donny williams no 25

I don't disagree with a lot of what's been said in the last few posts. It's the footy dept who've made the call and I agree he won't be picked up at another club. I simply think he would have been good value for the next 2 years and I hope we play finals footy in that time. In a sense, his predicament shows the problems with the current drafting. If, by Christmas, Wheatley's body is showing signs that he won't be up to it, then he should be let go and there should be another draft early in 2010 at which clubs can 'top up" for those who"ve by now fallen by the way-side

I find this very depressing. When it was announced that Wheatley was retiring there was so little fuss that I came to believe that Wheats had given up-perhaps because of some recurring soft tisssue injury. If that is not the case--and it had been my understanding that this year he's been hit by a number of different injuries rather than one recurring--then in my view his "retirement" is premature. He's only 28. Given a decent pre-season my view is that he would have been a certainty to be in the top 6 of Melbourn'e's B and F next year. He was 3rd last year wasn't he? To all of you who are urging us to cull more and more experienced players, let me point out that sometime next year we'll have a large number of kids--players who haven't played 30 games--who'll be buggered. At such times a player such as Wheats, who can play a variety of positions, is invaluable. How many new players are we planning to take onto the list? When combined with this year and last, I don't think that any more than another 4-5 are required/desirable. I feel differently about Matty Whelan--he's had too many injuries for too long. But I think the delisting of Wheatley is premature--he could have been a good finals player in 2011, then moved on, paving the way for someone who's had enough games to know what it's all about

just unbelievable nonsense--to rate Scully and Trengove--who haven't played, above a host of people who have and who have showed plenty

well, he's out of contract this year [so we were informed]and at a recent club function there was some concern about this

Phew! Hey Rhino, why don't you really say what you think of him. Beats me how you people can have the time to read all this rubbish. Does Centrelink operate as an internet cafe? I agree with Freak re Dunn. Problem is however, that based upon some comments by Connolly who was speaking on the ABC before Saturday's game, [W.B v W.C] the club regards Dunn as a defensive tagger ala Cameron Ling. With his goal-kicking skills I hope he gets more opporrtunity in a decent team to run forwrd

yeah, fair enough mate I don't hold anything against you!. In fact I'm finding that some of my best friends are tankers.

well done you for taking them on! Reminds me of a very funny day at Essendon-ist time we'd won there for yonks. I was with a group of Jewish friends[i'm not Jewish myself] and we were supporting the MFC quite loudly. A woman turned to us and said "can't youse get back into the synagogue where youse belong!" One of my friends, instead of getting upset said , pointing to me-'hey, that's a bit rough on this bloke--he's one of yours!"Didn't hear from her again--in fact, they moved!

Again, I have no doubt where your heart [and mine actually] lie.We just have different views as to the best method for the club to progress. Incidentally one other thing said last night, is that next year MFC will have the youngest list in the AFL.Read what you like into that, but it was said several times. One other thing--has MFC repeatedly won dead rubbers at seasons end? Your memory may be better than mine, but I don't think so. In fact, to the contrary, so bad has morale been much of the time, that once we're out of finals calculations, we've been hopeless--lost a whole string of games to end the season. I recall that happening several times since 1987, when we became a force again after 23 years of no finals. 2007 is often mentioned, but we hardly finished off the season in a blaze of glory. Last year we finished with a bunch of huge losses which must affect players' beliefs at the start of the next season.

No, I wasn't suggesting for one moment that you, or anybody else on this site, believes the players should tank whilst on the field [although a 'supporter' at the function I attended last night thinks they should and did last Sunday]. I was merely referring to the criticism heaped upon Newton and Miller generally on this site, which I find depressing. BTW I think you'll find that Bailey plays people where they should be best played with a view to winning--Did you see much evidence to the contrary last Sunday? One other matter. At this function last night a [very] senior official told us that he thought almost the best thing going for the club at present was the morale of the playing group. In his view it was CRITICAL that this should not be interfered with. Make what you will about this comment, but all who heard it thought it was significant.

yeah, where are you sitting on Sunday--I want to make sure you're singing at the end, and waving your scarf if you haven't throttled yourself with it by then!

Mate--I want to see them win every game they can. At a club function last night one said to me 'losing is infectious and it's not easy to get rid of the infection" Great for membership and the club generally if we finish on a high.

Dunn, Bartram, Junior--you bet they'll use them as taggers

Best team they can select dear boy and that's what matters. Would have been easy to leave out Frawley and Grimes in particular. And yes--I think they will win quite nicely. Don't bother looking at the forward line as selected--just look at the squad and see who may play there and you won't feel so certain. Of course Bailey will pick taggers for Cousins, Deledio and Cotchin and the 3 chosen will be playing for their future. I suspect Newton and Miller will exact revenge upon a lot of knocker/tankers in the best possible way! Looking forward to seeing you there cheering them on and singing the song!

