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Jamie Bennell went back and according to reliable reports is making progress working on his game, particularly last week. He's been rewarded with 1st emergency this week. That's how it works IMO.

Do you really think he was asking that question to get an answer? He was posing a question to instill a mindset. Personally I think it's great.

Well I guess Neeld won't be driving me to the footy tomorrow.

No, e25/AB/KS/JM are not this troll. From what I can gather it is Hangon007 with a new pseudonym and a lack of respect for Demonland.

He is. Why not? Like any player who gets dropped, he's got areas he needs to improve on before he returns. It shouldn't be that hard for Jack to see what he needs to do to get back in to the side - if he's under any doubt, it's as easy as showing him a tape of Jordie McKenzie then showing him a tape of himself. By the way I don't think Jack lacks courage, I think it's more about lack of drive than a lack of courage. He just doesn't seem to push himself hard enough. I'm always willing to give Watts the benefit of the doubt, but if he's any sort of competitor he'd be very embarrassed with his game. He was literally the only one who didn't show the required intensity on the day.

Well seriously I have said nowt for a couple of months but must you fook up every thread!

Leg speed is one thing, but moving the ball is another, if we can start hitting players with our kicks and handballs, it will be amazing how much quicker we seem!

As a first time poster I am more than happy to go out on a limb, open myself up to ridicule and say move Colin Sylvia to the half back line permanently. Yes our midfield would be better served in the short term with him as a permanent fixture and even my strange friend who hates football and lurks in his room singing sea shanties and drinking cask wine knows that Melbourne needs an injection of class into it's midfield, but as time has proven he's not really that much chop unless you want to beat up on Richmond or Port. Yes he has much value in the forward line, but considering the ball goes in there about as often as children feel compelled to hug Tony Abbott I feel he'd be left with too much time to try and find the meaning of life hidden in Mitch Clarkes Tattoos. So why the back line you ask? It's not exactly being pessimistic to assume we are going to get pantsed in the midfield for the foreseeable future which results in the the back line being perpetually bombarded and whilst Frawley, Grimes, Rivers and Garland are admirable spoils, interceptors and solid citizens none of them bar Frawley on occasion can hit the ground with their own spit. Whilst Sylvia isn't exactly Luke Hodge I can't see any reason he couldn't at least pull of a B grade impersonation of him. He has good burst speed and can break lines and tackles. Is very strong in the air for his size and reasonably courageous. He tackles like a man much in need of some love and affection and most importantly he can kick long and accurately. I'm sure Mark Neeld follows this site and suggestions made by football ignorants like myself very seriously so expect the change to happen tomorrow against the Cats and watch as we finally see Sylvia deliver on all that potential.

Who do you have in mind and which matches? I would have bitterly disappointed if Watts wasn't dropped this week because it would mock everything Neeld has said about what he expects.

It's all a mindset thing with Jack though. I have no doubt he has it in his mind that he needs to be receiving the ball because he is such a good user of it. Which is true, but he needs to trust his teammates to use it too and know that him getting the hard ball out for them is just as valuable a contribution. We've seen flashes of it from him before, so we know he can do it. But right now his view of his role is skewed. Just needs a bit of adjustment.

This looked a near certainty as soon as we had 100 tackles and Jack had donuts... Jack should play in the VFL (strong side BTW) and then stay and watch how Mitch Clark attacks the footy and the game. Expectations are higher and we have a premium on work of the footy and pressure on the opponent - and Jack has been down in those areas. I do not believe him to be a failure of a Pick 1 the way BH does - I still think it is 'premature evaluation' and I am fine if he takes the Tom Hawkins route to relevance rather than the Riewoldt route - there is still hope.

And this answers a few questions...... Melbourne says demoted Jack Watts must lift intensity http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/melbourne-says-demoted-jack-watts-must-lift-intensity/story-e6frf9jf-1226346182678 "The former No.1 draft pick has been on notice since coach Mark Neeld took charge and was dumped to the VFL. The Demons said Watts had to improve his physical game to get back in the side. Watts copped pre-season criticism from Mick Malthouse for lacking intensity, but has laid just eight tackles in five matches. Melbourne football manager Josh Mahoney said last night the 21-year-old needed to lift. "Tackling and contested possessions is a big indicator for our team," he said. "We laid over 100 tackles in last week's game (Watts laid none) and that is an area that Jack needs to continually work on.""

