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You are kidding right? He has fallen on his head in sickeningly fashion playing for your club, he has dislocated his lisfranc a few weeks after that playing for your club, he has come back too early and had complications with it playing for your club, and he has had soft tissue issues in his latest ill fated return to play for your club. Now he might not play much more for your club due to the things he has endured for your club. And you are here having a go at him for having the gall to be paid for all this?

Quick, slip a contract under Frawley's nose and get him to sign it whilst he's dazed, delusional and concussed!

I've decided to run with the, I didn't see it, therefore it didn't happen approach.

Clark running laps

To all these things there is a silver lining. You don't want a 19 year old kid who is potentially your next marquee player to be languishing with back problems but I have to say that when I saw him running around against Geelong a week ago with knee heavily strapped, I wondered whether the fact that Clark and Dawes were out might not have created some extra pressure to play him when otherwise he might have needed a little more time. With two weeks to go before the start of the season, it won't be the end of the world if his body gets some extra rest and, with the right treatment, misses the first two games of the season, then comes back fully fit - especially if the other talls are slowly returning one by one within a similar time frame.

Clarkson has been building his side for 8 or more years, Roos has had less than 5 months. Have some perspective people. This is a 2 win side playing the premiers. I have little doubt that we will be much improved this season, however we can not expect to be anywhere near hawthorns level this early into the process.

I am shocked and appalled that the worst team of last year (minus a forward line) couldn't compete with the premiers of last year. This is a disgrace and I call for a Royal Commission into this.

Time for a sack Paul roos thread?

Also of interest possibly. While sitting on the grassy knoll, Alex Georgiou came out and sat with a group of friends a few feet away. While he was chatting, a little boy walked up and stood staring intently at him for about 30 seconds, looking very much like a hunting dog on point before walking up and having the following conversation: Random Kid - "are you a player?" AG - "yes I am" RK - "What's your name" AG - Alex" RK - "Alex what?" AG - "Georgiou" RK - (after a pause for thought) "Can you sign my ball?" AG - "Sure"

I left at 3/4 time. Hawthorn's pressure and spreading was amazing. They were far more composed and their skills were brilliant. Funnily enough we had a crack today, but were simply outclassed. We over possessed and the lack of forward targets really hurt. It didn't feel we were as bad as the scoreboard suggested, but others may disagree. Roos and co now know exactly where we need to improve. It's onwards and upwards from here. I need to add that we got the rough end of the umpiring. As usual.

Rule 1 - the head is sacrosanct Rule 2 - except when it is on a MFC player, like last week for example

Territory you will recognise quite easily, it is the group wearing hairshirts, hangdog expressions and a permanent rain cloud above... last year would have been easier, there were custom "I hate Schwab" t shirts on display....if you want to say hello.....small,l trendily dressed, slightly ageing gentleman with a real cool Beatles haircut and beard....trying to not let my urge to talk to the players whilst they are on the field take over.....

Even against the weaker sides pressure will go up in round 1. Sorting out who can handle it against the best today is certainly better than finding it out in a couple of weeks those who can't. A win today would have created confidence but potential to get ahead of themselves. They have 2 weeks to learn from today, get it out of their heads and move on. Anyone who decided to not buy a memberships based on a shellacking against the premier team are exactly the same type who will be first to queue up if we beat the saints. I could not attend today. I am struggling to work out who did not play from the published squad and who the sub was (on and off). If anyone can enlighten please.

Give the person who started this thread an award for originality. It can start again in a fortnight's time if we disappoint against St. Kilda.

oh yeah you genius you saw it coming after doing very well against last years #3 and #5 and we all deserve your ridicule for being upset about it arrogant, stupid post

Lucky we did our membership telethon last week :/

I think it is actually. No better way to sit down and watch video of where we went wrong against easily the best team in the comp who are pretty much at full strength today. Great learning experience with the new game plan for me.

It's Hawthorn. They've smashed every opponent so far. Let's get real. To lose by less than 10 goals will be progress.

I'll be more excited when he is our 4th. Hogan, Clark, Dawes and Howe.

is it sad that i'm lying on the couch, hitting refresh every minute, watching for updates of the game? i gotta get a girlfriend.

But don't mention the word "back" please.

811 listed players in Ultimate Footy and Dom Tyson is projected as the 720th best. My mates and I had our annual Ultimate Footy draft tonight and calling his name out in the first half of the evening was a lot of fun. Had my friends frantically flipping pages to the back of their booklets to see where I pulled this one from. At this stage of the night no one had made a selection outside of the top 150 that alone as late as the seven hundreds. Hope he gets 30 disposals against the Sainters! Ultimate Footy aside, Tyson has all the attributes to be elite. I think I've been waiting my entire life for a genuine elite inside midfielder at the Dees and I think the wait might be over.

One day some of the posters on here will wake up to reality and stop making pathetic, repeating, soft, excuses for poor efforts by our players. Until we get at least 9 or 10 players running hard at the ball at any one time, we will remain easy beats. A couple of our young "guns" need a poke in the back with a pointed stick. 5 or 10 minute efforts will never cut it at this level. Membership won't get near 40,000 with efforts like that. Simply not acceptable to those who know a bit about footy at AFL level.