Bewdy!! I tip Melbourne by 5 goals. Bloody good team, proves there is some integrity at the club.

I'd be glad if I thought that was all he'd been doing while suspended! Hopefully he'll biff someone again and the club will realise he's best on-sold. Flakey character--it doesn't work these days

yes, I guess that's ok. But at some point, development of players and winning matches have to coincide don't they?Incidentally, I'm not certain that this year there have been players better than Jetta, Bennell or Morton who could have been played to better effect. I think that in the weather prevailing on Queens Birthday, Watts shouln't have played [Norm Smith often picked teams with weather conditions in mind, tho I concede that grounds were worse then] I do think there is room for Newton, if he shows enough, plus Watts in the same team.

So, do I understand from this post, that in your view 2010 should also be written off? That at the start of the year the selectors should pick not the best 22 to win round 1 but those most likely to win us a flag in 2012? If Watts is still light and thin, and best suited to a flanker's role, he should nevertheless be played at CHF or FF? Do you ever stop to think how debilitating that would /will be for the MFC?That another year will be spent losing games which might be won if the best available 22 were selected?The club won't survive. Watts will supplant Newton and whoever else is in his way, when he's physically ready to do so, and that's the way it should be. Balme played Neitz for a couple of seasons at CHB--IT helped him a lot--Watts might need a number of games on a HBF before he steps up into a key forward role. And I think the analogy with Hawkins is a good one--is anyone suggesting Hawkins should be cut?His kicking has been worse than Newton's really and he's given so many more opportunities in a top side than Newton, that I suggest the camparison is bad for Hawkins--yet Thompson persists, is trying him in more positions, and, bingo, he kicked a couple of pretty good goals [i understand] last week.

honestly mate--you just can't have been watching the game on Sunday. Apart from his goal-kicking, which I agree was poor, he played bloody well. Name the last MFC forward who layed 6 tackles including 1 that provided a goal. Identify a better pack mark than the one he took. And he made position several times for what would be gimme goals, but even Davey, for some reason, just couldn't deliver easy passes to him.

Newton is 22 and has played about that number of games. People much closer to the club than I am say that he's a bloody good long kick when not under pressure. No technique problems. Has pace and takes good marks every time he's played. They say attitude WAS a problem, but not now With Miller I have to concede it's [kicking] more of a problem--he's 25, played heaps of games. Didn't he kick something like 23 goals 10 last year? Why has he regressed? Here's a new question. What are we aiming for next year? In my view it must be to improve and win as many games as possible in which case I think that Newton Miller Jurrah should all play on our forward line together with the crumbers. Watts won't be ready to play a key forward role until 2011 will he? I don't think Martin is a forward. Bate is not a key position forward. In fact I'm more gloomy about Bate than any of the above, because his ball handling is poor and he takes barely any contested marks. Can't pick the ball up. When he does get it he kicks well, but he mucks up so many chances to get the ball. Comments?

Bloody silly post! Newton and Miller actually played well but kicked appallingly--question is wwether you dump fellows who can compete on the forward line as they did both against strong opponents. I was particularly surprised by Newton's defensive skills, tackling etc. And in a decent side he would have kicked at least 2 more goals. Davey missed him with 1 15m pass directly in front, then kicked it over his head [for a point] when N was alone in the square. I'm hearing the kicking coach this week--we have plenty to ask him! Bartram ,also the subject of many criticisms, also played well

Although I'm not reading this stuff any more let me say--I like it!

The Age says[wrongly] that Melbourne [before this week] have played 4 newplayers this year. I think the number is 6 excluding Meesen who'd played a couple in Adelaide I believe. But The Age also says that we played 6 new players in 2008, and a bunch of us can only get to 5--can anyone assist in identifying the 6 last year. And is 6 plus Meesen correct this year?

I reckon that team will win. I particularly like the forward line though I am a little doubtful how many times the ball will actually get into our forward line!

Well, I'm not talking about tanking anymore but I will respond to the Richmond thing. In my view Wallace and the Richmond board should be shot for the arrogance with which they approached 2009. If we win a number of games but our leaders can't imbue a different attitude into our players then I'm Rhino Richards. Incidentally we did beat Freo with Sandilands and Pavlich playing last year tho Jamar was a key to that win and he might be missing I gather. Anyway, good luck to you and all tankers-- see you in 2010 when our young team will approach the season with more optimism than you miserable lot because of their success at the end of 2009!