NO MORE PROMISES ... JUST SEND THE APOLOGY by George on The Outer

[Demonland 73,218]

During the week, the Melbourne supporters were regaled with the near weekly promises of “improved performances more focus, tougher and harder”. It all means nothing because we have been promised this for at least the past seven or eight years and at the end of it we can barely muster half a dozen wins in a season.

We all remember Cameron Bruce trotting out the same mantra, over 5 years ago, and we can be sure that Jack Watts or Max Gawn or Tom McDonald will be called out this week to perform a similar task. Honestly the club must think we supporters are sheep, deserving of nothing better.

Worse is now this week, the Coaches have taken up the mantle of spin-doctors. Jade Rawlings promised us that:

“We’ve certainly amped the players up this week for what we expect and with the chats they’ve had among themselves – they certainly know what to expect from each other.”

Paul Roos promised us this week:

“From our point of view, we’ve got to reset for the three [remaining] games,”

And the players response to being reset and amped up … another five goal first quarter deficit, two lousy goals to half-time and a seven goal match total ….again!

And this, against the bottom side on the ladder who had only managed three wins this season.

It was a good thing they came into the game so fired up, or the result would have been a lot worse!

What we the Fans want now is an apology. Demonland has rightly demanded this after yet another wasted season of miserable performances and downright disgraceful efforts.

Do these same players think that we cannot see you running at half-pace while your opponents run away freely? Do you think we cannot see when you prefer to avoid a marking contest? Do you think we cannot see how slow you are to move the ball? Do you think we cannot see when you don’t honour the hard work of others to get to space?

If there was ANY sort of positive from today it is with the likes of Brayshaw, Viney, Hogan, Jones and Vince. They are the only true footballers in the side today. Sadly three of them are mere kids who should have been rested long ago in this hard season, but we have no-one to replace them.

NO-ONE!

When Casey has the likes of Fitzpatrick, Jamar, Riley, McKenzie, Bail, M Jones and Terlich running around, unable to get into a side like ours at the moment, you start to appreciate the extent of the problem.

When we have to play Stretch, Harmes, ANB, and Newton in our starting 18 then the problem is of even greater magnitude, as these kids should be undergoing an apprenticeship not being destroyed at senior level.

Sadly, Daniel Cross has reached the end of the road, despite his big heart and efforts. Another hole that we should be filling for next year. Garlett despite a good haul of goals for the year, simply goes missing for most of the games he plays in. Chris Dawes cannot take a mark and is useful only as a big body.

The holes in the playing list are monumental and potentially getting worse. Where is the hope for the future that a Club needs to sell to supporters?

Nathan Jones is obviously carrying an injury and has been for a good part of the season. However, it doesn’t stop him trying his guts out every week. It must break his heart to see the efforts of others in his side that are simply not up to AFL standard.

Jack Watts put in a more than serviceable game with 9 marks, 3 tackles and 19 disposals. Viv Michie probably saved his career with a 21 disposal effort. Tom McDonald was simply fantastic as once again he was thrown into the ruck to relieve Gawn, and finished up playing a ruck-rover type of role for the greater part of the game. How long has it been since a Melbourne player took 10 marks in a game?

Max Gawn has cemented his ruck role in the side as number 1 with another 39 hit outs against the much vaunted Matthew Kruezer. When he builds a bigger engine, he will be a really potent force, but without decent support around him, it will all be for nothing.

With next weeks game against Fremantle in Subiaco potentially being another shellacking, the only real hope is that Fremantle rest a dozen or more of their side as they have done in the past, in the lead up to finals. They cannot lose their top 2 spot, but even with half a side they should still easily defeat the Melbourne side that has been turning up for the past couple of months.

No more promises, just apologise.

*Apologise to those on the bus who travelled from south Gippsland to watch the day's performance.

* Apologise to the young Chinese family decked out in Demon colours who want to be part of our Australian culture.

* Apologise to the tired old blokes in faded Demon outfits who have been watching the game since Ron was running around the field.

* Apologise to those kids who will be laughed at and taunted tomorrow at school, again.

AND DON’T MAKE ANY MORE PROMISES … BECAUSE YOU DON’T DELIVER!

Melbourne 1.2.8 2.3.15 6.9.45 7.13.55

Carlton 6.2.38 10.2.62 11.3.69 12.6.78

Goals

Melbourne Dawes Garlett Gawn Grimes Jones Newton Watts

Carlton Kreuzer 4 Walker 3 Cripps Everitt 2 Watson

Best

Melbourne McDonald Michie Watts Newton Viney

Carlton Cripps Kreuzer Tutt Curnow Murphy Docherty

Changes

Melbourne Nil

Carlton Casboult (knee) replaced in selected side by Watson

Injuries

Melbourne Heritier Lumumba (ankle)

Carlton Menzel (shoulder) Murphy (shoulder) Jamison (concussion) Kreuzer (back)

Substitutes

Melbourne Heritier Lumumba (ankle) replaced by Alex Neal-Bullen in the second quarter

Carlton Marc Murphy (shoulder) replaced by David Ellard in the third quarter

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Carlton Nil

Umpires Foot Ryan Hay Armstrong

Official crowd 33,962 at the MCG