heartbeatstrue

Sadly true. And as well as all this, they seemed to lack energy. Where was the run? Are they unfit? Uninspired? Not interested? Why do they as a team seem to be all these things? Where was the gut running to create opportunities when the ball was being carried from defence?

One pretty significant indicator I think was sometime in the second half, Trengove jogging off to the bench after a Lions goal - he was stopped in his tracks by some signal from the bench, and expressed his bewilderment by holding both hands palm out to those giving the instructions as if to say "what the f***'s going on?" Then with an expression of annoyance he turned and ran to the centre for the bounce. It wasn't a good look from one of our captains. My interpretation was that Trenners was as mystified by what was going on with the Fat Controller & his henchmen on the bench as the rest of us, but who knows what was really happening out there?

Anyone? (if I write anything just now about what I watched today it's likely to be defamatory)

Great result. My dream leaders. Trengove has already shown real leadership on-field. And Grimes, exquisite skills - just stay uninjured!!! Great year ahead - can't wait.

Was in Belgrave Safeway again last night, and overheard the same guy telling another checkout chick that the Dees are cert's to get both Goddard and Brad Crouch, in a complex deal involving 5 other clubs including the Bombers who trade Heppel to GWS then get him back again in an on-trade that includes a solid guarantee that Sheedy stays in Sydney. Noticed he was stocking up on Oreos which are on special.

what happened to our old ones, did they just vanish?

And who stole my avatar??

Heard a rumour tonight from the guy 2 in front of me in the checkout queue at Belgrave Safeway, who told the checkout girl that he had heard from a cousin of an assistant coach at Melbourne that they were close to trading Brendon Goddard for Cale Morton and an early draft pick. Said it was "win-win" because the Saints have salary cap issues and Goddard sees his future at the Dees now the window's closed at St Kilda. What d'you reckon... ?

Find ourselves an interim coach for next year, having Mick signed and locked in for 2013. Mick could "advise" from the sidelines. But no Buckley-type arrangements where 2 coaches want/expect the one job. Heck, I'd do it for the year and happily give over to Mick. Seriously, benefit for someone like Todd would be an extra year's experience of coaching senior level, with the added bonus of being entrusted to begin developing Mick's plan. Eddie might even get p***ed off and cut Mick loose early

But could we afford to keep him supplied with gourmet sangers on match day??!

Maybe that's why Folau is there !!! Seriously, $cully's problem is he's a skinny kid and however much he bulks out in time, he's always going to be on the short side. He's 7 cm shorter than Judd. And currently 8 kg lighter. But Judd's much more developed in muscle strength, of course. The thing $cully's got going for him is he's had 2 years of coaching/teaching by Bailey as his first senior coach. DB will have put incredibly good grounding into TS and GWS can be very grateful for what DB & the MFC have done for young Tom's development. This is just my opinion from watching him these past 2 years, but while he's definitely got silky skills, he doesn't have the innate ability of Judd (or Greg Williams who was sublime) in reading the play yet to happen and positioning the ball perfectly for what unfolds in the split seconds after disposal. Experience will help TS get better, but if it's not innate it'll never develop into what makes an elite few those freakish wizards. As I said, just my opinion on what I've seen.

I'm appreciative of the support for Bailey here. He was $cully's first senior coach and a wonderful teaching coach at that, so he will have had tremendous influence on the rest of $cully's career. $cully & GWS can be very grateful for the grounding DB will have done with TS. I hold DB in high regard, both for his teaching and coaching for our young recruits, and for the gentleman he is (and a great sense of humour and humanity). Since Norm Smith, I think I would only rate Swoop Northey higher than DB. Maybe Bailey wasn't the coach for the next stage for MFC, I just didn't know or get to find out. But what he did do for us in his tenure will prove he was a wonderful servant of our club.

Carl Ditterich?

Ah, Diamond Jim Tilbrook. What did we pay for the guy? I once knew and remember it seemed an outrageous amount. Compared to $cully, it will be peanuts (in both now and then dollars, I suspect). He came as our "saviour". If we'd not had such high expectations as kids, he probably would have been an inspiring player. Massive kick I seem to remember, huge thighs and an amazing barrel chest. That's my recollections anyway. As it was, he disappointed. Just checked, 59 goals in 53 games. In 10 years time, we could have some fun comparing the cost per goal of Tilbrook to the same stat for $cully at GWS. Ha!

