drdrake

Miller has been used as our Mr fix it and it has wrecked him. He is a lead up CHF hard working honest player, no superstar, average at best that when played in his right position gives us a target through the middle and works his but off. Everybody raves about Craig Cameron and he is a recruiting gun, but since 2002 it was identified that we needed key position players a CHF and CHB this still hasn't been addressed. Rivers can play CHB but isn't suited against the bigger bodied forwards more suited to a zoning type and CHF Miller is the best we have. Nathan Brown from the Pies keeps Pavlich to 1 goal our key defender from the same draft Frawley has shown nothing against tall forwards and hasn't really shown anything for me to think he will slot into a key defensive role. Time to back him so he can show us that he can.

Hawthorn gave us the first kick and we fell for it every time, they left space 25-30m in one pocket and zoned back for the second kick. They had more numbers on one side of the ground and they protected the corridor at that was the side that we kicked to all the time. Even when we swiched it all our players had committed to the side of the ground that the Hawks wanted us to and with out the hard lead up CHF we couldn't us the space on the other side thats why Miller has to play CHF he works hard and presents.

The bulk wouldn't effect Davey's speed the endurance training would, looks to me they have focused on his endurance to get him to spend more time in the midfield and he has lost speed or he is injured. Stats are rubbish, but one stat the should be used is sheppards or blocks I saw Moloney do it twice one was a free kick and that was it. We got our hands on the footy at stoppages but instead of creating space for the ball carrier we let them get tackled. The Hawks did it all day even 50m of the ball to help the leading player.

Dean Cox wasn't a first round pick, he was a rookie, that they developed.

Rivers will play at CHB and Miller at CHF

Agree Jaded, that comment about former players is spot on, the board can only do so much, if some high profiled past players started to assist in the promotion of the club and if they can drive the corporate support as well what a bonus. Hopefully that catch up at a bar the Greg Healey mentioned in an article a few weeks ago is the start of this.

Any chance MFC can hold press conferences before someone else releases to the media our new staff, first Williams on Dean Bailey and now Golf Australia beats the club to this anouncement. Paul welcome to the MFC look on the bright side it can't get much worse the only way is up both on and off the field.

I played heaps of footy at a very high level, all you need from your ruckman is to make a contest, your ruckman can win as many taps that he wants but if your midfield can't read the tap and the opposition does they will win the footy. Give me a KPP over a ruckman anyday, ruckman aren't match winners give me a good CHF or FF over a ruckman anyday. Name one first round pick ruckman that is a superstar.

I don't disagree with his punishment, all I'm saying he has been punished move on, don't cry out for him to be traded, that he is no good, he has broken the rules been punished now lets see what he shows over the next 25 weeks and judge him them. I will bet that if he comes out in round 2 and plays a blinda people on this site will be calling him a superstar and how good is he. We are very quick to judged someone and even quicker to change our opinion. I also agree that you shouldn't take the [censored] out of your employer but how many 18-23 yo's have done this. These players are no different from any one except the get paid well. They are still young men that make mistakes.

So Jacey and AFL footballer isn't an every day man, what a load of rubbish, it is their chosen profession, they are the lucky ones that get to do it. They are not super human beings with no faults, every body makes mistakes, he has been punished move on. It's like his first written warning at the end of the year if he doesn't perform or has other issue then sack him. Don't hang him yet.

He is a footballer, a footballer that stuffed up and has been punished. How many posters have had a sick day with out being sick, what is the difference both jobs but he cant do it but we all can. Just because he is employed by the club it doesn't means the club owns the player. He missed a day of work because he was hung over bad yes but not as bad as some of the posters here are making it out to be. The club has bigger problems than this like how the Kangaroos have generated approx $1million more in Membership revenue than us and it is our 150th year. The club focuses on Col Sylvia stuffing up but there are bigger issue like the profitability of the club and our poor membership figures we are over 4,000 members behing the second lowest Vic team, that is a story.

