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I'd ban you for this negative crapp and the continual abuse and bullying of Watts. And it's nothing personal against you. It just fascinates and disappoints me that MFC supporters can't get behind him and feel the need to continually belittle and denigrate him. It's mean spirited and totally contrary to being a supporter. Reality is probably that he's neither as bad as many make out or as good as some suggest. But he's got personal characteristics that leave many here for dead and he diserves so much better than what this forum regularly dishes up. Fact is he is on our list. He will get a game if the coaches think he deserves one. He may flourish in a better team or he may lose his place. I don't know what will happen but I hope he succeeds. but what I do know is this site should have the balls to put an end to the continual abuse and bullying of this player. Everybody's had their say, let's see what happens.

I pretty much just lurk here but I just wanted to say that I heavily disagree with this sentiment (and JW is probably my favourite player too). Fact is, this is an internet forum where people have their own opinions and everything and it's inevitable that some of this creeps into postings - every player cops it, albeit some much more than most. Banning someone for having negative opinions of a player is bad because it reduces the amount of independent thought posted on this site. Yeah people could be definitely be nicer with their comments, but you know, everyone's entitled to free speech and you're entitled to disapprove if you disagree with their comments. But banning someone for being harsh towards a player is a bit much to me. I also don't think his post was really abuse; I read it just as being tired of the continual expectations of Jack. But yeah, maybe I read it wrongly!

Wise, I guess I see the potential for lots of different types of discussion all focused on our women's team. I can envisage different threads dedicated to the exhibition games, the national competition structure, updates from different state competitions and individual players. In addition I'd love to create a thread that contains a collection of videos that provide people with a real insight into the women's game. I could obviously do this on the main board but feel they deserve a place to be kept together. Mach, I'd make it one of my key jobs to keep the key threads updated and interesting so that the women's game is regularly on the opening page of the site. I think we've already done this McQueen. After each exhibition game, a thread has been created and each year these threads have received more attention and a more positive response. Thanks WJ. I really stumbled into the women's game. As a teacher I enjoyed coaching the boys I taught but up here in QLD I couldn't escape the number of potential competitions that were being created specifically for girls. I've heard quite a few people question the numbers QLD boasts in terms of female participation but the effort they put into the school competitions is amazing and that's why their participation rates are so high. I think we've moved past WA who are quite strong and are now serious competition at U18 level with Victoria. About 14 years ago our school program started with a little 9-a-side team that got absolutely smashed by everyone. In the first minute of our first game, one of my girls dislocated her knee cap and I wasn't sure this whole thing was such as good idea. But we got more and more serious and as a school we became the best in QLD for a few years, even toured Victoria and headed out to Wonthaggi for a game against the then state champions. As much as I enjoyed coaching the boys, they were all club driven and school footy was very much secondary. School footy to the girls became almost club-like. They trained two afternoons a week and did a gym session or two as well. That's when I realised how serious these girls could get. Unlike the boys, the improvement you see is so huge and as a consequence the satisfaction gained as a coach is massive. Oh and they listen! After a few years my best girls finished school and a few of them moved into clubs to play senior footy. After a couple of more years, they convinced me to come and coach them. I spent a couple of years coaching a senior team in the Brisbane/Gold Coast Comp but had to ease out of the scene when my second kid came along. After a year, I realised how much I missed it and got back involved with some younger girls. We started in 15s and we're now in 17s and are pulling together a senior team to play in the second tier of footy up here. The club I'm now at is right near my school and we'll have teams in 11s, 13s, 15s, 17s and seniors. I'm hopeful that when my kids are a little older I might coach as senior level again with the kids I started off with 4 years ago. There is a genuine pathway for the girls now. In addition they can play representative school footy with state carnivals at U12 and U15 level. And outside of school they have an U14 and U17 state championship. Whilst the standard of the exhibition games has been solid, the next generation of players are a cut above the current seniors. We're now seeing Auskick kids floating into club competitions and entering senior level with a real background in the game. Once the national comp gets underway, it may have a few teething problems but the elite talent from Netball, Soccer and Cricket will start flooding our way. The AFL will seriously support the comp and I wouldn't be surprised if the best few players in each team will be making over $100,000 a year. When young girls see that potential and have the pathway in place to support their progress, the standard in 8 - 10 years should be quite impressive. A lot of people have been impressed with the exploits of Tayla Harris. Unlike most of the other girls involved in the exhibition games (especially from QLD) who've come to the sport late in their youth or even in their twenties, Tayla has had a traditional football journey comparable to most boys. I can only imagine how good the quality of competition will be when the bulk of the players have a decade of footy behind them like Tayla. I wrote an article at the conclusion of my last year of senior coaching that shares a fair bit of info on Tayla and her exploits prior to playing in the exhibition games and taking 'that mark'. http://www.foxsportspulse.com/team_info.cgi?client=1-109-82635-158132-10295392&sID=247343&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=20586526 Cheers, Ross

