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Robert Walls' assessment of the Demons


Bobby McKenzie

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I don't think Walls did much research for this piece. Why he would not list Gawn as one of our top 16 or whatever players that needed to be kept, is beyond me.

Also, the fact that he has suggested we basically get rid of any player on the list with 100 plus games of senior experience, except Jamar, is just stupid.

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overview o•ver•view;

n.

1. A broad, comprehensive view; a survey.

2. A summary or review.

It's just a personal opinion article that is ill researched. I can see past the contract status mishap as I can see what point he is conveying. It's a completely useless article which serves no purpose. Do I really have to explain what is wrong with it?

Go ahead, I'm interested to hear what you think is wrong with the article. It mightn't serve any particular purpose other than fill space but to me it's a pretty fair summary not that I agree with every point made.

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Yeah, apart from people getting in a knot about him not knowing contract status where is he wrong?

Jordie, Blease and Jamar in our most important players? Fitzpatrick a good contested mark? It's not necessarily that the article was miles off its just that he's clearly phoned it in and failed to undertake any real analysis of the list or our position. I can't believe people get paid to write that rubbish if he was a kid off the street and not a premiership player/coach with Carlton he'd be laughed out if the building - well you'd hope so anyway but the. You see the efforts of the likes of Yobbo, Pierek, Ralphy etc etc and you think yeah this is the standard of journalism these days. Where's the stats the evidence? Give us a proper analysis not just a couple of throwaway lines on half our list that everyone already knows anyway. Just filling up space in a slow news week with only 6 games this round.

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It's nowhere near as bad an article as people are making it seem. The lack of research into contractual status kills it, but if you ignore that, and you just take it as an assessment of our list (i.e. a list of 'required players', a list of 'not required players' and a list of 'not sure yet'), he's got most players where you'd expect.

It's not written for MFC supporters, it's written for non-MFC supporters to give them what sounds like a nice appraisal of a list they otherwise wouldn't know anything about.

He's missed Gawn and Terlich, but I can't remember the last time a journalist went through all 44 players in an article.

It's clearly not the best article, but for what it is, a simple analysis of a list, it's not as bad as some make it out to be.

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Apart from his assesment of Sylvia i prettymuch agree with what Walls says here.

I would love to see Sylvia playing under a Top line coach (fingers crossed)

Jack Watts needs to attack the ball like he did in the first Q last monday on a weekly basis. He can do it. With a good midfield he will i believe.

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Agree with most of the keeps but...

Jamar needs to do more than just get hit outs. And he needs to get them to our midfielders. I would be tempted to trade him.

Jordie is a trier. Never gives up. However, we need more polish. He could play a role for a better team where he isn't expected to kick the ball or get a ton of possies. That role doesn't exist with us.

As far as the delisted goes...

Shannon Byrnes has been O.K. when he has been fit. I would say though he needs to get as many games in as possible before the end of the year.

I think that Col may be a keeper but we may just need to come to grips with the fact he will not become the player he could have been. He is at the ten year mark now. Unless something amazing happens, he isn't going to get any better. If he does leave, try and do a sign and trade (can you do that under the existing rules?). I think we are entitled to something after giving Col a footballing home for 10 years and being patient with him when others have been calling for him to go.

The rest of the outs, I agree with. I would even include Dan Nicholson and James Strauss (though you can only make a certain amount of cuts per year can't you?)

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It's nowhere near as bad an article as people are making it seem. The lack of research into contractual status kills it, but if you ignore that, and you just take it as an assessment of our list (i.e. a list of 'required players', a list of 'not required players' and a list of 'not sure yet'), he's got most players where you'd expect.

It's not written for MFC supporters, it's written for non-MFC supporters to give them what sounds like a nice appraisal of a list they otherwise wouldn't know anything about.

He's missed Gawn and Terlich, but I can't remember the last time a journalist went through all 44 players in an article.

It's clearly not the best article, but for what it is, a simple analysis of a list, it's not as bad as some make it out to be.

