Damo

Bell is working through his form slump

Fun Boy Three "The Lunatics are taking over the Asylum".

In fact, i think things would have been worse had he played instead of PJ. But i've said that already in other posts...

OK. You are dogged.

I disagree. Its absolute bollocks that PJ, whom I really like, could have been a better bet in the back line than Carroll.

PJ isnt a defender. Hows that?

Players are always dropped for a reason Franky and I've never seen it written anywhere that a coach needs to explain every selection decision.

Thanks for that. Blind faith isnt enough for me.

Bell plays as a small defender so I'm not sure why you'd compare him to Carroll.

I compare him because Carroll can play football. And I disagree with your view of Bell. He does not always take a small defender.he takes a mid sized forward in my view.

I realise you will not let a criticism of Bailey slip through without a dig, good natured or not.

But the decisions the coach make dont sit as well with me as they do with you.

I believe the reason we won last week was because he allowed the players to trust their own judgement after half time and just play football. He was indignant at games end because his master plan was shown to be the sham I believe it is.

I believe he didnt want to win today and one way to ensure this was to cut Carroll. i wouldnt have been so peeved if Carroll didnt travel to Footy park and wasnt available.

I feel sorry for those members who went today and the self satisfied defense of our "tactics" in playing duds and trust in the mastermind coach get so far up my frock I fair dinkum dispair!

Bailey's doing the right thing for the club. We could have played Carroll, Holland, Whelan and Yze today and we might have possibly finished up losing by 50 points instead of by 76.

The coach did say well before the season began that our future was in our 23 and under age group. I say keep playing the side we had today (allowing for form and the inclusion of even more youth) and get the experience of games in their legs. We'll have our good days and we'll have our bad days with the latter strongly outweighing the former but it's the only way to go forward.

I absolutely disagree.

You put your best team on the park each week and Nathan Carroll should be one of the first picked.

What confidence does it give any footballer (or supporter)to see Carroll dropped for NO reason?

There is no communication from the club just speculation from trusting supporters.

To have Rivers injured yet again and to play Bell while dropping Carroll is bad coaching.

This total trust in bailey has hairs on it for mine.

Anybody know if the game is being covered on a radio station?

I thought he should have been picked up 2 years ago.

He is the player I watch when Ive been at Sandy.

I am no expert (lucky we have a few on this board) but Im tipping all those negative know it alls will be damning him with faint praise when he picks up 20+ possessions within in his first few games. Most will ask why has it taken so long.

While no Nathan Jones (and isnt it interesting that he gets a gig after Jones is tagged) I can see him not looking back if he is given a bit of a go in the middle.

Good luck Shane!

Two words. Matthew Scarlett.

I would have thought you would have been prepared to deal chook.

To get a marquee player you have to give a lot.

I would give it up for Franklin and maybe Pavlich, but if Judd can't command athe number 1 pick can anyone?

Good Question. I was thinking about this myself. I scorned those that said Judd could leave last year and ate my words.

But I think you have to look at players that genuinely are a chance of leaving their respective clubs therefore I would say Ablett, and Franklin are not on the market.

I would give number one pick (and plus)for Brown Chad Cornes or Pavlich. I think they are gettable as well. I dont think the doggies Griffin is available but i would give 1+ for him as well.

I would give a high first round for Glass Reiwoldt Simon Black, Rutten O'Keeke Minson(prob cant get him) or Fev. What about Hawks Hodge?they must be tight for salary cap..

I would give a second round pick for Haselby even though he is injured and we have one(brock). I just think he has a lot left in the tank at 25 and can be had. Ive watched his career and he hasnt had much of a go. Could be great.

If PJ is right, we gotta do the right thing by him and by the team, and pick him. That would be fair...

I dont think Jamar should be compared so closely with Johnson

This is like comparing Steve ODwyer with Jimma.

They are different players.

One is a crash and bash ruckman and the other is a tall skilled player who hasnt been great above his shoulders because he lacks the bang-bangs (a term used by a horse trainer to decribe Damien Olivers reluctance after a bad accident, to mix it with the up and coming jockeys who threw caution to the wind).

There is no way PJ would have attacked Frankenstein like Jamar.

At the same time Jamar would not be able to run and deliver the footy in a very acceptable manner.

PJ can and does. He can contest the ruck moderately as well.

I reckon it is maybe Jeff White who must keep pushing himself out of his comfort zone.

He did last weekend IMO. Others look at stats and say he didnt.

It will depend on the Crows lineup, playing the youngsters and matchups.

But if PJ and Jamar are both doing what was required to stay in the team, who says one of them must make way?

I think I've only ever left a game early twice in my life.

Dad kept telling me we're going to win, and I laughed at him. He was going to put money on us and I told him not to... oops

In the paper it reported that Before half time some bookies were offering 95 - 1. Then they stopped taking bets on Freo because it was such a sure thing. If true and you spoke to a bookie you may have asked for well over 200 to 1.

I think Wheatley has had a great couple of weeks.

I thought he was nearly the only one to hold his head up at half time.

Im not a fan because I think he has snuck under the radar that has targeted travis yze green and godders.

He has been ineffectual and compromising.

Im a fan of good skills and hard work and thats what he is showing. His long kicking to the wing was on display for the second week in a row..

I hope he keeps it up.

He has gone from lost hope to a maybe for mine. If he plays to my lost expectations this year it will be due to the coach.

Nuhh. Ive just read this crap.

Hes no good and wont make it.

Not far away. But who believes anything Dwayne says?

1 - Brent Moloney (great turnaround after quarter time, I was impressed)

Special mention to Warnock, Robertson, Garland, Green and Jamar/White for battling against Sandilands.

