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Someone give me one reason why I should watch next week? Every time I take three hours out of my precious weekend, that's time with my family or time doing something productive that I'm not getting, and all I get out of it is frustration and disappointment. I watch footy for entertainment. The last two weeks have left me feeling so immensely bored that all it is becoming is a complete waste of time. I don't even want to watch the good teams play any more. I'm currently supporting this team out of obligation. I'm not sure how much longer I can hang on.

Agreed. It's just not what it used to be. absurd amount of injuries rubbish, inconsistent umpiring constant rule changing and softening of the game we have subs now yeah OK might as well change that after 150 years increasing gap between have and havenots footy department expenditure unfair fixturing wtf is friday night footy terrible crowds seeing the loko of horror on fellow supporters faces tossbag [censored] commentators/media talking poo obsessive fascination and over-analysis with statistics athletes not footballers ridiculous money/greed/paper bags/lack of loyalty talk talk talk and no results at the MFC irrelevance/disrespect and mockery the price of everything always increasing and midstrength beer in plastic cups expansion teams seeing young talent at other clubs while our high picks always flounder not having a genuine superstar at the club ever tanking, brock mclean, 'bruise-free' footy 186 mark 'pre-game speech' neeld tom effing scully liam jurrah and now mitch clark we have got to be the most tested and jaded of all sports fans in the world I reckon

I'm just about over the [censored] Spencer gets on this site. The guy is about 25, has overcome knee recos and I reckon played about 30 games. He is still on his L plates. Of course the big guns like Cox and Mummy will do him. But just watch him, he attacks the contest one out. He works hard, tackles and is aggressive. He doesn't throw in the towel. Just try getting smashed by those big blokes and having to front up contest after contest. FMD there are some armchair heroes on this site.

Last night, the wife and I had dinner with friends at the Railway Club Hotel Steakhouse in Port Melbourne. Apart from the fact that the food's great, the other benefit is that there are a number of television sets placed around the walls so, if you strategically select your seat you can watch a game of footy as well as enjoy your food and take part in the conversation (in the case of the blokes you know what that's about). The game was Collingwood v Geelong and it was a ripper. The Pies were dominated in the first quarter, came back in the second to be level at half time and while neither team was at its top, the second half was close enough and exciting to retain the interest of all for the evening. If you like a comparison between the way these teams and Melbourne play, one of the ladies at the table who follows the Dees expressed it best when she said there's less stuffing around, less mistakes and more direct football. I would have added something about more endeavour from the experienced players in defence - the ones you rely on to save or win games - because as the game went on you could see blokes like Maxwell and Lumumba working their butts off trying to get their side up for a win. The former went off with an ankle injury early, got treatment and came back to play an important role in keeping his team in the game for its full duration. I wondered where are our equivalents? Why the hell do we have defenders not even chasing four minutes into a game? To make matters worse, at the bottom left hand of the screen they kept putting up the scores from the West Coast v St. Kilda game in Perth. To my astonishment, the Saints who a fortnight ago were about on par with us give or take some errant kicking for goal and the unfortunate circumstance of an injury or two incurred during the game, were in front at half time and there was only a goal in it at the final break. This was against a team that monstered us six days ago on our home turf in front of our own people. I was seething. It brought home to me how insulting that display from the team was to the coach and the supporters. I don't care about the fact that we have injuries to our talls or that some players have more important things on their minds like how much money are they going to be on at another club next year, I want to see them playing the sort of football today that ends up in a scoring opportunity and not turned over into an opposition score. Above all, I want to see the same endeavour and purpose shown by every player that Nick Maxwell displayed for Collingwood last night because that bloke plays as if he hates to lose and too many of ours don't. [Rant ends here...]

