The Russian

[Josh 1,420]

How is the big guy going all you people who get to training?

I remember a game once we lost a few years ago by a small margin, may have even been the 1 point loss to the pies. Russian played a big game and they interviewed him after the game and he was devestated we lost, the bloke doing the interview kept saying "you had a huge game today, x amont of tap outs" and this kind of thing and the big Russian kept saying how he should have done more and he felt bad he couldnt help the team win

Seems like the kind of bloke who could thrive under Neeld, big year?

[Sir Why You Little 37,127]

How is the big guy going all you people who get to training?

I remember a game once we lost a few years ago by a small margin, may have even been the 1 point loss to the pies. Russian played a big game and they interviewed him after the game and he was devestated we lost, the bloke doing the interview kept saying "you had a huge game today, x amont of tap outs" and this kind of thing and the big Russian kept saying how he should have done more and he felt bad he couldnt help the team win

Seems like the kind of bloke who could thrive under Neeld, big year?

that was the Filth draw i think. Interviewed him sitting on the ground.

I often wonder if we had won that game whether the club would have kicked on in 2010.

As it is i think it broke a lot of our list.

[DeeSpencer 26,081]

We beat a lot of bad teams in 2010 and hung our hat on our performances against the pies. I also think a lot of the guys who played well in 2010 did so playing on their own terms. Whilst you have to have individual style I think Neeld's vision of team first football needed to happen.

I hope 2013 can be a better year for the russian. The back up from Pedersen or even Clark at times (once he's back to full fitness) should help protect the Russian. However he lost his marking to a degree last year. Now he'll never be a huge contributor around the ground but if he can take a few grabs and get involved that way it makes him more than just a hit out man.

I'm still not sold on Spencer but he should be at the stage where due to his size and AFL experience he'll be almost too good for the VFL so I hope he can push Jamar along. Same for Gawn in the second half of the year.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,939]

You can bag Bailey all you want, but we played a good brand of footy in 2010, and our biggest loss was only by 56 to hawks in rd 1. In rd 20 we were actually still in the hunt for finals, and only lost to Hawks by 4 goals in that game. Since then we haven't looked close to mixing it with the big boys.

As for the Russian, he's pretty much the best tap ruck in the game, but too injury prone.

[Guest José Mourinho]

You can bag Bailey all you want, but we played a good brand of footy in 2010, and our biggest loss was only by 56 to hawks in rd 1. In rd 20 we were actually still in the hunt for finals, and only lost to Hawks by 4 goals in that game. Since then we haven't looked close to mixing it with the big boys. As for the Russian, he's pretty much the best tap ruck in the game, but too injury prone.

Amazing you still don't get it after all this time...

[DeeSpencer 26,081]

You can bag Bailey all you want, but we played a good brand of footy in 2010, and our biggest loss was only by 56 to hawks in rd 1. In rd 20 we were actually still in the hunt for finals, and only lost to Hawks by 4 goals in that game. Since then we haven't looked close to mixing it with the big boys. As for the Russian, he's pretty much the best tap ruck in the game, but too injury prone.

No he isn't. Cox, Naitanui, Sam Jacobs all better tap ruckman. They have much better ability at hitting the ball in different directions and with disguises. Jamar has been very one dimensional down to Moloney. Good teams figured that out after 2010.

As for our year in 2010 I agree we played an exciting brand of footy and hey we could have even stuck with Bailey and stuck with that game plan but 2011 was so far removed from a decent year which threw all that out the window didn't it!

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,939]

Amazing you still don't get it after all this time...

I get it perfectly, Bailey was a [censored] coach, but ironically we had a 2010 season that made the MFC members jump out of their seats and enjoy their footy between rounds 3-19, 2010.

You can't deny we were competitive in 2010.

