Bay Riffin

"I am not sure why there has been so much vitriol at journalists Smith and Wilson. Maybe crisis is not the right word but its surely a crap position to be in and seemingly the Board has equivocated for some time before making a decision on Harris that should have been made in November if not earlier.Lets not get carried away. " I don't know why we are suddenly in almost crisis position. Our financials have not changed since the Harris decision. Bailey was appointed and he has orchestrated a sweep out of the football dept which is refreshing to say the least. I would easily take a pot shot at Patrick Smith whose sensationalistic journalism just happened to point in our direction for a minute. His article said nothing, had zero insight but was made to look like a 'crisis'. Why write the f#cking article but to only cause a stir. Our financial situation is a function of a low supporter base, the MCC as well as unsuccessful growth and tapping into the wealth of the blue chip supporter base. Why is it panic stations when we have a new tea?. Sure unproven, but also yet to fail.

picture a journalist who knew nothing about the demons and re-read the quotes above. Patrick Smith is a tool and is just writing to fill space on this one. Could he fit in any more general motherhood statements? I think we need to get ship shape, pull up our socks, go full steam ahead...blah blah blah. I believe in free speech except for that [censored] and wish he could never publish.

yes let it go guys, especially when its just opinion. its happened. the moment passed and no-one is disappointed in our young guys, so lets talk up the Dees. We have the chance to build a new outfit with higher draft choices than most clubs in recent times. thats something to look forward to. What happens with Judd will happen.

Fact is its all theoretical now. We have a good looking list of skillful youngsters to look forward to. Would I have been happier with Judd? Lets face it, us demon supporters would have been on cloud 9 so lets not pretend otherwise. Now he is at Carlton I do hope he never gets back to full pace, which brings him back to the pack. I do however wish most of all thatCarlton win more than 4 games this year to stop this tanking cr@p.

Gut feel tells me perhaps off half back in a creative role, but can see Bailey designating him to fill gaps which makes it very hard for Yze to maintain form. I think with Addam Maric, Austin ‘Aussie’ Wonaeamirri and Farmer as possible forward crumbers, it could get over crowded down there. ‘Aussie as a back pocket perhaps ?? I agree with the above that he is not the premiership future but we have him for one more year, and he seems hell bent on showing he has still got it. Will still be handy if we are winning the ball out of the middle.

Give it to Hird - he is a humanitarian and has not won a medals in months or been in the press enough. yes that is sarcasm.

scores don't mean a lot in practice games, especially after all the changes we had- who played well and anyone to look out for as big improvers ?

MFC Best and Fairest: Nathan Jones - will lift his game once more MFC best team player: Daniell Bell will once again do whatever is asked of him and do it well MFC best clubman: Adam Yze - will be a nice touch for all his service over the years, then they will sack him MFC most improved: Jace Bode - guess really MFC Most Consistent: Jared Rivers MFC Best First Year player: Jack Grimes MFC Leading Goalkicker: Russell Robertson Most votes in Sandringham’s best and fairest by a Melbourne player: Valenti

too true. Nathan Jones had the same coach who complained Jones would not leave him alone to promote him from Sandy in 2006. He almost was promoted on pure will.

thanks for that and great photos. I hope someone teaches Miller to kick - the last photo shows his usual technique of how not to kick a ball. anyway, am looking forward to all the young guys coming through, especially if we can unearth a tall or two. I have some faith in our midfield going forward so it would be good if we can get at least one young tall to become a very good kPP for us.

It's funny - I would say we always have played like Port - skillful, looking extremely flashy at times but without the hardness necessary to win big finals. I thought they were very forunate against West Coast as well. Watching Pierce and Rodan play on GF day, I hope we just create a style suited to us. I would prefer Hollingwood (as their supporters pronounce it) style of accountable one-on-one footy to keep in the contest.

Message Media in my building do the St Kilda footy club, so its probably them. They text the players updates of training venues and times. It's a pity they don't fill in the key supporters on this forum who would like to watch training, but get shafted with late changes and end up going to the wrong venue.

Give the captaincy to Green and put a nail in our coffin for this year. If you really analyse why we are front runners, it's actually Green who has come out as number 1 offender. When he is a half back flank it is a lottery whether he will play well or not. Would be the softest captain in the AFL and goes missing far too often. Bruce is a better footballer but wish he kicked like Green. He could be captain but would prefer Mclean or with another couple of good years under his belt , then Jones would be a chance.

