Is this a forum for people who support and cherish the MFC, or a star chamber run by politburo? Divergent points of view, I would have thought are exactly what a "member" based forum should be all about.

Sure, you don't have to agree, but the puerile sniping by some on here leave me cold to say the least.

For mine, I look forward to a harder, smarter and physically developing Melbourne list. Like I said earlier, I reckon going to the footy in 2012 will be far more enjoyable than in recent years.

Bring on the footy and let's mount a coup on the Demonland cabal.

Is this a forum for people who support and cherish the MFC, or a star chamber run by politburo? Divergent points of view, I would have thought are exactly what a "member" based forum should be all about.

Sure, you don't have to agree, but the puerile sniping by some on here leave me cold to say the least.

For mine, I look forward to a harder, smarter and physically developing Melbourne list. Like I said earlier, I reckon going to the footy in 2012 will be far more enjoyable than in recent years.

Bring on the footy and let's mount a coup on the Demonland cabal.

Ok, say you start by saying that we should be forgiving of well-meaning Dees supporters and then proceed to refer to the well-meaning Dees supporters who run this site as conspiratorial draconian communists...

Is this a forum for people who support and cherish the MFC, or a star chamber run by politburo? Divergent points of view, I would have thought are exactly what a "member" based forum should be all about.

Sure, you don't have to agree, but the puerile sniping by some on here leave me cold to say the least.

For mine, I look forward to a harder, smarter and physically developing Melbourne list. Like I said earlier, I reckon going to the footy in 2012 will be far more enjoyable than in recent years.

Bring on the footy and let's mount a coup on the Demonland cabal.

Given the discussion and debate centres on Prendergast and the selections of Cook & Darling, perhaps I'va you could add something worthwhile ? Given what has transpired is a good example of what a member based forum should be about.

Ok, say you start by saying that we should be forgiving of well-meaning Dees supporters and then proceed to refer to the well-meaning Dees supporters who run this site as conspiratorial draconian communists...

enough said. Some may appreciate the subtle differences between, analogy, metaphor and irony. I live in hope.

Despite the "debate" on here, I can only repeat, my "opinion" is that under Neeld and his seasoned team, we will see a different outfit this year and I for one am looking forward to it. In the meantime, I leave those that wish to play in the school yard sand pit to get their jollies as they see fit.

Go Dees.

Despite the "debate" on here, I can only repeat, my "opinion" is that under Neeld and his seasoned team, we will see a different outfit this year and I for one am looking forward to it.

If that's it, join the queue that will be ~36,000 long.

Dude you obviously and literally have no idea.

The 'pro-Darling camp' as you put it sound like a bunch of impatient types with little to no knowledge of how the drafting/development process works. In any case I think the 'camp' is best suited for the Weagles. That way you get to belt one out for Darling and cheer for the team at the same time.

Obviously AND literally. That's really sayin' somethin' ... dude. I just don't know what.

"The drafting/development process". Give us a spell. Sometimes it pays to be a little less suckered in by football industry doublespeak and more attune to what you see with your own eyes.

Wayne Hughes didn't agree with you and Scott Clayton didn't agree with you 8 times.

Yeah but John Worsfold and his recruiters did and they got the chocolates.

The hindsight experts are claiming victory way too early. If Cook ends up a KPP and Darling doesn't BP will have been 100% correct.

It's not a hindsight opinion if you held it pre the 2010 draft, as quite a few on here did. And even if you've changed your tune a bit, as WYL has done, I don't see anything wrong with that given how things have evolved since.

Pure semantics really, isn't it?

Those who are anti Cook and pro Darling are arguing that Cook was drafted too early and that someone taken much later should have been picked ahead of him.

IMO that's being a detractor.

No, there are no semantics. It's a simple opinion that Darling will be better than Cook. Get over it.

What I find more interesting in this debate is this halo that seems to have followed Barry P. even after he's "left" the club. The man can clearly do no wrong! Pfft.

No, there are no semantics. It's a simple opinion that Darling will be better than Cook. Get over it.

What I find more interesting in this debate is this halo that seems to have followed Barry P. even after he's "left" the club. The man can clearly do no wrong! Pfft.

Changed tune... ? More like a backflip twisted pike difficulty 3.6.

Barry P aside, we'll see re: Cook. I like what I see in him.

No, there are no semantics. It's a simple opinion that Darling will be better than Cook. Get over it.

What I find more interesting in this debate is this halo that seems to have followed Barry P. even after he's "left" the club. The man can clearly do no wrong! Pfft.

