Rhino Richards

Those people need to have a good lie down and bex or grow up or both. Again this is just for the hysterical supporter. Every football coach knows how upnpredictable the future is. All the goals are set and worked on behind the scenes. The Club has been putting clear and repeated messages out on expectations. Whether people or hear them or not. Its great to know good clubs dont accept mediocrity. I just did not know Carlton, Essendon and WCE are good clubs. I would have thought they have both displayed sufficient dollops of mediocrity both on and off the field to shame the "not so good clubs". And when you made the reference about Essendon's actions where do you think blatant tanking fits in that level of effort. Do you realise what the Club has sought to manufacture at MFC? You're under the assumption that our progress will upwards linear where that may not be the case. It certainly wasnt for Geelong. And as for Ratten, he has a list thats 2 years older than MFCs, taken a gilt edged star in Judd, purchased a big man in Warnock then taken the deicision to court then sack Fevola. Of course the acid is on them. Top 4 or else he has gone. Judd wont be there for ever. And its great Worsfold has committed to "significant improvement". They were wooden spooners last year with a mature underperforming list. How low could they go??? And they have set the season off on a burner beating 2 combatants for the wooden spoon Port Adelaide and Brisbane. WoW! Last year I heard all the Round 2 experts eulogising about what Brad Scott has done to North Melb and MFC should take a leaf out of their book. I am not sure now those same people are audible or they wont any leaves out of their book.

Where are they to be judged Choko? At a contrived and cynical post game press conference or on this site? And if you were to judge any coach against the expectations of supporters then Bailey is running about 3 years behind schedule by the sounds of some posts!! Some of the list issues were inherited when Bailey took over and had to do a big clean sweep of Neitz, Yze, White, Whelan and co. Trade away dead setters like Brock, TJ. Delist Miller and other players who werent going to make it Get rid of culture sores like Carroll. We needed to inject quality talent into the list and to bring it to fruition together to have best shot of success. This talent was youg and needs time and development. If they are ultimately to seriously challenge then I think only Davey and Sylvia may be critical to that target I advised. If we are going to be successful then it rests on developing at 5 to 6 "stars" out Scully, Trengove, Gyberts, Watts, Jurrah, Frawley, Grimes and Viney junior. FWIW, I am not sure where 2012/13 cam from but its a target that is optimistic and given where our list is even more so. I would be happy to have us leap frog that but time will tell. And if we dont retain Scully it would be more problematic.

Bonkers, This response is not to exonerate Bailey at all. And he and the FD need to be held accountable and responsible but preferrably not by the lynch mob mentality that tends to dominate and devalue this site after loss. Three years ago, Bailey took over a list which had been valiant and serviceable but had completely burn out and lack leadership. Neitz, White, Yze, Robbo and others who had been front liners for years were finished. We also had players that had plateaued, sucked club resources or were just not good enough. There has been a whole clean out of the list that commenced in 2008 with over 50% of the list having gone as the ageing warhorses retired, NQRs traded or delisted. In that time our performances and ladder finishes (and some great trades) have given us a bunch of talented yet inexperienced and underdeveloped kids. So when we hear that there have been all these faults for 3 years we need to remember such faults or similar have been with different personnel. There has been an evoluation of talent which is still going through the development. From this talent we hope to uncover the stars and the players we need to make a serious push at the top. This is a hard process to undertake given the chronic lack of leadership in the side from senior players (sans Junior and Green) and that our senior player few and of limited quality to allow these young players to learn and develop further. In putting the list there are somethings that rectify themselves earlier than others. Areas that need to be improved as you pointed out are kick outs and movement of the ball in defence. MFC have recruited Strauss, Bail, Tapscott, Blease to be those players who can get and use the ball well. We remain exposed up back when we have Rivers, Bartram and Grimes (add Warnock) with the ball in their hands. Clearances, inside 50s and intensity wont improve until our midfield evolves to a mature band of Scully, Jordie, Trengove, Gysberts, Grimes, Tapscott, Davey and Viney jnt from keen but limited efforts of Moloney and Jones. I think supporters would find that if they spent a day in the AFL FD at any club just how little they actually know as compared to the "brains" trust in the box or in the dug out. Some of the problems seem bovious from the grandstand may sometimes be the outcome not the cause and the resolution of the issue is not at the click of the fingers. Some of the matters take time. Whether Bailey is granted that time we will know in the future.

