Dappa Dan

You see? A young Russell Robertson? The only way to beat quality sides when you're undermanned is by bringing in players they know nothing about. Most of these players we've selected are completely known entities in the AFL. The Dons have shown it's possible to field crap teams with a few unknowns and you can wreak havoc on even the better sides. How do Ferg (failed trade bait), PJ (at this stage of development) and Bizzell (ex-cat!!!) make Thompson worry? The element of surprise is all we had going for us this week, and with the minor exception of Petterd, Neale and the footy department have denied us our only weapon DAYS before the game has started. Atleast that's the way I see it.

Newton on the wing again!!!!!! Oh well. At least the Dunny is back. And about that 50K Jaded, we're all dying of curiosity.

I dunno. Maybe. I reckon the Geelong match in 2005 was up there. It'll want to be a 60 point win to pip that one.

If the injury situation were within normal levels Sylvia would have been given 1-2 more weeks to get completely match-fit. But under the circumstances I can't for the life of me understand why he hasn't been rushed back in. Unless he's got OP issues from last week that we don't know about... God forbid.

Yeah, I had Biz in my 22 in round 1. While I realise he's up against it to be retained for next year, I also realise he has a history of being a class player. If we wrote off every player who'd turned 30, JMac wouldn't have won a B&F. It's possible that Biz could come back in and have more impact than many of the players that are already in there.

For Christ's sake, let's start the campaign. Play Sauntner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I realise Newton's form hasn't been good enough an he's young, but if he can't get a game when we have 3 of our 4 main tall forward options out, when is he going to get a game? Honestly I have to wonder what Daniher is trying to do. Jamar, PJ, White, Ferguson and Bizzell have proven themselves as much as forwards as Juice, and none of them besides maybe PJ have substantial futures in that position, and even he is on thin ice... I'd love to get his impressions on why he's selecting our depth over our future. We'd have as much hope of winning with Petterd, Buckley and Newton playing as Ward, Godders and Brown, only we'd have some sort of hope for the future. Jeez, how much of a broken record am I?

Wheatley, Ward, Jamar... No Newton, Sylvia, Dunn, Byron, Rivers... Why even turn up?

Anticipation for me is higher than it was last week. We may get to see the future of the forward line for the first time. If we select Biz and Holland as our forwards, then it's a zero.

- Yes and no. The gameplan was certainly an improvement, but I don't know whether we really deserved to still be in it. Maybe. The Hawks kicking at goal was diabolical, and while we missed a few shots we weren't NEARLY as bad. Had it been Feva, Lucas or Lloyd kicking at goal instead of Boyle and their midfielders we would have been out of it by 3/4 time I reckon. Even Willo missed a few. - They weren't too bad, but do you reckon we flattered them at all? One thing's for sure, the game lived up to the expectation that both sides had a point to prove, and they were a vastly different side to the one that took on the Lions. - Exactly. Winning at specific grounds should be the last thing on our minds. - I look forward to it. He doesn't play too many bad matches in a row. But then I did say that about Davey last week. - That's the best thing about Sunday. I'm not expecting us to get near them, so individual gains in form will be applauded. Particularly any forward that can excel while the rock and the X-Factor of our forward line are gone. They're up against it, but that was when we played our best last year. When we were up against it.

- No. Don't mistake blind optimism for passion BB. And you have a bad name on here not because you go against the grain, but because you back up fruitless arguements with nonsensical mutterings. - No. The finger-pointing will continue as long as we lose games we should be winning, and as long as the team has serious structural problems. Where is it written that the ONLY way to get the demons back on track is by backing them up no matter what game they bring on match-day? MFC has underachieved for ten years. This is what happens to underachievers. Stop telling posters who have every reason to be dissatisfied what to think, feel and most importantly say. You want to back them up your way? Fine. Come on here and join the chorus of people who say "the demons are alright, we'll be fine in the long run." You may well be right by your definition. But do everyone a favour and stop drawing attention to yourself... Back on Trav, I can't in all seriousness allow the whole toe-injury thing go as an excuse. From what I saw on Monday, at least in moments, he is running faster and harder with the pill than EVER. There were a couple of passages where he burnt guys off, which isn't really something he's done before. And his kicking has no troubles with trajectory and distance. Perhaps he's low on confidence, and that's fine. But he's far too good a player to be getting 8 touches, tagger or no tagger. Bruce was picked up and beaten 2 weeks ago, and he still managed far more touches. I reckon that's the way to form. Even if you're not kicking straight, at least get the pill, tuck it under the arm and take guys on. It may not work but at least you fight your way to form rather than just wait for it to come. Oh, and his body language when that difficult kick insode fifty sailed over his head was reminiscent of Richo. You just can't have that. I doubt he'll play the next 2 matches as bad as the last one, but if he does, I'll have no hesitation in calling for him to be dropped. I still reckon he's the best footballer at the club, but there's just too much getting in his way at the moment, just like Ooze.

I thought, looking at the title, that this thread would be talking about the difference between Green's best and worst games. In days gone by he'd kick 4 goals one week, then go completely missing the next. Last year showed he's working to bridge the gap between his best and worst, and while it's a work in progress, it's great to see as recently as last year he's still developing. The last 2 rounds are not a great sign, but I'm going to hold off judging him for now.

