Dame Gaga

Don't know about anyone else, but we make so much crowd noise from our lounge room, especially when the umpires are making suspect decisions or non-decisions, the whole neighbourhood can probably hear us! The commentary is the background noise.

So glad he played a good game. Was worried by his form at the start of the football year, but perhaps that was because the whole team was 'off'. Spoke to him at the family day. Very nice young man. Hope he keeps improving and enjoys a good career at Melbourne.

We needed Daisy on the boundary line to keep us informed on what was actually happening in the game and what the injuries were.

Yeah.....not so good sometimes, but I enjoy seeing some players trying to hide from him. What a laugh! They are probably embarrassed as well. By the way, glad to see Marty Hore's parents were able to find the rooms! Don't worry Marty, if they can't find the rooms at the MCG, us girls will look after you!

Never mind Bruce, although the cheer leading for the Swans ( especially Buddy) all night from all the commentators was annoying, what about Ling? This man made useless comments all game, like, Melbourne need to do this or that now, things an eight year old could identify. He also displayed breathtaking ignorance with a statement which sounded something like, Melbourne no longer have a lot of young players. This exposed his unwillingness to study any other side apart from his beloved Pussycats. Give us all a break from this bloke.

"I must break you!"

I always like to see a BIG man lurking around the goal square.

Jonesy!! Frosty!! Gussy!! Clarrie!! Preussy!! Etc!! Etc!! I have a headache from yelling at the umpires, but it's all worth it now. THANK GOODNESS!!

PAY THE TRIP!!!!!!!

For goodness sake, you have an opponent, just stick to them! Why are our players always a mile behind?

Swans player thought he was a battering ram. Wake up umpire.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Holding the ball does not exist any more. Joke.

He talks without actually saying anything close to being original or insightful.

The only way is up.

Well, now we know the AFL is not serious about ridding the game of actions like Martin's. They pay lip service to the idea of the safety of players' heads. They say they are going to come down hard on hits to the head, but they don't. What kind of message are they sending to the young kids playing football out there now? It's ok to elbow your player in the head 100 meters off the ball when he/she is not expecting it. Just great AFL. A player like Martin who is idolized by hundreds of these kids should be punished so they can see not even he can get away with such actions. But no, we get the opposite result. He receives leniency because of his popularity. WRONG MESSAGE.

I too have a bad feeling he is due for a big game.

Yes, why doesn't anyone just consider the reason for losing so many games was Melbourne's team wasn't good enough? We as fans always want to think the best of our team, but sometimes you have to be realistic. After all, someone has to be on the bottom of the ladder, no matter how many, or how few games they win. The draft system was flawed. The AFL should not have nominated four as being the magic number. They brought this on themselves, and then they punished Melbourne for it. By the way, I'm sick of the bleating and preaching by past players (not all Melbourne, I'm looking at you Bartel) and coaches about what happened. Be quiet. Two dead men are not here to defend themselves. You are most certainly hurting their families. Shame on all them, and shame on the Herald Sun for bringing it all up again. Sick to the stomach. Fed up.

How many young players would be truly honest in an honesty session? Were they called upon to be honest about themselves and their own performance, or others? Too many questions which will remain unanswered, because no one will tell outsiders exactly what happened in the session, and why should they? The media doesn't have to know everything. They make things up anyway. Too much of what is printed or talked about in the media now is only opinion, not facts. I only hope to see a fighting spirit on Thursday, and a win, please.

Seeing the surface of the Sydney ground on the news makes me fear the only thing Melbourne will gain out of going up there is more injuries. It's a disgrace.

Okay. I am officially devastated. Disappointed. Distraught. I cringed when I saw the pyrotechnics and fireworks when the team ran out. Whose bright idea was this? Please save our hard earned cash for something better than this. I scoffed at Hawthorn's use of the flames every time they kicked a goal in that final last year, and now my team is doing it? Please no. Also, I hate to say it, but I think we should cancel Robbo24's entertainment interludes because they seem too trite and not suitable when the team is going so bad. Melbourne is back to being the team everyone can laugh at and be confident of beating. Just great. Thank you Dees.

How about sitting them all down and teaching them what a legitimate fair tackle is- prime example, Oliver's, which was paid against him for being too high (?!). Showing them what over the shoulder means or too high or whatever the hell they were paying tonight (for both sides, not just one). Pointing out the rule in the book which describes what holding the ball means. Telling them to keep their eyes open to players lifting their elbows to hit opponents in the body, and kneeing players in the back. Teaching them how to bounce the ball in the centre without skewing it. Pretty basic things all umpires should have learnt by now.

Well, the Herald Sun achieved their objective in selling more newspapers and creating controversy didn't they? By dredging up old news and besmirching further the reputations of some good people without putting it in the context of the faults of the system of the time and the fact Melbourne were not the only ones to make coaching/selection/surgery/resting of players decisions during a number of seasons. I don't care whose decision it was to publish it. It is still a low act and shameful. Oh, and where are the papers about what substances were injected into those young boys at Essendon, perhaps jeopardizing their future health? If they want to do some investigative journalism how about tackling that.

I personally think this is despicable to be raking over the same muck as soon as it looks like a club is under performing because all the media overrated Melbourne before the season started. The media is becoming the equivalent of these terrible so called 'reality' shows who feel the need to inject sensation and nastiness into them for ratings. For some reason this reminded me of the time Tom Scully looked a dying Jim Stynes in the eyes and declared he wanted to remain a one team player. (Stynes tells this story in his book). Treachery and deceit everywhere. What a poisonous atmosphere must have existed at the club at that time. RIP Jim and Dean Bailey. ( If the media will let you).

I think he wanted to say, "We all need to pull our socks up." But that would have sounded too simple. The journos would have nothing to write about. Instead they fill the sport pages with waffle. We all know about the injuries etc etc.

Yes, Hillary Bray, I agree the campaign could be more effective if they used actual messages sent to people other than themselves (as footballers) because they may be considered to be more resilient than, say, a vulnerable teenager, or someone in the spotlight who is worn down by relentless attacks. They could place names of the people we have lost through online bullying on the banner as well as the messages ( Dolly Everett, Charlotte Dawson as you mentioned. I'm sure there are others.) This may convey the message in a stronger way. Bullying can lead to suicide. Let's not pussyfoot around the issue.