Bay Riffin

I agree, we need targets and I think we need a lot of 'outside the box' thinking to gain new members and gain more sponsors. I still think Paul McNamee could bring home the bacon here. I like his idea of creating themes for each game, or most games, the trumpeter is the best thing to visualise. I would love opposition supporters to come to the 'G and see members singing along to the trumpeter. I hate England in the cricket but the balmy army at the 'G created a fantastic atmosphere. If we give the opposition some showmanship, they have something to bounce off - we need to be hated again!! like Carlton keep saying. people will bring their families with such an atmosphere. Even Joffa and the jacket adds something. I would like to see McNamee ramp this side up.

on SEN now, a bloodless coup - Jimmy gave an emotional speech how he wants his kids to barrack for his Dees favourite players He did say we will need to improve or will have to relocate. Good luck Jimmy.

6 - McLean - got better as the game wore on. Very suited to his style and he loves it a big soggy under foot. 5- Yze - not a fan but have to give him credit, was excellent early and played like the Yze of old and actually went in. 4- Garland - liked his game today and closing speed and athletic punches were critical at times 3- Green - probably as good as Yze and having his best year - trade him to Carlton end of year - he is at his peak, it won't last !! 2- Warnock - our only big body and did most things well. 1 - Jones - consistent all day but geez would like to watch a game without him getting mowed down. Wheatley and Bruce also good. Bell defintely overdue for a few weeks at Sandy. Does this mean we can turn off next week ??

and yet we are getting the crowds to Queens birthday games. It's no use being all nice and philosophical about our situation when you obviously have a man in charge of the AFL who has us in the gun. Focussing on destroying a game that has historically brought in good crowds is a disgrace and if he went through with it, would be a devastating blow to the MFC, a club with the highest conversion rate of supporters to members in the land. To me he is going for the jugular now.

are the seniors on TV?

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...8-19742,00.html Bailey mentions Sylvia amongst others to take of the nucleus of our forward line. "Bailey named Paul Johnson, Colin Sylvia, Michael Newton, Brad Miller and Matthew Bate as the nucleus. " Thing is he has done better this year, mainly in the backline and that has been just gathering posessions. i want this bloke to succeed but have no confidence he will perform as a forward. At least his possesions rate is higher, but would like to see him have an influence. What do people think ?

some of the frees he got were stunning. at one point he was on his knees and we grabbed him around the waist and he got a free for it. think he had 6 before half time.

My notes on the McNamee interview... (Very friendly easy going interview.) We are actually competing with the AFL for the 150th celebrations, which has hurt merchandising sales. He also metioned how transparent he has to be in footy i.e make available commercial figures to so many different people, which is a lot more confidential in golf and tennis. Have not finalised Casey fields deal. Would love to say it’s a done deal, but can’t. Pretty likely we will not be at Junction oval next year. If Casey doesn't go through we will find somewhere else. Jim Stynes for president? – no comment but only to mention that whatever happens we not only have a smooth transition but more people want to get involved in the club. On the bugler – creating some show biz, and wants Melbourne to create a theme for each game, even if it’s a once off (e.g Neita’s retirement last week). Bugler has been good, but did jump in too early in the Freo match which wasn't considered won a few minutes before the siren. Missed his comment when asked about Demetriou (my kid was screaming).

very interesting - he is from Tassie you know.

Is Adelaide just some weird back hole of football for the Melbourne F C. Why is it we cannot at least look competitive over there? One of the major issues I thought the new coach had was getting us to not [censored] ourselves when we face a hostile crowd, especially in Adelaide. Why is it we can beat them at our lowest ebb last year at the 'G but no matter what we are doing, we travel over there and get bent over? Morton 3 goals is a good sign so far.

Bruce at least mixes it up in the midfield and gets an occasional hard ball, which is better than what green does.

Carroll is there for a reason, and I think we all know it, so why bag him?. If he competes while Warnock, Frawley and Martin and to lesser extent Garland are phased through as key positions, then surely it serves a purpose. The same people would be up in arms if we threw these kids to the wolves. They aren't quite ready yet. Garland in year 2, Frawley etc basically the same. If Scarlett, Glass took a while ,why should we expect them to hold down the key posts? Let's be reasonable.

Nah, McAvaney makes the footy for me. Go and replay the Wonaeamirri goal that put us in front. When he says 'HOW GOOD IS THIS", it will send chills up your spine. Best in the business along with Cometti. Tim Lane also a favourite on Ch 10. But Mcavaney best natural commentator going around.

We simply have to get top pick. We will not draw support without a very good team and we need 2-3 elite players I reckon. We need a few top 5 picks to build this team around.

