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James Magner - Jimbo Rory Taggert - Taggo Mitch Clark - Clarko James Sellar - Sello Josh Tynan - Tyno Jai Sheehan - Jyro Leigh Williams - Willo Tom Couch - Tommo

Another exercise to while away the nauseatingly dull post-season. Who are your all-time favourite Melbourne players? Put them in a top 10 with the only criteria that you must have personally seen them play. ie. I'm aware of how good Barassi was - I've seen the video footage - but he won't be in mine as he's not of my era. And remember ... this is a top 10 of your favourite players to watch, not necessarily a top 10 of whom you considered the best players. They may have only been around for 40 games but captured your attention with the way they went about it. You may want to write a one sentence spiel for each player, or just type in their name only. Please also include the span of years you've been watching the MFC. Here we go ... _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Years watching: 1987 to 2011 Top 10 Favourite Players 1. Garry Lyon - Pure Class. Best player behind G.Ablett`Snr in the comp for a brief period in the early 90's. Great leader. 2. Allen Jakovich - A fat bummed, threshing machine of a goalkicker who must have been a nightmare to play on. 3. David Schwarz - Did things during the peak of his powers that were beyond even Carey. 4. Jeff Farmer - I think the most talented player I've seen in a red and blue guernsey. We so need an explosive player like him now. 5. Sean Wight - Desperation and courage in human form and dangerous at both ends of the ground. 6. Brett Lovett - Brilliant decision maker under pressure. Perfected the art of standing up in the tackle and giving off to advantage. 7. Jack Watts - His three or four sublime games this year have ignited my belief that we can win premierships this decade. 8. Rod Grinter - Underrated, un-Melbourne-like footballer who put fear into the opposition. Always first in to fly the flag. 9. Steven Stretch - The classic old school wingman. Silky skills, great high mark and a superb finisher on the run. 10. the Earl of Spalding - Ungainly but extremely effective KPP who epitomized the fighting spirit of the Northey era .

Someone has uploaded the full 2006 Qualifying Final against St Kilda on YouTube, and I know this is often regarded as McLean's best game but what stood out to me was his pace, he wasn't quick but he wasn't slow at all either, interesting to see how much he has changed.

