McDonald - prolific as expected

Seriously does this guy ever play a bad game.

I really now appreciate his efforts week in week out and is pretty much our highest disposal getter - probably because nobody cares to tag him.

Will win back-to-back B&F's because he deserves it and is injury free (touch-wood)

A.Davey - worried about brother?

Just a guess, but everyone knows how close the family is, perhaps he was comcerned about Alwyns injury from friday night and he wasn't quite switched on. I was amazed to see he only picked up 4 touches playing on Ryan Houlihan. Still, his goal in the 2nd quarter was a cracker.

A.Davey - worried about brother?

Just a guess, but everyone knows how close the family is, perhaps he was comcerned about Alwyns injury from friday night and he wasn't quite switched on. I was amazed to see he only picked up 4 touches playing on Ryan Houlihan. Still, his goal in the 2nd quarter was a cracker.

His brother only had a broken arm, its not as if he is on life support

It reflects poorly on Aaron if his bad form was due to his brother getting injured

His brother only had a broken arm, its not as if he is on life support

It reflects poorly on Aaron if his bad form was due to his brother getting injured

Different things affect people differently. You're probably right [you usually are], but I was just throwing up a suggestion as to why Aarons output was non existent yesterday.

His disposal isn't perfect, but I raise you Ward, Carroll, Brown... half our backline can't dispose of a footy.

I just watched the replay and wanted to add that Miller was indeed good. Punched the ball when necessary, got some tricky handballs away to keep the play moving and managed to shut down his opponent very effectively. Made one stupid kicking error, but apart from that had a relatively clanger-free match.

Miller was fine, not spectacular (which I think he will need to be, not to be criticised around here.......but that is my personal [censored]), but fine.

He added some bulk to the defence, his spoils were good, and while his disposal was not perfect (and for the record I don't believe in perfection, especially in sport) it was no better or worse than some of the other folks populating our back line at this point in time.

In the end I would like to see him left in defence for the rest of the year (although the club may not have any choice here, given we seem to be up to a "last man standing" situation) given that he should some good signs in what was his first game back in the seniors after a while at Sandy.

Miller was fine, not spectacular (which I think he will need to be, not to be criticised around here.......but that is my personal [censored]), but fine.

I tend to agree with that.

I've mellowed on my "neva to play in the backline again" stance.

He's got no place in the forward line with Neitz, Robbo, Bate, Newton, Dunn in front of him.

If he's to stay on our list, his gotta be a backmen playing in tandem with frawley, carroll and rivers.

I agree with most sentiments on here that Milller was ok, however why is he scared to kick the ball? I remember one passage when he was faced with a pack of Blues and rather than send the ball long he hand passes it to a man under pressure and it's turned over. Some of his disposals too were poor, but on the whole, not a bad day and hopefully he gets some confidence up.

Wheater's was tops, best game I've seen him play. Can't believe he didn't poll any votes in the age with his 30 poss and two beaut goals.

I thought Nathan Brown was a real catalyst for the win against Carlton. The five minute patch where he won two free kicks for holding the ball, kicked a goal and made the desperate dive to touch Waite's kick for goal was inspirational.

Doesn't change my view that he probably should retire at the end of the year but he provided a fantastic example of what the younger players should aspire to from an effort/commitment point of view.

Which tall forward was Bizzell playing on?

Which tall forward was Bizzell playing on?

Kennedy.

Tell me about it

Its embarrassing when someone continually pumps up the tyres of a very ordinary footballer

I'm pretty sure you were saying the same thing about Bell last year.

You might want to see someone about all these premature reactions.

I'm pretty sure you were saying the same thing about Bell last year.

No I didn't

Bell showed plenty last year

CJ hasn't shown a thing

No I didn't

Bell showed plenty last year

CJ hasn't shown a thing

I think we had this argument before and I found quotes of you saying Bell was hopeless.

CJ hasn't had a lot of opportunities to show anything. How many games did Sylvia play before he started to come good? Bell? Carroll? Did you know Wheatley has been on our list for 8 years?