Jack will get a bit of interest being out of contract, sides have seen how well he can play in a junk team. So if they are prepared to take Howe and others they will be falling over themselves to see what they can do with a jack watts once he is in a quality team. We need to be that quality team that gets the best out of jack.

I think Melksham is vastly under estimated in terms of what he could add to the team in 2016. Marure mid, hbf with run and penetrating kick. Will do damage.

Why don't you post some highlights from your career Clint? In that way Watts and the other untalented players on our list can aspire to greater heights!

Watts is clearly capable of so much as the highlight reel below demonstrates. He's also out of contract at the end of 2016, meaning it will be interesting to see whether the club considers Watts as a priotrity to resign based on the glimpses he's shown throughout his career. Personally, I have my fingers-crossed for Watts to produce a good season for us in 2016. I feel that he legitimately loves the club despite all of the criticism he's received since he debuted.

Well well Biff - I have been renewed. A new man, an upright citizen ready to selflessly contribute to the greater good of society.My first New Year's Reso is to shed some kilograms. However, due to some previous misunderstandings, I am persona non grata at all nearby gymnasia. So I have dusted off the treadly and purchased some new spandex. I have already attracted some envious glances around the village. I do cut a rather dashing figure if I do say so myself. I have also decided to look for a new vocation in life. During my recent treatments, I met some quite delightful psychoanalysts,psychologists in general and a myriad of counsellors. So Uncle Bitter is planning to reinvent himself as a relationship or marriage counsellor. I have had quite a bit to do with other peoples' marriages over the years so I am quite confident that I can make an impact. Doing good is my new motto!

At games, I see Jack lead a hell of a lot and either not get the pass or have it kicked high and long rather than out in front. What I can't tell is whether this is because his teammates aren't looking for/seeing him or if he's not timing his leads properly. In a few games I've re-watched in the off-season I've heard commentators say a few times that he takes off just a few seconds too early so he's running through space a moment before they are ready to pass to him. If this is the case, then a minor adjustment to his play could reap massive rewards. I suspect that the reality is a mix of several factors. As above, he sometimes leads too early. He needs to fix that. Likewise, our mids have historically been terrible at hitting a leading target, most often going too high and either forcing them to stop and wait for the defender to crash into them or going right over them and straight into the defender's hands. I have often suspected that awareness of this lack in kicking skill has lead to a reluctance to take that kick and instead they hold up and look for a safer option or a good contest on the boundary. Hopefully the addition of more skilled young players will lead to more willingness to take the attacking option in the future.

The current banner is done for 2016 and will not be added to.

Take 8: Best of the rest => https://six6six.smugmug.com/Monday-Take-8/n-VtHMMQ A small gallery to finish off this exercise. I'm off on a short beak now to recharge the batteries for the coming year. Hope you've all enjoyed this little indulgence of mine. Enjoy the New Year festivities and keep safe. The boys are back on Monday and the footy is just around the corner See you in the New Year. Go Dees,

Thank you for your support and understanding Biffen!! When it all comes down to it, I need to make a dollar while supporting those in need. While you, with a string of failed relationships behind you are beyond my help, I'm there are some on Demonland who would benefit from my wisdom in marital matters. Btw, I am already a platinum member that worthy organisation you alluded to.

