Choko

This character question is really a bit of a joke. The usual question of how many of you wouldn't take a massive pay rise and 6 years job security begs. And if you say you wouldn't, then equally I could question your character for betraying those to whom you most owe a duty - your family - not a football club. Get over it. He left for money. He has said money was a factor, and then the other reasons put forward are justifications that wouldn't exist if it weren't for the buckets of dosh. People say "We should have taken Martin". Maybe in hindsight. But no club wasn't going to take TS at first pick, and we got 2 first rounders for him leaving, so whose to say we haven't done better than Richmond? Only time will tell. Also, just because Martin signed at Richmond, doesn't mean he would have signed at Melbourne. You just don't know. We're hardly the best run and most professional club in the land.

It is interesting, because Neeld has made no secret IMO of his opinion of Bailey. It's clear he thinks Bailey provided an armchair for our senior players, was not demanding enough on them physically and basically was not in the modern game. Neeld admits himself that talk is cheap, but he has done a bit of tough talking himself!!! What will be interesting is to see whether he will back it up if blokes like Davey, Watts, etc don't work hard enough. Here's hoping he does.

It seems to me it was a question of VP face to face or President over the phone. Rightly or wrongly, Jim decided that his heath meant he couldn't present face-to-face, but that he ought to do the "deed" and not delegate the toughest of jobs to his VP (who, let's face it, is a more active VP that he would like to be and should be all other things being equal). Not perfect, but hardly a hanging offence in the context of Jim's health. I actually think the problem was that we should have honoured the contract and let him see out the year if he wanted to (and I understand he would have wanted to), not reacted to the media hounds in an oh-so-predictable way.

Agree that Jim would have done the deed on the phone so he couldn't be said to have delegated the task. I think he would have made the decision with the Board, and would have had a very heavy heart. I don't think Jim would have avoided face-to-face, it would only have been a matter of his health. That's not saying we handled it perfectly, but hey, Freo told Harvey face to face, which also doesn't mean they did do it perfectly!

Yeh spose so. But probably every time they change it they make money.

FFS everyone, OMR didn't pretend that the future of earth was going to depend on any of this! FWIW, I agree. Funnily enough, Cameron Schwab was having a go at me for not having bought current merchandise (I still had the blue polo) and I told him I hate the red and look forward to when the trend changes, and he said it won't be any time soon!!

Not a bit harsh there on Gysberts? If he has changed his body shape, then surely endurance may take a temporary backward/sideways step? I would have thought, considering blokes like Morton who spend years on the list and don't improve their body shape, it's great that he has done so much in such a short time?

Did anyone see how he presented to the pre-season? I have immense sympathy for Wonna and his plight, and would love to see him continue his career at MFC, but are we aware of what state of finess or unfitness he was in?

I don't buy that this reflects badly on the footy club. What's the brand damage to the MFC? I put it to you that there is none. An individual employee, in their private time, is involved in an incident. It may reflect on Colin, but I don't buy that it reflects on the MFC.

Yeh, I think we do. I see them as a footballer. A person that's good at football. I atually think that anyone who emulates an AFL footballer's bad behaviour is probably in need of better role models than AFL footballers in the first place! But in any event, he didn't "flee" the scene - he had no obligation to remain at the scene as he was a passenger. Look, I have no problem with people saying they would hope they/their kids/their mates would act differently. But until you've walked a mile in Colin's shoes, or even heard the whole story, I just think the character assassination on here is unfair.

But hold on. Maybe an idiot, but he's allowed to be drunk. At least if that was the case (and we are speculating), he didn't drive.

And you don't understand that most of them are good at kicking a piece of leather, not at being role models. I don't expect footballers to be role models, except maybe in relation to healthy lifestyle. It's a bonus when they are. Give me a break with telling us how our morality fits into the greater morality, of which you are the arbiter. It's pukeworthy.