[Je Roos Salem 661]

I didn't hear anyone pipe up about how bad our footy was under Bailey in 2010 at the time, it's definitely a 2012-2013 thing. We definitely played team footy in 2010, but have just lost a lot of players with the new game plan and literally. Neeld's emphasis on hardness and teamwork hasn't helped a lot of Bailey players, clearly. In 2016 people may be asking what were thinking about Neeld and how he was all talk. Neeld is no superhero yet

As for Jamar, he's better than most people think and definitely one of the few best natural ruckmen in the league. If his fitness holds up he'll dominate again

[Alcho Dee 269]

No he isn't. Cox, Naitanui, Sam Jacobs all better tap ruckman. They have much better ability at hitting the ball in different directions and with disguises. Jamar has been very one dimensional down to Moloney. Good teams figured that out after 2010.As for our year in 2010 I agree we played an exciting brand of footy and hey we could have even stuck with Bailey and stuck with that game plan but 2011 was so far removed from a decent year which threw all that out the window didn't it!

Let's hope it is JV in 2013, he has a sidestep that moloney will never have.

[Guest José Mourinho]

I get it perfectly, Bailey was a [censored] coach, but ironically we had a 2010 season that made the MFC members jump out of their seats and enjoy their footy between rounds 3-19, 2010.

You can't deny we were competitive in 2010.

Exciting run-n-gun footy might have been appealing to (some of) the supporters, when we won, but the problem was that in the main we weren't competitive, and any fool could see it.

The game plan saw us play with an incredible offensive focus, so if we won all the clearances, we dominated poor teams, but against a quality team we'd always get slaughtered, because we made no effort to set up a defensive safeguard.

The very epitome of front-runners.

And still, after all this time, you don't get it...

Some may have missed it, but there were a few wise heads who recognised at the time what a predicament we were in, and the work we still had in front of us.

I'm sad to say, I was not one of them.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

I get it perfectly, Bailey was a [censored] coach, but ironically we had a 2010 season that made the MFC members jump out of their seats and enjoy their footy between rounds 3-19, 2010. You can't deny we were competitive in 2010.

And we were simply awesome in 2011.

[Guest]

You can bag Bailey all you want, but we played a good brand of footy in 2010, and our biggest loss was only by 56 to hawks in rd 1. In rd 20 we were actually still in the hunt for finals, and only lost to Hawks by 4 goals in that game. Since then we haven't looked close to mixing it with the big boys. As for the Russian, he's pretty much the best tap ruck in the game, but too injury prone.

It's interesting you raise that game against Hawthorn in round 20. I was there that day and it epitomized a lot of what was wrong with the Bailey blueprint. Were we competitive that day? Yes. Did we have the ability to play tight, in close footy that would have allowed us to seal the deal? No. The boys (and I emphasize boys) tried their guts out to tackle and make clearances but the game for me was dominated by the sight of blokes like Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell and Brad Sewell brushing off Scully and Trengove tackles. The thing that was concerning was that our players were trying to tackle hard and keep the pressure on but they were physically monstered. The recruiting and development policies wouldn't allow the team to play the brand of footy that wins games like that round 20 game against Hawthorn and I said so at the time to my colleagues (many of whom were Hawthorn supporters).

[Biffen 12,947]

Jamar looked slow and heavy last year.

Frawley was well down on his best also.

If the get back to their best we could be in for a good year.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,939]

And we were simply awesome in 2011.

We beat Adelaide by 96 Pts, Freo by 89, drew to the reigning premiers, beat Richmond, and were 7-7-1 after round 17.

What the hell did we achieve in 2012? Oh that's right, we got outclassed by Port Adelaide, PORT freaking Adelaide!!

Based on 2012 results, Neeld makes Bailey look like Norm Smith.

Again, I'm not suggesting Bailey was a great coach, but at least the bloke got us a few wins here and there in 2010/2011.

[george_on_the_outer 7,696]

Russian is going to struggle with the change to the ruck rules.

He depends on bodying and engaging the opposition, and unfortunately does not jump off the ground any more. Cox, Natanui and in particular Sandilands are going to monster the competition this year, simply because of their height.

[Bossdog 2,002]

Russian is going to struggle with the change to the ruck rules.

He depends on bodying and engaging the opposition, and unfortunately does not jump off the ground any more. Cox, Natanui and in particular Sandilands are going to monster the competition this year, simply because of their height.

