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I enjoyed last week more.

I will say this - I refuse to let this footy club continually pizz me off on the weekend. You work hard during the week and look forward to relaxing and watching the footy and then they dish up these type of performances time and time again. 5 min into the last qtr for the first time I had enough and took my boys to the park instead of watching another pathetic effort. The park was great much more fun than the alternative. I have had enough of wasting my time when they turn on performances like today (and the last 8 yrs). It's really disappointing that we continually dish this up. There has to be a point when it has to stop but unfortunately it seems along way off still.

Paul Roos has taken 23 players up to the national capital today, the majority of who were not on the club's primary list when he was appointed as coach of the club late in 2013. I'm counting the eleven players recruited since then (the travelling emergency JKH was drafted in November 2013) and Jesse Hogan who was on the club's books as a GWS compensation pick but not officially listed until the National Draft. Then there's Neville Jetta who was delisted at the season's end but provided with another chance and redrafted as a rookie for the 2014 AFL season who grabbed that chance and is now established as a senior player. That makes a majority of the players making up what I would call Roosy's new age team. I'm looking forward to them taking another step forward this afternoon.

Apparently the Scully family will be sitting in the Eastern Grandstand today. They managed to book it early so all six of them should be able to squeeze in.

In my opinion we went in with too many talls today. The inside 50s were dramatically less than last week. We were over run through the midfield mid way through the 2nd quarter & were not able to lock the ball inside 50 to exert enough pressure. Dawes had a decent first qtr but after that he was not effective. I'd be tempted to go with the line up from round one for next week.

Off season - Get Dylan Shiel.

Malthouse has just blamed free agency on losing Garlett. I'm pretty sure they gave him away and it had nothing to do with free agency.

This has not been as enjoyable as last week.

1.15pm on 23 July 2016.

I do. He took over raw sewage and it's already looking better, even though we still get the odd piece of outrageous filth like today. It's not like he's driving a premiership contender into the dirt. He's taking over a list so embarrassing the previous recruiters would be tried for attempted murder if the club was a human. Good on him. He's going to leave a strong positive legacy at Melbourne. Even if he didn't, as Michael Caine once said of Jaws: The Revenge - "I have never seen the film, but by all accounts it was terrible. However I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific."

Roos needs to pull back on the references to a "lack of talent". It's up there with Neeld's age and games experience excuses and I don't want to hear it anymore. There is enough top end talent in the squad. Just get on with it Paul.

It's not that we lose. It's how we lose. Disgraceful.

Every year I hope that these kind of floggings are behind us. The ones where our senior players go missing, our effort/intensity/work-rate flop to embarrassing levels, and we concede huge scores in short time periods. Every year, my hopes are dashed.

I hope Roos delivers a spray for the ages.

That's the game - Casey Scorpions 16.10.106 to 2.3.15 It was little more than a training drill with hardly any pressure put on the Scorpions from go to whoa. As far as the Melbourne players we're concerned, they all contributed and few of them put a foot wrong. The problem from the point of view of promotion to the AFL because it simply didn't have the intensity of an AFL game. Back later.

In: JKH Out: Dawes

Toumpas is our leading possesion winner with 17 followed by Harmes with 15. Good response from toump!

Not since Sheedy shut his mouth and went back to the cheats

Just returned from a 6 km walk in a (fruitless) attempt to ease the nervous tension. I reckon it will be close, but my gut feeling, based on the vibe at training yesterday arvo, is that our boys are really up for this one. Just break even around the stoppages, and play with the same application and work rate as last week, and we will win. Off to the ground shortly, and totally pumped.

I Just want us to split these bastards open and smash them by a 100 pts. Go Dees

This story will continue for the rest of Clarks career. He caused most of it...

You're an idiot.

Yeah, but they were doing it far too easily at the centre bounce downs and at the stoppages ... Jones had a shocker and Tyson was ineffectual Jamar & Frost had 35 hit-outs between them as against Mumford's 38. Mumfords hit-outs were more effective but our midfield was woeful, all the same. Clearances ... Jamar 6, vandenBerg 4, various others 2 or 3 For them ... Shiel 9, Ward 8, Mumford 5, Griffen 5, Coniglio 4, Treloar 4 Our clearance numbers and contested footy has been an issue since the Daniher days. A top midfielder will rove to the opposition ruckman if that opposition ruckman is on top. Jones is usually capable of doing that but he had an off day - no one else put their hand up.

