Herald Sun journalist Jon Ralph:-

“For all those people saying Tom Lynch has ruined free agency, we saw (Brandon) Ellis and (Adam) Tomlinson go from two teams in Grand Finals to effectively basket-case teams,” he said on Fox Footy’s Trading Day.

The AFL free agents still on the market and available for cheap

I know what he’s trying to say but if that doesn’t give the Melbourne Football Club the ammunition to attack the coming season then nothing will.

Jon Ralph won't be on the field. Actually, I'm not sure if he's ever taken the football field? 

Is it too late for our basket-case of a club to make application for a couple of priority picks in next month’s draft based on Mr Ralph’s expert opinions?

1 hour ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Herald Sun journalist Jon Ralph:-

“For all those people saying Tom Lynch has ruined free agency, we saw (Brandon) Ellis and (Adam) Tomlinson go from two teams in Grand Finals to effectively basket-case teams,” he said on Fox Footy’s Trading Day.

The AFL free agents still on the market and available for cheap

I know what he’s trying to say but if that doesn’t give the Melbourne Football Club the ammunition to attack the coming season then nothing will.

Its poorly expressed camouflage by Ralph.  He is really justifying why a recent premier should get a match winning forward, Lynch for nothing.  And of course Ralph and his family are long standing and staunch Richmond supporters.  If Lynch had gone to Collingwood (a recent GFinalist) and they won the 2019 premiership he would be singing a very different tune. 

Sadly, his 'basket-case' words reflects what a lot of the industry thinks.  tbh, I'm not sure his comments will be ammunition.  There have been so many such opportunities.  'Bruise -free' footballers which is a bit ancient but with the current personnel we have the last game of 2016, 2018, our obvious fall from grace by mid 2019 as examples where 'it burnt and cut' deep and we didn't respond.

The players need to want and work hard for success.  It needs to come from within.

Edited October 11, 20195 yr by Lucifer's Hero

50 minutes ago, Skuit said:

Jon Ralph won't be on the field. Actually, I'm not sure if he's ever taken the football field? 

Could not kick a drop punt that spins correctly to save his life.

Along with robbo ralph is a poor journalist. However @Lucifer's Hero is right in what he says.

Blah, blah, blah

It's not like we haven't heard this before.

 

1 hour ago, Whispering_Jack said:

“For all those people saying Tom Lynch has ruined free agency, we saw (Brandon) Ellis and (Adam) Tomlinson go from two teams in Grand Finals to effectively basket-case teams,” he said on Fox Footy’s Trading Day.

 

With due respect Ellis and Tomlinson are hardly in the same calibre as Tom Lynch.

The argument doesn't hold up, anyone with half a brain knew that FA would work in favour of the stronger clubs.

A few morsels going to the smaller clubs does not change this...

32 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Its poorly expressed camouflage by Ralph.  He is really justifying why a recent premier should get a match winning forward, Lynch for nothing.  And of course Ralph and his family are long standing and staunch Richmond supporters.  If Lynch had gone to Collingwood (a recent GFinalist) and they won the 2019 premiership he would be singing a very different tune. 

Sadly, his 'basket-case' words reflects what a lot of the industry thinks.  tbh, I'm not sure his comments will be ammunition.  There have been so many such opportunities.  'Bruise -free' footballers which is a bit ancient but with the current personnel we have the last game of 2016, 2018, our obvious fall from grace by mid 2019 as examples where 'it burnt and cut' deep and we didn't respond.

The players need to want and work hard for success.  It needs to come from within.

Doubt it will motivate. Different group of course but I well remember the first game after the tragic Troy Broadbridge death who I thought would end up a future Captain.Sadly we put up little effort in that game. And so the band plays on. The power Clubs dominate and we remain homeless, win less and unable to attract the best talent on and off the field. 

The irony is that in fact we are far from a basket case. Our board is as stable and solid as it has been in decades. An internal review has seen significant change carried out in a professional, measured fashion, tge exec is solid as is  fd. No players wanted out. And one again mahoney has been a total pro at trade time and achieved most of its stated aims wirh a minimum of fuss.

You want a basket case look at the crows atm. Despite their wealth and resources they are a mess, with players wanting out, coach quitting before being pushed and key personnel being sacked during the trade period when they are trying to retain and attract players.

On a related  note where do the posters who so vociferously pushed the mfc in crisis line a couple of months back stand atm?.

You know the ones who warned of player dissatisfaction, players wanting out, (gleefully) supported false rumours about goody being sacked, jumped on Barrera silly comments about sliding doors and meetings wirh tge afl, pointed out the coaching and fd changes as evidence of crisis (whilst also arguing changes had to be made) and warned no players would want to come to us.

 

 

Why do people take this [censored] personally? He's entitled to an opinion.

And, like, he's not wrong. We finished 17th. 

Some people around here bang on like we're assured success.

5 minutes ago, binman said:

You know the ones who warned of player dissatisfaction, players wanting out, (gleefully) supported false rumours about goody being sacked, jumped on Barrera silly comments about sliding doors and meetings wirh tge afl, pointed out the coaching and fd changes as evidence of crisis (whilst also arguing changes had to be made) and warned no players would want to come to us.

