In today's Herald Sun. We have been listed as equal favourite with the Richmond scum for the wooden spoon. The report acknowledges that we have a young and talented list. Clearly the punters have no idea what they're on about!!

As I see it, the following clubs should finish below us:

Carlton (not quite yet)

Richmond (need I say more)

Adelaide (ageing list, Ricciuto gone, no forwards)

Sydney (I honestly can't see them making the 8 next year)

Kangaroos (I probably shouldn't write them off - but I am)

1-8 - Melbourne $4

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16 - Essendon $5

Lock it in.

In today's Herald Sun. We have been listed as equal favourite with the Richmond scum for the wooden spoon. The report acknowledges that we have a young and talented list. Clearly the punters have no idea what they're on about!!

Based on who we managed to get onto the park this season that would be a rasonable call - of course with most of the injuries sorted and the changes in the list it seems unreasonable. It should be like getting a 3/4 new team out there.

Betting is a mugs game!!

Spoon for the Demons? HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

No chance

Oh man, that is funny

A fully fit Aaron Davey, guided by the great Dean Bailey, is enough to ensure we stay off the bottom

Kangaroos to finish lower than us is a sure bet.

Seriously, I have no problems if people are picking us for the spoon. Clubs will not fear playing Melbourne in the opening rounds of 2008 and I reckon that could be an advantage to us, ie- mindset of other clubs.

I can see where their coming from in tipping us for the spoon. If you read Big Footy, here are a number of reasons why the Dees will win the spoon:

*New coach

*Loss of TJ

*Too much reliance on Neitz, Robbo, Bruce and JMac (too bad they forgot about 10 others )

*Won 5 games last year

*No defence

(too bad no opposition fans didn't factor our horror injury run of 2007)

And here is why other teams won't win the spoon according to the same flogs:

Richmond - Kids improved out of sight towards the end of the year, and started to win games (Coll and Ess)

Carlton - The arrival of Judd and Hadley plus the return of Stevens and the emergence of No 1 draft picks

Essendon - Llyod and Lucas alone will ensure the bombers avoid the spoon.

My stance is that we won't win the spoon but we also won't make finals either. 9th-11th is a realistic target considering our past year.

I am wrapped that we have been touted as wooden-spooners.... MFC has a tradition of excelling in years when the expectations are low and then failing when expectations are high.

And lets not forget that next year is not only an 'even' year but also an Olympic Year..... All the ingredients are there for at least a Grand Final appearance!!!!

honestly who cares abou the odds...remember when we were the red hot favs to score Chris Judd

I wonder if they had the Pies and Roos for the spoon in 2007.

i dont think we'll come bottom next year. we simply have too much talent for that. if we can have a decent run of injuries, we will certainly will ATLEAST 8-10 games.

however i can't see us anywhere near the top4 next year. our senior players simply aren't good enough.

our best shot at a flag/top4 will be in 2 years time when Mclean, Sylvia, Jones, Bate, Rivers, Pettard, Davey and Bell are our senior players. We will also have to have developed a premiership looking spine by then, with Frawley, Rivers, Newton, Bate and Hopefully Morton all maturing into strong key position players.

The fact that a 31-year old in Junior has won our last two B&F's is an indication of where our list is at.

Virtually all of our senior list are well past their best - White, Neitz, Yze, Holland, McDonald, Robbo, Green, Bruce, ... the list goes on, have played their best footy. You could easily add Moloney, Carroll, Wheatley and Miller to that list.

Frawley, Garland, Bode and Buckley have shown little, if anything.

$4 with the Toigs is about right. I love the Dees, but FFS get realistic.

As i see it

*Loss of TJ

* Robbo and neitz vital to forward line

* 5 games won last year

* Worst defence in afl with carroll worst FB

We will improve but i hope to god we come 16. I wanna pick up the fijian player who is explosive. After this year if we come 16 we can really get our act toghether and be a premiership contender. Im prepared to sacrifise another year. We have always been pretenders in recent years and im sick of being the team to make up the numbers. Bring on 09

Dunno how you can say Carroll is the worst Full Back, he was considered for AA in 2006

Carlton, Kangaroos, Collingwood, Hawthorn, Fremantle and St.Kilda are just the teams off the top of my head that wouldnt mind Carroll at FB

The fact that a 31-year old in Junior has won our last two B&F's is an indication of where our list is at.

Virtually all of our senior list are well past their best - White, Neitz, Yze, Holland, McDonald, Robbo, Green, Bruce, ... the list goes on, have played their best footy. You could easily add Moloney, Carroll, Wheatley and Miller to that list.

Frawley, Garland, Bode and Buckley have shown little, if anything.

$4 with the Toigs is about right. I love the Dees, but FFS get realistic.

I'll agree with your comments about White, Neitz and Yze, but the rest is ill-informed:

McDonald - How can he be past his best if he's won the last 2 b&f's?

Green & Bruce - Are both at an age when players are considered to be at their prime.

Moloney - How old do you think he is?

Holland, Carroll, Wheatley, Miller - Past their best or not up to it?

Frawley, Garland - KPPs with 1 season under their belt. Heard of the term player development?

Bode, Buckley - Not superstars, but showed enough to warrant a place on our list.

The players that you should have included are Warnock and Weetra.