I thought CJ was reasonable yesterday, but we can't expect these kids to walk into a side and straight away show us they belong at this level.

As I said already, play him till the end of the season, if he doesn't improve, trade him. But don't die wondering.

Miller was hard at the ball all match. you guys obviously see what you want to. i dont care for miller either way but he played a much better game than carroll FFS. Bizzell was patchy too . Miller was consistent throughout and he seemed to add a touch of physical toughness to a increasingly fragile backline ( next year with Rivers and Bell back it will be so much stronger). I reckon leaving Miller in the backline for the remainer of the year will give him some much needed confidence.

it is always a good idea to play players who can play up forward and down back. eg Chris Grant can be damaging both CHF and CHB. Just give miller a chance. dont forget the final against Freo last year BOG for us. Sure one game doesnt count for much but he does have talent.

I am sure i will cop shizenhower for this post and so be it.

Smartest thing I have read around here for ages. It was Millers first came back for a while he deserves some room for error as do those others who played their first game in a while yesterday. And Bizzell wasnt exactly setting the world on fire with his first game back & look at him now

I tend to agree with that.

I've mellowed on my "neva to play in the backline again" stance.

He's got no place in the forward line with Neitz, Robbo, Bate, Newton, Dunn in front of him.

If he's to stay on our list, his gotta be a backmen playing in tandem with frawley, carroll and rivers.

I agree with that

Show me your best 22 and how Bizzell fits in there.

In the quote you replied to he gave you his best defensive six, and the Bizz is there.

Anyhow I thought Miller was okay, and Ward's been getting dissed the last few weeks by guys who want him dropped every week regardless.

In the quote you replied to he gave you his best defensive six, and the Bizz is there.

Anyhow I thought Miller was okay, and Ward's been getting dissed the last few weeks by guys who want him dropped every week regardless.

He didn't at the time I posted the reply, he went and edited the post.

Besides, I'm more interested in a full 22, as I'm convinced that if he has Bizzell in his backline, it means someone important misses out.

I agree. CJ's not up to it.

The last quarter summed it up when he had 30 minutes to pick up the ball on the members wing at a crucial time in the last quarter, but couldn't control it, over-ran the ball and a Carlton player cleared the ball out.

I'm all for playing him for 3 or 4 games in a row, but he should be make way for Bell, TJ, Bruce, Green etc...when they start coming back. Fairly sure he'll be delisted or traded to WCE/Freo for a 4th rounder at very best.

Meanwhile I think people are being harsh on Ward. Overall I think he's been solid this year and he's done some good shut down jobs on the likes of Leon Davis and particularly Eddie Betts yesterday. Been an excellent replacement for Whelan. Has also kicked some wonderful goals in the last 2 weeks. Like Bizell, should be granted a 1 year extension as they are solid depth at worst.

Were you watching the game? It was a real clanger, but, he got back and tied the ball up, resulting in a stopage.

It was a real clanger

Have to agree with you there.

Besides, I'm more interested in a full 22, as I'm convinced that if he has Bizzell in his backline, it means someone important misses out.

Bizzell is important.

I get the feeling that after Bizzell got his current contract, people here are never going to like him, no matter how well he plays.

Just in case no one has noticed, he has been playing very well.

Bizzell is important.

I get the feeling that after Bizzell got his current contract, people here are never going to like him, no matter how well he plays.

Just in case no one has noticed, he has been playing very well.

Am I happy that he bended the club backwards and did his negotiations through the media? No I'm not.

Does that influence my thoughts that he is very close to the end, and gives us nothing others won't? No.

Again, show me your best 22 and I'm sure we can work out exactly why Bizzell doesn't fit in there.

If he did, he'd have played in Round 1.

Current best 22 IMO:

FB: Whelan Carroll Bell

HB: Bizzell Rivers Petterd

C: Johnstone Jones Wheatley

HF: Sylvia Bate Green

FF: Davey Neitz Robertson

Foll: White McDonald McLean

Int: P Johnson Bruce Bartram Newton

Depending on fitness / form: Frawley Dunn Wheatley Ward Godfrey Brown Moloney Yze Pickett Buckley Holland

No matter what team you select, good players will miss out. I'm a huge fan of Moloney and I could have easily put him in the side (the same goes for Dunn), but I believe that this is a good sign of depth. It's not necessarily a bad thing to have good players miss out, as it creates competition within the side.