Funnily was just talking about Hurley with his dad. very interesting conversation. He is playing for Vic metro v Vic country on Saturday. He reckons recruiters will almost always go midfielders and ruckman and most recruiters will admit its to save their won ass, as they can 'tick the boxes' and say don't blame me if things go pear shaped. I asked him about Natanui and Michael played on him and reckons he was able to take him out of the game and lead him into the forward pocket (Michael was playing full back). He reckons Natanui doesn't quite know where to run and there is argument whether you can teach that or not. Its like the Lance Whitnall argument in reverse. He reckons he has a fantastic pair of hands and not only a high leaping mark but good solid mark. His big question mark is he reckons he can't kick, but reports say he is getting better. In a nutshell he said Dees should take Natanui if they have number one, but he barracks for the saints and doesn't want me to buy him a tartan rug and thermos if the Dees get him.

wonder wehy he is unhappy - it's not as though he has set the world on fire and got dropped. He is still learning and would be in and out of most sides at present.

Sensational....Passion was what we needed, and we got it in the second half. Good to see Bailey getting angry as well. That is one out of the box and shows our young blokes aren't so bad after all. Still very very ordinary first half but a win is a win is a win and the press can at least bag someone else for a change.

I work with his dad - comes from Macleod F C. Is a superb kick and definite key position who will fill out. Melbourne are very interested and would go top 10 the way recruiters are talking. I think Adelaide said they would have picked him first if he was available last year.

Sylvia out sucks. it really does - I think its just plain unlucky to sustain so many hamstring/OP injuries. just when he was getting somewhere. Surely he deserves a full season to show his stuff.

We are much better off with Carlton winning last night. The Weagles will win enough game to keep them off the bottom. Even last night they showed the crowd are 100% passionate and for a half they played pretty good footy. The normal home ground advantage they enjoy will bite them on the bum as it will not allow them to bottom out if that makes sense. I reckon Kennedy will be very handy for them and he got them back into the game last night.

Are we missing something here ? next year the AFL raises the drafting age to 18 !! That means if we got priority picks, we get to choose from a significantly smaller pool. For instance for this year, Natanui and Rich would be out of contention - how many touted as top draft picks in 2008 are over 18 ?. Hurley is 17 so he would be off limits as well. we may be effectivley choosing the 10th or 20th best kid. It's a F$cking joke if this goes ahead. Raising the draft age to 18 has HUGE effects on next years draft, because ALL the next years candidates are shelved for 2010. I could live with draft tampering in 2010 but not next year as I feel we will still be bottoming out. can the Dees ever take a trick ??

Well if we won less that four games this year and next, we would get priority pick but could not pick upthe next Natanui as all 17 year old cannot be drafted. In fact does this mean next years draft is only 18 years old who have obviously not been drafted yes. in other words no-one great.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/boos...9234957079.html How f#cking manipulative is this, and why aren't Victorian clubs having their say and having a go at the AFL. They are raising next years draft age to 18, so basically next years Kreuzer will be kept in safe keeping for 2010 for the gold coast. Then the Gold coast get the first 5 picks of the Super Duper Draft!! Plus how do they get the extra 10% salary cap when Brisbane had it removed - isn't that a precendence ? or does it only apply if you win 3 premierships ? Also they have access to 10 uncontracted players, first 2 preseason picks, not to mention sole ownership of the top 15 queensland players. Do they have to engrave their own name on the premiership cup, or does the AFL handle that ??? vomit,vomit,vomit. Only a proposal of course until its made undisputed law, probably when we least expect it. If Melbourne are down bottom next year and get a priority pick, we will be crucified.

Oh for f$cks sake. Yes lets go back to the good old Mark Riley days which were incidentally the lowest point of our club, and play blokes who weren't going to be there next year and refuse to blood more youngsters. Nothing would be sadder than bringing in old stagers, then getting to 5 wins and losing a priority pick. Menwhile these bloke retire and where are we ?

I think you will find Mclean has been concentrating hard on doing heaps of selfless things in contested situations to help his teammates. As does Nathan Jones. Mclean especially has sacrificed his game this year while racking up plenty of posessions himself. If we were winning he would be heralded as the next captain for on field behaviour at least. but alas it all goes unnoticed. These two in particular are playing playing consistent team orientated footy. It takes time for all this to gel of course. It took West coast years and needs good players to do it - but look at them, they still 'know' how to do it, but without passion and missing a couple of key midfielders they are lost. Hawthorn had at least 6 years to build a team with a new game plan, give us some time at least. Like it or not we are now fully rebuilding in the first time in over a decade and its the best thing that will happen to Melbourne.