IT HAPPENED

In: Whelan, Bate, Garland, Buckley

Out: Dunn

Much ado about nothing

What!!

HAHA WHAT A JOKE!

So much for the round 6 deadline.. BAILEY YOU LIED TO US!!!

IT HAPPENED

In: Whelan, Bate, Garland, Buckley

Out: Dunn

Much ado about nothing

More THE COMEDY of ERRORS for mine.

Melbourne Squad

Backs: J. Frawley, N.Carroll, M.Whelan

Half backs: C. Bartram, J.Rivers, C. Sylvia

Centreline: A. Davey, B. McLean, P.Wheatley

Half forwards: C. Morton, R.Robertson, N. Jones

Forwards: B.Green, B.Miller, A.Wonaeamirri

Followers: J.White, J.McDonald, C. Bruce

Interchange from: M.Bate, D.Bell, S.Buckley, C.Garland, M.Jamar, B.Moloney, M.Warnock

Team Changes

In: Matthew WHELAN, Matthew BATE, Colin GARLAND, Simon BUCKLEY

Out: Lynden DUNN (omitted)

if this is the [censored] that they are gonna serve up, then please cut Bell, Jamar and Moloney from the bench.

Id like it as Bate, Buckley, Garland and Warnock

Some fresh faces!

Melbourne Squad

Backs: J. Frawley, N.Carroll, M.Whelan

Half backs: C. Bartram, J.Rivers, C. Sylvia

Centreline: A. Davey, B. McLean, P.Wheatley

Half forwards: C. Morton, R.Robertson, N. Jones

Forwards: B.Green, B.Miller, A.Wonaeamirri

Followers: J.White, J.McDonald, C. Bruce

Interchange from: M.Bate, D.Bell, S.Buckley, C.Garland, M.Jamar, B.Moloney, M.Warnock

Team Changes

In: Matthew WHELAN, Matthew BATE, Colin GARLAND, Simon BUCKLEY

Out: Lynden DUNN (omitted)

Of this list I'd like to see Bell & Wheatley out for a rest.

FREMANTLE

B: Steven Dodd, Luke McPharlin, Byron Schammer

HB: Marcus Drum, Michael Johnson, Scott Thornton

C: David Mundy, Rhys Palmer, Ryan Crowley

HF: Garrick Ibbotson, Chris Tarrant, Dean Solomon

F: Ryan Murphy, Matthew Pavlich, Jeff Farmer

Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Des Headland, Peter Bell

Int (from):, Paul Duffield, Robert Warnock, Mark Johnson, Shaun McManus, Brock O’Brien, Andrew Foster, Daniel Gilmore

In: Chris Tarrant, Des Headland, Andrew Foster, Brock O’Brien, Robert Warnock, Paul Duffield, Mark Johnson

Out: Antoni Grover (injured), Roger Hayden (injured), Josh Carr (suspended), Clayton Hinkley (omitted

this looks like a team without hope of any kind.
Unless Jamar and White stay on the ground all the time, with either one in the forward line, [and White is disappointing in that role] there's simply no-one for the midfielders to kick it long to. Whilst long kicks may not be this coach's preference, they MUST be an option in some circumstances.
I really find it hard to encourage peole to attend this one

FREMANTLE
B: Steven Dodd, Luke McPharlin, Byron Schammer
HB: Marcus Drum, Michael Johnson, Scott Thornton
C: David Mundy, Rhys Palmer, Ryan Crowley
HF: Garrick Ibbotson, Chris Tarrant, Dean Solomon
F: Ryan Murphy, Matthew Pavlich, Jeff Farmer
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Des Headland, Peter Bell
Int (from):, Paul Duffield, Robert Warnock, Mark Johnson, Shaun McManus, Brock O’Brien, Andrew Foster, Daniel Gilmore

In: Chris Tarrant, Des Headland, Andrew Foster, Brock O’Brien, Robert Warnock, Paul Duffield, Mark Johnson

Out: Antoni Grover (injured), Roger Hayden (injured), Josh Carr (suspended), Clayton Hinkley (omitted

Firstly, the changes were going to come POST round 7, you know, since we have a week off after this week's match.

Secondly, the decisions the club were going to make post round 6 are more to do with players' future, who will remain on the list beyond 2008 and can therefore be signed on (if they are out of contract) etc... It is much more a list management thing as far as I understood it to be.

On field changes are going to happen each week regardless, but you achieve nothing by dropping a whole host of players and rattling an already unsettled team.

On form, Dunn deserves to be dropped. Yes it's disappointing for him, but he'll go back to the VFL for a couple of games and come back into the senior side when ready. We can't expect them to drop under-performing senior players, but keep playing kids who are struggling. Nobody deserves preferential treatment.

Anyways, lets wait and see who else gets dropped.

