rpfc

Guys, he will get his games. He has a contract in 2010. They are just making him earn his games. He will get his chance, will he take it? Stay tuned. Next on Footy Classified: Good Call, Bad Call... Don't know where that came from... Disturbing.

OH, SNAP!! Game over, Freak. Done. Finito. No mas!

Moloney, Jones, and McLean might not be able to all play together but I would prefer they kick the ball to the forward line better and see where that takes us. Jones needs to lower his eyes like Moloney has done, Brent needs to stop handing it off when he has space to kick it himself, and Brock needs to run more and get the pill forward of centre (he has 28 Inside 50s to Jones' 43 and Moloney's 41).

Best. Post. Ever. Or at least this year.... Come on people, buck up and stop pissing into the wind. You're embarrassing yourselves.

According to my sources (a mate), he was 'involved' not a month ago.

Garland and Martin to the forwardline? There is another thread where people want to trade Rivers because our backline has Martin and Garland... I hope people aren't arguing for both, is all I'm saying...

I reckon, all things considered, we could win 12 games next year. As for those three, I really hope they can, and I think they are all 150-200 game players but I have been wrong before. Garland is out this year after 1 breakout season, Frawley is going through his 1 breakout season, and Martin is a basketballer-cum-footballer. There is a lot of promise there but it would be a risk to remove Rivers from our list and rely on these three.

Wellmans' boys see a lot more footy than Mahoneys'. (Not sure about the apostrophe...)

They will when we are a better team and able to pressure the ball carrier. Value rise for Mr Rivers...

They don't think like Rivers does. Remember how valuable Bizzell was when we were decent, I believe his value will rise immeasurably when we are a better team. And don't tell me that he might not be a part of that better team, he is a member of the only consistently good aspect of our team - the backline.

I hear Miller is back this week and Rivers is a very good player. So nah, we won't add them. Very sobering those numbers, we are very inexperienced.

Good stuff, Dandeeman. Most fans believe our forward line is the reason our midfield is poor; they have no-one to kick to. But they are too forgiving of Moloney, Sylvia, and Jones and their distribution into the forward line - they have 126 Inside 50s between them and only 26 assists. Davey, because of his precise kicking skills, and Bate, because of his footy smarts and ability to put the ball in the right areas, have 67 Inside 50s and 31 assists. McLean doesn't have 30 Inside 50s - that tells me that he isn't getting on the end of enough handballs in the middle. He is not running hard enough. He isn't quick, but that does not allow selfish running. He is coming from a short pre-season and his inside work has been Sewell like of late, so he gets a repreive but he needs to do more. Moloney and Sylvia are great kicks and Jones is adequate, but they need to kick it to the right side of the forwards and not on top of their heads. Otherwise, good luck Jack, Liam, Russell, Michael, Brad, Neville, Austin, or anyone else that wants to kick some goals...

Why mention a midfielder like McDonald? I sincerely hope you would want your key forwards to be bigger and stronger than your midfielders... If he wants Miller's position, he should copy Miller's physique. He has had 4 or 5 pre-seasons to get his body ready and hasn't done the work.

He has a contract for next year so he will get his chances. He may get a few games toward the end of the year but the one thing that I want to see is him make a statement with his body. I want to see him in February with a cut physique, something that he does not have. From this I question his commitment to getting the best out of himself. Bate is bigger than him in the chest and arms and he spent his first few years in the midfield. It's an indictment really.

I agree to an extent: McLean needs to deliver the ball better, and he is part of why we are losing games. The midfield is constantly being beaten; out-run (losing the Inside 50 count) and out-competed (losing contested possesions). Moloney, Jones, and McLean butcher the ball. I love the way these three go about their footy but they can get all the clearances in the world, but if they con't get it into another MFC player's hands, it is worthless. Mike Sheahan had a bit of a blunt hatchet in today's Hun but the premise is right - our midfield is our problem, not according to popular opinion on this board, the forward line. I think Grimes should be put in the guts, and all of the following should be told their position is under threat if they continue to not value their disposal (as surely Valenti, McKenzie, Petterd, and Dunn would like a run in the guts): Junior, Jones, McLean, and Moloney.