So today I decided to head down to Windy Hill instead of watching our boys against the Giants. In the stands sat Garland, Dawes and Tapscott – Tapscott with strapping around his Right Quad. No sign of Strauss and Gawn who I actually thought might be a chance of playing today – the mystery injury curse has struck again! Anyway, for the most parts the game was pretty sloppy. There was a 2 goal wind blowing towards the city (?) end and I think it affected a lot of the skill level. It wasn’t great viewing but surely couldn’t have been worse than the game up at Blacktown! So with 27 minutes on the clock, Casey were an even 4 goals in front and the game appeared to be all over, espescially as some quarters had been awfully short. But from the 27 to 34 minute mark, Bombers kicked 5 goals to put themselves 1 goal up. Surely this was game over. No. Centre Clearance to Casey through Aiden Riley and Jetta takes a big pack mark, his second for the day, (yes his second contested pack mark!!) and kicks truly to level the score with 35 minutes on the clock. Back to the centre and another Casey clearance; with some incredible dash and flair Blease grabs the ball, puts on the after burners and kicks truly with 36 minutes on the clock to put Casey one goal up!! Siren blows at 36:20. Now, heres the wrap up of our Melbourne Listed Players: Trengove: Played across half back and half forward for 75% of the day and looked slow and disinterested at some points. It wasn’t what we wanted to see from Jack. He had one terrible holidng the ball called against him early in the game where again he was caught with no awareness and very slow. His 25% of the time in the middle was more fruitful as he got his hands on it a bit, but overall not a great game for him. Jamar: Looked very underdone and slow early. He warmed into the game, but didn’t have much game time. The only time he looked like he cared was after Michie got flattened and there was a bit of heat in the game leading up to half time. Interestingly though my Essendon mate I was sitting with though he looked good in the ruck. I think though he will need another week at Casey before coming up to the seniors. Blease: Was very flat early and struggled to get into the game. Had a bad dropped mark and shank kick early in the first quarter playing across half back. But as the game went on he improved. Rotated through the wing and deep forward and ended up with a lot of possession, particularly in the last quarter. Had some textbook run and bounces which was good to see, and also put in some pretty good chases; also had some excellent possession where he was clean and looked like he had far more time than anyone else. Got a bad knock in the 3rd quarter which split his eye open but he kept running on. Should be picked for the dees next week. Michie: Started the game very well and gained a lot of the ball through the middle but dropped off as the game went on. Had a big knock which I think explains his limited involvement in the game after half time. Toumpas: A very good game. Looked good with ball in hand and ran well for most parts. Played through the guts and across half forward. Should have a look in to be selected next week. McKenzie: Ran hard, tackled and chased well. Even got a bit of ball for himself, and his skill looks to have improved. (Must be the only player on our list who has done so!) Not sure what his role is going to be in the dees moving forward but he put his hand up today. Salem: This was my first look at Salem and I thought he did well. Didn’t set the world on fire but was clean by foot and looked OK in traffic. Will be better after 4-6 VFL games. Harmes: I like what I see with this kid. He had mongrel in him and was in constant tussles with the opposition all day. He is a go-er and looks like he wears his heart on the sleeve. Was good to see some passion. Hunt: Very impressive flashes throughout the game. This kid is quick. At ¼ time he was the only one the coach singled out for taking the game on which was funny because the coach slagged the playing group for playing the ‘Paul Roos game’ of high possession, and maintaining the ball. It was interesting as I then looked to Trengove who had a perplexed look on his face! King: Its funny watching this guy play – he is so skinny and lanky but goes ok. Worth hanging onto for a few years I rekon though. Jetta: Actually did alright up forward. Had the 2 contested pack marks I mentioned earlier and was handy around the ground. Got a few knocks but kept motoring on. Riley: First time I have seen him play and I though he was ok. Goes for the ball hard and won plenty of the ball. Reminds me a bit of Jack Viney. Will improve from here. Nicholson: Honestly didn’t notice him much. I see that he got mentioned in the best above but really I didn’t think he had much of an impact. Clisby: Was very solid in defence and could have earned himself a spot after todays game. Like a lot of the other players today he didn’t dominate and came in and out of the game but what he did do was good. Who should earn a call up after today: Blease, Toumpas, Clisby & Mckenzie (but whats his role going to be with Vince, Cross, Jones and Tyson?) and Nicholson (as I said seemed to miss all of his possession today) Casey Players that played well: Smith, Page

The AFL need to step in and get us the best coach and best CEO available...money no object.