Firstly, I don't believe it is an issue of morality on the information we have at present. It sounds to me like there was no third party involved, and Colin was the passenger. Secondly, it's got nothing to do with my football team affiliation. I thought the Heath Shaw penalty, whilst understandable, was laughable to the extreme for the $10 stupid bet he put on. I felt sorry for him, and I felt sorry for Riewoldt last year.

We are all speculating, but whether he fled the scene or not, it was going to be news and would no matter what reflect badly on him and the MFC in the same way. Maybe, just maybe, he feels the pressure of people linking mistakes from his past to his "role" as a passenger in the car? He thinks keyboard heroes and media types will slam him and jump to conclusions? Maybe that pressure made him make a spur of the moment decision to flee? Then, soon after, he realises he should make good and does so? Silly, yes. But we are talking about AFL footballers. Not all of them are brilliant.

You're the one with problems.

I seriously cannot believe how quick to judge and damn people here are. Colin was a passenger in what appears to be a single car collision. He was out at 6.45am. That could mean he had a massive night, it could also mean he was getting up to do beach and weights. Either way, big deal in the off season or during the who cares cup? It appears as well that Colin left the scene. What does that even mean when you're a passenger and you haven't committed an offence? Nothing. The driver allegedly left the scene. Colin is a 26ish year old kid. FFS, give him a break. Have none of you ever been on learning journeys? Maybe start with the most important lessons about not judging others too harshly or quickly.

Quite right. Cameron Bruce was no star, but from what he was expected to be to what he became, he achieved more than most. Those achievements were based on an excellent work ethic. By the same token, Cameron Bruce was always about Cameron Bruce. That's not a crime, but it's also not Michael Voss. Not many players have played over 200 games. Not many 200 game players spoil their legacy in this way. Not many clubs shaft their captain like we did Junior. There's two sides to this story, and neither is wrong.

Couldn't agree more. 1000:1 shot would be vastly greater odds than Newton's. The guy is the biggest potato in the AFL.

No you can't. But you should learn to read quicker!

That's almost how I read it. No question that Schwab was seen by the Board as being too hands on with the FD, but perhaps he was justified when you look at who copped the bullet and the performance of the FD. I think the Board was told two versions of the same story. One by the FD, which included that CS should stay out, and one by CS, which was that he needed to intervene and we needed a re-structure. I would hazard a guess that almost all of the reasons Schwab was telling the Board he was intervening because of have now been "moved on" - CC, DB, West, for example. So I think he almost lost the Board (and the FD almost won), but in the end the Board realised (rightly or wrongly) that CS was more right than wrong. As for his commercial input, he has been IMO the most successful CEO we have had in an extrememly long time, if not ever.

I really think the life of our HFF will get more and more enjoyable. With Clark in to take the best defender, then Watts, Howe, Jurrah all needing talls, I can see Bate on a good day adding a dimension to our game. He will never be a prolific goal kicker or a pack mark, but as a lead up, long raking kicking linkman, there may be a role for him yet. I would take Bate over Dunn any day.

Unless, as I suspect, it was a "fight" between CEO and FD/Bailey for who was holding us back. In which case, his position and power base may be stronger than ever. As it ought to be.

Maybe because they are on TV a lot, but I have watched a lot of Brisbane. Last yr I watched them live a few times, and I actually remember thinking that Mitch Clark was exactly what we needed. A mobile, tall, focal point that can convert and doesn't get pantsed at ground level. I am extremely excited, because aside from Clark's undoubted ability, there is the added benefit that now, one of he and Watts gets the best backman, the other doesn't. Then Jurrah, Howe, Petterd get 3rd, 4th and 5th. It will make them all more effective footballers. I think our backline and forward line are sorted (with some assumptions, such as Wonna being fit). Now just growth/development of our midfield, and we're in a good place list management wise! Go dees!

Depending on how next year goes for Hardwick, he would have to be one of the stiffest coaches ever to lose his job at this stage. I really rate the way this guy coaches. I think he is their first good coach in many years.

I agree, but I can only bring myself to say it now that I know that it ended with a loss to the Filth.