Some new breath needed up front

[beelzebub 23,380]

We certainly were found wanting up the sharp end today ( against the Kitties) . A few goalsl coming from improbable sources.. .

Neeta cant hold a mark most the time.. quite lamentable to be frank, almost emabarrasing at worst. Robbo ONLY wants to take a speccy.. and as a Hawker mate reminded me this weekend..he thought him simply Fat and Slow agaisnt them..I found it hard to argue.

There is no pizaz..no fire.. nothing really on the forward end to finish off the occasional thrusts we get right..

Right under our nose we have a bit of a goal-wizard.

Its time to bring in MARIC !!

[Jaded No More 68,965]

Our forward line, once our strength, is currently our biggest weakness.

We have 2 dinosaurs who can barely take a mark these days, and a lack of crumbers.

Sylvia tries to play like a big man, when he could in fact make his mark by playing low and pressuring the defenders on the ground.

I thought Aussie showed a lot of endeavor, but he needs to play closer to goal.

At the moment we are struggling badly to take contested marks up forward, and when the ball hits the ground, it gets cleared out far too easily. Our forward pressure in the first quarter today was great, then it died. Why? Was it because we were pushing numbers behind the ball in an effort to stop an onslaught of goals?

By the way, the forward delivery, if it wasn't so incredibly crap half the time, would also help the forwards enormously. Time and time again we kick into the hole where 2 Geelong defenders would happily mark and stroll the ball out casually.

Maybe permanently resting Jones/McLean at the feet of the FF is the way to go, at least until Maric is ready to play.

Bringing Newton into that forward line is only going to make the situation worse. If we want Newton, one of Robbo or Neita has to go.

[beelzebub 23,380]

Maric is just as ready as Aussie.. seriously!!

[Cards13 9,117]

Maric didn't kick a goal yest but maybe BeachRoadBazza can fill us in if he played ok. From what we've heard he sounds like he could be a good one for us, was disappointed he didn't play this week to be honest.

Valenti kicked another 3 yest he might be an option if we can get him on the list (read yze retire)

[Jaded No More 68,965]

Maric is just as ready as Aussie.. seriously!!

Maric is still going to school everyday, and I wonder if that causes him to miss some training sessions as a result.

Aussie has a LOT more meat on him than Maric as well, in fact Aussie looks like he could eat Maric for lunch!

However if Maric can continue to impress at Sandy, he will get his turn, don't you worry. Bailey is not exactly shy about playing the kids.

[Anders 14]

Without knowing much about him what have we got to lose? Our forwardline is Neitz conscious, our delivery to Neitz was terrible today too. Robbo was just about worst on ground today, he provided nothing

[beelzebub 23,380]

Maric is still going to school everyday, and I wonder if that causes him to miss some training sessions as a result.

and he still has more inate talent in his left middle toe than those up the front at present !!

[beelzebub 23,380]

Aussie and Maric are two different players for two different parts of the ground.. Give Aussie a bit of space..and his balance and skills are good.. Dont fence him in.

Maric..well ive seen him in close quarters.. for a small bloke he's quite clever....really.

[beelzebub 23,380]

Imagine todays effort...if only we had had a modicum of forward fire power.

From our nominated forward line..the grand score of.........1 goal 4 behinds.. I kid you not !!!!!!

How the hell does anyone expect us to win games if ( and for a change no disrepaect to him ) Bruce is the leading goal kicker for the day.

Something has to change...and quick...if we are to actually score anything resembling a WINNING total !!

[Yencks 8]

you can hold me to it but i seriously dont think marric will get a game this year, im sorry if it dissapoints you and you cant wait, but he is doing year 12 at a private school, and i know when xavier ellis went to melbourne grammar after bieng taken at pick 5 just before his VCE year, he played no games for the hawks or their reserves and missed a lot of trainings due to class...there was actually a hawthorn trainer that used to go to the school to take him through trainings during spare periods and lunch times...

i just dont think that marric will be able to fit in a game this year because his first priority at a school like essendon grammar will be finishing VCE and playing school league footy, i think its the AGS league

Melbourne were aware of this when they drafted him

I might be wrong, but this is the way i see it, so im just asking people not to get their hopes up just yet

[drdrake 3,178]

It's not our small forwards or Key forwards are the concern. Newton is only every going to be a second maybe third tall forward and reminds me of Robbo, high flying but lacks work ethic.