I am a great Watts fan. Thing is, the conditions make no real difference, if you are committed. I once saw Robbie Flower best on the ground by daylight, against Essendon at Windy Hill in a day they should have called it off, the ground was lashed with rain and wind like you couldn't believe. Lightest built on the field, obviously, and all about skill - but he killed them. There really aren't any excuses.

I like many others went to the G last week and left before the end of the game. Now into my 8th year of torture as a supporter of the MFC, 35 years as a member. I wonder how many supporters of this club are just fed up with the game in general. I watch Geelong and enjoy their brand but overall interest in footy is lost in the past. I got fired up when Roos was appointed but now very much realise he has a mammoth task to turn the list over. Years and years still to go for the MFC and even then that guarantees bugger all. PJ talks about hope............wow hard to get the head around that after last week. As a supporter group in the best game in the world, us dees supporters have been totally screwed for a generation. End of rant.

It's pretty obvious from todays performance if it wasn't already, that we need to get a long term commitment from PJ & Roos if this club is to be turned around. The idea that they can walk in for a couple of years and wave a magic wand is laughable. This is a serious sport and it needs to be taken seriously by those in charge including the AFL. Stop gap measures were taken by Jimmy and his board bringing the likes of G Lyon in on a part time basis working with a paralysed board and an incompetent CEO. We will need further AFL assistance to bail out our financial position and including the PP we didn't get last year plus another for this year. A full time commitment from all involved is what's needed, not a hand over...there will be nothing to hand over. We either get this commitment or I really can't see us surviving.

Tyson is the least of our worries. it's the turnover specialists that are killing us.

You mean besides being the oldest club with 12 Premierships and perhaps the greatest era of them all? Listen Hoges, follow your logic and the Hawks, Saints, Roos, Swans and Brisbane would no longer be in existence. Yes we have had a horror run but it does not compare to that of some other clubs. As I heard Finey on SEN say, imagine following St kilda in the 80's. And one more thing, and this may be hard to get your head around - sport has its winners and losers...If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same; you'll be a man Hoges.

Cross is easily in our best 10 players.

Here is my rough run down, I don't pretend I am anything more than a rank amateur but here goes. It was a fairly ordinary game with lots of errors by both sides in the first half and only improved a little in the second. Either side could have ended the other by reasonable kicking for goal, as the score show both licked 14 points and lots of then were not hard shots. I thought only three players played well enough to be included in the seniors, I would add that they would only get games at the MFC. No idea what happened in Sydney other than losing by 5, probably some spots available for next week. Jamar easily beat his opponents all day as he should at this level. NOT the level of 2010 but I would play him next week in the senior team. Mckenzie had a scratchy start but improved to be IMO in the best three. Clisby was solid and kicked a beautiful goal in the last quarter after a hard attack down the Bowling green side of the ground. At that point I thought he had sealed the Game. Jetta IMO he won the game for Casey in the second half when shifted from the backline to Mid / Forward. Very good game pity he is on the rookie list was way better than about most of our listed players. The rest should be playing with Casey next week. Nicholson played well but his disposal was the normal, he is a VFL player. King tried hard but with lack of weight is easily pushed aside, 2017 before he is more than Casey No. 76 VFL standard IMO Trengove better second half but he looks nothing like a number No.2 draft pick, had a reasonable game but again barely made the distance when kicking from about 40 out in the last quarter. Toumpas played mainly in defense, average game, did do a couple of beautiful kicks out of defense in the second half. Blease played well in the second half but is still a flash in and out of the game for me. Michie reasonable game but VFL At this point. Riley got a fair bit of the ball but was either too slow or tried to do too much, got caught with the ball a lot. Hope that gives a bit of info PS Dawes and Garland were sitting 5 meters from me in the third quarter, story of our year. Fire away guys I will do my best. PS Great to go to a game and see a win The only KPF on the ground IMO was Smith for Casey I think he is way better that any fit KPF on the MFC list.