Sorry TA yes it is, to not even mention Terlich who has been one of the most consistent this season is the biggest gaffe, Gawn,........and a couple of others who have been getting regular games in Evans, Bail and Pedersen, it is just lazy most of the rest is just regurgitated.opinion from here, Footy Almanac and Supercoach

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Im not sure why people cant just read things without automatically assigning bias because of author.

whilst a fairly simplistic write , and its was I have no doubt meant to be that way as it was essentially a precis, Im not sure what was actually wrong in what he wrote.

Id actually agree with nearly most of it, including Sylvia for whom I have no great admiration as hes a lazy cameo footballer. Mckenzie ...a hard decision there... good worker, lousy skills. which is more the point ?

I dont mind if Watts plays front or back. but i think we might garner more value atm if forward...And let him settle, build him up dont keep stripping him of incentive. Make or break though. Might be tempted to keep Rodan if he picks it up a tad. Any new mids wont be ready to roll and Rodans mentorship might prove invaluable.

I think Flash is just that..it will fade quickly latter this season. If hes IS in good nick maybe a years extension.

There are core players and there are transitional keepers. i.e players you retain whilst others come on line. This process is still ongoing and any newbies will need help for a season or two.

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Im not sure why people cant just read things without automatically assigning bias because of author.

whilst a fairly simplistic write , and its was I have no doubt meant to be that way as it was essentially a precis, Im not sure what was actually wrong in what he wrote.

Id actually agree with nearly most of it, including Sylvia for whom I have no great admiration as hes a lazy cameo footballer. Mckenzie ...a hard decision there... good worker, lousy skills. which is more the point ?

I dont mind if Watts plays front or back. but i think we might garner more value atm if forward...And let him settle, build him up dont keep stripping him of incentive. Make or break though. Might be tempted to keep Rodan if he picks it up a tad. Any new mids wont be ready to roll and Rodans mentorship might prove invaluable.

I think Flash is just that..it will fade quickly latter this season. If hes IS in good nick maybe a years extension.

There are core players and there are transitional keepers. i.e players you retain whilst others come on line. This process is still ongoing and any newbies will need help for a season or two.

I agree bb it never ceases to amaze me that in our current situation Dees supporters want to blame the messenger all the time.

Have people missed that we cannot beat time with a stick.

Clearly we have the worst list in the Comp.

We have a large bunch of not good enough players collected over the last eight year or so.

I find his comments close to the mark in most areas.

It is his opinion not perfect but the results support his overall conclusions.

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I agree bb it never ceases to amaze me that in our current situation Dees supporters want to blame the messenger all the time.

Have people missed that we cannot beat time with a stick.

Clearly we have the worst list in the Comp.

We have a large bunch of not good enough players collected over the last eight year or so.

I find his comments close to the mark in most areas.

It is his opinion not perfect but the results support his overall conclusions.

You have just confirmed what I have often thought, you prefer not to think, you let somebody else do it for you

The article was lazy, tweeted both him and Rohan Connolly the same

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You have just confirmed what I have often thought, you prefer not to think, you let somebody else do it for you

The article was lazy, tweeted both him and Rohan Connolly the same

Clearly you have no comprehension skills.

How is it that OD doesnt think ? he read, he thought, he commented.

Its you who might like to THINK first...or you just too lazy to ?

Edited by belzebub59
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Satyr still believes the MFC is running like a well oiled machine. He has no comprehension to the reality of situation.

We have been in a tailspin since before186 & how the board were then able to reinstate Schwab really angers me.

The storm troopers will be at the club on monday morning Satyr, be ready because i think they will want more than a cup of tea.

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Gawn is the glaring omission.

Terlich has done well, but I don't see much more than a serviceable battler.

McKenzie is a liability the way footy is played these days.

Strauss is soft.

I'd persevere with Tapscott. He doesn't get enough of it, but I reckon he can improve.

Bail isn't up to it. Will have the odd good game, but butchers it by foot.

Evans - see Bail. Three year deal ? Two would have sufficed. However, I prefer him to Bail.

Blease needs plenty of games put into him.

Pedersen is soft. A depth player.

Keep Sylvia.