In the end, I have to concede the point. 10 years and no flag with players like White, Yze, Schwartz, Trav and Neitz is failure. No matter which way I look at it. Say hey to H for me. I don't blame him...

Yeah, this is quickly turning into another "difference of opinion" tennis match here, which is a shame. I think we were getting somewhere. Or at least you were. Yep. Our insiders are gold dust. The outsiders you can recruit and trade each year as the need arises. Dime a dozen. Personally I just plain disagree that it's all doom and gloom. We KNEW before this draft, and the one before, that we were struggling for talls. We went for the best available with the first pick, then after that there weren't really any gun ruckmen/CHBs/CHFs available. Had we had pick 3 or earlier we would have gotten Gumby/Leunberger/Hansen etc etc. What were we supposed to do? This is what happens when you go well for a few years. You're a victim of your own mediocrity. Most supporters and just about every demons official wanted us to recruit and play for a flag while we could and Neita was still around. If it fails, so be it. Don't cry over spilt milk, and don't blame a lack of vision. MFC made a choice, and we're going to pay for it even if we do win a flag. Given our resources I'm stunned we even get within cooee of the opportunity to play in a GF. I don't think it's correct to claim we don't have good direction. What would you have done better? I'm sure you'll have good answers, but I struggle to find them. In most cases the right decisions were made in that we've recruited good players in MOST selections we've had. What more can you ask? Go for players you rate lower because they fulfill the need at the time? Pull another Molan? No. I'm satisfied we've taken the correct course given the lists strengths and weaknesses and the available players at the time, but that's just me. And I'm prepared to be the Lions of the last couple of years for a while if it means players like Dunn can improve without being expected to push us into finals. It's easy to say the club had no direction when it had 4 or so BAAAD recruiting years. That puts pressure on anyone's list management. But we've had what looks like 3 pretty good ones. If in the next 5 years we have 3 years where we get 3 good players out of 4, then we're on our way. That's as good as you can hope, I reckon. BTW, you didn't answer my question about Hannabal.

I like the idea of Rivers, but I reckon he;s going to have enough on his mind stopping all these Greek Gods that are apparently playing for the cats on the weekend. Clearly it comes from Bruce and JMac for this week. Green just hasn't got the form yet... I say Bruce, JMac, then Green. After that we'll see.

Belly. Will take Chapman. Will thrash him into the turf. Will knock him unconscious. With his wang.

Of players and officials. People who have more on the line than their on-line reputations. When a poster writes tripe like the above I am prepared to be banned, so long as my point is made regarding the garbage they write. In this case, fight fire with fire. They're allowed to make outlandish statements and are told off and have their threads closed but still viewed, and NO-ONE can fight back for fear of pissing the mods off. Like I said, I absolve them of any blame regarding a temporary banning. Dish them out as they see fit. I, and many like me, am sick of MFC "fans" getting on here and picking apart players who are so beyond guilt you have to be blind and deaf not to be able to see how blameless they are. If it temporarily costs me my posting rights here, then like I said, well worth it. SOMEONE has to do it mate. Otherwise, good post.

DBoy13. Nice long post, just the way I like it, but you need to take it from these posters. Don't panic yet. Take a look at last year. We have a WORLD of improvement if you look at what this list achieved just last year. Don't worry mate. Come round 6 I want you to start a similar thread and see what you come up with. Neitz, Robbo, Bartram and Brock will be due back and THEN we can make some more informed judgements. To be honest a lot of your write-ups there are just plain unfair. Not grossly so, but just factually wrong in some cases. Believe me we're all upset with what's going on, but injuries aside (which is just plain bad luck) all the team needs to do is just fix their brains. 9 months ago we were the hottest things in footy. Now I know some time has passed, but even if we're only HALF as good as we were at round 15 last year, we'll win games like Monday's. See you in a month!

I realise Green seemed like he took to it well, but it seems to me that Bruce is a fraction ahead of him in the race for the job full time. Are we looking to give a guy who looks like they may do the job next year a go? If so, then Brock. Since he's out too... Ooooh you get my drift... I have no idea, and frankly based on this weeks form I'm not inspred to pick any of them.

Oooh. GREAT thread. How did we miss this chance to gasbag on about who's going to be skipper. Well obviously given the 4 week prognosis we have the option to rotate skippers. I'm all for the Green/Bruce experiment of last year to continue for now, but any of the three remaining leaders is fine by me really. If it had to be one of them... Bugger me I don't know. Probably Bruce...

You're mistaken. Not optimism. Sheer, Blind, Balls-out insanity. I'm sitting here having torn out what grey hair I had left cackling into a pitcher of scotch and anti-depressants. I'm turning into Yze_magik.

Furry Muff.

:lol:

Can someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but he has played on him in the past, with great effect hasn't he? I could've sworn Chapman's scalp was among the collection in his closet.

What a way of looking at the glass half full. With Robbo, Neitz and Brock out until at least round 6 or 7, we need to be at worst 3-3 or 3-4 by that stage to have some chance. Maybe 2-4. But not 2-5. The forwards that have to come in will ALL be young'uns no matter which way you look at it. Miller, PJ, Newton, Dunn... only Holland and White could be considered tall forward options of a higher age.. For this reason alone I'm pumped. How good would it be if Tomahawk came out and got smashed by Carroll, then Newton bags 4 in a half? Wishful thinking? You betcha! the musings of a man who's lost all sanity when it comes to the dees.