drdrake

Have we every thought maybe our kids aren't good enough. Newton, everyone blame Sautner for taking his spot at Sandy, but correct me if I'm wrong there is still another 17 starting positions including 5 forward spots at Sandy. If this guy is the player a lot of you think he is why hasn't he been able to force his way and cement a senior spot at Sandy. All he has done is kick some bags at VFL seconds level, but even at that level he is very inconsistant he may kick a bag one week and not get a touch for a few. CJ looked great pre-season can't get a touch in the season. Buckley, the coach mustn't have much faith in him, looked good pre-season and played well enough last week but hasn't even been named as an emergency when he have a stack of injuries. Bate shows glimpses and looks good sometimes and others times looks real bad, he is young give him that and hopefully overtime he finds consistancy. PJ/Jamar are the up to it? I don't think ND is the right man for the job, but he is now limited to the players he has avaliable, if we get to 0 wins and 7 losses or 1-7 or we can't make the finals then it is time to see if these kids can actually play, not round 3.

ND has gone into survival mode, he is trying to win games with the old faithful and neglecting to develop our younger players. Three ruckman, one was a star but time is catching up, one cant get a kick and one can't mark overhead. CJ I'm not angry that he got dropped, I'm angry for who he got dropped for. If it was Petterd or Buckley good lets see what they have got. If we lose this week what will ND acheive, playing old players and not showing us fans our youth. If we win though is it a master stroke or a short term fix that may be highlighted in the weeks to come. Only time will tell.

I agree with your comments, but it gets worse, Godfrey and Brown in our best 5 that means 17 players that played on Monday most of them with a lot more ability than these two played worse. I said in another post I'd love for these two blokes to be give the skill of Travis Johnstone or Trav to get the heart these two blokes have. I applaud Brown and Godders for having a crack and giving their all whenever they play for MFC. On your 5 inclusions, Pickett can't run out a half at VFL level, Newton everyone raves about him, but what has he done a few bags of goals at VFL reserves level. I'm a bit tired of reading that Sautner has held him back, if he was good enough he would of been able to hold down a second forwards role next to Sautner. Newton can't even hold a regular seniors spot at Sandy, if you cant do that your not going to play AFL. Yze, is dropping him for 1 game enough, he will come back in only because of the injuries we have had, I would like to see Buckley given a go, he had good pre-season form and played OK well for Sandy on Saturday. PJ for Jamar is their any difference, both good VFL players but had no effect at AFL level. But its wirth a try, he will get beaten at tap work but hopefully makes up for it around the ground. Sylvia will be good to see him back.

Our best 22 has the ability to make top 4, unfortunately now we will be with out 3 of them until about round 6 another one in Col hasn't played yet, same goes with Byron, and to be honest Byron is 3-4 weeks away from playing consistant good footy at AFL level. We has lost Bartram for a long period as well and Dunn gets his first run back at Sandy this week. If we can get through the next 6 weeks and pick up 2 or 3 wins we still have the ability to get into the finals. To have any chance we need to be 2w-6l min. Anything less than that no finlas for us and the end of the ND coaching at the MFC.

We need to inject some pace into our team, Buckley for his first game. Holland to be the tall forward and Sylvia the leading forward. Yze Pickett to stay at sandy for another week, Ferguson or Biz comes in for Ward to play on N Ablett.

It's not consistancy he is not ready for AFL footy, he needs to cement his spot at Sandy first, why play someone who is not ready and we all will expect so much from him if he does play. Let him play well at Sandy and bring him in when he is not going to be our number one target up forward. Don't get me wrong the kid has a lot of ability, but he has to show a lot more at Sandy to be even considered.

