Dappa Dan

It boggles the mind. All I can say is thank God the dogs were arrested. I would absolutely assume they would be locked away for a while, stripped of any kind of membership, and banned from any of the grounds. No room for human garbage like this anywhere in our society other than jail cells. Hopefully they are made an example of in the same way that Richmond spitter was a few years ago. If it's not given the airtime the Barassi bashing was given, then it should be.

I like the post DD: #2: The gameplan is working, albeit slowly. Last year we would have been horrendoues for four quarters. This year a bunch of teenagers went with the Pies for nearly a half. Now before you go crying "mediocrity" consider that it was ALWAYS going to take time both for the gameplan to come to fruition, AND for the younger players to mature. Given these setbacks, consider that the defenders did a very good job today. Then consider their ages. They are either 20... or in their mid-twenties. That's coming into their footballing prime. When you boil it down, Bailey could coach a desperate win by abandoning all he has stuck to thus far, then what do we achieve? Maybe 6 wins in the year? The damage to our future would be worse than one or two more losses. Why so desperate? #3: No. Not blind and biased. Just aware of Bruce's limitations. One of the real bugbears if mine is that of the mature players we hung onto, we managed to get some of the weakest leaders at the club to stick around. Bruce was never a star, and it boggles my mind that he is still marked as such. If he was any other player he'd be lost in the crowd of the 20-odd demons players who can't kick at the moment. But because he's Bruce, and because he picks up 30 touches, everyone gets up in arms about how ineffective he was. Like trying to pass to unfit kids playing against grown men is somehow an easy prospect. Drop him, and what do we see? 10-15 less touches in the game. Where does that get us? Our leaders aren't much chop at the moment. But we knew this coming in. Playing all kids would be a HORRIBLE mistake, but more on that later. #4: I like it. It'll fail miserably, but it's a good theory, making him work. #5: It's one thing to try the kids, another altogether to throw 18-21 year olds en masse to the wolves. How much do you think they'll learn getting monstered by 100 points? Who will they turn to on the field to ask questions? If you think McDonald is bad, imagine if it were only Sylvia, Miller, Moloney? It would be infinitely worse for their confidence and work ethic to get used to being smashed week in week out which would absolutely happen if they took the field on their own. If this were a good theory, TAC sides would be playing in the AFL. #7: Agreed. #8: It may be a little early, but I must admit, I am watching Bailey. No-one has the guts to lay blame at his feet, and rightly so given the list he has. But in a couple of years we'd better see some food on our plate. I'll leave it at that. All in all I reckon following the demons comes down to a kind of meditative state, where you keep your eye on the prize, and keep from allowing yourself to be angry with the side as it is. Anyone who is expecting lots of wins... THEY are the ones who are blind and biased. We had ten years of trying to win individual games. We are now trying to win a flag. It's really that simple, and you can see this plan reflected in all of Bailey's decisions. It's about 2011, not 2009.

Re: Martin. Have you seen him kick? I would agree that yes he seems to like to create, rather than react, and has all the hallmarks. But what do we gain if he can't kick straight?

Robbo playing? Wow, that was quick.

HF: Davey ????? Petterd F: Maric Watts Jetta Apologies to Wonna. That would suggest we need a tall or two more. There are a variety, Miller (kick), Newton (heart), PJ (will be used elsewhere), Sylvia (body), Bate (same as PJ) that could slot in as another tall on the forward line but that don't excite me as they have faults. None of them would own and monster the position in the way Roughie and Buddy have. And even with that list Jetta and Maric are VERY green, but look like they have what it takes. As for Jurrah, I don't know that we can say for sure that he'll even play a lot of games just yet. Very much a project (though not as much as, say, Weetra). When you look at our defenders you see a bit more steel. Rivers, Garland, Frawley, Warnock and Martin. There's some age and experience there too. Plus a HOST of guys that suit the small defender role, and rebounding defender/resting midfieder role. I think as far as our midfielders go, I would probably not be too displeased if the entire group were replaced. Except for McLean, Grimes, maybe Jones, Cheney and Morton and of course Blease and Strauss because they're untried. So with all that said, if we only get one early pick and not two, I'd go for the mid with the footy brain, quick hands and laser boot, with lightning reflexes. Get Scully in the red and blue, and don't let him go to WC where they'll make him a star.

