I know I'm very, very slow about this but last weekend the 3AW crew were discussing the question of which players from your club had to stand up in 2007 in order for your team to make the finals and possibly win a flag?

I caught the end of the discussion and one of the commentators nominated Colin Sylvia. I think someone else said he didn't think it would be this year for Col but the next. Based on his youth and the fact that he's had a limited pre-season.

So if not Col, who do you think we need to stand up in 2007?

I know I'm very, very slow about this but last weekend the 3AW crew were discussing the question of which players from your club had to stand up in 2007 in order for your team to make the finals and possibly win a flag?

I caught the end of the discussion and one of the commentators nominated Colin Sylvia. I think someone else said he didn't think it would be this year for Col but the next. Based on his youth and the fact that he's had a limited pre-season.

So if not Col, who do you think we need to stand up in 2007?

We can win a premiership without Sylvia, and besides with yet another limited pre-season, I can't see him suddenly standing up.

The obvious players that we need to perform well in order to go all the way, are Neitz, White (would be wonderful of one of Jamar or PJ really stood up as well), McLean and Carroll. Those players make up the all-important spine.

For me, the one player we really missed last year was Brent Moloney and to a certain extent Robbo.

Both struggled with injuries, and we need both of those players to stand up and deliver like we know they can. If both of them can capture their 2005 form, we'll be well on our way to securing a top 4 spot at the very least.

Moloney

Sylvia

Miller

Ferguson

Jamar

Paul Johnson

Bell

Chris Johnson

Wheatley

Brad Miller

So if not Col, who do you think we need to stand up in 2007?

The whole team.

simon godfrey

for me miller needs to take the next step

but the big ones for me is bruce

has the ability to dominate a game but doenst do so with the consistency of a hird or voss, and if we really want to go deep into september he needs to step up, mclean and trav will have the best 2 taggers which leaves bruce with the upper hand

for me miller needs to take the next step

but the big ones for me is bruce

has the ability to dominate a game but doenst do so with the consistency of a hird or voss, and if we really want to go deep into september he needs to step up, mclean and trav will have the best 2 taggers which leaves bruce with the upper hand

I think it's asking a bit much for one bloke to dominate games so that we make the finals.

I don't know about players standing up this year but if Bartram and Carroll drop off from last years performances we will definitely need a lift from some of those around them.

What we don't need are the likes of Neitz and Robbo breaking down for a start...

....and as for standing up..

..I will nominate Matthew Bate.

He has a combination of size, speed and strength that has not been seen in the midfeild of this competition since 'Dippa' retired.

I am still salivating over the way he literally walked through tackles when I watched the boys train last month. I don't know any player who can do that off one step with their opponent starting next to them.

I also think Brad Miller will make people stand up and take notice this year as well. I don't think he will play CHF; probably more on a flank, but he will push up the ground and lead hard, making space for the like of Robbo, Dunn and Neitz behind him.

GO DEES - The wait is excruciating

Go

The whole team.

Agree. If we are to be serious this year about Top 4 then it is true

I..

Cam Bruce does need to stand up to the pressure of finals football. However he is not and will never will be in the same class as Hird or Voss. .

IMO the following people are crucial to MFC's success this year. We need them fit, in form and available every week. They are Neitz, McLean, White, Rivers, Whelan and Carroll.

Robbo was next to useless last year and was a liability when the ball hit the ground. I love Robbo but his days are numbered if he does not lift his game.

Toad I share your expectations of Bate. A fit Beamer should be a plus. An extra year of experience and development should do wonders for our younger players (eg Jones, Bartram, Dunn etc.)

I hope you are right on Miller.

Everyone. Seriously.

Premierships aren't won when the 15-25 ranked players don't perform.

I know I'm very, very slow about this but last weekend the 3AW crew were discussing the question of which players from your club had to stand up in 2007 in order for your team to make the finals and possibly win a flag?