Newton is miles away from playing AFL footy, he will be lucky if he is not dropped from the Sandy's first after his game on Saturday, he got towelled in the first half. Pickett couldn't run out 2 quarters at Sandy he is 2-3 weeks away. Buckley may get his chance if they drop CJ. Ferguson plays well on N Ablett, smashed him in last years VFL grand final, Rivers plays on Hawkins and Carroll gets the hairy cat. Whelan on G Ablett better match up for him. If it is dry and Neitz and Robbo don't play this would be my team B Whelan Carroll Ferguson HB Bell Rivers Green C Bruce Johnstone Moloney HF Buckley Miller Bate FF Davey Sylvia Holland R White Mcdonald Jones Int Jamar Wheatley Brown Godfrey If wet Biz comes in for Ferguson

Lets look at some positives, Miller kicked 3 goals, would of had 8-10 marks and played well, could off had more of it if our disposal wasn't so bad. Nathan Brown and Godfrey, I wish we could but these guys hearts into TJ, Green, Davey, Bate and a number of others or better still give them TJ's skills. We all are quick me included to bag these two but with the limited ability they have they have a crack and try every time they get game. Jones for a second year player will only get better he tries runs hard kicking needs some work but will be a good player for us. Now for some negatives Injuries, can't help that they just happen, looks like we will be with out Neitz and Robbo next week. They join Dunn, Brock and you can also include Pickett because he is still 2 weeks away. That's three tall forwards out. Coaching firstly conditioning, I thought we got the new running coach because we wanted to increase our speed, we look slow through the midfield. Skills we are playing a possesion style of game but we can't hit targets, we handball to a player standing still, we handball behind the player running past our skills are well below the standard required to even make the final eight. The head coach ND, for some reason our team refuses to play the coridor even when we had space up the middle we changed direction and went to the wings, very easy for a team to defend when your attacking from the wings. Match ups very bad today down back, when Rivers went of for a break nobody picked up Franklin, he never puts Carroll on the best forward. Bell should of started on Williams he was always going to be to quick for Whelan, Whelan is better on small roving forwards not hard leading ones. Starting TJ out of the centre square, put him where the ball is, trying to make Davey a midfielder and taking him away from what he loves doing, kicking goals. Our top tier Johnstone, Bruce, Green, Davey, Robbo are to hot and cold. Their good is good and bad is bad no in between we never know what we will get from these players when we go to the footy. We really lack a topline elite player most clubs have one a go to match winner. We accept losing, I believe certain clubs have winning cultures they don't stay down for long. We accept excuses and have done for many years. I'm not just talking about today but we always have an excuse for losing, ran out of legs, injuries, our players over used to footy. Oh another positive, we can still lose 4-5 more games this year and finish top 4.

Forget about Pickett being back for a couple of weeks he couldn't even run out a half at Sandy. I blame Danners for Davey, he is tried to make him something he is not and that's a midfielder. Davey is a roving forward pocket someone needs to tell the coach and Davey to get to the forward contest and stop chasing kicks up the ground.

Now I'm worried, looks like Brown, Wheatley, Godfrey and Biz are in for the game. Take Biz out of the four and add Ward we have the four turnover kings playing. I'd rather see Yze hold his spot at least he has the ability to win matches.

Col won't play this week, but he will the next if Yze doesn't perform. We can bring him back playing HFF with limited runs on the ball. Then after 3-4 games put him on a wing. I really rate this kid he will show us why this year.

I thing you all have our current game plan wrong, run and carry implies that you run with the football and take the oposition on to create a better option that will then run and carry the football. We play hot potato style get the footy and handpass or short kick to someone standing still who in turns gets rid of it in the same sought of fashion and this goes on until the footy gets so hot we turn it over. To me the concept of Run and carry should be direct fast flowing football, run with the football, run take on the oposition and if someone is in a better position then give them to footy so they can run with the footy. Run and carry isn't the over posession crap that we have been playing. To me our set up was wrong, once we ignored Millers lead which happened time and time again we had no one to kick to. Neita and Robbo played inside 50m Miller the leading CHF and the rest of the forwards played as midfielders. Use Miller, we know he wants to dish it off when he gets it, our midfielders can then run to his feet, get the crumb or handball run carry and try to hit Neita or Robbo, with Davey at their feet looking for the rovering goal. Simply, even if you turn a 50m kick over at least it is 50m further away than if you turn a handball over.

