Be interested in how Mark Neeld approaches a number of players now, namely: Col, Aaron, Brad, Cale to mention a few of the obvious ones.

What would you say (or do) to Colin if you were his coach?

"We want you to play in the "Centre" Colin , you've got one last chance to become an elite player and it's this year.

You should be a top 25 player in the AFL but you're not even in the top 100 .

And from now on use Taxi's whenever possible ".

"AUSTRALIAN international rules coach Rodney Eade says he had no hesitation in cutting Colin Sylvia from his squad once it emerged that the Melbourne midfielder had been drinking on Saturday night."

From the AFL website

Pretty disappointing considering how enthusiastic he seemed.

Lets dismiss everything except for what we do know. He wasnt driving the car that was involved in an accident and both the driver and Sylvia left the scene. No law broken by Col but prima facie evidence of him being a goose. One must suspect if everything was kosher except the bad luck of having an accident he wouldnt have felt compelled to leave the scene.

So a quick straw poll ( and there will be a follow up question for all those who answer yes !) - Who has been involved in the sort of accident that has caused major damage ( like a power pole being knocked out) and has had both the passenger and the driver leave the scene ?

So you say he left the scene. What does this exactly mean? Do you know how long he did stay. Do you know if he checked if anyone was injured. Do you know if he rang a tow truck or one tuned up before he left. Saying someone "Left/fled the scene of an accident" is a statement that implies more than it actually states. If he did not stay around long enough to do the normal post accident stuff as any normal owner would do then I agree it would not reflect well on him, whether or not it was a legal obligation.

Again there is just a lack of factual detail and an obvious desire of the press to exploit/sensationalise

Again there is just a lack of factual detail and an obvious desire of the press to exploit/sensationalise

And fans to dismiss/minimise...

And fans to dismiss/minimise...

You are nothing if not tenacious rpfc but in contrast to your stand over HWL

I am in NO way dismissing/minimising Col's behaviour

I simply say wait for more details rather than embellish the few tidbits we have. That's not too much to ask is it?

When I know more I'll be happy to cast judgement

Col's crime was to further highlight how sensitive the AFL/Media is to players not taking their Irish sideshow seriously.

You are nothing if not tenacious rpfc but in contrast to your stand over HWL

I am in NO way dismissing/minimising Col's behaviour

I simply say wait for more details rather than embellish the few tidbits we have. That's not too much to ask is it?

When I know more I'll be happy to cast judgement

I am not talking about your view. Others have certainly minimised and while you criticise those that sensationalise, I have criticised those that minimise.

As for the extrapolation to HWL - it's an interesting juxtaposition. All I could defend myself is with the last line in your post.

So you say he left the scene. What does this exactly mean? Do you know how long he did stay. Do you know if he checked if anyone was injured. Do you know if he rang a tow truck or one tuned up before he left. Saying someone "Left/fled the scene of an accident" is a statement that implies more than it actually states. If he did not stay around long enough to do the normal post accident stuff as any normal owner would do then I agree it would not reflect well on him, whether or not it was a legal obligation.

Again there is just a lack of factual detail and an obvious desire of the press to exploit/sensationalise

Yup - agree with all you say and i am guilty as charged to reading into "fled the scene" without knowledge of what he actually did and didnt do.

I have been scathing of press reporting and its footloose handling of facts and its spin,bias and taint and I too may have been sucked in by what i have read. I will hold my fire until all is ( or isnt ) revealed.

What I will agree on is that it is reprehensible that the paper referenced Colin's previous incident with a former girlfriend.

Just very cynical and in poor taste.

Thought it was illegal to flee an accident scene if there was any personal injury or 3PP damage which there obviously was.

In this case they both chose to not hang around or even report it for some 1 1/2 hours.

To the poor owners of the smashed pole and MINI.............................tough sh!t it seems!!!!!.

Even though he was not driving , I would have thought it would have been highly advisable that he, the owner of the vehicle, (+ his mate the driver) who was in the accident vehicle, would be interested enough to stick around and give all legal details to all authorities/parties. Nup....not done! Done much later probably when advised to do so in a hurry, by smarter heads.

But lets all just ignore this because he plays for the MFC and that is really the thinking behind a lot of supportive posts.

If he played for C'wood many would be baying for his blood due to his slightly tainted past.

He has showed he is an untrustworthy loser again. He needs a dose of smart thinking , bigtime!

Neeld's reaction will be interesting if it ever gets out!

We may get a "sort of" explanation.