Our present listed Key forwards

Neitz, Robertson, Miller, Holland, Dunn, Newton, Garland. Not much here to get excited about

A rookie may turn out to be our best option, Zomer 196cm 93kg kicked 7 yesterday.

[rpfc 28,502]

Robbo should be nervous with Maric.

I wonder what DB and JM think.

[Yencks 8]

i have a feeling that newton will look like a possibly good draft pick trade at the end of the year...especially if other clubs look at a highlight real

[Geddy Lee 582]

Remove Neitz and go Newton, have Neita as 2nd forward, get Maric in and Robbo out, keep Davey up forward!!! Sylvia doesn't belong in the forward line, no matter what his fans think.

[Pepe Dee Pew 0]

No doubt we have to percerve with Newton. He can take a grab and is ok on the lead. We have put much time in to trade him now.

Hopefully as he matures his concentration will improve and he will cease 'downtime' during games. DB has hopes he will be a FF in time.

[Adzman 2,154]

Maric is a project player (so is Aussie, nearly fell off my chair when I heard he was playing- was great news!!!). Given Melbournes Struggles, I can see Bails throwing in a Smokey to let the old timers know they have to work for a spot.

Something needs to happen to our forwardlin NOW, but Maric is the magic man for 2009!

[52k2 0]

watching the game live today i was embarrassed for Neita, here is a man who has given his all to the MFC in more games than you can poke a stick at. But this year so far he is a pale shadow of his former self. cant get into a game is dropping simple chest marks on a weakly basis.

if there is no improvement in the next couple of weeks i would suggest he retire earily, i would hate my final impressions of him are as he is playing now not his record overall.

PJ for the bluey.

[DaveyJones'sLocker 647]

i didnt see much of the game... but the stats suggest that robbo didnt have that much of a shocker... but i will watch the game and find out

also im very surprised that maric or yze wernt included in todays side. we were always going to struggle for goals davey has been in poor form and aussie was on debut, we needed a goal sneak today.

[Demon16 69]

i didnt see much of the game... but the stats suggest that robbo didnt have that much of a shocker....

i'm afraid he did.

[drdrake 3,178]

Neitz it pains me to say but if he can't improve, which I think he can, but if he can't maybe fitting farewell game queens birthday, the big stage for one last time. I hope he can improve because he deserves to lead us on the ground against Geelong for our birthday match, that would be the best way to see him off.

[Tassie Devil 28]

Neitz it pains me to say but if he can't improve, which I think he can, but if he can't maybe fitting farewell game queens birthday, the big stage for one last time. I hope he can improve because he deserves to lead us on the ground against Geelong for our birthday match, that would be the best way to see him off.

Why wait that long?

[RickyBobby 0]

i'm afraid he did.

hell yeah he did a shocking start to the season for Robbo should be dropped and if he's not there's something wrong. Garland should also go and not play again till he's ready to have a crack. Uninterested is the word i'd use to sum up them two we don't need that. Add Sylvia to that list I just hope he has a few good games come year end so we get a bit of value come trade time.

That's my gripe for the day, on a positive note Morton is a natural footballer always seems to have time and uses the ball well, PJ continued his great form, Aussie looked threatening. Without dominating our backline looks alot more solid with Rivers and Bartram get Whelan in there and where starting to look alright in defence but as i alluded to in a previous thread our forward line is our major weakness atm.

[Go the Biff 3,434]

Haven't seen the game so my opinion carries little weight but if we structured up like we have for the past 18 months then we are farked. We have the worst forward set-up in the AFL and have had for a fair while. It's less a form & personnel issue than it is where they set-up & what they do when the ball goes out of the forward line.

For those bagging Neitz, I'd rather have him on one leg with his arm in a sling than a fully fit Newton. At least a crippled Neitz would try to give a contest.

[kramer 0]

yer but neitas job is to kick goals and at the moment hes not doing that

[Cards13 9,117]

It's not our small forwards or Key forwards are the concern. Newton is only every going to be a second maybe third tall forward and reminds me of Robbo, high flying but lacks work ethic.

Our present listed Key forwards

Neitz, Robertson, Miller, Holland, Dunn, Newton, Garland. Not much here to get excited about

A rookie may turn out to be our best option, Zomer 196cm 93kg kicked 7 yesterday.

The only issue with that is Zome's kicked the 7 in the Sandy 2nds... I think he mioght need to kick a few bags of 7 in the Sandy 1's before he comes through. Saunter sounds like he might have a few weeks off care of the tribunal so he might get his chance over the next few weeks.