mo64

Your stock standard response when you're wrong.

It must be a part-time role, because I read on the weekend that as coach of one of the amateur sides, he's trying to get Shane Crawford to play a few games.

joeboy, are we talking about long kickouts? The short kickout to the back pocket is all too predictable.

How can you say that it was an "off the ball" incident?

As usual, you've missed the point. Daniher in 2007, and then Bailey in 2008, changed our gameplan with a list that was playing highly competitive football without challenging for a flag between 2004-2006, to playing a brand of football that made us statistically the worst performed side since Fitzroy in their final year. At the start of last season, you amongst others shouted me down for suggesting that being competitive was more important to the MFC than trying to push for a flag by overhauling our entire list. The players that Daniher/Cameron drafted/recruited in the preceding 5 years were based around a gameplan to counter the dominance of Essendon/Brisbane. The likes of McLean, Jones, Sylvia, Moloney, who were all basically 1st round picks, are not suited to a run and carry gameplan. Look what being uncompetitive in the last 2 years has brought us. Multi-million dollar losses, no major sponsor, and in all likelihood, another muli-million dollar loss this season.

I don't necessarily agree with the law, but it's black and white, and Maxwell had to go. If a player has the opportunity to go for the ball or lay a tackle, but chooses to bump the player instead, he is culpable for the consequences. In Maxwell's case, the injury may well have been caused by an accidental head clash, but under the law, that's irrelevant. In short, you lay a bump at your own peril.

I can't imagine that our "soon to be announced" major sponsor would be rapt with your idea. They have to pay additional money to have their company name on the jumper for 9 other games. Maybe that was our selling point to Mission Foods....

You're right 2004-2006, but most of the players who played finals in 2006 were still on our list in 2008.

It's pointless arguing with you because I don't believe that our list is full of players with poor hand and foot skills. Secondly, at round 1 last season, we we far from being an inexperienced team. That's just an excuse that you use to defend Bailey. Last season's list was made up of players who had played in 3 consecutive finals from 2004-2006. Our list lacks superstars, but was not as bad as how we performed. Players rarely lose their disposal skills, but they do lose confidence, and become indecisive. Why were the Bulldogs so appaling in 2007, and made the top 4 in 2008 with the same players? So while you are at it, why don't you have the guts to name all those players with poor hand and foot skills on our list. I'd like to see how many of those players were on our 2007 list that you said was capable of winning the flag.

Racking up possessions was a major part of our problem. Our 1st option in a clearance situation was always a handball to a stagnant player. When he's under pressure, he either handballs to another stagnant player or is dispossessed. That's fine if the receiving player has the ability of an Ablett, Kerr or Judd, who are able to evade or shrug a tackle and then accelerate from a standing position. Not one player on our list has this ability, which is why run and carry was the wrong option by Bailey. If we are to play a possession game, it has to be done by kicking, not handballing. But you can only make this work if you've got a structured forward line, which we didn't. Our poor execution was as much to do with not having options as it was to poor kicking skills, and that comes down to structure. I've bagged Brad Miller for years, but I actually thought that he played well when moved closer to goal. The problem for all our forwards was that they were starved of opportunities.

Lack of defensive skills and physical pressure will limit his role down back.

You make some good points. In the modern game, it's equally important for the backmen to generate attack, as it is to stop their opponent. For mine, we only need 2 key backmen in our starting 22, and 4 players who can play rebound football. In addition to the back 6, you'd have 1 mid who is capable of playing the quarterback role. Garland would be the only certain starter amongst the key backs. My backline set-up depending on the opposition key forwards, would be as follows: Whelan Garland Davey Petterd Rivers/Martin Wheatley Quarterback role - Green I'd like to see Davey given a role similar to that of Johncock, Chris Johnson (Bris), Wirrapanda. Given that Wona and Maric could assume the small forward role, Davey is one of the few players on our list with the evasive skills and pace to run through the lines.

If anyone went out to Casey to watch JW act as a runner, then they really need to get a life. But I agree, he's potentially one of our few marketable commodities.

You've gotta laugh...........

You need a reality check! - These days, being the oldest football club counts for nothing to those who don't follow the MFC. And evidence of that is our low supporter base. - We don't represent the capital city of our state. Brisbane and Sydney are the only teams that can make that claim. - We have a young list, big deal, so do the premiers Hawthorn. At least 10 other clubs will tell you that they have a young and exciting list. - By all measurements, we don't represent high value to a corporate sponsor. - And finally, our so called loyal supporter base has a poor attendance record when the team's struggling.

Not really. Watts and Blease have had limited pre-seasons due to school commitments. And Jurrah apparently needs a bit more work. In essence only 6 players missing, of which Davey played last week. That's pretty good for this time of the year.

I disagree. Surely it's a positive thing for a financial sponsor to have their name alongside a reputable charity like the Red Cross. People are becoming more socially aware. The act of providing free exposure to any charity would engender a sense of goodwill towards the MFC. Just look at how much exposure the Breast Cancer awareness game attracts. The MFC is often depicted as an irrelevancy. An act like this will hopefully change people's perception of us being a club supported by a bunch of white collar snobs, to a club that has a social conscience.

That is just a stupid question. Ok Nostradamus, did you envisage Sewell, Ladson and Osborne helping Hawthorn win a flag when they were fringe players 3 years ago?

I disagree. His decision making and ability to hit targets is amongst the best at the club. Also, clearances were our biggest weakness last season, and he is one player that is capable of winning clearances. He's not one of Bailey's love-children because run and carry isn't his natural game, so he probably won't get the opportunities he deserves.

No it's not. What you're asking for is blind faith. We should be questioning the administration when they are in office, not sticking the knives in once they have departed.

What relevance does that have to your argument? You were asserting that only a supporter of the club can have a passion for their job. And btw, if CEO's are entitled to annual leave, which I'm fairly sure they are, when is a good time for them to take a break? During the off-season? Good idea. Schwab should be on holidays right now, and put our search for a sponsor on hold till he gets back.

Good old John Bourke. I reckon Slug Jordan's commentary of the incident was just as legendary.

What absolute rubbish. Brian Cook was a Melbourne player who subsequently became a successful CEO at WCE. He then jumped ship and became an outstanding CEO at Geelong. And who does Cameron Schwab barrack for, not that it makes one iota of difference?

That's a really good question. What are the benefits now that weren't there when we severed ties with the MCC? In the AGM post, it was stated that it would be too expensive to move our administration base to the MCG, hence the hybrid model proposed by Schwab. Surely this would be one obvious benefit of being part of the MCC.