The rules haven't changed all that much.....Now, you cannot touch (westle jostle ect) untill the ball has left the umpires hand, after that it reverts back......So that Jamar can do what he has always done against the taller ruckmen....Just has to be a bit smarter about it...

[Miles from Nowhere 199]

Russian is going to struggle with the change to the ruck rules.

He depends on bodying and engaging the opposition, and unfortunately does not jump off the ground any more. Cox, Natanui and in particular Sandilands are going to monster the competition this year, simply because of their height.

George is spot on.

The Russian may well be in the first 22 round 1 but if he is still first ruck by the end of the season, subject to injuries, then we will have got no improvement from Fitzpatrick, Gawn or Spencer. And are going nowhere again.

[daisycutter 29,738]

The rules haven't changed all that much.....Now, you cannot touch (westle jostle ect) untill the ball has left the umpires hand, after that it reverts back......So that Jamar can do what he has always done against the taller ruckmen....Just has to be a bit smarter about it...

for bounday throw ins i think you are still able to use your body but not your arms before the ball is released

is this your understanding

if my memory is correct this used to be true when i was playing many moons ago. it was called no shepherding in the ruck. arms by your side until the ball is released.

[Alcho Dee 269]

Everyone is in the same boat with these rule changes, Russian needs to adapt to the new setup. It might actually benefit him....but don't ask me how...

[Bitter but optimistic 22,246]

Jamar has had one good season in about the last 5. I think being unable ( under the new rules) to use his body early will cruel him, however, others may differ on this point. His real weakness last season was that he could not direct his winning tap outs to advantage. Most times he seemed to tap the ball to his own feet. I think Spencer ( mobility and second efforts) and/or Gawn (marking power) will displace him.

[old dee 23,872]

Jamar has had one good season in about the last 5. I think being unable ( under the new rules) to use his body early will cruel him, however, others may differ on this point. His real weakness last season was that he could not direct his winning tap outs to advantage. Most times he seemed to tap the ball to his own feet. I think Spencer ( mobility and second efforts) and/or Gawn (marking power) will displace him.

None of them have shown great durability at this point Bbo.

Lets hope they all have an injury free 2013

[Guest José Mourinho]

The changed contact rule is only 1 of the changes Jamar must contend with.

Some forget that play is being re-started much quicker now, after the changes during the course of the 2012 season.

Moloney's ineffectiveness (ignoring his other limitations) has been attributed to these changes.

Jamar has always struck me as a plodding ruckman and I can't see him keeping pace in the game as teams adjust to this change, especially when club's are putting such a premium on running ruckmen like Tom Hickey.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

We beat Adelaide by 96 Pts, Freo by 89, drew to the reigning premiers, beat Richmond, and were 7-7-1 after round 17. What the hell did we achieve in 2012? Oh that's right, we got outclassed by Port Adelaide, PORT freaking Adelaide!! Based on 2012 results, Neeld makes Bailey look like Norm Smith. Again, I'm not suggesting Bailey was a great coach, but at least the bloke got us a few wins here and there in 2010/2011.

Yep - and we lost to Geelong by a lazy 186 points.

This is the second worst loss in the history of the competition.

Evidence based thinking or uncritical emotional thinking? In which category do you think you sit?

[satyricon 267]

To get back on topic, and to stop the hair shirting again, any chance we can look fwd in 2013

Been to training quite a few times, the Russian is looking the best I have seen him for a couple of years, he knows he has competition now, he is moving realy well in the full ground drills I have watched

Forget the concerns about Spencer, if Jamar is not playing well, Neeld will bring Spencer in without hesitation, he proved last year he could handle it and he has had a really good preseason up to now as well, read the reports

The Russian will have a 'stronger' midfield group around him as well

[Gippsland Dee 367]

It will be interesting to see if the russian can adapt to the new rule, but as others have said it is no contact only until the ball has left the hands of the umpire so it really isn't all that much different. Probably one of the bigger changes that may hamper him is that the time between bounces and all that are cut down and i think that may hurt him as he isn't exactly the most mobile ruck going around, but he has proven himself as a great ruckman and with more pressure and competition for his spot in the team now i have no doubt he will find a way through these barriers