Rhino Richards

Bollocks. I will make it simple for you. Godfrey and Valenti are both one paced, limited skills and fringe players. And if Valenti is " geniune ball magnet" , then by Clint's statistics MFC must be dominating therough the centre as we would be winning a hell of a lot of ball in the midfield with about 5 ball magnets getting leather poisoning each week.

I said "I did not notice...". I dont know whether he was or was not. However, under law any accident where a person has been injured requires police attendance at the scene. Given the serious and unfortunate injuries to Polak, it would seem likely. Do you actually know something on this or are you out on another trivial point score? Back to the important issue, I dont agree with Richmond getting a free leg up.

Why would the AFL have to give a reason beyond the application out of the rules? As for being hit by a tram, I did not notice the tram driver being either charged with any offence or even questioned over the incident by the police. Begs the question though about responsibility and behaviour. <_<

I agree on Jones and McDonald. If Brock and Beamer suffer LT injuries then we can take Valenti off the rookie list at that point. I dont think he offers us anymore that what we already have. He has 12 months to prove otherwise. I would be happy if he does but certainly his lack of pace will be a lack of pace always and I dont think his level of ball usage is enough to overcome it. Look I would love Valenti to make it in AFL as a capable footballer in a competitive midfield. However both he and MFC have alot of improving to do. If they werent drafted for a reason then they are not exciting. Its does not mean they will either. The PSD is a bit of a lucky dip at best.

Rama contracted cancer and was given all opportunity to overcome a life threatening condition. Polak walked into a tram when he was .......... ! Broadbridge was killed post PSD so the AFL exemption was to replace a player on the list an does not set a precedent pre PSD. Richmond's ploy is far different and it should be stopped by the AFL. However I suspect the AFL may allow so it can claim we made a special effort to allow Cousins to redeem himself.

Its no surprise you dont get it Mo. BTW Godfrey was s-l-o-w in both departments. Care to apply the same standards to the comparison of Valenti with Davey, wizard? You dont read too well at times Gouga. Do I need to spell it out more literally? He is behind McLean Jones and Junior. FWIW I think Moloney is on his last chance. Its a case of having too many one paced midfielders with limitations on their skills. We have to get better, much better. Valenti has 12 months to show that he has the capability to lift to that higher standard required. And its higher than what was served up last year. Its clear the football department have significant doubts that he can and for some of the MFC footy department they have been oversighting Valenti for 3 to 4 years. I wonder if some of the posters here should be agents for Rockcliff and Sibosado the way they talk them up.

Both are Godfrey and Valenti are players with loads of application and endeavour but limited in their skills and pace. Its that easy. I guess the comparison with Davey was more logical. I am not sure why people are quoting the statistics of the past year as some vindication of Valenti. Too many of our "inside" midfielders are fringe C graders in a slow third world midfield. His statistics are comparable with many of these C graders. And people are keen to put another one on our list? Bravo. We need to do far better than we did last year. Valenti strengths are more of what we have got and not what we desperately need. And its not the narrow minded option of Valenti type vs Ward type. We need players with pace and the requisite skills by hand and foot. At least you have the reality check that there is probably not room in the same 22 for both Moloney, Jones and Valenti. You can add Junior as well. Many of the C graders are contracted this year and are going to be tested this year and will have to deliver otherwise players like Beamer will have to go. Junior will retire at year end. Valenti has the chance to further impress selectors over the next year. Clearly by keeping as a rookie they realise the shortcomings better than those that post here. But I dont get excited over a footballer who represents more of the same in a limited one pace midfield. We need to set the bar higher particularly in our midfield. Its a needs a quantum lift. If the footy dept think Valenti is there in 12 months then fine.

What he said.

Agree. A perfect example of a player that does not know when its over. I am not sure what value Yze would add to a young list. He wont be a leader down at the Club and on field he does not lead by example.

Valenti was not playing No 1 midfielder. And not sure if there is another AFL club where a green 20yo is playing No 1 midfield particularly to an appalling ruck division. If MFC are to move forward as a midfield I dont want 2 fringe midfielders. I see more development upside in Jones than I do Valenti and I will cut him some slack. Davey and Valenti play different roles and at least you have admitted there is a gap in talent. Davey has his issues but once again he is proven player at AFL level who can really hurt team. But Davey does not need to fire this year. I admire Valenti's application but IMO his upside is limited. Application is an important ingredient but is not a substitute for skills and talent at this level. And for the role Valenti plays he is about 5th in line against other MFC players who play a similar role. We have a surplus of his type and bar one of them there are varying question marks on them all The sensible suggestion is to keep him as a rookie and call him up if a LT injury strikes.