I can't understand why people think it's good we played Hawthorn in the pre season. All it achieved was killing any confidence, momentum and goodwill with supporters. Possibly cost some potential membership. Would've much preferred to play a GWS or a GC or a Brisbane as they're the teams we need to learn to beat and have a chance to beat. Match practice against the reigning premiers, a team we won't get near to in rd 19 seems like a waste of 120 minutes to me.

Jimmy Toumpas is a born leader, Captain of the SA under 18's had been playing against men for 2 years before we drafted him and winning games in the SANFL, he was rated higher than wines by alot of recruiters and he is still very young i have absolutely no issue with the decision to draft him over wines, i think he will be a great player for us, today he was outclassed by better opposition as was most of our side.

Yep it will be Pedersen, Fitzpatrick and Howe come round 1. Although now I'm considering if we will be better just with Fitzpatrick and Howe and the extra small running target like Bail.

Anyone that tries to sugar coat that performance must not have been at the game. Yes, it was last year's premiers who are a fantastic team and yes it was a practice match. But the difference between the sides was simply enormous - it was like watching an under 16s team taking on the senior side. I thought the first quarter effort was good but it dropped away pretty quickly after that. The ease with which they moved the ball to free players was quite surprising - I know they are a highly skilled team but our defensive pressure after 1/4 time was really poor. As for game plan, well you simply cannot draw any conclusions from that. We simply had no control at all in the game and when you don't get your hands on the ball no game plan can work. Hawthorn monstered us around the stoppages and they don't very often give the ball back. When we did manage to get it off them, we were under constant pressure (it must be said that Hawthorn's pressure was tremendous) and just struggled to control the ball. As a result we really struggled to get the ball forward and, when we did manage to get it forward, we had absolutely no one there to take a grab (this is understandable though given the injured forwards). By contrast Roughead, Gunston and co. were dangerous every time Hawthorn went forward. Then in the last quarter Gibson went forward and really made a mockery of us by taking contested marks and kicking goals. To me it felt every bit a 100+ point defeat, they were absolutely fantastic and we were pitiful. Not one positive for me. I really hope that's the worst performance we will see this year because that was simply unwatchable. Hopefully we don't lose too much heart from that and can push on towards Round 1 with a positive attitude.

Did you guys actually think after a couple of good NAB games we were going to compete with the best at the moment? Welcome to reality.

Some context Hawks NAB cup campaign Rd 1 - Hawks 158 - Lions 23 Rd 2 - Hawks 118 - North 53 Prac - Hawks 142 - Melb 32 We have done better than Lions.. For what that's worth

2 more goals to the 20 and we have just started the last.

Melbourne FC ‏@melbournefc 2m Final term under way at Casey. Scores: Haw 23 to Melb 110. Sounds good to me.

We are playing a premiership team.... Expecting too much.... From a list which was flogged by a crappy coach & crappy culture! This will take time not 2 games.....

They tweet more because they are excited. If Roughy passes wind it'd be worth a couple of paragraphs.

i'm sure they would have both loved hearing from you, with all of your credentials and vast coaching experience.

Huh? playing Hawthorn was not our choice. But even if it was, it is not a bad idea.

Matt's gone quiet, we're in trouble.

Too late I am infected.

Can someone who is actually at the ground give us your thoughts please

Jeremy Howe IS the MFC forward line.

I have a wife and am still doing the same thing. At least you don't have anyone nagging you to get up and do the dishes from lunch.

I've noticed with Matt's tweets they get further apart as we get further behind...

...phhhh Typical MFC supporter....no commitment so won't come to the game just because it isn't at the G :-)

You're watching Redtube with your grandkids?

yes it does. it means chill out, the injury doesn't appear to be bad. the kid is a kid, yes he's big and strong, but he's not a seasoned adult. Originally i didn't think he would play round one anyway. So yes we are annoyed he got injured, he will just make his debut later.

It all started with Boak re-signing after they got rid of Primus.. Port were viewed as a basket case in 2012 and look at the now. Hinkley has done a fantastic job in such a short time, we can only hope the same happens with our club.

You're wrong. As he was ineligible to play in his first year due to the mini draft status he's signed for next year as well. Ideally we get him extended by the end of the year so we don't go through Frawley all over again with Hogan. But this injury shouldn't stop him from getting a run of games at some stage. I hope his agent advises him if he's happy in Melbourne it's better for his footy to just sign on and not have to deal with contract speculation as a 20 year old key forward next year.

Right. I get it that we all hate the guy, but at least use facts otherwise you're the same as him.

I would be leaving Howe out for the Hawks pre-season match as he has become a really critical player now for round 1. Would consider giving Fitzy a spell as well or perhaps just a half and subbed to give him some match practice. But Howe's played plenty of match time so I see no need to risk him when our forward stocks are a bit thin.

im going and rapt its free. Went last year against the saints in the pre season game. It took forever to get out of the carpark. But looking forward to see how our new midfield goes against the hawks one and looking forward to JKH playing again. please no more injuries.

There are no words that can suitably describe that effort from Rhino. If anyone stayed up to watch it, I am extremely jealous.