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That's right. And there has been some who have adapted; Moloney, Bruce, and Green are handballing more and are hitting more targets than they were last year. Adapt to the game plan or go. Otherwise why have Bailey if he has to compromise how he wants the team to play?

I gotta tell you, I was being facetious. And yes, bragging rights... Uncles are Collingwood fans and a few friends Hawthorn... Huh, I guess I am shallow...

The midfield after half time was awful; smashed in the contested possies, tackles, and clearances. The team also had little dare and endeavour from the midfield after half time which meant we only had 39 Inside 50s for the game. Again, I defend them. That is not the fault of Miller, Bate, Jetta, Green, Petterd or whoever else is up there at the time.

Sure, I'll explain. After the first 45 mins, half our backline and all of our midfield tensed up after the Magpies won all the clearances and gave no run off half back. Davey provided that run and sparked us on many occasions, it fell down after that but that isn't his fault. He worked bloody hard and those in the MCC saw him come off knackered every time. Finally, their not cheap if you do something with them.

They didn't start well, but because we were getting it out of the middle. Our midfielders worked hard to get to position (something that Green and Bruce have been doing, unheralded by many, for years), and the ball movement was quick and smart with creative handballs through the guts. When McLean, Jones, Cheney, Bennell, and half the defenders tensed up, we lost our run which meant that Davey, Frawley, Bruce, and to a lesser extent Moloney were alone and outnumbered as the tried to run through the middle and it all broke down then. We only had 39 Inside 50s, one less than last week, which means we didn't bomb away into our fwd 50 but from half back after our midfield and defense tensed up. The players need to run more and trust their ability to run-and-carry like they did in the first term. 11 players under 22 will make poor decisions, we had as many clearances as the Kangas and broke even with C'Wood in the first half. You are implying that as soon as C'Wood started to tackle we lost our confidence, and that is true. We lost our confidence to keep doing what we were doing in the first quarter. But don't diminish the best quarter of footy I have seen from the Dees in years. And those kicks are not cheap if you do something with them. Ask any Hawthorn supporter about Hodge and his cheap kicks.

Agree with all of that. "Let the boys play! You let them play!" - Really crappy Disney movie. Bennell, Jetta, Cheney, Bate, Batram, Petterd, Frawley, Martin, Jones, Spencer and Morton all showed a bit today and they are all 22 (Martin) or younger (the rest). Add to that Watts, Strauss, Blease, McNamara, Grimes, Maric, Jurrah, Bail, Wonaeamirri, Garland, Dunn, Newton, Buckley, and Valenti - all of which are 22 or younger. I know they all won't make it but it does help me sleep easier.

Look, I have probably been over the top with the defense of this bloke but we have got bigger areas to worry about than having a go at a HFF trying to play FF in the worst team in the comp that can only get the pill inside fifty 40 times in the first round and 39 times in the second round. Win the contested possessions, tackles, and the Inside 50s and then complain about Bate.

We are the worst team in the competition. On that note, you have to take the positives out of the game, especially if they are positives for the future. Green, Bruce, Moloney, and Davey were very good today but they were alone in the last 75 mins today (the entire backline is excepted, they are great, amazing how things turn around - 2002-6 we could have used this backline). But those guys always give you something (although we are hard on all 4). The disappointment was in the disappearance of everyone else after qtr time. Smashed in contested possies, tackles, and Inside 50s. That's the midfield - Jones, Morton, McLean, and Batram didn't work hard enough to provide an option or provide run. But the positives were contained in the first qtr; Miller and Bate showed us that they can work very well as forwards if the ball is moved quickly and to their advantage. Best half I have seen Miller play. 64 - 39 Inside 50s?! Makes it really hard to win...

They tensed up when challenged, but kids do that. Would have got beaten by 100 had Davey not been as good as he was. Basically the link out of defence. Midfield was the time traveller, beaten easily in contested possie, tackles, and Inside 50s. McLean needs a bit of time considering he is coming off surgery but the kicking of Nathan Jones was awful, don't mind the getting caught with it if he's creating and running but the indiscriminate kicks have to be highlighted by Bailey in the debrief. Maric is underdone and will definitely be knackered by 3 qtr time. But let's see how he goes for Casey.

He was the only spark off the backline when the rest of the boys tensed up. It fell down after that, but it isn't the fault of Aaron Davey. He was our quarterback today and he was great all day. They are not cheap if you do something with them.

