THE REVERSAL OF FORTUNES

[daisycutter 28,630]

old dee won't be sleeping well tonight

they did it just to spite his return to oz

[DemonDave 1,078]

Careful! There are plenty of females on here that make rounded valuable contributions (Jaded et al).

Facebook public groups do tend to attract plenty of grandstanders from the shallower end of the gene pool.

Very happy with this team, with Jurrah, Watts and Green likely to return in the next couple of weeks.

Bennell looked chock full of confidence for Casey last week, lets hope he can carry that over.

Im excited by seeing Fitzpatrick, as I mentioned elsewhere on here this week, his improvement has come on in huge bounds

from what I saw last year. Lets hope he can handle the step up in standard and contribute.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Simple - do not ever put yourself in a position to be dropped - pretty obvious requirement. Ricky and Bennell are 2 on the list who seem to do little when the cards are not falling their way. If they address that, they should have no problems, if they do not address that, then what is the point of bringing them back yet again?

I agree with those shortcomings but if they dont succeed on this occassion, they will still have an opportunity before year end to finally turn it around and get it correct

Whats the point of blackballing them now if they dont succeed? Some players take a little longer to work out what is required. Clearly Bennell and Petterd are in that bucket. If both of these players can be turned around and provide positive input to the team then why shouldn't MFC be trying every opportunity to turn them around while they are contracted.

[DemonDave 1,078]

I joined the group, but it didnt take long for me to get the gist of the level of intelligence on display there. I now avoid it like the plague. Nothing to be learnt from those sorts of public forums. May as well read bigfooty and take it seriously!

[Sir Why You Little 34,645]

I joined the group, but it didnt take long for me to get the gist of the level of intelligence on display there. I now avoid it like the plague. Nothing to be learnt from those sorts of public forums. May as well read bigfooty and take it seriously!

It's all about tanking and draft picks on Facebook, not just the girls either. What other supporter base is close to the MFC 7 weeks in, the white flag is up for so many.

[Nasher 33,131]

Great to see. Consistently solid (or better) form at Casey over several weeks rewarded with promotion. Exactly as it should be!

Couldn't agree more, Deeoldfart! Very pleased that Bennell and Fitzpatrick have been awarded for good form - very good form in the case of the former. I'd have made the Fitz for Sellar change even if Sellar hadn't been injured.

Petterd for Dunn was a pleasant surprise for me. As I've said a lot of times this year I believe Petterd is the superior player (and it seems obvious they're both competing for one spot), but Dunn did enough most weeks to hang on to his spot by the skin of his teeth. This is a golden opportunity for Ricky - if he works hard enough he should be able to hold Dunn out of the side for the rest of the year.

Perfect changes for mine.

[Pates 9,537]

Very happy with both the ins and outs. It sounded like Watts did enough to get a look in but not enough to earn the call up, this might not have been the case with the old selection panel. Both Petterd and Bennell sound like they've been putting in constant performances at Casey, I hope they are hungry for the opportunity, Ricky especially. Hope Fitzy can have a good go at it, long term I don't think Seller is the way to go.

Tippy looked a bit underdone, Seller looked woefully outmatch against the best defender in the business, and Dunn I guess needs full game time.

Hope the last two and Jurrah and Watts put in good performances, all forwards fighting for spots.

Edited May 10, 2012 by Pates

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Couldn't agree more, Deeoldfart! Very pleased that Bennell and Fitzpatrick have been awarded for good form - very good form in the case of the former. I'd have made the Fitz for Sellar change even if Sellar hadn't been injured.

Petterd for Dunn was a pleasant surprise for me. As I've said a lot of times this year I believe Petterd is the superior player (and it seems obvious they're both competing for one spot), but Dunn did enough most weeks to hang on to his spot by the skin of his teeth. This is a golden opportunity for Ricky - if he works hard enough he should be able to hold Dunn out of the side for the rest of the year.

Perfect changes for mine.

Agreed, Petterd's best is spades better than Dunn's. His problem has always been staying on the park and getting continuity.

[Sir Why You Little 34,645]

Agreed, Petterd's best is spades better than Dunn's. His problem has always been staying on the park and getting continuity.

Often wondered whether Ricky's career would have taken a different path if he had snatched that mark against the Filth in 2010. So close.

[hells bells 2,022]

Very happy with the changes. All of a sudden Watts, Green, Jurrah, Blease pushing for selection. Plenty of competition for spots.

Sellar may never play again IMO. He has had 4 weeks to show something and has given bugger all. One day he'll wake up and realize his football career is over and he'll have to I've with the fact that he probably didn't do everything he could have.

I tipped Hawthorn by 60 points but I think it'll be closer than that now that I've seen the team.

[Biffen 12,366]

Often wondered whether Ricky's career would have taken a different path if he had snatched that mark against the Filth in 2010. So close.

I think those types of thing prolong careers . Unfinished business and all that .

