Johnny Karate

A true supporter accepts things as they are, takes the bad with the good or indifferent and turns up every week. What would you prefer? No one turns up to games or signs up as members as some form of protest against the fact we haven't won anything for 43 years and because the current team is struggling? As for the comment "I support a club, not an individual." Good point but while Daniher is coach he is part of this club and I will support him.

What? We storm home, make top four and he keeps his job?

.... that there are a number of people on here hoping someone loses their job?

If he keeps working hard he'll turn the corner. He's never really been a matchwinner as a midfielder more a solid contributor who's work stands out a lot more when we're winning. That said he hasn't been awful the two times we've lost either: R1 v Saints 18 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 1 goal R2 v Hawks 20 d, 8m, 3t Losing creates scapegoats and witchhunts. Lets try to be a little bit objective.

Bruce. Always rips the cats to shreds at the G.

Consistently good if not excellent performances at VFL level over a period of at least 2 weeks to a month. Let's just play our best 22 regardless of age am unsure as to what more you want as we already have many of the excellent youngsters in our team: Bell, C.Johnson, Bate and Jones etc. Team balance must come into it IMO Buckley, CJ and Bate are similar players at this stage tallish running mids/flankers. Guys like Newton and Garland are KPP who will need a bit more time to develop, Newton may get a game here and there but he won't win us a game at this stage. I'm sure we'll guys like Frawley, Dunn and Petterd get games during the course of the season. Maybe but you need to have some perspective. What is the point of having battle hardened guys like Yze, Godfrey, Bizz, Fergy, Holland, Brown and Ward on the list if they don't have the chance of playing a game. Let's be honest if were about winning games of footy in the short term these guys will give us better service than Petterd, Buckley, Neville, Warnock etc. Maybe if we crap out completely we can throw some of the kiddies in the deep end of the pool. It's only two rounds in and I'm not prepared to call this season over and quite frankly I think it's farcical that some people on this board are. (Thats not directed at you bb59)

I saw no evidence of a really poor game plan yesterday as opposed to last Friday. A few players were off the boil, however with 10 minutes to go we were still in the game all it takes is some luck. I don't know about anyone else but I was pretty impressed with Hawthorn yesterday they have some very good young players and on their day are going to cause plenty of top sides problems. On a different day we could've faced the pants Hawthorn who served up tripe at the Gabba last week and we would've won by 60+. Yeah it sucks but the big picture reality is we need to be able to play all grounds well to be a premiership team. I am equally as upset as when we lose at AAMI or Subi. Jeez Cam Bruce cops a bum wrap on here. Yes his kicking is appalling but he finds a lot of the ball and is very creative. Watch him tear the Cats a new one - they never have anyone to match him. I'm actually looking forward to seeing how we perform with our backs against the wall and am hoping that over the next month in the absence of Neitz and Robbo we'll see; Bruce and Green stand up, TJ and Davey respond to the criticism, Sylvia, Moloney and Jones lining up for a centre bounce and Adem Yze get back to playing some goog footy again. It's a moot point. Spectators will often accuse underperforming players as being defeatist. I think that pessimism amongst supporter bases can be cancerous on a club. First they don't believe the team will win, because the the team doesn't win and vindicates their (lack of) expectation they stop attending matches, the team craps out completely and the supporter feels smug and doesn't buy a membership for next year because last year they were right about the losing etc, etc, etc.

I don't believe in giving guys games who haven't earned it. If their form at training and Sandy is good enough then fine, however let's just pick the best 22 available, no affirmative action if you're under 21. People get too carried away with youth, even the so called 'Baby Bombers' of 93 had more than enough good senior players. Young players that deserve to come into senior selection considerations at this stage would be Sylvia and Dunn and thats about it. The other guys; Buckley, Newton et al need to show a hell of a lot more at Sandy.

As I said in another thread the competition's so damn even that if we can bring our A-game in the next couple of weeks and/or opposition sides are off theirs, no game is impossible. I can guarantee the coach and the players never go into games expecting to lose so why should the supporters? Everybody needs to harden the **** up!

To be fair CAC already tried this by picking the best underage KPP Luke Molan at the 2001 superdraft. Unfortunately as we all know he was very injury prone. Miller took a step in the right direction on Monday, IMO he will never be a superstar forward but if he can work hard and average 1-2 goals a week I'd be very happy. The popular choices thus far for CHF seem to be Dunn and Miller. Newton and Garland were recruited as KPF and are still very raw. Another couple that could possibly fill the role, just thinking outside the square, are Bate and Rivers. At the end of the day you only really need one gorilla forward be it CHF or FF. Brisbane were very fortunate with Brown and Lynch, however subsequent premiers had only one Gorilla: Power with Tredrea, Swans with Hall and WCE with Lynch

Lets just play our best available side minus the injured players: IN: Sylvia, Yze, Bizzell, Holland OUT: Neitz, Robertson, C.Johnson, Wheatley B: Whelan - Holland - Bizzell HB: Bell - Carroll - Rivers C: Green - Jones - Moloney HF: Bate - Miller - Godfrey F: Davey - Sylvia - Jamar R: White - Bruce - McDonald I: Johnstone - Yze - Ward - Brown E: P.Johnson - C.Johnson - Petterd On paper that team can account for Geelong it's now just a matter of getting it together on the park and not being paper tigers.

