Still Waiting

There will be 14,953 at this game.When the player's intensity of effort improves, the crowd will increase accordingly.Success breeds success!

To the "smart people" who didn't like the idea of at least giving the "kids" a go, I give to you Petterd.Maybe we have another kid that will have a go at doing a job for us.Garland will be better for his run. If we try 'em we will see what potential they have and we can then give them occasional games to acclimatise them to the speed of AFL footy.I dont think the MFC would dare drop Petterd for next weeks game, but lets not expect him to play blinders every week. What he did bring to the team was enthusiasm and intent.Some of our more experienced players need these attributes in bucket loads at the moment.

The general culture of this club is to accept ordinary peformances and not take criticism at any level.If the club can change ordinary on field performance and improve it like we have with our financial plight then we will improve, but not before.When was the last time someone at the club took some advice from a well meaning supporter and admitted that outsiders sometimes have great ideas?Cultural change can only come from different ideology,and this we must change Mr. President.Please , no more "Stick with us" or "We dont care for supporters who criticise our on field performance" etc. etc. Cop it on the chin like good business leaders do .Formulate a DIFFERENT plan for improvement , implement it, and get on with the cultural change.Seek advice and guidance from experienced outsiders(and insiders) then change this bloody acceptance of mediority before we once again slip to the basement of AFL clubs. The club has some fantastic corporate business accociates that have evolved from smaller companies into quite successful large entities.They do this by changing things.They did not accept things how they were.Build a "change of mind set" and I guarantee that the footy department will get to where they desire to go.Do all of our team want to play senior footy or do they ALL want to win a flag with the MFC? There is a real gulf between the responses to these two questions. Change this culture or watch it slide! Just do it please.

Some things we aint gunna see this season! Trav chasing anyone,White dominating any game,Pickett being really tough,Miller kicking a bag or 2,accurate handball,3 good disposals in a row,great delivery into the forward 50,3 or more centre breaks in a row,onballers manning up in defence,Daniher forgetting to thump the table in the box,etc.etc. What we will see is Junior try his guts out + Brocky+Jonesy +Muddy and 3 or 4 others at times.What we need is no more injuries and a large infusion of belief.

When did TJ last put pressure on an opponent with the ball?When did anyone kick the ball to a forward such as to allow him to run flat stick at the ball?When did we last not kick out on the full when under no real pressure?When did we last handball to get a real advantage?When did we last get a clearance at a bounce?When did Daniher last support the fullback with "drop in the space"assistance? When did we last NOT have a player look up to see where his opponent was at a contest?Cmon Dees you really are better than what you are showing the rest of the footy world.Go and get the ball and then get it strait to a TEAMMATE.Try it, it works sometimes.Change the way you attack the ball.Just look at it all the time untill you have it in your own hands!FFFRRRUUUSSSTTTRRRAAATTTIIIOOONNN.

If we continue to play unfit players we will keep losing them for longer periods of time.The whole idea of recruiting younger players is to teach them and give them experience so that the list is maintained.When you have this many injuries it is a poor decision not to blood at least 1 new player in 4 completed rounds.If this is not true,why get young drafted players in the 1st place?We have to stop making poor selections for each game and get on the front foot and find out what these kids can give to the club.Long injury lists should equal opportunity.Dont give me that crap about negative selection processes.Some of these kids will end up being long term champions of our club , but they need a chance here and there.One more observation would be that we play, like we train!The sooner we work a bit harder the sooner the improvement will come.No miracles ,just harder work and development. Our endeavor is good,our effort to run hard is lousy.

Totally out classed by Dockers in 2nd qtr.Now we have more injuries Danniher will have to put some debut kids in next week and hopefully they wont take eyes off the ball like a couple of more experienced players have done today.We just cannot have senior players showing hesitation at the ball like they are doing at the moment.Again we have kicked into foward area over the heads of leading teammates who then stand and watch their opponents stream the ball back out.C'mon dees you are actually better than this crap you are serving up.The message just aint getting thru!

How many times in the last decade have we be encouraged to "Stick with us" by players,coaching staff and club supremo's?Well I have stuck -with up to now but I have to say the on field performance in the 1st 3 rounds has been an embarassment.I am not talking about the actual losses,but the lack of 2nd efforts and pressure on opponents has been abysmal.Danners,if our players don't adhere to this "hard at them" instruction then dont play 'em.Give the kids a chance to show some endeavor, even if they are overwhelmed.Lets stop being the "nice" club and get absolutely ruthless.If a senior player under performs (and some do consistently)DROP THEM,please! Opposition clubs have no respect for our hardness_____fact. Change it ,give the players the message,NOW,not in 3 or 4 more weeks.We are sick of giving excuses to other supporters.Our team is capable of pushing for a top 8 position but will not make it with the current attitude seemingly accepted by the club. Remember ,"The harder you work ,the luckier you get"!

Whilst Bell has played well he is not a midfielder and would not get enough leather to justify a more permanent mid field job.Don't destroy any confidence he now has with this move.Perhaps give him a few minutes here and there in the rotation but let him continue to develop into a player that can feed the pill into the forward line (with a bit more accuracy than others).By the way ,why dont we kick the ball a bit wider or even shorter to leading forwards?We have mastered the art of delivering the ball just high enough over our players heads so as to enable any half good defender to spoil.Lets get the forwards running hard to a slightly wider or shorter delivery.Danners also has to be prepared to make early moves to stop dominating midfielders with our taggers.