Pretty disappointing post match conference from Roos. I don't even know what he could have said to make me feel better, but FMD how long are we gonna lack effort? I'm sick of hearing it.

Was at the game having made the trip from beechworth. Should have stayed home they won. Pre match talk was upbeat from the coaches robot presented. Spirit was good in the stands. Two quarters of fumbling footy, dropped marks but we were ahead. Sure didn't make use of our opportunitys and sure the umpiring and standard of play was pathetic but we were in front. The teammate least had a bit of spread and supported each other although there were too many occasions when we were competing with each other. ThenGWS stayed out of those contests and ran across and around each other while we took each other out of the contest or delivered to 2 or 3 on1 contests or ran into them from the contest. Sure the umpiring was still pathetic but GWS just grew in confidence while we became more and more frustrated. Our fumbling was increased out of the frustration while GWS became more confident. Dawes and Howe dropped everything and Dawes was still double teamed. Jesse was playing his heart out. Watts was out of the contests and GWS just kept it away from him. Our forwards were too far up the ground and so many times there was no one to kick too GWS had numbers deep in defence and slowly our pressing was overwhelmed as they kicked over or around or few tries. I despair. I even yelled out the window IM NOT HAPPY,! but still just feel so so deflated. This was rubbish. PJ at the lunch said it was about respect and everyone doing their part. It certainly didn't look like that out their today. I hope the players have a good hard look at themselves and see the difference in their performance from week to week and quarter to quarter.

Ive decided to look at this with a different perspective. In light of a previous question this year as to whether we're an improved outfit and how we could tell . Many previous years our season died half way through round 1. This season it was half way through round 2. Vast improvement. Onward and upward you good Dees !!

How often have we said that? Give him a break. He's been great week in for 3 years now. Everyone has an off day. I wish people would realise today was just gws being far too good. The momentum turned and all of the sudden the ball bounced there way, ricochets went there way. I mean smith, Cameron and shiel all kicked goals out of their Azzes. Before we slam this group let's see if they bounce back next week.

People carrying on about Dawes as though he had something to do with the loss. Brayshaw 11 tackles in his first 4 quarters of footy... Tyson 5 tackles in 8. It's still a slow midfield that lacks class, intensity, and spread. We're actually not that far away. Brayshaw will be an absolute gun. We will have good days this year, but more midfield class required.

I was there today. The only way to beat GWS is to not let them get it in a stoppage. Jamar dominated in the first half, but then Mumford dominated in the second half. Lesson learnt, If GWS get it in the middle they will run you off your legs and make it look whose then it is. Not a snipe, but just a note, Jack Watts had great presence up forward, but gave up on a couple of chases when it was his turn. No passengers please.

I don't subscribe to the "how talented are GWS thread". We lost this because we gave up control on the ground. Jamar was nullified after dominating against Mumford. Umpires refused to give any 50/50 decisions (this fits snugly into an AFL directive), but can be offset by intelligent team play. Some playmakers disappeared. We didn't make the most of early dominance. We are a 50/50 team! 11 wins is our maximum capability in 2015. This game was winnable. We set it up in first Qtr but then our deficiencies set in. What were they?

Newton is the true definition of plug and play. Looks like his been here for years

Must win and should win.

Step 1. Fabricate/incite a common on-field sledge into some kind of controversy, by craftily omitting the contents of said-sledge and wait for others to draw their own conclusions (to this hour Barrett has not once said the sledge was specifically about Clark's mental illness -- this is the conclusion everyone else has reached) Step 2. After media interest hits its peak following aforementioned media beat-up, arrange exclusive interview with aforementioned player, where both parties get a healthy six figure sum donated to their bank account. NB: Step 2 was likely arranged before Step 1.

Clark wanted out and found a loophole. Enough people realise this, hence the public booing and general poor reception he receives.

are you serious? I think it's awesome that fans who don't have a horse in the race still recognise a dog act when they see it, and want it known that type of behaviour should be reprimanded. It's taking a stand against something that's just plain wrong

please tell me exactly what was said hating Mitch Clark has become a passion of mine

fantastic Jack Viney!

Makes you feel sorry for Ratten. They were a much better side then but i just can't find any sympathy for Carlton.