Garbage post. Absolutely moronic, thoughtless, blind, emotional piffle. Nobody's making excuses. It's simple football. We say it ALL the time, and sooking knowitalls like you get on and make the same rubbish up. You can go through dozens of forwards who started off with talent and height but don't put weight on until 25+. Goddard, at 5 years, was considered a joke and a waste. Hawkins the same. It's RARE that the J. Browns and Riewoldts pop up and dominate within their first 2-3 years. These aren't excuses, this is just normal rational explanation of aspects of players' careers in a league that allows them to basically be drafted at 17, instead of 21, when they SHOULD be. This is HOW IT WORKS. Jack was ALWAYS going to more likely take five years to develop than 3. I think 2014 is when we start marking him like an adult, because he'll actually BE one then. I would be ropable if the club traded Watts for Cameron because he kicked a few goals and you have a crush on him. Funny that. I think that's all true except skills. The great kicks were ALWAYS great kicks. You can improve the poor ones, but as the saying goes there's two things you'll never fix in footy. The umpiring and the kicking. In any case, have you watched Jack kick the ball at goal or in the field? On both feet he's a STARTLINGLY accurate player. Especially going inside fifty. No-one that height should be able to kick like that. It's a shame everyone wants him as a deep forward. I think only Davey has the pattern recognition and delivery skills to beat him. Maybe Howie too. Trenners is close, Magner, Beamer, Jordie and Jones nowhere near. I think that might be why Neeld played him in the guts. Some silk. Maybe you can't teach it, but it is developed. Watch his tape when he's a kid. It's there. It's just not in him at this age against men that outweigh him in all but maybe 4 positions on the ground. I know a lot of players, granted who weren't AFL players, who were soft as butter, but once they grew into their bodies, relished the contest more than ANYONE. It was like they saved up all the big hits they took and started to take that out on everyone they played against from 25 onwards. I'm talking about anyone 6'1 and taller here. Yes, if you're a Nath Jones, you'll ALWAYS be like that... but Jack can rediscover that hardness... it's in there. I think it's more of a coaching thing than a "teaching" thing. Yeah. Cos a Goddard like winger would really suck to have on our list. We all want a big bustling key forward. Jack was never recruited for that. He was closer to being a Riewoldt type. Someone who runs and runs. That, he will be... and I don't even need to say "at best," cos he's already added some of that engine to his game. Yup. He had a low confidence day where he chose the wrong option... and it showed up a LOT because everyone ELSE played the last game like they thought they were Jordie McKenzie. Even Morton who's easily the softest player on the list. Watts stood out like a sore thumb, and deserved to be dropped. The great thing I like the most about Jack is how immediate his reposnses to pressure have been. When we harped on about lack of touches, suddenly he's getting 25 touch games. When we were pissy with him not taking pack marks, he popped up with a few late in the year. I like that he develops and shows improvements as often as he does. Everyone seems so keen to cram him into a KP forward-sized box. I'm not. I want to watch him develop and when he has the engine he needs, plus the size, he could probably play anywhere on the ground, except KP defender. When they put him in teh engine room early this year, I watched through the gaps in my fingers. But he surprised me at times. He wasn't lost.

I could've done without being reminded about that.

Apparently in the lead up to this week MN asked the players, 'are any of you scarred from last year? because if you are you can F*#@ off and i won't take you' Loving the hard line stance

I wouldn't expect much more than a fighting effort akin to last week Gidon. It's all about producing players who battle for four quarters at the moment, as well as weeding out the ones who don't have the stomach for it. Don't worry about who got how many possessions, what the media says, this week being the making of the club or anything remotely like that.Tomorrow is purely about hard, grafting and most probably ugly footy on our part over four quarters. Neeld is trying to turn the club's ethos around. Let's get behind him.

gidon. The club must stand up. There is no excuse tomorrow. The MFC has to stand up like an army does. Find a way.

Robbie Flower was immensely courageous. Stretcher played true wing in an era when players with pace enjoyed much more space than they are afforded today..

His position as an AFL footballer is untenable. We are a long way from that stage.

For Jack Watts being dropped. Someone had to write it.

Leigh Matthews again? He lost me with his pathetic comments about Clark and Hudson. What a [censored].

Man, that avatar's disturbing........

Any footballer, or indeed any citizen, could make the investment Judd did. It is not related to salary cap issues etc. because it used Judd's own or borrowed money.

GWS and GC would be mad to risk pick 1 or 2 on Viney if he comes out and says i would not want to play for anyone but the MFC. He is a really good player so far but no team is that silly because we will call there bluff. And they will not risk it in my view the AFL no that GWS has allready taken our 1st pick in scumbag scully and for them to play hard ball with us with a F.S when they no he is not worth pick 1 or 2 i would hope the AFL would say something to these scumbags. Viney should come to us with our 2nd round pick

I'm actually surprised at how few are picking Petterd. Surely if he stars as a defensive forward on the weekend, he'd be in with an excellent chance of being recalled? I'm sure he'd be aware of this. I mean, it's hardly a Dunn deal that this role is filled in the AFL team.

The deal is a non issue. Good luck to him. Trying to keep it quiet is an issue.

Hardtack. You don't have to repeat yourself. We hear uyour opinion. Its just that other people have DIFFERENT opinions. Get used to it. Clearly the NOW Director was an influential supporter and presumably donor, coterie club member etc. And it appears he became a Director later. You don't think there is anything in it but I think it stinks and is worth investigating. The article CLAIMS that Judd was trying to avoid scrutiny from the gaming authorities. How do you know it was not also to avoid AFL scrutiny?? No didn't think so. Judd and Carlton are serial offenders at underhanded deals that breach the spirit of the salary cap. Worth looking at. The AFL are on record as saying they won't let another Visy deal happen. Clearly they think it breaches the spirit of the rules.

