picket fence

His spin and rationale is becoming stuff of legend. Today in the Hun "We couldn't cope" (and haven't all year) "Freo pressure too much" ( Well having a negative mind set and playing jog along footy will do that) "I don't think the effort was too bad" (I don't think that at all) "When you put three guys behind the ball, the numbers get skewed a bit!" (well then play Man on Man and run harder when its our turn to Spread and whilst not attractive, will lessen the damage) But at last one takes the cake! " We came up against a very well oiled, well drilled side and we were overwhelmed with their pressure in the first half ( Too too true Mark and I ask..is our training form still the benchmark of your appriasal as to the way we play and therefore the stuff of "Training the House down" becoming our benchmark) ?? Please just don't say anything other than. "We were badly beaten on the day" Just tends to remove a modicum of pressure, but only just!

I won't!!

Now, G Smith, not sure if this question has been asked of you? But given that "Hindsight" is a great thing Who would you have drafted at No 4 ??

Inns: WATTS (If fit and should play Forward) BLEASE ( pace) FITZPATRICK ( just got a hunch he needs a game) Outs: TOUMPAS TRENGOVE SELLAR

The sooner Mark Neeld goes the haapier I'll be!! Hello WATTS IS A FORWARD!!

I am extremely worried at this stage!! HAVE we got it wrong yet again!! How could you not Draft an inside grunt on baller for a "Outside Reciever" when out greatest need has been , inside grunt??? In fact I'll say this Oliver Wines is better than Jack Viney!! BETTER!! Our recruiting strategy so poor as per usual has netted what looks like a skillful player but point is... Who is going to get it out to him to show what WHAT, he actually has got! "Toumpas will be a star"???? Cheezus I bloody hope so! BUT Wines will win the rising star AND We do not have the luxury of the Neeld 5 year rebuild! Anything else?? No question!

Happy to support this, but, BUT the piont still is, resources still have to go into this venture. Would be entirely happy if we were on top of the ladder , but we are not! Our first priority MUST be to get our football club back on an even keel, and worry about initiatives like these later!

No... I've seen worse .... the time Glenn Giles got a game! and incidently Magner's pace is about the same!! Not disputing his endeavour .. but skills average and who can forget him not making the distance for a deliberate shot on goal from 30 m out?? Toumpas IN?? on what Form?? Gee we are clutching at straws

Who really gives a fat rats about this?? Really! Our business should be all about stabilising our club ... and winning games! Not with political points scoring! and social equity... as noble issues that they may well be!

Quality post!!

I said at the time that there is no way known "Ollie Wines" would not have been a better fit for the Melbourne Football Club than Jimmy Toupas and was howled down. I now will spell it out. Jimmy Toumpas nice skills and may become a very good footballer but the club AGAIN has been remiss in not securing a player that fits our most glaring need. IN AND UNDER CONTESTED BALL AND MID FIELD GRUNT!! It could not have been too hard to get it right, BUT alas like so many monumental stuff ups by this club why would you be surprised. I hope Jimmy Toumpas will become a very good player, but if I could ask a question Just who is going to get it out to him to show his skills?? A mid line of Jones, Viney and Toumpas would at least have given us more conistent first use!

Yes, well, lower leagues, surf city, Ocean Grove you said. well He must have had the players down there totally Bluffed!! Looking at this DVD does not inspire me one little bit! Problem is you have to earn respect and amidst trying to ram a playing style which so far has not resulted in winning footy, players being delisted, traded, dropped It wouldn't surprise me if the players have any confidence in him at all!! I may be wrong but there doesn't seem to be any two way communication link, just all one way rhettoric! and that "so called" steely glare is seemingly nothing more than window dressing to cover for the fact that I don't believe that he can coach at this level! I just wonder how many of the players actually buy into his playing style whatever that may or may not be?? Give me a Swooper Northey anyday, knew when to fire up knew when to hold back. Involved the players, supporters, at a very inclusive level and almost pulled of a remarkable premiership!! In answer to the poser, No, this man does not inspire me at all!

I am looking forward to watching Olllie Wines, who, I still would have drafted in front Of Jimmy Toumpas based on our need for midfield Grunt. I am expecting both these players to have an instant impact and will watch with interest. I hope we have finally got this choice right!

