Brown - flawed but tried

Carroll - playing without purpose

Bizzell - continues to achieve

Wheatley - seemed totally lost

Ward - diabolical foot disposal

C. Johnson - was barely noticed

Green - tried but failed

Moloney - a welcome return

Buckley - occasional nice touches

Godfrey - was completely outplayed

Miller - had no imput

McDonald - honest as always

Sylvia - continued spirited effort

McLean - was well held

Frawley- thrown to wolves

Jones - great first half

Newton - screamer , little else

Robertson - injured but tried

Neitz - injured , needs holiday

White - totally one dimensional

P. Johnson - very rarely sighted

Bate - an abysmal game

Buckley was pretty good in the last qtr.

I too left at 3/4 time..

Frawley - not the answer... the term 'headless chook' springs to mind.. I'm all for 'playing the young kids' but really, come on, he is completely lost out there and what it's doing if anything is killing his confidence rather than building it

Sylvia - absolute shining light...never stopped running, one of the very few that looks fully fit

Don't blame Frawley - it was coming in too easily - and watch the entire game !!!!

Did you go to the game Elmag?

I watched as much as I could without throwing my scarf or myself over the Level 3 balcony!

guys u have to see the point. Frawley is very young at only 18 years old. he is 193cm tall and 82kg. in 2 years time he should be around 195cm 95kg. in football terms he is very green and is worth persisting worth. he has fantastic pace, a good mark and spoils pretty well. Another good hard pre season under a new coach could do him well. trust me this kid is a gun! yes he did get beaten today but thats becoz he had no bloody help from the midfielders!! yet he battled hard and kept his head up! he should be played for the rest of the year becoz he is our future and will turn out to become super backline player along with rivers. By 2009 you could just about pencil him down for fullback with Rivers at Centre Half Back.

its a desgrace how Melbourne supporters just put kids down like frawley who have a red hot crack because they want to play for the team not the money! its his frst year ffs!! we weren't expecting him to play this many games.

Can hardly blame Frawley.

Firstly, Corey Jones is not his ideal match-up. Bell would have gotten the job if he wasn't injured.

Secondly, how about some encouragement for the kid, who has played less than 10 games. He is getting big jobs each week, and taking it in his stride.

Jones had too much pace for him, not to mention the service he received from the Kangaroos' midfield.

Frawley has what it takes to be a very good player, and he will be a very good player. And it's games like today, when he struggles and is made to play out the entire match on a very good opponent, where he will learn the most. Playing on sub-standard opposition in the VFL won't fast- track his development the way playing in the AFL will.

He won't always beat his opponent, he'll probably struggle many more times in his career, but it's all part of a learning curve.

Robbo and Neita should be given the rest of the year off. Neither are fit, neither are helping our cause.

And welcome back Moloney. Did some excellent things and proved that he is nowhere near gone, just because he's had a minor set-back with his OP recovery

No _ i'm coaching juniors (U16) on a Sunday arvo, but I watched from about 20 mins first quarter to the bitter end. Sunday AFL footy is hard for me to get to apart from school hols.

You have to watch differently over the next 6 weeks. Watch and see if Buckley, Frawley, Newton are likely to make it, watch and see if Brock learns to shake a tag, work out whether Miller does take his chance or should be traded. And be prepared to see a few more losses like today.

I just hope they make an opposition side feel like they've played a game - they just seemed a llittle soft - too many tackles broken

Chill out everyone.

I'm not blaming Frawley.

It's the three-word player analysis thread in which I gave my three-word player analysis of Frawley, and elaborated a little.

I didn't go through the whole team because I didn't feel the need - I touched on Frawley and Sylvia because they were the two that stood out the most for me, on opposite ends of the scale.. I don't mean for it to seem like I'm blaming that disgrace of a performance on him cos I'm definitely not.

I've been watching it over a few weeks, and I just think Frawley, who has now had a taste, would benefit from going back to Sandy and start perfecting what he's learnt so far cos at the moment he seems far too over-whelmed.

Tough game for me to watch all in laws are mad Roos supporters so sitting with them at the game was tough but we are doing what they did last year, playing kids and sending injuried players away for surgury.

On the game positives another game into Newton, Frawley, CJ and Buckley. Although Frawley was beaten tonight we still have got very good reseason to be excited about him, CJ great skills just can't get the footy, Newton looks better in the FF line got a little lost up the ground but had to play higher up the ground because Robbo can't run, Buckley I think he will be good, has pace good skills and got some footy tonight.

Negatives, our senior players, unaccountable and didn't look like they wanted to play

Robbo needs to be spelled for the remainder of the year, Brown should never play forward again in fact give him one more farewell game because he has earnt that, Ward gets the footy and gets hurt because he turns it over and his man usualy gets it o the rebound. Miller tries hard but if he is not a lead up CHF and not a defender where else can we play him. Neita first game back I will let him off tonight. White won a lot of hit outs tonight but hit them no where near our advantage. I can't wait for Bartram to be fit so we never have to watch Godders again, I respect Godfrey for what he has acheived with the limited ability he has, but he gets beaten by quicker players and offers us nothing besides a run with role.

