Most Improved: Got to be Michael Evans or Luke Tapscott I reckon, they're both showing what they're bringing to the table. Nathan Jones, Colin Garland & Jack Grimes have all improved also but we already knew what they were capable of. Evans and Tapscott have made the biggest strides IMO.

Gone Backwards: Chip and Trenners have both struggled a little, but at the same time Chips last few games have been improved performances and I thought Trenners was pretty good in rounds 3 & 4 considering his pre-season so I'd have to say Sammy Blease as I thought he showed some glimpses last year that he was ready to play consistent footy this year. Hopefully he can produce some good footy in the coming weeks.

Suprise Packets: Matt Jones has been far better then I was expecting and Michael Evans has also shown he could be a much better player then I expected of him. I thought he'd be a depth player at best but I can see a little bit of Leigh Montagna about the way Pickles plays, I now think we have a beauty on our hands!

... wash your mouth out.

Getting through a lot of work? What does that mean? I like his 'physicality', but he's averaging 11 touches, 3 marks and less than a goal per game. He's only kicked 2 behinds so it's not like he's missed a slew of shots either... Fewer than 2 tackles a game.. I know stats aren't everything, but what's he actually doing other than muscling up?

I agree. I think people are seriously overrating Tappy's game this year. He has definitely improved, but not to the extent a lot of people think.

If he can clean up his disposal a bit, he switches from being a turnover merchant into a contested footy king. Let's hope he can do it, because he has the potential to seriously add a lot to this team.

Tapscott is getting through a lot of work around half forward. You need to look for him a bit (you'd think a guy built like that would be easier to spot), but he's turned into a very good contested mark, his defensive work is very nice and his field kicking (aside from a little problem with not seeing the man on the mark) is good quality. If he had converted he'd be close to leading our goalkicking as well, but he's having some massive issues with his set shots for some reason. He still has some work to do, but hes coming along very nicely.

Also, huge congrats to DF26 for the thread. It's nice to have a generally positive and constructive thread to join in on once in a while and this is doing the job very well indeed.

Thanks mate, i really appreciate it!

It seems we are starting to see the players starting to understand and respect what Neeld and co are asking them to do, our lack of ex in the midfield is painfully obvious but i think we have been doing reasonably well considering, get clark and dawes in the team together and our last 6-8 rounds might give us some real momentum running into another big pre season.

For a start, a lot of his set shots aren't registering scores. I would also say that even when he isn't getting a stat he's putting enough pressure on to impact the contest. I bump won't get you a stat, but its still a contribution.

Edit: Just checked the figures. If he'd converted the set shots he should have he'd be first or second in our goalkicking depending on what you consider to be a shot he should have made.

I just don't think his output is any different to what it was in his first year, and the stats back that up.

As you said in your earlier post, you have to look for him a bit; for mine, that's because he's not doing all that much, bumps and pressure acts notwithstanding.

Most improved - Col Garland & Luke Tapscott

Backwards - Tom McDonald & Jack Trengove

Surprise packet - Matt Jones & Michael Evans

... wash your mouth out.

If Pickles makes it to 196 games, has kicked 116 goals, averages 22.5 disposals and 4.1 tackles a game I think we'd all be pretty happy.

Here's a point for you....imagine if...

Evans hadn't damaged his back

Strauss hadn't broken his leg

Blease hadn't broken his ankle

Gawn hadn't wrecked his knee (twice)

Garland hadn't missed a year with his foot

Tapscott hadn't had ongoing issues with his shoulder

and Clark hadn't got a foot injury

Here's a point for you....imagine if...

Evans hadn't damaged his back

Strauss hadn't broken his leg

Blease hadn't broken his ankle

Gawn hadn't wrecked his knee (twice)

Garland hadn't missed a year with his foot

Tapscott hadn't had ongoing issues with his shoulder

and Clark hadn't got a foot injury

Would be very interesting indeed.

Adding to that list...

Allowing McDonald to remain captain

Davey and his hamstring

Aussie & his hamstring problems, and to rub salt further into the wounds, his father's tragic passing

Liam Jurrah not having the off field issues

Watts debut game on QB as a 34kg infant.

Tom Scully not leaving MFC for millions (we all would have seriously considered the money)

Trengove not being set back with injury

Not throwing away pick 4 on Morton (dangerfield#10), pick 21 on Maric (Scott Selwood #22), pick 11 on Gysberts (Fyfe #20), 12 on Cook (Darling #26).... hindsight is wonderful.

Elevating Magner over Nicholson (chance we may have lost Nicho to another club)

Hinkley over Neeld (subjective for some)

Brian Royal...

Here's a point for you....imagine if...

Evans hadn't damaged his back

Strauss hadn't broken his leg

Blease hadn't broken his ankle

Gawn hadn't wrecked his knee (twice)

Garland hadn't missed a year with his foot

Tapscott hadn't had ongoing issues with his shoulder

and Clark hadn't got a foot injury

and if your aunty had balls she'd be your uncle

and if your aunty had balls she'd be your uncle

The point I was trying to make me ol softie was the players who are showing improvement always had the footy nous, injury held them back, a bit of optimism in the usual cloud filled stormy environment that is Demonland, you can put your hairshirt back on now....and flagellate away......

Gee I wish people could let the Junior McDonald issue go, he had maybe one more season left in him, injury free of course

The point I was trying to make me ol softie was the players who are showing improvement always had the footy nous, injury held them back, a bit of optimism in the usual cloud filled stormy environment that is Demonland, you can put your hairshirt back on now....and flagellate away......

how is dwelling on what could have been, being optamistic?!

I can't wait until we can write MFC as the most improved, really want something to throw back at all the media and people who bag us on a day to day basis haha.

how is dwelling on what could have been, being optamistic?!

Oh a degree in pedantics, you really enjoy a pissing contest don't you

Oh a degree in pedantics, you really enjoy a pissing contest don't you

Civil Engineering actually

If Pickles makes it to 196 games, has kicked 116 goals, averages 22.5 disposals and 4.1 tackles a game I think we'd all be pretty happy.

& doesn't hurt the opposition with them.

he can find the ball & gets numbers,gets into position reading the play, thats it really.. he's not damaging. he's too slow in the transfer of the ball upfield. not penetrationg.

I'd rather have a 31 Yr old L Hayes on one leg than Mr Punce.

& he was one of the senior players who were unable to crack the pies & their grand final games.

& IMO he's a punce & a soft pretender.

# without wanting to help Pickles get ahead of himself he is already starting to do match winning things, like the one percenters of rushing in to put a heavy block on the chaser, rather than just presenting to receive. Protecting to already running ball carrier.

Pickles is my sort of footballer, he's a natural with his footy IQ. & he seems so far to have the desire to continue working hard.

Colin Garland seems to be popular - I seem to remember there was a thread dedicated to how useless Garland was and saying he was not AFL standard (only like 4 weeks ago).

Colin Garland seems to be popular - I seem to remember there was a thread dedicated to how useless Garland was and saying he was not AFL standard (only like 4 weeks ago).

It just goes to show what a turnaround in attitude and buy-in can accomplish. My problem was with the nonchalant way he approached his kicks (and really a lot of his game). He has totally eliminated that now and has started playing with Nathan Jones-like ferocity. It really shows.