old55

Try this for starters - we tanked and Jimmy Stynes ordered it.

You couldn't handle the truth.

Dee-tox: generally poor summer of posting, needs to work much harder on the track

You might have met one or two and they stuck out like the proverbial - in my experience MFC supporters were almost universally in favour of our 2009 strategy.

She wrote "the fix" in the notorious article - she said we match-fixed and that Connolly and Schwab would be sacked. Interesting no mention of hard evidence in Clark's article.

If true then B.Scott, J.Hird, D.Hardwick and B.Sanderson will be getting nervous.

Yeah right, let's get him down there with Hogan, Barry, Kent and Stark and have him teach them his party tricks. It's pretty simple - DO NOT TOUCH.

Amazing that the evidence has't been leaked. Things seemed to go very quiet after Mc:Lardy's statement in early November

The speculations is premature until we see what "findings" the AFL have. If they got someone bleating that CC "threatened them with losing their job if we won" in an aside then we're probably looking good. Alternatively if they've got e-mails from key figures discussing tanking then we're in a bit of trouble, Caro is looking good and BBP's deal cutting is good idea. We'll have to wait and see.

Are you criticising people for criticising people?

Right, not enough guns - that's the problem. If those kids all had guns then the shooter would have been cut down in a hail of fire - in fact he probably wouldn't have tried it on in the first place. Every US child should be issued with a gun at birth, preferably semi-automatic because they might not be too good at aiming. There'd be a whole new market for semi-automatics that can be managed by toddlers - think of the job creation!

Still think since the op that Ben looks hotter than Scarlett.

Where's Hardnut when you need him?

Lot of mids there which is good for us.

You'll note I said regular finals. I'm strongly in favour of the experienced players we recruited and I'm strongly in favour of Neeld's list management strategy - some players have to go to make space. But we want to have our cake and eat it too as far as possible - retain quality players and add quality players - that's what I hope we've done.

We're trying to develop good players in a good team - if we let go a significant number of players who go on to fulfill this criterion then we've made errors. Yes, one or two can make it because they got a wake up call we were unable to give them or we got better value our of their direct replacement (Pedersen v Gysberts) or we made a single mistake out of a number of sound decisions. On the other hand if none of the players we let go make it, despite a large number of them getting a further chance (the premise of Fan's thread) then Neeld has shown excellent judgement. Yes if Moloney, Martin, Morton and Bennell go on to play regular finals for Brisbane and West Coast we made an error of judgement.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/champion-data-rankings-suggest-2013-afl-premiership-is-hawthorns-to-lose-west-coast-set-to-soar/story-e6frf3e3-1226536563832?from=public_rss&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed 1. Hawthorn (Defenders 2nd, Midfield 9th, Forwards 1st) 2. West Coast (Defenders 4th, Midfield 7th, Forwards 4th) 3. Sydney (Defenders 3rd, Midfield 2nd, Forwards 11th) 4. Fremantle (Defenders 10th, Midfield 5th, Forwards 3rd) 5. Collingwood (Defenders 5th, Midfield 1st, Forwards 14th) 6. Adelaide (Defenders 6th, Midfield 4th, Forwards 6th) 7. Geelong (Defenders 1st, Midfield 8th, Forwards 12th) 8. Essendon (Defenders 7th, Midfield 10th, Forwards 5th) 9. Carlton (Defenders 14th, Midfield 3rd, Forwards 2nd) 10. Richmond (Defenders 13th, Midfield 6th, Forwards 6th) 11. North Melbourne (Defenders 11th, Midfielders 11th, Forwards 9th) 12. St. Kilda (Defenders 8th, Midfield 13th, Forwards 13th) 13. Melbourne (Defenders 12th, Midfield 16th, Forwards 8th) 14. Brisbane (Defenders 9th, Midfield 14th, Forwards 15th) 15. Western Bulldogs (Defenders 17th, Midfield 15th, Forwards 10th) 16. Gold Coast (Defenders 15th, Midfield 17th, Forwards 16th) 17. Port Adelaide (Defenders 18th, Midfield 12th, Forwards 17th) 18. GWS (Defenders 16th, Midfield 18th, Forwards 18th) Our midfield 3rd worst with GC and GWS only behind us.

12 senior listed players left. 2 retired - Green and Bartram Jurrah is a special case and let's be generous and say that we wanted to keep Rivers. That leaves 8 players. Gysberts, Bate, Bennell, Morton, Petterd, Cook, Moloney and Martin. As I posted (and Fan posted) if 1 or 2 "make it" no big deal. Make it means be regular players in a finals team - I couldn't care less if Moloney wins the next 3 Brisbane B&Fs if they continue to finish in the bottom half of the ladder - see Fowler above. if a quarter or less make it then kudos to Neeld - if none of them make it then he's a genius. If more than a quarter of that 8 make it then there's cause for concern 2 aren't on any list and 3 are at bottom half clubs so that's a good start for Neeld.

I think Fan is making a very valid point - if a significant proprtion of the players that Neeld cut make it at a successful club then he's ditched talent that could be developed - it's that simple. There's always a risk that one or two will out of so many and that's not conclusive, but if a number do then that's cause for concern. On the other hand if they don't make a mark then kudos to him. That's simple logic to me. IMO the only "agenda" going on in this thread is anti-Fan agenda.

Richmond fans will say the same about Conca and Vlastuin. I agree with you that one star can raise the whole midfield up and that's what Cotchin does. If I'm even-handed (some +/- each way) I'll say: Jones = Deledio (quality not style) Sylvia = Martin Toumpas = Conca Viney = Vlastuin Grigg, Foley, Tuck and Jackson have to be matched by Grimes, Trengove, Howe and McKenzie Then yes I'll accept your premise that they're just Cotchin ahead, but that's still a long way.

Two ahead unless you rate Jones equal to either Cotchin or Deledio, and two ahead is the length of the Flemington straight.

Discovered Cotchin, fire and the colour blue - you've had a busy year!

I'm expecting them to improve next year.

Good to see Bennell and Petterd get an opportunity. WC were allegedly going to draft Bennell with the pick after we drafted him and Craig Cameron loved Petterd and tossed up between him and Frawley at 12 in that draft so there's a logical connection there. It'll be fascinating to see how they go.

It's a great point. I looked at Rohan Bail's promo tape when he was drafted and he was a beautiful kick in the QAFL. I was thinking about that when I watched Clisby's tape.