Deemania since 56

Agreed with the extraordinary talents of Adams and Dixon. Great at impacting games, turning the team's fortunes around and providing some team-wide opportunities. Reliability, plus! My more recent thoughts (for third best) roam far and wide. Neitz and the Ox come to mind but I feel that the Ox was the better of the two (severed by crippling injury, admittedly).Then I think of Greg Wells, Ross Dillon, Jakovich, Alves and so the list of 'nearly' the best actually continues ... So, I guess it is too hard to quantify and qualify with so many great players in contention after 1. Flower, 2. Barassi, 3. ? Just maybe : The Ox.

Robbie was the best footballer, ever. Complete package and too subtle for the razzamataz.

Patience in regards to Jack has never dwindled and the occurrence of his big contributions is lesser than ever before. We all acknowledge his skills and one poster suggested recently that these attributes may no longer be a necessary addition to the modern game. It appears at first glance of this situation that Jack may be rapidly approaching the sunset of a largely unfulfilled footballing career.

Tough call...

Nope, Talisker is my clan scotch, from the Isle of Skye. Thus, genertically linked to its absorption and sensitised to its perfect effects. Plus, I bloody well love it and it is so much more available, these days. It's like barracking for a football club: loyalty, expectation, enjoyment, heaps of pleasure ... no need to go on?

A decent glass of Talisker with two ice cubes per pour is strongly recommended for all occasions.

And then another nuffie oracle tears strips out of concerned posters ...

I was appalled to see him on the Footy Show, with Maguire and the slow brainer (Newman) ready to pounce at ridicule opportunities - including a basketball shoot-out with a faulty ring/backboard set-up to reinforce mediocrity. The MFC needs to take particular care as to who from our playing group is presented to the media where less than optimal interviews and interactions can be controlled for a deliberate, specific negative effect. It was an appalling appearance and quite degrading. Another reason to bypass watching that crap show in the future.

Spargo has displayed signs of a very good player and when he gains experience and settles into the level of the game, he is going to be a gun.

The talent and vigour seem to have disappeared from his game, suggesting a lack of drive at present. Does he train the house down each week? Does he control and apply himself with diet, fitness, skills practices, integrated training with teammates? Why do second-rate taggers and opponents shut him down? These issues are more than the nouse of opposition coaches 'out-coaching' Goodwin - as each week Petracca almost lines up in a new spot that may suit his game, not the team. Yet, at the end of the day he is still underperforming relative to his earlier endeavours once he made the AFL-grade competition. A poster this week suggested laziness as a driver of underperforming. Perhaps this is correct. The cries were: 'Petracca is a beast - there is no stopping him'. That impression has waned considerably further reinforcing doubt on his application at this point. He is such a potentially great footballer that all of this criticism and a related downward slide in his performances at this stage of the season could disappear in mere days and remain repatriated for the rest of the season. Let us hope that this occurs - he is a supporter favourite and is widely admired for his talents.

Febes, good call under the circumstances. Hope the team can settle after the break/bye.

There also seems to be too great an urgency to develop younger players for the purposes of multiple roles, positions, functions, try-outs and flexibilities. Some very good footballers are missing consistency in their experience, honing in on core skills and attributes to then employ in other areas of the game, when required at some future point. Swinging play-makers to tagging or negating roles is such an error, so early in their careers. The thing that is so good about our impression of the depth and skill of the team is that in one or two roles, these players are excelling. In multiple roles, these players are running in the ether. The loss of Lever is unfortunate but it was not panic time. It seems as though the FD considered that it was the case. Some static expectation may be required for the developing professional footballers to master just one or two key aspects of their game before considerable variation is thrust upon them. This perseverence was offered the OMac and against the expectation of many, it worked very well. It has worked for Jetta, and now Melksham and Hibberd. It might work for the Weed, it might work for Harmes, ANB, Petracca, Gus, Spargo, Hunt, Kent, Maynard and TSmith. JSmith has not really entered this domain, but should be included, as well. I have omitted many other young players to keep this post brief, but Petty, Baker are amongst the other 'sum' of players who could be extended this courtesy at a time when others a fading: hate to say it - Vince, Lewis and (dread) the Chunk.

Why was it that Northey was the coach with whom very few were critical, minimalist, negative? JN was absolute as coach, just like Norm Smith, and complex in his understanding of football and the development of footballers - and the MFC. With gaps all over the field, he got the Dees to finals, big time. He was adroit, quiet, driven, so it comes as no surprise that he is/was the complete footballing gentleman (and one who was worthy of great appreciation).

We have to have something new, something unexpected, something that is building the team and its experience. This may well be one of these 'needs' to be employed at this stage of the season. Petty is generating considerable interest based upon his current and improving form - we need his bulk, too - so why not give him a chance to gain from the opportunity? Our remediation is not just about one or two players, it is about an improved mindset for hard faught footballing success and Petty, including others, might well be potential drivers of such betterment.

He's doing OK. Our overall form was poor against the Filth, so his efforts were doubly appreciated. He is not a show-off, nor is he hungry like some of the great small men have been for many sides. I suspect that when experience grows and he is needed in goal 'chances', he will be there for that purpose with some of the great single-mindedness that will be required. In real opportunities so far, he is well above the return seen in other players both now and in the past. I did think that Spargo was a valuable contributor to positive play against the Filth and would expect this contribution to escalate with greater game experience. Three cheers for the fella!

Concerning Clarrie, these area relevant points for a bloke with so much skill. He surely could draw opponents more - when circumstances permit - to assist the create clearer midfield pathways for his teammates. Often the midfield is a jumble of players from both teams, even just outside the play hotspots. There is adequate skill all around him when this occurs so he can tend to leave the occasional clearance to someone else - where the Dees possibly expect to clear the ball eeffectively with one possession, not two or three.

