Goodvibes

But that's the problem Tim - we often only realise that we're being run by monkeys until the next bunch of monkeys take over and by then we've already fallen for the spin of the new regime.

I've got to put my hand up. I thought he was good ordinary at best. He's gone to another level this season. Can he take another step and become a top 10 midfielder in the comp?

The other question, to sort out the journey-driven supporters from the flag or bust variety, is whether you'd remain a Dees supporter if you knew that we'd never ever win a premiership?

If I remember the gist of some of my old lectures then I think I'm right in saying a key component of existentialist thinking is the notion of 'bad faith'. And I always understood this, somewhat simplistically to mean that there's always a choice regardless of how bad that choice may seem. I'm also pretty sure another key element of existentialism is the belief that we can't blame external forces for our own actions. I remember many many moons ago sitting in a lecture room trying to get my head around these ideas and applying it to all the different parts of my life and the only one that I couldn't make sense of, was my support for the MFC. Following a football team is the only human affliction I've experienced that can challenge this notion of 'bad faith'. I've never felt it possible to walk away. Obviously it's possible to walk away and people have and will probably do so in droves over this pre-season but I can never get my head around an alternative to supporting the Dees. As a QLD based supporter it could have been very easy once we moved away from Victoria to the Gold Coast to follow the Bears when they played their games out of Carrara. When I returned from a stint of work up in the Cape I very easily could have supported the Lions at the Gabba when I decided to live in Brisbane and obviously a fresh new team in the State last year could have been appealing but the idea of jumping ship didn't ever enter my mind. Put simply, I can't imagine my life without the MFC. I can't imagine not eagerly anticipating the line-up on Thursday or waking up on game day without that slightly anxious feeling in my stomach or actually watching a game without an emotional attachment to the team wearing red and blue. I'd have to walk away from footy completely and that's never going to happen. Do I want my little girl and soon to be little boy following Melbourne like I have? Now there's a question I may have to reserve judgment on.

Or we take JV in the 2nd round because GWS and GC don't rate him as a top 8 - 10 pick and don't want to risk missing out on their first preference?

Am I the only one who doesn't think Wines will go in the top 10? He's quickly become a Demonland favourite based (in the minds of many) on one National Champs game and a playing history with Jack Viney. I want more with a pick 3 or 4. Does that make me greedy?

I thought the OP made the criteria pretty clear - "Rating out of 10 measured against expectation and performance" 4.5 is generous. I take no pleasure in potting players but I'm yet to see Col go lower or harder than any opponent in a genuine 50/50 ground contest all year. His tackle counts are reasonable because he often trails behind his direct opponent. He doesn't work hard enough into space to provide options when he have the ball and his defensive pressure is often token at best. His best moments come against the weaker opponents and when the fizz has gone out of games. On the rare occasions the opposition has given him a hard tag he's been taken out of the game all too easily. Because his talent is so obvious he is one of very few players who would attract attention from other teams. For that reason, I'd be more than willing to involve him in trade talk to help us obtain the steel and work ethic our team so desperately needs.

This is really sad. But I agree.

Quite rightly we're focused on some reasonably big name players in this thread but I get the vibe Neeld might add more than one recycled player unwanted at their current clubs. Hayden Jolly doesn't seem to be getting a look in at Gold Coast. I've liked what I've seen when I've occassionally caught their reserves team play. Callum Bartlett has only had one season back this year from two serious knee injuries and is out of contract. I'd definitely give him a chance if Brisbane delisted him. I liked the look of Ben Speight from North a year or two ago but he seems to be on the outer. Simon Hogan down at Geelong is another who just can't crack the seniors and might benefit from a change in scenery. All of the above players are still quite young but have had a few pre-seasons and not part of their current clubs plans for differing reasons.

Contiki tours of Vietnam don't count.

If that's true Bob, we're putting way more thought into this than any zone, forward press or centre clearance tactic I've seen implemented on the field this year. Hope you're right but I get the feeling it's not that complicated.

I love the fact that our club is putting on a bit of a show, trying to create the illusion that we won't follow through on our promise to draft Jack and from what I've seen the only people who are starting to lose their nerve are MFC supporters. We will take him but we're going to bluff all the way to nomination day and hope that the recruiting departments of GWS and Gold Coast scare as easily as your average Demonland poster. If they do, we grab him in the second round and we have what will be viewed as a bonus early first rounder. If they hold their nerve and nominate him, we'll be spewing that we've missed out on another early selection but then we'll call his name and move on and be rapt that Jack Viney is at our club.

I'm still spewing about missing out on Casey Sibosado.

Yep and after all these years I've decided to go home to my wife. I'd take a second rounder.

He played a good game today. He's such a tease.

We also need good players. Otten's can play.

Syliva and Moloney are absolutely killing us. I take no delight in potting players but these guys simply don't work hard enough. If you're unable to acknowledge how two (supposedly senior) players not working defensively can destroy a team then you've never been involved with a footy club. The core founding principle that all footy teams should have as the basis is the notion that every single player works their backside off when you have the footy to provide options, shepherds or to draw away opposition, then work hard the other way when the the opposition gets it placing unrelenting pressure on the ball carrier and shutting down options up the field and then finally to fly in low and hard when the ball is up for grabs. Moloney and Sylvia are 'B' grade players when we've got the footy and 'D' grade players in the other two stages of a game. Re-visit the interview with Sam Blease post game. It's simple stuff he is being encouraged to do - work harder when you don't have the ball and follow the team rules. When two of his senior players regularly fail to set the example, what hope do youngsters like Blease have of developing into the well-rounded, two-way footballers we need to take the club forward?

Saywantanayo.

If I was a highly talented young footballer who wanted to come home, I'd be urging my overpaid manager to generate a bit of talk about the prospect of a return to my state of origin. There's been absolutely no talk of homesickness or unhappiness. Strange indeed.

It's a season-filler.

I saw him play one of those games in the seconds about a month ago and he just seems to glide around with little intensity. I don't think he wants it enough.

You've got no idea what you've just done have you? The masses will love this line!

I have absolute, one hundred percent faith in our coach. I'm just not sure about his gameplan, team selection, positional moves and communication skills.

I'm sorry Nasher, you've reached your "FMD" limit of 100 this season. Any further "FMD's" may result in permanent damage. It's been that sort of a year hasn't it?

Are you running for election?