Davey was finished 3 years ago.

Fitzpatrick isn't up to it, but get some games into him this year and at least give him a chance.

Jamar is finished.

Dunn is finished.

I'd keep Watts, teach him the non-negotiables and play him in the Jack Gunston role.

The future lies with Hogan, Viney, Toumpas, Gawn, Frawley, Garland, Clark, Dawes, Howe, McDonald, Kent, Grimes, Trengove. That's a core baker's dozen players to build a team around. Add hopefully two top 3 picks - mids (we won't always get them wrong) and there's a bit to work with. And I quite like Clisby.

EDIT: and I quite like Matt Jones.

Edited by Ben-Hur
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Satyr still believes the MFC is running like a well oiled machine. He has no comprehension to the reality of situation.

We have been in a tailspin since before186 & how the board were then able to reinstate Schwab really angers me.

The storm troopers will be at the club on monday morning Satyr, be ready because i think they will want more than a cup of tea.

WYL. thanks you gave me a laugh, this is footy,

Clearly you have no comprehension skills.

How is it that OD doesnt think ? he read, he thought, he commented.

Its you who might like to THINK first...or you just too lazy to ?

It was a rubbish piece of journalism, to take it without fully understanding that is not thinking, my point, four or five players not mentioned really..........half the problem with the posters on here is that they take anything a media person or journalist says as gospel

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The future lies with Hogan, Viney, Toumpas, Gawn, Frawley, Clark, Dawes, Howe, McDonald, Kent, Grimes, Trengove. That's a core dozen players to build a team around. Add hopefully two top 3 picks - mids (we won't always get them wrong) and there's a bit to work with. And I quite like Clisby.

EDIT: and I quite like Matt Jones.

I'd add Garland to that core group and hope to pick up a mature mid that is a step up from Rodan.

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I'd add Garland to that core group and hope to pick up a mature mid that is a step up from Rodan.

Agree.

It's not a bad article when your asked to write 1000 words on one of 18 clubs ATM.

While some have rightly pointed out the Gawn omission, the real issue beyond this years draft picks what angles do we have from our existing list to get quality midfielder....not much.

The only players who have market value are the players who are must keeps. We are not surplus with market worthy talent in any area.

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Agree.

It's not a bad article when your asked to write 1000 words on one of 18 clubs ATM.

While some have rightly pointed out the Gawn omission, the real issue beyond this years draft picks what angles do we have from our existing list to get quality midfielder....not much.

The only players who have market value are the players who are must keeps. We are not surplus with market worthy talent in any area.

Watts?

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Watts?

I'd rather keep him if we can. I feel he would be better in a more competent side ATM.

And he does not have trade value for us with the risk of upside the recipient.

The only one I can think of is Gawn. But IMO he is a must keep for mine as I don't share the faith in Jamar. I don't think we can wing it with Spencer either.

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overview o•ver•view;

n.

1. A broad, comprehensive view; a survey.

2. A summary or review.

It's just a personal opinion article that is ill researched. I can see past the contract status mishap as I can see what point he is conveying. It's a completely useless article which serves no purpose. Do I really have to explain what is wrong with it?

thats all very clever

but answer the question if you would..

where in particular is he wrong in his player assessment. ?

As it happens I dont 100% agree but I far from 95% disagree.. He hasnt included all but he does preface it by considering what he considers the MOST important.

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This article just shows why they don't sell many papers anymore. Walls isn't too far off at all but he's getting paid to write this and he's pretty much just scrapped together some of the names, thrown Hogan at the top to make it controversial and job is done.

It's not that he's done a bad job but if you want people to be fascinated by what they are reading then go and find out the contract status, take some time to realise the state of the list and figure that you can't have all the guys out that he wants and FFS watch Sam Blease play a game of footy and realise he's a freaking liability!

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WYL. thanks you gave me a laugh, this is footy,

No it is you who makes many of US laugh & cringe...Because it is you who is in complete denial of the real situation the club is in

"Oh we are down a little bit in attendance...Nothing to worry about..." etc

keep going though do not let me stop you

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