Still can't kick.

Kicked 5 against us in hs first game.

Still can't kick.

Yeah, he's hopeless... only got three goals yesterday... I'd be dropping him if he were playing for us.

C'mon Gonzo if you know anything that was in the Andrews report how about sharing it instead of making snide cracks like that

I suspect that you don't and can only repeat internet and coffee machine gossip

The point was, judge the footballers on the FD performance and the rest on the CEO

It's pretty obvious there are questions being asked of CS and he is on thin ice but lets not get hysterical and try to sheet home the blame for everything down at happy valley to CS

Done it again DC

Bought a smile to my face

Done it again DC

Bought a smile to my face

now that is an achievement! B)

Just by the way, how funny would it be if Watts, Fitzpatrick and Cook all became big strong quality key forwards. It would certainly change our fortunes.

Just by the way, how funny would it be if Watts, Fitzpatrick and Cook all became big strong quality key forwards. It would certainly change our fortunes.

Well, I would think that it's not beyond the realms of possibility... just takes patience and perseverance which hopefully the coaching staff have more of than your average Demonlander, many of whom already have Cook and Fitzpatrick written off and are fast losing the love for Watts.

Just by the way, how funny would it be if Watts, Fitzpatrick and Cook all became big strong quality key forwards. It would certainly change our fortunes.

I would be extremely surprised (albeit pleasantly) if Fitzpatrick plays 50 games in the AFL.

Just by the way, how funny would it be if Watts, Fitzpatrick and Cook all became big strong quality key forwards. It would certainly change our fortunes.

Dreaming again Redleg?

But to answer your question deliriously

Is Aresene Wenger & Dr. Who one entity?

Just a thought.

You can add Artie Bucco to that list.

now that is an achievement! B)

The surprising thing DC is how often you do it for me.

Thank god something connected to the MFC does

Fitzy is doing well at Casey, Cook has put on 10kg since being at the club and has all the traits to be a good forward & Watts is better suited up the ground like a Richo role on the wing by the looks. Not all doom and gloom, Fitzy may become our no.1 ruckman the way we are going!! Although I dont think he will string many together.

Fitzy is doing well at Casey, Cook has put on 10kg since being at the club and has all the traits to be a good forward & Watts is better suited up the ground like a Richo role on the wing by the looks. Not all doom and gloom, Fitzy may become our no.1 ruckman the way we are going!! Although I dont think he will string many together.

I've been to training a few times this year and Fitzy seems to me to be one of the hardest trainers, esp for a big bloke

If determination means anything he might get there eventually. I wouldn't write him off at this stage

Recruiting is far and away our biggest problem. We have drafted numerous players with some excellent strengths but also some clear weaknesses. The weaknesses are now getting exposed by the pace and intensity of AFL football. Going forward at draft time, we need to stop getting lured in by a player’s strengths and look more closely at any material weaknesses they may have.

IMO there also needs to be a renewed focus on drafting the best available. It appears as though we have segregated our picks into inside mids, outside mids and key position players. This approach has come unstuck by the way the game is played today. There are times when every player has to win the ball and also times when he has to run to receive. We need to be looking for inside/outside types and avoiding the only outside or only inside types unless they are absolutely elite in that area.

Moreover, we should not be scared away from picking up bad eggs. Ablett Snr, Lockett, Carey, Fevola and Swan all caused trouble for their clubs but were mostly worth it. While this strategy will see you blow up a pick with a Laurence Angwin every now and then, players like Jack Darling can slip down the draft and mean the strategy will ultimately win over the long term. (We have been blowing up too many of our safe ‘strong character’ selections anyway.)

IMO all AFL clubs are now professional enough to get the most out of most of their players physically. The better coaches are not going to make players much faster, fitter or more highly skilled. While they may assist a player’s knowledge of where to run and decision making, there is a lot of luck involved in being in the right spot at the right time and these skills are mostly innate/developed in junior football.

The only player on our list that I feel has under achieved their maximum potential in recent years is Colin Sylvia and he is still a very good AFL player. (Jack Watts is close to being on this list but is still has time on his side and was always going to be a slow developer.)

Our current playing stocks are being made to look bad by lack of teamwork and system.

As I said in a previous post - the teams of today rise and fall by their senior players - those picked from 2000 to 2005. These are the drafts that I shake my head at - not the latest ones.

We are shite now because of those we recruited then and/or didn't develop well, not because of 2007 onwards.

So you can postpone your handwringing for the time being.

I've been to training a few times this year and Fitzy seems to me to be one of the hardest trainers, esp for a big bloke

If determination means anything he might get there eventually. I wouldn't write him off at this stage

Good to hear DC. Thanks for the insight.

As I said in a previous post - the teams of today rise and fall by their senior players - those picked from 2000 to 2005. These are the drafts that I shake my head at - not the latest ones.