I wouldn't waste a first pick on a ruckman. We need the best KPP in the draft

We are in trouble, no questions about it. One thing the cats have is solid off field admin team, from Frank Costa, Brian Cook and they are making a whack of cash. We have the lowest membership in Vic by over 4000 members, lets say average membership costs $170, that means from Membership revenue alone we are $680,000 behind the second lowest club, and we are almost 6000 behind the Kangaroos or $1million less. That is big dollars and for what is meant to be a big year for the oldest sporting club in the world we are in trouble on those figures alone. Also we have no CEO, we have lost our whole football department which had to be done, plus from all accounts most of our admin staff. Then our players the senior players have looked disinterested in the preseason games we have two young guns with off field discretions one touted as future captian with three or four issue over preseason the other just loves the party. A fullback that has played up over the summer months and we have been beaten badly in all our games to date. The AFL is looking to add two teams, they might not have to, if we don't get our off field personal issues fixed, our on field performance and our membership numbers up the attention will be place on us and we could be the West Sydney Demons. In our 150th year if our club doesn't produce a profit the board should step aside.

Most posters have been on this kids back for years, I don't blame him for getting on it he has next week off then 22 weeks of the season. If you are going to have a night out Saturday night was it. Missing recovery is wrong especially for a bloke that has a history of OP, but give him a break he stuffed up now he is 5K lighter in the pocket and isn't playing round 1, he has been punished. Everyone calling for him to be traded what for, what is the point trading someone with out knowing what you can get for them. At the moment you would be lucky to get an second round pick, he is better on our list then pick 25-40.

I don't disagree in Neitz likelyhood of retiring at the end of 2008 but if he can kick 50+ goals this year and wants to play on he should be able to. If on the other hand he decides like Hird/Voss/Buckey to retire we will all stand at the years end and applaud the man. On the rucks, they had time on the field but some of it wasn't in the ruck, White still rucked two thirds of every game. All I'm saying is that we need to give these guys the first opportunity to ruck, if PJ or Meesen can compete in ruck contests and pick up 10-15 touches a game that will do. Jamar as stated is different he will need to win a higher percentage of taps.

You make apoint Rhino about PJ and Jamar being used when White was getting flogged, nice time to be given your chance to prove you can ruck when the opposition ruckman are dominating you. Robbo started as a HFF went to CHF when the Ox retired and was only put to FF in 2004 or 5 when Neitz was out. If Robbo is such a liability we should of taken the second round pick from the dogs for him then. Robbo brings his defender to Neitz taking away his strenght and making it a pack contest. I agree though in 2002 to 2004 we became on dimentional to Neitz, but the Neitz/Robbo combination always works better when one of them is out. Power forwards will come back a coach will come up with an idea to play a forward 6 a back 6 and 6 midfielders, the team will dominate and all other coaches will follow them.

Newton is soft, he takes the easy option and looks better suited on a wing than at FF. Why would you get Robbo out of Neita's space and replace him with Newton, creates the same problem a guy leading his defender to make a good one on one contest to a pack situation. Our midfield are all clones of each other, Jones, Mclean, McDonald, Moloney, Sylvia, Green, Bruce, Bate are all one paced and slow paced at that, the fisrt five mentioned all win there own footy but besides a fit Sylvia can't burst away from the contest, the next two just run at the same speed with no aceleration and one can't kick and the last one is lazy has speed but no acceleration, which means he takes time to wind up and can look slow. Our midfield is our biggest concern if we can't get the ball deep inside 50m you wont win games no matter how is at FF

I agree Rhino on Neitz, but isn't then our problem our midfield, if they can't move the ball quick enough to take advantage of a man that will beat most fullbacks one on one why should he be under the pressure to retire. IMO he has been poorly coached for the past 4 years and this is because of an unfit Robbo, Neitz has been forced out of his comfort area as a sole FF. Robbo need to be on a flank. On the rucks, how can you be so sure about PJ and Jamar, when they do play they sit on the bench for 25mins a quarter have 5-10mins to be stars. They are sometimes thrown into positions when the team is in trouble. We don't need rucks they are over rated we need KPP, hard at it big men, there has to be another J Brown somewhere in next years draft. We will lose a lot of senior players over the next 2-3 years but not all at once.

I wish they would jsut get the process finished and get someone in. This can not be to main talking point about the MFC leading into its 150th year. The marketing of our club has been pathetic to date, Membership numbers are the lowest in the league by a long way, Our preseason form has been concerning the only thing that may save the club from being in the red is a couple of big functions to celebrate its 150th year. If we go into the red this year we will be the AFL's next relocation target.

