TonyMelb

SEN have just reported that 3 MFC players hev been involved in scuffle in Greek bar/nightspot & included audio grab of P Gardner. MFC Pres. confirmed and says club disappointed if any of its players into any trouble and looking forward to talking to the players when they get back to Australia. They are in 1st week of 3 week trip to Europe. Police were called but no charges laid. Said the players were "set upon" by group of swedish students and a scuffle ensued. Hope no serious consequences. My concern is involves furture leaders. Brocky & Jared Rivers as well as Chopper Carroll! Dangerous times for all players and clubs. Perhaps the students were looking for trouble?? Anyone wanting to start a rumble with Chopper must have questionable judgement!

That is great news!!!! Looking to him to sort out MFC onfield and support staff. Fitness strategy right up there with the run and carry game plan as top clangers of 2007!

Greg Denham has just said on SEN that Josh Mahoney has been appointed as 1 of assistants and that he thinks Mark Riley will probaly end up at the Blues as main assistant to Brett Ratten. Best offer from them and Greg feels no room for Riley at MFC. He also confirmed Doggies interest in Robbo & they offered 3 years and MFC 2. Said felt not likely Robbo will leave but is possible.

It was last week they could have made a difference not this week!! You conceed that the input of the MFC players was a "marginal" benefit. Note that Sandy only lost the game by 2 points, which was what I was raising. Sandy could have had the week's break and got set for a crack at 4 in a row. I was not claiming they could have won against North Ballarat. Clearly not on song and did not deserve to win. 2nd qtr very poor and undisciplined and squandered chances right up to the end. Had most of the play in last 20 min but poor kicking into the hot spot and several behinds. They looked flat after the game also.

Agreed on all points! No point after injury interrupted year and with the Brown dog retiring! Bringing back Wheels, Bartram, Rivers, Belly into our defence in 2008 plus wheatley after getting his shoulder fixed plus Chopper needs to be core of our back 6. Need to have another tall defender as a top CAC priority. Also, I think his importance to our defence decision making is perhaps undersetimated.

I heard part of the interview and confirm the contents as noted above. Nathan said how very impressive Dean was throught the whole process and emphasised how strongly he impressed given he was the last guy to present and the selectors were pretty tired after sitting through a number of hours presentation. Confirms that Dean won the job on his merits. He also said that when he became involved in the process - at the stage when 10 candidates had been shortlisted by Harris and Chris Fagan, he and the others on the panel were not told of any preferences or ranking of the 10 by Harris or Fagan. This gives a positive insight on how the process was conducted and we must acknowledge the end result as being a sound choice. SEN also had the Phsycologist who was part of the MFC selection process on this afternoon also. I did not catch much of him but was mainly on the mental impact of losing on Roos and Djokovic (who had just lost US Open). I think they touched on MFC process briefly and again in a positive way.

Totally agree. Was a very flat performance all round by the Zebs. Undisciplined particularly in 2nd qtr when game still in balance and Zebs were not on song at all. To go out in straight sets very disappointing. In hindsight (of course)more focus should have been given to putting best side on the park last week to ensure Sandy got double chance & week off rather than MFC winning the practice match at the G last Sunday week!!!

Very perceptive! TJ has been exhibiting some leedership with the players this year both on an off the field. Would not be a good time to trade him. Hopefully TJ just used as an example in the selection process! Hopefully the questions also included HOW would you trade a senior player!!!! (Wonder whether MFC has learned anything from the Woewodin debacle!) Of the senior players would think now that trapper would be one of the last ones wouold want to trade in a period of change over to new coaching regime. Would have thought only Cam Bruce would be of trade value but would be as noted only if he was willing particpant.

Now that MFC has made positive appointments with Dean Bailey and Chris Connolly it would be INSANE to restrict the new regime by lumbering them with both Mark Riley and Paul Williams in 2008. Senior coach must be able to pick his assistants for him to be responsible for the overall perfomance. Would be varey hard for Mark Riley to stay given would be 3 of the 5 shortlisted! If ND gets the Bummers gig (after Cats performance today another step towards Bomber T staying at cattery more likely) the Riley Bomber may be the one going to windy hill. As riley has credentials in the midfield dont see what value Paul williams is other than is contracted! Poor Admin decision in locking M Riley and P Williams up for 2008 when ND position was up for renewal!

