jabberwocky

Correct, nowhere is the article does it assert that Ablett is a better player. That's crazytalk. Ablett is an out and out champ. It's about "fit".

Yes but Burke is looking at it from a developmental pov. I agree with him that long term Jones would have been a better captain of GCS. Edit: add "In hindsight"

It all makes sense for a football club in GCS position bar one factor, marketing.

I don't think there is any doubt that Clark had/has some mental illness issues and that is a no go zone. Interesting to note that had he stayed at the dees he would have played in a solid win rather than a significant loss. There should be enough sledgey material without having to get into the mental illness stuff. Footy is a fickle game, wouldn't it be nice to past the cats over the next couple of years.

Ring Foxtel, tell them you are cancelling your subscription. You won't be talked out of it. Tell them it is too expensive for what you receive. You will be put through to a person who is designed to keep your business at all costs. Watch the magic happen.

Well articulated, he is a kind of barometer for objective thinking.

People are too quick to be black and white, to brand something a success or failure and ignore the space in between. In terms of Watts' game last night it was very, very good, and like Melbourne's season, it would be nice to look back at the end of 2015 and be satisfied with what we saw. What i liked about Watts' game was that I felt as if a corner has been turned. The work rate was consistent and he was aware of his role. It felt sustainable.

Curious. Roos coaches a winning game and "One swallow doesn't make a summer " Watts plays a good game and "Jack Watts took another step in proving his doubters wrong" As Nasher has stated in a previous post objectivity is a rare thing amongst footy followers. Your loyalty to the Bailey era due to your personal involvement during that time colours most things you type in this forum. It used to annoy me, now I find it humorous.

Increment 1 last year was about getting the defensive side sorted and was largely successful. This season we are clearly concentrating on getting the balance right going the other way. It's not surprising that many didn't recognise what was going on at the Melbourne Football Club. It was coaching being done properly.

In 20 years time there will be threads about the "Golden Era" of footy on the 2010s when Ablett, Franklin and Dangerfield roamed the turf. Bookmark it.

Leave the game alone.

Standing by for the hard luck story of how this stuff came to be in their system. A Got the "supplement" from a mate who said it was all above board B Fell on to a bed of syringes at the GP C My cocaine must have been spiked

No point going there, but yes, star to be methinks

I think by the time a player hits AFL level the horse has bolted when it comes to using the opposite foot. Having been involved in coaching at junior level for a number of years I still try to push the whole two sided argument, without making the kids who just can't get it feel like crap. It will still make a good player better.

Paul Johnson

It's a sledge against the filthy Demonland plebs.

Confidence in the plan and a plan that is about confidence. There is no doubt that is what Roos wants. Strategy and confidence aren't mutually exclusive. I still believe that our inability to take contested marks is still a barrier in going forward with conviction.

I am not going through the whole thread but I have mulled over the NAB results to try and rationalise it all. Much has been made of strategy, it's clear that when we are in control of the game the strategy looks sound, save for forward thrusts that still look like dogs breakfasts at times. There were a lot of Essendon players playing for thier careers and for three quarters they threw themselves at the footy and player. Similar to the game against the Bulldogs last week, when the pressure intensified and we lost control of the game we could not wrestle it back. Having a look at our best players through the competition they are either new recruits, or experienced soldiers, the middle bracket is almost completely missing. The team still bears the scars of being losers for too many years. Those 3 plus year players save for a few are still the issue here. They are the ones who go into their shells, lose their composure and deviate from the plans. Obviously there are a number of strategical issues that need to considered, but for mine the problems are still largely upstairs. We still need to try and figure out a way to make losers play like winners.

It's all been covered but it was clear to to see that the mental scars still exist among players that have been at the club for any length of time. If we don't fix this we fix nothing.

I am lead to believe that such an activity is traditionally shared between friends. It is quite likely that Barrett has never had the opportunity.

In terms of pushing the envelope to protect it's own interests the AFL's shifting integrirty levels are on par with most organisations.

Can't wait to see Heretier hit the G with the dees. Reckon he's gonna light up the joint.

Interesting that it was all quiet whilst he was at the Magpies, but rears it's head at the start of a new season with a new club on the footy show . Eddie?...

There are always going to be elements of risks on both sides of the deal with any signing. The kid is happy at the Dees, we are happy with him. A bloke like Salem re-signing is a good thing. The other option is that we don't re-sign anyone for fear of things going wrong.

I think OD that this is the area where we will make the most progress. I think we will finish the season without a bonafide star but with more players that are of AFL standard.