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Killing the game?? Richmond is 9th and on the verge of sacking another coach. The game is doing fine.

They were also teaching him to avoid cheap shots as well

There are not many footballers if any that have been subjected to the criticism, negativity, and ridicule as Jack Watts. What concerns me most are the comments from the media (recent comments from Wayne Carey aside). Indeed, I have developed some respect for Wayne as a result of his comments. He had the capacity to look inside himself and ask the question. We should all do the same with Jack. The ridicule of Jack has now gone on for over 5 years. It is not always ridicule or criticism but there are on-going comments about the comments if you know what I mean. The ridicule I find particularly unfair and unreasonable. We would not make these comments of our sons or daughters so why do we think it fair game to make them of some one we do not know. I have vented my frustrations with Jack but it has not made me feel any better only worse. I do not know Jack but he must be very resilient character and have a lot of inner strength. He also must have a lot of support from family, friends and his football club. Fortunately he has the unwavering support of his coach. However, the commentary from others is relentless. People will say well that's the nature of the gig. Public figures just have to cop it. However, most of us would not be able to cop it. It it was a normal work environment, we would pack our bag and leave. We need to remember that we talking about a person not an object. We need to remember the impact that this sort of sustained ridicule and questioning of a persons abilities and character can have on a person. People will say he is a footballer earning big money as a justification for negative comment. I disagree. He is a nice bloke, a decent person. He has feelings, doubts, sensitivities and weaknesses. However, does he deserve all the comments that are made of him? He is not a murderer, rapist or drug dealer. I am seriously concerned about the impact that this must be having on Jack, the person. A decent and kind individual. To all those Jack critics think before you comment. How would you feel if people were making these comments about you or a family member? I would not blame Jack for walking away from the game. I am concerned that he might. It is a real option for him. I don't want to see that happen but it may be the best thing for him. We all want to be be treated with respect, kindness and consideration. We should show some to Jack.

Rode passed the 'G tonight and happened to snap this pic. Thought it would be nice for all 'Landers to enjoy the moment in a week that's been good for football (i.e. when the Dees win). Hope the trimmed down resolution still looks OK.

A life member of the MFC, I wish him well. I would however pay to see Col in a motorcade at the G this Sunday, culminating in the vehicle crashing and Col running out of the stadium.

Why? Were you paying for it? Good luck Sylvia with your future

Got me... I just wanna play with Jesse Hogan so badly.

It's our home. The others are only tenants.

Good post Hemingway. I actually made a complaint to the footy club via email last night in regards to the video shown on the AFL website. I think it's a disgrace that they would post a video trying to show all the things he did wrong in a game. I want to see the club stick up for its players and we shouldn't have to take that $hit.

I am ready to get howled down, but it is interesting to note, that someone having a private conversation, not yelling out a remark to the public at large, is eavesdropped and reported for it. The context of the remark is unknown. For example what if the comment was " some people could call Houli a terrorist and that would be offensive", yet only part of it was heard by the Informant. I haven't got the faintest idea what was said, only that I thought, what was forbidden, were offensive comments yelled out and directed to someone, but heard publicly. I was unaware that even private conversations, that no one else heard, other than the Informant, including the CEO of the AFL, who was sitting directly behind the parties in the conversation, could nevertheless land you in hot water.

