Rhino Richards

I had two mates at the time who were on Hawthorn's list and regularly spoke of the freakish skills and attributes of G. Ablett Snr. Hawthorn were well aware of his talents but could not work out how to harness them or control Ablett off the ground. I used to play tennis with James Morrissey ex- Hawthorn who used to joke that when he joined Hawthorn they thought so much of him that they gave him Gary Ablett's old number [35]. And Morrissey was nicknamed "the freak". Ironic B)

Check the MFC website as they are detailed there.

In the case of Cox (and maybe Sandilands) I would be happy to nullify their impact. One is and the other potentially very damaging footballers. You are right though about a combination of MFC rucks. I hope at least two of the 3 lift their standard on 2006. FWIW, I think Clarke/ Keating are past it. St Kilda's choice smacks of desparation given their poor rucks of past year. I think your comment about Yze and Bruce is spot on. However, Neitz has not played finals football (injury) for the previous 2 years and was very good in the 2006 finals. And I thought Green gave his all in the past finals series and was not bad.

For the past 3 years we have been beautifully positioned by the start of August. Only to disappear for a variety of reasons. For the first 15 rounds we are a class act...May June premiers. But all too often when August comes along many of our front running stars disappear. Many of our supposed leading names repeated disappear at the business end of the year. As our youth comes on, I would expect some of these perennials on our list not to be as critical to our fortunes as before. Last year was different and you and I have discussed this at length. I thought our Sydney in Sydney win and the come from 5 goals down against Geelong in the wet at the MCG at night to be wins that not characteristically MFC. I see the changes and re excited by them. But I dont gloss the history. FWIW, to the great unwashed footy commentator, the August/Sept fall off and the Odds/even rubbish has not painted us as a team to admire.

Respect is earned not deserved. For the first time last year, we actually continuously competed for the hard contested ball and actually at times began to win games that a downhill skiing club like ours would normally lose....often badly too. The players you mention need to perform and cant live off potential for too long in this game. Prior to 2006, we were as soft as butter and deserved the skepticism the football media gave us. In the end, Fan is right. There is only one prize that counts. And when we win it the critics can just all get stuffed. B)

It’s a measure of what Hannibal and I have been saying that the following players from the current side are considered to be included in the best team of the past 30 years and the best they have finished with that group is 5th! Travis – 2002,2005 and 2006 have been very good years from him. The other six have been crud from the No 1 draft pick of 1997. Brock – Wonderful potential and by the end of his career could get close to peerless mantle of the great R. Flower. But FCS, he’s 20, yet to play a full season fit and what’s he achieved to date. Davey – Loved the guy. Admire his skills. But until he can perform in finals football and show the maturity required under pressure he will always be a talent limited at the top end. Pickett- One good season at MFC where he did fade at the business end. Played his best football at 2 other Clubs. And he is put forward for selection. Bruce – Inconsistent, highly gifted and cant kick a drop punt. Another one who has yet to demonstrate his capabilities at the business end of the season as a leading senior player of leading club. Underachiever still to deliver. And Laurie Fowler a 3 time B & F winner cant get a spot on the bench! Please.

Like Essendon in 2000 with John Barnes and Sydney in 2005 with Ball/Jolly. Hell, Sydney were within a whisker of back to back with Jolly/Doyle last year with a combined 7 possessions. White is still a capable ruckman at AFL level. He might not be in Dean Cox’s league (and then again who is!) but I would rank him in the top half of the ruckman going around. Another poster listed the various big men out there for each Club and there would be only 4 I would rate highly and only 2 are class. Rather than struggle in the middle and you lose, a more accurate description is be competitive in the middle and you win. Sydney in 2005 had the much underrated Jason Ball negate Cox for much of the GF and won. Ball was a solid capable ruckman but not class. Even last year, Sydney almost overran WCE with a dud ruck line up. White may struggle at centre bounces under the existing rules but he remains an athletic follower who is mobile with good stamina and disposal skills. In order to succeed next year we need Jamar/PJ to step forward and step up a level. From within these three players we need a combination that will beat the crud and be competitive against the best in the middle. That’s one of the ifs to winning a flag this year. Lat year’s grand final was an enthralling combat between two well matched skilled clubs. There were some brilliant passages of football. But there were sufficient evidence to show that both sides are very beatable by a capable competitive outfit. MFC have the opportunity and capability to be that this year. But there is nothing more head in the sand than supporting a clichéd generalisation that is not backed up by the facts.