Part of CC's task is to bring hope back to us members at all levels. This is a very welcome development. Also as Ox noted on SEN the ex players do not feel welcome & is another area Chris C will address. Has to be a positive that it will be a MFC person doing this now! Has been neglected in 2006 and 2007. Some progress was made on these fronts in 2004 and 2005 when everyone was drawn together to help address the debacle of the Szondy/Ellis period. Sadly the MFC Admin and Board has not focused on maintaining those aspects recently and hopefully this will be in CC's scope. I feel sorry for him in seeking to get MFC supporters enthusiastic and to contribute to the club in 2008 for the 150th milestone as the groundwork for this should have been done over the past 2 years & not just the upcoming pre-season. Hopefully both CC and Dean Bailey will have some influence over the marketing strategy of MFC and held the MFC Admin focus better. That in turn would help address the chronic turnover of staff!

Tatally agree. Was great blunder in slimming our team down and went from best tackling side in 2006 to one of least physical team in 2007! Pt Adelaide boys are hard bodies & expect Bailey to drive this not the other way around. Was a case of the tail wagging the dog! Dean and CC need to clean out ALL the dead wood in MFC & have that opportunity now. Other than CAC and Mark Williams who needs to be retained as Sandy coach rest should go.

Totally!! Does anyone know whether retirement as AFL player automatically excludes players from playing remainder of year with VFL affiliate?? If so seems wrong. Surely if Sandy had lot of injuries in next game they would be able to bring in AFL affiliate players who have played required number of games for Sandy in 07. Would have to include Byron and Bizz!

well done Nathan. A tremendous result given it was achieved with little assistance and in a team that performed so poorly in 2007.

Mike is a MFC supporter. Dont know if he is a member. My comment was based on fact that we as supporters at least know the names of our own players & mispronounciation of Robbos and TJ surnames has been commented on many times.

Martin Pike confirmed on SEN last night that Chrissy Johnson of Lions may not be the last Fitzroy listed player to play AFL. Wardy was on the Fitzroy supplementary list in the Roys last year but did not get to play a senior game before FFC folded. Pity this was not publisied before the game on Sunday night as may have added some interest (sorely needed) & if was Wardy's last game in AFL. IF Wardy plays on next year (???) he will be the last and only Fitzroy player in AFL & so only remaining connection for pure Fitzroy people apart from Ross Lyon and P Roos who are coaching & Gary Pert who somehow got a gig at the filth! Of coures they all missed their best opportunity for greatness when the purchase of FFC by MFC did not go thru. It was Roos, Pert & co that MFC wanted!

Congratulations again to the Brown Dog who tried his guts out yet again in his final game. As noted by the commentators there was one passage in front of the MCC Members when he threw himself on the ball twice and prevented the Blues gettig clear possession. Nathan couldnt tank if he tried!! A great guy and terrific clubman & will be missed around the place. I am sure he has influenced our young guns by showing how to do your best! Great way to go out. Was good to be able to send all 3 guys off from the G.

I do agree that given the total lack of intensity in the game due to Blues obvious tanking and almost total lack of tackling it WAS stupid and Newton maybe deserves a week for stupidity, espcially if means he gets rubbed out for Sandy also. Could help them in quest for unprecedented 4 in a row! Was clearly late & is something Michael must learn from - as he has been borderline a couple of other time this year. Will cost him at an important time for MFC if keeps doing late bumps. He is a big boy and maybe limited ablity to change course quickly but needs to judge better given AFL policy. On a lighter side Byron' almost classic hip and shoulder on Waite was a rare highlight during the circle work on sunday night. Waite saw Byron coming and before Byron pulled out Waite threw himself backwards and landed on his bum - almost in the middle of the G. Problem was Byron missed him totally!!

It is not insulting to ND or anyone else in MFC Admin. It is merely stating the factual position. That being said it is not something ND caused. It has been a problem within the MFC since the late 1970s at least & in early 80's in particluar when the culture of just doing enough to survive became entrenched. The flawed logic was that all MFC needed to do was outlast 2 or 3 weaker clubs and that the name Melbourne would protect the MFC from relocation or extinction. May have worked if either Bullies or Roos had folded or the merger with Hawks had gone thru. But that strategy lost any currency with the failure to acquire the Hawks in 96. ND and the current Admin and MFC Board have failed to correct that attitude. Dean Bailey at least recognises it and intends to address it! Lets get behind him and hope that his attitude rubs off on the players at least!