Its always been out at 2014/2015 if you had listened to the Clubs message about getting experience into players. It was only shorter in minds of supporters that think that scrawny and inexperienced 20 years can run rings around big bodies experienced footballers in their mid 20s. As another poster pointed out this was well demonstrated by GC and Carlton. As for our target area.... Rivers is limited as a footballer and is not essential to a flag push. Green will be 34 and no certainty to be part of the action. And you are right, I think our midfield is limited if its based on having Moloney and Jones in the guts.

Geez, even for you Bub its a pretty low brow response. Multiple exclamations marks and all. You're in for a frustrated year and when you huff and you puff about it dont get singed by your torch swinging. Its clear you mean business.

Who does MFC have that would be a perfect match up for Franklin, Roughy and Rioli when we are getting smashed in the clearances? And I am not sure what Miller would have offered you in yesterdays game beyond making the average age of the list higher? And even when Junior, Bruce and Miller were there we still had those fade out in matches. Hmmmmm

As much as I hated the second half of the game yesterday, its not clearly as bad as some of the knee jerk reactions on this site. Clearly the MFC footy dept have much to do at a team and individual level (in some cases) to improve MFC's performances But some food for thought. Hawthorn came into this season fully focussed on challenging for the flag and recruited skillful and experienced players to top up their list in Hale, Burgoyne and Bruce. Coupled with proven stars in Buddy, Rioli, Hodge and Sewell... their time is now. They played poorly in Adelaide last week and would have clearly come to the MCG on a mission. This is how the stats looked coming into the game (Average Age, total games experience, average games experience, No of players with in excess of 100 games). Hawks (25yrs 161d, 2380 games, 108 games, 15 players) MFC (23 yrs, 179d, 1379 games, 62 games, 5 players) There is 2 years of football experience and over 1000 games of experience that the Hawks had over MFC! WOW! Its a huge gulf between the 2 teams. Despite what was being said on the scoreboard at 1/2 time, the Hawks were pumping us in the critical stats. Its ironic that the players we feel we miss the most like Jordie, Scully, Morton are still in their formative years and if played would further lower that average age and games experience of our side. Its reality check to understand just where the side is at. Of our senior group, Moloney, Rivers, Green, Sylvia, Davey and Jamar, only Syvlia and Davey are not likely to be in contention when we hope to seriously challenge for a flag in 2014/15. The senior group is thin in numbers and are not game breaking match winners. They'll have good days where they are eulogised on this site but often throughout the year their mostly valiant efforts particuarly under pressure are not good enough. At worst some of them go missing for extended periods. And then what do we have left.....inexperienced talented kids who are still learning the caper. We were physically done over yesterday. Rather than wrist slashing which seems to be a hobby around here for some a consideration of our list and what has to be done is in order. Its an indication of tbe mountain MFC needs to climb. I have no doubt the football department realise the extent of the challenge. But its clear that many supporters dont. There have been a number of sage but largely unnoticed posts in recent months on this site that have suggested that with the MFC list younger this year than last year, that this is still a development year. This will bring some exciting performances from tomorrow stars but will also include some hollow and disappointing outcomes as the younger players learn by hard experience just what is required to be the best in AFL. And sometimes the lesson has to repeated to sink in. And when you watch the progress of Jurrah, Watts, Trengove, Bennell and Tapscott you clearly understand why. When you think that we are still to blood Blease and co. and co together with bringing back "best 22" players in Scully, Jordie and Morton, this team is crammed with youth. Some of this talent will make it as AFL footballers, some wont. But you just cant buy or teach experience, it must be "experienced" by each player. Posters who have routinely and repeatedly stated that this year is "the 8 or bust" are potentially in for disappointment and no doubt some self serving torch burning. Bailey in his final year of his contract. I am not sure whether MFC will extend his tenure or re sign him. However given the commitment to developing the younger players over the past couple of years, I hope he continues to push the younger players through and maintains that development focus. When you look at the list, I dont think he has a choice to do otherwise.

