A key forward short

[Rivers Run Red 187]

Newton would have made no difference to the results tonight, but then you made the comment that selecting Yze ahead of him, or Dunn or Miller (could have gone on to Richo?) was a pathetic, uninspired move (Ok, I've twisted your words a bit there, but the point is the same). In fact, it was the move of a coach with very little guts to just go forward and try something new. The season is shot, it was shot long before tonight, and long before we beat Adelaide. And yet nothing, absolutely nothing changes.

Agreed, but the question is not whether he would have made a difference, but whether this club is looking to move forward. Season 2007 was over before we even got our 2 wins on the board and Green was kidding himself when he said "mathematically we can still make the 8." Im willing to bet 90% of Demons supporters had already wrote off the year at that stage (as much as I wanted to believe).

Robbo is a good decoy forward, and we have a lead up forward in Bate (although this was rare tonight), but we are missing the 6'4" gorilla type forward, and without the backline to stop the other team scoring I don't see how we are able to kick a good enough score to earn the 4 points.

The least we can do is get half a season into Newton, and look forward, which im sure that im probably the millionth person to say that.

[QueenC 74]

........And there is a big leap from being a smart arse to having an attitude which could cause a unity problem.

He would have been a far better bet tonight, and if it is a personality conflict that is keeping him out of the side, then that is just sad on all fronts.

[deestroy08 0]

Ah OK...just sharing what I heard.

And thought I'd spark the idea that the genius Neale has some other alterior motive not to play the superstar.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Newton would have made no difference to the results tonight, but then you made the comment that selecting Yze ahead of him, or Dunn or Miller (could have gone on to Richo?) was a pathetic, uninspired move (Ok, I've twisted your words a bit there, but the point is the same). In fact, it was the move of a coach with very little guts to just go forward and try something new. The season is shot, it was shot long before tonight, and long before we beat Adelaide. And yet nothing, absolutely nothing changes.

Well now that we absolutely cannot make finals, I want to see Newton, Dunn, Buckley get a game. Don't care how mentally ready they are. This is football, it's a tough game and if you can't hack it, go home.

As for trying PJ up forward, they did, and he still can't mark. I find that it is actually a big problem when someone the size of King Kong can't extend his hands and grab the ball. Will never make it as a forward, never ever.

Out of Yze, Miller and Dunn......its a bum choice.

Yze - Enough said about him. Aaargghh!

Neither Miller nor Dunn showed anything last week at TBO in the damp and FWIW its worth I did not think Newton handle the wet greasy conditions well.

Its a fair point about Miller down back but I have been push that for some time and he would have had the ticker to go with him.

I would have thought they might have thrown Holland up forward to at least make an undersized Richmond side become accountable.

[DemonDoug 0]

Just how bad does the senior team need to play before they give Newton a game. Lets us all hope they cannot play any worse than tonight, but with MFC you never know

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Ah OK...just sharing what I heard.

And thought I'd spark the idea that the genius Neale has some other alterior motive not to play the superstar.

An idea backed by some hard cold facts not innuendo and rumour goes a long way.

[Jaded No More 68,974]

Out of Yze, Miller and Dunn......its a bum choice.

Yze - Enough said about him. Aaargghh!

Neither Miller nor Dunn showed anything last week at TBO in the damp and FWIW its worth I did not think Newton handle the wet greasy conditions well.

Its a fair point about Miller down back but I have been push that for some time and he would have had the ticker to go with him.

I would have thought they might have thrown Holland up forward to at least make an undersized Richmond side become accountable.

They did play Holland up forward and he kicked 3.

FFS he was our leading goal kicker.... how bloody disgraceful is that?

Miller and Dunn would give us options. Miller could have played down back, and Dunn could have played on the wing. That is two more positions than Yze can play. His selection was completely inappropriate given his fitness. If he was 100% fit, I couldn't have blamed Daniher for wanting to go short on a very damp night. But he is clearly injured, so why play him? He is hardly useful when fit, let alone when he can't run out a game.

