I like that Neeld is challenging Cale by regularly putting him in the centre square. Cale won some inside ball and cleared it well, driving us forward on many occasions. He played smart footy for the conditions.

He has definitely got bigger too.

The thing that I liked most about his game last night was where he got his touches, right in the heat of the battle and he definitely looks [censored] across the chest. A couple of times last night Ihad to take a double take because I couldn't believe my own eyes that he could win the contested footy like that.

I've previously written him off and stated that anything he produces will be a bonus, I fear (in a good way) that he's going to make me look like a bit of a goose.

Many people have that fear. It's one that I fevently hope to experience at a significant intensity.

Agree with everything said and also like the fact the Cale put on a couple of strong tackles as well!

Hopefully he can put a few good ones together. A bit of extra strength may have given him that extra bit of confidence.

My feeling is that Neeld has thrown out a challenge to certain players and is waiting to see who responds and who can't. Morton may have been one of those players.

I've held off so far but feel I have to comment about Cale.

Last year I posted on numerous occasions that I never wanted to see him in a MFC jumper again, and I was surprised when they kept him. But this year he has improved every game and he was better than good against the saints. He will never be a Beau Waters or Brad Sewell in terms of toughness, but he is putting his body on the line, his kicking efficiency is improving and needs to continue improving, he reads the game OK and he is quite quick at full pace. Currently he deserves his spot - he just needs to make sure he doesn't make unforced free-running errors.

I am not going all out for him because he could still do those Morton things that he has become infamous for, but he is doing OK so far. Deserves some appreciation and recognition at this stage.

i saw more from Morton last night than I have in a long time. And his disposal is an asset we need. So I wont complain about him again for a while

When did Bail or Jordie last shut down a player?

And unfortunately for McKenzie, he is no longer a "rich man's Mitch Robinson".

Far from it.

Care to revise your statement Jose after Jordie shut down Goddard? After Griffen last week?

Like sauce with your humble pie?

I have been one of his fiercest critics, but he did things last night that pleasantly surprised me. He needs to become consistent.

There was once a guy on this forum who used to bag Cale all the time but he retired his name and moved on to pulling the wings off flies .

I am going to give CM until the end of the year before judging him . He MUST perform .

i saw more from Morton last night than I have in a long time. And his disposal is an asset we need. So I wont complain about him again for a while

Every time I looked up and saw Cale in the Middle, my heart dropped, and thought he was so good, I thought it must be someone else wearing Cale's jumper.. Looked at home having to win his own ball, and seemed to know where to position himself. The biggest positive from last night

Care to revise your statement Jose after Jordie shut down Goddard? After Griffen last week?

Like sauce with your humble pie?

No humble pie.

It was a fair question.

He did ok on Griffen, but didn't shut him down.

Good to see he shut down Goddard.

So he should.

Has still been overtaken by Robinson.

No humble pie.

It was a fair question.

He did ok on Griffen, but didn't shut him down.

Good to see he shut down Goddard.

So he should.

Has still been overtaken by Robinson.

Does Robinson really play as a midfield tagger though, carrazzo usually gets the job doesn't he? And then this week they brought in Aaron joseph, and they use Dennis armfield also!

But I do agree that Robinson is ahead of mckenzie but that's mainly due to his goal sense

Edited April 30, 201213 yr by Mad_Melbourne

There aren't many players I detest more than Mitch Robinson. I'd prefer we avoided that comparison altogether.

Imn simple terms Cale fits well into a mediocre mistake ridden Melbourne . If however yiu want to play a higher calibre winning brand of footy then he just isnt good enough.

There aren't many players I detest more than Mitch Robinson. I'd prefer we avoided that comparison altogether.

Me too, but unfortunately I have to concede that in the last 12 months he has outperformed McKenzie, for whatever reason.

As this is the Cale Morton thread, I have to agree.

Forgive me if I am wrong but in his second season, wasn't Morton racking up 30 disposals a game pretty consistently?

Edited April 30, 201213 yr by DeeTermination

Forgive me if I am wrong but in his second season, wasn't Morton racking up 30 disposals a game pretty consistently?