I warned you about being on the Adelaide bandwagon during last year.

I would have had Laurie Fowler in the side. I think the Ox' side is close. If you take Alves and Hardeman out. Geez its a far weaker team. And IMO thats the rub. Its not that hard picking a best 22 at MFC over the past 30 years as there has been so few players over that time that would challenge the worthy nominees. Its interesting to note that Healy and Spalding played their best football at other Clubs but still made it. Its indicative of the overall relative rubbish we have fielded during those years. Picking that side would be easier than doing it for a Hawthorn, North or Essendon over the same time. Sides which have had an inordinate number of champions over that time.

Thanks Bazza. So Sandy will have presumably PJ/ Jamar, Dunne and the MFC rookie ruckman. Hmm, the risk is that the rookie might be squeezed for opportunity in a full list. Has Sandy recruited Nick Smith or Phil Read?

We get "War and Peace" to the author's three closed ended questions. FWIW, my answers Yes Yes Yes. If we have a good run with injuries (our key opponents dont), our established players contribute to their capabilities and our young brigade take the next step we are definitely in the mix. Jaded - Agree with your sentiments.

Freak, it was a final like crowd but Collingwood were a rabble that day and may as well not shown up. It was a one sided game where MFC literally dominated all positions. it was a long way from September. They are exactly the game where Yze will dominate. Little accountability of opposition, easy possessions and exploitable weaknesses. Your common ground with MFC footy department may be more like shaky ground if he performs like he usually does in late August/ September. He may start in initial 22 but he will have to perform ot stay in it. BBP, you fail to recognise that final football is a higher tougher standard of football where accountability, pressure and hardness for the ball (and the man) are at a premium. It tougher more demanding football than H & A. Yze - too old to learn. Has had too many chances already and has not improved. An annual shrinking violet who the Club should eke what it can out of him because there is no certainty he will deliver at the business end of the season He is no certainty to be in the best 22 come seasons ended. Davey- Very skilful but easily put off his game (eg St Kilda). He lost it under pressure. Needs to dominate a final to be the star many are proclaiming. Youing enough to still do it. Robbo - Loved Robbo as a player for many years. But injured or not, he needs to do more when he does not get possession of the ball. Game is changing and the Ryan O'Keeffe types are dominating the game with their work ethic. Robbo needs to improve big time on that. Agree with Fan, that Robbo is at risk if he does not improve his efforts when the ball hits the ground.

I guess you console yourself with the fact that when these players continually struggle to perform under pressure in late August/Sept, you can console yourself that at least they played a good game when there was no pressure, the opposition ordinary and the goals realtively easy. No one has denied their skills. Its their inability to consistently make strong contributions with those skills against the top teams especially at the business end of the season. Some of you sycophants might be on the Yze band wagon but it is perilous not to recognise Yze's demotion from leadership and the comments made that a few players will have to justify themselves. He's one of them. Thank God and its about time the football deprtment were onto this.

He was in the team, we did win and he did stuff all but feed off easy opportunistic goals off other people's hard work. We would have still won without him. As far as class and forward synergy, David Neitz wax out there. Now there's a big game performer. Good on him if he does that at Sandy. It would do him the world of good.

Hear hear H.

Barring injury no one has disputed that. However, some have questioned his ability to maintain his position in the best 22 over the course of the season if serves up insipid spineless performances that chararcterises his late August/ September contributions.

BBP, Yze has gone missing at the business end of the year for the past three years and has shown he is able to apply his talents against weak and soft opposition but has no capaicty to compete when the game is hard. He will struggle in 2007 on the way he finished 2006. He is no certainty for the best 22 not by a long shot. Has the ability no doubt ( i swould argue this has waned) but has continuously been short on the consistent application to the cause. FWIW, I think Hannibal's side is just about right. I would not be unhappy if one of our new recruits was to pay their socks off and compete for a best 22 spot this year (aka Bartram).