devastated, week 1 all is not lost but that was the first game I've ever been at and walked out before the final siren. I can cop losing but playing a pathetic game style like we played tonight I can't take. we are not Sydney, we are not west Coast, we are Melbourne we have to find our own game plan that works for us and not try to play like something we are not.. I watched Hotter then hell 1998 this morning, ND backed his players, not like tonight. Footy is an easy game all you have to do is outscore your opponent, tonight we didn't try to kick goals we tried to stop our St Kilda kicking goals, defensive midset from the start. Don't blame Miller or Yze because they are easy targets our game plan is a disgrace and full blame should be placed on ND. Worst coaching performance I've ever seen, trying to make our team something we are not. We are an attacking football team that is best when we control the coridor and kick long to one of the best forward lines in the competition and back our players. As I said I have never before tonight left before the final siren but tonight was a disgrace.

Our game plan was lets play to our weakness, stuff around with the footy instead of going forward, I think 30 something inside 50m compare to almost 60 you will lose every time

Seeing the Saints line up it would surprise me if Bruce starts down back

Are we talking about the same guy, didn't this bloke land the best punch every on some Richmond blokes Jaw

With less then 30 hours to go before bounce down for a season with high expectations from both the supporters and the club. All the talk is about the MFC making the top 4 in 2007. I'm excited about the season ahead and focusing on our first game against St Kilda I would like to see a few things happen. 1) Before the bounce Brad Miller and David Neitz walk over to the little snipper Baker and let him know that if he touches Davey unfairly that they will be on him, these big to forwards have to protect Davey from snipers. 2) Jamar to start in the ruck and White up forward, Clarke always beats White in ruck work, let Jamar have first crack and if dry White up forward to stretch the Saints backline 3) Robbo to get out on the flank and leave the square for Neita with planned rotations for short periods with Neita out on the flank and Robbo at out of the square, take Maxxy somewhere he is not comfortable. 4) Our Midfield unit to join the elite midfield ranks Mclean, Johnstone, Bruce, Green, McDonald, Jones, Bate, Moloney and C Johnson with Davey pitch hitting to a MFC supporter that looks imposing but the rest of the competition doesn't rate them as high as they should. 5) Yze and Miller to silence their critics. 6) Win the game and put them away, something in 2006 we didn't do we always gave teams a sniff, this year I want to smash teams we should, and take advantage of teams when they are underdone like a lot of St kilda players will be. Bearing the above in mind this is how I see our line up B: Whelan Carroll Holland HB: Bell Biz Ward C: Johnstone Mclean Green HF: Bruce Miller Robbo FF: Davey Neitz White R: Jamar McDonald Jones Int Yze Bate CJ Moloney I assuming Rivers and Pickett don't play, if Rivers plays he comes in for Holland, I don't think Pickett will Play. Lets get 75,000 out for the season opener stuff the weather lets show the AFL that we deserve to open the season and we belong on the big stage.

Just because you don't have a membership ticket doesn't make you less passionate about the team you support. I'm a member of MFC have been for a decade now and love going to watch the footy. There are a few reasons why I buy a membership, one is to guarentee my Grand fianl ticket should the MFC make it, I don't have to que up for a ticket, I get to sit with the same people in the same seat and to give my liitle contribution to the club every year. This doesn't make me more of a supporter than someone who is a non member, it gives me privledges they don't get but we all share the same passion. The fair weahter supporters our band wagon supports are fans when they only come out of the wood work with the club is flying.

Pickett will be named but wont play, Holland will only play if Caroll our Rivers doesn't, get set for the return of the Biz.

Although our players look like they have all trimmed down, you can still maintain or even increase your strength. Muscle bulk doesn't always equate to more strength. If we have increased our fitness does this mean we can cross off ND excuse of 2006 that we run out of legs, every game we lost we ran out of legs according to ND.