I think moloney has absolutely no place in the team. he got lucky late in the game. Iwould much prefer Yze forward or valenti onball.

I do agree with you on White. I thought we wouldnt have won without his first and second efforts.

I also saw Wheatley play the best game Ive seen from him.

It is a bitter pill we swallow holding our hands over the flame that is the Melbourne Football Club.

The candle flickers in its tatty glory for me. I wonder if when it spits and dies if I will be gutted or emancipated.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light..

You're right Mousey. Connolly is not obliged to say anything. But for the couple of k I pump into this club every year, I wouldn't care either.

This club needs to be stripped bare. Neitz is injured and will not return. Yze is finished. Green and Bruce are still required players. The same does not apply for White and Robertson. Get rid of them - we need to start fresh even if it means losing by 100+ points every week. Its what I was hoping for at the end of round 6.

RR - I probably misunderstood Connolly's meaning. It would still be nice to get a status report, despite already knowing the content.

I see improvement in Robbo working up the ground and we need White to accept change in his game. It is arguable if this can be achieved. But we are better with him until PJ can cope with 100 minutes in the ruck.

They are not great leaps forward but you do yourself no favours by proposing mayhem. The graduations in change that may be coming through are hard enough to bear without chopping all class players.

I am with you H.

I have not seen Aussie do enough for mine to suggest that he is more than a fringe player in a poor side.

Fai dinkum you two....

Whats the point of being a grumpy old man at any given opportunity?

I reckon some people would be confused either way.

Very diplomatic...

D'oh. I didn't actually read the article. I just assumed the OP had correctly interpreted it.

But not a bad question. i wonder if Griffen would be available for the number one pick?

It would certainly win over my six year old who has ominously told me he doesnt need a new footy jumper.

Interesting thoughts. Good post apart from my pet peeves about punctuation...

I think hunt is one of the best kicks in the game, awesome to watch, would love to have him at Melb. Hard, tough, massive who can move the ball quickly and hit a target. Oh what a dream for MFC....

I agree he is a great kicker in. Although this is one of our perennial faults Moloney should be just as good. I often compare them since their rivalry two years ago.

Hunts defense is much more professional and I hold out hope Brent has the capacity to employ more thought to his game. If he did, we would have a great successor to Wheels IMO.

But it is all F%6ing pipedreams. I used to argue Wheatley could be a great fullback in the Fletcher mold. But it just isnt as easy as it looks!

Nevertheless: Hunt is overrated.

Johnstone played as a virtual forward pocket. How many possessions did you think he was going to get ? I understand that you're trying to provide some balance amidst the current supporter frenzy, but Dunn is just another very average footballer who wears red and blue.

Many teams have average players that hit the high spots because of the class that they are surrounded by.

Would Steve Johnson and Josh Hunt be as lauded if they played without the skill and inspiration of their peers?

Look at west coast. Doing it a bit harder now.

Im sure the coach and players would find it easier to find a "Game Plan" that works if we had a Chad Cornes, Pavlich or Brent Harvey to put some froth on an average cup of coffee.

I find it interesting how many posters give up on our list and back our brand new coach.

It doesnt have to be mutually exclusive. We should back them both.

It is not easy. Im trying to back both our coach and players but its like playing two up when the fix is in.

If Bailey is fair dinkum Holland, Yze & Bate should come in this week.

We have to persevere with Bartram.

Bate does not look either fit or interested enough to get picked this week.

Valenti must come in. I think Holland should come in before Newton.

I'd have no problem giving Neitz the privilege of getting a send off game as he has epitomised the values you espouse.

I just dont see Yze in that same category. He might love the red and blue but he like some other players show it on their own terms and not the teams. He has been given an armchair ride at this Club without returning the favour and at best I'd be happy to drive him around the MCG for a lap of honour. I'd rather give games to oue future players rather than a player who for some years has cut corners on the delivery of his talent and has symbolised both the some of the strengths and many of the shortcomings of MFC football over the past 10 years.

Well put RR. You have galvanised my thoughts on this issue.

I have no doubt Ooze believes he gives his all for the club but like Robbo, when he runs out he does not put the teams goals in front of his personal ones. I believe Neitz does acheive this.

I will miss Adem Yze when he is gone, he is responsible for my son forever having the"lucky number" of 13.

If players are given responsibility to make the best decision when they have the ball we will be more likely to win games.

If you think trying to make players go against natural instincts at all costs is a positive you are incredibly naive.

I want to win games, I dont see any positives in creating a team where we delist 50% of our list as they arent cut from that cloth.

From what I read that is a conservative estimate by those that are grimly holding onto the masterplan.

What point is there in changing how players play in a team you are going to get rid of?

Im pragmatic, I want to see a win not a car crash.

This defend Bailey at all costs mentality is a disgrace. It is HIS gameplan that he has brought to the club from Port under the complete misjudgement that it is adaptable to any squad of players. It does not take into account the runners that Port have that we don't have, and the forward line we have that Port don't have. West Coast use a similar style, and that became successful because it had Judd/Kerr/Cousins and co to make it work. Have a look at how well its going without Judd and Cousins - and watch in the next few years as West Coast develop a better forward line to counter the fact that they have a worse midfield than they had in 04-05-06.

Thanks coaching selection committee, great job.

I dont listen to Stan Alves very much but his comments today were similar to the above. How long does it take to accept that we cant change so radically and expect to win?

Is it worth the players and supporters going through inexplicable bad football when the players are obviously under pressure to go against their first instincts in just delivering the ball to a teammate?

The new coach is not going to change and the players are not spuds.

If you believe that we have recruited wrongly and it is the players fault, how can you be so f&*%king smug we recruited the right coach?