DM, Your reasoned response to Freak's anti Miller rant provides his comments a compliment they dont deserve. His repetitive and misguided warblings on Miller merely show up the author not the subject. Miller is not a great footballer by any stretch and I dont believe he will be a messiah CHF that some posters have dreamed and over enthused about. However, he is not the incompetent villain that Freak erroneously condemns. He is an honest hardworking ordinary footballer with important limitations in his game. However, Miller will be in his sixth year of football and needs to determine that he can consistently perform at AFL level. many will laud his Freo game and say how good it was and he should never be moved from CHF. However, for a player who picked up 19 possessions and took 14 marks his contribution and impact on the game was inconsequential. And that the rub with Miller he will never be more than at best a good ordinary footballer. The comparison to Dunn is not valid and bound to disadvantage the 19 yo with only 11 games under his belt. I dont think they are necessarily competing for the same spot and I dont necessarily buy the Dunn will have to earn a spot on a flank to Miller. I think both have to earn their position whereever it be on the ground. But I will say Dunn has a great set of football skills and I would not think it will be long before Dunn's star rises higher than Miller's whose star has plateaued and I dont see rising much further.

Why not? Both Yze and Miller will need to prove they can sustain the necessary form to hold down important positions this year. Miller has been freed of pre mature leadership roles and needs to deliver. Yze must be running out of chances in the side as a downhill skier. IMO if Ward is not challenged and overtaken on the HBF by either Bell/ Johnson I will be very disappointed.

Any number of Flower's would qualify Jack. I thought Jakovichs scissor kick against North in 1991 was very good. Darren Bennett/ David Neitz goals outside 50. Davey's goal against Geelong was very good. Farmer had his own brilliance. But for me the best goal would be one of Brad Green's goals against Carlton in the 2000QF. Pressure, youth and cool calm head resulted in a number of sublime goals. Best mark: Farmer vs Richmond or Smith vs Brisbane. Special mention to Robbo.

Shaun Smith, Sean Wight, Rod Grinter, Marcus Seecamp, Andrew Obst were all 100 game AFL footballers or thereabouts...hardly five minute wonders. Allen Jakovich was one of the most talented footballers I have seen at MFC and played over 4 seasons..Hardly a five minute wonder. The other players in this thread are 5 minute wonders...some not worth 5 seconds. The MFC has been littered with them over the past 40 years.

Judd became captain at WCE under extremely difficult and turbulent circumstances. For a youug man he has adapted to the role brilliantly. He has further enhanced his already superstar status with some truly exceptional performances. Furthermore he has captained a team to a flag at time where in less than 12 preceeding months, the previous captain has disgraced himself and the embarrassed the club and a former No 1 AA ruckman has publicly self destructed eight weeks from the finals. Judd took it in his stride and still provided excellent leadership and outstanding performance. His maturity and grace was evidenced by the way he called Cousins on the dais soon after receiving the cup. In the heat of the public eye Judd rose to the occassion. I dont think it is a given that if Judd came to MFC why Brock would automatically get the nod as captain. We would be truly blessed with two outstanding young men who are skilled footballers with wonderful charater traits that would make either a worthy captain of their team. I would have no problem with Judd being captain and Brock VC if Judd was to coming.

Demon Magik, While I love James McDonald as a footballer and have publicly backed him in the years when he was the forgotten hardworker he is not a chance for the captaincy. He's 31 next year and has possibly one or two seasons left. Given the expected development of younger midfielders Moloney, Bell, McLean and Jones and Co I would be concerned if Junior was still a signficant part of the midfield mix. No slur on him but it should be recognised that he is coming towards the end of his career as a wonderfully loyal servant to the Club. But he is not a captaincy option at 32 in 2008.

A very good left field dilemma you raise. Great to have him and I agree with your high assessment of him and what will it cost? If we perform similar to last year we will access pick 12 or thereabouts in next year's draft...so a relatively low trump card (as opposed as a Top 5 pick) So here we go for starters.... Pick 12 + Bruce like player + Dunn/Bate for Judd + 2 picks (70 +) There is also possibility that MFC might sweeten the deal by trading a existing quality player (and I mean quality) for another first round pick so the deal might be sweetened with. Pick 12 +another top round pick + Dunn/Bate (play quality forward) for Judd + 2 picks (70+ picks). I'll give it more thought and see of I can refine the bid later.