There's nothing for me to get over. I was simply making an observation, not commenting on whether Darling will be better than Cook. I don't suffer from the neuroses that seem to afflict some of the posters around here who take offence at every comment that's made.

There's nothing for me to get over. I was simply making an observation, not commenting on whether Darling will be better than Cook. I don't suffer from the neuroses that seem to afflict some of the posters around here who take offence at every comment that's made.

No, you were simply making a baseless snipe with the Cook 'detractor' comment. It's a common refrain many posters on here who bristle at any actual or perceived criticism of the footy club. In this case the criticism is directed at a former employee which makes it all the more ridiculous!

Yeah but John Worsfold and his recruiters did and they got the chocolates.

Not quite, they got him with their 2nd go. Even they passed him up for Gaff, not a bad player either by the way.

Yeah but John Worsfold and his recruiters did and they got the chocolates.

According to your "logic" Hughes and Clayton should be sacked too like Prendergast apparently was for overlooking Darling. Stephen Wells should go as well - after all Billie Smedts didn't play a single game last year and Cameron Guthrie only managed 2 despite Geelong's transparent rotation policy.

"No darling, off with their heads!"

According to your "logic" Hughes and Clayton should be sacked too like Prendergast apparently was for overlooking Darling. Stephen Wells should go as well - after all Billie Smedts didn't play a single game last year and Cameron Guthrie only managed 2 despite Geelong's transparent rotation policy.

"No darling, off with their heads!"

"And for all you doe-eyed lovers out there ... this one goes out to Barry ..."

Edited January 27, 201213 yr by Range Rover

According to your "logic" Hughes and Clayton should be sacked too like Prendergast apparently was for overlooking Darling. Stephen Wells should go as well - after all Billie Smedts didn't play a single game last year and Cameron Guthrie only managed 2 despite Geelong's transparent rotation policy.

"No darling, off with their heads!"

Clayton also passed on Cook as did other recruiters, remember that.

I was surprised when we took Cook and would have been happier with either Darling or Atley, but not too be. If you prefer others to Cook does that makes you a Cook hater or detractor? I think not, it is probably just an opinion of his potential as opposed to the revealed form of others.

We have now recruited other players that I would assume are already ahead of Cook in the pecking order; Clark, Tommy Mac are two and then you have Jack and Liam as well; it makes me wonder where he will ultimately be slotted in.

I don't hate Cook I just think he has a long way to go to prove he is up to AFL standard and has the physical and mental toughness to make it.

With Mooney in his last year and on his knees, Pods turning 30, a massive question mark over Tom Hawkins and the Cats in the final circuit of the flag window, their acknowledged recruiting genius overlooked Darling not once but twice.

Edited January 27, 201213 yr by old55

With Mooney in his last year and on his knees, Pods turning 30, a massive question mark over Tom Hawkins and the Cats in the final circuit of the flag window, their acknowledged recruiting genius overlooked Darling not once but twice.

Do you think they would have picked up Cook?

If that's it, join the queue that will be ~36,000 long.

I am hoping it will be more like 40K. Hope springs eternal.

If that's it, join the queue that will be ~36,000 long.

By the way, another selective quote without taking the entire post in context.

Typical !!!

I was excited by the look of Cook last pre-season.

I was excited by the look of Cook last pre-season.

Is that good or bad?

I'm hoping good.

With Mooney in his last year and on his knees, Pods turning 30, a massive question mark over Tom Hawkins and the Cats in the final circuit of the flag window, their acknowledged recruiting genius overlooked Darling not once but twice.

As has been stated ad-nauseum, we were one of very few clubs clearly after a marking forward early in that draft. Geelong weren't one of them (Smedts).

Edited January 27, 201213 yr by Range Rover

As has been stated ad-nauseum, we were one of very few clubs clearly after a marking forward in that draft. Geelong weren't one of them (Smedts).

You're a hard marker on Hawkins. Turning a granny on its head (plus a pretty good finals series in general) surely earns him more credit than that.

He was refering to Hawkins circa late 2010 not 2011, much differing form

Jeez you're red hot on me Jordie! Duly deleted.

Jeez you're red hot on me Jordie! Duly deleted.

Didnt want to seem blunt if i did, your point regarding Hawkins ability is correct, much like us with Watts really, in that when we recruited Cook we didnt know what Watts would become in 2011, and hopefully 2012....ect and also that we could recruit Clark ect.

Knowing what we know, picking Darling may have been smart, but at the time i firmly believe Cook was the right choice, also Howe is more than capable at playing a darling style role also, if not better at this point imo.