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I remember the hawks playing this style early in Clarksons coaching career and they turned it over early on but as they played that way more their skills improved and the rest as they say is history. Hopefully we can do the same.

Four observations: Most of our consistent turnovers came from players outside of our best 22. Hogan will play round 1 despite Demonland hysteria a week ago. Spencer will start in the ruck round 1. People round here need to get used to it. No obvious injuries.

Oh a new Jack Watts thread, let's see what people are talking about... *reads posts* Oh…ohh….ohhhh…

Dom Tyson will be a very good footballer.

I know you're all sick of me pointing it out, but Lynden Dunn is a walk-up start in any back six in the comp I reckon. Set up play beautifully, ran hard, and (as per usual) never once got beaten one on one. Clisby should also play every game this year. His delivery of the ball - low and fast - is an asset we've been sorely lacking. I expect we'll get used to hearing "Clisby, to Watts, to Hogan" this year...

Look, there are some bloody stupid options taken, but they are having a dip, running both ways and it's a freak load better to watch than the shitte we have vomited up the last few years.

If you speak to Jack, he is apart from being really happy at the thought of playing in the midfield, he is feeling as fit as he as ever been, after the practice game I told him he didn't look that tired, said he felt like he could run all day and most "importantly" he so much wants to finally sitck it up all the detractors Roos also has at his disposal Cross who wants to prove the Bulldogs wrong Vince who wants to prove the Crows wrong Tyson who wants to show why he was a number 3 pick and Trengove who wants to shut up all the detractors Competition for all spots A nice simple game plan Amd every players buying into it Roos will be relishing the next two weeks, against 2 teams who don't believe they are practice games, it will give him a clearer picture of who will be ready and deserves to be in the team Round 1

Might as well shut the site down then

With 14 mins to go, Cross 30, Tyson 27, Cross 26.. shows why we got them, and they are at least finding the pill. Our balluse will improve, Looking foward to round 1

Haaa. Chill out mate. Its the nab cup and im saying one of our 19 year olds is playing well if you discount a couple of miss-kicks. I think you might need a lie down.

Dees have had heaps of coverage locally. The town is pumping at the moment. My wife just witnessed a flock of people from Nyirrpi (who wear our colours and are Melbourne FC through and through) walking toward the ground covered in red and blue (hair included). Going to be a huge night for us loyal local supporters if we can snare a win.

I just don't see what he brings to the table that's all binman. I never have seen anything at all from his game that makes me think he warrants a game in the ones. Over my time I have probably seen more twos games then seniors anyway and he never set the world on fire for the Scorps either. I know he has been injured a lot and in that matter I do feel for him but once your on the park you are 100%, no excuses. I would never boo him and I am not the type to yell out abuse at my own team and I admit there are probably fewer times I put my head in my hands out of frustration from Strauss in comparison to when Terlich/Frawley and Grimes kick the ball. But those three have toughness, continually put there bodies on the line and can defend. I don't think Strauss is a natural defender or is that hard at the ball. If he is in the team Rd 1 he will get a fair crack at it as Roos isn't the type to make big changes each week. I think we will know a lot more about James at the end of the season. I really do wish him well and hope he becomes a solid backman but I can't see it.

Gold. Pure Comedy Gold. ' Please PJ, i know that i'm on 450k a year but it would be swell if you could pay me say 3k to to the club cub reporter. It'd be outside the salary cap coz its not footy. I'm over footy actually, playing that its is - i'm super keen to take photos of other blokes playing footy. No PJ i'm not joking, i'm dead set serious'

But Dom of the Tyson kind, yes please! Great get, he's a great inside player.

That 5 minutes of nonsense in the third cost us the game, which is quite something considering Geelong cut us up often and we over possess the footy. The game plan is going to test the players - Matt Jones tonight was case in point - he struggled to make good decisions and when rushed was making horrendous, even comical, decisions with the ball. Vince, Cross, Tyson, and Nathan Jones will get 100 touches a game and will make us a different team - it is just what the other 6 or 7 members of the midfield do with their 100 touches that will determine how close we get to teams. Hogan will be fine for Rd 1, he looked at ease out there. Watts looks lazy from time to time but runs hard to position. The handball happiness got out of hand against a good team. Everyone has to be patient with this possession footy - it won't happen overnight...

Okay so I didn't see the WHOLE game, but I'm shocked (actually, I'm not really) to scroll back through the last few pages and see more Watts-bashing. Thought he looked great on the wing. Promising signs. Some good signs, especially with Tyson, Michie and the older stalwarts Vince and Cross, you can see they're going to make us much more competitive this year. Decent midfield depth at last (although still a long way off the standard of the good teams).

Time for some perspective. It will take the boys time to gel as a unit. Not a bad display so far.

Bernie Vince 21 touches to half time. I remember days where we'd have nobody have 21 touches for the whole game. What an absolute bargain we got there. 17 touches to Dom Tyson as well.

