torpedo

Kruezer has had more hitouts than Wonaeamirri too, whats your point? Morton's current role is not to win contested possessions. It's possible he is even being somewhat protected by the coaches in this regard, Bailey said earlier in the year they would be cautious with him. Using stats to compare first players and their potential seems fairly pointless.

Agree. Stats are often misleading. He will have arrived at the elite level when he is regularly breaking games open off his own boot, he is yet to do that once this season. Until then he will simply be one of many quality, serviceable mids in the comp.

Sorry, I didnt realise you were allowed to question MCC members loyalty but nobody is allowed to questions yours, my mistake. My Grandad is getting on a bit and can only attend 2 or 3 games a year (similar position to many MCC members I'm sure), you think because of that he should have to give up his membership to some pipsqueak like you? And the basis for that is 'loyalty'?!?! Get stuffed.

You only went to 7 home games and 3 away games and even less in the following years and you are talking about loyalty? Good one. I only have a vague interest in cricket and am certainly not interested in watching a bunch of druggies make a big deal about 1/1000th of a second... I pay my $600 MCC membership and my $150 MFC membership and I'll use either when I please. You can bet your bottom dollar I'll be at EVERY MFC home game without fail though, unlike your 'loyal' self.

Didn't vote as I prefer a mixture. Sundays are pretty ideal for me however I am probably in the minority of supporters that live 10 minutes from the G and don't have kids to cart around all weekend so I support whatever day suits the majority and in turn benefits MFC the most. Friday night & Saturday arvo definetly have a better atmosphere and generally mean more people through the gates which is best for the MFC. I think all we can ask for is a good balance of each, which we are definetely not getting at the moment.

Exactly, Meesen should be taking serious steps forward next year when he's 23, as opposed to the following year or the year after that, when he is 24/25. Charman played close to every game that year and proved that he had a future as a No 1 ruckman and he was only 20. Ottens was AA when he was 21? I never mentioned grubbing games by the scruff of the neck, I am merely going on this 'showing something' basis everyone bangs on about. Leunberger and Kruezer have shown at least as much promise, arguably more than Jamar, Johnson and Meesen put together, and they are 3, 4 or 5 years younger than them. Body shape and growth patterns come into it for sure, when they are 20 or 21 or 22, if you are still clutching onto that one to justify hanging onto 24 or 25 year olds that are yet to prove their worth then I think thats a problem.

This line seems to be thrown around a lot, I do not see any basis for it though. Some quality ruckmen have taken until this age to really start dominating, featuring in AA sides and the like, however the norm seems to be that they were showing genuine signs of being best 22 ruckmen from a much younger age. The only exception seems to be Sandilands, he is also the only ruckmen even close to let alone taller than 210cms though, so he's hardly the norm. Charman, Ottens, Cox, White, etc were all either winning premierships or featuring in B&Fs or AAs in their early 20s. As for the younger bridge coming through now - Kruezer, Leunberger, McIntosh - all in their early 20s or younger. Quality ruckmen do not take until 24/25 to start showing something. Mediocre ones might, why would we want one of them though?

Article in today's Age on the NSW / ACT U18s: http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/youn...0444439215.html Doesn't mention Teddy Strudwick however lists him as our only NSW Scholarship player, as opposed to other clubs who have up to 4, a couple of famous footy names in there too. He is listed as being part of the NSW / ACT U18s squad: http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cg...sectionID=54973 Good to hear they got through to the Div 1 playoffs, hopefully some reports on him become available after those games.

Slightly off-topic but I bought a suit from Peter Stevens last year and they told me I got a free Western Bulldogs membership with it. I told them I did not want it and did not fill in any forms. However I did pay on credit card and low and behold 2 weeks later I get a Western Bulldogs associate membership in the mail, did not get me into any games but I am assuming it counted towards membership numbers. After ringing up both Peter Stevens and the Doggies membership department and hurling abuse I was told my membership had been cancelled. I stopped receiving promo material (I had already received 2 mailouts in the post by this time) but never actually received anything in writing saying my membership had been cancelled so no doubt my completely unrelated suit purchase counted as 1 more Doggies membership for the 2007 figures even they I made a point of not wanting it. Very frustrating. Maybe in 2009 MFC could consider something dodgy like this to inflate the numbers!

Ah, cheers... missed the bit about setting the region to Victoria

Can anyone confirm if this is televised on the ABC? The Age website has a listing for VFL on the ABC from 1pm - 4pm but doesnt say which game (and I thought they generally only televised TEAC Oval games which would be 2pm - 5pm), the ABC website has unrelated shows listed all arvo and I couldnt find anything mentioing telecasts anywhere on the VFL website. Ive emailed the ABC and got an automated response saying I would get a reply in up to 4 weeks <_< Preferrably Ill head down to TEAC but if something pops up it would be nice to know if the TV options there or not.

As I said quality KPP are rare, small > medium build kids less so. I agree that the committment expected of all players is the same but if a team had a potential J.Brown or N.Riewoldt in the wings then they'd probably be a little more tolerant of any indiscretions as these types of players dont come around too often, currently Sylvia hasnt shown anything that dozens of others havent already. Either way I hope he has an injury free 2008 and turns it on because I think he could be a very valuable contributor down forward.

Hanging onto a gifted 6'6 CHF pisshead I can understand, that sort of potential is rare, but small > medium build kids whose success revolves around fitness is a whole different kettle of fish... plenty of more willing players available.

Let me first say that I dont think labelling newish senior players, whether they be first year or third year, as 'stand outs' is neither fair nor realistic. Unless they're already established in the best 22 anything positive should be viewed as a bonus. My big improvers for 2008: Moloney - if fate took a different course may well have a premiership medal around his neck. As much as I love the mongrels, Beamer has more natural football ability than McLean and Jonesy put together. Green - the biggest on-field leader after Neita. Whilst I understand the desire to play him forward IMO he is best used where our biggest weakness lies, the back half, leave him on a flank to direct the traffic and bring the backline together, whilst leaving the likes of young Rivers and Bell to play their own game. Bate - athleticism, sticky hands & penetrating kick = future CHF. Smokies: P.Johnson or B.Miller - CHB? Im not holding my breath but given their body size if either player could work in this position it would be a god send. Bailey, M.Williams, SuperDevelopmentCoach or otherwise IMO they've proven unworthy of any other KPP roles. Lets not get ahead of ourselves: Frawley - hes 19 ffs. Enjoy watching him develop but if it takes another 1-2 years so be it, kids this size take time. Any 2007 draftees - an AFL players worth is proven by what they do in the AFL. Lets see what they do @ Sandy then consider their AFL potential, until then its all just speculation, the Mooroolbark Under 17s doesnt mean squat.

Interesting comparison given the problems with both players are 100% alcohol related. My mail is that such issues meant that TJ was always gonna go, pick 16, 17 or otherwise. Whilst Cols injuries have caused problems I dont think thats the half of it. He seems to be heading down a similar path to TJ, as an unproven top 3 pick it seems fair that the MFC is willing to persist but I agree that this year should be make or break. Personally I prefer him in the mould of Brad Johnson-esque leading small forward. At 22 breaking into the midfield after all this time seems an unusual transition, whether he was intended to be a mid or not I think his time has passed to make his mark in such a role, he will either use his natural ability to excel in the forward half or his time is up. Lets hope its the former.