High Tower for 'land president...

You're forgetting one major factor. The kid can kick too. It's the reason he could go there with more permanence, in the same way PJ has, and Newton COULD if he pulled his finger out. They have good - very good kicking boots. And it's the reason guys like Jamar, Rivers and Martin will never do more han pinch-hitting roles there. They can't be relied on for accuracy 22 rounds of the year. Only guys like Buddy can afford to be inaccurate, as he and his team create so many opportunities they win by sheer weight of numbers. If he starts as a defender and moves forward that would complete a very old-fashioned training method of allowing a player time to get into the brain of a defender before he takes them on in order to beat them in match-ups. There are some posters on here who called this back in his Sandy days, and I stand by it.

My thoughts exactly. Gar;and was our worst threat when it comes to signing these two... But seriously folks, I'm stunned the club has admitted the four months. Usually they say 8+ weeks or something, and just shrug their shoulders when the fans start wondering where he is. It's a real set-back. These are REALLY important years for our defence to figure each other out, and that's the biggest loss right there. But then we have to consider Warnock, Martin and Frawley will get the games Garland won't. Also let's not forget Rivers, who needs games under his belt quick-smart. Oh. And Valenti slots back in until Jamar comes back. That's a good thing there too.

God bless you Freak. We need to get a definitive word on this, as my understanding is, it's the opposite. Yup. I go a big rubbery one when I see his footage. Personally given where our team is at, I'd take Scully first... As for the thread topic, Petterd is the biggest concern here, as he's likely to have the desire to wander back home, and you would assume MOST footy fans would not have a problem with him being homesick, so he can be safe in the knowlege no-one will feel ENORMOUSLY let down. But there are a couple of other factors here. - How hungry is he for a flag? The demons will be threatening from 2011 onwards. All the work hes put in at his club, with his friends and team-mates around will be wasted. If he's more into flags than being at home then there's every likelihood he'll want to stay. - If he were to go to the GC side, unless I'm mistaken he'd be (at about 21/22 years old) one of the older players. This would automatically put him in a leadership role. If he likes the idea of being captain, or VC then it may be something he has to weigh up. - Again, I'm a bit hazy on the rules here. How does the trading work, particularly in regards to the draft picks on offer in 2010? Does the nominated player have to up and leave with no reparations being made to MFC? Or are both clubs forced to broker a deal in order to send the player north? I would absolutely assume Petterd would want to do the right thing by the club, so instead of just up and leaving, maybe we would work out a deal with GC17? If they said to me their pick 5, or maybe pick 9 (or thereabouts) in a straight swap for Petterd, I might feel the need to consider it. We took him in the thirties in the last superdraft, in many ways that'd be an absolute steal.

Couldn't disagree more. As long as it's within the rules, sledging and verbalising is an absolutely valid and vital way of putting your opposition off in a game. Why else do you think the defenders line up their opponents and bump them before the siren every game? You have to try to get under their skin and mentally disintegrate them. Its' one of the things that made Australia so great in its heyday in the cricket, and one of the things that made some of our best players truly great... None moreso than Voss. Jared is one of the only ones who looks, from the outside, to always have his opponents' measure when giving them the argy bargy. It's all the things Rivers does off the ball, like this, that set him apart from other MFC players. He was from the beginning a very dyed-in-the-wool footballer and defender. There was nothing "project" about him. As others have said, if there were another dozen or so demons with his arrogance, maybe we wouldn't be considered a league joke. I'm kind of hoping he turns Watts' ear, as the kid has the talent and now just needs the mindset (and the body). Just as long as he doesn't go tattooing his surname up and down his spine.... :D