This is a very well made point. As for the thread title, I reckon we'll be 4-4 after round 8. While everybody is justifyably pessimistic at this point it should be remembered that this is a very even competition. While it is conceivable that we lose all six, on the flipside we could very easily win all six.

Agree, I love all these blow ins who have probably jumped back on after 3 years. "Greens soft" etc, etc. Next they'll be blaming Woewodin and Schwarz for not firing up.

I wish some people would read the post rather than trying to be funny.

We are definitely lacking at ground level in our forwardline. I can't remember one crumbed goal we've had this season. For that reason alone I'd bring in PJ as he is pretty good at ground level.

Dear all, I know that this is a place where people will come and vent after disappointing losses like today but I'm going to endeavour to look at some of the positive aspects of season 07 thus far. 1) We have played terrible football in both games, however we have still managed to win 4 out of 8 quarters. Baby steps if we can string three or four q's together we'll get some premiership points on the board. 2) We found some avenues to goal despite having our two lynchpins in Neitz and Robertson down most of the game. 3) Furthermore Miller kicked some goals, atlthough Croad probably won that contest Miller never gave up. 4) Godfrey, cops a lot of [censored] on these boards (sometimes warranted, most of the time it is needless personal vitriol) lets give some credit where credit is due. 5) Jones and Bate are progressing nicely and played pretty solid games today. Im a little disappointed at how some people are giving it to them on here, lets remember they're only 19 and in my eyes should be forgiven for their mistakes at this stage. 6) Bruce was good, yes he does fluff kicks but he won pretty much every 50/50 contest he had today 7) Davey and Johnstone cannot possibly play worse than they did today. 8) After a poor start Jamar was good, he is improving incrementally and hopefully can really impose himself on a game one day. 9) Moloney is back. Enough said. 10) Bell did a very good job as a stopper in defence. 11) Unlike last week we were harder at the ball and the tackling pressure was better. Hawthorn's pace through the midfield was just a bit too much for us in the end 12) Finally it is better to play this poorly at the start of the season rather than the business end. We're 16th, the only way is Thoughts? Please feel free to disagree. I'm as disappointed as anyone that we're 0-2 so please don't accuse me of viewing our situation with rose coloured glasses. I just think that calling for everyone's head two rounds in is a little bit reactionary. It soothes the soul to try and be a bit positive rather than drowning in negativity. Lets be patient, put some things into perspective and keep following this team thorughout the season no matter what happens.

Daniel Ward - ignored everyone's leads Daniel Ward - Meaningless DreamTeam Stats Seriously people bag Miller but at least he was running hard and presenting. It doesn't help when players like above ignore you five times and then kick it over your head to your direct opponent when you're ten metres away. I don't give a [censored] if he gets 5 zillion disposals whats the point if he keeps butchering them.

It is a discussion that often reverts to a Miller vs Dunn slanging match. One party will point out that Miller has poor skills and leads to far up the wings. The opposition will say that Dunn isn't a very physical presence in the forwardline and doesn't work as hard in presenting as Miller. The argument goes round and round in circles - no one side is right and often the criticism refering to the deficient aspects of each players games are often accurate. My point is that when discussing CHF options in the long term it seems to me that only these two names come up. May I put forward the case for one Matthew Bate? The kid is tall, has a decent size frame to build on, a clean pair of hands, quick off the mark, can kick the ball a mile and goes when it is his turn. I'm not saying he is the messiah but I believe it is oversight to discount him as a longterm CHF or KPF option.

For those attacking dd36's above post... To play devil's advocate; maybe he meant that the club should have been aware of this problem and the potential implications during the scouting process & overlooked Hayes at the recruitment table because of it?

Updated given injuries/preparation.... B: Whelan - Carroll - Holland HB: Bell - Rivers - Bizzell C: Bruce - Jones - Johnstone HF: Green - Miller - Bate F: Davey - Neitz - Robertson R: White - McLean - McDonald I: Jamar - Moloney - Ward - CJ E: Yze - Pickett - Bartram

From the (miniscule) info r&bb has divulged all he's said is that we'll finish 10th. It's his opinion he's entitled to it, even if to some he may seem misguided, he's employed as a media commentator not a Melbourne cheerleader. An admirable character trait of Schwarz is that he's pretty honest with his opinions. I understand that there are many that believe he is bitter towards Daniher and co so therefore he deserves vitriol, I can only hope those people have supported Daniher through and through and will continue to do so. Those who live in glass houses. At least he does tend to still help out around the club and isn't a destabilising dial-a-quote influence. Despite his obvious falling out with Daniher, as far as I know he hasn't called for his head in the media ala Carey/Laidley.

B: Whelan - Carroll - Miller HB: Bell - Rivers - Frawley C: Bruce - Jones - Johnstone HF: Davey - Bate - Green F: Sylvia - Neitz - Robertson R: White - McLean - McDonald I: Jamar - Moloney - C.Johnson - Bartram E: Yze - Pickett - Bizzell

Hate to be the barer of bad news and hopefully it's nothing but I saw Carrol get up very gingerley from a marking contest in the last 5 mins. He appeared to be favouring his right collarbone and took himself off the ground. Did anyone else see this?

It's an impressive effort considering that he was a Hawthorn fan as a kid also.

Yeah theres nothing I like more than after a loss to kick the [censored] out of our young blokes. Because they're the reason we lost right? Drop Dunn for 426 Drop Bartram for Read