2004 draft - Matthew Bate (13), Lynden Dunn(15),Michael Newton(43) - also John Meesen went at pick 8. I will let you be the judge. 13. Melbourne: Matthew Bate (Eastern Ranges) 14. Essendon: Angus Monfries (Sturt) 15. Melbourne: Lynden Dunn (Calder Cannons) 16. Richmond: Adam Pattison (Northern Knights) 17. St Kilda: Andrew McQualter (Gippsland Power) 18. Brisbane Lions: Cameron Wood (West Adelaide) 19.Port Adelaide: Ryan Willits (Northern Knights) 20. Richmond: Dean Polo (Gippsland Power) 21. Hawthorn: Thomas Murphy (Sandringham Dragons) 22. Western Bulldogs: Jesse Wells (Tassie Mariners) 23. Collingwood: Sean Rusling (West Adelaide) 24. Adelaide: Nathan Van Berlo (West Perth) 25. Carlton: Adam Hartlett: (West Adelaide) 26. Hawthorn: Matthew Little (Calder Cannons) 27. Brisbane Lions: Patrick Garner (Western Magpies) 28. Adelaide: Chad Gibson (Norwood) 29. West Coast: Matthew Rosa (North Ballarat Rebels) 30. Essendon: Andrew Lee (Tassie Mariners) 31. Sydney: Jarred Moore (Dandenong Stingrays) 32. Geelong: Brent Prismall (Western Jets) 33. St Kilda: Cain Ackland (Port Adelaide) 34. Port Adelaide: James Ezard (Calder Cannons) 35. Port Adelaide: Fabian Deluca (Eastern Ranges) 36. Richmond: Luke McGuane (Broadbeach) 37. West Coast: Mark LeCras (West Perth) 38. Western Bulldogs: Damian McCormack (Dandenong Stingrays) 39. Collingwood: Travis Cloke (Eastern Ranges) 40. Adelaide: Ivan Maric (Calder Cannons) 41. Carlton: Luke Blackwell (Swan Districts) 42. Kangaroos: Jesse W Smith (Calder Cannons) 43. Melbourne: Michael Newton (Murray Bushrangers)

Certainly. He is a gun midfielder and deserves to have the chances of a few injury free years to show us all what he is capapble of. I rate him and hope he comes right.

I can see us around 7th to 10th next year if we play the youngsters and I would be ok with that. I would prefer us to manage our injuries and play youth above anything else as we are not looking at premierships yet. Most of all I want to rock up and see the team turn up to play like say North do each week. We are the worst in the league at putting in soft performances so would love to see Dean be able to get some lazy blokes to be more professional.

Judas can go to hell - Took us for what we are worth and then leaves only when he makes it as a good player. Judas Thompson goes in with Pickett to the 'not welcome back' club for what he did.

Impossible to say. daniher was everyone's love child by the year 2000 when we made the grand final. He actually brought an expectation of real success, but proof is in the pudding as they say. 7 years later and no-one is happy. I gunned for Sheedy, but have really liked Baileys attitude. Unlike Riley he 'gets it' and has to develop the best young talent he can get to the club. I love the fact we traded Johnstone for a first rounder, and love his attitude to development. Only thing I disagreed on was signing up Miller instead of swapping him for whatever we could get. Actually for someone who drew a line through the poor kicks at the club, it was even more surprising he likes Miller. Time will tell - I like what I see but lets see if he can develop some serious professionalism into blokes like Sylvia. Lets see if he can possibly make Green more consistent and not go missing when it counts. Let's see if he can shut up Green and Robbo from talking up the dees after they win two games in a row. In fact thats what I really hate about Melbourne, accepting we are so good after just a string of wins. My answer is lets see if he has the balls to play youngsters consistently and can develop some stars of the future. Lets hope he can.

Well its exactly what we have been looking for, a complete change. A new coach, new assistants, new facilities within 2 years hopefully and most importantly, developing a young list. lets hope we can get a team that plays for each other and really hurts for the jumper. I look forward to this year more than I did last year and thats with an inferior team (short term), because I can watch our youngsters develop, some in the firsts, some for Sandy. now we just need our membership to grow off the field.

so true, that why his good games are at the 'G, and please can you stop mentioning Queens birthday clashes because on that basis Ben Holland is a super star. Tell me, when does Yze play well interstate ? One of my great bug bears is how pathetic we are interstate and whenever I look for reasons, Yze is at the top of the list. seems to have no plan B if he isn't getting kicks at will along the flanks. I take you back to round 21 v Adelaide last year for my most dissapointing game as a Melbourne supporter. I was ashamed that day about Yze as much as the Long/Simmonds incident in the 2000 GF (how we reacted). Simply just threw they ball in the air sometimes when under the pump. That was our chance to claim top 4. I hope Bailey makes us an accountable team and flushes out the one-way players no matter how skillful they are, because I would rather barrack for the kangas who have bugger all hope for a premiership but give their all and do the small tough things. You might as well spend the summer teaching TJ, Yze, Green how to tackle, how to protect each other, how to run full pelt just to get a small shephard on that can protect the ball carrier, to play for each other. teach them how to be accountable, ensure the opposition earns each kick.

A front runner and the softest player we have by the length of the Hume Hwy. If we start well and get our midfield going, no doubt he can cap things off with 2 or 3 goals. Of little value though against the harder teams and am sure he would never be there next year but for the people who signed him up that extra year.

Im inspired !!

Hutchie did make the call on the Footy show Bailey ahead of Hardwick was his mail just before we got Bailey.

keep us posted Yze. hope you're more reliable than your namesake.

Thats sounds a lot different to the hype created above. Still based on a 'feeling' and we are in the mix with Collingwood. Hardly saying we are red hot favourites. OK gotta give up watching these threads. too much reporting based on nothing.