Ollie fan

Sorry to be late to this discussion, but I have thought for a couple of years that Laurie was overrated and wouldn't make it, but last night I thought he showed a lot of creative thinking and the skills to back it up. He completely changed my opinion.

Why do you say ineligible? Has there been an announcement that I have missed?

Why should we copy them? If we did, they would always beat us because they do it better and have done it longer. Why not stick to our own brand? – the Melbourne brand of football – tough and contested!

Great post!

If you mean he could have replaced Gus: no, he couldn't.

It is all so heart-wrenching.

👍

He has had bad luck with injuries but has shown himself to be a top defender; in his very limited time as a forward he wasn't good - he was outstanding! I don't understand the negativity in the posts in this thread.

Absolutely. And Dangerfield is rated much too high

I suspect that is really good news. I hope it's not a serious nerve injury, and SOOOO glad it's not the Lisfranc. And he has shown when thrown into the forward line before that he doesn't need much time to establish "connection".

That was a really good interview - but, you know, he said a lot more than just "Under pressure we crumbled". You could select a different quote for this thread IMHO. I thought what he had to say was very positive and very heartening.

You are kidding, aren't you? Go and barrack for Carlton; your type of "support" would suit them.

Personally, I love tight defensive footy. Goalfests bore me. Collingwood are ok to watch but mostly because so many games are close, come-from-behind matches - which makes you ask: Why do they get behind? Melbourne plays a hard, defensive game with the capacity to score very quickly at times. I love it unless we lose!

Why oh why do we have to have this moan in every thread, no matter what the subject? Does your brain not have room for a different thought?

It is a terrible idea. Once again, the supporters are completely ignored. We like to support a team AND OUR PLAYERS! To think that we barrack for them one week and literally the next week are barracking against them: It is ridiculous.

Surely Hore is a replacement for Hibbo? Putting May into the forward line would be absolutely robbing Peter to pay Paul. He is the best full back in the league.

I think the recruitment of Daniel Cross showed the value and importance of good role models.

To me, as much or more than recruiting is player development. We had a number of really good players come in during the dark years but there wasn't the training/ support/role models/ whatever, and they just didn't kick on. It is totally different now and I think Roos was instrumental in that. Good recruits are given body development, excellent role models, and time to develop. That also encourages them to stay.

According to the AFL website, it happened at the end of a 1 hour match sim, in a marking contest.

Was this your opinion at the time the contracts were signed, or is it just your opinion now? We all love the benefit of hindsight!

All of which is true, plus they probably also had a role to play in playing at Casey and teaching the young forwards/rucks there, as well as being ready to play in the firsts if necessary - which strikes me as forward/strategic thinking.

And it's not just us, by the way. How would Brisbane go if Joe Daniher went down? That would leave them with just Hipwood as a KPF. Collingwood have already lost McStay and would be in trouble if Mihocek gets injured. Etc etc etc

Last year we drafted Jefferson. This year we traded for Fullarton. There are only a finite number of list spots. We still have Petty, JVR, and we do still have TMac and BBB. I don't know how more bullish we can be. As for rucks, no one can replace Gawn. It would have been nice to keep Grundy but clearly it wasn't working out for him sitting at Casey, and both he and Gawn function best when rucking virtually all day. We have two project players learning the trade. Unfortunately, Fullarton, who was clearly brought in for precisely this purpose, is now injured: one of those things that happens but which has had ramifications.

At the start of pre season, our potential KPFs were TMac, Brown, Petty, JVR, and Fullarton. Now it seems clear TMac is being set for defence - no doubt as a backup if May should get an injury; Brown and Fullarton are injured, and it is hard to know where Petty is in terms of likelihood to play. It is a bit worrying.

Is this serious? I am astounded! Look at the people named: Dusty would be questioned ad nauseam about his father, and JDG and Clarry would be hounded about off-field issues - who could blame them for avoiding the media!!!! And the AFL wants to fine them for wanting to keep private things private??!!!! They should consult a good sports lawyer - this is not acceptable.