This is rather Over-The-Top Saty, especially 3...no where has anyone, let alone me said anything remotely like what you are claiming. Completely unnecessary and inappropriate comments. You are, rightly a highly respected and valued DL poster but that doesn't give you the right to indulge these types of comments nor to regularly deride/insult fellow posters. That post is the last straw for me. In one minute you will be on 'Ignore'. And, I don't care that you don't care. Bye

Yep, seems to be in the air tonight... Of course 'Macca' technically we always have representation because the commission is independent and sits for the good of the game. Among other things it's because of this independence that we got investigated for tanking and another club didn't. The very independent Chairman Fitzpatrick made sure the right club was investigated. Who did he play for? The same man that see's Sydney games played at the great Olympic stadium instead of that substandard SCG. Which financial interests does he represent? The Blues are up the creek, no doubt about that. Of course the independent commission will have to look at giving them a priority pick. Who did the Chairman play for again? Good old Mike 'I leave the room' Fitzpatrick. One of the many famous 'I leave the room' AFL people of integrity.

My understanding is 7 dictate the Friday night games, hence Carlton getting 7, Richmond 7, Collingwood 6, etc. Clueless broadcaster and they have 5 more Friday night duds with Carlton to look forward to as a result of their shortsighted stupidity. No wonder they're pushing the Stevens/Mick drama so much; they know any match with Carlton from here on will be a dud. And to think the Bulldogs get none despite their exciting young list and performance last week.

I haven't seen anything tonight to change my preseason prediction of Carlton finishing bottom 2 this year. ...and I've seen enough to think WC will probably finish bottom 4.

The voice of summer my whole life. Wish some of the current crop of commentators had half the class as Richie.

Methinks Clark expected to become the feel-good AFL story of the year, only to come crashing back to earth with a thud as 50,000 Hawks fans let him know what they thought of his little stunt last year. Depression is a mental illness and a serious issue in society. I won't speculate about whether or not it was a fabrication by Clark to escape his contract. What I will say is that having worked with countless sufferers of depression, it is never an excuse to [censored] on the people who help you. He showed his true colours last year, and maybe, just maybe, he was being booed because fans of the sport see him for what he is (and not the illness he may or may not suffer). It doesn't change my opinion of him: a little man who only looks out for himself, no matter the collateral. Worse, he's a type who uses his apparent illness to excuse his abysmal treatment of others. He does this because he knows people in the media wouldn't dare criticize him for fear of looking insensitive and/or ignorant about mental illness, and it's always his fallback answer for anyone who does criticize the selfish decisions he's made.

You don't retire from a club like a melbourne with depression, then 6 months later join up with another team. It is what it is and we shouldn't show him any compassion, he didn't give a [censored] about us, so why should we do the same for him. He let us down and we all know it.

Well get used to it. Should we not boo Hird? I loved hearing both of them get booed, even if Dwayne thought it was harsh, what a tool.

obviously the issue is not that he (allegedly) has depression but that he pulled a shifty move on our club and everybody knows it

Don't automatically assume the comments were re his depression. I was at the game & there was booing every time he got the ball. The comments were also more to do with his treatment of melb......never heard any comments re mental health. It's just so easy for people to jump on the high moral ground & make politically correct statements ........I would suggest that only Mitch Clark would know best about his mental health .......however from an outsider .....he's seems to be doing pretty well in one of the most scrutinised work places going round .....& I am a big believer in the "conspiracy theories" floating round

Barrett had the "exclusive" that there was an "incident" (a popular journalistic term to exaggerate and incite something of little consequence) involving Hawks players sledging Clark on Monday. It was never stated that the sledging was depression/illness related, but Barrett left it vague for people to draw this conclusion. Could just as easily been sledging for the way he royally [censored] us over, but the bleeding hearts all defended Mitch while Sam called a spade a spade. Never agreed more with Newman in my life but he basically said "fair dinkum, why don't we just ban players from speaking? Will that solve the problem? If he put himself out there after doing what he did then he leaves himself open to criticism on the field." Then Selwood waffled off some rubbish, clearly rehearsed line about how much Clark has brought to their club, and that their culture allows them to protect and nurture Clark through issues like this (geez, thought he got over those just in time for trade period!). Gibbo claimed ignorance but danced around the issue and seemed mostly unapologetic. They aren't soft at the Hawks and there's a reason they're such a good team. Gibbo would dish it out as good as anyone on the field to throw off his opponent. In summary, Clark knew this would follow him after what he did and can't cry foul now. Zero sympathy for him. The fact that he went and cried to the club about it just reflects how narcissistic and toxic he is. Everything's all about Mitch and he deserves the red carpet to be rolled out. Classic attention seeker.