Nasher

I agree. It says: "not as emotionally invested". That is all. It is a huge leap, in my mind, to get from "stops watching footy because it stops being enjoyable" to "gives up on everything in their life". Like I said, I'm like you, and wouldn't/couldn't/don't even want to quit. I love it too much and I can't divorce myself from it. It's ingrained in my life. I just get that it's not ingrained in other people's lives, so I don't judge others for tuning out when it gets painful. It is their right. With regards to your line "but if you love the game and turn your back on the team you purport to support, don't come back and experience all the glory.", I doubt there are too many people who have jumped off the bandwagon that this actually applies to.

I don't think either of those facts are in dispute. There's the other possibility about Brayshaw and Matt Jones *both* playing...

Matt Jones should not be and won't be dropped. I love James Harmes: he has a crack, he can kick goals and his attitude is infectious, but he is presently the 22nd best player in our side.

I think it's not just that we won, but that he was instrumental in the win. Once they put him back in the guts in the last quarter, our midfield got well on top again, and he won the clearances that resulted in the first two goals of the last quarter. His absence during the third quarter was the only period where their midfield started to get on top in the contests. The kid is a freak. This may seem like hyperbole, but after one game and at 18, he is already the best inside midfielder that I've seen at the club. Even if he doesn't get any better, it doesn't matter. His focus over the next two years will be tank development; if he can get up to 75-80% TOG then he is going to be unstoppable.

Why do you struggle with it? I think we should not lose sight of the fact that at the end of the day, football is entertainment, and people have the right to invest as much or as little as they want in it. I'm like you - I sign up, I watch and support even when we're [censored], and am 100% completely emotionally invested in it, but I don't extend my own investment in to a requirement for others to have the same investment. It's purely personal choice. I say if people want to blow in and enjoy the MFC when we're going well, we should welcome them with open arms. It should not become a competition about who managed to hang on during the grimmest periods, which is what seems to happen at times.

As for if we were going to be anywhere but 9th after winning round 1 by 2 points.

I've already removed about 25 posts, but each time I refresh the page, new ones appear. People obviously want the thread to be closed.

I dunno - maybe for some just the sight of an Essendon guernsey might be enough to boo, but to me I'd feel like I was booing the players who opted out, the players who are young and unfortunate enough to be drafted there, and the players trying to eek an extra year or two in the system by playing as a top-up. None of the people I feel are guilty and worthy of my contempt would be present. As an MFC and sport fan, I'd be happy just to grind their team in to dust on the field and leave it at that.

As excited as we all are, it would be nothing short of dumb to play a guy in the seniors for his first game in 18 months (or however long it's been). You wouldn't do it with a seasoned player (anyone scurrying to bring H back in to the side?), so doing it with a 20 year old only adds to the dumbness. Needs Casey time, and will get it.

I opened this thread expecting it to be a suggestion of protesting by boycotting the game (yes, others have suggested this already). I'm disappointed as I was amped to give the OP a grilling.

Round 4 actually. Amazing how quickly events fade - I'd forgotten that he missed so much of the season. Doesn't make rjay's assessment any less valid though. There's plenty to like about Kent, and clearly best 22 at this stage, but I agree that he is still a work in progress with no guarantee of success.

It'll go in a report to the authors of the software to track down, along with some people's posts appearing twice. Currently every post I make produces an error then appears twice, very annoying.

Is Jetta that underrated amongst Melbourne fans? I think the main sentiment is acknowledgement that he just quietly goes about his business; defends solidly and rarely wastes the ball when he has it. He doesn't do things that get a lot of attention (compared to TMac with the marking, for example) but I reckon most would agree that he's an important part of the team. I certainly haven't read much negative sentiment towards him at all since he was reinvented as a back pocket by Roos.

Matt Jones on current form is cemented 22 - I don't think his name should have even appeared in this thread to be honest. The only players who need to watch over their shoulders at this stage are Harmes, Bugg, OMac and one of Frost/Pedersen in my opinion.

He'll feel right at home!

I remember the bad old days of starting the season with a belting. The joy of knowing the season is dashed at half time of round 1. Definitely better them than us!

Got bored watching Collingwood get flogged, so I turned it over to the North game, and straight away got a shot of Brad Scott with his mouth open and hands in the air. There just aren't the words to sufficiently describe how much that guy irks me.

Worth a free kick (awarded by the ump) and probably a bit of a neck scruff (awarded by Davis). Nothing more in it.

I agree to a point, but I reckon we took one too many talls in to our forward line. As others have mentioned, Hogan had no space to work with, and it probably wasn't a coincidence that he shone as soon as Pedersen nicked off to defense. The only reason I haven't made a change like that is I'm not sure there are any obviously better choices at this stage.

I would have thought H and Angus might be short of a run and could benefit from a full run in the VFL first (ie next week). To that end, it's just Dunn for OMac. Bugg, Frost and Harmes the only others in the frame for demotion this week I think.

Hehe. On reflecting on Kennedy's game I randomly remembered Howe and the best zero possession half Roosy had ever seen. Lots of water to go under the bridge yet, but so far so good on that trade. Thought Kennedy was instrumental in the last quarter resurgence.

Just watched his post match interview again. Heh - he is just an excited kid trapped in the body of a beast. Enjoy that while you can buddy!

6. Viney 5. Watts 4. McDonald T 3. Kennedy 2. Oliver 1. Jones N Honorable mention to Matt Jones and Gawn to round out my top 8.

How about the luxury of moving Jones to HB in the last, knowing Oliver and Viney could get the job done?

I have to admit to a sense of despondency with 10 minutes to go in the third up to 3/4 time - up until that point we were still competing, just not hitting the scoreboard. When that stopped happening I honestly couldn't see how we could recover. The Viney/Oliver combination in the middle gives me goosebumps.