Nice try but not even close. Pure hyperbole and wishful thinking.

Average disposals

2008 18.4

2009 22.7

2010 20.9

2011 16.1

Averages 1.7 tackles over his career. Pathetic for a backman or any player for that matter.

Problem is how he gets em (typically as a loose man), what he does with em (typically turns over 40%) and what he does when he doesn't have the ball (doesn't run, tackle and chase).

Oh, and its his 5th year on the list with 67 games. We expect a lot better than he gives us. You should too.

You don't boo your own.

Except in here apparently......

I hope Cale continues to improve and becomes a consistently good footballer for us. A bit more strength and who knows.

Agree Redleg, was the best game from him in quite some time, now we just need a few repeat performances.

Edited April 30, 201213 yr by QueenC

Good post. You don't boo your own. I recall at a Carlton game years ago many years ago fans booing Ange Christou and even Kouta and both had great careers with them and those same fans would then kiss their arses. Typical Carlton. We don't need to behave like them.

I hope Cale continues to improve and becomes a consistently good footballer for us. A bit more strength and who knows.

with alldue respect Red...where is this "improvement" ? He has hardly stepped up an iota since he came on board. You suggest he continue thi simprovement which for mine suggests some momentum in this progress..a progress I add I dispute.

If ever a player was treading water..its this bloke.

Some suggest to call into question the performance of a player is to bag.. I simply say this is just that, calling into question what some suppose is a given. There are more than a handful of players at any club let alone ours that will simply not get up.

Some wait perenially others all but eternally for their cherished lads to realise a potential once sprouted. Not all do, simple as.

This is his 5th season...his 5th !!. And he still hasnt made an impact... Come on Red.. youve been around the traps.. you know footy... A likely lad OUGHT to have done 'something ; by now.....no ?

Nice try but not even close. Pure hyperbole and wishful thinking.

Average disposals

2008 18.4

2009 22.7

2010 20.9

2011 16.1

Averages 1.7 tackles over his career. Pathetic for a backman or any player for that matter.

Problem is how he gets em (typically as a loose man), what he does with em (typically turns over 40%) and what he does when he doesn't have the ball (doesn't run, tackle and chase).

Oh, and its his 5th year on the list with 67 games. We expect a lot better than he gives us. You should too.

I was genuine, obviously thinking of another player... from a different club. I personally think he is well past his use by date at our club and should be offered up for trade at the end of the season. A good deal would be 2 dollars and chocolate milk.

It's hard to defend this bloke.Give him until the end of the year.If it was meant to be it will happen .It it wasn't-it never was.

It's hard to defend this bloke.Give him until the end of the year.If it was meant to be it will happen .It it wasn't-it never was.

Getting any consistent performance out of this bloke will be one of Neeld's biggest challenges.

He has frustrated me since his first season, more I think than any other player in over 50 years of watching the club - Saturday night however is one of the few times I have been reasonably happy with him.

As I said, he needs consistency, and needs to develop into someone on whom you could rely in a tight GF finish. My heart still misses a beat when he has it in a tight situation.

YOUR CALL, CALE; YOUR CHALLENGE, MARK.

(typically turns over 40%)

You've said this several times in this thread now, and it's a malicious lie not supported by the statistics. Please either prove it or stop stating it as fact. Hint: I already explained in this thread that DE% doesn't have anything to do with turnover rate, so you'll need to look a little deeper than that.

You've said this several times in this thread now, and it's a malicious lie not supported by the statistics. Please either prove it or stop stating it as fact. Hint: I already explained in this thread that DE% doesn't have anything to do with turnover rate, so you'll need to look a little deeper than that.

90% of people don't understand statistics. The other 50% don't care.

Morton is one of the bettere players in out best game of the year and by Monday arvo he is already getting sh!tcanned again hahaha

If we look right into stats about disposal efficiency ,then there should be a breakdown of long ,short and medium kicks /handpasses

What I hate most is short or medium kicks going to the opposition. A long kick to a one on one that doesn't get marked is ok by me .

A short handpass to the opponent also makes me chuck .

When I played we were told never to handpass short.