For example, Bizzell may have a bad week or two and Frawley may be dominating at Sandy. Therefore, you drop Bizzell and bring in Frawley and vise versa. But this doesn't mean that Bizzell won't ever play again. People use the argument that Bizzell was dropped at the end of '05, therefore he is no longer any good. That's crap.

This is exactly the problem.

You've kept Bizzell in there at the expense of our future.

Frawley will and should be in our starting 22 next season.

He was rushed into the side having missed a good 6 weeks with stress fractures. If that doesn't tell you how highly the club rates him, I don't know what will.

Wheatley gives us a better attacking option. His accountability is on par with Bizzell's, but his kicking and ability to push forward makes him a better asset to the team.

Also, that backline is far too small.

Even if Bizzell gets a one year contract, he will be pure depth going forward, as he has been this year. If he plays, it means we have terrible injuries, and so yes, I do hope he doesn't play after this season finishes.

There is a reason he didn't get a game until we exhausted every other defensive option we had. Even Warnock got a game before him.

In 2008 I rather have Frawley, Miller, Wheatley and Warnock in the team ahead of Bizzell. Not because they are necessarily better defensive options, but because they have a future at Melbourne, and Bizzell's will end in 2008 at the latest.

This is exactly the problem.

You've kept Bizzell in there at the expense of our future.

Frawley will and should be in our starting 22 next season.

He was rushed into the side having missed a good 6 weeks with stress fractures. If that doesn't tell you how highly the club rates him, I don't know what will.

Wheatley gives us a better attacking option. His accountability is on par with Bizzell's, but his kicking and ability to push forward makes him a better asset to the team.

Also, that backline is far too small.

Even if Bizzell gets a one year contract, he will be pure depth going forward, as he has been this year.

There is a reason he didn't get a game until we've exhausted every other defensive option we had. Even Warnock got a game before him.

1) 2008 is the future. Bizzell should be around next year.

2) I put Wheatley on a wing.

3) Depending on match-ups (i.e. if the opposition have a tall forward line) a player like Holland can come in, like we saw against Collingwood.

4) Just because the selection committee (Daniher) didn't select Bizzell doesn't mean he shouldn't have been selected. Daniher had many favourites.

5) Even if Bizzell is around for "depth" it doesn't mean he won't get a game. Not only that, it doesn't mean that he isn't valuable.

What's your best 22, Jaded?

Bizz has been awesome this year, and deserves full credit

hes playing almost as well as he did in 2002 when he should have won the Best and Fairest

Definitely sign the Bizz on for 2008!!!

1) 2008 is the future. Bizzell should be around next year.

2) I put Wheatley on a wing.

3) Depending on match-ups (i.e. if the opposition have a tall forward line) a player like Holland can come in, like we saw against Collingwood.

4) Just because the selection committee (Daniher) didn't select Bizzell doesn't mean he shouldn't have been selected. Daniher had many favourites.

5) Even if Bizzell is around for "depth" it doesn't mean he won't get a game. Not only that, it doesn't mean that he isn't valuable.

What's your best 22, Jaded?

Bizzell is not the future if he's only going to be around for another year, if that.

Not putting Frawley in the backline, at the expense of Bizz, is going backwards, and is unrealistic. Frawley will definitely be in our starting 22 next season.

FB: Whelan Frawley Carroll

HB: Bell Rivers Petterd

C: Johnstone Jones Bartram

HF: Sylvia Bate Davey

FF: Newton Neitz Robertson

Foll: White McDonald McLean

Int: P Johnson Bruce Green Moloney/Wheatley/Dunn/Buckley/CJ

The last spot on the bench is clearly not set in stone. Moloney probably won't play a full season again, and obviously injuries will play a part.

I like that backline, especially if Carroll can become a third tall and Frawley take the FB position.