old55

That's cry-baby [censored]. North were the best side that year, we couldn't beat them in the PF and we didn't deserve the flag, they should've won the GF and would've if they'd kicked straight - it would've been over by half time. We've NEVER deserved to win the flag since 1964, not in 1987, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2000 or 2002. We need to build the best list we can and be like Geelong and St.Kilda - legitimate favourites for once. I'm looking forward to it in 5 years.

Don't assume you know what I like! What's the "no" business. That's exactly what I was pointing out.

Ottens, Aker, Scott Thompson ...

Two errors in two pages, I'd be looking for a better source.

yep, there's 17 R1 picks in that list ...

1997

I think the merger debate was about existence of the Melbourne Football Club not about premierships. The passion there was for the club to continue to exist.

uh-oh "meaning of life" alert

Correct. Are Adelaide and West Coast more valid football clubs than St.Kilda and Western Bulldogs? They've won twice as many flags?

Western Bulldogs, St.Kilda? 1 flag each in a total of approximately 100 completed seasons. By your logic North Melbourne would be guaranteed and St.Kilda would be doomed.

Your "there's the door" position is as extreme as Hannibal's. Frankly for Hannibal and me if it was the case - that NO premiership was guaranteed - we'd be gone. That's no more or less valid that your motivation. The club has a constitution as explained by Bob which covers a broad range of aims. Each supporter subscribes to a substantial set of them or is misinformed and therefore misaligned. I'm not operating under the assumption that MFC's sole aim is to win flags, but I do believe it is a primary aim and it's my primary aim for supporting MFC. I love football and would follow it whether there was MFC or not. I know everyone doesn't agree with me. I support MFC to primarily to win the flag. But I don't assume that everyone does.

Indeed and Mother Theresa was essentially self-serving too. Reductionist arguments have their limitations.

There's tens: Pink Lady Day, players visiting sick kids in hospital, assisting player welfare after football ...

Bob is correct, the club exists to fulfill its members' varied aims. This member's aim in to win flags and if we couldn't win one I wouldn't follow the club. But I recognise others have different and legitimate aims. Maybe it's a pity that most of us are unable to change our allegiance based on which club might best fulfill our aims.

60% of 22 is 13. I think Hawthorn had 10 in last year's flag side (incl Croad) http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...4-19742,00.html I think we currently have 14 12 on the list (some won't make it) and hopefully 2 more to come this year: Jones, Watts, McLean, Bate, Frawley, Morton, Sylvia, Dunn, Grimes, Bell, Moloney (first round trade), Meesen (originally 1st rounder), Blease, Strauss. Made a correction - Blease & Strauss not 1st rounders Also maybe not fair to count both Moloney and Meesen

Strong candidate for worst OP ever - and against some super competition too.

So you'd rather see Carlton out of the 2009 finals than Tom Scully in a Melbourne jumper for 12 years. Your argument does not persuade me at all. I am much less motivated by causing another team's failure than by enhancing our team's long term success.

Yep we can all feel good about holding up the integrity of the competition while Worsfold and Glass are holding up the 2013 premiership cup.

I'm sticking fat with McLean. The ONLY reason he wont make it is because of injury.

I haven't written Juice off. Has been showing something for a considerable time now - good defensive efforts, his number one trick markling and he actually is a good kick. IMO the biggest thing he lacks is self-confidence, when he gets some self belief (like that patch in the 3rd) and makes the play he is a decent prospect. Jamar and Warnock would not be on our list if they were finally judged at Juice's age - big men can take time. I'm glad he's got another year with us - he has the attributes to fill the tall forward role we're lacking. I'm not confident he'll make it but there's some chance that's worth persevering with

I don't just want a better list than we have, I want to have the best list in the AFL. We haven't had that for 45 years. I don't want to win games and play finals, I want to win the flag. We haven't done that for 45 years. Three more tough weeks, that's it.

It's intriguing. WC are tanking for sure and accidently beat Hawthorn a few weeks back. But the dual incentive Freo have to lose - first WA pick (or Scully if we win 5) and to tip WC out of the PP may just be overwhelming. Then if as probable the picks went "MFC, Freo, MFC" it's possible WC could miss out on both WA preferences depending who we like. I was tipping Freo but now I'm not sure - may be the first nil-all derby.

Yes it is about Scully because if we finish 14th with 5 wins we'll get one player with high skill and potential, if we finish 15th with 4 wins we'll get one player with high skill and potential and Scully. It may also mean the the difference between pick 5 and pick 3 but that's splitting hairs, the difference is NO Scully.

No-one has said Scully = certain premiership and you do your argument a disservice by making this incorrect claim. I have said that no Scully = no premiership because we are severely disadvantaged and need to take every chance we have. There's a big difference between these predictions. We've got almost no chance of winning a flag, if we take every advantage and opportunity offered to us we may just pull off a miracle.

Added that one in - are there any others - I couldn't see any pre-97 but I may be missing something.