They would have gone into 2010 aiming for a flag. To do so they need their best cattle on the park. Notwithstanding they almost snatched a flag on an opportunistic day when the Pies took it easy. They were always a cog behind Collingwood. Riewoldt's injury meant they had to use resources filling the gaps for most of the year with his absence not spending it building a side around a dominant mobile forward. 2011 is looking like a train wreck again for them with Hayes gone. A big blow. Thought of that. Del Santo is talented but lazy. Gilbert is a good photographer too! Agree. About as likely as Grimes being undisciplined. . And he is critical of Grimes.... He hasnt. Its hard to believe anyone cannnot see the disaster that is Fev but there is....

Is St Kilda a better side with or without St Nick? When you have one star out of your side then your side is one star less on the field and his absence cannot be covered. St Kilda rely so much on their best six Riewoldt, Hayes, Montagna, Goddard, Gilbert and Fisher. If players like Gwilt (honest at best) and Schneider (goes missing when its got) and Kosi (cant win a trick at senior level) are core and are expected to cover an absent Riewoldt then St Kilda are flawed.

Where is there membership, their corporate dollar and the debt level from when he took over to where it is today? He may have tried hard but does not leave a sustained legacy. He got returned due to no real options elsewhere. He is looking tired in the role waiting for a more energetic successor. North have tried to secure games and crowds in Canberra, Darwin, Sydney, GWS over recent years and failed in numbers and in dollars. There is very little secure about Norths future atm.

I should have said St K as the best side last year. His absence for much of the season left him underdone and the Saints short of the best from their marque player.

Some never do surrender and the penny never drops. But thanks for all the bush psychiatry anyway.

Thats rubbish. Why are a side best players actually viewed as their best players? Because they contribute more than other players to their team's success. They also make the lesser players in their side better. Riewoldts absence last year was a factor that killed the Saints as a top side last year. Hayes's absence will hurt them badly.

No list can carry having any of its top 5 players out on injury. Your hopes are unreaslistic.

You made unfounded and uninformed accusations on this site about the competence of the medical staff last year. It was ungracious and ill conceived. You were summarily warned by a number of moderators about doing that. Once again you have made an habitual criticism without an iota of fact. I would think repeating your claims for last year is as accurate your misguided self congratulations over saying Fevola would be at MFC this year when the clear and obvious evidence suggest otherwise. Tread carefully on making further comment here.

[ The Saints blew it last night. Without Hayes, therir lack of leg speed and a few lazy midfielders showed them up. I just wonder what the result had been if Hayes was not carried off and Jack Riewoldt was not concussed. A draw on the Board....but a psychological win for the Tigers. Agree Condemned. The draw should stand as the result. The last four games at the G have gone draw, draw, 1 point, draw.

Agree. Where football comes from is about the history not necessarily about its future. There will always be a dominance of Victorian clubs but there will be more interstate clubs coming into the AFL and poorer Clubs like North will exist at the whim of their benefit to the overall TV rights arrangements.

Fitzroy were dead in the water and had been for 10 years prior to that. Merging with North would have put a basket case with a near basket case. Brayshaw has done little to further North's cause and you would have to question his future of tenure at the Roos.

I would have thought the debacle of the MFC/HFC merger circus might have cured the AFL's desire to do that. From the experience of the Gold Coast set up the AFL would prefer relocations to mergers. And anyway the AFL are keen to have 18 teams because it provides them with 9 instead of 8 games a week to package for the hotly contested TV rights.

In tears...hopefully

Good luck to Belly and i trust a sensible solution can be agreed between the player and the Club. Its in no one's interest bar lawyers if this escalates and goes to Court. All the best to Daniel Bell.

Careful your saddle is slipping. B)

I did not get to see the annual report at the time and when it was reported in the press I expressed an opinion. And if you are not taking a moral view on this can I deduce that your view is immoral? You dont appreciate the corporate governance issues here and that fine. I am not sure why you want to condemn those that do. And I would have thought your performance on this thread ably answered your question.

There's a couple of policeman, a barman in Ireland, a security guard at Melb Uni and Bris Lions footballer who all say hi. These are the publicly known incidents. There are others which have not made the public domain and I am not going to mention here. Even his actual mother would not make statements like that. Young Brendan been more than just a naughty boy. Agree and stating the obvious.

The annual report only discloses the existence of the loan not why it was done. Its Board responsibility not the AFL's job to assess conflict of interest. Glad you are on top of the facts on this.