Ok. Like everyone else, I was overjoyed to hear this news. In fact, I probably would have been about one tenth as excited had we made the finals this year as I am about this news. That said, I have a couple of concerns that I might need some help explaining. I'd love to know (perhaps from you TM) why, exactly, the two organisations split back in 1980. I was born that year, so I'm going to need some info. Was there some sort of rift? Was it believed at the time it was better that we stand on our own two feet? Was it financial? I think, regardless of this, it's a good thing that we go back to our roots, and to be honest, a bit of behind-the-scenes involvement from the MCC might be a good thing. But could this be considered, in the many years the club has been around, a backward step? Also, as JJC pointed out, I feel there might be some more trouble from rival clubs, especially if we rise to the kind of prominence we had in the fifties, where Melbourne footy club was basically the most powerful football force ever... I'm not saying we'll get there, but I'm certain other clubs would have to be a bit peeved that an organisation they pour money into is feeding directly to a rival club. I don't mean to be a pessimist, but I've seen enough false dawns.

Let's say, hypothetically, that we are 4 wins or less this year. We get our two big picks, and after this, in a perfect world, start to make a climb. Say 12th in 2010, then 9th in 2011... If this (or something like this) were to eventuate we would be getting a pick #5 and a pick #8... Assuming there weren't any other priorities. Those are still VERY juicy picks, that any other regular team bottoming out would use to apply the finishing touches to their core. Perhaps even trade one of those picks, plus a player, for another pick in the top 3 or 4. As it stands, if we climb the ladder as suggested above, it will turn our pick #5 into about a pick #12 or so... and the pick #8 into about pick #20. You're kidding yourself if you think the GC17 club won't hurt us when it comes to recruiting. You could argue we missed the worst of it, but then we're not going to rebuild a side using ONLY the 3 years worth of draft picks we got when bottoming-out. ('07, '08 and probably '09) In fact, if we got close and didn't bring home the biccies when we next are pushing for the flag, I'm sure people WILL blame the GC drafting concessions. And as for other clubs that will be threats. The Hawks, assuming they cling to their best players, will be one of the major teams to beat in the coming 4-6 years. Carlton will likely be one of those as well, as they have ALWAYS found a way around the financial problems associated with the draft in the past. There's a lot of water to pass under the bridge just yet.

One way or another the match will be called "revenge." Having two games within 10 rounds will make it MORE anticipated. And if it's a draw, that'll only make it an even bigger deal.

You were at a casting? What for? Hmm. May be time for the general board... As for Brad's wife... holy smokes has he ever got it all worked out. Get her to be our number 1 ticket-holder... do some press, some exploitative bikini-clad posters at Richmond station... people might just feel a little more like buying a membership. :D

Why don't more of the intelligent/educated pies supporters come out from behind their toothless counterparts? That was quite a read. Well done.

Yeah. Except for that time he was kicked off the site for carrying on like a pork chop. Never let the facts get in the way of trying to sound self-important. That's the Y_M way.

The funny thing is, I wish him all the success in the world at Brisbane. By the time we come good, he'll be gone anyway. And his success would prove we didn't make a mistake in recruiting him. It will go a long way to proving that simply taking the best kid in the land doesn't mean he's guaranteed stardom. That with the right structure and personnel both on-field and off, a young player, no matter WHEN he is taken, can excel.

From start to finish, one-eyed rot. It was? (Morton) There were a couple of others around that might have snuck in weren't there? I seem to remember the selection had its fair share of detractors. Maybe not of the scale of a Naita/Watts, but in the same vein. That's amazing. A poster who admits fault without being forced to. Quite extraordinary. There's hope for 'land yet!

True. And they've gotten us, so far, one wooden spoon from one year, with a distinct possibility that another is on the way. Perspective is a funny thing. I agree that they're making ALL the right noises, but fair dinkun, the old footy department did a pretty damn good job of keeping us afloat the last ten years too. I for one enjoyed 2004-2006. I was always left feeling empty, but I give Daniher and CAC credit. What would you think of DB if he stayed at the club 5 years, got us within striking distance of a flag and then failed in the finals? Until he gets us a winning grand final team, ND will always have his measure. And Neale did it with bugger all top 10 picks. He was a victim of his own (albeit limited) success. Likewise CAC who was forced to be inventive with a number of lateish first rounders. That "best Victorian team" was put together almost entirely by the two man you deride. Funny that. Fairweather supporters. I'm from the Hannabal group on this one, in that I'm lukewarm on him. CAC didn't deliver a superstar, but he delivered a lot of corkers with late picks. The analysis would say more than his fair share. I loved him when he was with us, and simply a change of job doesn't make him a different person, or a poorer quality recruiter as many here would have you believe. I'll judge him in 3-5 years, and I'll take into account his time at Richmond. Until then, we're all guessing.

