Despite a 10 goal loss I still enjoyed a few things about Saturdays game.

Newton lifting in the second half and getting on his bike to win some possies up the ground after being starved of oppurtunities up forward.

Travis Johnstone displaying the poise of old, keeping his composure and taking the game on in tight situations

But most of all Byron Picketts tackling display. He laid 10 of the strongest, most violent tackles you will ever see in 1 match and with Davey being out it was just what was needed. Is 95% towards earning 1 more year IMO. A solid hard working game against the Blues this week would make it very hard for the new coach not to sign him for 1 more.

Personally i think he is worth keeping for 1 more year for that hard edge

Agree 100%

Ive always supported Pickett but I admit I was getting a little worried after I hear everyones opinions on how he plays on here. But now I realise..... Not number one football analysts on here.

His tackling has been fantastic and his 2nd efforts rule. Dont care if he gets 12 possies pergame. 2nd efforts and 1 percenters are the greatest assest to a team. Anyone who has ever played a part in a succesful team will know this. I assume most people on here have at least played the game consistently for a few many years. And for those who have been a part of succesful teams they will know how important those things are.

He laid 10 of the strongest, most violent tackles you will ever see in 1 match ......

His opponents would need to be standing next to him.

Frankly I could not care what sort of tackles they were (but most violent ), he is still under AFL condition and only got 11 touches of the pill.

Its a quality that befits a team that is playing off for the wooden spoon.

He is just making up numbers at the Club and has cheated one and all this year.

He can ponder his future at the end of Sunday because its not with MFC.

Despite a 10 goal loss I still enjoyed a few things about Saturdays game.

Newton lifting in the second half and getting on his bike to win some possies up the ground after being starved of oppurtunities up forward.

Travis Johnstone displaying the poise of old, keeping his composure and taking the game on in tight situations

But most of all Byron Picketts tackling display. He laid 10 of the strongest, most violent tackles you will ever see in 1 match and with Davey being out it was just what was needed. Is 95% towards earning 1 more year IMO. A solid hard working game against the Blues this week would make it very hard for the new coach not to sign him for 1 more.

Personally i think he is worth keeping for 1 more year for that hard edge

The only reason he had 10 tackles is because he couldn't get the ball! He is lucky we have so many injuries, othewise he wouldn't get a game.

He can ponder his future at the end of Sunday because its not with MFC.

Really do think your wrong. Not just saying it because I like arguing with you either.

I really do, 100% think your certainty will bite you on the backside.

Despite a 10 goal loss I still enjoyed a few things about Saturdays game.

Newton lifting in the second half and getting on his bike to win some possies up the ground after being starved of oppurtunities up forward.

Travis Johnstone displaying the poise of old, keeping his composure and taking the game on in tight situations

But most of all Byron Picketts tackling display. He laid 10 of the strongest, most violent tackles you will ever see in 1 match and with Davey being out it was just what was needed. Is 95% towards earning 1 more year IMO. A solid hard working game against the Blues this week would make it very hard for the new coach not to sign him for 1 more.

Personally i think he is worth keeping for 1 more year for that hard edge

I'm with you. If he can bring that state of mind with him next year and keep knuckled under from now until the 2008 bounce then I'd be happy to see him in red and blue again. He looks like he was enjoying being out there and that may well have been a major part of the problem ere.

Fitness can be regained, should he choose. Passion however, once lost is gone forever.

If the passion remains, and based on his efforts recently i think it does he can be a valuable contributor next year. Hard tackling and intimidation should not be underestimated particularly when he surrounded by fluff balls

It's a tough one Choppy, I mean, I love watching his fierce tackling, and it can really set a tone for the rest of the boys and make them lift ala the match vs. the dogs. However, like RR continually points out, there is a huge question mark over his fitness, but a big pre-season into him may fix that, if the fire is still in the belly you never know...

Fitness can be regained, should he choose. Passion however, once lost is gone forever.

If the passion remains, and based on his efforts recently i think it does he can be a valuable contributor next year. Hard tackling and intimidation should not be underestimated particularly when he surrounded by fluff balls

He would be one of the ultimate fluff balls

At 31 next year, his ability to regain fitness is highly doubtful. He got sacked from Port Power in 2005. He has turned up 2 seasons in a row fat, no football conditioning and overweight. He does not front to a game during the year because he was drunk. And you ask "if the passion remains?" His attitude is a cancer on the already questionable culture of this Club. Our ladder position reflects that.