Love this optimism. Is the rest of the season our 'second chance'?

Thanks for that post, DWA, uplifting after the weekend. We just have to get back on the bike and work smarter.

Gus did some great solo efforts in the moments - and I mean plural moments - when off the tagger role for instants when elements of the game created an opportunity for him to exploit. Gus, for all of the expectation, hope and criticism that can be hurled his way in a season of football, is not a tagger but instead, a play maker. He is a bloody good one, at that. Some critical anti-Filth planning and decision-making by the MFC went bottom up, were particularly sour and ineffective, right from the start. The umpires recognised this and then proceded very early in the game to dismantle the Dees' hard effort and method by deliberately 'creating rules' for the desired outcomes of the game, with an AFL licence to so do. After all, it was the Filth who were playing for their 'bums-on-seats' second half of the season. We also played the MCG very poorly with drive being concentrated on the Members' flank, for some reason despite huge green pastures available for most of the game through the central corridor from deep in defence to deep in attack. This greenery extended for each quarter (almost) along the parallel corridors of southern flank including its midline, again for almost the entire length of the ground. Our mids, when in possession, turned right to play the ball into congestion. There were no space rangers anticipating a more open game style inside the free corridors.

Wondering about Spargo, and if he really does need a rest. For just over two quarters against the Filth, he was in everything nearby and made some good clearances due to his pace, his ball handling, his endeavour and his inside handball. Gutsy little fellow playing in the big league with some poise, that can only continue. I'd reckon he is quite OK in the side at present; he made quite a good showing given limited opportunities across the game but those which came his way were well applied - even though he was let-down by teammates further up the ground. Petracca and his role needs to be stabilised; he is down on form and largely covers for other players not holding their own. Although well tagged, the same could be said for Oliver and ANB in this most recent game. Vince and Jordan need a rest, definitely, and there are those capable of filling those roles competitively. Viney ain't quite Viney at the present moment, rather unsurprisingly, and it appears that he could do with some more conditioning through a stint or two to come in a direct roving role that might provide him with some refamiliarity to the 'see ball, get ball, deliver ball' mantra that he has previously displayed. Chunk needs some gametime relief as his recovery is starting to test him and his intent. Gawn may well begin to incorporate more than just tap-downs in his immediate vicinity - whilst winning the tap on most occasions, there ain't no room for teammates to get in there to get something more positive started in terms of disposal and teamwork. I'd now stick with the improved OMac - he had a bad day - and it appeared that Hibbo fell a little too heavily in an early contested spoil to reduce his effectiveness across the game. He would not normally leave Jetta to outmark/spoil an in-form giant like Cox singlehanded. Lots of lessons to be reviewed, lost of alternatives to be suggested and digested to suit a more competitive team effort than the QB clash. Hated the game but there is quite an amount of appraisal that can extracted on this journey forward.

Very good synopsis and counter advisory in so many areas of our game that was displayed miserably against the Filth - but these have been lingering doubts across the supporter base for a long time, so it seems as if less has been learned than we had supposed. The net effect is not far away but reinforcement is needed now to consolidate a finals position. Good work, dpositive.

We laugh at the 'brown paper bag filled with money' syndrome but it was repeatedly obvious that the major reason we lost the the game was the result of umpiring decisions when we were clearly in ascendancy or in attack. As Robt Walls said, 'Melbourne are playing the better football but it is being interrupted...', and this was allowed to take place by the umpires' decision-making. There is something corrupt in the AFL umpiring system - something of which we are not privvy.

The Filth were slick with this tactic but the umpires turned a blind eye to the unlawful acts across the whole game. Spectators were appalled by these deliberate oversights from the whistle men. Pathetic.

Another 19 hours on the road driving to Melbourne for the match and return. For nothing, other than to watch the wheels fall off and the experience within the team fail once again to steer the game. Umpires did their bit to set up the confidence of the Filth but this time they kept it going all match. It was over, as a game, by the 20 min mark of the first quarter - the best that the MFC could do was to stay in dangerously protected touch for a short while, afterward, lacking players prepared to win the ball, move to the ball, look up for opportunity. Less than a handful played well with determination; their work ethic was wasted by potential receivers. The Filth were too tall and mobile ALL OVER THE GROUND and showed a far greater intent all game. My top 5 MFC players: TMAc HIbberd Hannan Spargo Pedersen ANB and Clarrie severely negated or tagged; Jones ran around in circles; Viney needs a few more weeks of game preparation and readiness; Jordan was very ineffective; Vince could have done much more; JSmith showed glimpses but match conditioning has not yet kicked in; Jetta was good; Frosty was needed (height, mobility, leap, carry, toughness); Oscar had a form drop; overall, too many passengers and onlookers, not enough protection and space.

Yeah BF, I am keen on him as a player because, from the fence, I look into the players' minds before each stage of their activity and linkage to the rest of the team by whatever method options they might consider, or have as part of their arsenal, or have done, and in this regard, Pedo does it most comfortably well. To me, Pedo does it all well for a bigger bloke at just on 194cm and represents one of our best targets when the going gets tough. Have always analysed footy players that way and in particular, just knew what Robbie, for example, was going to do and how he would do it. Almost the same for the Ox, Lyon, Stinger, Icke, Hughes, Alves, and so on but sometimes, pleasantly surprised by their actions and effectiveness. It is into this category that Clarrie resides, for example, in my scrutineer fantasies on footy. With Pedo, while we have him before retirement or trade, my Demon buddies and I could not fathom why he was not used more regularly despite the nandy-pandy comments of those who bleat repeatedly with a frighteningly superior blend of wisdom and cant.The emphasis is always on cant and so, it all is of little stimulation in the football appreciation process.