Hearing St Kilda's Injury problems I don't think Gardiner will play, that was my match up for Holland. Whelan Carroll Biz Bell Rivers CJ Green Mclean Johnstone Robbo Miller Bruce Davey Neitz Yze Jamar Mcdonald Jones White Moloney Bate Buckley Buckley wont play more likely Pickett or Ward will, at this stage in is more likely to be Ward. If your picked you would want to play well with Pickett and Bartram at Sandy, along with some handy types in Sylvia coming back from injury, Brown, Ward or Buckley, Wheatley, Holland, ferguson all capable of holding their own at AFL level. Also a kid that could be anything in Newton if he gets his confidence up at Sandy he could get into our AFL team.

Ward's disposal yesterday was terrible in the style of game the MFC is trying to play their is no room in the 22 for him, he just turns the footy over a large percentage of the time. The only way I would play him is if we have to due to injury or he gets a job on someone. You just can't have someone in your team that consistantly turns the footy over, this goes for Nathan Brown as well, I'd rather see Bell, CJ and Buckley play than Ward and Brown.

Just back from Geelong and saw a very uninspiring game of football. Geelong kicked with the aid of a strong wind in the first quarter and we did OK except every time we got the ball on the wing we had no options. We either had all pushed up the ground or Neita and Robbo were still a kick and a half away. Trav was our best player, he got heaps of the football and generally used it well. Miller presented well and would have taken 7-8 marks. He took a good contested mark in the third quarter and went back to kick a goal into the wind from about 45m out. Moloney was in our best - in fact our midfield did OK today. Jones was good, Brock got his hands on the footy but looked like he needs another run, CJ was good - a very smart footballer who set up one of Robbo's goals when it looked like Geelong was going to clear. I like the look of Buckley - speed and nice skills. He won't play round one but if he can hold his form with Sandy he will play this year. Rivers went off at half time only to return in track suit pants, I didn't see anything happen to him, maybe it was planned to play him a half and Ferguson a half, Ferguson got towelled by Mooney in the last half after the hairy cat was ineffective in the first half. Biz started well generals the backline, Ward and Brown showed today why they shouldn't be in our best 22, Ward got a bit of the footy but never hit a target, Brown just makes bad decisions. Davey didn't get a kick, Neita had little impact our rucks continue to be a concern, Jamar did take a couple of nice marks but both him and White had little impact. We should haveran over the top of them in te last quarter kicking with the wind but it looked like the players were starting to think about staying healthy for round 1

Dunn has always looked more comfortable closer to goal, were Miller looks his best on the lead around midfield. Both aren't that good in a contested Mark, as stated Miller wins as a Lead up CHF but Dunn is better at ground level and has goal sense. I post in my starting 22 for ST kilda that we play 2-3 HHF and for fo the traditional CHF because we don't have one. Robbo, Bate, Bruce accross HFF with the late Bruce and Bate playing more a a midfielder role that works to become the link between coming out of defense and setting up attack. If we need a strong presents upfield let Neitz gat out to CHF5-10min per quater and send Robbo to the leading FF role. I suggest that we play Bate like O'Keefe from Sydney, someone suggest that it works for Sydney because thay play on the small SCG, IMO it will work on the larger grounds because you have super fit tall midfielders playing this role not many tall defenders will be able to run with Bate/Bruce. The defenders may not run with them and zone off, bad move Bate can kick 55-60m and if you leave him loose he will carve them up and Bruce has the footy brain to do the same, no AFL coach will leave Bruce by himself he can all so kick bags of goals on his day. I think we are all looking for the J Brown, Carey type we don't have one so we need to find what suites th MFC.

Round one we still need to get through saturday with no injuries but I would like to see the below line up B:Whelan Carroll Ferguson HB:Biz Rivers Bell C: Green Mclean CJ HF: Robertson Bate Bruce FF: Davey Neitz Yze R: White McDonald Jones Int: Jamar, Johnstone, Pickett, Brown Why do we need to play a big CHF? If Robbo is fit push him out to the HFF, Bate to play a similar role to O'Keefe from Sydney, a hard running CHF that plays more like a midfielder and have Bruce on the other side these three are all about 190cm and can run especially Bate and Bruce not to many defenders would have the stamina to run with these two all day. To mix it up during the game Neita can come out to CHF and Robbo back to FF. Pickett to pinch hit HFF 5-10min burst.