Deeview

Great work Clucka. Hopefully the video is showing the start of the transition, albeit with still some difficult days ahead, to a new successful era.

Loved the song.

Mental.

When we're in front we feel like we're awesome, we feel confident, and we blow teams away.

When we're behind we receive no leadership, we feel like we're being swamped, pressured and blown apart, and we drop our heads.

Cause is a combination of terrible leadership, poor coaching, and a few players who just can't get themselves going when we're not 5 goals up (I'm looking at Bennell, Morton and Jurrah here; Green and Sylvia fall under the 'insipid leaders' category).

Besides lack of leadership and the coaches appearing to have no Plan B, C, D etc when Plan A is not working, the risky gameplan of using the corridor means that turnovers are heavily punished.

I didn't mind the extension as I'm pretty damn sure it was his payment for the dirty job he did to get us those draft picks, but it is becoming pretty clear that he and his assistants are just not quite up to it.

Agree. Are the contracts of his coaching assistants, especially Mahoney and Royal, due to finish this year?

I think you're misreading what others have posted. If Rookies are ready, sure, but on current form, and reports from Casey, both Bennel and Jetta would be ahead of Evans (and Nicholson) as mids. (well ... if we can consider Bennel a mid).

Pushing kids into the firsts before they're ready doesn't help anyone, and young players like Gysberts, Bennel, Jetta etc. also need as much AFL game-time as they can get.

But when they've earned their place ... bring it on!

Agree with bing 181. At this stage, only promote one of the rookies if the Match Committee actually wants to pick them in the side this week.

Top 8 in 2011. Top 4 in 2012. GF in 2013 (Winning?). Window then stays open for 3-4 more years.

Spend 2011 learning to win interstate, to win at Docklands and to beat North. 3-5 extra wins = top 8, not top 4.

Totally agree with the above 3 objectives, especially winning interstate.

I like this design because it makes the white "disappear" the red yoke and the thin blue outline combined with the blue panels makes me view the white as "blue" it just does nt "stand out" in my minds eye?

otherwise the rosters jumper with the blue side panels on jumper and shorts would look good.

Agree ompletely with deefuture.

Tomorrow - Wednesday

You're welcome to express a view. I'm not sure why people would have a problem with what you've said.

I really like it. And I did the moment I saw it. When one starts analysing all that's in it I can understand some thinking that it's a bit busy. But I can only go off my initial reaction.

As another poster pointed out, an emblem is different to a logo. This emblem wraps up 150 years of history in a stylish and vibrant manner.

I wouldn't change a thing. B)

Concur entirely with Hannabal. Excellent representation of what the club stands for.

Miller has always been valuable as a leading marking forward. What has constantly let him down is his kicking especially for goal. Last night his kicking for goal was excellent. I remember reading in a recent post on one of the Casey games that Brad seemed to have improved his kicking for goal. Last night he and Watts performed a good double tall act on the forward line surrounded by the smalls. I think he could be a useful player as long as he continues with the form he showed that night. Jurrah, when he gets back, can always play forward pocket or half forward flank.

Brilliant and inspirational video. Brings back many wonderful memories.

He's something radical. Why don't we play on at all costs and kick the ball long into our forward line as quick as possible to a one on one or two on two contest.

Let's run hard, move the ball quickly and not give the opposition time to set up their zone behind the ball. If nothing else it will reduce the number of potential turnovers (as we will have less possesions) and increase the number of times we get the ball into our forward 50 therefore increasing our chances of scoring.

Radical I know - what do you think?

Agree - we need to move the ball into the forward line as fast as posssible - the sideway movements in the backline give the opposition plenty of time to flood back into our forward line and mean that leads made by the forwards when in the clear cannot be honoured. Further the forwards must be told to lead and the ball kicked low and fast towards them so they can run onto the ball. At the moment forwards, such as Robertson, stand still waiting to fly for the high kick, and when it comes ithere is a pack situation.

The ball should be moved by foot rather than by hand. A short kick over 15 metres to a player means the player has less pressure on him and can choose whether to play on immediately or go back and wait for a lead. Currently handballs go sideways to players who have to play on immediately.

We also need 2 players other than Aaron Davey to have the task of kicking the ball in after a pont. They need to give the responsibility to defenders who can kick the ball out quickly. At the moment, time is wasted while Davey comes down all the way o collect the ball, thus giving the opposition to clog up the ground. His skills are needed further up the ground.

Finally we should employ more man on man defence when not in possession of the ball and rely on our pace to get lplayers loose whenever we cause a turnover.

I noticed on the Melbourne website that Kaspersky Lab will be handing out free six month trials of their internet security at the game on Monday.

Kaspersky Lab Free Trial

As someone who has purchased Kaspersky Lab already for myself and for my girlfriend's family, I can sincerely guarantee that it is a very good product that is easy to use and goes about its business quietly in the background.

Not only that, when I encountered some problems with having to remove the previous anti-virus software, the Kaspersky Lab staff were extremely friendly, helpful and fixed my problems in a matter of minutes. I wasn't put on hold, talking to a machine or operators in another country; I got straight through to the staff here in Australia. In contrast we were having to deal with another anti-virus company and Bigpond at the same time and Kaspersky's customer service blew them all out of the water ten times over.

