Dante

I liked White for what he showed in the GWS game a little while ago, but as you say, it's a bit strange they didn't replace Jeffy with another small forward.

One thing in our favour, come finals time, is the number of games we've played in front of large crowds and pressure cook atmosphere, much more taxing than playing up at Star Track stadium in front of 2500, if that. The Collingwood game was as intense as any final you will see, as was the Weagles game last weekend, one away, one at home

Interesting comment you made about Hunt, he's looked a bit flat for a few weeks in my opinion, in fact since he got that knock. I may be wrong but he seems to be slightly off the boil, I guess it happens to kids his age at this stage of the season.

If I really thought your posts were intelligent and thoughtful, I wouldn't have worded my post the way I did. Your posts on this thread are argumentative and very much convey the view that Clarrie is a cheat who tried to get another player suspended by staging an injury. Your view, not mine and I'm not a moron, a moron would presume to know what happened without really knowing at all. I'll accept Clarrie view, you can please yourself. Thats my last post on this thread and if your overblown ego wants to respond, you'll be talking to yourself.

If you were intelligent and thoughtful you would have stated you opinion and then quit, instead of trying to argue with anyone who disagreed with your intelligent and thoughtful opinion.

You've spent a lot of time on here defending Schofield and conversely condemning Clarrie, have you got a vested interest? I think the West Coast coach's comment and this comment by the defence council, are just some of what Clarrie now faces. David Grace QC wanted to use a report from The West Australian newspaper, which wrote Oliver said the stray elbow was "A cheap shot. I probably shouldn't have fallen over but I was sort of scared". if your comments are an indication of a Melbourne supporter will say, then God knows what a non supporter will, This will probably put the Cale Morton video on the second page.

They are sensational figures for us and the fact they include Alice make them even better, we would have been in front of Carlton if we'd played that game at the G.

We were a shell of a club in 1966 and never recovered, mainly because we had no one to show us the way and no backbone in the club, the MCC ruled the roost, go dees. Northy had a dip but no facilities and not enough support from the club, we were against clubs that were far more professional and that applied to the Balme and Danners era's. We had some great players and should have won a couple of flags but we were under resourced in both facilities and support staff. We have no excuses now and I see no reason why we can't win the flag this year, there is no "next year" in football, you go for it when you can, the situation changes every year with new innovation and game plans. We have the players and they must grab the opportunity when they can, we played great football in 1998 and in 1999 lost some players had injuries to Lyon and Tingay so we crashed. Let's go for it, we are capable and the opposition is not as strong as it's been in other years.

Obviously the MRP considered it intentional and maybe now the clowns that heaped it on Clarrie will apologise, doubt it.

Absolutely no staging, he went down instantaneously, he was stunned and that hit caught him right on the sweet spot. They should take a look at the hit he took from Rioli, he showed enormous courage and resilience bouncing up from that The media will try to turn anything in to a sensation, if they can.

Yes, best 22 in my view. I've given my reasons in another thread.

So how do you arrive at your top ten? Is it output, potential, years of service, value to the team as a player, or is it another variable. Hogan has hardly been on the field this year yet you rank him top ten, Track has lots of potential and will be a star, but what has he done that makes him better than Salem. Watts has been very good this year but so has Salem. And so on and so on. You could argue the case for several other players, if you want, but it's only your opinion and you may be wrong.

Well within the top ten, unless you are one of those suggesting that he be traded for a second or third round pick, last draft period, then you mightn't think so.

I've mentioned this before but I'll say it again, Nat Jones said a couple of years ago that Salem loved the hard stuff and I'd say he'd know if any player was shirking or soft. To suggest he's been soft in the past is just stupid. From the moment I saw him play I knew it was just a matter of time before he was a star of the competition. He is now.

I was talking to someone today who is heavily connected to the Bullies and he said Bernie will probably be suspended before the end of the year, I informed him he's been done once this year already. He mentioned that Bern's an assassin. He also commented that he'd never seen a more aggressive Melbourne side,ever, he asked me if I had and I had to admit that I hadn't. Our reputation will continue to grow if we continue to play the way we are.

