montasaurus

Ashes is looking like a tough series, it's always hard playing a well bonded team that stay firm and always look out for each other, with a strong-team-oriented captain at the helm...

You missed also a team ripe with talent and class!

Our best 22 has to include a dedicated 2nd ruckman. You can't expect a full back to fulfil these backup duties. Be it jamar,Spencer, meesen or martin one of these have to be either FP or int as the backup ruck. This puts garland to FB and Warnock to a pocket where they played great footy last year.

Wheatley v Morton is an interesting one for the wing, both had good years last year but I would tend to go with the younger moving forward. Otherwise great post

What a strange thead??

Fact - Due to body size and schooling commitments he will be unlikely to play a game for us this year. If he does it will be late in the year like maric.

I have not seen 1 person say anything bad about blease, quite the opporsite acutally. Try reading "Blease & Strauss are CRITICAL to the Club's improvement" The title tells the story. Pls correct me if I am wrong and don't quote comments about his light frame and age because that is a given.

Watts is good enough to play 2 games next year, but missing training sessions for school & body size will hold him back a bit. I think 5-10 games is a realistic expectation. Obviously it won't be like travelling between Geelong & Adelaide, but I still expect him to be held back by his situation.

Nail on the head there shaft.

I also think he is good enough to play 2 games! (20?)

I would suggest what we won't see is a string of games except maybe early in the season and/or at the end. He will most likely play a few, rest a few (allowing for schooling etc), play a couple - rest, etc,etc. I think everyone would agree that he is up to the standard to walk straight into any side, so the question is what impact are non-football commitments going to have on him?

Therefore any more then 5-10 games is a bonus. I would expect him to play rd 1 if he is ready. He would be worth 5,000 extra bums on seats, if he plays well in the nab cup and we win a or a couple of games in the preseason. I wonder how many new/fringe members this would turn into!

Highly rated, skillful, hard worker, already spent a year observing & learning the system & will have put in a full AFL preseason, will be largely unknown & off other team's radars due to being out most of last year, a midfielder/HBF so has is in the right spot to earn lots of possessions (as stats do make a difference)...

he would be damn good odds too ... see ya later, i'm off to the TAB!

You said it, don't put too much on him, it might drop the odds and I haven't had a chance yet!

Anyone putting money on watts is mad. I have a feeling he may be in contention for the 2010 rising star as we may not see all that much of him this year.

Grimes for me is the one to watch at MFC in 09 for the rising star.

Fantastic Series with a fitting and dramatic finale that gives great credit to both captains, both sides and the administration. The best series since the Ashes 2005. Both sides should be absolutely praised for the competitive character and sportsmanship of all the players during an absorbing and rivetting series.

The conduct of the players and officials particularly during the contentious Kallis decision was exemplary and should be a training video basis for all other teams.

Although the ICC rankings have Australia on top, there is no doubt in my mind that the South Africa is the top side ATM in terms of performance, sportsmanship and character. They absolutely embarrass the Indians in the last two categories who should take a lesson from them. No doubt they wont.

Nothing better than Test cricket. Barely interested in the lolly forms of the game.

Well said Rhino.....

Your a lot more polite towards the indian side then I am after the last couple of series - so i'm glad you beat me to the punch this morning!

Does anyone know when SA play in india next? That will be a series to watch closely.

Warnock reported to have a $tre$$ fracture in hi$ foot and will mi$$ 8 week$ of training. Hmmmm!

Interesting! Hasn't done anything on the field, high price, now injured - well done MFC.

Couldn't have happened to a better bunch of .........'s,

The heartening thing for me is the sheer QUANTITY of on-ballers we now have. There is about 20 of them, and there is nothing healthier than being made to earn and keep a spot - also very good for depth.

agree, but quality is just as important. While some of the kids have big raps on them, due to age etc we may not see much for 2-3 years. Hence in the short term players like buckley, jones, maloney and mclean are the key. the next generation of grimes, morton, blease, strauss even watts are very exciting prospects that if they do come on over the next couple of years we have a lot to look forward to.

Knew it was game over...

ditto -

Smiths act was one of the most courageous things I have seen in a while. How good was it to see the sydney crowd give him a standing ovation coming out to bat.

Had an interesting discussion with my neighbour after hayden put down that catch. His statement was that hes eyes have to be on their way out. Interesting observation to make..... maybe its not bad form, he just isn't seeing the ball as well as he should. I wonder how ofter cricket australia test these things?

Great report!

Watts - Doesnt seem to have a massive engine,

I thought this was one of his key attributes at draft time. I think he was likened to NR at Stkilda for this - it will be interesting to see how he progresses

WCE have a waiting list of potential sponsors across most $$$ sponsorship bands.

hence why I would find it strange pointing them in our direction, unless it was a rival airline?? who then signed a deal with Mr Collin$?? That could fit.

Game on? I'd have to say almost game over

1 more and game over, their tail will crumble like the pitch

Any changes re tagging are uinlikely to impact of quality tap ruckwork. What it may do is remove the negative barriers or restrictions to quality players winning the contest ball and utilising it better.

Re contested ball totally agree, but I think you could be under estimating the benifit of a free run at a tap to advantage under tagging pressure vs a tap to advantage under zone pressure. 1-2m of space could be the difference from a handpass to a player 5m in the clear v 0-1m space under pressure to a clanager - A LA the buckley issue with clangers last year.

The issue of tagging is more to do with the negative tactics to prevent/remove/restrict the ability of better players to participate for the contested ball. A number of such tactics have been cast up to 10 to 15 metres from the ball and the AFL is keen to remove such barriers.

Totally agree, I think this supports all of the above both contested ball and disposals to advantage. We could really see brock and jones step up this year as I feel they are players that have really suffered from close attention.