As I mentioned earlier, Tyson got 10 clearances (out of the team's 32 for the game), 19 of his 25 possessions were contested, and he had the best disposal efficiency of any of our midfielders. Tyson v Kelly might be a close comparison over the years to come, but we also got Salem. I don't think you can cry about missing out on Kelly too much. We have plenty of things to be disappointed and angry about without trying to invent new ones. Barry Prendergast is gone, ok?

I take inspiration from my 92 year old Auntie.....She still goes to the MCG (day games only)....Catches the tram to the rail station then train to the G....Drags my poor uncle with her and has lunch with a few friends... She has supported the dees for over 70 years and rings me weekly to tell me who played well and who was crap She has begged me to go with her but I just cannot face it at the moment I really admire her dedication....

Just tell him what my dad used to tell me - you can barrack for whoever you want but if it's not Melbourne you sleep outside.

Seriously you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. They players went to congratulate him because he kicked an important goal and was fired up, if they didn't then we would've accused them of not looking out for their mate.

Are some people really moaning about Josh Kelly? The Wines/Toumpas stuff is tiresome enough. Tyson has been great so far and Salem will get his chance later in the year. Josh Kelly looks great (as a #2 pick should, mind you) and I'm sure GWS are happy with their side of the bargain. Shock horror. Early days but looks like a classic win/win trade, and the least of our worries...

The succession plan has bothered me from the start. You can't have the most influential figures of your club planning to get out before it's even started. Doesn't fill me with any confidence anyway.

Well I never watched the game spent the day with the family and had a great time, so I have decided that's what I will be doing every time Melbourne plays for the rest of the year would rather have fun with my son then watch rubbish football so it's about time the football club wins me back it's like Groundhog Day and I am tired of it

For the first time I'm questioning whether this club will be here in five years time.

That's rubbish, mate. I love this club. Our football team has been hopeless since 2007, but I won't ever stop supporting and I will go along every week.

That's a huge problem. The way we treated Watts (the QBD debacle), Trengove (youngest ever AFL captain), Grimes (not really the leader we made him out to be), Morton (how many positions did we try playing him in?), amongst others, has severely contributed to our demise.

Mumford destroyed Spencer today. Not even close to a contest. Spencer was woeful. I've never seen anything in Spencer to suggest he'll be any good at AFL level, and 2014 has strengthened that view.

Commit to stay on for 3 - 5 years and undertake a radical restructure of the list.

The idea during the mid-stages of the game made sense, particularly when it was wet. We get distance on the ball and kill it for a stoppage. Towards the end of the match when we still had a chance I didn't agree with it, we should've got Vince to roost it down the middle and have runners there to collect it, take a chance every now and then to win the game. Unfortunately they had already moved into the "how much will we lose by mode", that isn't something Roos can get them out of easily because it's ingrained in their brains. But I'll say this about GWS, they adapted to the conditions much quicker than we did. They worked out very quickly that long and direct kicking was the way to play rather than handball around and the quick kicks into the 50 while there's space was very dangerous.

Howe is a great taker of hangers, but one of the dumbest footballers going around, and the others also play for us.

I've been saying it since we drafted him. He's a horrible kick and an even worse decision maker. I was living through Roos when he was giving that spray. You've also got Grimes who is the most unreliable captain in the history of the game. Then there's Bail, Evans and M Jones. They are borderline VFA standard. Seriously. You cannot win games when all your runners from the back (this is where attack is generated these days), turn it over two out of three times they get it. Furthermore, coaching wise, what is our plan from kick outs? We've still failed to address that since 2005 or '06.

need a new blazer......badly

I don't really know what to say, commitment was good in the conditions, I mean they were throwing their bodies in but they still lack confidence. So many times we are our own worst enemy's turning it over with little pressure on. And the simple fact is we cannot buy a goal at the moment. We could've won this, it was there for the taking.

We have far too many players that are simply not up to AFL standard and no amount of development, will or could change that, it's all about the recruiting. We are miles away from being even a reasonable side. Pederson, Terlich, M Jones Bail, Georgiou and probably Spencer aren't up to it. If Frawley wants the big bucks he needs to lift a bit as well.