Look, I wanted to get something for Green in last year's trade week. The club didn't. We move on and I am glad to have Green in the red and the blue. Bruce is past the point where he could be traded. He is contracted for 2010 and it may be dificult for him to get another contract but he ain't going enywhere until then. So I say, move on, stop the nonsense about 'retiring' Bruce and enjoy the 20km he runs every week. If Morton, Maric, Grimes, McLean, Jones, Blease, Strauss, and Bennell learn his gut running we will be thankful to Cameron Bruce for a decade to come. (BTW, getting annoyed with his helicopter kicking and outside play is ridiculous as he has always been that way)

THIS is how you average 10 posts a day... Jeez, HT. Come on. Sylvia in the Leadership group?! WTF?!

You really need to read the first line of that quote of mine. Jones, Moloney, McLean, and the rest of the midfield need to work on kicking the ball to the right side of contests, this can be rectified in training, and certainly over the summer. It is interesting to look at who are the most effective at kicks into the forward 50: Jones has 43 Inside 50s and 8 assists. Sylvia has 42 and 11. Moloney has 41 and 7. Bate has 36 and 16. Davey has 31 and 15. McLean has 28 and 8. So while McLean's ratio, in turning thrusts forward into scores, is not as good as Davey or Bate (add to that his 14 goals and it shows him in a much better light than popular opinion) it is still better than Jones and Moloney. Needless to say, all three have to deliver the ball better.

Making a decision in Sept/Oct will bring the distraction of endless speculation. High Tower wants a decision early in the year, but what if the decision is to move on. Bailey does the hard work, puts up with our crap and leaves a much better list than the one he took over? Footy doesn't care about fairness, but I don't three years is long enough to garauntee a cull, rebuild, and drastic improvement. I think 12 wins is possible, but equally 6 wins is possible, how many wins, and to what stage, has Bailey earnt another contract? My personal view is that he should get a year extension at the end of this year. Giving him two years to show that the last two years of rebuild were worth the pain.

I am much less concerned with Bate and McLean than the rest of you. McLean must improve his delivery to the forwards but his output has been fantastic in the last three games: averaging 12 kicks, 12 handballs, 4 tackles, 7 clearances, 3 Inside 50s, and 10 contested possesions in that time. Bate over the past month has also been very good: averaging 17 disposals, 7 marks (2 contested), 2 goals, 7 contested possesions, and 5 Inside 50s. They both have had quiet patches this year - Bate recalled his to ABC radio after Monday's game, denying to Parkin that he has had a good 2009, describing his year as "up and down." These two are quickly turning their 2009 into a positive year if they continue their recent form.

Except one of those kids is fearless, selfless, and is a leader of men. Oh, and he just cleaned up the best kid... I think even he forgets this sometimes, we all know we do - Brad Miller can play good footy. Besides being a forward in our team is not easy; the mids don't get it down there enough and don't deliver it well.

I don't like it. The players will have FA soon. That's as much change as we can handle at the minute.

I just hope that everyone understands (who agrees that '4 or less' is the way to go) that Bailey will have won at most 7 games from 44 attempts, and will enter the last year of his contract. As patience is already leaking away, I hope that everyone here who is hoping for the '7 from 44' realise that you can't just lose 54 games from 66 attempts and suddenly become world beaters (putting aside the fact that I have already predicted 12 wins in 2010). What will earn him another contract? When will it be renewed (end of 2009, midseason 2010, end of 2010)? Questions to ponder...

I am with Hannabal, I have no idea whether Bailey can coach. Our best players are toddlers. Add to that the fact that our midfield can be selfish (with their run) and stupid (with their delivery) and you have the worst team in the AFL.

This was mentioned on D'Ology and I think it has some credibility as a thought: With all of Essendon's indigenous boys, the Dees could make it a special night by recalling Bennell and Jetta, and giving Jurrah his debut. I understand the desire not to 'give' games to players but I believe all three could claim to improve the selected side (not that difficult after Monday I guess). We could use some speed across the middle - Bennell, and some speed up forward - Jurrah and Jetta. Jones, PJ, Maric, and Bell out for the three boys and Miller. Let's showcase some young talent on Friday Night Football...