I caught the end of the discussion and one of the commentators nominated Colin Sylvia. I think someone else said he didn't think it would be this year for Col but the next. Based on his youth and the fact that he's had a limited pre-season.

So if not Col, who do you think we need to stand up in 2007?

Shmekel

I am still salivating over the way he literally walked through tackles when I watched the boys train last month. I don't know any player who can do that off one step with their opponent starting next to them.

Yes you do. Brock does it regularly.

Back on topic, if what you're asking is who needs to lift their game, then it's kind of like saying who's going to be the smoky that's going to come out of no-where and surprise everyone, because effectively it's the same thing.

For mine what I want to see is, yes, a few young guys cement places and start doing some of the less appreciated work with good solid consistent seasons (Bate, Bell, Jones), and yes, one or two surprises (Bizzell, Yze, Buckley, Neaves) and yes, a couple of returns from injury or poor form (Robbo, Beamer, PJ) but most of all, there are a few individuals (more than I'm comfortable with, actually) that hold it all together in a number of ways. If any of them have sudden, dramatic and permanent form slumps, or are badly injured, then we've got big problems.

These guys are:

Neitz - we need his 60+ goals and presence. I'm not so certain he can be banked on like he used to be. I back him in as always, but every year he's a year older...

White - It's not going to get better for him, only worse or exactly the same. If anything should go drastically wrong, I have little or no confidence in Jamar and PJ as full-timers.

Carroll/Rivers - though an ever improving tall defence, we're still one major injury away from being torn asunder. We could afford injuries to the Biz, Ferg and Big Al in 2006, because, let's face it, they were never going to come out and tear the competition apart. It's their backups that don't fill me with confidence. That and the fact that the two of these guys worked so hard last year.

Any one of Trav/McLean/Bruce/Green/JMac. These guys are just about the only ones who I haven't yet mentioned that are matchwinners through the midfield. We need 30+ possession players, and if you're not one, you'd better be like Trav who can do as much damage with 20. Once again I worry when their backups are either young, or basically crap.

Like everyone says we have no stars, but a lot of players that share the load that a star would need to bear. Just like a team who loses a star, if we lose one of these fundamental parts of our setup, I fear for us. Or at least our chances for a flag.

I seems to me that there are lots of players we're epecting to stand up in 2007. Doesn't that means we're not looking through the season with rose coloured glasses like everyone's saying?

Neale Daniher.

That's who we need to stand up in 2007.

If Brad Miller and Paul Johnson realise how good they can be, then we will have an awesome unit

what i meant was cam need to stand up in games that matter, not get 30+ possessions against bottom sides and needs to get 25+ regularly and for them to be quality possessions, i dont expect him to be a hird or a voss, he just need to up his game another 10%

agree with the comment on daniher, we need him to be active int he box, not reactive and to keep the game plan fresh and have a plan b and plan c

Miller, he needs to kick more goals.

The obvious ones for mine are Miller, and basically the whole backline. We cant afford for them to drop off, or we're done for.

A less obvious choice is Travis Johnstone. He is the one who we need to stand up consistently. Ever since he came to the Dees, I have believed that if we are to win a flag, he will lead us to it. Not as captain as such, but to stand up consistently and tear everyone apart. Most people here would say thats Brocks job now, and while he is a rising superstar and will be expected to do this in the future, Trapper is still currently the best footballer at the club, and in my opinion we cannot win a flag without him firing.

Id also love to see Chris Johnson take the next step

agree yze magic, i too would love to see CJ and bell step up

He wont make the next step unless he goes to the forward line in my opinion. Same with Green and Bruce. Much more effective in the forward line.

It's Cam Bruce & Travis.

If they become elite level players week in, week out, then we will win the flag - assuming everyone ese plays to potential and there is organic improvement across the list.

I'd like to see Adem Yze step up big time in 2007 and make a few people around here (who think Yze is not worthy of being in our best 22) return on his bandwagon

I must have missed something. What injury has Colin Sylvia got this year that has hampered his pre season? I for one am hoping this will be his break out year.

Bushy.