I think the role of ruckman will actually be challenge by the introduction of 4 boundary umpires which means that the ball is likely to be brougth back into play quicker meaning the ruckman will have to have greater mobility and that ruckwork at the flanks will taken by tallish athletic forward or backman who are better located at the throw in.

Or middies who have a good vertical leap, allowing the main ruck to zone back or attack forward.

We have not had a top quality midfielder since (XXXXXX) and it shows badly.

Lets not go there!!!! :angry: or we might bring up that [other_bloke] who now plays for [vi$y] 2nd's

While I normally share your healthy scepticism, Rhino, I give this rumour some credence.

I understand our last/only major sponsorship prospect fell over in the weeks leading up to Christmas. As I understand it, the company was a Mexican-based food manufacturer.

To show how far we have fallen, Collingwood were approached by a potential sponsor late last year. Collingwood had no interest but offered to introduce their unwanted suitor to the MFC in return for our agreement that they pitch to Brad Green and his management in the trade period.

Why would collingwood give a sponsor away in the current climate? this makes absolutly no sense, sounds more like an attempt to back door us for one of our best players, I'm suprised the team from visy wasn't behind this one!

I think he's too talented for Casey's 2nds.

I tend to agree. Schooling will come first ala maric and most likely watts. When they are assessed to be up to the desired level both on and off the field i think they will play snrs certainly at casey and even straight in the red+blue. If he does play keep him out on a wing or HFF and make sure he is looked after by the other players. Mclean, booma, PJ etc will be critical to make sure he has the space he is needed and if anyone touches him let em know about it same goes for watts! protect them, they will be targeted.

Don't be suprised if either watts or blease have a run in the NAB comp(s) and then we don't see them until after the mid season break (or one or two games early to get a taste then a rest)...... DONT BURN THEM OUT, I feel there is more on these kids shoulders then in 20yrs of recruits! The most I can see happening is maybe watts to play 3 have a few off, play a couple, have a couple off etc like fletcher did in his first year.

Slow and steady will win the race here.

I'm glad the days of the 100, 100's are behind us!

I have always believed flogging the life out of the guys pre-season does nothing

375-400 and/or min 1hr at them tonight.

Have a cigar! B)

Wasn't rocket science to work that one out but i'll take it!

While i'm on a role I might make a call from left field. Mcdonald will be the missing like that we have not had in Melb and Perth. Our quicks have bowled well overall for the series with only a couple of bad sessions between them, but that will happen with a young attack.

on Hauritz, I haven't changed my opinion......

What are the Aust selectors on???????????

This selection may force me to not even watch any of this game! What a joke I could bowl underarm to the KIWIs and not go for nearly 10 an over!

So this is our biggest weakness and unlike to change today. Clarke is injured, Katich I have heard has a shoulder issue, punters too old to bowl, symonds has been unable to bowl. Therefore when a partnership comes which it will - who will break it? it has to be Mcdonald. Therefore he needs 2-3 wickets today for us to win. A crumbeling track, ball not coming onto the bat, variable bounce - ideal for a med bowler.

if this doesn't happen either siddle or johnson need a big 5 wicket bag to get us home.

Also what was SA thinking opening with a night watchman with over 1hr to play?? madness, but we will take it!

You have tried to make a case that quality ruckman influence a team's performance and plucked the odd quarter/game and a utube filmclip to back your argument when the evidence and the flimclip actually suggest the premierships and top sides are based on superior midfields. No one is doubting the benefit of having a Cox over a Pattison. Its just that difference is not what makes or breaks a side. A superior midfield does that.

If you read Goodvibes succinct and easy to read explanation of where things are at.

Totally agree atm re midfield and agree goodvibes has hit the nail on the head.

However we have rule/interpration changes just around the corner in relation to tight/heavy tagging. I really believe if this becomes over umpired like it is likely to become as most flavor of the mths are, the re-imergance of quality tap work to advantage will happen.

Unfortunately right now this is close to our biggest weekness, the days of simply negating the other ruckman for a nil all rugby type ruck/maul are likely to have passed us. Therefore in 2009+10 ruckman could well become one of or the most important component in a side once again. Therefore what we are going to have to do in a real hurry is to learn to take away for the oppersition taps then rely on hits to adv.

Just speculating but maybe one of the reasons we struggled so much last year in the middle was that we have had white for so long and have spent too much times on drills hits to adv due to his general tap dominance over the years?

connells is an absolute Gem. Every chance you see he is marketing the club. I can't remember anyone like him at MFC. ND was good but he had the media exposure. CC seems to me that he goes the extra for the club and enjoys it. IMO his role is as critical to the clubs future as anyone!

375-400 and/or min 1hr at them tonight.

IMO - A draw is as bad as a loss for us at the moment. Therefore we must give us maximum time to bowl them out.

Is that now it for hayden? I still can't believe both he and cricket australia did not agree that this would be his last test be it early in the summer or even last week. All the pressure would have been off, we as supporters could have been given a chance to fairwell a champion. so now what? SA or Eng? keeping hayden and everybody else hanging just makes no sense.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0...8-10389,00.html

"The AFL is believed to want to stop the stadium operator granting the United Arab Emirates-based airline Etihad the 2009 naming rights to the Dome"

simple solution - send them our way! What a marketing day for them on QBM when we knock off the emirates mob!

Sounds a little strange to me. Essendon have 3 as their naming rights sponsor. this tells me that the new co. may have had a change of heart for what they were after. i.e, did not want to pay for a full name rights

I do agree though that our fixture is an issue and will continue to be while we are not winning games!

Dunns value up forward has to outweigh that of the midfield. A run in the middle may help Bell with his decision making and make him a better 1/2 back. Bartram I think will have to be used deep in the backline in the near distant future as well.