Absolutely and so will Hogan. We're ok, hey we came back. The last few years we would be 10 goals down by now after the way we started.

us by 10 points

OK time to say a few things about CW. I wanted to say this about 12-15 months ago but it all got a bit heated around here for good reason. My first problem is Who does CW work for? The AFL or the Clubs or both? With the MFC she went the club when i believe she should have gone the AFL as it was them who had the rules of the day in place. Why she went so hard at the MFC and not at least 6 other clubs i shall never understand or respect. I am not condoning what the previous regime did at all, but it was within the rules of the day. It became a huge story because she pushed it. Wouldshe have done so if personal vendettas were not involved? Maybe but i doubt it. There have been times when Patrick Smith has attacked the MFC but with good reason. During the "Tanking" Saga he was far more balanced as he gave the AFL a hard time as well. It is a shame Smith is not rhe Chief Football writer of the code rather than Wilson imo

Contrary to rumours you may have heard, Nathan Jones is not contemplating a switch to pro surfing.

The guys life is in free fall. You got to hit rock bottom and climb your way out. If he did and got himself fit and dominating VFL every club in the comp would want him. A fit Liam Jurrah developed by a strong club isn't just a tall forward he's a wingman, half back, small forward who can take big grabs. We only got to see a fraction of what he can do in terms of speed and skills. I'm not making excuses for him. Nor do I think he will ever get back to the AFL. But his talent is unquestionable.

Well, I don't know what the 'many' don't like about her but my objections to her reporting were the misrepresentations that were made in her reporting; the 'vault' that was the code name of the meeting specifically called to discuss tanking the season in which threats were made to staff. The above is the beginning of her article with the sentences in italics added in the online version after her 'facts' were found wanting. Probably due to her ego, the previous two lines - those bolded - remained. These lines directly contradict each other (1. The codenamed Vault meeting that wasn't codenamed, and 2. The 'secret meeting' that was a match committee meeting) and underline why I was so 'offended' by her reporting. She made us look diabolically conspiratorial not hamfisted and tactless, which would be the better descriptor. The ideal is to 'write when you get it right,' not re-write when you get caught.

Live? Hope not…...

If he can get himself together enough to play reliable and consistent footy at any level it would already be an achievement. AFL - very very hard to ever imagine again, unfortunately.

Obvious troll is obvious.

I'm with you Don. I don't get how negative people are about Strauss. I went to last weeks game and some whacker was from the get go yelling insults at Strauss - the biggest one when he turned the ball over (which incidentally did not result in a goal). What's worse (and a complete pet hate of mine) was he was a MFC supporter. So i really watched Strauss closely and yelled my support when he went near the ball. Strauss played really well in the tigers game. He linked up well, was solid with his handball (often getting the ball to free players behind him in space) and after the turnover in the first q barely missed a kick. His only real misstep was the fumble on the wing that allowed the tiges to regain possession and stopped a potentially promising move. Whilst the tigers then scored a goal its a bit of a stretch to blame him for it given it was on the wing. Even if you do blame him for that goal he got one back with a beautiful kick from half back to half forward to, i think Bail who then gave it to Howe for a goal. I got home and was surprised when i jumped on DL how many people were bagging him. So when i watched the replay i again watched Strauss closely. And again all i saw was a good, solid game from a player who had a role and carried it out. I've read people say he lacks awareness and that he is too easily beaten one on one. I saw nothing that supports either assertion, particularly the former criticism. And as for the kicking turnover? You have to be kidding. There were far worse culprits, Frawley (whose turnover actually cost a goal, at what was a critical time in the match) Trenners, Grimes, Michie, Vince and Jones just to name a few. Jones was also guilty of trying to do much (and perhaps lacking awareness?) and giving away a goal when he got caught near their goals. He was, in my view, in our top ten players on the night and i suspect if injury free will be in our round 1 side (which if the case indicates Roos is also a fan). I'm not saying Strauss is a star or that he doesn't have limitations. But I really believe he is the sort of player Roos is referring to when he talks about players carrying mental scars as that hesitancy people have noted, is, i think, in part a product of poor coaching and development. I reckon he has, like many of his team mates, been playing with fear - fear to make a mistake, fear of not following the rules, fear of failure etc - which causes them to freeze and not back themselves. Once he gets more confident, and has a coach who encourages him to back himself and play with some freedom (from being criticised as much as anything else) i think he will become a regular best 22 player and be exactly the sort of role player Roos loves.

Apparently nothing more than a small ankle injury I heard from someone who was at the Leongatha camp today. Hoping he gets up for the Hawks game but we'll wait and see. CCouldn't agree with you more Mach, its a preseason game, and Strauss should never be matched up against Edwards irrespectively. I've said it a few times, watch the game he broke his leg and he was giving at the time Gartlett in AA squad form at the time an absolute bath. Back him in for 6 weeks and we'll find our best attacking back flanker.

I rate Strauss. I disagree with many of the comments on this thread. I am sure we all hope he can prove me right.