An interesting exercise - damned hard to narrow it down to just 10. Well for me it is anyway. Saw my first game in the early 70's and there have been plenty of "good" and even "great" players pull on the red and blue guernsey over the journey. Not too many "champions" amongst them but they are favourites nonetheless. Here goes - in order of appearance only. 1. Paul Callery. Immediately identifiable on the field (at the first game I ever attended - Tangles Walker was playing too!!) because he looked like a kid out there playing with and against giants. He really was a short arse. I think he also used to do a fitness spot on TV in those days so he had a bit of a media profile at the time. A more than handy player who certainly punched above his weight due to his shortness of stature. 2. Stan Alves. Captain and a standout in a fairly average outfit at the time. The realities of the new "professional" era smacked me right in the face as a youngster when our skipper defected to North for the promise of both monetary riches and premiership glory in the mid 70's - I never quite felt the same about Stan after all the crap went down (North got done for "poaching") and we eventually lost him. Doesn't alter the fact that he was one of the best I have seen in the red and blue - so he goes in!! 3. Robbie Flower. What more can be said about possibly the best ever? The feats performed by this most unlikely type, with regular monotony I might add, on the football field really do beggar belief. I have vivid memories of Robbie slotting goals, post high, with drop punts from inside the centre square at the MCG - on a regular basis. He was the best I have seen no doubt and his unending loyalty to the MFC makes him an all time favourite of mine. 4. Greg Wells. Another standout during our lowly period in the 70's. Loved the way he went about it and he always seemed to have the footy. Like Alves before him, he also received an offer too good to refuse (this time from Carlton - we got the unfortunately unproductive duo of Catoggio and Young in return. Made the loss of Wells hurt so much more - like salt in an open wound) and he unfortunately finished his career elsewhere. Met him at the 'bool a few years ago - likes a punt and likes a beer. Good bloke. 5. Laurie Fowler. May seem a bit odd including a former Tiger in this list however he was a mainstay of our backline in the 70's and one tough unit. Never shirked an issue that I can recall. A couple of B&F's were a testament to his value to the team. Also, met him a few years ago when he ran the Wheelers Hill Hotel TAB. Softened the blow of losing money on the punt somewhat knowing it was going to a good cause!! 6. Garry Hardeman. One of our better players at the time and almost pulled off a surprise Brownlow win. Actually upped stumps at one point and relocated to SA and played for Sturt in the SANFL. Pretty sure it was a financial inducement that included an offer of a job (from memory he was a Printer by trade but was actually driving cabs in Melbourne at the time!!) that enticed him over the border. Despite his brief flirtation with time travel, Hardeman eventually returned to the MFC to play out the remainder of his career and was a very solid contributor still. 7. Garry Lyon. One of the best I've seen - great player and great leader. Not sure we even saw the very best of him due to injuries which makes his performances during his stellar career with the MFC even more remarkable in my view. Fiercely loyal to the MFC, he was an inspiration to his teammates and led us with distinction. A fine ambassador for the MFC to this day. 8. Brett Lovett. This bloke was seriously underrated I reckon. Not much in the way of foot speed but read the game far better than most and very little got passed him. Always kept his feet, stood firm under opposition attack and was as dependable as they come. A great example of someone getting the very best of themselves. 9. Jim Stynes. Probably the greatest footy story of all time - it has "Hollywood Script" written all over it. A true warrior on the field and simply dominated his opponents in his Brownlow year. His post-career contribution to the MFC can never be doubted but his contribution as a player should not be understated. His obvious pride in the jumper was plain for all to see - his durability unrivaled and he literally put his body on the line for the MFC time and time again. Words cannot do him justice - simply an inspiration on and off the field to all, whether a football follower or not. 10. David Schwarz. Saw this guy playing U19's for the Dees and he just owned it. The next week he was playing in the 2's - and he made them look silly too - treated his opponents with absolute contempt. Anyone who saw him just knew we had something special - and special he was. Such was his brilliance and his dominance, in my view the knee injuries that cut him down in is prime meant we were robbed of seeing one of the great careers of all time. Was as good as, if not better than Carey before the knee injuries cruelly struck him down - and most would rate Carey in the top 10 of all time, surely? Honorable mentions must go to Max Walker, Greg Parke, Big Carl Ditterich, Ray Biffin, Henry Coles, Stephen Smith, Gerard Healy, Alan Johnson, Greg Healy, Todd Viney, Sean Wight, Ricky Jackson, Darren Bennett, Allen Jakovich, David Neitz and Matthew Whelan. All of these players I considered favourites during their careers with the MFC - can't fit them all into the top 10 unfortunately. Hope I haven't forgotten anyone. No current day players make the cut - they still have work to do to be rated amongst those listed above. Deliver a Premiership and of course I will happily reconsider!! Apologies for the lengthy post - however, I could go on.....

Oh yeah,Decca had first crack at the Beatles!! I often wonder what happened to the old stuffy suit who did it!! You can just see the MD a few weeks later...."you did what?? You turned them down....YOU STUPID BASTARD!!!!!" sacked for life!!!

Two distinct themes here: older generation MFC supporters listing players I'll never see play and can't appreciate the value of, and younger generation MFC supporters listing players who played some good footy, but will never go down as greats of the game, largely due to their lack of real success. God this club needs a flag, and soon.

1. Robbie Flower -Sublime 2. Alan Jakovich - Exciting 3. Ron Barassi. - The Best 4. Diamond Jim Tilbrook - hope 5. Brian. Wilson - Class 6. Rod Grinter. - determination 7. Neil Crompton - Winner 8 david Neitz - CHB - All Australin 9. Jeff Farmer - unbelievable 10. Travis Johnstone - Match Winner Many more should be Top 20

James Magner Szubanski Rory Upload a Photo and Taggert Mitch The Fish Clark James EBay Sellar Jai Me Sheahanahan Leigh B Williams Tom Lazyboy Couch Josh Tynanasaurus Rex Come on, you know these will just roll off the tongue...

Green's problem certainly is pressure, but not the pressure on him, but more his lack of forward pressure. The game will be past him if he can't figure out how to hold his feet, chase and tackle effectively. Being super fit is a good start.