Why is Neitz a certainty to go. I mentioned him in my post prior but why cant he kick 60 goals this year and go around again next year. Neitz is still one of the strongest forwards in the competition his main problem is our own players trying to take mark of the year on his shoulders every contest. Give Neita the square and 25m arc by himself with no Robbo or Newton getting in his space making a one on one which you would back Neita against all fullbacks. I don't like the comment keep White because we have no other options, how do we know? Can PJ/Jamar/Meesen be effective ruckman who knows we have never seen them in that position for long periods of time. I believe PJ can be just as effective as White around the ground if he was given 15-20mins per quarter, and lets face it he doesn't have to improve his ruck skills that much to match White over the past 12 mths. Meesen may be the same, Jamar will be different he needs to compete well in the ruck to justify his selection. In regards to list management if we bring 7+ 17/18 year olds to our senior list not including rookies it would want to be a deep draft. The other side is Salary cap, you lose Neitz, Yze, White, Robbo, Mcdonald, Whelan trade Bruce or Green a few boys will be in for good pay rises so we can meet our minimum payment.

Bit early for this post but you just can't turn over 11 players on your list, you add three rookies that still means with out any trading you need to find 8 players plus 3 rookies. We already have 4 Valenti's on our list we don't need another slow in and under midfielder, so take him out and we need to pick 9 players up for our senior list from trading and the draft, thats over 20% of your list. You have to be a little realistic that figure is way to high, I agree Neitz, Yze and Holland from the older guys but I still think White, McDonald, Whelan have at least 1 more season. The younger guys the ones mentioned will have to improve to stay on our list. But you wouldn't go into a draft looking for more than 6 players. Trade bait, Green and Bruce have no currency you would be lucky to get a late second round early third round pick, Sylvia you may get early second round pick. We have got 22 rounds and hopefully finals before we have to consider our 2009 list.

The problem with White is he can't play any other position, sorry he can but not to AFL standard, he needs to ruck or he doesn't play. We don't know if PJ/Jamar/Meesen will cut it as ruckman and I'm afraid by the end of this year we will still not know unless they are given more opportunity, more ground time in the ruck. Unfortunately Valenti should only come on our list if Jones, Mclean, Moloney or McDonald go onto our long term injury list, we have enough inside midfielders we need some speed and class.

I watched on Saturday, not really caring if we win or lose but looking for improvement and showing signs we are almsot ready for round 1. What I saw was a group of senior players not having a crack and a group of young players trying to impress. Lets start with our senior players Yze, White, Robbo and Neita they played like they didn't want to be out there. I expected Yze to star in these games to try and cement his spot, from what I saw he should be starting at Sandy. The other three will play round one and will be better. I was impressed with some of our younger players they might not of had good days but some good signs. Mclean, Sylvia, Jones and Moloney all want the footy with the first three wanting the contest and hunting the footy. Moloney to me is more of an outside midfielder but he only makes our midfield stronger. Buckley has the much needed speed just needs to work on making the right decisions, CJ just needs to get more of the football, he has the polish once he gets it. PJ was our best big man on the park loves the contest good skills but he needs time on the ground and while White is still in favor PJ will not get that. Aussie and Weetra showed a bit and will only get better at sandy this season. Frawley is a concern looks OK at ground level but looks lost in the air, not good for a tall defender hopefully he can improve that part of his game. Miller is a CHF only and Yze is a forward pocket they are two thinks that Bailey should take away from Saturday. Also be happy to see Whelan, Rivers, Wheatley and Bartram playing form Sandy thats a handy back four add in Bell and Carroll there is your six.

This is why we have just over 18500 members with the season under three weeks away. For me I'm not concerned as long as I get my Membership by round 1 I'm happy. However, I am in a battle to keep my daughter a Demon, the in laws have brought her a Kangaroos membership and the stuff she got in their pack compared to the teddy she got in ours is swaying her to the blue and white. Gez I hope they go to the gold coast. On MMM Brawshaw is advertising Roos memberships we hear nothing.

I agree with punishing a team when they break the rules, you need to do this in the preseason because players are that delicate these days that you can't do it during the season proper. Bailey seems to be a good mix of old school/new scholl coaching. He believes in educating players and then he does this back to the 80's I love it.