Rhino Richards

I have come to expect that.

Sorry 2nd week against Freo. Nevertheless our finals performances have been poor in those three years. That was the point you missed as usual. Daniher frowned so much about he made Miller Vice Captain.

That first sentence is your best post this year. If the list is as poor as MFC's with an interrupted pre season for most of the list and playing most of the top 8 in the first 10 rounds then the position is understandable. Bailey realises where the list is at and is continuing to communicate the same fundamental message to essentially young inexperienced footballers and to older footballers that have the gumption and sense to listen.

Once again, it beggars belief that you would expect a officer of another club to say anything else about another club on a media outlet. During the interview process, Bailey went from outsider in the ranks to a top candidate because he displayed strong preparation and research on the MFC list. His sharp assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the list and his focussed attention to what was required impressed a recruiting panel that included a number of experienced AFL football minds. Its no wonder you label my response an "emotional rant". You have completetly misrepresented it and then introduce a completely irrelevant issue into the equation. In fact Mo's biggest argument is to continually imply and misrepresent erroneous points of view on other people's comments that in his mind puts subtance into his wafer thin posts. Daniher took over a list that was poor. Its best players and its heart and soul (Schwartz, Lyon, Tingay, Neitz, G. Lovett) were either incapacitated or missing great stretches of the season. In his first year, he got all those players back fit. he also picked up a first ruckman in White to replace Stynes. He aso recruited a couple of ready made footballers in Rigoni and Ingerson. Hell, he got a windfall and the improvment was pronounced. ND did get us to a GF and in 2002 a losing the Adelaide semi final. The biggest joke is that I have supportiver of ND on this site but list management, leadership have been issues that are rightly questioned. In fact, history has shown that the advent of the draft and salary cap makes it harder for bottom dwelling clubs to rise up the ladder. Hawthorn, St Kilda, Carlton and Richmond are proof of this. The removal of PP for a one year dip has made the transition harder. It is also going to be harder when you are cash strapped and lack facilities.

No it didnt. In 2004, the players that lead the way during that year and a couple in a big way (Neitz White and Thompson) were injured. Same game plan just lacked class cattle. In 2005, we peaked after we played all the lower clubs that year. We then did the back half of the draw against all the top sides with often poor breaks in between games and a number of interstate matches. Same game plan but just got pulled apart by better opponents. In 2006, after a solid mid season, we again faltered with injuries to key players who did not return to their previous form. We continued to get picked apart by oppositions that pressured our possession of the ball and punished the turnover. We dangerously flirted with run and carry against Adelaide in R22 as Daniher realised that his existing game plan was not going to deliver on the bigger interstate grounds and would deliver us better than a meek roll over in the first round in the Sept finals.

What would you expect him to say when he walks into a new club? That the list is crap and its no wonder they finished down the bottom in 2007? A skillful team does not finish 14th in a year when it is "seriously" challenging We finished 14 last year and were just terrible. We made the finals in 2004-2006 only to bomb out badly each year. We only made up numbers in September and were found short of skill, talent and a game plan that did not stand the scrutiny and pressure of a September finals campaign. Our better players from that period had deteriorated markedly (ie White, Neitz and Yze) and we had not developed the next generation of footballers. We had held onto to senior footballers too long and fringe players like Ferguson, Ward and Brown that were never going to take you beyond the middle of the ladder at best. No magic there. MFC got it wrong. Daniher realised this when he rolled the dice and tried to change course late 2006. You dont have to be half smart to work out MFC had over assessed their list at the end of 2006 and that 2007 brought home a series of home truths. Its no wonder you cant address the rest of my post because you lack of knowledge and depth to work out was has and is going on. Its ironic you label responses "emotional rants" given your penchant to call other posters considered responses "[censored]" and telling them to get stuffed. Its even more ironic in that you can only state that you would address my first point and then didn't. Its no wonder you are proud of living for today as you have little grasp of what has happened in the past and not a scintilla of how its impacts the future. Breathtaking.

What game plan compliments an underskilled slow list? Bailey does not play run and carry but is teaching younger players to make the correct decisions by hand or foot when under pressure. He wants players to be able to apply defensive pressure both when we have the ball and when we dont. He has taken over a potholed list with little leadership and senior list that you have pointed has been around too long and under performed. He has inherited a poor team culture where selfish players have been tolerated and rewarded. The talent he to work with has is raw undercoached and lacking experience. He also took over a side which had less than 20 players fit at the start of pre season and faced a draw where we played nearly every top side within the first 8 rounds. As far as structure is concerned, Bailey has done more this year than Daniher did in longer. He has backed and devloped Garland up back and possibly got some form out of Warnock as the other key back. He has got more out of Miller up forward than we have seen in the past three years. His efforts with the rucks highlight the problems MFC has. White is finished, Jamar is line ball AFL and PJ is capable around the ground but is limited in the centre and above his shoulders. PJ was not bad up forward against Sydney when our midfield gave him half a chance. But given White was on his last chance performance wise, PJ up forward did provide height there and some insurance for the aging bigman. In regard to MFC, the problems have been definitely personnel and lack of the right mix and quality.

He has ruptured ligaments that have little to do with whether we were making the finals or not. Its a a damn shame given McLean was really starting to hit his straps and the team as whole were starting to show some belief.

What's your game plan Mo? I asked you months ago about what game plan would you put forward in regard to your incessant criticism of Bailey and I am still waiting. Another case of being big on the bravado and low on the substance. Ready when you are for the big picture.