From the Hun: 'ON THE BLOCK: It’s hard to see Paul Roos making any forced changes after such a spirited win. Jack Watts lifted his intensity after a disappointing performance against the Crows and laid four tackles along with 14 disposals and a goal.' As Clint rightfully says Watts wasn't soft on Friday night and of course he wont be dropped. Roos has been crystal clear what his players need to do to remain in the team. Run both ways and play their role. Watts does both. A coach brave enough to drop an ex captain and much respected player would not hesitate to drop Watts if he wasn't meeting those two non negotiables. It really is ridiculous how a handful of commentators (and some DL posters) have run with this notion of him ducking his head and being soft. Equally ridiculous how some recommend dropping him as some sort of sign that his play is not acceptable. Such a position surely must relate to prefixed ideas about Watts that are unlikely to change, even when there is evidence to the contrary. It is also amazing how the goal posts shift for Watts. People criticized him for lack of intent, not tackling enough, not beating opponents one on one and not competing in the air and when he achieves those things (as the stats attest to, as does the vision and the fact he gets picked each week) suddenly it is the perceived ducking of the head, which some seem to be suggesting is a chronic issue when in fact it has rarely occurred and i would argue didn't this week. Watts brilliantly out points his opponent in a one on one duel, doesn't mark it but wins the ball and turns on a dime. What does Commeti say when he miskicks the ball - deplorable effort. Despite the fact that he had a man on his tail and he didn't kick the ball to an opposition player or on the full. It just went out of bounds, unlike Brayshaw, a brilliant kick of the ball normally who under no pressure kicks the ball straight out on the full entering the forward 50 (at a crucial time i might add). Watts drops a ball in the driving rain and it is evidence of his softness but Cross drops a similar one, Garland drops an even easier one (all by himself and when the rain has eased) and a tiger player drops a sitter. Barely a word said about those though. No mention - anywhere that i have seen- is made of his effort in the last second or so of the first quarter to fly into a pack, running with the flight of the ball. This is often seen as the very epitome of braveness yet Watts does it and gets no kudos. What about his effort to redeem himself after coughing up the ball with a miskick on the half back flank (which by the by came after he had gut run from the forward line tracking the ball as the tiges moved it forward) and the tiges scoring a point from the turnover? On the resulting (fast) kick out he wills himself to the opposite pocket and dives across the boot of a player having a shot on goal causing him to miss. Crucial - but again no praise and many of those with fixed ideas would say that it was simply a poor kick and Watts efforts had no bearing on it. What about Watts gut running? Look at where he gets so many of his possessions - in the back half. Remember he is a forward. I'd bet London to a brick that outside of our mids he leads the GPS stats (Saty could you check this at training please). But his critics would just say he jogs around at half pace and picks up easy kicks. Bollocks. Look at the goal he he got. He tackled Rance on the wing and caused him to handball our way and cough it up (though his critics would say he just got lucky and Rance made an error - he seems to get lucky a lot). He then ran with the MFC player, directed him to kick it to a leading player, kept running forward and then doubled back to offer the lead. After that gut running he was able to mark the ball under intense pressure from Martin (though not in the rain as i mistakenly posted previously). Does he get kudos for this gut running? No. The focus from some is on his lucky 50 meters. That was a crucial goal as was the goal he set up with the beautiful 15 meter handball he gave to Vandenburg (after snaring the ball from the pack - though i'm positive some would say this was lucky). Roos said Jones had improved because he had become a team player. Watts has always been a team player and this was just another example where he put his team mates into scoring positions (as opposed to firing away himself, which a more selfish player would have), as was the beautiful handball he fed to Newton about 20 metres from goal (Newton missed) and the tap out where he went third man up from a stoppage at the same end that ended up with Tyson. Kudos? Not a one. As someone noted that video of Watts bloopers on the AFL site is an absolute disgrace and the club should ask them to take it down. Even better they should produce a highlights package from the tigers game showing the plays noted above and the others he did, eg the marking contests he halved, bringing the ball to ground (something he has been roundly criticized for not doing - 'all we want is for him to compete!' yet when he starts doing it not a peep from this critics).

He was a favourite of mine, but he never wanted to work hard enough. Sad.

While I don't agree with the rule, the JKH one is the most blatant free kick you could ever see. It wasn't a mistake, it was an umpire knowing it was a free kick and not wanting to award it. Criminal.

Thanks as always TDI.

Just been watching the replay with Watts in mind and two things stood out to me. First, many other players dropped marks etc and it hasn't led to yet another thread groaning about that player (eg soon after Watts dropped that overhead mark and Carey was saying how he'd better not do that more than once, Cross dropped an easier mark near goal at the other end. No one noticed it seems.) Second, several times balls came shooting out of a pack allowing our players to break free. I couldn't see who had done it so I rewound. Watts each time.

i had this older supporter behind me on Friday and everything Watts did he would continue to whinge and whine about how poor it was "handball to Vandenberg, just kick the goal yourself, oh your so pathetic" was my personal highlight. It made me think he was not the full quid, after putting myself through reading all 9 pages of this (I am clearly not all there) but i have come to the conclusion that if we do not have some of the stupidest "supporters" we are definitely in the top 4. Watts effort was at an AFL standard, did he make some execution errors? yes. did everyone? yes. People making statements about poor workrate or lack of effort are clearly not watching the game and really have little to no idea about football and it is just embarassing to read all your dribble.