And is that why GWS went after Israel Folau and are paying him $1M/year, because he's "better" than any other player they could have gone after with that size pay cheque?? I suggest they went after $cully largely because he was a #1 draft pick, with potential undoubtedly but more importantly, like Folau, with a big profile that they can blow up even larger in their advertising. I differ with you that $cully is/was "better than any young player on our list". That's your (subjective) opinion, and I respect it as such. Mine is different. Yes he's got elite skills. Of course every #1 pick will have them. As will #2 and #3 and so on. Did you watch Nic Nat on Saturday? How good can $cully be? Far too early to tell. But for GWS, it's his marketability that earns him a fair whack of that $2M pay cheque in 2012, imo.

Agree with the positive sentiments in this thread too. I suspect with hindsight we'll realise what a great favour $cully has done us all. As exciting as his potential was, is he worth $2M in 2012? Twice what Judd gets? 400 grand more than Gary Ablett? A skinny kid with a degenerative knee who kicked 6 goals in 2 seasons for MFC? On our side, with hindsight was he the charcter we wanted to build MFC around? Someone since China who has been a disruptive influence for a whole forgettable year, who refused to show loyalty to those playing around him. Without him, we can aggressively trade with cash in hand and compensatory draft picks. On GWS side, they've done $6 mill of what is not an unlimited bucket, not on an experienced, tough, big-bodied champion to build a team around. The $cully deal may well be looked back on as committing GWS to long years in the wilderness, and expose the AFL's greed and deceit as not the way forward for the future health of our game. I am looking forward to 2012, and the announcement of our new coach and some new recruits like never before. But most of all, to a totally mentally strong and united playing group who deserve our passion and full support!

Ha! I'm lining up...

Lying there this morning thinking of the duplicity and deceit and greed of the AFL, how can supporters protest to the AFL by hitting them where it will hurt & be effective? Something to register our strong protest at the hurt they have caused to MFC all year since China, until the culmination yesterday in the painful reality when it finally showed its colours and put its hand up to grab $2 mill in the first year (obscene that the AFL has contrived such a possibility). It's not easy to think of ways, while still strongly supporting the Dees. Here's some thoughts - not even sure if they'd all work? What are the possibilities we can think of? - any AFL members relinquish and join MFC instead; - stop buying footy records (presumably AFL owns the franchise?); - bail from Foxtel (would this affect the AFL if enough bailed out?); - trash the GWS brand at every opportunity. Mind's numb, any good ideas? It just seems that the AFL can't give a stuff about supporters of clubs like MFC or even the Tige's, all they care about is power from expansion and $$$$ to the detriment of OUR game.

Well, let's just hope Jack Fitzpatrick's got integrity enough to stand against the treachery and greed he's been exposed to.

The positives include a group of players who have suffered through the instability $cully has caused them all year, yet have shown loyalty and commitment to MFC and each other. With the rat gone from the ranks, they should form an even closer and more motivated group of "teammates" (a term $cully won't get to experience - bet the rest at GWS will hate the little rich kid). We supporters can show the team how we appreciate loyalty, I'm really looking forward to 2012 now. MFC need to deal tough and get huge value from the compensation. Turn this into one big positive. Watched $cully on Footy Classified just now lying through his teeth, and his old man. It was cathartic watching the whole group of them heading off to western Sydney. Ha!

Why? I doubt it. What evidence have you seen? Ah, Trengove on the other hand has shown leadership ability in spades as you say, on-field where we've all seen it, and by his loyalty and commitment to MFC as examples to all around him (except those with $$$ in their eyes, it seems).

Number 12. He had one club and one number all through, as far as I'm aware. Started in 1987 (what a year) under Northey (great coach). Compared with champions like Viney, jerks like $cully simply don't rate in the history of our great club.

GWS CEO Dale Holmes: "We pass on our thoughts to the Melbourne Football Club." They can get stuffed. Last thing we need is their sympathy. I will hate them until the day they fold. Which with the list they're putting together may happen sooner than later. Hopefully they'll win six wooden spoons in a row.

Wonderful. I loved that side. Great tonic, thanks!

Agree the AFL has a lot to answer for in us losing our #1 draft pick after putting 2 years of hard training into the guy. Hypocrites, basically. It's not often I agree with Kennett's big mouth on football issues, but like he said the AFL is power (& $$$) hungry and making itself bigger than our game. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/hawthorn-president-jeff-kennett-slams-afl-dictator-andrew-demetriou/story-e6frf9jf-1226063320813 Time for the AFL to stand up for MFC in a situation like this. We'll see...