Swamp, its clearly tongue in cheek stuff. Its no surprise Carlton would talk up CJ prior to signing. If you think he's best 22 on the strength of a SEN interview, you must think Jaques from Zennia Mortgages is a great community minded bloke.

I thought one of Johnsons strengths is the ball he swings to slips against the right hander. I agree about Lee. And yes you would start Clark into the breeze on opening.

Agree.

Harsh. With the injury to McLean, Jones played No 1 in the midfield at MFC at the age of 20. It was a tough year in a C grade midfield. Jones might not be a star in the future but I would back doing more with Jones than I can with Valenti. And I am not sure Davey and Valenti are a reasonable comparison either.

Because he was rookied. You are kidding if you think that the Footy Dept did not think Carroll was gone and the CJ was a low priority As for your players.... if you going to compare Valenti then you do so against the players who also play his role and we have a surplus of those type in quantity not quality. I dont see what Valenti adds. BTW Bode, Weetra and Carroll are gone...moot point in comparison to Valenti.

Like who??? Where do you see the improvement coming from in 2009 for Valenti when he lacks pace and penetration in his kicking? Given what we were focussing on in the ND (ex Watts) players who have pace and can use the ball, Valenti is not part of that mix. FWIW, Simon Godfrey had the necessary tenacity and courage, but........ If MFC are serious about improving as top line club Valenti's "ready made" might cut it in a C grade midfield but wont do it as the standard rises. We know what we get from Valenti and there are question marks. I would hope we use the pick on a player that has greater upside with development.

No. He is not a ready made player and not best 22. If they thought he was good enough they would have elevated him. They dont. And unless they were going to pick him in the AFL side in 2009, I would keep him as a rookie until needed. Its not about paying back commitment. We are not a charity. If so we would still have Simon Godfrey on our list.

If it was not for the final quarter it would have been a very ordinary football afternoon. Its not about football purity just the skill level or lack there of. Its a good point about Brisbane. I have no doubt they coasted on the day and it was this performance plus some other soft efforts that eventually cost the coach Matthews his head. Well done for making the effort to get to the game. It helped the spirit on the day.

Perth is no longer a fast bowlers wicket and has not been for nearly 15 years. If anything its a batsmans wicket. Without hearing Hilditch's words, I would suggest he is keeping his options open. Hauritz is bench warming for Krejza whose injured ankle has relied undermined the objectives of getting overs into Krejza. The Adelaide Test would have been perfect build up for him. Agree. Clark could be very very important on the Ashes tour. His tight line to line bowling is a compliment to the more aggressive style of Lee and Johnson. His position is underrated.

The other issue which was pointed out by Bohdan is that Watts needs alot of physical development through specified weight training particularly if he is going to take a key position. He has not got the strength to contest. Its not an issue of him being ahead or behind Newton. Its not an either or decision as both may play the early rounds.

I was there. No doubting the MFC passion on and off the ground. However Swampfox was right. Up to 3 qtr time it was indeed an ordinary standard where both teams traded turnovers and errors. The last quarter did ease the pain though!

I actually thought that game was one of the best wins we have had in the past 5-6 years. PJs was just one of the great individual efforts that day. Against a surging and desperate reigning premier at their home ground and we finished the game with no interchange and of the 18 "fit" men still out there, two were in significant discomfort from the heat of battle. Stirring win with loads of character.

Should we have kept Heath Neville and Isaac Weetra? I dont think there is a one size fits all policy for players. Each player is mix of different attributes and style and developmental needs and the Football department need to consider those issues in their assessments. I'd like to see what Frawley can provide over the next 2 years.

The difference could by the colour dyes in the fabric. Barassi's jumper is made of wool/wool fibre. Neitz's jumper is a polyester base and has that sheen which lightens the colour somewhat.

Appreciate the efforts on this report and the past documentation of other interviews. A value service Alpha.