A coupe missing today Tyson and Jetta, but also a few did very little, Grimes, Toumpas, McKenzie, Stretch, Gawn, Riley, Salem, Terlich, Spencer, Matt Jones, probably some others, ask ... Howe didn't do the whole session Joked with Jade Rawlings that Nev Jetta would still want to play, he agreed Drills were the usual ball movement , with more and then lless defenders, not split into any groups Complimented Nathan Jones on his checkside pass to Hogan, said it was a fluke Jesse Hogan again spent extra time on goal kicking, with vandenBerg and Newton Watts spent a bit of time with Brendan McCartney and Ben Mathews on a tackling drill Any questions feel free, few pics on Twitter Demonpk

All jokes aside just shows how far behind the 8ball we were as a club. Sure Col could off pushed himself harder but we as a club tolerated it. As Jones said on game day, over the pre season Roos handed ownership of the culture to the players, the fact the senior players such as Jones Dunn Tmac as well as new comers like Angus and Hogan all get 2-3 years under Roos is massive. There are no more excuses, this has to be player driven. We have recruited enough players from other clubs to know how it's done at more successful clubs. Players who meet expectations should be shown the door.

you have a poor grasp on the concept of tradition and culture, autocool

Will be doing a lap of honour on Sunday. Well, a quarter of a lap before being subbed off.

James Frawley

Bit late now!! Those decisions nearly cost me a TV...

The umps had their money on Richmond,and they blew it thanks to the awesomeness of Melbourne(the tiges didn't help them much either)

Apart from Trapper's final against Adelaide, Col played probably the best game I've seen a Demon play in the flesh, against Hawthorn in 09. What an absolute waste of a career/opportunity/talent.

Biggest wasted talent i have seen A shame. But Col never got out of 2nd gear. He had so many chances given to him....

That flakey Richmond had an AA defender who had never been in a contest this year and is demanding 700k a year.What more do you want?

Given how we made off From losing Frawley in Brayshaw. And balanced losing Clark in Lamumba. I'm confident that Roos, Jackson and co have the situation well in hand.

I don't think the half-wits commentating the game have the capacity to communicate more than the coarsest details of what's become a far more subtle and complex game. Switching to vaudaville with off field comment, where again any idiot can have a coarse opinion, give them an out. Would like to see more in depth analysis of footy, tactics, trends, etc... during calls and in general.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/how-melbourne-built-jesse-hogan-20150427-1mukbm.html Nice article on Hogan.

I love that we're already questioning his loyalty, knowing zero about him personally other than he's already extended his contract once. MFCSS at its finest.

The umpire review agrees they cost us two goals on Friday night. The garland holding the ball and the Jay Kennedy Harris incident where he had his legs taken out from under him. I reckon they could add about three that Richmond got in front of goal as well.... Add that to the five posters and we would have beaten the toiges by a lot more. We'd be in the eight..... http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/wayne-campbell-admits-players-leading-with-their-head-into-tackles-is-biggest-issue-facing-umps/story-fni5f22o-1227324540885

I love that this has blown up in Fremantle's face. They thought - 'oh, Melbourne couldn't develop a chia pet, we will make him a star...' Yeah, nah.

Truth be told Hi Ho retired from AFL many years ago

About as well as under the Lyon regime.

Maybe we could rookie him? Come home Col!

Agree - shouldn't it be Crock Meida? He is just awful and hasn't shown any sign of improvement Yes - looking across the ground from the first level it is just so intrusive, and pointless. I wouldn't have the slightest idea of what is being advertised. Just irritating. And I have been on about the audio intrusions at the breaks for a long time - spoils the ambience of the game. Sounds more and more like American basketball every year. I had hoped that with Vlad leaving, the man who wants to Americanize every aspect of our game, it may have improved...but it hasn't.

His intensity was through the roof. Best i have seen from him.His forward pressure was huge.

Annnnnnnnd derailed.

Maybe this should be in the John Burns thread.

Agreed. The constant gambling advertising is also completely out of hand. I'm so sick of hearing the odds on every single little thing.

Out: Kent, Jetta. In: Grimes, Toumpas for sub. (Brayshaw, Michie on field)

We already do know: Yes, he can! He is at Casey to gain confidence. Then he will show all the naysayers.

Yet they still talk up Richmond as having a bad game rather than the Dees killing their chances by suffocating their key players at both ends of the ground (Hogan v Rance and TMac v Crywoldt).

Me, I don't care if Roos picks Spencer, if he does I know the big Pencil will run himself into the ground for the team, he has his shortcomings but not giving it everything he has got isn't one of them, and that is part of the mantra now, all you have to do is play your role for 4 quarters

John Burns, radio announcer (Melbourne)

The only colors that our ground should ever be draped in!

Well said Binman. It is nice to see some supporters look objectively at the efforts put in by our players. Roos does not get it wrong in his team selections.

All good here, though the nerves are shot, having the wife and kids doesn't help with that. Need our next game to hurry up as could do with a good dose of shouting at the maggots!

After careful consideration, I've decided to sew a number 1 on the back of my suit jacket for work on Monday.