Bench should be: M.Bate, M.Jamar, B.Moloney, M.Warnock

With a heavy heart I think Bell needs a week in the VFL just to get some of his touch back, and there is just no way Warnock deserves to be dropped after his game last week.

All jokes about poor form aside, there's 15+ blokes that deserved to be dropped. The guys singled out each week (Buckley, Moloney, Dunn, even Yze) are a bit unlucky. They seem to be copping it in the neck ahead of guys who are far more out of touch.

Then again you can't make 15 changes a week. I dunno, I just reckon those three have been stiff.

Firstly, the changes were going to come POST round 6, you know, since we have a week off after this week's match.

It's round 7 this week.

It's round 7 this week.

I meant post Round 7, I just typed round 6 because I've pretty much lost track of how many games we haven't won this year.

MELBOURNE

B: Frawley, Carroll, Whelan

HB: Bartram, Rivers, Moloney

C: Davey, McLean, Wheatley

HF: Morton, Robertson, Jones

F: Green, Miller, Wonaeamirri

FOLL: White, McDonald, Bruce

I/C: Jamar, Bate, Garland, Warnock

EMG: Buckley, Bell,

IN: Whelan, Bate, Garland

OUT: Dunn, Bell, Sylvia (hamstring)

MELBOURNE

B: Frawley, Carroll, Whelan

HB: Bartram, Rivers, Moloney

C: Davey, McLean, Wheatley

HF: Morton, Robertson, Jones

F: Green, Miller, Wonaeamirri

FOLL: White, McDonald, Bruce

I/C: Jamar, Bate, Garland, Warnock

EMG: Buckley, Bell,

IN: Whelan, Bate, Garland

OUT: Dunn, Bell, Sylvia (hamstring)

very surprised to see bell dropped... although I'm not completely surprised... has no awareness when he has the ball, and I think this would be very important in the way bailey wants the team to play...

good to see bate back in, and really sucks to lose Col. Sylvia to a hammie...

With that bench there's no hope of achieving 119 rootations. Could it be that the game plan has undergone a modification towards a more defensive bias?

My million dollar question is "will Colin Sylvia ever play more than 5 consecutive games without injury?" Poor guy can't take a trick. No wonder he is under-performing.

My million dollar question is "will Colin Sylvia ever play more than 5 consecutive games without injury?" Poor guy can't take a trick. No wonder he is under-performing.

Melbourne Team

Backs: J. Frawley, N.Carroll, M.Whelan

Half backs: C. Bartram, J.Rivers, P.Wheatley

Centreline: A. Davey, B. McLean, B.Moloney

Half forwards: C. Morton, R.Robertson, N. Jones

Forwards: B.Green, B.Miller, A.Wonaeamirri

Followers: J.White, J.McDonald, C. Bruce

Interchange: M.Bate, M.Warnock, C.Garland, M.Jamar

Emergenicies: S.Buckley, D.Bell, L.Dunn

Team Changes

In: Whelan, Bate, Garland

Out: Bell (Omitted), Dunn (Omitted), Sylvia (Hamstring)

I didn't say Bell looks lost and, to be clear, I don't think he looks lost. I said his mistakes are critical - because they give away goals. FWIW, I don't think Bell would be lost in the midfield at all, I think he'd come into his own after some time - but I also agree that DB won't be experimenting in any ongoing fashion during the home and away.

Perhaps you'll agree that Bartram is no more a 'tagger' than Dunn is - which is to say, both have been used as periodic taggers throughout the season. But while Dunn has also spent time across the half-forward flank, Bartram has been used on the rebound out of defence - almost as much as Bell (Bell 17 r50s, Bartram 13 - by contrast, the other two 'taggers', McDonald and Dunn, have 10 and 6 r50s).

To be honest, I don't care where Bell or Bartram play, so long as they play well.

They've both played consistently poor football this season. Bell has been better than Bartram, but has nonetheless regressed from last year. I wouldn't be sorry to see either or both of them dropped. Warnock looked good in defence last week, and while I've only seen Buckley run fast and butcher his kicks, I would not mind seeing him used more extensively on the rebound out of defence in a few more games. He's faster than Bartram but AFAIK can't tag - and neither seem to be able to kick.

Hmm.

I'm going t go ahead and just give you this one, as I've not read the games the way you have, but haven't been around to do that...

Though in my opinion, there are about 6 guys who need to be dropped ahead of Bell. He's ok. Just under the pump. He's either a part of our future or he's trade bait. Either way we have to play him to get his price up or get him steady in defence for when Wrecker goes... I also rate his disposal. EVERYONE'S kicking badly, Bell's bad but not as bad as some. And he has literally no targets.