He will be serviceable.

These guys are "insurance players" to cover any injuries. Yes Watts may be in trouble if Weideman comes on quickly. Pencil is our no 2 ruckman and well ahead of the King boys at this stage. This is what depth is all about, have your best 22 and then be able to cover injuries with these guys.

Gawn has always got hands to the ball but has only recently made the progression to effective ruck work. Great midfielders will shark the oppositions poor taps but I think we're now past that. a fit Gawn is super important - no doubt.

Try the Checker Hughes Paul Roos comparison, probably more valid

I get the feeling that Oliver won't be featuring too heavily in the Casey reports this year and that he will replicate Brayshaw in his Round 1 debut. Looking at the seconds reports shall be confined to salivating over Weideman.

I am really looking forward to seeing the Casey reports this year as there should be some very good footballers in the seconds. Oliver excites me as it will be interesting to see his improvement in an elite environment. His improvement between the end of the season and the combine was sensational. If he had that level of fitness at the beginning of the season would he have been the number 1 selection? I'm looking forward to future training reports and I am hopeful that similar to Brayshaw that he forces himself into the round 1 side.

Happy New Year everybody. Let's hope that 2016 is The Year of the Demon.

who knows, so many variables Tyson at best is A grade, but will he find consistency Trengove could be an A grader if he can make it back Petracca could have a Hogan like impact.. could Oliver could have a Wines like impact.. the real key will be if Gawn can play a full season at the level he showed last year, if he can, he can push All Australian and make life alot easier for our mids, funny how mids suddenly become rated much higher when your ruck gets his hands on the ball a bit more.

Listening to SEN around 10.30 this morning, one of their regular commentators was on (missed who it was) and they picked Port Adelaide and Melbourne to be the big improvers in 2016.

What we have right now is a highly combative midfield that is lacking in weapons. We have a whole bunch of players who will win contested ball and tackle. Most of them are pretty reliable with the ball as well which is nice. What we lack are really good ball users and significant pace. There's also a bit of a question mark over the hands of a few, as in their ability to grab the ball on the first attempt. I think that a lot of faith has been shown in a few young fringe players to develop into first team regulars to help fill these voids. Guys like Mitch White, Stretch and Hunt need to come on and give us those outside weapons to complement the rock hard core. If we see that, then we're going to be much better than 15th ranked in the league.

We need Dom Tyson to get back to his 2014 form. I am referencing the club website here but he finished 2nd in our B&F and polled 11 Brownlow votes (3 times three votes in a losing side) in 2014. It's fair to say he stagnated last season but he has got the the talent. I am tipping a marked improvement in 2016.

I hope you are right Ron. I was dead against getting him before the trade period but that was based on not much more than the team he played for. He is one of us now so a "bloody good season" from Jake would be great.

He won't be a spud for us though. I'm predicting a bloody good season for him.

Is Don.....is done

It's a team thing 'Moon', so much credit for the Geelong success has been given to Costa & Cook. Is it wrong that they get a lot of the credit for rebuilding Geelong? Could Geelong have made it without them? would Thomoson have survived as coach? Same at Hawthorn. Would they be where they are without the tireless work of Ian Dicker? what if Kennett had taken over earlier, would the greatest coach of the modern era be a just a footnote in the history of the Hawthorn football club? It takes a whole club to be a success, Joe might not have been the greatest but he did oversee some success and should at least be credited with that...

I rate Salem as in our top 5 players despite the brevity of his career. I think the Bluey will reflect this if he gets through a full season. I expect us to finish 8th in 2016 so that would put our midfield in the Middle tier,roughly.

That's just the mentality of a lot of supporters. Melksham will be booed when we play Essendon in 2016, even though all of their supporters say he's a complete spud

I have to say, I am so impressed with the attitude Oliver has shown this year. The amount of weight he lost before being drafted, the way he attacked the draft combine, living away from his family to make it easier to play footy. I'm sure it's these things as much as his form late in the season that lifted him right up the order. So often we've had talented kids who didn't want to work hard. Here we seem to have a kid who started doing the hard work on his own and is loving being given more now that he's at a club. I really hope he continues in this vein.