We will improve but i hope to god we come 16.

It will be hard to come 16th if we improve. I can't believe the tank talk has started.

Kangaroos to finish lower than us is a sure bet.

Seriously, I have no problems if people are picking us for the spoon. Clubs will not fear playing Melbourne in the opening rounds of 2008 and I reckon that could be an advantage to us, ie- mindset of other clubs.

I can see where their coming from in tipping us for the spoon. If you read Big Footy, here are a number of reasons why the Dees will win the spoon:

*New coach

*Loss of TJ

*Too much reliance on Neitz, Robbo, Bruce and JMac (too bad they forgot about 10 others )

*Won 5 games last year

*No defence

(too bad no opposition fans didn't factor our horror injury run of 2007)

BB Powell

no one has factored in that we wont have a **** game plan at start of the year!!!!! Totally unsuitable game plan in 2007 and the total inability to put it successfully into any positive effect right fro first NAB game against the Dawks was main reason MFC won only 5 games in 2007. This was compounded by lot of injuries of course.

With almost totally new coaching staff and several players rested and repaired prior to end of 2007 season there is every reason to suggest noticeable improvement in 2008. Note that after evry poor year under ND the team has performed well the following year.

However I also am very happy if no one else rates MFC for 2008. Take every advantage we can!!!!

The fact that a 31-year old in Junior has won our last two B&F's is an indication of where our list is at.

Virtually all of our senior list are well past their best - White, Neitz, Yze, Holland, McDonald, Robbo, Green, Bruce, ... the list goes on, have played their best footy. You could easily add Moloney, Carroll, Wheatley and Miller to that list.

Frawley, Garland, Bode and Buckley have shown little, if anything.

$4 with the Toigs is about right. I love the Dees, but FFS get realistic.

WHOA! Just a TOUCH harsh...

Mcdonald - Could at any time start to slide... But my feeling is he'll keep going a while yet. He's not scary enough for opposition teams to hunt him, and there's no reason, given his career arc, why he couldn't keep playing the way he's playing into his early-mid thirties... But yes... odds are he'll wane sooner rather than later.

Robbo is still young enough to smash teams, and could easily win our goal-kicking.

Green and Bruce are not past their best. Bruce can continue at a high rate for another 2-3 years, especially given his late start. Green hasn't even peaked yet I reckon.

Moloney, if he got his body right, is MILES from his best footy. His problem isn't that he's played his best year, it's just injury.

Carroll is fine... He won't get a whole lot better, but he won't get worse either. He's tough as old boots.

harsh on Frawley too. He showed a bit, and will be useful next year while not dominating... he is young...

Other than that I agree. I'm pretty sure we won't win the spoon unless we have a horror run with injury again. If we DO have a year like last year, I reckon we could give it a shake... Depth is a problem at this stage witrh such a young list.

Jones, Bate, and Davey were in the top 5 in the Bluey.

That's a pretty good sign considering Essendon's B&F was dominated by Hird, Fletcher (32), McVeigh (27), & Lucas(30).

We will be very competitive next year, and we'll still be there at the end of August.

Jones, Bate, and Davey were in the top 5 in the Bluey.

That's a pretty good sign considering Essendon's B&F was dominated by Hird, Fletcher (32), McVeigh (27), & Lucas(30).

Or indicative of a terrible season.

You're right about the Bombers though. They got good seasons out of their best 6 and were still mediocre. Wooden spoon material for me.

I am wrapped that we have been touted as wooden-spooners.... MFC has a tradition of excelling in years when the expectations are low and then failing when expectations are high.

And lets not forget that next year is not only an 'even' year but also an Olympic Year..... All the ingredients are there for at least a Grand Final appearance!!!!

You forgot 150th Birthday

Dunno how you can say Carroll is the worst Full Back, he was considered for AA in 2006

Carlton, Kangaroos, Collingwood, Hawthorn, Fremantle and St.Kilda are just the teams off the top of my head that wouldnt mind Carroll at FB

Too right he was named AA Full Back for WA that year

Or indicative of a terrible season.

You're right about the Bombers though. They got good seasons out of their best 6 and were still mediocre. Wooden spoon material for me.

It's also indicative of the fact that several key players weren't on the field for big parts of the year and therefore didn't steal votes - it's a good thing that kids are the ones who excelled the most in the absence of the more talented senior players (see Rivers, Moloney, McLean, Neitz, Bartram, Petterd, Bruce, Sylvia, Yze, Robertson and Whelan - who ALL missed at least 6 games and SIX of them missed 12 or more) put it this way what if it had been Brown, Ward and Godfrey that had finished in the top5 of the B+F???

It's also indicative of the fact that several key players weren't on the field for big parts of the year and therefore didn't steal votes -

Thanks Captain O.

Thanks Captain O.

Well that's not what you said, is it mate? <_<

Well that's not what you said, is it mate? <_<

Some things are implied.

Some things are implied.

Well I interpreted your words as an implication that these kids were only our best players because the side is awful, so either make yourself more clear or don't carry on like a clever orophis. cheers

Well I interpreted your words as an implication that these kids were only our best players because the side is awful

I can't be bothered doing a Dappa Dan.

Most supporters understand 2007. But thanks for your input.

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