The Stigga

Franklin, Jack, Hannebery, Kennedy, Tippett, McVeigh, Parker... Never stood a chance...

Sure, but then he'd be off to Freo.

Off their bigfooty page: FB: Saad Thompson Broughton HB: Mckenzie May Malceski C: Kolodjasnij Swallow Harbrow HF: Bennell Gorringe Martin FF: Matera Day Miller R: Smith Ablett Prestia I: Shaw Nicholls Hallahan S: Sexton E: Rischitelli Russell Tape

Most players rarely take more than 60 contested marks per year (just below 3 per game). In fact, since 2011, Travis Cloke is the only player to have taken more than 60 (2011-95 and 2012-73). I think you'll find that Franklin (at around 2 a game or just below) would be in the upper percentile of contested marking over the past 4-5 years. And people can come up with statistics to prove anything Saty, forfty percent of all people know that!

2013 took 26 contested marks in 2013 as he was predominately playing up the ground. If he played out the 50 then he would have had at least double that. 2012 he took 39. 2011 he took 39. 2010 he took 32. I don't think Franklin has made a career out of uncontested marking. Would love Fitzy to average at least on per game if he gets a gig.

Franklin was 2nd year last year for contested marks with 51 only behind Hawkins who had 56...

I don't think they would say any of our players are below average. We should be a really good kicking team then (both field and goal).

People are going to get a rude awakening in round 1. Gold Coast 40+ at 4$ looks value.

His kicking is a hinderance to him becoming a solid AFL player. I hope he does make it.

Thats fine, If his kicking was below average I'm not sure they would say that to you. But in my opinion he has an incredibly awkward kicking style that has it limitations.

An AFL player or a good AFL player?

Yeah thats fine, but most opinions are based on what we see, at training or at a match., I don't know what other Primary Sources we can go to to substantiate our opinion.

You see, this is exactly what I am talking about. He/she has every right to say that in their opinion their kicking skill is substandard. Just say, 'look i disagree with what you are saying, I think there kicking skills are at a higher level than you' You don't like the critique and nothing he/she could ever convince you.

That's fine, I don't have a problem with people forming an opinion that comes back to bite them. i was one of them. I remember thinking in Col Garland's first game that he would never make it. But he did...a solid player who will hopefully get to that next level. So what your saying is that because I am not on an AFL coaching I can't have an opinion...? k.

Why not, we've already had tankgate, tablegate, loangate.... a little touch of dank gate, Polisgate etc...

I was just joshin' with ya. I do appreciate your contributions as it gives all of us a good insight into the club on a day-to-day basis. What I don't appreciate (others might feel the same, maybe not), is to be criticised for saying, 'player x is no good, he won't make it and will most likely be delisted'. That is an opinion and this is a forum. Just because I don't speak to them personally on a daily basis doesn't mean I don't have the right to make such a comment. Because the reality is there are players on our list that aren't and never will be up to AFL standard regardless of how hard they are working. But please, tell me what I can and can't say on here.

Saty... you are going to get a rude awakening come round 1. Your last sentence is quite bizarre. I put it down to your blind, slavish, sycophantic lust for the individuals you choose to say hi to on a weekly basis. As melbourne supporters we should always support or boys. i understand what you do. i would to, its just that i don't have the balls that you do, to talk to them, to say hi, to ask them how it join. i have never felt the compulsion to. I'm 31 and unemployed, but i don't have the heart to say hi to them, to ask them if they are ok, to let them know that we care, that we support them, that we wish that we would do ok. you have to understand that they are polite to you because they have to be, because if they weren't, that would not be a good thing, because you are obviously are big supporter of the club. We are not doing well at the moment as a football club. between the years of 1987 and 2006 we seemed to make finals every second year. why is that? why were we good for such a poor club? we have not been any good since 2007. why? have you asked them why? i don't know if they know why. do you know why? will be ok this year? i don't think our players are that good. when i look at other teams. i think other teams and their players are better than ours. at the moment. maybe we will be better some day. maybe stay you can tell the boys that they will be ok and be able to beat a lot of other teams and we might be able to make finals one day. do you think we can make finals in the next few years? I hope so. you should ask them if roosy says they can do it. Or if they can think they can do it. It takes very good footballers to be able to make finals. But, we can keep trying, we will always turn over a certain amount of players because they are no good. Maybe our plasters will be good one day. Maybe we will be like geelong, or hawthorn or freo, or sydeny or like a good side. let them know, while you are taking photos, that we look forward to better games and players and performances, like we use to have a long time ago. thanks.

What we saw tonight was beyond atrocious. How any one could possibly defend this performance is beyond me. A full strength side against an essendon reserve side. We'll be lucky to win two games this year, three at the most. This club is the Mary Celeste. Still floating on the ocean, but everyone has jumped ship.

Sorry Nash, except for the first 10 minutes of the first quarter, that's as bad as I've ever seen us considering the circumstances, and I'm 32!

Agreed, but the opposition should be nowhere near on top. Shows how good Goddard and chapman really are.

When the pressure comes, it all gets a bit too hard...

Nasher, that first half was absolutely shithouse.

Yeah because they have lots of supporters that are also members of the public that turn up to their home games. We don't have these things because at the moment we are [censored].

Assuming we get those players... Wow

No, just trying to work out why so many people freaked out about the Frost trade.