We must be missing something

[Guest]

There must be something go on behind the scenes, surely.

James Magner is undoubtedly in the best 22 players that we can field at the moment. He came in for two games, played solidly, didn't do anything wrong, and he seems to be banished again. Week after week he's best on in the VFL with 35-odd possessions, yet he's not good enough for us? Nothing against our guys, but he is miles better than the likes of Rohan Bail (how he continues to get a game amazes me).

Am I wrong? I attend nearly every open training session.... he looks like a man amongst boys, and his effort can not be doubted. Yes, he's not quick, but at the same time, we play the likes of Jordie McKenzie, Jack Trengove and Luke Tapscott, so that can't be the sole issue...

He is being wasted at VFL level, especially considering he's on the list of a side who is begging for some toughness and ball-winning ability - his two best traits.

[DemonOX 8,791]

Yes there is something missing D, a quality coach who can COACH but unfortunately Neeld is still the bloody coach.

Edited June 6, 2013 by DemonOX

[CHAMP 347]

Seems like a foolish option to me. The 'Legspeed Argument' doesn't hold any water as you say, especially when it makes no difference if you can hardly get your hands on a pill. Perhaps he hurt Neeldy's feelings by making up some "It is what it is" jokes for the boys.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

There must be something go on behind the scenes, surely.

James Magner is undoubtedly in the best 22 players that we can field at the moment. He came in for two games, played solidly, didn't do anything wrong, and he seems to be banished again. Week after week he's best on in the VFL with 35-odd possessions, yet he's not good enough for us? Nothing against our guys, but he is miles better than the likes of Rohan Bail (how he continues to get a game amazes me).

Am I wrong? I attend nearly every open training session.... he looks like a man amongst boys, and his effort can not be doubted. Yes, he's not quick, but at the same time, we play the likes of Jordie McKenzie, Jack Trengove and Luke Tapscott, so that can't be the sole issue...

He is being wasted at VFL level, especially considering he's on the list of a side who is begging for some toughness and ball-winning ability - his two best traits.

Therein lies your problem.

Jordie McK is a genuine, negating tagger, Tapscott plays HFF and delivers a big bump every 3 games or so and JT is the skipper who plays forward and is a better kick.

All slow, and to add Magner to this crop would mean top heavy slow.

[deanox 9,924]

I've said a couple of times, in his two games at AFL level he only had 75% time on the ground. This is very low compared to players at other teams. I have no idea why, does he not have the tank or endurance at AFL? Does he not give us spread in attack and defence? But I would bet this figure has something to do with it, whether he got limited game time because of the reason he isn't playing (i.e. limited pace) or if the limited game time is lack of endurance/tank which means other players pick up the slack.

Anyone got any thoughts?

[CHAMP 347]

Therein lies your problem.

Jordie McK is a genuine, negating tagger, Tapscott plays HFF and delivers a big bump every 3 games or so and JT is the skipper who plays forward and is a better kick.

All slow, and to add Magner to this crop would mean top heavy slow.

I think the suggestion is that the side would be stronger if Magner replaced one of those mentioned. Sounds good.

[deanox 9,924]

I'd play him ahead of Tapscott at the moment, which would release some of the other younger mids to the flanks and wings.

[dazzledavey36 54,946]

I said this last week aswell something is going on behind the scenes that we dont know..

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,602]

There must be something go on behind the scenes, surely.

James Magner is undoubtedly in the best 22 players that we can field at the moment. He came in for two games, played solidly, didn't do anything wrong, and he seems to be banished again. Week after week he's best on in the VFL with 35-odd possessions, yet he's not good enough for us? Nothing against our guys, but he is miles better than the likes of Rohan Bail (how he continues to get a game amazes me).

Am I wrong? I attend nearly every open training session.... he looks like a man amongst boys, and his effort can not be doubted. Yes, he's not quick, but at the same time, we play the likes of Jordie McKenzie, Jack Trengove and Luke Tapscott, so that can't be the sole issue...

He is being wasted at VFL level, especially considering he's on the list of a side who is begging for some toughness and ball-winning ability - his two best traits.

ive heard it suggested that we are focusing on blooding youth but that doesn't seem right given Byrnes and a few others but we seem to tend to persist in some that offer very little and refuse to select some that seem to have better attributes.

[The Big Ticket 94]

Did anybody think he might be just a crap footballer?

