QueenC

I'm not sure if this will help this debate much, but I have seen a lot of Sydney over the years (being up here) and honestly they don't particularly change their "style" much from one match to the next on whatever field they play, because they know what works for them, but what they can do, or at least try to do, with obvious recent success, is adapt within the course of a game, and last night was another example. They do have a "style" (for want of a better word) that suits the talents that they have (and have worn the criticism for that), but what they do do is they tend to make teams play their way, and not allow them to push their own individual plan, and this is especially evident on a small ground like the SCG. But after watching yet another nail biter last night (on a far bigger ground than the SCG) it was fairly clear that they changed, if only a little, after half time. They were being beaten out of the middle and their normal plan was quite obviously not working, or not being executed properly, and something had to give. Don't get me wrong the Swans were not the better team on the night and were generally awful in front of goal, but they did manage to push a contest in a game that was running away from them. And to do this they altered their perspective, and executed it better, if only a little. So I guess to me, after boring you all with my ramble, the ability of being able to adapt, no matter how little, within the course of a game is an extremely important quality in a football team. And that is something that Sydney can do and something we need to learn how to do. Of course all of this is just my opinion, and I hope it made sense :D !!!

Thanks DemonStorm..... And I am pretty sure I knew that, or at least I should have !!!

I am going to go with this, as it makes me feel better and I try to be an optomistic person really...... The only think we can truly hope for is that they, as in the team, will as well !!!

That would have been great Demonstorm, what is he up to now (sorry if that is a totally ignorant question)? We went back to the Swans function after the game up here and they were pretty desolate, but honestly I don't think Brett Kirk could be any cooler if he tried. And I realised how that sounded but I have met him a few times now over the years and he is a genuinely great bloke. You should read his speech from the Guernsey presentation dinner - fantastic stuff - would be good for Demons as well Its just a pity they lost, but you always get your moneys worth !!!

Well I am glad I had the option of going to the Swans Eagles game then......

See occo, you're definitely not alone :D !!!

Well, they're doing their level best to remove just about everything else physical, so this unfortunately should not be surprising !!! This is great news, considering how bad it looked last night. And thanks for the link Madness. Excellent news about Whelan :D !!!

Oh gosh no apologies needed...... I'm with you !!! Sorry.

You're on a roll occo <_< !!!

Well said Chook...... But lets be honest he really must be blamed for everything around here. I realise he was not great and made some mistakes, but he certainly didn't cost us the game & was so far from being our worst. Maybe we could turn our high powered critical opinions (and bias) towards another target, just for a change? I think this horse is dead.

6. Molony 5. Jones 4. Neitz 3. Robertson 2. Holland 1. White

Urrgh...... Good grief I hope not, this was, and is, bad enough :angry: Well, hopefully he will be ok (and I am trying to find something to make glass is a little full here......) And thanks for the updates guys, such as they are !!!

Great analysis there occo......

And that thought alone makes me shudder with a distinct combination of fear and anger !!!

I agree with you BB, Jaded's comments are accurate....... And yep there is always next week, I'm just not sure whether to be thrilled or terrified ?!!!

I'm with Jaded (just not quite as ambitious), so put me in the very simple 'score more points' category !!! But I would genuinely love to see this as well.......

Don't always agree with you joeboy, but it is always a must read and would definitely be missed...... So please continue your analysis.

To me that is a very important statement Jarka is making. We simply don't know the inner details of the club and therefore anything on this debate is purely speculation on our part. Educated speculation definitely (for the most part, anyway), but speculation nonetheless. As for Bruce I haven't seen any disrespect towards the player. I mean simply because some people don't think he should captain the club doesn't mean they have no respect for him as a player. That would be a totally different argument, and not one we really need to get into because it will degenerate into mud-slinging. Cameron is a total class act no argument, handles himself very well on and off the field, and is extremely important to us for anything to happen for the Dees this year (or in the next three for that matter) but being a great, or even an important, player does not automatically make you a captain or captaincy material. Leadership is a totally different skill set and one that, generally speaking, you either have or you don't. You can learn as you go, but you still have to have it. And in all codes of sport there have been truly great players who would never be looked at for the captaincy. And it never translate into a lack of respect. We all (well, most of us) tend to see that particular quality in McLean, but that does not make him automatically or necessarily ready for the role. But it and he should be fostered, so that when the time is right and he is ready he can take that step up in the future. And I hope that made sense to you guys, I am a bit rusty on giving my opinion !!!

Here is the Prime Gold Coast program for Friday..... It says that the game will be broadcast at 7.30pm 7.30pm 2007 AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON 'CC' *LIVE* G RND 1: MELBOURNE V ST KILDA Prime brings you all the action live as MELBOURNE take on ST KILDA at the MCG. Hosted by BRUCE McAVANEY, with expert commentary from DENNIS COMETTI, DAVID SCHARZ, TIM WATSON and RICK OLARENSHAW. http://www.primetv.com.au/i-cms.isp?page=108&o=3 Channel 7 will not be broadcasting the games live on a Friday night into most of NSW and Queensland (as far as I know) because of the rugby league, but the game is live on Foxtel (for what it's worth) on the Main Event channel at 7.30pm.

I honestly hope that they don't take up that (or any other) offer. His absolute number one priority should be on regaining his health, definitely not on satisfying our and the media's curiosity. There will be plenty of time in the future for a tell-all, if that is what he wants to do. Just my opinion :D !!!

Bruce signs for three more years March 26, 2007 MELBOURNE utility player Cameron Bruce has signed a new three-year contract with the Demons. The new deal takes the 27-year-old to the end of the 2009 season. http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,2...5-23211,00.html

Thanks for the summery Jaded and for the full interview Demonland...... It is as always greatly appreciated.

Thanks for posting that alpha..... It is greatly appreciated, especially for those of us who have absolutely no chance of ever reading the piece. And Neitz always seems to come across as a complete class act.

Well to say this has been coming for a long time is an understatment, and I just hope that whatever the real problem is (and we can speculate, however accurately, until the cows come home, we don't know the truth) he can now actually get the help that he quite obviously needs. Call me a bleeding heart if you will, but honestly I hate watching anyone spiral like this (wasted AFL talent aside), and maybe now with this kick up the butt (and I am sorry to be resorting to cliches) he can try to clean himself up. And I really hope he can, becuase it is not an easy road to travel. As for the Coast, they seem to have real "culture" (for want of a better word) problems that seem to have gone completely unchecked for years (covered up by their success I guess) and have, more or less, let it get this far. Hopefully they will also now try to clean everything up behind the scenes. Of course all of this is just my opinion !!!

Well, I sure as hell hope you are right about this BPP..... It is always a nice feeling to be pleaslently surprised !!!