Our Midfield, we need someone exciting in there all our midfielders are exactly the same, one paced, honest but we lack an exciting midfielder that can accelerate burst through packs and take on the opposition, Trav does offer this excitment when he gets the footy but is also one paced and inconsistant. Mclean, Jones, Sylvia, McDonald, Moloney, Green, Bruce all have one speed and not acceleration.

I didn't expect to win tonight but I expected to see us show a lot more than we did.

Our Midfield, we need someone exciting in there all our midfielders are exactly the same, one paced, honest but we lack an exciting midfielder that can accelerate burst through packs and take on the opposition, Trav does offer this excitment when he gets the footy but is also one paced and inconsistant. Mclean, Jones, Sylvia, McDonald, Moloney, Green, Bruce all have one speed and not acceleration.

i think pace in the midfield is quite important, but i dont see that as our problem.

when you lose, if you're not particularly quick it looks bad...but when we win the pace doesnt really seem like it is a factor.

our midfield of the future includes: johnstone, mclean, sylvia, moloney, jones, bartram, buckley and green.

we definitely need to add in atleast an extra 2 quick, skilled midfielders to that in the upcoming drafts, but that is a very solid basis to a midfield. our first pick in this years draft (pick 2-4) should be on the best midfielder available. if you add a gun midfielder to that group we look good.

The same things happened as they have happened every week, we play wide, our forwards then have to lead wide, or we stuff around with it until we either turn it over, or kick it to neitz and robbo with 3 guys hanging onto them. We refuse to shepard for the player with the ball, we never block our opponents so our ball winners can get fre at stoppages, we always run backwards looking to handball instead of pumping it inside 50 so the forwards get to compete 1 on 1, our skills are so bad we cant even hit a target by foot with little to no pressure ar handball it to someone 10 meters away, we can kick it to a player and make him stop and wait for it though, if only that was a skill required in the game.

i know we have had our fair share of injuries,probably the most significant of the last 10 years to affect a core playing group in the afl. but, these guys play the game we love and get paid very well to do it and why is it that i constantly ask my fellow supporters why we chip the ball around,handball to players under pressure, why they cannot hit a target at the highest level, why we never kick long to a forward option ,and last of all, why we persist in playing has-beens instead of youth. experience? who needs experience when you have only won 3 games? im talking names such as miller,brown,godfrey and ward. pack your bags boys, off to the vfl for you guys. im sick of watching dumb crap football which is a disgrace to the afl. i feel sorry for the hard working players at the club who actually give a [censored] about the jumper instead of a pay cheque. yes,we lost,got belted in fact by a clearly better, well drilled unit with less funds than us, less members and facilities but they have one thing the mfc lacks; spirit. i can understand players have bad games, things dont go the way you would have liked, but why im am so disgusted that we just gave up is the expression on robbo's face during the game and after. i felt exactly the way he did, [censored] off. at the start of the game both teams have the same amount of players. everyone is accountable for a player. it seems we only had about 6 players and they had about 30. i gave up this season a few weeks ago, but deep down i thought we had a little fire in the belly, i guess i was wrong. thats all i have to say. :angry: :angry:

Ill say it again Chris Johnson is hopeless..............................................................

If Nathan Brown isnt dropped next week then thats a disgrace...

Moloney was great in his limited opportunaties and Syliva, Jonsey were awesome in the first half.

throw in passable performances from Bizzell, Buckley and Newton and the rest were shocking.....

ALL players are individually responsible for their performances. Neitz is our fantastic captain, but the game is far too fast for him now. He also must contribute to our on field performance and he is not doing it. I love him but he is not worth his place in the side at present probably due as much to injury as anything else. The poor fella is just not fit. He should not play again this year and I see an off the bench roll for him in 2008. And please dont give the old reasoning of him making other players walk taller when he plays. This has certainly not been the case at all this season. Ahh , if only he was a 27 y o again.

Depending on how Juice goes for the rest of the season, and if he fires during the NAB cup next year, i'd start Newton at FF, then rotate him with Neitz.

Brown - no place in AFL for someone who cant kick 30m

Carroll - Only plays well at the MCG

Bizzell - Never should have been dropped

Wheatley - Average game but least he can kick

Ward - Is passionate about MFC but struggled tonight

C. Johnson - Still yet to shown anything

Green - Needs to be played loose man in Defence

Moloney - was awesome in limited opportunities

Buckley - Show some speed and potential late

Godfrey - Was useless.

Miller - Too slow and has no confidence

McDonald - Average game for junior

Sylvia - Would thrive under Vossy and big pre-season

McLean - Needed to find more room

Frawley- A learning curve

Jones - great in and under but needs to work on kicking

Newton - Shows potential but very slow

Robertson - Tries hard but is a hog

Neitz - Still our leader but struggling with delivery inside 50

White - Needs to work harder

P. Johnson - Needs to work harder

Bate - Needs to play forward not midfield

Things we need to improve now to begin a successful return!!!!!!!!!!!!

Need to create space in our forward line and block opposition forward line

Our midfielders when they win clearances just bomb it into forward line without looking which achieves nothing

We are too slow to move the ball on and then kick wide inside 50

Backline desperately requires a quarterback... PLAY BRAD GREEN AS LOOSE MAN FFS!!!!