We are shite now because of those we recruited then and/or didn't develop well, not because of 2007 onwards.

So you can postpone your handwringing for the time being.

I agree with this, still to early to determine 2007 onwards however they still should of shown more. Its been unfortunate that players drafted after 2007 have been crucified with injury also.

I agree with this, still to early to determine 2007 onwards however they still should of shown more. Its been unfortunate that players drafted after 2007 have been crucified with injury also.

I have a theory that I have thrown around a little of late...

The MFC Youth False Economy ©

The false economy surrounds the fact that our young players don't have the aide of productive, committed senior players that other clubs have. This lack of protection means that the young players of the MFC have to do more than other kids do, and when they fail - as the other kids would in the same predicament, it looks as though the young players at the MFC are not as good as the youth at other teams.

I have a theory that I have thrown around a little of late...

The MFC Youth False Economy ©

The false economy surrounds the fact that our young players don't have the aide of productive, committed senior players that other clubs have. This lack of protection means that the young players of the MFC have to do more than other kids do, and when they fail - as the other kids would in the same predicament, it looks as though the young players at the MFC are not as good as the youth at other teams.

Good theory. I guess it always comes back to senior players. Although I think this is a bit of a cliche thats got out of hand. It wasnt an excuse that was used when I was playing football. I used to go with the theory you only get out what you put in, I think we have a lazy bunch. Also alot of our players are not young anymore. And some of our older players had Neitz, McDonald & co to learn from but its all gone pear shaped! I think injuries have jolted the young players development seriously, but Im still sitting on the fence as to our recruiting since 2001.

I have a theory that I have thrown around a little of late...

The MFC Youth False Economy ©

The false economy surrounds the fact that our young players don't have the aide of productive, committed senior players that other clubs have. This lack of protection means that the young players of the MFC have to do more than other kids do, and when they fail - as the other kids would in the same predicament, it looks as though the young players at the MFC are not as good as the youth at other teams.

I agree rp, but i also think we drafted to many kids who are of a similiar build.

We should have recruited more "Ready made" players in that mix.

Topic should be Recruiting and Development

As I said in a previous post - the teams of today rise and fall by their senior players - those picked from 2000 to 2005. These are the drafts that I shake my head at - not the latest ones.

Some would argue you have been hood winked by "spin" - the senior players sure do make the newspapers - but its how you bring in the "kids" in to cover your deficiencies that really is the overlooked/seldom told stories.

We are shite now because of those we recruited then and/or didn't develop well, not because of 2007 onwards.

We are "shite" now because our opposition are spending $18-20 million plus per year inside their football departments to develop the WHOLE list we are way short of the mark. And they have been spending those $$$$ for many, many years. Its called beating the drafting myth.

After today, do you still think Hawkins is unproven??

Yes if your talking A grade or even A-, he has to do it continually, & be a self starter even when the side is struggling.

I've always had hope for him making it, but a couple of good games doesn't make an A grade career. Continuity at a high level is what cuts it, & the ability to become a driver when others are low.

I wouldn't put a number on it (it's only round 2) but enough to make a substantial difference.

It's all about getting the foundation right, the super-draft and cheap mature-age-recruits is the best chance of doing that.

Give it a year or two, see how the new and existing personnel perform then work out where the high dollars should be spent in free agency and at the trade table.

With the list & ladder position we are in we should already have dollars available for free agency. I agree with your opinion, just not about giving it a year or two. We should be targeting free agents now & contacting their managers as we speak.

Some would argue you have been hood winked by "spin" - the senior players sure do make the newspapers - but its how you bring in the "kids" in to cover your deficiencies that really is the overlooked/seldom told stories.

Whose spin?

Hardly anyone mentions that point...

And who are the best teams today?

And who are their best players?

A dominating percentage of those players were drafted pre-2005.

You live and die by your senior players.

We are "shite" now because our opposition are spending $18-20 million plus per year inside their football departments to develop the WHOLE list we are way short of the mark. And they have been spending those $$$$ for many, many years. Its called beating the drafting myth.

I am not entirely certain what you are saying...

I think development is something we have not done well at all and hopefully Misson can improve the next batch of players but my point that you replied to is that it remains to be seen how our post-2007 drafted players turn out - we are still defined by our senior players, or lack of them.

Two years ago the Dees were definitely a team on the improve; a team which drew and then lost by a solitary point to the eventual Premiers that year. In 2010 no-one was rubbishing the club's recruiting or player development. Something went badly wrong in 2011.

One of the things I think was the other clubs started to leaves us behind in the Fitness & development stakes.

The other was we upset many with the removal of our Best leader in Junior. To me it should always have been Bruce to go & keep the hard ball player. The one always at the bottom of things tough. the one doing all the dirty work.

The other teams seem to admire the players who get down & dirty, extract the pill & sacrifice their bodies for the good of the side.