But what does it matter anyways? Neither a fit Yze, nor Dunn, nor Miller nor Newton could make up for the passionless crap that was served up tonight.

[CHAMP 347]

Went to the game, and YES, we were a tall short up forward.

quote]

The coach is a bloody farmer FCS - it is said he didn't debut Newton because it was going to rain. Any decent farmer knows when it will rain.

And anyway - I well remember Dunn's very impressive debut in the rain on a Friday night at what was then our fortress, the G.

just another example of his playing favourites and bugger the future.

A quick look at the Bureau's radar image about 6.30 would have confirmed that there was no rain of any significance within 256km of the MCG. There are absolutely no excuses to be made. Dare I say even Miller would have done more than Yze. Neale clings steadfast to coloured mental images of the past.

[QueenC 74]

Its a fair point about Miller down back but I have been push that for some time and he would have had the ticker to go with him.

I thought of you tonight Rhino, in regards to this while watching the tragedy unfold !!!

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

...

I thought they should have started with him there.

I was in the third tier of the MCC stand and it look wrong before they started.

Fit or not, I would not have selected Yze period. I cant believe we went in with Yze (not 100%) and Pickett (not 100% but great skinfolds!!)

Dunn...I'm not sure of...Flaky and spasmodic at TBO.

"But what does it matter anyways? Neither a fit Yze, nor Dunn, nor Miller nor Newton could make up for the passionless crap that was served up tonight"

Touche Touche!

Your Highness,

Your thoughts should go to all the red & blue supporters that had to watch that insult and affront to AFL football at the MCG.

[Kit Walker 225]

At the risk of being shouted down, I don't think it should have been a matter or Yze v Newton. Frawley and Petterd had struggled meaning the strongest response goes to them.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

It's Leigh Newton right?

[deanox 9,989]

newton wouldnt have won us the game but h owuldve changed our structure. we had no tall forwards at all. robbo isnt tall, he is mid sized and can jump. bate played outside the 50 most of the day. PJ is a ruckman. yes he can rest forward. i reckon he could even average a goal a game over his career but he wont be a key forward. holland is not a key forward, but a hole filler. all of these players are great as a 2nd or 3rd tall. holland will perform well when neitz and robbo get the best defenders. same with PJ. Not when these guys are taking the best defender and are the focus of the attack. i think juice would have allowed us to have a true forward and let the other players rotate around him. yes its a big ask but we needed someone who could mark and kick goals as the focal point. im not he wouldve, but he wouldve done better than the other guys.

[LeBron James 41]

At the risk of being shouted down, I don't think it should have been a matter or Yze v Newton. Frawley and Petterd had struggled meaning the strongest response goes to them.

No offence but every post i read of yours makes it seem like you have no idea

edit: I've seen some alright ones now, my bad

[Geddy Lee 582]

An idea backed by some hard cold facts not innuendo and rumour goes a long way.

I'm not quite sure how a supporter is supposed to present a suspicion about coaching favouratism with cold hard facts.

[Kit Walker 225]

No offence but every post i read of yours makes it seem like you have no idea

edit: I've seen some alright ones now, my bad

Fair enough. Reread the post you quoted and I can't make sense of it either. Combination of frustration and Mr Dan Murphy I think for that one.

[Jarka 767]

An idea backed by some hard cold facts not innuendo and rumour goes a long way.

Talk to any of the players, it's common knowledge amongst the playing group. Not that surprising though, all coaches have their favourites.

[demoniac 1,336]

When I arrived at the ground and saw that Neitz was out I assumed Newton would come in. But no Yze was the replacement. And lo and behold it quickly became apparent we were lacking a tall up forward. Who would have thought? Who could have predicted that? Who would have thought?

Newton may have made no difference, or Dunn, but at least they would have been a tall marking target up forward and would have caused more match up issues for Terry Wallace.

Sheer stupidity. Nothing more, nothing less.