Yes, I do. Definitely. I'm an unashamed fan & ill be shocked if he doesn't get a contract, and he'd likely end up elsewhere on an AFL list. Can be much more damaging off a HBF than either of Clisby, Terlich or Grimes. Also not as bad a defender as many portray him. As I've said many times, there's a lot of people judging him based on performances early in his 2nd year, and, dare I say it, confirmation bias. I rate him too. Highly.

A rational, detailed and fair analysis. You won't be popular on this site!

I think it's a good sign that it took me a second to figure out what you were talking about. In the interests of wiping that horrible event from my memory, I think I'll skip that particular broadcast.

Relax....we've got this.

My god this thread is a load of crap.

So much garbage being spoken in this thread...

Fence, perhaps we were at a different game. To quote you: ' HE HAS AVEARAGE (sic) KICKING SKILLS For a player recruited for his so called "Elite" delivery he lets you down time and again. As you suggest There may well have been worse culprits BUT, BUT For his strength to be letting him down so regularly this then is a catasphrophic (sic) situation.' Catastrophic? Seriously? I couldn't find his disposal efficiency stats however as i said i watched him very closely at the ground and when i watched the replay. I reckon he only made one kicking error and no handball errors. Pretty elite sort of stats i would have thought. To top that off there were at least 2 beautiful kicks where he hit a target 40-50 meters away. One led directly to a goal and was a great example of turning defense into attack. Oh and the player he played on for most of the night - their key forward (a bigger, stronger player) did not kick a goal. And before you say oh but he missed 3 shots as another poster noted 2 of those he was not on Edwards at the time and one was a bullet pass that no one would have stopped. As an example of how blinkered some can be, in the game thread a poster bagged him for losing Edwards when Edwards doubled back and then led hard into the pocket. This was used, IIRC as an example of his lack of awareness. All well and good except for the fact it wasn't Strauss who was on Edwards in that play!

%

Grant Hackett didn't have any interests outside of swimming. Looks like that's worked out for him

I'd rather a round 1 win from where we're coming from, regardless of the opposition and who they have in or out. We need to remember what it feels like to play well and win. It's a non-negotiable.

would have made any swap for jack steven. will be the midfield champ for the next 7 years. respected and admired . lets hope hes back soon after our game.

And I can speak from experience to say that despite it's bite, the photography bug does not interfere with my regular work. He is a talented photographer and why shouldn't he have a passion outside his football? The fact that Mitch was running laps on Tuesday when there was no scheduled training (and that, no doubt, was not unusual for him) as well as the fact he is there training on scheduled days and no doubt doing plenty of gym work, I think tends to refute your ridiculous assertions.

Third time? Do you mean the Lisfranc? He's only had that happen once has he not? (3 question marks?)

Champ, I find your comments offensive. Clark is desperate to return, and is doing anything and everything he is asked. His only desire is to return to senior football. His photography hobby is good therapy through these difficult times.

No, he doesn't need to put in a blinder, he needs to show he can be a regular part of the senior team going forward.

On watching the game over, twice it looked like Strauss had been beaten by Aaron Edwards, only to rewind it back and see Georgiou and Dunn were on him those times, once where he dropped a relatively easy leading mark, and another where he had an easy shot at goal but missed. Strauss was beaten on the lead once, after a turnover then poor defensive work upfield. He made a horrible clanger at one stage, but also had great vision and made exemplary long attacking kicks leading to forward movements that should've resulted in goals. He also adhered to structures well. There were 2 times where I had to wind the vision back after Strauss made horrible kicks, only to find it was actually Nicholson.

I'm surprised by how under-rated Strauss is by most supporters, but I firmly believe he'll be a mainstay in our back 6 going forward. His attacking movements were very good in NAB 1, in spite of a couple of preseason standard errors.

I am at work, I am oldish......... but I know who Beyonce is..............had to sit at my desk till the 'thought' went away.........

My best friends is a mate of Jesse and i am told he loves Melbourne, loves Roosy, loves his time at the club and She would be shocked if he walks anytime soon, apparently we fly him back to perth for visits quite regularly so homesickness hasn't been an issue

Not wanting to derail the thread ( but I am going to anyway). I have shifted my position on players and their relationship with coaches from what I firmly believed "Should be" to the reality of "what is". I have always been firm on the opinion that players are highly paid professionals and this idea of "playing for the coach" is a nonsense. As a highly paid professionals these footballers should take pride in performance every week and not spit the dummy because they dont like the coach, his methods, his attitudes, the position he plays them etc etc. Players shouldn't need to think about buying in. It is what they are paid to do I now have shifted my opinion to "reality". The above opinion whilst logical is not reality - many of these footballers have fragile ego's and inflated self importance. They require stroking and stick in finely balanced measure. The reality is that players make choices about buying in. I believe this was the major undoing of Neeld. Upset the playing group and no-one bought in. From what I can see of the Swans playing group under Roos and the early stages of our group is the players truly like him and will play for him.