Wiseblood

Bottom 4. Not big 4.

So how is Pert going to help us win games? That's what we pay Goodwin for.

You could probably make a call on a couple right now, but with half a season still to go I don't think anything is certain at the minute. If there are a few injuries (god forbid!) then someone might get a run and show themselves to be quality depth worth another year on the list. I've seen a few wanting to delist both King and Filipovic, but I doubt we will delist both. Especially if we don't recontract Pedersen, which is highly likely, at the end of the season. King has had more time on the list than Filipovic has, so you would assume that if they feel they have gotten as far as they can with King then he might be the one to the get the flick. The ones who will get a new contract are obvious. Jetta, Harmes, O Mac and Gus will get new deals and are crucial to the side going forward. The rest? That's anybodies guess right now.

You've got to love a bitter Mick Malthouse taking pot shots at Pert already, claiming they never really 'got along', although you would believe that Pert wouldn't be the first or the last person not to get along with angry Mick.

Amen to that, LH. Gary Pert is no Paul McNamee.

I think, on the face of it, that it's a terrific appointment. If the AFL and Peter Jackson are happy with it and endorse it, then I can't see a problem with it. The bloke knows the game, knows how to be a CEO and has a good track record of doing good things. Outside of rumours ad rumblings, which we have no idea how true they are, this seems like a great move for the club.

Yes, I should know better, but sometimes I can't help myself. It just seemed like such a random attack on a bloke who gave his all for the club. Maybe he can regale us with a 'BEST INJURY PRONE 22' to make it all better... ?

I think I'll use this as a reminder to never read your contributions again. You clearly know bugger all about football and your attack on a bloke who, before injuries and the burden of the captaincy at a young age, was destined to be an absolute star of the competition, is nothing less than a disgrace.

It's the one thing that sets him apart. His field kicking is up and down (sometimes he can hit a 60 metre pass, other times miss one 20 metres away) but his tackling pressure (especially against North this year) can be good and he can provide some real pace through half forward. The FD clearly rate him as he keeps getting chances, it's just every time he gets one he gets himself injured (shoulder last year against Adelaide, hammy this year against the Tigers). I agree that I think he still has a role to play for the club, and I think he can give us more than Bugg IF he can keep himself fit. If he broke down again before the end of the year then I'd give Buggy another year instead.

Also, he has played just 33 games over the last 3 and a half seasons, indicating that form and his run with injuries have hampered his ability to stay in the side and make an impact. As you say @Lucifer's Hero, a club in the bottom four might take a punt on him, but in the grand scheme of things I think we have more important players to retain and he may be squeezed out anyway. It's a shame as the bloke does have some talent, but he hasn't harnessed it enough or consistently enough to keep his spot in the side.

Sam Edmund in the HUN is reporting that Dean Kent may look for more opportunities elsewhere next season as he wants more midfield minutes, something he is not guaranteed to get with us. Here is a little bit of what he (Edmund) had to say about it: DEAN Kent could leave Melbourne in search of greater opportunity. Kent remains sidelined with a hamstring injury suffered in the Round 5 loss to Richmond, but is understood to want more midfield responsibility ... It's understood Kent would prefer to stay at Melbourne, but is unlikely to get a deal to his liking at the Demons and is assessing his options. Thoughts? I think he has something to offer, but he is far too injury prone and I don't think he will get the midfield minutes he desires with us.

There's nothing 'apparently' about it. His leadership at the club, from what I've heard, has been excellent since the day he arrived. He's never been quick so why we're all up in arms about him being slow is baffling. He hits way way way more targets than he misses (and plenty at our club are prone to horrible turnovers) and his discipline this season has been good. DS has just decided yesterday that he needs someone to sink the boots into. Lewis seems to be his man. He's done this before though where he huffs and puffs and stomps his feet (Tom McDonald) and has been made to look silly, so there's no reason why it won't happen again.

Don't argue it. Just be thankful that Tom McDonald hadn't had enough of us.

We have seen how we go with these two, and it hasn't been any better. Hunt has more upside and better games in the bank, but he's hardly banging the door down at Casey.

Perhaps said poster has learned from his lessons and has decided to just pot older blokes who are closer to the end, thus leaving him less room to look a little silly?

I was waiting to see who would drop their bundle the hardest. Well done, DeeSpencer. You've won by the length of the Flemington Straight.

He's soft, but he's also someone who I believe they have totally misused this season. He could be a weapon for them through the midfield, but either through poor fitness or an unwillingness to play him there, he's languishing in their dysfunctional forward line. I don't think I'd be interested in him, but he's just the sort of player who could leave and dominate elsewhere.

I also think players would be actively seeking us out as a club to join as well. Why go to Norf, Carltank, the Druggies or the dodgy pricks from Moorabbin when you could join a gun team on the rise? The choice is easy.

Does anyone know if the bloke is any good? I've heard of him but have no idea if he can play or not.

That's great. Some would agree, others would call him a troll. I fall in the latter. And him 'bleeding red & blue' might make him a better supporter than you, but it doesn't make him better than the rest.

No one is a better supporter than anyone else. We all contribute in our own ways, whether that be through attendance, membership, posting here or wearing your gear into work on a Monday win, lose or draw. While I don't agree with some posters on here, that doesn't mean I would consider them any less of a supporter than me or anyone else.

The comments in this thread, as well as the Goodwin thread, show how scarred some fans are. It annoys me, but at the same time I slightly understand where they are coming from. The last month shows how we need to be patient - a couple of bad losses and we had some supporters, who now look rather stupid, questioning everything as if the club was caving in. Now look at us. Just goes to show that we don't need to be negative about every decision made and be able to see the long term view, not just the short term.

Kind of reaffirms my stance on his article - Jay Clark is connecting dots that simply aren't there yet. All the chatter has been about us having the room and that we've looked long term for some time now to ensure we have the space to sign our players and add others. Seems like he's seen one Brayshaw at the Eagles, looked at the potential of Gaff leaving with Melbourne being interested and gone from there. Nothing in it.

Yep. The link they make with the Eagles is the fact one of his brothers plays there. It's thin at best.

For those that might not be able to read it - that article is a joke. Nowhere does it actually say that the Eagles are interested in Gus, more that it wonders if the Eagles will chase him as 'revenge' for us chasing Gaff. There is absolutely nothing to suggest he wants out, no quotes from managers or coaches or anything resembling something new. It's a headline purely for there for clicks.