He is only getting a game because we have 26 fit players. He is not best 22. He is an embarrassment against the footballer who won the NSM in 2004.

He was brought on to give us a harder edge especially around finals time. It was a worthy experiment but it has been a costly and embarrassing failure.

I am completely amazed that some posters celebrate the tiniest morsel of footy output and an overblown reputation for intimidation (useless if you cant run to a contest) from him as a misguided and soft basis to retain a player that has drastically failed the Club, his teammates and supporters in a big way.

He should be gone by next week.

He would be one of the ultimate fluff balls

At 31 next year, his ability to regain fitness is highly doubtful. He got sacked from Port Power in 2005. He has turned up 2 seasons in a row fat, no football conditioning and overweight. He does not front to a game during the year because he was drunk. And you ask "if the passion remains?" His attitude is a cancer on the already questionable culture of this Club. Our ladder position reflects that.

He is only getting a game because we have 26 fit players. He is not best 22. He is an embarrassment against the footballer who won the NSM in 2004.

He was brought on to give us a harder edge especially around finals time. It was a worthy experiment but it has been a costly and embarrassing failure.

I am completely amazed that some posters celebrate the tiniest morsel of footy output and an overblown reputation for intimidation (useless if you cant run to a contest) from him as a misguided and soft basis to retain a player that has drastically failed the Club, his teammates and supporters in a big way.

He should be gone by next week.

Even if he doesn't get the ball, he was still nominated by 3rd most intimidating player in the AFL in a players association poll this year.

Your obvious bias towards him makes your points seem stupid. If he had an outstanding game this week you would still say he sucked and everyone can tell that. He will not be gone. Only way he will be is if he demands another huge contract.

I have constantly thought about the negatives of Byron, he did stuff up, he was overweight, lets not forget how much he has dropped since the drink incident.

Since that incident he has been head down ass up and mostly everyone can see that. He doesn't want to not play footy, therefore the passion is there.

He stuffed up, he has lost multiple kilos since then as is playing pretty well. He knows he stuffed it and knows his career was nearly over, heard of a wake up call.

Give him a rest. Everyone else has.

I am completely amazed you would pass judgment on a fellow poster based on what they percieve to be an asset of value in a player.

Once again I think we'll agree to disagree.

BTW, that first line was meant to come across as sarcasm

I am completely amazed you would pass judgment on a fellow poster based on what they percieve to be an asset of value in a player.

Once again I think we'll agree to disagree.

BTW, that first line was meant to come across as sarcasm

The fact that we have very few hard nuts in the team might get Pickett another season. It might be ok to turn up to pre season training overweight when you are 25 but you cannot get away with it at 30.

They could offer Pickett a one year performance based contract with very rigouros fitness & weight guidelines he has to meet.

I am completely amazed you would pass judgment on a fellow poster based on what they percieve to be an asset of value in a player.

I didn't. I dont know you and I made no judgement on you.

Even if he doesn't get the ball, he was still nominated by 3rd most intimidating player in the AFL in a players association poll this year.

Wow! Sign him up to scare the kids in the other team. What a useless measure to justify a player on the list. At present he intimidates no one with his lack of fitness and conditions and embarrasses the Club.

The way you intimidate oppositions is by being hard in the contested situations, consistently winning the ball week after week, four quarter a game and using it well. Thats intimidation and that how you do it in AFL. There are other forms of aggression but they will get you penalties a la Baker.

.........lets not forget how much he has dropped since the drink incident.

Since that incident he has been head down ass up and mostly everyone can see that. He doesn't want to not play footy, therefore the passion is there.

It a credit to the low standards we accept that we are now celebrating the fact that he has dropped excess weight from mid year when he still does not have the match fitness to run out a game of football. We have to hide him in the forward pocket because he cant meet the pace in the midfield.

From his games at Sandy he was huffing and puffing after very little exertion. Its the same in the AFL.

If that's his passion then we should prefer others.

Pickett is worth another year under strict conditions regarding weight, skin folds, fitness etc.

He does intimidate opposition - the inferred pressure of him being in the vicinity causes turnovers. That happened on Sunday.

Yes he does need to do more than that and geting the pill and kicking goals clearly needs to be his number one priority and I think a fit Pickett is still capable of doing this.