[Biffen 12,943]

Did anybody think he might be just a crap footballer?

The thought has crossed my mind.

If they change the rules so you get 6 points for kicking out of bounds he could be an asset.

[Lordweaver 235]

What would Jeff do?

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,602]

I said this last week aswell something is going on behind the scenes that we dont know..

Sure thing mate.

[stuie 7,374]

Did anybody think he might be just a crap footballer?

Not the people who have actually watched games.

[sue 9,106]

Yes there is something missing D, a quality coach who can COACH but unfortunately Neeld is still the bloody coach.

Another knee-jerk anti-Neeld post. Anything that seems wrong, it's his fault. Maybe it is. But as a number of subsequent posters have posted, there may be many sensible reasons as to why Magner was omitted. And add to that there may be things that we don't know - not that that would stop some people rushing to judgement.

Continually amazed by the depth of anti-Neeld sentiment. You'd think he took over the Hawks and suddenly they became a crap team, rather than he took over a crap team, cleaned it out and started again.

[stuie 7,374]

Another knee-jerk anti-Neeld post.

21 months is a pretty long knee jerk...

[CHAMP 347]

Another knee-jerk anti-Neeld post. Anything that seems wrong, it's his fault. Maybe it is. But as a number of subsequent posters have posted, there may be many sensible reasons as to why Magner was omitted. And add to that there may be things that we don't know - not that that would stop some people rushing to judgement.

Continually amazed by the depth of anti-Neeld sentiment. You'd think he took over the Hawks and suddenly they became a crap team, rather than he took over a crap team, cleaned it out and started again.

There surely won't be a range of logical reason for Magner's exclusion. Most of us are struggling to find reason at all for a player who in 2013 is next best to Nathan Jones for average disposals not be part of a team whose greatest obstacle is getting hands on the ball. Melbourne have the ball 32 times less than GWS per game who are the next worse performer.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/tr-melbourne-demons

[Carlos Danger 380]

I agree it's a bad call.

Could certainly use the clearances, contested possessions and tackling of a Magner.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,053]

I'm wondering if we're seeing an indication that we won't keep him at the end of the season?

[Jack Jack Tappy 112]

I'm wondering if we're seeing an indication that we won't keep him at the end of the season?

.

Surely he won't stay, his treatment has been woeful , could it possibly that MFC don't want to pay match payments? I know that sounds ridiculous but that's my only answer at this stage.

[pitmaster 3,555]

Agree Magner's treatment has been hard to follow.

I was sorry he was rookied after such a strong season last year, and dropping him after two solid games this year was unfathomable.

He should replace McKenzie, not as a stopper but as a mid who gets first hands on it and who hits hard. Tapscott's kicking is a

weapon that he needs to use more, and it is a penetrating, potentially offensive thing - something that Macca does not have.

Last week at Casey Magner came off with slight injuries - one looked like an ankle, another a cut of some kind, - and within minutes he was back on throwing himself in. He dominated possessions.

[What 18,810]

came in for 2 games, averaged 20 possies, 5 tackles and 5 clrearances

Dropped.

Well done Neeld.

[Gorgoroth 12,954]

This is anti Neeld cos he is the bloody coach and picks the side!

Magner should be playing above 50% of the list, hell he would probably do better in he ruck than Jamar.

[Guest Spirit of 39]

I agree that Magner is in our best 22 at present.

But in saying that the fact that this is a reality is an indictment on the club, and the reason why we have the 18th best midfield in the comp. Magner is a very good VFL footballer, but limited at AFL level. If he is in calculations for a game over the next two years then we are still going nowhere.

Edited June 6, 2013 by Spirit of 39

[CHAMP 347]

I agree that Magner is in our best 22 at present.

But in saying that the fact that this is a reality is an indictment on the club, and the reason why we have the 18th best midfield in the comp. Magner is a very good VFL footballer, but limited at AFL level. If he is in calculations for a game over the next two years then we are still going nowhere.

Isn't what concerns us but rather that Magner might reasonably save the club from a level of embarrassment on Monday.

I wouldn't want Jordie Macca and Baily in forward calculations either and last year Magner was a more effective defensive forward (big hits aside) than Tappo is. Whatever the Selection Committee logic is, it's gotta be fair-dinkum unbelievable.

Edited June 6, 2013 by CHAMP