On top of all this he was out on the turps the night before a training run in preparation for a chance to represent his country. How dopey could you get?

C'mon Mr Sylvia, you are far, far better than what you are showing.

He certainly did drink otherwise he would have been driving...

It was his BMW.

Oh, well done Colin - you didn't drink and drive!!

Now if we can just get you to not commit to things you don't care about and not leave the scene where your car damages property - you'll be coming along nicely!

typo, should have read "Drink and Drive"

Lets be honest, Colin Sylvia is a reformed girlfriend bashing party boy. BUT he kicks the footy alright, so i'll cheer him on the field. Off the field, he can do what he likes.

These guys play footy for the club we love. I mark them against their on field performances. What they do off the field in the off season doesnt worry me in the slightest.I think some of us here need to stop living in a fairy tale world where they expect AFL players, especially those who playe for us, to be choir boys.

I'd guess people drink drive into poles on a daily basis, yet when someone does it with a AFL player in the passenger seat it somehow becomes newsworthy.

typo, should have read "Drink and Drive"

I'd guess people drink drive into poles on a daily basis, yet when someone does it with a AFL player in the passenger seat it somehow becomes newsworthy.

Why mention the unrelated incident with a former girlfriend?

It has little relevance.

And my point was that Colin has such a low bar with some of us that we are genuinely appeased by the fact he had the good sense not to drive.

it has little relivence to this incident, however it is relevant to the fact he's no model citizen. People would like to believe he was, becasue they somehow think it reflects badly on them personally and on the club if the players arent choir boys

it has little relivence to this incident, however it is relevant to the fact he's no model citizen. People would like to believe he was, becasue they somehow think it reflects badly on them personally and on the club if the players arent choir boys

Whether or not it should - Colin's actions reflect on those around him - that's life.

And that doesn't make the incident from many years ago relevant.

We don't expect them to be choir boys, we expect them not to go out drinking the day before a training session. The importance of this IR [censored] is irrelevant.

And if you don't care what they do in the off season all I can say is thank god you aren't responsible for the welfare of impressionable young men.

Where does it end? Certain behavioral criteria must be set by the club otherwise you get a bunch of Fevs and milnes running amock.

We don't expect them to be choir boys, we expect them not to go out drinking the day before a training session. The importance of this IR [censored] is irrelevant.

And if you don't care what they do in the off season all I can say is thank god you aren't responsible for the welfare of impressionable young men.

Where does it end? Certain behavioral criteria must be set by the club otherwise you get a bunch of Fevs and milnes running amock.

Wish we had players half as dangerous as Fev or Milne!

Wish we had players half as dangerous as Fev or Milne!

Lol so do I but obviously that's not the point!

Beamer pi**ed on a bar and then put in a string of excellent performances.

I don't mind if these guys slip up from time to time, unless it has a negative impact on the team, or on their performances.

Boys will be boys, no matter how much they are being paid to behave themselves.

Beamer pi**ed on a bar and then put in a string of excellent performances.

I don't mind if these guys slip up from time to time, unless it has a negative impact on the team, or on their performances.

Boys will be boys, no matter how much they are being paid to behave themselves.

He actually didn't [censored] on any bar. That wasn't true.

I have a problem with Colin not because of this minor incident but because of his lack of professionalism for the IR team for which he was keen to play for apparently.

His lack of professionalism is what holds him back and that is most definitely our problem.

I like how the club in their small release has put a full stop, stating "the club will not be making any further comment."

This says, we will deal with this in house and it is no ones business how we deal with this.

He actually didn't [censored] on any bar. That wasn't true.

wow, just like Tom Scully wasnt telling lies?

Beamer would have [censored] on the bar for sure, none of the CCTV cameras would have got a good view thats all.

Talk about stating speculation as fact.. got any proof to back up those claims or are you just "pissing" in the wind?

The witch hunt is reaching critical mass

Talk about stating speculation as fact.. got any proof to back up those claims or are you just "pissing" in the wind?

no proof. i'm just pissing in the wind, but to use another saying; where there is smoke there is fire.

Why on earth would someone feel compelled to ring up and say that he [censored] on the bar if he did'nt? IMO He just got lucky that the CCTV didnt find him guilty, so he is presumed innocent.

Hey detectives,

there is nothing we can do about it, the club will or will not make a decision, there's no point getting all high and mighty, and there's no point underselling it. It is what it is, nobody here will have the facts, and you'll just have to trust the club to do the right thing.

This isn't an episode of csi