Personally, I'm impressed with Jurrah actually playing. I was highly doubtful of LJ playing at either AFL or VFL level this year, but to his credit, he has pulled his head in, worked on his fitness, and has given himself every opportunity to compete at the highest level. I hope LJ gets a further opportunity to put a pretty crappy few months behind him after the court case, allowing us, the MFC, and the greater AFL community, the opportunity to see what he does best.

The Mavs are getting smashed. Owner Mark Cuban is "not happy Jan"

You can and there are plenty of examples of footballers who become harder as players as they progressed. A most obvious one is Brad Green. At the start of his career there was a question mark about his appetite for the contest. In the 2nd half of his career, Green has gone hard when he has need to. Some players are more prone to being hard than others. Its not a characteristics that typeset to your DNA at birth.

I would not say that, and you are taking out all of the UFA - the ones that are easier to get. We have few decent experienced leaders and I would love to have Black for a couple years of Sewell for three or four. The value will be what effect they can have on our kids - who have few, if any, good role models.

Just priceless to get Viney in there, I can't stress that enough. Other clubs cannot get their future first round pick into their system a year early and show them the structures that, evidently, take ages to learn. And people get to see the 'brick wall with eyes' in the flesh. The juxtaposition to Watts will be unfair but that is footy. Good luck to all involved and to LJ who I am still behind as he moves into an incredibly important May and coming months...

You don't speak latin? Ah well, I've fixed it for you!

I think Jack gets marked harder than others purely because he has all the skills but just doesn't do the hard stuff enough, if at all. The coach has made it known that he wants a hard tough side and in that Jack, and a few others, stand out like a beacon; the interesting thing is we have dropped the complete footballer this week but he comes in the form of two people. It would be great to have the two sets of skills combined, Jack's ability and Joel's hardness at the ball.

???

Watts for me. He has been ok to good at afl level, the drop in intensity and pace (ernesto in intensity enberg pace) should allow him to assert himself. Hopefully he has a blinder and realises what he is capable of at afl level. It is Jurrahs first run in a long time, I don't expect much from him, just enough to get a feel. He will play two games in the vfl I would've thought. Petterd did ok last week, I'd like him to surprise me. (edit: fixed auto correct gibberish, now in brackets!)

Barassi again: ".....what makes a champion? .....consistency of performance is the factor that separates true champions from 'merely' elite players.". and "...big difference between bearing the talent and skills to be a 'star' and having the consistency requires to be a 'champion'. You need those consistent champion players to make a champion team." Jack - please, please show us all here, doubters and supporters alike that you are to be a champion and not just a potential star. Nothing less will make all here happy. You have the talent and the skills, I think most would agree.....you need consistency and you need it soon. We need some champions in our team - will you be one of them? Do you really want to be?

I think he learned a big lesson chasing Fisher around in the first quarter last week, he was absolutely exhausted by the first break and had no effect on the game. I thought playing him on Riewoldt would have been a good learning experience but playing on Fisher (good call by the coaches) he learned the amount of work required to be a top line player, at least I hope he did. I don't think it will be one game and back up for Jack, he is going to have to string some good games to gether to come back into the team. I hope he does and that this is the making of his career from here on in.

Lachie Whitfield, pick 2, pick 13 and Jack Viney. The wooden spoon has never looked so good.

I agree with the attitude, but it certainly hasn't been consistantly applied thus far this year......

Yet another thread carpet-bombed by the 'concern troll' Dr Who. Moderators? Enough please. Back on topic folks ... Patrick Dangerfield.

While I don't agree with you, I like the way you have shamelessly put Melbourne in the group with the four teams with the largest crowd pulling power. I'm sure no-one else will notice...

Kid would be scared to play at the MCG in-front of 20,000-30,000 old people most of them screaming & bagging your team mates - it would be like playing in a cemetery. Then after the game you have to listen to these old "brighton" gits with no idea about football, no idea what footy is like today - Yeah a wake at the OAP bowls club. Think we need a massive shift quickly.

What seems to have been missed here is that he is already contracted to us till 2015 according to this article and from memory this occurred when he was originally declared as ours a year or so ago as a father-son nomination to thwart any attempt from Adelaide to trump us. Therefore any thoughts of smoke screening our intentions are a waste of time with the benefit that we have been able to integrate him into the club early. We are not going to throw that away now by breaking his contract and causing all sorts of internal angst.

Cons Unless you've trained as a ruckman before, your chances of doing a serious injury are very high. Watts is no ruckman, never was, never will be. Why waste his development learning a very specific craft he'll never use long term? Kthanxby.

Payback for Scott Thompson

Bateman.... lol.... Sewell, absolutely!

1 - He would've been a high pick anyway so no chance of grabbing him with a late pick 2 - We did this as the Crows were sniffing around and to aid his development

Chappelle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77HLMXWS1-w Mitch Headberg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ste2Z_AnFI&feature=related

Ahahaha what rubbish I am reading!! Draft a skinny 17 year old long term prospect, then trade his before he has played 50 games because he doesn't come out and dominate straight away!!??