warren dean

Started out as a tall winger. By 1984 was a wonderful centre half back. In 1985 and 86 he cam awfully clost to winning the Brownlow (he should have won in 1986 - was clearly the best player of that season, but missed out to Williams and Dipper by 1 vote). After that he became a great utility player and was probably, along with Terry Daniher, the best true utility I have seen. Could play anywhere along the goal to goal to line and also on the ball. Set up the play beautifully and thrived in state games. A great player.

Caroline Wilson reporting Justin Leppitsch will be Brisbane coach

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/justin-leppitsch-to-coach-brisbane-lions-20130924-2uba6.html

Makes Tudor available to us.

People will come, Ray. They'll come to Melbourne for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up to Brunton Avenue not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at the MCG as innocent as children, longing for the past. "Of course, we won't mind if you look around" you'll say. It's only $200,000 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it, for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the Northern Stand, sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find that they have reserved seats somewhere on the wing, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come, Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been the Melbourne Football Club. Australia has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But the Melbourne Football Club has marked the time. This team, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that was once good and it could be again. Oh, people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come.

Probably my all time favourite movie! Great work!

He would add greatly to our side and I hope the Demons make a decent play for him. A very underrated player I reckon. Could be as effective as McGlynn has been at the Swans.

I think Roos might like Garland for the top job after reading his book and what he had to say about the decision to appoint Maxfield at the Swans. I'd still keep Grimes as well.

A pick in the 50s which we spent on Brad Miller.

It was a bit more complex than that from memory. Farmer went to Freo and we got pick 17 for him. We traded that and Grgic to Geelong for Bizzell and the pick we subsequently used on Miller.

Oh sorry, look i think all three are on a different planet in that respect compared to Roos, but i think Williams would probably be the best of the three in terms of sponsors and members, premiership coach, took apart the great Brisbane team, very outgoing and i think will really talk the list up and get people excited

The overall coaching records are interesting. Eade goes at 55.6% in H/A games and 36.8% in finals; Williams is 56% in H/A and 47% in finals; Craig is 55.9% in H/A and 33% in finals; Roos 58% in H/A and 56.25% in finals. As a comparison, Worsfold is 54.8% in H/A and 41% in finals and Daniher with us went at 48.58% in H/A and 50% in finals.

I really worry that Eade's game obviously doesn't stack up well at the business end, nor does Craig's. Both these guys are losing preliminary final specialists.

Most talented MFC player a dead heat between Schwarz and Jakovich; best was Flower.

Overall, a massive fan of Carey. Also rated Terry Daniher very highly. At 188 cm, for most of the 80's he was clearly the best key position utility player in the competition. He was amongst the best 2 -3 Centre Half Forwards, Centre Half Backs, Full Backs and Full Forwards in the league all at the same time. A better version of David Neitz and one of the great leaders of all time.

Yep forgot to say Clarkson did say he was gobsmacked that the ND wasnt still in the coaching caper.. think he is still one of the best coachthats not coaching. Rates him very highly. Just one thing though i dont remember Clarkson playing under ND anyway? happy to be corrected.

Daniher actually finished his career. Clarkson played his last season in 1997 and Rowdy flicked him straight away but appointed him as a conditioning coach and runner for 98. That's where he worked with him. He only stayed on for 12 months but obviously in that time he made a good impression on him.

Grimes is developing into a very good Captain. I have no issue with Trengove's performance as a leader either, notwithstanding his lack of a preseason. His form has been reasonable in the last couple of games. The best leader (s) should be Captain, not necessarily the best player(s). Sometimes they are one and the same. I am not a Neeld a fan but I think he got this right.

I don't mind this approach. Play him next week. Explain that he's been given a month in the AFL to see what it's like & now he's getting a month in the VFL to work on the gaps that he & the coaches see in his game to bring him up to AFL. He's got a lot to learn

I don't recall anyone describing him as AFL ready

I'm not disappointed we took Toumpas, although my preference was Wines for reasons stated in other threads. Toumpas is potentially a very good AFL player. Bear in mind he hasn't played since the U 18 National Champs last year, after which he had his hips operated on. A stint at Casey will do him no harm.

What I'll always remember from that farcical situation at the end of 2007 was Hutchy tracking down Sheedy after his "interview". I think Sheeds realised then that he didn't have the job but Hutchy asked him "What can you bring to Melbourne?" Sheeds said "They had a good coach (referring to Daniher). This place needs someone who can build a club." Six years on, we are still looking for someone to build a club. To this day I can't fathom why we went for Bailey.

The rising star is the most irrelevant award in the AFL. Gary Ablett, Jono Brown and Dane Swan, amongst many others, never got a nomination. Enough said.

Bailey v Neeld is interesting. What I think is more interesting and often overlooked is the job Daniher did as coach for nearly 10 years. In that time we played finals in 6 seasons. He worked under numerous boards and presidents, CEO's and third world (by AFL standards) facilities at the Junction oval, and no money. When he took over we had just finished 14th in a 16 team comp and had just come out of the merger saga. He was our major spruiker right throughout his entire coaching reign. Out of that era came top notch footy operatives in Mark Evans and Chris Fagan, who worked closely with Daniher and Danny Corcoran to build a decent footy team despite all of the other crap that was constantly flying around. His effort to get us to a GF in 2000 was nothing short of remarkable. in 2006, his last completed season, we were the highest ranked Victorian team in the competition. Some will argue he left the list in poor condition. I think he got the best out of what he had and I am staggered he never got another chance somewhere else.