Agree but the analogy is misplaced. I much prefer clear consistent sensible statements from a Coach than the recent trucculent and inept media explosions of Mark Williams and John Worsfold.

There seems to be a good spread of talent in the top 4 to 5 players. While there is good possibility the star we crave could found within those early picks, I would prefer 1st draft pick. However the real cost of not finishing last is the loss of the PSD pick 1. If we finish last and its true that Robbie Warnock was to return home and possibly play with his brother at MFC then we are safe. However if we finish 14th then the straightforward path to MFC for Warnock becomes alot more cloudy and uncertain

The fragility of the middle order and the question about our abilty to take 20 wickets (particularly 10 on the last day) remain challenges. I wonder if the crowd will greet Andrew Symonds nicely onto the ground.

I think all the posters here have respectfully wished Polak a full recovery (of health) and have not focussed on that. Thats the mood that was certainly created from my reading of things. Despite the welcome news of his coming out of a coma, he definitely has a lot of recovery to do just to get his general life back together. I wish him well after the terrible accident

I should clarify the number is genuine the sustainability of the number is not. From my spy at North, I have been advised that the likely non signs are a mix of emotive dormant North supporters who pulled the finger out and those that follow other clubs. I was advised that the drop off rate and resign of members from 2007 was very strong which suggests they have milked the North supporters for all they can and retention of true North supporters was very good. And IMO I would not be surprised if their membership pulled back in 2009 to 28-30k as the natural level of attrition to the North supporting members aided by the some fall off in non supporter benevolent memberships.

IMO, the following players could either make their futures or finish them after India. Batting (based on my belief that they need to goo series to establish themselves) Jacques, Hodge, Katich, Haddin (keeping as well, I think Ronchi is talent). IMO Ponting, Clarke, Hussey and Hayden are sub continent experienced established players. Hayden is on his final overseas tour so he wants to make it a good one. Bowling (Same criteria as batting) Aside from Lee and Clark. Johnson and Casson will have a baptism of fire over there. Possible chance for an all rounder Watson to make a play.

A proper assessment of Bailey will only be known after 2 to 3 years or more if he gets an extension. So far I have been really impressed with the consistency of his message, his calmness at a time of crisis and his focus on changing the culture. Given what he has inherited (players, facilities, Board changeover, financial difficulties) he has done an admirable job and I look forward to focus on how he takes the core of this team forward.

It is genuine. However, the figure was on the back of a huge backs to the wall save our club from folding plea and a highly competitive side earlier this year and last year. You can only rattle the emotional can once otherwise your message/plea/distress call falls on deaf ears. North Melb will have big issue in membership retention next year. There is blip in the interest that does not match their attendance numbers. North, Bulldogs and MFC are all vulnerable. But make no mistake Melb is in a far worse financial and infrastructure position than the other clubs.

I cant see too many changes coming off the back of a win. If anything, I would probably swap Bode for Morton. I am not sure why you would recall Yze as he does not match up on any Bulldog and they would probably target his lack of defensive skills to launch attacks on us. Edit: Good point Rogue about Junior. Junior comes in for Valenti with Junior to get a niggling stopper's role.

The biggest fault of MFC with Lamb is that they held onto him too long. Anyway thats history. The players you talk about were the backbone of the Zebras Club for so long and they have not been given the recognition they deserve. Some of them are at the end of their careers so I would expect a clean out.

For all the flack its forgotten that the Australians on two occasions (Ponting one of them that a seemingly clear catch was not). I hav yet to see such actions by other nations. The Australians copped an unbelievable hard stick from the media here and in India while the Indian rajs were at their unsporting best seeking to undermine and overthrow the ICC's powers of reviews. The media onslaught against the Australians for the misconduct charge on Harbijan Singh blew up against the Indians big time in IPL. Singh is an habitual and appalling poor sportsman who should have been collared well before he was in the IPL. India was made to look stupid for threatening a tour for someone who is a rancid cancer in the sport.

Astute observations Minka. Sandy are coming off a magnificent golden run on the backs of Sandy players like Poyas, Gallagher, Liddell, Sautner, Lamb. They have been blessed with a regular supply of MFC players who could dominate at VFL level but could not make it at AFL level. Up until the last 12 months, Sandy seemed on a roll. But it comes to halt and there will be a challenge in the post MFC era to foster the generic talent while supplemented from sub AFL talent from St Kilda.

Rogue sums it pretty well. I dont mind the DL system. Also Paul Collingwood should have been given better counsel from experienced players on the ground. There is no way that a batsman who has been knocked ovver by an inadvertent mid pitch collision with a bowler could ever fairly be given run out. In my book its regrettable but a howler. Imagine if Ponting had done this last summer to the Indians? I thought it worse than any incident last summer. This spring's tour of India will be tough..very tough indeed. I suspect a number of test careers will be made or lost on the sub continent.

Thanks Barry and Minka for your insights. Any thoughts on McNamara and Meesen?

Its an interesting statistic (especially at the WCE ). If PJ can have more influence in the ruck area then he may be good for us. However without that, I am still to fathom where he fits into the team LT. However, it was an awesome run down and his use of the ball after gut running was clean. Good stuff and you cant fault PJ's commitment. I recall someone spoke of Petterd for Sherman not long ago. No thanks.

Not at all. Those three exhibited buckets of leadership yesterday. It was good that the players had voted in and will play for players who are definitely leaders on the field.