hemingway

give me 22 rod grinters I will be a happy man. that face instilled menace. however, the guy could actually play some seriously good footy. great overhead mark for his size, could kick, and had some pace.

The thread and the opinions are wearing thin, although the strong opinions tell you a lot about the complexity of issues involving race. Like a lot of threads the tone of the discussion is then lowered by over inflated egos, grandstanding, and overly sensitive folks who object to contrary views from their own. There are some folks who take themselves way to seriously. Unless there are some Nobel Prize winners then don't take yourself to seriously. What is it that makes people become sarcastic, condescending, and overtly personal. Wouldn't it be wonderful to get everyone together for a drink and share humorous anecdotes. Then watch as things deteriorate and the vocal posters engage in cage fighting. Sports Bet might be interested. And we all support the same mob. Amazing. Still I am sure the tone is much higher on this site than others.

Reference to neuro linguistic training. Now that's something to think about dpositive. As for a more brutal approach, I don't think it works. Only if you have a champion team. The great Melbourne teams of the 50s and early 60s were a case in point. Norm Smith could lift the team by a half time or three quarter time roast, but have a look at the team. They were truly a team of champions and they revered the coach. Individually and collectively that had the capacity to lift. With skills and confidence they developed attitude and the knowledge that with a little effort they could win any game whatever the score line. Sometimes, it was just the individual efforts of a few champions like Barassi, Dixon, Tunbridge, Adams etc that won the game. Often they hardly got out of second gear but still had the capacity to win matches. This is the case with the best teams today. Unfortunately, we don't have the champions to inspire and lift the team when we need it. Let's hope we are developing the players who will become champions over the next few years.

Mental toughness? Or lack of it? Maybe. Nutbean's comments about mental scarring is more the issue. Having played most of my junior football and limited senior footy in losing teams, my memory of those days was that when you lost week in week out, sometimes by large margins, players simply lost confidence in themselves and their team mates.That loss of confidence adversely affected ball winning ability, disposal, tackling and intensity. YOnly winning rectified that problem at least for a week or so. It impacted the way you thought about the game, it impacted your attitude to training and your enjoyment of training and playing.

so true OD and also players who are ready to play and not going to take 3-5 years to develop. we desperately need ready to go players.

In saying that players have the second half of the season to get another season, I suppose Roos is saying the obvious, but I like the fact that he is saying it. Clear, straightforward, sensible and above all fair. Players will understand and accept this message. There can be no complaints. The touchy feel good stuff is over and Roos is about establishing non negotiable standards.

a good positive opinion I like it.

never play a game binman. god they would do some damage in between suspensions.

Bobby I would much prefer if you did a Lazarus. Tough, dash, take no prisoners, and can kick goals. You might be a bit light on so you will need plenty of gym work to strengthen your bones and restore your muscles.

would be incredibly boring otherwise. love the honesty and diversity of opinion such as on this thread. may it long continue and not be censored or controlled by the moderators.

That's what makes this site interesting. W

I don't love Paul Roos, but I do respect him. He is intelligent, articulate, credible and commands respect from players, staff, the media and the football world. Our playing group may not have the respect of the football world, but Paul Roos gives the club a level of respect that we would not otherwise have. I can't think of anyone better than Paul Roos to coach this side. He provides reasons for the bad losses not excuses. Is he right? Perhaps yes, perhaps no. However, I can't say he is wrong or talking rubbish. Would it be any better without Roos - No. Could it be worse without Roos-Yes. I would prefer 5 years rather than 3, but that is the situation. At least with the current coaching staff and the succession plan we do have stability and a long term plan. We not longer have the media saying that the club is in a mess or in disarray. We have stability in our coaching staff and administration. That is required to achieve long term success on the playing field.

Sounds like Jack "The Bull" Viney is ready to rumble. Bring on the bullfight. Let's hope there is some metaphoric blood spilt.

Agree Curry, Vince has really added some mongrel to his game, presumably at the direction of Roos and the coaching staff. Last year he seemed to be mainly an outside player but now he is both inside and outside. A more valuable player to the team.

old dee, don't disappoint all your followers, you need take a bex or a single malt and have a lie down.

suggest you don't walk down lygon street Coup, the Carlton Mob might be waiting for you. unless you are a woman. although they may still be waiting for you.

