Bring-Back-Powell

Agree. PJ looked quite good against North and should be given a spot for round 1.

I'd be happy if Aussie was promoted. Saw him twice (Geelong and North) and he improved 100% in his second showing at Cranbourne. Kicked a nice goal and set up 3 others with pinpoint passing to Neitz and Robbo. His major weakness is his puppy-fat. Although he looks pacey, some of his defensive efforts against North were un-AFL like, while others were fantastic - He received a couple of holding-the-ball decisions. Aussie playing in the forward line would also release Davey up the field. If Grimes is out for x amount of weeks, you may as well promote either player. I think both will make a minor contribution to the team.

I agree with the $5,000 fine as it is punishing him directly. I don't agree with the 1 match suspension, as it is punishing us the members...who demand wins.

Yeah he was hanging around the fwd pocket. Overheard him saying that he was happy they got rid of Trav.

Ha ha like it

Perhaps its time for Paul Gardener to be a little more proactive about making this club better - rather than sitting and back and taking the AFL's distribution handouts as if we have a god-given right to it. I feel it's time for someone (who is bitterly conerned about the future of MFC and loves Melbourne) to take over the club, and be proactive like North. North are doing everything right at the moment.

I tell you what... If they suspend Carroll for round 1, they're punishing us the members. We already had Sylvia, Bate, Rivers, Whelan and Bartram on the sidelines. We don't need another omission. Yes Carroll is a peanut, but he's all we've got in defence. I'm not really interested in the Hawks fowards kicking 30 goals between them on Monday week. I know Carroll's got form on his side and you've got to drill in the message, but his indescretion was small-fry compared to Sylvia's. Make him do 7x 5am 10km runs up the Dandenongs this week for all I care, but let him play Monday week V Hawthorn.

tongue in cheek! Just making a point that it was worse than anything seen in the Daniher era. I couldn't work out the rationale in passing the ball from the centre to the wing to half-back to wing to centre and then a turnover. Or at one stage we somehow converted a 40 metre goal opportunity to a contest on the wing and then an eventual turnover in the middle and goal to North - due to panic, nerves and pointless handballs. Just kick the freakin thing down the guts and you'll have a 50/50 chance of scoring. Jones and Moloney saw the sense in it.

He's banned from bigfooty.

If anyone does go, can they please ask DB to explain the horrendous game plan they revealed to the public last Saturday, and that they never EVER bring it back again.

My theory is that Sylvia knew that he was going to get suspended by the match review panel for striking (which didn't end up happening) so he said "bugger it I'll go down swinging tonight".

Yeah and there was also a photo taken from an offical AFL photographer that clearly shows a Sylvia fist in a North players face. Good to see you can still get away with stuff on the field

Finally some good news from the weekend. Robbo was reported for making high-contact with Andrew Swallow, but the MRP deemed that contact was unavoidable. No wonder he chucked a tantrum after the incident. Two reports and two not guilties in 2 weeks. Surely that would have to be a record. And lucky the panel didn't scrutinise the dust up on the grandstand wing where Sylvia laid a couple of 'cut lunches'.

How about we do something a bit different this year and trade our priority pick (17 - assuming we win less than 5 games) for a good experienced 23-27 year old in his footballing prime. For example Schneider going to St Kilda, McMahon going to Richmond etc. We appear to have a lack of quality in that department. Remember we'll likely have pick 1 in the draft, unless Tankton and Richmond win less than 5 games (or we do the unlikley and finish off the bottom), and we'll also have an early second round draft pick. Time to get some established talent who have 5-8 years left in them. We traded for kids last year. Lets do something a little different for 09 and try and win some games.

Yze! I hope you're not referring to White. Yes he's been terrible lately, but I'd hate to think how bad our ruck department will be if he goes.

I thought he was our only shining light on Saturday V North. Kicked a sterling goal from outside 50, tackles hard and is a great over-head mark. My only criticism is he fades in and out of games. He and Davey were the only players who looked like they had the skills required for AFL football. Huge apologies to Jones on that statement because he was and is our most consistent player.

Agree. After watching us on the weekend, we won't get close to a good side like the Hawks even with a full side (minus Bate). So I wouldn't bother with Whelan and possibly Bruce. Round 2 against the Dogs at the G' might be more of a feasible assignment.

But Demonland is the only forum where I can vent my spleen. My fiancee doesn't want to hear about it

Did anyone see the photo (on bigfooty-melb board) of Sylvia landing a blow to a North bloke in that fracas on the wing. Obviously Bailey's 7am wake up last weekend had nil effect Anyway I hope the channel 7 cameras didn't capture it. Also special kudos to the umpire (well actually the rules commitee) who decided to ping Brad Miller a 50 metre penalty for literally tapping his opponent for 0.000001 seconds to hold him after a mark. Meanwhile 2 quarters later we took a mark and some North bloke pretty much knocks our bloke into next week- but no 50. The major things that concerned me yesterday were: Our gameplan. Just too much handball, sideway, chip etc. There was one play in the second quarter where we managed to [censored] fart the ball from 35 mtrs from goal back to the wing and finished with a North tunover and probably a goal. Don't know what Bailey is planning, but it looks slop. Yze's finished - sadly. Will play for us the first few weeks, but he doesn't inspire, can't stick a tackle, and misses too many targets these days. Stick him in the foward pocket where he can at least jag a couple of goals. The experiment of Yze in defence failed in the Freo final in 2006 and it's failing now. I suggest Bailey check out some video. Not only has our crap skill level consolidated from last year, it's actually plummeted to new depths. Our fundamental skills are just laughable. Would love to see Moloney, Sylvia and Davey play full games of footy. They were used sparingly, but were my highlights of the day. Oh and Jones could get a game for any side at the moment, could anyone else

I hope Bailey creates a mismatch and sticks him in the foward pocket in round 1 with Cambell Brown out. Hopefully he can snag 2 or 3 thats our only hope. On todays and all the other pre season games he's finished. His disposal (his only strength) has deserted him and he can't lay a tackle to save himself.

I hope you're all braced for a 3-19 season.

ROFL!! Frawley looks like he's had a diet of beer and pies over summer. Notice the 3 chins!

WIthout reading the bigfooty article, I can recall Valenti being interviewed and saying that the only way he'll be promoted is due to a long term injury.

Does this mean Cam Bruce will miss round 1 - which would be bloody disapointing. Or are they banking on him playing 1 week with Sandy and straight into the team. I can't wait to head out to Cranbourne (never thought I'd say that ) to watch Davey, Sylvia, Moloney, McLean etc... spewin that I can't see Morton though.

So Neita is saying that after 1am you're allowed to be hunting for Souvlakis, Maccas and 24 hour KFC