QueenC

Ten has every right to ask anything they please (I don't think that they ever tried to disguise the fact that it was for the ratings) but it should never be moved. The tradition of the afternoon Grand Final is actually a wonderful break from all the other codes that are playing the big games at night. And my dear Toad, please don't start throwing those dangerous suggestions around...... I think that we get screwed enough as it is :D !!!

And to be honest this is quite true. We can [censored] and moan until the cows come home, but at the end of the day the Match Committee knows these players better, and have a far better understanding of whether these kids are actually ready for the (massive) step up, and therefore, maybe, instead of being massively critical (as Melon22 said we are guessing about his readiness for the game) of the fact Newton hasn't been selected, we could try and work out what their reasoning could be. Now I totally agree with those that say he needs to be played to, at the very least, see what he is capable of (this is very important to the club) at AFL level, and as I said earlier, I would think that he should and will definitely play, and soon, but it will only happen when when they think he is ready to do so. And maybe right now they don't. For whatever (unknown to those in here) reason.

Does anyone actually think that Newton will not get picked at some point in the near future? Of course he will. It is only a matter of time, and what little patience we have left.

What was there about 90 secs left until the end of the game? Three quarters of chipping it around until our forwards went into spasms leading and then waiting for it, and then the basic (although I realise that it is not that simple) keep possession game, that we had already been doing for the bulk of the afternoon, seemed to disappear at the most crucial of moments. We've forgotten how to win, right? And that would be pathetic if it eventuated :angry:

And how many forwards, whether they be good, bad or ugly, actually benefit from that?

Sorry, but it didn't look too good to me Hands in the face is always going to look ugly and he did have them in, or very near to, Browns eye. Now I realise that it is Chris Judd and all, with the media and commentator astonishment that he may do something like this aside But it should definitely be looked at long and hard...... And probably punished.

Good post Jaded (and did you "win" the cash?!!)...... I must admit to being a more than a little jealous of those of you down there who at least have the option of seeing the team go around every week (more or less), even when they are losing. Living up here they only come to town once a year (and I do love this city, but supporting a Melbourne team in Sydney can be difficult - could be why I am here!!), and I would love to have to option of being able to see them more often without having to jump a plane and spend a fortune. But of course people can't go see them play every week (I don't think anyone would actually expect that) but this monetary incentive program from the club is actually a pretty sad indictment on the crowds (and therefore support) we have been getting to the games, even with the current awful results. And Jaded is totally right in saying that the club doesn't owe us anything. It is a choice. We choose to support Melbourne (like any sports supporter anywhere), we choose to pay our membership, to support and go to games, and buy raffle tickets and jerseys and everything else it entails. A lot of people pay to hurl abuse at the players (although you can probably do this for free) and have their say. But it is still our individual choice. Now we definitely want some reward for that choice (some day), but even in failure your support should never waver. And it should never be a trade off.

Kevin Sheedy said about as much in his press conference after the game against Richmond..... Something along the lines of certain aspects of the game need to be looked at by "serious football people" because of the problems that have been created. I think that these comments came on the back of complimenting Matthew Richardson for the fact that he did, and the way he, played.

Yeah, but around here he gets a hell of a lot of support for bitching and moaning at our players !!!

It was great to see Bizz back and playing well...... He was fantastic in that last quarter and deserves to be given the credit. Hopefully he will continue on in this vein in the coming weeks

6. McDonald 5. Jones 4. Bruce 3. White 2. Bell 1. Bizzell Apologies to Neitz, Davey, Brown, McLean and Carroll

Amen to that hells bells..... I have not had the opportunity to see Frawley as yet, being in Sydney and all. But I am really looking forward to having a look into what I hope is going to be a very big part of our future.

Some things will really never change will they....... Maybe the faulty stickers were a sign of things to come !!!

Thanks Clint, not too bad an bad effort for 3am !!! Oh, and I think we can beat the Kangaroos, and desperately hope that we will.......

Well said Rhino...... My condolescences and best wishes to his family and friends.

And I am not sure that this is an "either-or" equation. Both parties are responsible. But at the end of the day there is a man in charge and therefore the buck stops with the coach. The players are under performing, but is that purely their fault or form, or are there other reasons? Have they heard the message before and is it not getting through any more? Is it a coaching problem, or a manpower problem, or a combination of the two? Of course the list will get turned over at the end of the season, and the players are never above reproach, and plenty get hooked into around here. But a coach, especially one who has built this particular list nearly from the ground up over a ten year tenure, must be held accountable for what has happened throughout the course of a disastrous season both in the planning and in the subsequent results, such as they are, on the field. We will just have to wait and see, but I don't see anything happening before seasons end.

Well said Jaded..... I also believe sacking him now would prove to be a disaster, maybe even more so than the bloody awful position we are in now. But what happens at the end of the year, that is a totally different story.

Fantastic post Bob, I couldn't agree with you more...... Nothing is ever black and white, and the club would know a hell of a lot better then us whether he is, or when he will be, ready for the huge step up to the AFL. You would think that if they have a plan for the kid, then given the state of season 2007 there is no reason to break from it now. And from the sounds of it he is definitely heading in the right direction for himself and the club for the long term and I honestly believe he will play this year. But it is a long haul, and as Bob said so well, not all players graduate or progress at the same pace. This stands throughout their careers as well. If he needs time, and apparently he does (or at least did), then better he gets it now than later, when the just game will be more difficult.

But at the very least it means The Bizz hasn't slipped completely out of the selectors minds While this seems like a fairly logical question..... KANGAROOS B: Daniel Pratt, Michael Firrito, Scott McMahon HB: Jesse Smith, Shannon Watt, Jess Sinclair C: Adam Simpson, Andrew Swallow, Brady Rawlings HF: Daniel Harris, Aaron Edwards, Corey Jones F: Lindsay Thomas, Leigh Brown, Drew Petrie FOLL: Hamish McIntosh, Shannon Grant, Brent Harvey I/C (from): Glenn Archer, Kasey Green, Blake Grima, Ed Lower, David Hale, Josh Gibson, Matt Campbell Any suggestions?

Ahh yes, the coaching kiss of death !!!

That idea however, which also has a hell of a lot of merit, doesn't seem to be happening either.......

You would think having all or most of us agree on anything (at least in principle) is hard enough....... But to actually get the coaching department to do it, that would be a whole new level of difficult !!!

The two week penalty has been accepted by the Eagles. Kerr's medal dream over

No not only Melbourne...... All teams drive their fans completely insane at some point in time. Although our regularity of doing just that is truly amazing. But at the end of the day the Dees are the only one we actually care about !!!

Me too......