Scully 0 possessions. Tyson 11. #itsthelittlethings

What a bunch of sad and tragic poor bastards we are.

I get depressed and jealous watching other teams play now. I've just turned off the Collingwood and Geelong game despite it being of a high quality I've lost a fair bit of interest.

Toumpas with 22 touches played off half back and wing. Very good today apparently. Michie with 14 in the middle but heavily tagged. Trenners about 24 playing mid and half forward with a goal. People should check their facts. Jordie was terrific today as was Nicholson. Salem looked good too when he had the ball. Jamar was good when he was played but as noted previously, his time was managed. I love the look of Pig Dog. He will be a handy In when ready.

Viney was quiet but it was his first game back and he still went in harder than 90% of his teammates. Can't even believe you brought him up, so far from our worst today.

Great that Game of Thrones starts again this week. Been enjoying Justified and thought Rake was great...

Thank god for supercoach and hoping Carlton lose every week or I think I would give up on footy altogether!

Maybe we've had it wrong all this time, and WYL is actually a genius visionary.

Spot on. I feel nothing. I'm going next week out of some sick sense of obligation, but I'm just [censored] over it. I'm over this pathetic excuse of a club. Can't let a bunch of players ruin every weekend. Life is too short to care about Melbourne so deeply!

Grimes goes to Casey next week. Unsighted in the last Q.

He responded to the criticism of Watts by noting the entire team is down on efficiency and it's raining. Valid points. Your 'criticism' was to have a go at his favourite player. He wins.

Good to see Fitz crash a pack. Watts should have smashed Scully. It's not basketball Jack don't post up.

That attempted "tackle" by Watts on Cameron was nothing short of soft and pathetic. He just has no urgency, none.

With a rigged fixture for attendances & TV consumption, corrupt administrators of the game as well as certain clubs, the tanking fiasco & systematic doping system at Essendon, draft consessions to start up teams & the overall thirst of the AFL for the almighty dollar it's no wonder people are beginning to see the AFL for what it really is.

Watching the Hawks, Cats and Pies this weekend, I just want Melbourne to: 1. Be first to the ball in a contest 2. Show some desperation That's the attitude that the top sides have, and we don't.

I agree with most of what is written and have the same sense of boredom and apathy generally about the game: 36 players chasing the ball around on perfect green carpet Running their guts out for 15kms to the point of exhaustion so they cannot kick goals. Huge injury lists caused mainly at training, not in actual game play. 60% of media coverage and commentary is about everything else apart from game play. (I am so fed up with stats and "breaking news"!!!) High marking disappearing, with the occasional screamer from Howe and the worst of all, the great full forwards are gone. Not going, gone. But I have solved my problem. I am back watching local footy. My eldest son plays U14, but after his game I like to watch the seniors,even though I have no family of friends involved at the club or playing. A pie from the canteen Toothless uninformed nuff-nuffs abusing everything and everyone The smell of jock straps and linament, (my dad's favourite quote about footy) 36 blokes semi-fit, having a decent crack at a game for the love of it, for the jumper, and for a beer afterwards with mates. Being able to sound the car horn after a goal. Real footy lives!

Last year the side, coming off yet another 120 point thrashing flew up to GWS with absolutely no interest in getting the 4 points or even trying for that matter. I remember bumping into PJ prior to the game and asking him if we were a chance today? He just shrugged his shoulders and grumpily said who the hell knows... I sincerely hope the club goes up today with a different mind set as it's just soul destroying seeing the players not give a crap.

Apart from the virtually overarching Melbourne factor there are too many games these days that simply don't capture the imagination. Leaving aside last night's MCG game there's a sameness about many of the games and then there's the contrived teams like GCS and GWS built up through rules designed to ensure quick success at the cost of others. Too much dull colourless boring shyte that will be tested this year by the World Cup and even by the cricket next year. Attendances are down, the natives are complaining and the people who run the game believe its in great shape.

If we get smashed tomorrow by AFL inc. GW$ my interest will be severly tested. I find it hard to believe our list is so bad. But it is. The last 7 years were handled that badly.