Sounds like what I've been reading since Demonland started. The negativity here makes you want to go barrack for someone else.

1 minute ago, mauriesy said:

Sounds like what I've been reading since Demonland started. The negativity here makes you want to go barrack for someone else.

Off you go.  But at your next Club you will learn what negativity and swift action really is if the Club you follow fails for more than a year, let alone over fifty. And what do you expect when some clown here says we have a stable board as a positive. wow, we have had a stable board for decades that has overseen and is ultimately responsible for decades of failure. Imagine being a shareholder in a company like that.

Calling us a basket case side is an insult to basket cases sides. We have sunk below even that level. We have been pathetic for the good part of two decades now. There is no fight left. We will need a miracle to climb the ladder consistently.

I didn't read his article, im not going to give him clicks.

But sadly he's right. What have we achieved in 20 years? I losing GF appearance and a prelim.

We need to start being successful to wipe the smug grins off the likes of Ralph, Slobbo and Molloy/Maher and the other media fl0gs

Edited October 11, 20195 yr by Unleash Hell

Recommended Bonar as a great player after 11 matches whilee omitting he's had two knee recos.

Tomlinson is the equivalent to a Lynch?

 

Edited October 11, 20195 yr by Rusty Nails

Sorry Binman but the "we have a stable board" reminds me of some comedy line but I can't quite put my finger on it.

 

31 minutes ago, binman said:

The irony is that in fact we are far from a basket case. Our board is as stable and solid as it has been in decades. An internal review has seen significant change carried out in a professional, measured fashion, tge exec is solid as is  fd. No players wanted out. And one again mahoney has been a total pro at trade time and achieved most of its stated aims wirh a minimum of fuss.

You want a basket case look at the crows atm. Despite their wealth and resources they are a mess, with players wanting out, coach quitting before being pushed and key personnel being sacked during the trade period when they are trying to retain and attract players.

On a related  note where do the posters who so vociferously pushed the mfc in crisis line a couple of months back stand atm?.

You know the ones who warned of player dissatisfaction, players wanting out, (gleefully) supported false rumours about goody being sacked, jumped on Barrera silly comments about sliding doors and meetings wirh tge afl, pointed out the coaching and fd changes as evidence of crisis (whilst also arguing changes had to be made) and warned no players would want to come to us.

 

 

I may have seen a few of them glued to major city intersections in the last few days.

I am loving the ‘pile on’ mentality right now towards the MFC. A LOT of these very same people thought we had the most talented list 12 months ago. It’s not just in the media but friends of mine are doing the same thing. 

We went backwards this year no doubt, we have glaring weaknesses in a few areas no doubt. But an AFL list doesn’t go from most talented to complete basketcase in 12 months. 

29 minutes ago, praha said:

Why do people take this [censored] personally? He's entitled to an opinion.

And, like, he's not wrong. We finished 17th. 

Some people around here bang on like we're assured success.

Yes he can have an opinion.

Yes he is wrong. Finishing 17th doesn't of itself make you a basket case, it might mean for a number of valid reasons you had a bad year.

Carlton finished one spot higher, are they a basket case and if not why not?

I would have thought a basket case is a club with no good players, no members, no money. We are not that, so IMO he is wrong.

Every club that finished 17th or worse over the years must according to his rationale been a basket case that year.

Lazy journalism and jingoism.

I don't bang on like we are assured success and I don't think most on here do either. But I do believe with a good injury run, better draw, further development of young players, hard work and some luck we will bounce back quickly.

Melbourne 2013 was an absolute basket case. Worse then Gold Coast of this year.

Melbourne 2019 was definitely not a basket base. Nothing just went right from the start of Pre Season to round 23.

36 minutes ago, Sorry kids said:

Off you go.  But at your next Club you will learn what negativity and swift action really is if the Club you follow fails for more than a year, let alone over fifty. And what do you expect when some clown here says we have a stable board as a positive. wow, we have had a stable board for decades that has overseen and is ultimately responsible for decades of failure. Imagine being a shareholder in a company like that.

Wow. I make a point about negativity, and I get back negativity on steroids.

The language of a tabloid journalist. Give me Martin Flanagan any day. 

52 minutes ago, praha said:

Why do people take this [censored] personally? He's entitled to an opinion.

And, like, he's not wrong. We finished 17th. 

Some people around here bang on like we're assured success.

We had a crap year last year but the previous years we got better in each of them.

This didn't happen to Richmond in 2016 though did it Ralphy?

Rubbish Journalism, Fake News.

46 minutes ago, mauriesy said:

Sounds like what I've been reading since Demonland started. The negativity here makes you want to go barrack for someone else.

Don't worry, barracking for another team will make no difference. You will find the same sowers of depression on the forums of any club doing worse than its supporters hope.  Only the club which happens to be the current premiers seem to be insulated from posters who see the worst in every action/non-action of their club.  We have a few here who don't need naming.  I guess they think being so relentlessly negative will magically improve the club somehow.  Sadly it will have no effect, but hopefully makes them feel better.   

Fortunately most posters seem to have a more balanced view of our strengths and failings.  But if you just count the number of posts, it doesn't look that way.