Notwithstanding the injection of toughness we have tried to recruit into our list over the past few years we are still labelled soft and insepid and if we are going to have a crack at finals footy again next year then we will need imposing bodies like Pickett to contribute.

The way you intimidate oppositions is by being hard in the contested situations, consistently winning the ball week after week, four quarter a game and using it well.

Obviously not because if thats how you do it and you say he doesn't. Being nominated by the players means that isn't the way you become intimidating. "Scaring the kids", heard of the little saying "ffotsteps". Players get nervous, will drop a mark, rush a kick.

Obviously not because if thats how you do it and you say he doesn't. Being nominated by the players means that isn't the way you become intimidating. "Scaring the kids", heard of the little saying "ffotsteps". Players get nervous, will drop a mark, rush a kick.

It might be nice that instead of ffffffotsteps, he were to be intimidating with the football in his hand. What you are arguing is a nice to have as opposed as need to do. For all the intimidation he reeks, it shows for little unless opponents have a child memory of Garfield the cat.

He has always been a forward pocket. He isn't being hidden. Thats where he played in Ports Grand Final side. Didn't go in the midfield once.

Bollocks. Pickett has played all over the ground even at MFC. He would have been the first player to win the NSM from the FP. And he did not go in the midfield once? As I recall he made a number of seering runs off the backline through the midfield going forward.

You might like to watch the GF again and check your "facts".

Even if Pickett played a blinder next week, what's the point in keeping him?

He won't be around for our next flag, and isn't a key part of the side right now.

Thus, I conclude that it's a waste of space.

You might like to watch the GF again and check your "facts".

Was at the grand final that year Rhino Dickards. Streaming from the back is not the midfield. Its a running backmen. A midfielder, the word midfield is the players on the wing/on the ball. In the square at the beginning. He started in the forward line. Spent time down back, went forward and played for about another quarter in the pocket. Chasing and puting on forward pressure.

So because Nathan Brown runs through midfield that makes him our ruck roving midfielder does it?

Was at the grand final that year Rhino Dickards. Streaming from the back is not the midfield. Its a running backmen. A midfielder, the word midfield is the players on the wing/on the ball. In the square at the beginning. He started in the forward line. Spent time down back, went forward and played for about another quarter in the pocket. Chasing and puting on forward pressure.

So because Nathan Brown runs through midfield that makes him our ruck roving midfielder does it?

Spare me the name calling. Its childish, belittles you and your point of view and you should refer the Code of Conduct on this

So much for always playing in the forward pocket?

Did I say he was a midfielder? He played all over the ground.

Streaming from the backline can be the midfield but it certainly aint the FP.

Enjoy watching the 2004 GF again on video. Its amazing what you miss when you are at the game! B)

Indeed - as a forward pocket, it's tough to create rebound out of your 50 unless you're running the wrong way.

Didn't Greg Williams win a NSM in 95 for kicking 6 from a forward pocket?

Even if he doesn't get the ball, he was still nominated by 3rd most intimidating player in the AFL in a players association poll this year.

Your obvious bias towards him makes your points seem stupid. If he had an outstanding game this week you would still say he sucked and everyone can tell that. He will not be gone. Only way he will be is if he demands another huge contract.

I have constantly thought about the negatives of Byron, he did stuff up, he was overweight, lets not forget how much he has dropped since the drink incident.

Since that incident he has been head down ass up and mostly everyone can see that. He doesn't want to not play footy, therefore the passion is there.

He stuffed up, he has lost multiple kilos since then as is playing pretty well. He knows he stuffed it and knows his career was nearly over, heard of a wake up call.

Give him a rest. Everyone else has.

'Third most intimidating footballer'! Big f*****g deal. No, everyone hasn't forgotten what he did this season. One thing I have noticed with this horrible, can't wait for it to be over season. It is who has stood up to be counted.There is probably only half a dozen of them, not counting the injured ones. I'm afraid Bryon isn't in that select group. And a good coach won't have him on the list next season.

I assume most people on here have at least played the game consistently for a few many years. And for those who have been a part of succesful teams they will know how important those things are.

You wouldn't know - You've never been in a successful anything.

Oh, sorry - Your an aboriginal medical student from Melbourne. Well done...

Was at the grand final that year Rhino Dickards.

No you weren't. Stop making fights with people.

What's the point in making lies?

However, Byron Pickett is a great player & he did play well in that GF Rhino.

Melbourne would be MAD to delist the great man..!