Sitting here with a glass of wine and thinking... with the end quickly approaching of the home and away season comes the need to identify the challenges for the club in the future. Win or lose against Carlton and the obvious need to select the best pre season draftees as possible, what are our challenges? What are the challenges that Dean Bailey ( for me "Gollam" is the best nickname I have heard, with Rumpole as a close second) faces, and, can we offer him a summary of the challenges as we see them? For me, I can offer a few ideas-
* Our mental preparation and approach to the game. This year too often we lose in the first quarter only to play catch up football. Consistency is not our fortee and our "leaders" have done little to change our attitude. We looked like losers and played like losers.
* Our kicking, whether at goal or disposing of out of defense ( a lob in the direction of our forward line ).... for years our kicking has sucked. Our general skills are not so good.... whether the 1%ers or our kicking.
* Our ruckman tap to the opposition. The clearances are so important. Why is it we tap to the opposition players?... or Why is it they get the clearances?
* Injuries- Is it luck? or do we need to train with the knowlege of how to avoid injuries? Is this an area we can improve?
* Our culture needs a Capernican revolution (Capernicus discovered the Earth revolved around the sun)- Faithful... we have had players playing on one leg at the start of the game.. eg. Robbo, Neitz.... why?... because they have heart and are faithful .... pity they can't play because they are injured. Why are they playing?...oh that's right.... they are playing for the coach...hang on.... is that why they should be playing? Motives are all skewy!
Gollam (Dean Bailey) ya really need to look closely at this club because we have a few problems.
Melbourne needs a Capernican revolution!
Brown and Bizzel, who we are saying goodbye to, are a couple of players who did put their hands up this year, and bleed for the Dees. I am sorry to see them go and would have liked to see them with us next year... thanks for the heart ya put in u2.