rpfc

I didn't count Blease, Jurrah, Strauss, or any of the 'yet to be' additions. Miller, Bate, Green, Wonna, Petterd, Maric, Davey and Watts can provide a score that can be defended. Add to that (possibly or possibly not for various reasons) Sylvia, Robertson, Newton, and PJ, and you have a team capable of kicking 15 goals a game.

How is that helping? Behave.

I wouldn't rush Frawley back, and certainly not Rivers, but Green looks to be definitely in. IN - Green OUT - Dunn Push Petterd into where Dunn was playing, and Green into a FP (probably where he will play the rest of his career) Really hope Green hasn't suffered from the 'car-crash'; some players just can't go as hard as they used to when coming back from a big hit like that. And if we win this week you can say goodbye to that PP...

We'll see you next time someone alludes to the previous board. And no, that is not an invitation for anyone to bait HSOG into another wall of text. Talk about the footy, Green is back! Happy times.

Where's the optimism? I don't think its blind... In fact, I think it is 20/20 optimism. Built from the backline, we could be in the top half of sides next year.

Playing alongside Miller will give him an insight how to get the best out of himself in that regard.

I was looking through the ages of our more consistent players and they are quickly getting to their 'prime' age and I reckon that, far from being a development year next year, we can make the finals next year. With Moloney, Miller, Davey, Warnock, PJ, Rivers, McLean, and Martin all 23-26 at the start of the season, it gives a great base as they are all in important roles where leadership and consistency is required (Everyone can have their opinions of whether Sylvia, Jamar, Meesen, and Bell will add to this - as they also fit into this age group). Adding Bruce and Green adds an elite runner (with not such an elite kick) and a consistent forward flanker in their twilight years (I just can't say wether Junior, Whelan, Wheatley, or Robbo will continue, again, everyone has their opinion). Some kids you just know, and some kids take time, and some kids just don't make it. I will put my hard earned on Garland, Jones, Bate, Batram, Petterd, Frawley, Wonaeamirri, Grimes, Cheney, Spencer, Morton, Maric, Bennell, and Watts to have something to offer in the calendar year 2010. I guess it is a question of whether this team, almost a year from now, would believe they are in the best 8 teams in the league: FB Cheney Warnock Rivers HB Frawley Garland Bruce C Morton Jones Davey HF Watts Miller Petterd FF Bate Green Wonaeamirri R Johnson, McLean, Moloney I Martin Grimes Batram Jamar E Spencer Maric Bennell (Underlined are those that should be, or are, playing consistent football due to their age and amount of time in the system) Very capable of winning 12 games next year...

Bruce will not get dropped. He would have to be in the top 5 in the Bluey at the moment. I am much less enthused about our midfield than many others - they were absolutely smashed in the clearances in the second half and I believe the Dogs kicked approx. 8 goals directly from clearances in the game. When we were smashed by PA, I think the number was 3 or 4. Moloney is having a great year, Jones a better year than 2008, and McLean is steadily getting better but they must rectify this or risk their place in the team long term. Because they suddenly can't become outside mids - Morton and Davey are simply better, and quicker, than they are.

His ridiculous assertion that Richmond could threaten the 8 gives away his bias. He is a Richmond supporter.

That's all well and good, but Moloney, Davey, Miller, PJ, Warnock, Rivers, and Jamar are all older than Bell. So unless they are all marking time, I don't think Bell's age is a great restriction to him playing. I think his general lack of awareness in traffic will be. Doesn't mean I don't think he should get a game, this year should, aswell as blooding youth, should be about giving enough chances to those who are staring down the barrell. I guess that group would entail - Bell, Dunn, McNamara, Valenti, Sylvia, PJ, and Jamar. And also to see if Whelan, Robertson, McDonald, and Wheatley can give anything substantive in 2010.