I'd like to mention Harmes, he's a favourite of mine so I'm a bit biased, but I reckon he's an integral part of our forward line. He is hard at the ball, not afraid to go for a pack mark, tackles with a certain amount of vigour and is quite quick. He also gut runs and always offers up a lead, if he'd kicked straight, he got 1 goal 4 behinds from his 18 possessions, we'd be talking about close to BOG, but he gets no love on here. Very hard worker James and he's only played 34 games, lot of improvement left.

Yes they were better than expected, but if Max plays we win by a lot more, as Goody said'They obliterated us around the packs in the first half", that wouldn't have happened.

One of the benefits of the game was the experience it gives to our younger players, playing in a game with finals like atmosphere, the noise was unbelievable and the pressure out on the ground must have been incredible. We've had a few games this year where there have been big crowds but mostly they've been in front of, mainly opposition supporters, Adelaide, Richmond and Essendon, this time I reckon we held our own and we cheered as loud as they booed. Even though the Pies are a middle of the road club we won and should have won by more and we should not underestimate the value that we get having big Max in the side, he not only takes control of the centre, he also slips in for a couple of goals and takes some timely marks in the back line. There is one benefit we've gained from his injury I guess and that's the adaptability we've gained roving to the opposition ruck, we would probably be the best in the comp now. Really love the way we fought back and the way we controlled the game in the last half, we missed out on a few opportunities and a couple of miss kicks cost us goals and a much bigger win. Love the arrogance of the younger brigade who know they are good and don't hold back, love the cool heads of the older players who know how to win close games. Go Dees

Isn't it the start of the snow season, perhaps all the hawks supporters have gone skiiing, downhill by the looks of it.

Exactly, Rohan is one of the most, overrated, least talented players I've seen, he's fast but it stops there. I just cannot understand all the love for him on here and some posters who should know better, are his biggest fans. He's averaged 10 possessions a game over his entire 7.5 seasons and has kicked less than a goal a game, just what does he do, other than miss simple mark's and throw in the occasional tackle. We'd be calling for his blood if he played for us the way he's performed for the Swans. He can run fast but apart from the fact he's run down a few players, he's no better than Blease and I'm amazed he's stayed on the list for so long, in fact I think they were trying to offload him last year. He is a dud. As for Tippett, no thanks, he's tall and that's about it.

Not a great game but we won and kept our % up, so at the end of the year, how we played will be irrelevant. Mind you if we make finals and play like that we won't last long. We play a hard brand of football now, so I think the break has come at the right time and hopefully we will get a couple back shortly after that. Thought Harmes was good and hope he stays in the side, he cops some criticism but he's only 21 and hasn't got a lot of games under his belt. He runs hard he splits packs, he's got a bit of speed and he is tough and doesn't shirk it.

Doesn't the white "away gear" look so much better when you win a few games on it.

The most interesting thing is, just who are the good sides this year? Adelaide were flying and then North and the Dees beat them, GWS were the early favourite but Adelaide creamed them and they just got across the line against Collingwood. Geelong were doing well but have fallen in a hole, just the same as Richmond. Freo started off poorly but have won 5 now and the Saints have been improving each week. The Bullies are scraping home and they look to me like they are just hanging on. Hawthorn need to rebuild and Sydney may have found a bit of form last week. We are playing as well as anyone and I go to the games now knowing we can win, no, expecting to win, sometimes we don't but there's not one game this year that we shouldn't have won. Usually by this time it's started to sort itself out and a couple of the SEN guys said a week or so ago that the top 8 was pretty much settled, wrong. We can finish top four, we don't have a tough draw, but then again, what is a tough draw, who will emerge from the pack to shape the finals. Don't write off Sydney and I think Collingwood are better than their current position indicates. Carlton will win games, I said this after we beat them and they and Essendon will win when not expected Freo are a worry, they are well coached and have come on well since the early games, but they are a little inconsistent. I haven't been as optimistic about the club since we were playing finals in the 90's, we had great sides back then, but now we have a very good side and a good coach and a great development programme

He always looks composed and even if he cops a hit he just shrugs it off and gets on with it, it will be interesting to see how he copes with a tag, which will come soon, I would imagine. I was all for Parish and I'm happy to say I got it wrong.

Pleased to see Cam play so well and I hope he gets another contract, I think he will after the club has seen how dangerous it to only have two genuine rucks. You're right about his intensity, it was good, the one area he has been poor in in the past is drifting in and out of games, the ruck forces him to concentrate for the whole game and it shows. Well done Pedo.