[Matt Demon 1,387]

Hells Bells, from what I hear Sellar works very hard. Maybe he just isn't good enough at the highest level. He definitely isn't a forward I can tell you that much.

[P-man 13,224]

Thrilled to see Ricky Bobby back. Best team on paper so far this season for mine. I'm expecting a competitive showing.

[jumbo returns 6,504]

Ricky adds attitude.

[Forest Demon 4,681]

Loving the fact that those who have come in have had to string 3 or more solid games of VFL before getting a call up. Means those in the side get a couple of weeks to prove themselves, and if they don't, they know they will be facing at least 2 or 3 solid weeks in the VFL before a chance of a recall. It means the guys coming in know they have earned it and have a bit of confidence. Would love to see Jack Watts come back into the side in 2 or 3 weeks, with 15 goals and couple of BOG's to his name.

[Guest José Mourinho]

Bennell and Fitzpatrick in, Watts stays out, and Petterd for Dunn to boot!

Couldn't be happier with the changes that have been made.

[Guest fitness]

Am somwhat disappointed by Tapscott's omission. Thought he was far from our worst last week before getting subbed, and with all due respect to him, I cannot understand how Bail keeps his spot. He was good against the Saints but has been poor in most other games this year.

[dee-luded 2,958]

I'm pretty sure he received a cork last week against Saints which they tried nearly all night to work on. He would have been feeling it all week. He came back on in the last qtr.

Hodgy to me, looks like he's aging prematurely.

His Achilles last year, followed by his seemingly chronic calf problem (probably the same Leg), looks to me like another player being nursed through they're later stages of career?

[jumbo returns 6,504]

Am somwhat disappointed by Tapscott's omission. Thought he was far from our worst last week before getting subbed, and with all due respect to him, I cannot understand how Bail keeps his spot. He was good against the Saints but has been poor in most other games this year.

Me too - one of our hard nuts that can match the Hawthorn psyche.

[Biffen 12,366]

Hodgy to me, looks like he's aging prematurely.

His Achilles last year, followed by his seemingly chronic calf problem (probably the same Leg), looks to me like another player being nursed through they're later stages of career?

Not quite-but you are right that he will finish early . That's because he plays 1.4 games per game.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,249]

Me too - one of our hard nuts that can match the Hawthorn psyche.

The issue is he can match it for 2 quarters and then he is stuffed. He needs go to Casey and get fit enough to run out games.

[Demon SeaMan 108]

My thought all week is that a floating half back would suit this game as we only stand a chance to stop Buddy's flow and his band of sub standard ordinates around him with someone that can withstand some action, reads play superbly, and can lace out a pass in defense! That man brethren is Master J Watts!

It's the only way that we could possibly stop this lynch mob running all over us and hope that we can be proud of The Red & Blue skin we're buried in!!

[Wadda We Sing 10,685]

Obviously isolating Clark on an underdone Gilham or Schoenmakers is our best one on one match up but I have significant doubts Hawthorn will let us do it. And if both teams dropped a man back I feel it would only play into Hawthorn's superior midfield winning the game.

I'm concerned there is no match up for Tom McDonald with Hawthorn only having Franklin, Roughead and Hale as talls who will go forward (and one of them has to be in the ruck). So really after Frawley and Rivers, with Garland playing small who does McDonald go to? I get concerned when we carry extra tall defenders who aren't needed. With Sellar out I'm super keen to throw McDonald to CHF and let him have a run there. It would at least tire out the other tall defender who isn't on Clark. Fitzpatrick would also get a nice match up at least height wise.

If they don't play McDonald forward for at least the last quarter if the game is over but hopefully the whole night I'll be very disappointed.

Yeah I was wondering about that.....Super Sub maybe?? Guess its between Bail, McDonald and Fitzy...as to who will wear the vest....

[old dee 22,942]

old dee won't be sleeping well tonight

they did it just to spite his return to oz

The more things change the more they stay the same.

In 2012 DC what we have is what we have.

I firmly believe this group is poor but we have to play the group we have.

On that basis if Bennell has played well at Casey I guess there is no choice.

It is not as though he has much competition for a spot.

The last miracle in Australia was performed susposedly by Mary Mckillop one hundred years ago.

Must be time for another one tonight.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,490]

Yeah I was wondering about that.....Super Sub maybe?? Guess its between Bail, McDonald and Fitzy...as to who will wear the vest....

Or Petterd, Bate or Bennell.

I would have thought McDonald will be necessary in the backline assuming Hawthorn plays all of Buddy, Roughhead and Hale. I'd expect him to pick up Hale.

For mine, I suspect Petterd will be the sub. For two reasons. Firstly, he's shown before tremendous attitude - let's call it fury - when he finally gets the chance to come on. And secondly, Neeld seems to have a strategy of using forwards as the sub and bringing them on and placing them in the forward line. It's a strategy I don't understand.