If you do get an opportunity to take up the free trial offer then I highly recommend that you do so.

I would endorse Clint's comments. I had Kaspersky's Internet Security installed on a new computer bought over a year ago on the recommendation of the salesman after I mentioned that I was not that happy with Norton. At the time I had never heard of Kaspersky. I have been very happy with the way it works quietly in the backgound until it suspects that you are trying to open a risky site when it alterts you in time to abort further action at your option.

SEN have just announced that they believe it will be Scott West

I would also like to not have to play the cats at bloody skilled stadium, im sick of us going down there and getting flogged every year, apart from last year where it was one of our best games that we did not win.

Geelong have asked to play us at Skilled Stadium in August next year to celebrate their 150th birthday.

I heard on the news earlier today that he has signed on as an assistant coach with the Crows. Like many I was hopeful he could find he was back to us but I guess the timing wasn't right for us. Our coaching group probably deserves a second year together.

I understand that he was contracted to Hawthorn for the 2009 season but sought a release so that he could go back to SA for family reasons. If that is the case, he would not have been coming to us next year.

In relation to our coaching group, does anyone know if Paul Williams will be part of the coaching group? I believe his contract was due to finish this year. If so, I suspect Bailey may want to appoint someone of his choosing.

Watching the races today from Sydney, and noticed Predatory Pricing (half-brother to Takeover Target) won the Gloaming, sporting the colours of navy blue with red yoke, together with red pitch fork. Does anyone know whether the connections, including lawyer Tony Hartnell, have any MFC sympathies or is it just a wild coincidence. Was about the only thing approaching Demon publicity I've seen for a while.

Noted the colours and had the same thoughts. Loved the red pitch fork. The correct name of the horse is Predatory Pricer. The horse has raced 5 times for 3 wins.

Thanks Barry for all your reports over the years. Much appreciated your detailed reports. You helped to revive a past passion of following Sandy in the 1980's.

Best wishes to you and your family with the move north.

The AGM is likely to be held in mid/late December. I think the year ends officially at the end of October and the financial accounts need to be completed (and audited) before the AGM is held.

I expect that a letter will be sent to members in November advising of the AGM's date and also giving details of how to vote on the Board members who will be up for re-election etc. All the Board members who joined in June will be up for re-election.

I completely agree. We should have at least tried.

The overuse of white in both of the suggested versions makes a mockery of our true colours of red and blue. Our Navy Blue is the colour which causes the AFL the most problems, particularly when we play Essendon and Freo.

Why don't we try to design a jumper using a much lighter shade of blue. Royal blue is not sufficiently a light colour and was not a good look in the 1980's anyway. I was thinking about using the light blue colour used in the Argentine soccor jumper (which North Melbourne are going to use next year) to replace the navy blue. Surely that would be light enough to satisfy the AFL and solve any clash problems.

What do others think of using a light blue in place of the navy blue? At least our colours would remain red and blue and not be seen to be white with a dash of red and blue as suggested in both the alternative clash jumpers which are being voted on at the moment.

I believe that Brad Green should be the captain next year. His form has been very consistent this year and he has led by example in backing into packs, ground coverage and disposal skills.

Both Bruce and to a lesser extent MacDonald have been less consistent and less inspirational to the young players around them.

Gary Fila (no 20) who appeared to be the worst of the umpires last week, and gave that unbelievable decision against Bruce at a critical time of the match, has been dropped from the list for this week's matches.

The umpires for tomorrow's match are Donlan, Kennedy and Ryan.

If i had it my way::::::

OUT:

retired (forced retired)---- White, Neitz, Holland, Yze

borderline retire- depending on their bodies and whether they want to go on- McDonald, Whelan

Delist- Weetra, Bode, Carrol

Trade for picks---- one of Bruce or Bell--- only because these are the only players on our list that have some worth, but are also very expendible.

keep Sylvia because though expendible, his trade value is below his real worth, so it would be a bad trade for us.

overall- 4 retired, 3 delisted minimum---- maximum 6 retire, 3 delisted and 1 traded.

IN:

6-7 draftees, 1 PSD, 2 rookie elevations.

While I agree with the suggestions involving most of the players mentioned, I have read somewhere that Carroll and Weetra have contracts covering 2009.

Can anyone confirm this?

AFL rules require clubs to keep clash strips for at least 2 years... however we've been given an exception and will be able to change our clash strip at the end of this season...

and yes, we'll be wearing it tomorrow, I think freo is our biggest clash

When it was announced that the AFL gave us the OK to change our change strip at the end of the season, it was also stated that we would still have to wear the current clash jumper against Freo and Essendon this year.

Thanks Bush Demon for another wonderful article.

As I understand it, we need a new clash strip due to the change in clothing apparel sponsor.

While it is clearly inferior to our normal jumper, I think the style and use of silver is acceptable as a clash strip. I think the use of silver is preferable to white.

However the club should make sure that its use is restricted to genuine clashes only eg. away against Essendon and Adelaide. I don't consider away clashes against the Swans or St Kilda qualify.