iv'a worn smith

Sheahan, Buckley and Shaw talking about the same topic on 3AW just now. Some more interesting stats. Collingwood fielded a younger side than we did on Monday. 11 of our players, played in our last semi-final loss to Fremantle. As Buckley said-and I reckon he would know just a little bit about the caper - if you keep putting down dismal losses to youth, then in the end all you do is give your young blokes excuses for losing. The very fabric of our club is where the problem is and it needs addressing quickly. Sheahan was right to pose the questions he did in his article and the stats demand answers. I am sick to death of hearing about what might be, with 2 more top drafts, in 2010. I just want to see some steel in the MFC and I don't think as a supporter, that is too much to ask. BTW, Mike Sheahan has a MFC Membership.

A well reasoned argument. I only hope you are right. It is just that I would like to see a bit more "grunt" I suppose. I don't think the seniors supported Jack too well, when he copped his first crunch on Monday. Anyway, onward and upward as they say.

Agreed, but is the collateral damage we suffer, in terms of playing "culture", going to be worth it? How many backward steps do we have to take, before there are discernible steps forward. Gun draft picks will not fix a deflated culture. We lack even in the basics, despite improved performances in some cases.

Like I said in my previous post, maybe I'm dumb, but I don't see a game plan, or at least one that is commensurate with the skill set we currently possess.

And game plan?

All the points made above are valid. However, I have said it before and I will say it again. One thing more contagious than confidence, is a lack of it. Sure, I want the top draft picks and yes, kids are our future.....there is no question about that. But as the year goes on, young bodies will grow weary and we can expect more beltings like the one we got on Monday. If kids are the future, then let's play them. Give Grimes a free commission to roam off the half back line and forward. Let's see if he can break the lines. Let's have a look at Jurrah and Strauss and see if they can display some innate sense of magic. Our older guys are letting us down, in terms of leadership. Something is not right with Chooka and he is becoming more and more pedestrian. Beamer tries hard, but he cannot break the lines. While I have no doubt Junior has the respect of the playing group he doesn't (or can't) show enough leadership on field. Bruce is gone and Robbo is trying to be the "universal" forward and is not up to it. Neil Balme once said that footy is a pretty simple game and while he did not make it as an A-grade coach, I still think he is still right and knows footy pretty well. SUrely Geelong would not have him as Footy manager, if he did not have an acute understanding of the game and what is required to be successful. Maybe I'm dumb, but I just can't see a game plan out there, that is in line with our current skill level. We over possess, opposition teams zone of our forwards far to easily and cut us to pieces through the guts. Sure, the kids are our future, but let us not destroy the fabric of the footy team's spirit, in the pursuit of A-Grade draft picks. Dean Bailey's greatest challenge, in my view, is not just to manage the playing list - he will get plenty of assistance there from his assistants - but to manage the culture of the playing group, so that it becomes a winning culture. I suggest the jury is still out on that one.

We had a pretty nasty virus on the home computer. Yesterday, I downloaded Kaspersky on to a disc at work. Booted up the home computer last night with the disc and everything is now fixed and we did not lose a thing. It was surprisingly simple and quick for me, a self-confessed IT luddite. This is a great product and I highly recommend it. Disclaimer I have no connection with, or know anybody connected with the Company.

Only goes to prove, all those Collingwood jokes are true. No heart, no brains, no balls

Point really is, the facilities will be 100% better than what we have at the moment........and for the players that is like gold

Great News. Well done to Jimmy and the match committee. I just hope he stays safe and the filth don't try rough house tactics on him

Just make sure you wear your best mocassins.

Yeah, I've heard old Xav's love the snow. Their mother's take them up there in the Range Rovers their daddies buy their mummies. Oh well, at least Barkers Road will be clear for a change.

Sure, I want the picks, but I want this win as well. We can do this. As has been said by some, there is nothing better than beating the filth and if this is our last win for the year, I will be happy. ..........and yes, let's do it for Jonesy's old man.

What was the nature of Strauss' report and how do you think he will go at the Tribunal KC?

Spoke to an Old Xaverian yesterday. He said while Hailebury got flogged, Scully is something special. Fast, good body size and excellent on both sides of his body. He is the sort of player who can break the lines and given we have Junior and Bruce in their twilight, Scully seems to me to be a must pick up.

Two more facts that I have not seen mentioned on this topic. A former Director of the club paid for a thousand memberships and therefore 1000 proxy votes. When challenged about that on that fateful night at Dallas Brooks Hall, he could only respond, "I have done nothing wrong". Secondly, it is now written into the club's constitution that no merger could ever take place in the future, unless 75% of the membership voted for such a proposal and I doubt that will ever happen. Let's not forget, former Hawthorn President, Brian Coleman, was equally committed to the "merger" proposition. It is highly likely that if it were not for Don Scott's "farewell" performance, Hawthorn may have voted in favour. I am a great support of the late Tiger, but the merger debacle, its proponents and those who sought to dupe the membership, made this nothing but a cynical exercise and I suspect, the MFC Board, did, at the time, in fact, see it as a takeover rather than a merger. Thankfully, the whole sorry episode is now consigned to history.

The point being, in this case, the umpire made contact with the player, not the other way round. As I said previously, coaches will instruct players now to use the umpires to set a "screen". This is a joke.

And that is perhaps the most realistic post on Newton thus far.

Good for you Benny. Nice to know you're flying the flag over there. As hard as its must get for you, just know we are about to rise, in the not too distant future.

Maaaate, "Girly"? Fair suck of the sav. Not sure if you are ascribing some Freudian theory on to some of us. Or should that be Jung.......or Gestalt even?

One can only hope so!!!!!

You could have emailed that person directly perhaps? Why did we criticise your post? Firstly, because we can and secondly, despite your undoubted credentials, it made no sense and was pure self-indulgent twaddle.

As I saw it, JR tripped over the foot of the umpire. What is happening now with this rule is that opponents will either use the umpire, backing out of a ball up, as a screen or in fact, push their opponent toward the umpire. At some point, contact will be inevitable. No-one condones a confrontation with an umpire, which results in contact, but with the speed of today's game, when is incidental contact, incidental? In the "good ole days", the umpire would have had a word or 2 with the player concerned and play would continue. (yes, I know, no point living in the past). But if commonsense does not prevail with this rule, then the whole process will become a travesty.

I cannot believe that the issue of contacting an umpire has become so pedantic. Good luck Jared, you deserve some going your way.

Glad you could understand it B59. At least can we get his name right then?