Mainstream media should get people's names right and several people still not calling Robbo by his correct name ROBERTSON!! However expect better of Mike Sheahan (correctly spelt) who is both a senior AFL journalist and a MFC supporter. In todays article in HUN on Dean Bailey refers to Russell Robinson' future. A junior journo would be kicked in the bum for such inaccuracy. Very disappointing!

Reports in both Age and Hun and comments on SEN this morning all state same. that dean has impressed strongly. So is getting off on a very positive note! Reason for optimisim & improvement in 2008. That he has strong emphasis on being a teacher and developer of young players is exactly what MFC needs in next 2 years. There is plenty of talent and potential in MFC list & looks at this early stage as a good match. looking forard to developments over next few weeks as rest of changes for 2008 implemented.

Welcome and best wishes to Dean Bailey from us also. Agree that know the decision has been made we all need to move forward and give Dean the best opportuntiy to move the MFC forward. No doubt some supporters will be unhappy their preferred candidate not chosen. This would occur regardles who of last 5 selected. Without knowing the details of the selection process we have to rely on the fact that MFC process was thourough and the 5 shortlisted candidates all provided a reasonble choice and some alternative benefits. MFC process has ben better than Blues or Bummers clearly. None of that guarantees premiership success and mere appointment of a new coach is not alone the panacea for MFC's prolonged period in the wilderness. We need to get behind Dean Bailey and the MFC Admin needs to continue the process by putting the righte people around him for 2008! Football Ops position is vacant and all the assistant coaching jobs need to be changed plus hopefully the fitness position! No doubt each of the 5 candidates would have been questioned about what they want in these areas. We need to see these issues and culling of the list start seriously in next few weeks. No doubt Bailey and Riley will have serious discussions over next 2 weeks. The MFC Board MUST also review the rest of the MFC and in particular the continued malaise within the Admin with constant turn over of staff. This hurts all of us supporters and the MFC in terms of monetarys costs and constantly dealing with "learners". Also has put the experiences MFC staffers under added strain all the time!

The old Goanna must have a smile as wide as heaven right now! as a non AFL person amy damage to the game would not worry him if he was still here. I agree its all childish and no one is looking good or in control on this one! Very sad for us all. Thankfully this absolutely shoush year is almoest done! end of sunday night cant come quickly enough

our congratulations and thanks to both Bizz and Doggy also. Both gave it their all always and both terrific clubman. My personal thanks to Doggy also who I hade the pleasure as Chairman of the former Melbourne 3000 Club to claim as our initial sponsored player. One of natures gentlemen as well! Doggy's dedication was no more evident thatn when he would turn up at the Auskick super clinic with icepack and bandage on at least one leg and still give his time to the kids. We knoe how much he is enjoyig being a Dad! Best wishes to both guys in their future endeavours.

Greg Denham on SEN has just said mail is that it is shaping as preference of Connolly and Bailey as top 2 from the selection committee. Next few days going to be lots of speculation & rumours. Time for a deep breath!! General view seems to be that MFC process has been very sound and timing also good. PG has said in paper today that any of the 5 who presented would be a sound choice & could coach the Dees. No doubt that is technically so. Issue will be what structure MFC Board (and AFL) is prepared to put in to support the Footy Dept. Change of coach alone wll not ensure success.

Given that 2008 is a milestone year for MFC and Aussie Rules, I find it hard to believe that a first time coach will get the gig unless they split the role. Not indication that is being considered. So would logically be out of Sheedy and Connolly (age vs more experience). I am a little concerned that bailey and harwick in last 5 have little profile if any and Riley would as stand in coach have to be included to retain the alternative of leaving him in the role (ala Ratten and Harvey). I am a little concerned that the MFC process is being played out so much in the media. All over the Footy show last night & lot of radio comments being made. I would rather the selection committee go behind closed doors until the proccess is finished. Nathan Burke said on SEN this morning that they (selection committee)will complete the process next Wednesday but does not know how long will take after that. Presumably this is based on the remaining 4 candidates making their detailed presentations next tuesday. Surely in fairness to Mark Riley and the players the process should continue until after Sunday week night (as we play blues in twilight game to end the season (thankfully!!). Real risk that result will get leaked before MFC and Bummers (if is sheedy) play their last games which would be unsettleing for all concerned.