No, not really. But I agree with you. I think Garland will have his best year in 2016.

Brayshaw displayed some real footy smarts last season which were coupled with class and grunt. For a first year player taken at number 3 it was overs in my opinion. We've learnt not to place too much expectation on the youngsters and the club are managing them accordingly. It Oliver has as good a first season as Brayshaw we should be very pleased.

I love the tackle at the ~8 min mark of Varcoe being tackled. Then camera goes to Buckley and you can see him mouth "What the f*** is that?". I won't lie, my first reaction was to chuckle and imagine Buckley thinking that he just saw Watts tackle someone.

Joe did some good things for the club and he did some bad things as well. Such is life. He tipped in plenty of money, oversaw a Grand Final appearance and had a hand in hiring Daniher. He did things for his own benefit though and had to go for the good of the club, even though Szondy was bloody awful. There aren't many former Melbourne presidents who can say they were in charge when we played off in a Grand Final though.

I always remember some of the events of that time some more clearly than others Joe stood at the microphone and in front of the numbers men who had arranged the charade stated You say you have examined all the options and you have asked everyone for help But you havent asked me. Indeed they had not and it is doubtful if they had asked anyone outside of their narrow cabal. The supporters were not consulted and displayed their displeasure to apparent surprise. I did meet Joe at a match (on the Presidents table at a Richmond match) a year later and he had nothing but enthusiasm for the club, no condemnation with the actions of those he criticised but an obvious pleasure that the the club continued to exist in its own right. There were elements of the Establishment and a new order but Joe never dwelt on that. he did make a contribution to the club (a very generous one in $ terms) and while he was not perfect not many are. I will always think fondly of him and hope that he still finds some enjoyment in escaping from the reality of his other activities by watching the Dees competing. Hopefully the players can provide some success in that activity.

9 games in 2016, rising star nomination, one finals game, 2017 rising star win, also a 2017 grand final performance in a premiership winning side... that'll do...

I believe we will exceed this prediction and I truly hope I'm right. The thing about 2016 which will lift us up these rankings and up the ladder will be the improvement in service from big Maxy plus the time our talented youngsters have had under the tutelage of Roos Goodwin and Mc Cartney. We get the feeling that our young emerging mids are really driven to succeed and leave their mark on the competition. I think all the ones mentioned have got the wherewithal to actually do it. Inshallah !!!!!

Played 11 games in his first year on the list......Often as the sub which equates to a quarter here and a quarter there. Did some very good things in matches and also panicked a few times as he got used to the tempo. I feel that he will be a very good player for us in the future. He is only nineteen.

BB I don't doubt that Joe saw a lot of publicity for himself and his businesses when he got involved in the merger. I also think that when he got the Presidency, it was also about him fitting in, in an area where Orthodox Jews don't normally get involved. So a lot of it was to do with Joe personally. He is a MFC supporter, but obviously limited in his attendance at matches. He was clearly head hunted because of his wealth, to get involved in the anti merger group. I just think he did a few good things for the MFC, one of which was a massive donation of $2.75m, which no one in the history of footy has got close to and he deserves credit for that. I don't think he would have enjoyed the election and all it involved, personal attacks, being defeated and sent packing. While he would have got plenty of good publicity in the early days, in the last days it was not the same. As many of us who have served on Boards and in particular Footy Boards know, it can be a thankless and stressful task.

Worth a listen, very funny in general but Melbourne and Jack get a mention. Watch "2035 3AW news bulletin" on YouTube https://youtu.be/qtqZnLk43_o

Thanks Red. As for Jurrah, for all of his incredible skills, he was easily one of the softest players I have ever seen in a Dees jumper. Remember watching him live in 3 games, and getting quite angry watching him find new ways to avoid physical contact. It was embarrassing. If we had 21 other stars, with manic defensive pressure, we could carry Jurrah, but sadly we dont. Pity, as he is one of the most exciting players I have ever seen, for any club.

Uh oh....

Gold!

No coaches.

Scully and Trengove - man, I got excited a few years ago.....