The other things I found in garage recently were a stack of old football records I collected from 1972/73/74/75/76/77 I probably have a hundred or so and ALL ARE MELBOURNE GAMES. I also have many Melbourne Finals footy records from 87-91. Might check my mums house for some other "Archived" stuff, you never know what might turn up that I assumed would be gone, but not forgotten! Cheers 'The Fence"

Shheeeeeit I had the complete set of Mobil cards from each period around this time. The reason I had them is that a distant relative from my dads side was the owner?? Mnager of the MOBIL petrol station on the corner of Highett rd and Bluff Rd Highett! I also collected the complete "Shintaro" The Samurai card set and others which over time memory escapes me. The Samurai set was particularly impressive given that as you collected each card, by completion if you turned them over you had a massive shot of SHINTARO on the back!!! I reckon Star Trek, Man from Uncle, were others I collected over time! They are worth quite a bit now ......... But alas they are all gone!! BUT... I still have my "TRIANG" Train sets and" MOTORIFIC" TORTURE TRACK!! I still remember the Ad MOTORIFIC, ITS TERRIFIC!! YAY Ah for those days! Nostalgically "The Fence"

Smithy, we were the most powerful,POWERHOUSE team in the competition for a long period of time through the golden premiership Norm Smith years! We have suffered horribly since 1964, more horribly than any other team. Regardless of our own management and stuff ups and more than a modicum of tellingly bad luck( Karma) My view is what goes around comes around and whilst not going overboard about Essendons shocking football department mangement and clear supplemental increments, I say stuff em!! Do the crime do the time and if that means Essendon goes onto its kness SO BE IT!

No I'm not, but if my sources are correct there was NO doubt that given his form before his unfortunate knee injury, several AFL clubs had him well and truly on the radar to be drafted for this year. Given a great season with Norwood in 2013 who knows?? I'll back him if he gets on the park! In fact I'll say this, if Michael Newton plays near enough to a full season at Norwood in 2013 without mishap, he will be drafted in 2014 !!!!

The third test in Sydney provides the selectors with a fantastic opportunity to "Blood"spinner Glenn Maxwell but will they? Probably not, but If I were them I would play him instead of Nathan "I don't spin the ball much" Lyon. I don't believe based on what I have seen that Lyon will ever be a match winner, tidy slow medium line and length seems about it I'm afraid.. If Lyon plays and doesn't fire here It might push him down the spin bowling order I feel.Jon Holland is also a possibility for a tour pending fitness. Let's be Bold and see what Glenn Maxwell's got and rest Lyon to canvas all spin bowling possibilities and prepare for the Indian tests and ultimately the next ashes series with a bit of foresight! Eh?

Graeme Yeats is my hunch!

Would want to find form and rediscover some pace early!

Pretty happy witrh this team but would make several minor changes depending on match ups Nicho to the back pocket swap with Tappy Roden starts on a HFF Sylvia starts on Bench Dawes and Clarke to swap Pederson to do relief ruck duties where required One other comment, Trengove would want to fire up like a box of rusty detonators in a cracker factory because competition will be fierce! I also agree No Davey I reckon his pace is gone. My hunch is that he will start at Casey get injured and retire mid year. Strauss will also be lucky to get a game I believe! Dunne, Terlich, Nev Jetta I hope can remain injury free and provide options all of which are in the mix as well as Spencil. That will do for a start.! Oh one other thing Cale Morton to languish at Sth Fremantle magoos

No not at all mate I just have a philosophically different view that Insiders are much better value than outsiders Only speaking from personal view as to how I played the game! I wish Jimmy T all the best!!!! AND I will watch with interest!

Our drafting in the last few years including this draft is like a polly waffle Hard on the outside but when you put the bite on it it is soft in the middle! Again massive ?????????

Speak to me and justify your vindictive, verbose comments later in the year eh? I hope for your sake and Jimmy's and the club's and those "In the Know" footballing oracle, that Jimmy Toumpas does fire up!!! I wish him all the very best. I will watch with interest!

I'll give you a quick summary ... Shattered !!!