rpfc

And on the third day, the prophet arose and bumped James Hird as he has never been bumped before. All in thy members wing applauded for thee, for Hird has 'had it coming for ages.' Amen.

Clisby, Riley, McKenzie, and Nicholson from those short reviews look likely.

Ok, this is cognitive dissonance... You are guilty of the very crime you accuse of others. I will simplify this for all concerned: Stop. Taking. Criticism. Of. Players. Personally. Opinions are just that - opinions. If you think 'reasonable debate' is thin on the ground maybe you should try bringing some 'reasonableness' yourself.

As CFB says - those issues were met with more than a few stern rebukes from you. It wasn't hindsight. And sure it was negative - it was the truth - and the truth wasn't a bed of roses. There is no need to be negative with MFC fans - there is a resilience to hope for fans of this club let me tell you that in the strongest of terms. The amount of nonsense we have put up with in the last few years would make Lindsay Lohan cringe. So I will add that I applaud your dedication to get to training and to get info on the club we love but I will reiterate that criticism and debate on here is not the dismissive spurn you seem to think it is. There is no need to jump down the throats of those with contrary, or 'negative,' views.

How about this as a bridge to both sides: we have quite a few 'limited footballers' and, therefore, they are going to get games, and this circumstance allows them to show Roos (and us) that they are not who we thought they were.

Huh? You went from 'They don't understand why their 'traning form isn't replicating in games' to 'let's all get behind the new coach' with a very small bridge. All I remember were some platitudes towards the rumblings we all now know about under Neeld - at the time you jumped down throats (personally by the way, so that's a two way street) whenever someone would allude to issues between Neeld and the players.

I love Jack but he is not someone that teams would bother tagging just yet. He gets the footy from stoppages and off the floor in contests and does a few highlight reel escapes from those situations but if he wants to become the player I know he desperately wants to become - his game is going to have to evolve in a similar way to his Captain. Jones hurts teams with his link up play and had running to help under pressure defenders and fellow mids. The start of Viney's career has been promising but he would not be worried about by other teams just yet.

Frawley, Dunn, McDonald, and Hogan are still Demons last I checked. If they all stayed on the back of this promising return to relevance - great. If they all left during the next two years: Frawley will bring a top 5 pick. Dunn will bring a top 40 pick. McDonald a suitable trade. Hogan a suitable trade. The Demons will live on. But remember they are all still demons...

Yeah, this is going to be fun...

That would be funny if you weren't tapping into decades worth of Demons fans' punished psyche over retention of very good players.

Yeah, look, I would have him if his head was already half in the coaching sphere and he was happy playing a few games here and there. There is a lot to be said for that, but I don't know if he would be ready for that.

It's hard to stave off the Syndrome though - I keep thinking: "what's the catch? At what point will this blow up in my face?"

I understand what you are saying and I agree that losing Frawley is not the disaster some envisioned just a few months back. But (there is always a but) your reasoning above is sound, but if Frawley had spent time in the backline this year would you have said he is integral to our good defensive record? I wouldn't have. The fact that we kept the Dogs to 42 Inside 50s is a testament to the work of players up the ground - not the defenders. They have done well but it is the mindset of the team that is pushing other teams wide into the forward line or stopping the momentum forward altogether. Having Frawley getting the kicks that McDonald is er, doing his best with - makes us a better team - so while I agree he is hardly irreplaceable. I don't like losing talent and taking a couple steps back. That being said - if Frawley goes and we get Fyfe with the compensatory pick - it would be hard to argue we wouldn't be better off...

I don't think he has registered entirely with me... What is he? 20? He just got 11 clearances, kicked two goals and had 27 disposals against a very good midfield. WTF?

If they think Salem can play Byrnes' role than yes, Michie or anyone in form, for Byrnes. But if Salem is not used to that role - this is what is called 'setting someone up for failure.' We have been very good at that, I was hoping we would stop being so good at it though.

The aftermath of this will be unprecedented in player movement - if the Bombers lose a dozen or more players, the AFL is going to have to introduce a in-season short term contract system using FA, or a large 'train on squad' using FA, of state league players for the Bombers to limp to the FA/Trade period at the end of the year.

This will be Byrnes' last year in AFL footy and he is a limited footballer. I am irked that Kent is suspended because that role is screaming out for him. But, as I have said before, I like Roos' promise to the players that if they are the best option for the role, and they can fulfil it - they will play. The players are always talking about 'being happy to play their role' and the fact that we don't have suitable AFL-level talents to play in those roles isn't the fault of the NQR players in those roles.

The problem for McKenzie is that what he has to offer is too similar to Cross, Viney, and, to a lesser extent, Vince. They are the tackling machines asked to apply the defensive pressure that Jordie is good at but the are better at the role than Jordie and look to be attacking when the chance arises. And with Grimes the tagger du-jour, it's tough for him to get any role in the 22.

I love this feeling. This is the feeling that drives teams. I have recently dealt with it in my own team - you work hard, play better but can't pull it together for long enough to win the game. It's motivation like nothing else and while I am not predicting anything the 55 Inside 50s surprised me against a good midfield, I think another Adelaide-like performance is just around the corner.

He was a very good player. I hope Jack can have a similar career trajectory.

And the best part is - we don't need them to be leaders. And that's probably why they are thriving.

I remember that. It's hard not to notice the 6'4 blonde kid that reaches out for a tackle he was never going to get. Some fans have an unfortunate muscle reflex where they see Jack at a contest and train their eyes on what he could have done to affect the contest, rather than what the MFC players in the vicinity could have done. Watching him last night I was reminded again of TJ (and don't give me this 'TJ stood up in tough finals' - he played two quarters in a loss to Adelaide in the 'greatest final of all time' and dominated against Ess in another loss) as his skills and vision are just exquisite. If Roos turns us into the tough tackling, lock down, hard nosed team we look like becoming - do people think that someone of Watts' talents become more or less potent and important?

I think Roos does care. I think that's the point.

Well, I for many, would like him to stay. You don't shed good players if you want to be a good club. It is a shame he is carrying a toe injury, he is 6 weeks into learning a new position; the results are mixed but there is promise. I hope he can shake it off over the bye.

And make those new players earn it.