And as for Bartram, I've seen him improve week by week. Put in Buckley we'll see much the same stuff we have so far. Some scintillating stuff and some trash... mostly though, some terrible skill errors, which we don't need ANY more of. Bartram's the closest of a fairly skill-less set of youngsters, bereft of confidence. He also has the runs on the board as a player...

But like I said, I'll defer to you. You sound like you've applied a bigger microscope...

My million dollar question is "will Colin Sylvia ever play more than 5 consecutive games without injury?" Poor guy can't take a trick. No wonder he is under-performing.

This is probably the last straw with me and Silv. I was giving him this season to show some class, or at least some solidity... I was impressed with him against the Blues. Very impressed in parts, but this hammy just convinces me he's just not going to play a part in any real demons revival. Maybe as a Vardy-like presence one day... but only equally as injury prone. And he wouldn't even be worth trading at the end of the year.

Maybe there's something in the Judd thing where he needs the facilities. He gets over the OP and is playing his best footy. Col isn't even close to playing his best, and if we traded him we'd get a third rounder at best, and then he'd go on to star with WC or whoever had the medical side at the cutting edge. I dunno... It's just a guess...

Anyhoo. This sucks. We have to play SO many players I'd just as soon get rid of tomorrow.

Ffs when is Buckley going to be given another go ?????

At least he has a crack and surely has served his time at Beach Rd

I know his disposal at times is not the best but he seems to break lines and get something going

Though in my opinion, there are about 6 guys who need to be dropped ahead of Bell. He's ok. Just under the pump. He's either a part of our future or he's trade bait.

A coach doesn't have to play anyobody.

Put simply, Bell will never play in a premiership. His awareness and footy smarts aren't AFL standard. He's not part of the future and I doubt he's trade bait.

Melbourne Team

Backs: J. Frawley, N.Carroll, M.Whelan

Half backs: C. Bartram, J.Rivers, P.Wheatley

Centreline: A. Davey, B. McLean, B.Moloney

Half forwards: C. Morton, R.Robertson, N. Jones

Forwards: B.Green, B.Miller, A.Wonaeamirri

Followers: J.White, J.McDonald, C. Bruce

Interchange: M.Bate, M.Warnock, C.Garland, M.Jamar

Emergenicies: S.Buckley, D.Bell, L.Dunn

Team Changes

In: Whelan, Bate, Garland

Out: Bell (Omitted), Dunn (Omitted), Sylvia (Hamstring)

The bench looks great for rotation of the midfielders. Presume Moloney and Morton at least will start on the bench.

This is probably the last straw with me and Silv. I was giving him this season to show some class, or at least some solidity... I was impressed with him against the Blues. Very impressed in parts, but this hammy just convinces me he's just not going to play a part in any real demons revival. Maybe as a Vardy-like presence one day... but only equally as injury prone. And he wouldn't even be worth trading at the end of the year.

Maybe there's something in the Judd thing where he needs the facilities. He gets over the OP and is playing his best footy. Col isn't even close to playing his best, and if we traded him we'd get a third rounder at best, and then he'd go on to star with WC or whoever had the medical side at the cutting edge. I dunno... It's just a guess...

Anyhoo. This sucks. We have to play SO many players I'd just as soon get rid of tomorrow.

Not sure it is a hammy.. I thought he played the game out on the ground. He hurt his shoulder early in the game trying to clean Hooper (I think) out, he went off to get it restrapped and played the rest of the game... I think old Yoda has picked up Sheeds Essendon Flu tricks.

the whole facilites thing is a funny one i mean what is the actual difference between us and the "thems" with the best facilities. I'm sure we have access to doctors and physios the same as every club. If his body is not right then maybe it is just not right.

A coach doesn't have to play anyobody.

Put simply, Bell will never play in a premiership. His awareness and footy smarts aren't AFL standard. He's not part of the future and I doubt he's trade bait.

Do try not to be an oik.

Any number of incompetent fools have played in premierships.

Perhaps you could delineate for us precisely where the boundary lies between 'AFL-standard awareness and footy smarts', and 'not-quite-AFL-standard awareness and footy smarts'? Presumably you rely on similarity matrices and psychoanalysis as much as hot air?

Put simply, Bell will never play in a premiership. His awareness and footy smarts aren't AFL standard. He's not part of the future and I doubt he's trade bait.

i really hope i'm wrong about Bell, but he appears to be another horrible early draft selection by c.c

even if he does become a good footballer, he's the type of player you could pick up in the 30-50 region of the draft. after watching as much of him as i pressume c.c did as a junior, he should have known that.

Oh no...not Garland!!

Oh no...not Garland!!

Sylvia out sucks. it really does - I think its just plain unlucky to sustain so many hamstring/OP injuries. just when he was getting somewhere.

Surely he deserves a full season to show his stuff.