Neale's character, reputation and integrity rubbed off on the MFC during his coaching period. Unlike some other coaches always felt that he was Melbourne.

Trigg reminds me of someone. Glasses, shifty looking, backroom operator, wheeler & dealer, and a dubious track record. Can't think who that would be. Oh no, the image is becoming clearer. Run for the lifeboats.

Trigg reminds me of someone. W

Carlton may be the current club that looks dysfunctional but look at the MFC going all the way back to Norm Smith. It is the way. It is the way when clubs are performing badly. Boards are made up of business types and professionals who like to use their power and influence. I suspect that they often conduct themselves in a different way than the way they would conduct themselves in their own businesses. They come from different backgrounds than the Coaches and those in the Football Departments. Running a football club is not the same as running their own business. Board members also are influenced by outside pressures and the perceived need to be seen to be acting in a decisive manner and are influenced by the short term pressures and demands just as many Boards in the business world. They don't want to be seen to be doing nothing, particularly when the club is performing poorly on the field. We live in a world that demands instant success and a world that does not like to wait. One that has no patience. Also Coaches have egos and pride and their own way. They are often idiosyncratic. Coaches and Boards never have easy relationships and often success just papers over the cracks for a short period before tensions arise. Norm Smith is the best example, although MM is the current example.

Call me old fashioned, but I dislike the way folks speak so harshly about their players. We are all blessed or not blessed with differences of intellect, skills, aptitude etc. It may be a supporters site but we should not write with such disdain and contempt about people just because they are footballers and seen as expendable. Sure talk about trades but do we need to be so harsh in our reasons.....no skills, hopeless etc? Would you like to be described in this way?

lets hope so OD.

Another supporter of Brayshaw, but who isn't. This kid looked the part from his first game and if it needed confirmation we have now got it . Cant think of anyone for a long time that has given such early confirmation of his potential although Vandenberg comes close. As others have pointed out its not just his talent or ability, it is the boy's attitude. Go for attitude every day over talent. You need both, but its the attitude that is the key. The fact that we have both Brayshaw and Vanders firing from day 1 is a bonus.

Great post Luke. Some really interesting points here. Your comments are equally relevant to Athletics/running. In regard to the difference between the sports, obviously, AFL players have a 6 month season and have to come up every week. So a team has to be fit enough to compete at a high level week in week out and the scrutiny of those performances is intense. However, the top teams do taper towards season end. Clubs like Melbourne do not have that luxury or the carrot of a finals gig at the end of a very hard home and away season. We do not have the talent or depth to rest players or cover for injuries. In recent years we have seen top sides rotate their players to freshen up. Clubs must try and get a balance between individual fitness and fatigue differences and the needs of the team. However, the point I am making is that all players play tired during the season. The top teams because of their talent and depth of talent can play tired but are good enough to win games. All professional or semi-professional athletes have the same challenge of having to compete tired at a high level during the season and still win or remain competitive. In most cases, they need to maintain a high training load during their season with the same challenge of remaining injury free before they begin their taper for a succession of their own finals campaign which can include state titles /national titles /selection trials/world titles/commonwealth/olympic games. I think the major difference between AFL players and other sports is that AFL players have much more pressure on them from clubs/supporters/media and the public at large. Every week they have to justify their place in the team and the team has to justify its position as a top club or improving club. However, there is no getting over the fact that top sportsmen and women have to regularly compete at a high level despite fatigue or being "tired."

All coaches get the finger pointed when the team is losing. Would much prefer Roosy dealing with the internal and external stuff than anyone else I can think of. Give me an intelligent, positive, and practical guy every time. He is also shrewd in what and how he communicates. It is not always best to be transparent to the media and public when your most important job is player management. I think overall he is maintaining a pretty good balance. He has the respect of the media and his players. That's got to be a good thing. If he keeps the jackals from the media away all the better. As with the players mark his report card at season end.