Left at the end of the third. I'd say Tappy, Jetta and Spencer would be walk ups for next week. Kent might be a show as well. Gawn looks good but might need another run or two. Hogan really provides a lot of direction to the other forwards and is very unselfish. Probably could have had a couple more shots instead of laying off inside 50.

Hmm, Rodan and Pedersen both omitted!

I was born in 1969. Didn't start following the AFL until the 77 Grand Final was on TV. My mum went for the Pies, my dad was a shinboner. I didn't like either of them. My junior footy team organised a trip to the G in 1979 to see Melbourne and Carlton play. Everyone at my Primary School followed Carlton, Richmond or Collingwood. Keen to be different, I decided at that game that I'd go for the Demons. Didn't mind the colours and thought there were a couple of pretty decent players - Wells and Flower from memory. 12 months later Wells was at Carlton! Should have realised then what I was getting myself into. Went right through primary and high school with us at or near the bottom, until I hit Year 12 and we had that great run in 1987. My best footy memory to this day is Round 22 1987 ( and thanks to Dee Old Fart have had the chance to relive it a few times since). Loved the Northey era - felt we were a chance every game we played in that time. The Balme period was exciting for a while - mainly due to the great Schwarta, and I still believe if we had a better run with injury in 1995 we would have been a real chance. The Daniher period was probably frustrating more than anything. I think he was a decent coach, and our team was reasonable, but I don't believe we were a good club and I think this is our major issue now. My son was born in 2001, and my daughter in 2002. Both are members, although my daughter has next to no interest. For the first time ever my son told me just before Sundays game that he didn't want to go. I asked him why and he said, " If we lose, I'll get angry and it will spoil Easter. I'm going to do the Easter egg hunt at Nan's instead." Smart boy that one. At the moment he is tracking very similar to me. He's in Year 6 and they've been at the bottom the whole time he's been at school. Let's hope he doesn't have to wait to Year 12 to see them in the finals!!

Lyon said something similar last night on FC. He specifically mentioned Watts, Blease and Strauss and others whom he described as "nice" footballers. Lloyd quickly interjected and said there was nothing wrong with the players drafted, just the way the Club developed (or didn't develop) them.

The best stat in football is still that since 1982 Fitzroy has made the finals more times than Richmond. I love it how this continues to hold up year after year.

And long may it continue!

I am not worried, I am excited, this is another topic started today on the same subject, another few and we can apply to the Guiness Book of Records, we lost, everybody is shattered, the Club is working on it, if you want to move to Tassie vote for it at next Board meeting

Hmm, the point is not that we lost, more that we have been losing for a very long time. And in fact, it's not the only the losing but the total lack of competitiveness. Perhaps this one just hurts that little bit more because for whatever reason our expectations were higher this time around.

Fitzroys last seven seasons in the AFL ran from 1990-96. In that time they took the field 152 times for 38 wins and 114 losses. Their best effort in a season over that time was 1993 when they went 10 and 10 ( a 20 round season). They had a winning percentage of 25.

Our last seven seasons (including 2013 which is obviously only 1 round old) reads as follows. From a total of 133 matches from 2007 to now we have won 32, lost 99 and drawn 2 for a winning percentage of 24. Our best efforts over that time were 2010 and 2011 when we went 8 wins, 13 losses and a draw in both years. When you factor in that we have had the relative luxury of playing GWS twice last season and Gold Coast 3 times over the last couple of years (5 wins in total) the evidence that we are in fact much worse than Fitzroy is compelling.

Not withstanding our financial position is somewhat healthier than the old Lions.

I mentioned this elsewhere, but having seen quite a bit of Toumpas, he is an icing on cake sort of player. Reminds me of Camporeale at Carlton, although not as quick. Our greatest weakness (and we have many) is actually getting the ball. Wines does this very well. Toumpas would be excellent in a good side. At the moment we are not that. Wines was my preference last year for this reason alone. I think Toumpas will be a very good player but right now, I'd prefer Wines for where we are at.

A few observations:

1. Wines V Toumpas - we have huge trouble getting our hands on the ball first. Wines, like Viney, does this exceptionally well. Toumpas would be an excellent addition to a good side. He reminds me very much of Scott Camporeale, who was often the icing on the cake in a very good Carlton side. Toumpas will struggle in this side until we get better distributors. Wines would have been a more astute selection given our development.

2. I can't recall a time when a struggling side recruiting players surplus to needs at other clubs has worked. It smacks of St Kilda in the 80's. Good sides can afford to top up. None of our experienced additions who played today would get a game in any other side in the comp. I thought Byrnes tried hard early and at least applied a bit of forward pressure, Rodan was OK in patches, Pederson and Gillies were both very disappointing.

3. At the end of 2011 I strongly advocated Mark Williams for the coaching gig. In 2008 I thought we made a major error in not going for an experienced coach. I have seen nothing to make me change my mind.

4. Viney is going to be everything we hoped for. A stunning debut given the circumstances.

5. I am looking forward to the spin the Club administration put on this one. At home and more experienced than Port, we should have been far more competitive. The Coach and his panel has had 12 months and this is now his "team".

6. With every passing year Neale Daniher is looking more and more like a coaching genius.

Riveting viewing last night. If you haven't seen it, make sure you do. Couldn't stand Kennett when he was Premier but really enjoyed his approach last night. Sensible, articulate and added enormous value. I think I agreed with just about everything he had to say.