Seen him kick? You'd think twice. There is some truth to it though. Even if a working player is traded to another team for a high pick you're often taking another club's trash. What you're hoping is that player is surplus on one list, and can fill a gaping hole in your own. If there really wasn't anything wrong with him they'd have traded someone else. As it was he was the player they needed the "least." Exceptions to this are when a player walks out on a club or asks to be traded, or to make room for salary cap. I can see both your points of view though. Back on topic, after seeing the original list without emergencies announced, I was hoping for exactly this side to come up. I'm not sure we'll win, and I'm sure one or two debutants may have a "Weetra" like start to their careers, but the important thing is they're getting a taste. Something of an important day for the demons. Sends a lot of crucial messages both to the fans and to the list itself. Shame I'm going to miss it.

I'm stunned at how little people talk about Fev. For mine he's easily the best genuine Full Forward running around. And to outclass Lloyd, who will go down as one of the greats, with the midfield he has delivering it to him, I reckon is stunning. I get that Brown is the complete package, and Buddy is a freak, but both those guys strike me as more the rangy CHF types. Fev is so rarely towelled up, so rarely beaten... Even considering the fact he's a world-class peanut, he's still an out-and-out elite forward. I doubt Watts will be that kind of player though. I think, given the small amount of footage we've seen of him, he's more of the Hird type. His contested marking is so clever and effective. Less Fev-like brute force, more calculating footy smarts and body placement. Which is not to say he won't be a star, just that I doubt he'll be the freight-train style KP forward Fev is.

Great post... Particularly the bit in regards to Petterd. We need to see this young kid in action as much as possible, as soon as possible. I see him as one of the kids that will vie for our all-important core list for the next 6 or so years. Col has always been, and likely will always be in and out of that core. I like Col, but there has to come a time that we ignore the drafting number once the player has been recruited. Going on what he's shown so far (even with the OP extenuating circumstances) Petterd is more important. We may have snuck a couple more goals in the game, may have made a difference to the result... but we are in development phase, and I'm loving that DB isn't taking his eye off the ball, even for a minute.

I've got no problem with the team as named. Nice to see Spencer in the 18, which (assuming the rules haven't changed) means he will be playing regardless of who is in the emergencies. That in itself is something to celebrate. And with potentially 3 more debuts, this will be a match that will be well worth attending, whatever the result. The Roos, as listed, are a 5 goal better side than us. It's match one, and their memberships are down, so they'll be going hell for leather.... But even so, we will surprise them in a few areas. There are a couple of players in there that will give Laidley a headache, namely Buckley and Garland. I'm predicting a loss. If it's bad, no more than 40, and if it's good I'd say maybe a 1-2 goal loss... an honourable one. PS The Sylvia omission is hardly a big deal. The guy isn't a star... so far he's shown he's just another player who has to do what it takes to earn a spot. Which he hasn't done. My greater concern is the crappy form of Newton, who has rightly not been named anywhere near the side. He might have straightened us up a bit if he was on his game.

Oooh. Cold. True though. My concern is that I want our young defenders to learn from these guys... Well, at least one of them. If we could have 3 wreckers running around in the years to come, just imagine. Even Wheatley, though never a crowd favourite, is a mature player at the club and would have a lot to impart to the young kids. Even DB reflected this in his list assessment. We can't have a team completely made up of the 21 and unders.

Y_M = STILL making threads about himself, even the serious ones. I can't imagine how proud you must be Andrew. My MFC mates and I dream of having the clout to be able to effect real change at the club, and here you are with an honest hail mary, and it actually worked. If this can't inspire the regular dees supporter to get off his ass and make an effort for the red and blue, I don't know what will. Your story is heartening on more than a few levels. Again. Many thanks.