old55

Hang on a minute - speaking of monkeys - I think the penny might have dropped!

TGVITHODL

A million cynical monkeys and a million typewriters later ... You're going to spend Tom's $6M dining out on the fact that you called it early - I reckon you've only got about $31 left.

FFS, they've got back stock with Energy Watch on them and they're not going to sell them until they have a suitable replacement - how hard is that to understand. Have a look at this thread - they don't want more of this trouble: http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?/topic/29939-for-those-with-reach-jumpers/

The 1st sentence of the post was simply to point out that stevethemanjordan was talking crap in between insulting people. The 2nd part was my conjecture - that BP wouldn't have left if he was satisfied with his job, particularly when it's incomplete (see Scully picks) - there's a number of reasons with he may have been unsatisfied though. You'll note that the paragraph starts with "I don't think". Can I make it any clearer to you that I'm not presenting it as fact? When I'm presenting a fact I'll say some like "I know for a fact that BP didn't leave because Mark Neeld forced him out" but I didn't say that did I?

That's simply not true - he was opposition analyst for us before he became head recruiter, now he has gone back to that role with the Blues. I don't think BP would have left if was satisfied in his role - he had the Scully compo picks to use and I imagine he would have been keen to use them. Unlike others I don't blame him for picking Scully - he was the unanimous #1 pick for 2 years prior. But there's no telling what made him unsatisfied - one conclusion is that he didn't like the change of FD or they didn't like him, another is that there was discontent prior to the arrival of the new FD - it's ambitious to speculate without some concrete knowledge.

Yes please post updates as you hear them - I have 2 jumpers that need fixing. Jaded suggested I could get an iron-on patch from Spotlight or Lincraft but the jumper label says "100% Polyester - No Iron". The best solution would be a new BOJ sponsor patch that goes on like the numbers, that they can put on in the shop if you take your jumper in. A replacement jumper is too expensive for the club IMO and I'd rahther live with the pain.

As posted by someone wise - desperately searching for "Dislike this" button again

Well that's just not going to happen under the current plan - have a read of Mick Malthouse's assessment of the Collingwood game plan changes and think about Melbourne under Neeld in that context. I was disappointed to see Watts not even contest one particular marking opportunity along the boundary line. He needs to be a major marking presence there with the way we play.

I realise that the midfield is the problem but it's strange that McDonald trained all pre-season with the forwards and is playing back and Sellar all pre-season with the backs and is now a ruckman-forward. I don't actually have a problem with these roles for these players, in fact I though McDonald was really good back last year under Viney. I guess they realised that Martin and Clark aren't contested marking threats, Watts forward has been abandoned for now and McDonald is just not ready for that forward role so they've had to try Sellar there. A lot of plans have turned to ash. I think Moloney is a very big out against teams like Richmond.

I'd like to see a real reference for this and not just hearsay ...

He didn't pick himself at 13 - take it to the Craig Cameron thread or the player development thread.

Agree Hawkins was fantastic on Monday (and in last year's finals), he's really backed it up when there was early significant doubt he could attck the contest.

It's all about the midfield. Richmond has class but some of it is inexperienced. Jamar is going up against a plodder, not his master, this is the situation Moloney often thrives in. We're not without a chance if we can really get on top in the midfield. I hope we stick rigidly to the game plan for 120 minutes whatever happens.

According to Demonland Fitzy was a delist dud too until quite recently.

Rubbish article - as Choko says BP went after good ball using skills, endurance and contested ball winning skills - universally useful attributes. To make a case based on the narrow focus of Naitanui v Watts v Hurley and Shuey v Blease is ridiculous. I notice he quickly glossed over Strauss v Swift. What about Gysberts and Tapscott? There's a prevailing view that our recruiting is crap and that BP is a dud - this will be proven incorrect when sufficient time plays out for the players he selected. As Clint says - good players with a balance of attributes is what is required - if as many would like - we now go solely for one-paced endurance bulls we'll be sorry.

Very keen to hear from you exactly which GC midfielders are out of contract that we should target - there's Caddy and .... ????

Wellingham was BOG against us last QB when Swan and Thomas were out - do you really think that Gysberts, Blease, Strauss and Tapscott are superior players to Wellingham, Beams and Sidebottom - that's the level of pick you're so worried about "wasting". You're going to end up with another 18 yo.

Why would a decent mid move clubs? 1. Chance to play in a flag winning side 2. Big, big $$$$$s 3. give a 2nd stringer the chance to be the main man and get paid accordingly I don't think we're offering #1 in the medium term, Clark came for #2 and we must have some limitations in this area now. I think #3 is a possible attraction for us. Wellingham, Beams or Sidebottom might get squeezed out at Collingwood if they re-sign Cloke on big bucks. I can't see one of St.Kilda's guns like Dal Santo, Goddard or Montagna being faintly interested in joining MFC. I don't think we're going to be able to add a mature gun. I think we're going to have to build incrementally from within - develop our existing talent e.g. Jones, Trengove, Gysberts, Blease, - transfer suitable players from other areas e.g. Grimes, Watts, Howe, - maximise our draft opportunity, we're going to take Viney and should have a pick inside the top 5 in the "super-draft" - trade our mid first rounder for a 2nd stringer e.g. Wellingham, Beams or Sidebottom

My line is - 96pts, - 4 goals a quarter.

FMD - you couldn't make crazy [censored] like this up if you tried!

He needs to be able to mark in the forward line, that's integral to his role as "2nd ruck". He can't do it now but the encouraging thing is that he gets to the contest which is more than half the battle.

I've re-considered. We're going into the cauldron over there so we need to cook carefully. There's no better place for Moloney Green and Davey to show redemption, if we ditch them after R1 and only one chance, then there's probably no way back for them - ever. I think we need to show a little more "blind faith". Green and Davey may get a bit more space to operate in at Subi, I think it's crucifying Green to ask him to play medium forward with our kick-long strategy, the only possible way he can succeed there is marking on the lead, he needs to be played up in the midfield. I've taken out Blease and Green from the forward line, Watts needs to spend some more time forward in addition to the midfield role he played on the weekend. In: Sellar, Couch Out: Macdonald, Blease

You've completely missed the point.

That's a disgrace. How about talking to Mark first Grant? Thomas " After talking to Mark I withdrew my comments" so withdrawal makes it all OK, does it?