rpfc

Remember they are drafting 18 year olds. Chances are that they will be ready to go - if they are a tall - in three/four years at the 'Frawley' earliest and seven/eight at the 'Jamar' latest. Or not at all... What needs do we have in 5 years time? I guess that is why we pay a bloke to be list manager...

No he didn't - Davey did. Bruce won in 2008. It's really inconsequential. He wanted more than he deserved for the position the club is in. He saw the writing on the wall. We were honest, and told him what he didn't want to hear. And given the time it took maybe Nixon was trying to get a automatic extension clause in the contract - reach a certain amount of games and you automatically get another year. I don't like them and the club obviously felt that they didn't want to be painted into a corner. He left, and we make the best of an imperfect situation. If you're worried about onfield - we mave Morton. If you're worried about leadership - bring back Junior. If you're worried about the ramifications on the other players you are suffering from MFCSS. This stuff happens, they know this. Someone else happened recently that would have more of an effect on the group - the China trip.

A number of posters have said that if we knew this weeks ago Junior would have stuck around. If so, and we don't backflip - our retention strategy has been dictated by a former player who took too long and ask for too much. Maximize our list, bring him back.

Can those that think this situation: Is because we shafted our captain!! Means we can't entice and keep players at the club!! Doesn't bode well for negotiations with Scully, Grimes et al. ....please leave the talking up to the grown ups? Thanking you in advance A non-sufferer of MFCSS rpfc

I don't think so. My mind changes when the facts change. The facts have most definitely changed...

There is a place for him at the expense of a rookie spot. The kids need some leadership, and he was playing well enough. If Bailey says he doesn't think he is best 22 anymore then fine, if he thinks he can be then give him another.

The reson why we didn't give Junior another was because we were trying to maximize our list with the two vets. We now arenin the position where we have a vet spot open and I believe if they believe we lose leadership then bring back Junior. I'm with DC. Bring him back.

I will remind those complaiining about the "Bruce bashers" that we admire a great deal about Cameron. He is an elite runner. He has a great amount of class. He can play in any position on the field. He knows where to run on the field. He has an awful kicking style. Is that better? More holistic? It's all beside the point. We are here to win a flag. Where does Bruce sit in regard to that aim? In the stands with me, unfortunately. It is just the luck of the draw - a stalwart without time and age on his side. Yes, we can get near it in the next two years. But the club hasn't planned to win one in the next two years - they want a prolonged period of success when our (hard earned) talent gets going. I want a flag. And I don't care about sentiment, or delusions of grandeur (RF - Really? A flag chance next year? Raising expectations and corresponding disappointment is what we MFC supporters do I guess (I heard a lot of it leading up to the GF in 2000 - luckily I packed REM for the train ride home)). I think Cameron has been a great player for the Demons, but his time as one of our most important players is over.

DA was saying that Morton can adequately replace Bruce. I agree. But that isn't the point. He MFC is trying to win a flag and that tilt doesn't involve giving a 31 year old who won't play in a flag anything more than he deserves. And Morton will be a ute, and I doubt he will be played in a key position. We have those positions covered for the future anyway...

He serves a purpose. But not as great a one as his management has led him to believe. And his kicking is far worse than Scully and Grimes. Especially considering all he has concentrated on in the last 10 years is AFL footy it a shame you have tried to compare him to a 19 yr old and a 21 yr old. He has two years on the VL left if he wants it. He has to take it a year at a time and on money that reflects his importance to our flag tilt. If you have a problem with that mindset. Please justify it.

I know it is easy to draw up some hard and fast line for Bailey next year but... If you are talking about the court of public opinion then, yes, people will not be happy losing games we should win. However, if it is the FD/Schwab then they have to take into account other factors like injuries, 'footy sucks, sometimes' games, etc. If we are playing well in most games and continue to be competitive, and continue to blood our talent I can put up with a less than stellar 2011. I don't care about finishing 6th and bombing out in the first round, I want to win a flag.

This eems to be working again. Interesting to see people's expectations - 85% believe we will go into the Port game over there with Finals on the mind...

I think it's Frack Me Dead.

I won't, but others don't appreciate deviations. It's not cricket season yet so I zoned out for a few posts.

That is it. You lose credibility entirely with a post like this. I'm evil because I think you are overtly and unnecessarily negative?! From now on, until you show some sanity - I will not take the opinion of Sdemon53 seriously. Change your name, or your attitude.

I don't know who you are talking to and I don't really care. Past players can be insightful, they can an nuisance, and they can be ill informed - ie. they are just like the rest of us. But this one sentence is at odds with everything I have seen so far under Bailey and his lieutenants. Our forward line is functioning better than most on conversions per I50 entry and we have multiple avenues to goal despite having kids surrounding a forward-cum-winger-cum-forward. Our backline has been superb for two years now. Consistently dealing with more I50 entries than their repsective defenders down the other end of the ground. It remains the midfield where we fall down. We are still being beaten in the clearances, and we still have problems running defensively. Frankly, there are those jump on Mahoney very easily but find it difficult to criticise West. His line is the only one underperforming in my opinion. If we are to be as good as I think we can be in 2011 - two things will have to happen - our midfield will catch up with the rest of the team and we will have few injuries.

My sarcasm meter just exploded...

I remember the 'Davey saga' and never thought he was leaving. And what did he sign for? About $100k less a year than what Freo was offering. Contract dealings are contract dealings but Cameron has got to see that this isn't 5 years ago - he isn't an emeging superstar (thanks Brent...). He is ageing runner who will soon be a periphery player - he should sign for the money he is offered or leave to win a flag with a team who will probably offer less money than us.

I agree with Robbie F. This poster has one of the worst cases of MFCSS that I have seen. For any situation or happenstance - he/she inherently goes to the negative.

He should realise, or his manager should, that he was favoured by circumstances with his last contract and he was paid way above market. He should take a year on market or less than market and hope to snag a flag in his last year - 2012. Otherwise, I am in full favour of doing a Junior backflip, if it is within the rules.

Sure is! lol

Some classic illustrations of MFCSS in this thread.

Who can also ruck. Otherwise we will be sacrificing some run. I don't know if Thorp has the size for what we want.

You're getting us off-topic DC... And, I'm above emoticons... Supporters will think the jumper looks uneven but I think it will work.

As an aside - a few of my posts should have, what the kids call 'emoticons,' in them. But I don't use emoticons. I guess I should say something about the thread - I like the emblem on the jumper. It might look a bit strange at first but I'll get use to it.