Nasher

Really, this view is just as outrageous as the opposite view. The club is managing Tom the way they are because he is injured. There's absolutely no link between this and the GWS stuff whatsoever.

As hilarious as that analogy is (and it is), it's wrong. Also, I can't stop posting on this subject either.

That's extremely harsh on a club champion, but I agree with the general premise of calling on the best, not the best of whatever we've got lying around.

Clint can't kick more than about 30 meters. He's also a player who is aware of his limitations and rarely tries anything he's not capable of. It's only when he's got absolutely no other choice that he goes for the hoof and bad things happen. I'm a fan - I don't love him but I've got plenty of respect for him, and I think that the player who will displace him isn't on our list yet.

Surprised it's taken this long for someone to point out that Dunn is named as a starter. Poo.

It baffles me that you think that. If we were electing "best MFC small defender" right now Clint would win unopposed.

That's hardly going out on a limb at this stage of his development IMO. I'm certainly not shouting.

They're for last minute changes on the day.

This. And it's not just that, his over-consciousness of getting hit causes him to spill easy marks at critical moments, even when he wasn't in any real danger. He's done this heaps of times in his career. Makes me grumpy. As you say, Petterd is the polar opposite. Even when he's not in great form you know he'll have a dip. It's an easy choice for me.

Because it's a Sunday game and for Sunday games you are allowed to name an extended bench of 7, for Saturday and Friday games you are only allowed to name 4. You may notice that all the teams playing on Sunday have named 7 players on the bench (I haven't looked, but I bet it's true). The sole reason MFC do it all the time is because we have so many Sunday games. It's not about smoke screens (though this is a nice benefit even if it's only a 1%er), it's about covering yourself in case anyone gets injured etc in the next couple of days, with that being the whole reason you're allowed to do it at all.

This is just standard behaviour. Why would you restrict yourself more than you need to? I think the more likely scenario is that they've already decided who the team will be but want to create a bit of "noise" rather than letting the cat out of the bag straight away.

I'd still prefer it to be Dunn.

In: Petterd Out: Dunn Like for like and a player who has been dreadful gets the chop. Seems logical.

I read somewhere last year(?) that Bailey and co had decided that they would not "coach" Liam in a footy sense, so it would seem the FD agree with your assessment.

It doesn't mean anything for Scully.

No kidding - many thought he'd be the our next captain. Ouch.

Not sure what pubs you go to, but in all the pubs I've ever been to, drinks weren't served on a urinal.

C&B, you've got to be kidding if you think taking a slash on a bar is "harmless". What would you do if you were standing at the bar ordering a drink and the bloke next to you flopped it out and starting having a piss right in front of you? I know, you'd pat him on the back and say "no worries mate, no harm done", right?

Given that there was going to be a need for a mobile ruckman and nobody standing out for the position, I'd say they decided to hedge their bets and keep Martin and Newton in the expectation (/hope) that one would step up - that's what I'd have done, anyway. In fact, had Newton not been injured in the leadup to the season, I'd probably have had him in Martin's spot in round 1.

I don't think that's what Hannabal et al meant.

If Jamar went down, Martin would fill in for the remainder of the match, but Spencer would be the #1 ruckman the following week. First and second ruck are both specialist positions in the current environment. I and others said over the pre-season that the second ruckman position had Martin's name written all over it and he's grasped it with both hands. Very pleasing.

#13. Big fan of Gysberts also - I expect that the bandwagon is pretty full now though. Finally found someone to fill the void Adam Fisher left Finks?

How about rewarding the guy who had a good performance in the seniors? Nuts.

6. Moloney 5. Rivers 4. Jurrah 3. Gysberts 2. Jamar 1. Martin

While I agree that it's not a great step forward to choose Newton in Watts' place, but you've got to be kidding me if you think 11 goals in two weeks is not "knocking the on the door". Actually I guess it isn't - more like charging at it with a battering ram.