dimmy

The AFL are real happy because we play sides that are above us each week. ( Just like they did not tell us that it was not a 4 game JLT season)

I remember listening last year (early) and the commentators were saying Melbourne had trouble playing the MCG, because of its width ( and our incapacity to run when off the ball). We seemed to correct that pretty quickly, so it may be an attitudinal issue rather than slackness. Confidence is a big thing and when down players go to the ball and not the "position". Consequently when it breaks into the open we have 3 or 4 around the ball (or where it was) and nobody in position to counter the break. That was exactly what happened yesterday ( and @ WC last season) So all is not lost. Again I will defend our defence because the ball was coming in with options available and our blokes still up the ground wondering where the ball went. Our defence in very vulnerable to poor defencive positioning and impact by the Fwds and Midfielders

An absolute belter of a game of footy. The umpiring was great in that they did not panic with decisions and were not whistle happy (like Razer & Nichols). This allowed the game to ebb & flow. I thought Ryan's tackling in the 2nf half was brilliant and Shuey was a worthy NS Medallist

When they shifted Gus into the middle for the second half against Essendon. He took his chance and the coaches had enough nouse to leave him there. The 15-20 minutes of perfect football v Footscray when we wacked on goals coming from BRILLIANT Ruck work and clearances. ( It really showed our class in Max, Clarrie & Gus. When ypu see the video concentrate on Petracca's role because he was also extensively involved with those sublime handballs that enabled the clearances to be really effective TMac when he was fairdinkum and attacking the footy. ABSOLUTE HIGHLIGHT was Neville Jetta's stitching up Dangerfield in 1 on 1 's v Geelong in Elim Final. Jetta the Magnifico !!!!

Let us celebrate Gus and Gawny's results. Maybe the umpires are closer to the action and realise the "quality"of a players involvement a little better than from a TV Screen or from 200 metres away. Let us recognise it is an Umpire Voted award. The Coaches have their award and Channell 7 have theirs etc. The one that would rate the least credible is Ch 7 , because the organisation of last nights count resembled a school concert, because they could not work out what the main event was. ( It was really Richo/Cooney skit which was great.) Let us revert to making it a radio event and have reported driving around Melbourne to find the winner. ( and telecast that !!!)

Looks like we have found our scapegoat. Amazing how , after a loss, we seem to find the odd chook in the chookpen !!

Martin Flanagan reinfoces his standing as possibly our greatest football jounalist, purely because he loves the culture of the game. A terrific Ode.

There are two rules that frustrat me : The 50m rule for a bloke following his direct opponent within the protected zone. It is being milked. Clarify the below the knnes rule , particularly the Brayshaw situation last week. Is Brayshaw supposed to wait there until the opposition player gets to the ball before he can tackle him. I thought the bloke with the ball should be protected, rather than the one that flies in knwees first and lands on the back of the bloke actually getting the ball. The rule was brought in to stopp the "sliding" into the contest area and taking an opponent out. , but the ball carrier or competitor should be protected more. Ar we going to legislate against the ClArrie/ Sellwood clash last week , when both players went for the ball and Clarries skills were sublime to maintin posession and feed the handball off in the time it takes to open the phone box door.

I agree, both short and medium term. I feel we will need to spend some fairly big lollies to keep some of the core young talent we currently have. Plus they are developing under our nose. We have some potentially very good young players who are really flourishing in our current environment. Spend money on development. O know GAff is a handy footballer, but not worth $1.2 M . Begs belief what Gawny/Oliver are worth. Or what Harmes/Salem are moving toward.

Why is it ,that when we get a good to excellent player we seek to trade him. That just throws all the development work that has gone into that player and it goes to someone else and then we have to educate the incoming player.( how much development (and rehab) went into Scully and then he went off to the AFL team in Sydney. What type of player are we crying out for now ::: A Scully. What is standing out is the way in which sides are not working to have 20 stars, but a few stars and plenty of players with heart. i feel we are at that stage and have the advantage of having a lot of stars who are developing together.

Probably from the Coodabeens. A cousin of "Pearl from the Peninsula"

Have heard one scenarion ( from a Geelong supporter) that Geelong could get Gaff. I said they would have trouble with Salary cap. His reply was Kelly wants to go home (do not know why when WC & Freemantle did not want a bar of him over the years). Taylor may be retiring , Ablett is not costing then much and Menzel wants out. So by throwing in a Trade may swing a deal. Far fetched !!!, but it is amazing how some clubs work their way around things. (Like being a promotions officer for a large sponsor)

I really feel this thread has lost its relevance, and by continuing we are failing to let the matter lie and be controlled by the people directly involved.

Actually the Feds are at the Airport to arrest Stevens before he slithers back into his hole.

