hemingway

I think we need to give the kid a break. I am not arguing with your analysis. However, young players take different lengths of time to develop. There a few like Oliver that can impact a game immediately but most take time. We would all expect Oscar to make significant improvement in 2018, otherwise he will be playing at Casey. However, its not just Oscar but a whole team and a coach that needs to take the next step in 2018, otherwise all hell will break loose.

Agreed Lucifer.. Having one person may make it administratively easier for the AFL and simplify decision making, but it will not make it any more objective or fairer. There will still be dissenting views from the media, clubs and supporters, indeed Christian and the AFL will be bigger targets for criticism. I think a panel is fine as long as the panel members are competent and not selected because they are ex-players. Panel members need to be intelligent. They need to have good listening skills and communication skills, and be able to absorb and analyze information. They need to have logical incisive minds and loads of common sense. They don't need to be lawyers but legal training and experience can be an advantage or at least experience in quasi-judicial matters, such as administrative tribunals. I am not sure that Christian necessarily qualifies on any of these grounds.

Not a big deal I would have thought. I think the coaching staff's idea of a boot camp was misguided. And the timing, just before Christmas, after all the work on the track in the heat, was also a mistake. The value of boot camps is debatable. There is a lot of psycho babble surrounding the concept. A whole industry has grown up promoted by a range of people with varying degrees of competency. Many of the so called instructors are earnest, enthusiastic and believe in the benefits, but they are not always the smartest folk going around, certainly not in terms of physical conditioning and psychological expertise. And they do risk injury. Particularly, when you take finely tuned athletes out of their normal training routines and training environments. What is their purpose? They are designed to promote fitness, promote team bonding and team work, test individuals resilience in testing conditions, and so the list of supposed benefits goes on. Personally, I think their value is very limited. It may be of benefit for some but damaging for others. For some, boot camps pose more risk than benefit. They do not suit all people. Professional athletes/footballers and support start should be able to develop and maintain conditioning without boot camps. Several days at a boot camp is not going to achieve anything in the long term. Physical conditioning is a long-term and on-going requirement. I find it hard to believe that individually and collectively, professional athletes/footballers need any additional motivation to succeed. It comes from within each individual, and in team sports, its not until you get a group of self-motivated athletes that are all driven to succeed that you improve and achieve team success. Scheduling a boot camp in the first place and just before Christmas seems unwise. However, canceling the affair given player feedback, seems sensible and an exercise in good judgement not a reflection of weakness or being soft. .

Is there still a mail delivery to Adelaide?

I appreciate the information Dee. Will try and get there. Spread Eagle or the Vine are the only Rubbidy Dubs that come to mind.

Personally, I think he injects a lot of enthusiasm, energy and personality into what can be a dreary lot of MFC talking heads. And could not get a more loyal club man. Despite his obvious disappointment he took his retirement as a player on the chin with great class.

So true. Our expectations of the team does not always take into account the others. We know that its an incredibly even comp and so many different facets make for success or failure.

Right from the start he showed something and this season he proved it has what it takes. You nailed his important attributes 39. His determination to succeed and his "knack of being in the right place at the right time"". He showed the latter attribute right from the start, he just started doing it more frequently last season as his confidence grew from becoming a regular selection each week and having time to develop his confidence. He is definitely a team player. I like him up forward because he is an opportunist near goal and a reasonable shot on the run.

I doubt it too.

Don't mention the word "Finals". Still undergoing therapy, only just starting to make improvement.

Lets accept all training reports for what they are. Everyone who contributes should be thanked. They go to the trouble of attending and writing reports that provide information that we can enjoy. I also like to read the different comments and perspectives. I think all those who write them deserve a break. Readers like me are in a sense free loaders who benefit from the contributions of the training watchers. Are we better off with these contributions irrespective of content? I think so. See the common good and ignore the things that irritate you. The summer period is a time to renew our hope and faith in all things including our beloved Demons, and to look forward to the season ahead. A time to be positive and to accept our differences. Particularly as we all share the same love.

Such honest comments Deemania. And you ended on a positive.

Big problem. Major Australian and international companies do not see the point unless its a national team. Most multi-nationals are not interested. Not just in MFC but any form of professional sport. They have Boards and Shareholders who will hold them to account. And who can blame them. Lets face it, AFL is way down the pecking order. Also these days, you have to have a very strong business case for a company to invest. Many companies these days are not interested in sport or investing in organisations that are not relevant to their business or market. This is going to be one of our biggest problems over coming years.

Agreed. Got to be able to run. Fitness in the modern game requires aerobic and anaerobic fitness. Petracca's skills and strength gives him a great advantage in the contest, but I felt that in the season past, he had too much bulk.

It is hard to know. One of the great mysteries of the game. He was universally regarded as a great player, and one of the fairest ever to pull on a boot. I rarely saw him argue with an umpire. For most part, he played in a losing team but there have been many other players who won a Brownlow playing in a poor side. It would be interesting to look at match statistics. Perhaps his disposal count was not as high as other players. That's all I can come up with. He did play on a wing for most of his career and play often went down the opposite wing. Players of his era still played to position although Robbie tended to float to space when there was an opportunity. What he did was often brilliant, but perhaps he was not in the play as often as other high possession winners.

One of my major frustrations this season was watching 2 or 3 players fly for the ball. Such a basic error even in suburban and amateur footy. More often than not, no player would position themselves in the front or at the back of the pack, this occurring regularly at both ends of the ground. The ball then being swiftly taken away by our opponents.

The only Gods likely to care about Uncle are pagan gods. Given the the Uncles proclivities and indulgences, it's unlikely to be Bacchus. However, given the current weather conditions it could be Thor who is definitely not happy. With the crumbling ruin known as The Manor, no doubt the good Uncle is busy making sure he has enough buckets underneath all the leaks.

Indeed Daisy, we are a multi cultural place where bananas are not always regarded as the King of the Fruits. We must not forget all religions particularly those of SE Asia. As you know I have a deep interest in spiritual matters like many on this site particularly this thread. Over recent times, I have been drawn to Buddhism and the spiritual texts of The Vedas which predate all other religious texts by 500 years. The more commonly accepted religious texts are mere new and revised editions of The Vedas. So we must not forget the Durian. Worshiped by many as the King of Fruits. Perhaps we can encourage BB to try a Durian smoothy.

Forgotten his cultural roots. He could be lost. Bring him back into the fold God. Hineni my Lord.

Takes me back in time. To the days off the coast of Spain but more so, the waters of the Gulf Stream.. The fish fighting for its life and the fishermen fighting for their egos. Real and imagined. The boat, rods and the fishermen do not conjure up anything..

We need the experience of Lewis and Vince for another year, however, they are slowing up at a time when speed of decision making and speed and decisive movement has become all important. As the body ages, injury is always around the corner. Slower to recover and slower to pick up the speed of the game upon return. I think we all saw Lewis and Vince struggle this year. We will have arrived as a footy team when these two guys are not cracking the 22 and become depth players. It will also mean that others are stepping up to the plate and assuming leadership roles.

Reference to the term actresses suggest that posters are full bodied of good vintage. Although I prefer the term actors and actresses but of course I am full bodied but of dubious vintage.

Mango or banana smoothly BB?

Man how do you manage all this detail. Speed recall and writing. Must be the wired younger generation. Anyway, well done and I like the humour, provides for entertaining reading.

great idea