I would put the acid on our mids, not PJ. He has been out of form this year but his last two weeks are a step in the right direction. Our mids got smashed in the centre, wether PJ tapped it or not. My persoanl view is that they were too conscious of 'their' man getting rather than moving to get the pill themselves. And when you are reactive like that a quick handball to a running player will kill you - something the Dogs are excellent at.

This is head-banging-on-the-keyboard worthy... No-one will move HSOG, and HSOG will not move those who believe he-who-has-no-name (Jimmy). Give up everyone and talk about the footy. How good was Bate? Very impressive kicking display. And harassed more than usual.

They sponsor the G, not the Dogs. Ended last year.

Abso-effing-lutely, so bloody frustrating posting the same thing every three weeks.

Everyone (mostly) has argued well, it's time to move on. Opinions won't change from here. I mean, we are no longer awful at playing football, surely we should be talking about that. We're a bit awful, but much less awful than before...

Just why is Sunday at 4.40 such a bad time for everyone? These games have to be played sometime, and we will have 9 a week in 2012. The slots are Friday night, Sat afternoon x2 (FTA and Fox), Sat night x2 (FTA and Fox), Sunday 1pm (Fox), Sunday 2pm (FTA), and Sunday twilight (Fox). That is 8 slots where all games get coverage. With Thursday night or Monday night to get the 9th game. And don't say you should have footy on Thursday through to Monday to avoid the twilight game... Talk about over-exposure, the game will be on 5 nights a week! People will change their habits, whatever they are, on a Sunday and get used to the twilight game. People got used to Friday night games... So buck up and go, and stop whinging.

No wrath, RK. I've posted this before - we will finish where we finish, and we will get what we get. The rest is prediction, desire, and fear.

You're right. I feel like I'm in the twilight zone... No-one wanting to drop a bloke who kicked 4 straight and provided a target all day long, getting two contested grabs? They're crazy. Bate's best game since the PA game. Still has plenty of deficiencies but did some very good things.

For a "storm in a tea-cup" this would be the quickest thread to 100 posts that I can recall. HSOG is right to point out the previous board would be the very opposite of what is rife around footy clubs - encapasulated in the Hun front page story of the "Prahran stripper". Jimmy should have referenced footy culture in general, rather than single out the MFC when he arrived. The 700 odd players are a reflection of the greater society, and a club will soon get another "phone call." That isn't a slight on any club or its players, it is just the disappointing way of things. And Coglin has a right to be "incandescent with rage" over the direct reference to the club when Jimmy arrived but where he loses me is the point where, instead of hashing it out with Stynes, he contacts the Hun. And for what purpose? The defense of an extinct board. I just don't think that is a good enough reason to go to the papers and put a torch on the club. There's a lesson boys and girls, you shouldn't make phone calls when you're angry...

What a hypocrite?! Batram made some awful mistakes, but he's 21, and mistakes were made by Maric, Grimes, Morton, Petterd, Valenti, Martin, (seeing a pattern here). Kids make mistakes.

I know how you feel, and I was as disappointed as anyone when we lost yesterday. But Hannabal was right when he posted it was the perfect result. It is just the way the rules mould our actions; I believe we are a 5 and 17 team or a 4 and 18 team. The consequences of winning five games as opposed to four hurt more than losing close ones to top eight teams. Only 14 more weeks to put up with it...

I'm guessing you are either a 15 year old supporter of another team, or you weren't at the game yesterday...or both. Some ppl need to be more realistic about what they want a 20 year old to do in 3 games...

Take a breath, mate. And yes, I will listen to the club before I take the word of some poster on 'Land who is only going on Moloney clutching his hamstring. Bateman 'did' his hamstring last year, according to commentators, and came back on 15 mins later because it was cramp...

He's been badly out of form since the PA game but I suggest you look at the replay. That was the best 16 posession game he has played.

Our kids made more mistakes than the umpires yesterday. But you just have to laugh, I won't be laughing in two years time but I enjoy being witness to the formative years/games of Morton, Maric, Grimes etc.