Far be it for me to comment, but an apt sentence would be until Andrew returns to football.( Brayshaw that is )

I agree, but by the law of the land ,there are people doing time for öne punch "actions and are vilified as such. The same principles should apply to sports people who do not discipline themselves and in a moment of "madness" change their own life and the victims . I have no doubt that Andrew Gaff would do things differently if he had thought things through.

Even before yesterday I have been consitently arguing that Gaff is superfluos to our needs( and throwing the Southern Stand at him is a waste). We currently have ANB , who has improved enormously in the last year (and still has plenty of upside) . Harmes who is continually proving me wrong on my initial assessment of him. Fritsch (fat Robbie) has shown enormous talent in his first year . Spargo, first year ,only 19. Jayden Hunt has had a year to forget so has enormous upside. Let us not forget , Dom Tyson is only 22 or 23 , and is still finding his way because we have too many midfielders. Remember at the start of the year some posters were in for trading Gus Brayshaw based on this argument. To Dom's credit he has shown a lot more flexibility in his game style since he has returned and it is starting to show. Then we have Jack, Clarrie and Gus . With due respects to Jack, the midfield is working really well in the last few weeks and earlier in the season. He now needs to get himself right (hopefully) and not use himself as a human battering ram so much. Have not mentioned Jesse & Trac ,whic just shows our current depth. We need to be multiskilling Dom and Jack,as we are with Clarrie and Gus, then we are approaching a super middle sized group of players. Team harmony seems absolutely great amongst this group (shown by the way they all hang it on Poor old Trac ) indicates they are gelling on and off the field. Sometimes seeking the perfect solution turns out not to be so. Richmond have got where they are through a Team based approach with some icing on the top (O doubt whether some of the Toiges bottom six would be in out side . Footscray won a Premiership through genuine team ethics and approach. We have got the structure, the personnel and are developing the will and the skills to succeed.

Two reasons : I honestly do not think he is worth it.considering what it will cost us and that we have players already growing into outside mids. He will be irrelevant after big brother cleans him, up in the Practice Matches

I sincerely hope not !!!!

Why even entertain the thought. This bloke deserves every succees at MFC , because HE DESERVES IT. Surely AFL/MFC has not come to this !!!!!

Just finished watching The Toiges and the other mob. Nearly 3/4 of the Toiges are " irrecognisables". Yet they play really well as a team. This reinforces (to me) that sometimes we are banging our heads and hopes against the wall in thinking throwing the Southern Stand for someone to come in and save us. Apart from our Senior citizens every player on our list has an upside 10 % or even 5% improvement in the ability to run both ways AND TO SEE THE NEED FOR IT would mean we would need a massive amount of flag poles to put all the flags. Look at the improvement of Harmes, ANB, Fritsch (1st yr),Spargo .JKH,SMith and Smith The upside of Hunt Stretch, Pretty,Baker, Balic,Hannan, Weidemann,McKenna and others unknown . The nucleus of our list is top quality. We just need the link men . Most important recruit would be a running coach or Strength & Cond person . Less money than a player and we keep our keepers, not shove themout the door because of Salary cap pressures.

Recruit a spcialist running coach to teach our players to run both ways and increase stamina. That would solve a lot of our problems. Wallis covers a lot of ground, BUT does he dispose of the ball really well. Trade Dom Tyson and JKH for him. Plus a straight swap forDangerfield for Oliver ( Sorry , 2nd bottle of red kicking in).

Not often (if ever) I agree with Lloyd's summary . At last he is showing some knowledge of the game ( admittedly he has 200 pls games and 900 goals more than me, but that only proves he had the physical skills and also the fact I did not play well the day the VFL recruiters turned up at Donald U 16's) I reckon the blame is not with Tyson because he is one of the see ball get ball blokes. He is 4th in line so cannot have a big bearing on things. When he was high in our B&F he was No 2 behind Jonsey so our depth in that area is strong . It is the blokes like JKH, Stretch, Fritsch, Salem etc who we need to be moving the ball. As for getting rid of Gusa, Why would you put the three yeas of dsevelopment and rehab into a player just to trade him when he is starting repay the investment. ( I still cannot get over the Scully situation which was similar. Maybe Scully could come back and repay MFC for the chance they gave him.)

It seems so have North !!!!

Agree, there is more to a players worth than winning the 100m sprint. One other poster suggested bringing Frost in and freeing up Jetta and Hibberd. With all trsprcts to Frosty, Lewis' footy IQ is far superior . You are not a key member of multi premierships without having a lot of footy IQ. Until we get some experience down back Lewis (in particular is a required ) Bernie is struggling stats wise ,but provides an experienced body.