We are slow all over the field. Take Flash and Belly we have absolutely no speed

We lack skill in midfield. Only Chook, Wheatley, Maloney, Col and TJ have penetrative kicks

Need to learn to kick long and back our players

Need to never consider selecting Brown again

Need to play Bate as permanent forward and not a midfielder

i think pace in the midfield is quite important, but i dont see that as our problem.

when you lose, if you're not particularly quick it looks bad...but when we win the pace doesnt really seem like it is a factor.

Ofc pace a problem. It's why Davey is constantly played up the ground despite us lacking other small forward options (ie. Brown playing forward), and - while not in the midfield - why Ward gets a gig most weeks.

our midfield of the future includes: johnstone, mclean, sylvia, moloney, jones, bartram, buckley and green.

we definitely need to add in atleast an extra 2 quick, skilled midfielders to that in the upcoming drafts, but that is a very solid basis to a midfield. our first pick in this years draft (pick 2-4) should be on the best midfielder available. if you add a gun midfielder to that group we look good.

The argument wasn't that our midfield was no good, but simply that they're one-paced. Virtually all the players you've mentioned fit to a tee what drdrake was illustrating.

Neitz is our fantastic captain, but the game is far too fast for him now. He also must contribute to our on field performance and he is not doing it. I love him but he is not worth his place in the side at present probably due as much to injury as anything else. The poor fella is just not fit.

He's been worth his place in the side when fit, and when unfit worth his place at least some of the time.

When unfit he can also contribute by taking the opposition's best defender (leaving Robertson et al. to play on weaker opponents) and by creating a contest, rather than simply the 'walk tall' idea that you somewhat fairly deride.

Potential replacements are hardly lining up.

i constantly ask my fellow supporters why we chip the ball around,handball to players under pressure, why they cannot hit a target at the highest level, why we never kick long to a forward option ,and last of all, why we persist in playing has-beens instead of youth. experience? who needs experience when you have only won 3 games? im talking names such as miller,brown,godfrey and ward. pack your bags boys, off to the vfl for you guys. im sick of watching dumb crap football which is a disgrace to the afl. i feel sorry for the hard working players at the club who actually give a [censored] about the jumper instead of a pay cheque. yes,we lost,got belted in fact by a clearly better, well drilled unit with less funds than us, less members and facilities but they have one thing the mfc lacks; spirit.

Just quietly, I reckon some of the guy you've mentioned who play footy that's a 'disgrace to the AFL' are the same guys that 'actually give a [censored] about the jumper'.

just back on the frawley debate for a second, i felt that in one on one's he pretty much had jones covered which is a decent effort from the youngster. and secondly, i felt it was a necessary lesson for him to play on someone with a lot more toe than he has. when he becomes a key defender for us in a year we hopefully challenge for the flag, he'll no doubt need to know not only how to spoil one on one but also how to go with players who will be quicker than him

ALL players are individually responsible for their performances. Neitz is our fantastic captain, but the game is far too fast for him now. He also must contribute to our on field performance and he is not doing it. I love him but he is not worth his place in the side at present probably due as much to injury as anything else. The poor fella is just not fit. He should not play again this year and I see an off the bench roll for him in 2008. And please dont give the old reasoning of him making other players walk taller when he plays. This has certainly not been the case at all this season. Ahh , if only he was a 27 y o again.

Yes. Was very obvious lastast night in particular as Neita's direct opponent was one of Roos best and very mobile - tipped as all australian FB for 2007..

I doubt Neita would have played is wasnt trying to get to 300 this year!

Frawley - not the answer... the term 'headless chook' springs to mind.. I'm all for 'playing the young kids' but really, come on, he is completely lost out there and what it's doing if anything is killing his confidence rather than building it

Agreed. Might be a good player in the future, but now is not the time. He needs to stay at Sandy for a bit longer and learn a bit more before he is ready to step in to the big league.

Don't blame Frawley - it was coming in too easily - and watch the entire game !!!!

Rubbish. There were at least six occasions where he could have punched the ball away quite easily. The kid has to learn to play in front, not behind. Playing behind he will get smashed every single time.

It was coming in pretty bloody easily though.......

The mass clangers and turn overs in the mid field and the staggeringly ineffective attempts to enter our forward fifty were putting our already less than stellar and undermanned defence under an enormous amount of pressure. Hard for any defence to stop when the ball is either raining down on your head or being delivered with the speed that it was. I'm sure they all tried their best, but sometimes it was just too easy for the opposition.

Frawley had a dirty afternoon and was probably our least effective defender, and while I understand your call for him to learn at Sandy, right now we as a team actually don't really have that option to tick, given the personnel we are missing. Besides he can, and hopefully will, learn from yesterday.

But any defence nearly always needs help from its midfield, and yesterday (same as last week) there unfortunately really wasn't any to speak of !!!

Just quietly, I reckon some of the guy you've mentioned who play footy that's a 'disgrace to the AFL' are the same guys that 'actually give a [censored] about the jumper'.