Dee*ceiving

I agree Jaded its unlikely to ever happen but even if it did and we lost Bruce, Green and a first rounder to get him wouldn't we just be robbing peter to pay paul. In effect we would probably not improve.

Unfortunately for Millsy, particularly this year he has played well when not many others have. Has been in our best at least twice this year already. Unfortunately the difference between his best and his worst this year, and for most of his career, has been streets apart. I wouldn't be against sending him to sandy for 2 -3 weeks to relearn the caper but I think he deserves a few more cracks at it in the AFL. Particularly with Dunn being tried through the middle as he is at present.

In fairness though yesterdays game was exciting and free flowing. Credit to both coaches. Unfortunately it is the exception rather than the norm.

I feel the same way as most of you. However I think you have failed to mention the most concerning thing about modern football. Once again it looks likley no less that 5 non-victorian clubs will contest this years finals, maybe even 6. IMO people who believe this is cyclical and the Vic teams will get their chance at the top are kiddng themselves. This scenario is here to stay and as the years and decades pass don't be suprised if we end up with a competition similar to the EPL where only 4-6 teams have a realistic chance of winning a premiership every year. We are nearly there now as 4 teams haven't won a flag for over 40 years. Melbourne, Bulldogs, Cats & Saints, this unforutunately is unlikley to change. In fact expect the list to inlcude the Kangaroos, (if they can survive) Richmond and Hawthorn in another 20 years. The game is pharked

Green would have been travelling well up until his injury

Correct. He is just trying to have people sympathise with our situation. I doubt he was running player names through his head while he was making the comment to make sure he wasn't forgetting anyone.

If they are smart they will be considering their options now until the end of the season. IMO change should only come if you are confident the change will make things better. If a better candidate exists to take the club in another direction, then he should be found and signed up. If not then ND should be extended for another year. The difficulty is that judgment is subjective and only those in the industry and with the necessary knowledge can make that decision. Unfortunately even for the educated change is a gamble, sometimes it comes off, sometimes not. All you can do is hope the research and thought process you have used to derive the best option is sound. its essential in business and no different in the business of footy.

You are spot on Ash, those voting methods are flawed for that exact reason. BTW, i like your new avatar, priceless. Is that from the most recent Anzac day game?

18,500

A good article, i agree. However I believe what needs to be pondered and considered unforgiveable are the losses we sustained in rounds 1 and 2. We had a good enough team in to beat St Kilda and failed miserably. ND was out-coached completely. And we should have been capable of beating Hawthorn in round 2 even with Neitz going off early and Robbo finishing the game off the ground injured. If we had won both those games we would be 2 and 3 facing Port at the G with Neitz returning. A good chance to even the ledger and dare i say it be knocking on the door to the 8. Those early losses have cost us plenty and in my opinoun add to the 'its time for a new coach' argument.

I agree with dees rule. He was thrown back in desperation against the Cats and has now acquitted himself well for 6 qtrs. Good efforts should be applauded especially when the team is struggling. Continue to throw the challenge at him to play good football and until he fails he should be given that oppurtunity.

Love it Nasher, I nearly choked on my pepsi trying to laugh and swallow at the same time

Choco does seem to have a knack in motivating players recruited from other clubs in their first year under him. Consider Lonie, Walsh, Pickett and now Rodan among others.

One of the toughest men alive and a real leader of men is our captain. Missing 2 games with a medial strain is unheard of I am sure. He would be desperate to get out there and help out his embattled team mates. But for the sake of his career and the team I hope they give him at least one more week to rest up.

You can add the tribunal to that list of co-conspirators for lack of a better term. How can a bloke be staring 6 weeks on the sidelines on Tuesday be BOG on Sunday? Its got me smashed to a million pieces.

I agree with Ox and tequila. Miller was teriffic IMO, worked hard all day and didnt get the rewards until the last qtr. Was outclassed and outnumbered all day. Carrol was also thrown to the wolves. Playing on Pavlich is tough any time let alone when your best 3rd man up defender in Jared Rivers is out and our best small defender is off after the first qtr.

Can someone please answer why a team with a lack of goal scoring options would not play a proven goal scorer out of the goal square against a team he has torched in the past? Forget form etc etc, he has kicked bags in the past and without Neitz and Robbo it was only logical he would play there at least at first. To not even try it to me is ludicrous. Does anyone agree?

HEAR, HEAR!

Chad 'Chuck' Liddell

Based on your cant kick cant play summation we'd be dropping half the team following what I have seen the last 2 weeks. Seeya later to Bruce, Carrol, Ward and Bate just for starters. Godders and Brown were both easily in our top 5 on Monday and are 2 of a few that can hold their heads up high and say they gave it their all. Dropping them would be the completely wrong message at this stage. skill is not enough you also need to work hard and when your back is against the wall I would rather have unskilled workers than lazy professionals

Like it

Didn't we lose to Carlton in rd 1 last year? A team who managed 2 more wins for the year, another against Melbourne of course. Then we were smashed by the Dogs at the dome in rd 2. I think we were just as bad last year as this year. The difference this year is that we are now facing several weeks without our captain, next captain and spearhead. We also have our most experienced available for selection player getting easy kicks in VFL, our hard nosed middle aged recruit substituting gatorade for VB in the qtr breaks at TBO and TJ and Flash walking around looking like cheech and chong. We are screwed but the on field performances are no worse than last year at this stage. That being said I think we can forget beating the Cats on Sunday but if we can get the team to put in 4 qtrs of honest work without the stupid frees and 50s and actually get some drive out of our supposedly better players that will be an improvement and give us a real chance to shake a win in round 4. Sometimes it only take 1 win to get a team going. Hopefully based on that you will be able to tell that I have no idea if the glass is half empty or half full, and with melbourne who really does.

Australia V England the other night. 2 massive LBW shouts against Gilchrist and Hayden early in the innings refused when they were plumb, well one at least. Against the poms. you gotta love it

They wear white and run backwards for a reason. Anyone seen the video email of the soccer referre that thinks he is Barishnakov? They alll have a bit of this in them. Its Flair for umpires, they dont get to do handstands or celebrate goals like the players do so they bring some melodrama to their signalling. Billy Bowden has even destroyed the genlteman's game with it.

Slander, I agree with your selections and admire your optimism but to me that side on paper looks like it will struggle to kick 10 goals. Unforturnately with our current injuries it gets no better. FWIW Yze to FF, tore the Cats a new one last year at KP and took mark of the year (IMO). Might be the memory he needs o get him going. P.S. i thought G Lyons comment re: Ooze in todays HUN to be a decent summation and worth a read.