The plusses were Bate and Miller, especially first 45 mins. And Davey was BOG. Frawley was good again, as was Martin. Bruce and Green tried hard all day and Moloney seemed to be one of the few that was aware enough to know who to handpass it to. Exciting gameplan but murder when you give to someone under the pump. Jetta, Spencer, and Bartram should make way for the three best performers. Spencers' omission is contingent on Meesen playing well tomorrow. Johnson should ruck most of the game or go back to Casey and ruck most of the game. We are not helping our future by leaving him in the pocket. He needs to learn to ruck. That first quarter hopefully is a glimpse of things to come; it wasn't scrappy, it was clean and quick and good to watch.

And as his first act of President he should install a "This post was edited on..." statement on the bottom of posts. That's just cheating YM. Now say you're sorry...

I know who you stabbed... IMO Maric looks to be good enough to be an incredibly dynamic midfielder that looks to get forward. Bit like Ablett. Not saying he will be as good, but that he should look to get into the middle of the park in a few years. Miller Watts Davey PJ Bate Wonaeamirri Too early to tell with Jurrah and Jetta, and way to early to include Butcher or anyone from the 2009 draft.

Shallow? Didn't give him enough time to grow into a role and I was wrong. I'm not sure if any superficiality came into that mindset. It's happening again though, with a certain red-head and his ability to play deep forward... Hope I'm right on this one...

The Chinese have 5 year plans, doesn't mean they are not going to grow by 10% next year though. To me the "list management decisions, including developing a five year football plan" and the "develop(ing) and manage long-term TPP/player-payment strategies" means making sure that Bailey and Connolly make decisions on players with the long term health of the club at stake (ie. delete Wheatley before McNamara from the list) and the brilliant idea of front-loading contracts next year and the year after so we can have more wriggle room in 3 or 4 years time. This stuff always brings tension, though. But they all seem man enough to deal with it.

You are not seriously saying that "top" can relate to "worst," which is the only argument I can see you making here. Look, it's not a major issue. I just don't think it should be reasonable to turn a positive thread, discussing the deeds of Barassi, Smith, Stynes, and Flower, into a "what about the Top (worst) 5 of the modern era" vitriolic vent session. Start your own thread and post it. Makes it easier to avoid it.

How can such a positive thread disintegrate into this!? Worst 5 players? When your first thought is to inverse a positive question you have become, perhaps, irredeemably cynical and bitter. Barass not a Melbourne person? No-one has done more for footy and, yeah, he left, but he came back to the team of his father and his heart. Ask him about his desire to take his grandkids to the MCG to see the Demons and I would wager you would have a lump in your throat.

A stress fracture leave a person with a dull throbbing that doesn't hurt until after someone has finished playing on it. They take a long time to heal and it has to be remembered that the fracture is a weak spot on the bone that, depending on the bone, can easily turn into a messy fracture that is extremely difficult to mend.

I meant without an extra cost to the member. It is a dumb idea financially but would immediately take our membership to 45k overnight.

Here is a massive Bump. I am a self-loather, what can I say?

The way I look at it is; the AFL is the biggest game in Australia, it has a sh!tload of money and there are only 2 teams in a population of 11m (NSW and QLD). This is going to happen sooner or later, the economy is in the tank at the moment but if you have got money, and the AFL does, then this is a good time to spend it. Next Townsville, Darwin, Tasmania, then the pacific islands... OK, maybe those last two aren't going to happen...

I can understand your reluctance to be caught praising the completion of a job not done, however, sometimes I just feel that when good news comes there are those that begin the race to be the 'considered voice,' portraying themselves as the lonely light of reality in a room full of easily gratified fools. I think that is where people get annoyed.

Moloney will be one fired up ar$ehole on Saturday. They will be angry and he is always angry. Hope he can back up his fine performance against NM. And I reckon he can have more than 9 kicks out of 29 touches... Colonwood by 4 goals.

They're 'Out Of Contract' players. These OOC players still have to agree to a contract from GC17, and their original club can sign them up without sanction. Not sure what would happen if a club signed up all their players and didn't allow GC17 to negotiate with anyone... But there are going to be clubs that will not get stolen from. And any player can say 'No, I'm off to the PSD.' Where the first player will get picked up by GC17... But the second player is free to go to a place that isn't the Gold Coast.

Petterd grew up in Tassie and went to Qld when he was around 10 or 11. He was asked about going to GC17 and denied he felt a great desire to go back to the Gold Coast. BTW, Townsville is a 20 hour drive from the Gold Coast so if Jake wants to go home he might want to buy a comfortable car... And go to Wednesday training on Tuesday... Now, Mt Gravatt is close...