maybe he doesn't work as hard as some, but those hard working types don't normally do what Jurrah often does either. He was the difference between us and the Tigers IMO, and crucial in us holding off Port. Not every player is going to be a Nathan Brown (the Dee) type, nor should they be. I feel he could have really turned it on this weekend, but now we'll never know.

[Bobby McKenzie 2,209]

Its a clear sign that if you dont perform you are out.. Prob could have been a few more too but they cant ditch the whole team as Casey got their very own flogging.

I hope Sylvia takes it as a challenge and plays a blinder and will be back for West Coast.

I am disappointed Sylvia is out. I felt this game v Carlton would have produced one of Col's rare but inspiring gamebusting performances. I am not a great fan of Col due to his inconsistency, BUT just had this gut feeling that he would turn it on come Saturday. Of course he still could play pending the final fitness of Scully or Davey. We will just have to wait and see. Good to see a couple of hard nuts back in the side. Dees to win with a goal after the siren!! That's my heart talking, sadly my head says no.

[Tigers Dayz 2]

Agree. Very harsh on Jurrah. One of our few players who really threatens opposition defences and gives opposing coaches match-up worries. And yeah maybe he doesn't work as hard as some, but those hard working types don't normally do what Jurrah often does either. He was the difference between us and the Tigers IMO, and crucial in us holding off Port. Not every player is going to be a Nathan Brown (the Dee) type, nor should they be. I feel he could have really turned it on this weekend, but now we'll never know.

Interesting Rollo, that you defend Jurrah and you have an avatar of Robbo. Both players have the same deficiency in that they can offset the goals they kick by opposition goals. How? [censored] weak forward pressure!

[Longsufferingnomore 1,489]

I am disappointed Sylvia is out. I felt this game v Carlton would have produced one of Col's rare but inspiring gamebusting performances. I am not a great fan of Col due to his inconsistency, BUT just had this gut feeling that he would turn it on come Saturday. Of course he still could play pending the final fitness of Scully or Davey. We will just have to wait and see. Good to see a couple of hard nuts back in the side. Dees to win with a goal after the siren!! That's my heart talking, sadly my head says no.

Maybe it had to do with his performance on the training track this week. Todd would have watching carefully those who wanted to put their hand up and put up this week.

It is difficult to know what is going on with Liam. We can only hope that he finds some form at Casey and be back with more hunger than he is showing at the moment.

Jamar the perception was that it was his knee because he continually ices it at games but that is part of the ongoing maintenance of his knee. It is more telling that he is not playing at Casey. Great that Gawn is back. We really need to show him that he is wanted at the Dees and ward of the marauding Tigers.

Morton - well this is going to be a bruise free game and we need hard nuts out there. This is statement week.

[e25 5]

I agree with it being harsh on Jurrah since every player last Saturday was woeful, but when setting non-negotiables they have to apply to everyone.

That he is one of our most effective players at times, does not change the fact that he often is also one of our softest.

For whatever reason.

He might be copping it this week, but every other player will get a turn too, if they don't commit to doing what is asked of them.

[Whispering_Jack 28,096]

It was inevitable that some players and their supporters would get their noses out of joint over team selection after last week's debacle.

Some people still don't get the dimensions of that defeat or the fact that it was building for some time. Before anyone compares 186 with the three 15 goal thrashings that Demons have handed out this year they should understand this was doubly bad. If we think there aren't going to be repercussions at team selection as a result, then we're accepting that Melbourne really is a nanny club.

Imagine losing by 31 goals and the sign "no change" going up after team selection?

After last week, there were probably 18 candidates for the axe. The message from the dropping of those that went was that nobody is safe and the players are going to have to learn to be harder and tougher than they have been in the past.

The players who were dropped find themselves out because of unsatisfactory performances. it's as simple as that.

[Demon Dynasty 16,147]

Carlton vs Melbourne Round 20, 2011 - Experience Stats

Total games played by Team

Blues - 1,884

Demons – 1,499

Average games played per player

Blues - 86

Demons – 68

Average Height of Teams

Blues - 186cm

Demons – 188cm

Average Weight of Teams

Blues - 86kg

Demons – 86kg

Average games played by category

0-49

Blues - 29 / 10 (average games/number of players)

Demons - 24 / 11

50-99

Blues - 58 / 2

Demons - 77 / 5

100+

Blues – 155 / 10

Demons - 141 / 6

Stats courtesy of footywire.com

P.S. Apologies for lateness and missing last weeks (work commitments).

Edited August 7, 2011 by Rusty Nails