Longsufferingnomore

I watched the replay on Tuesday morning and I actually thought that the majority of the boys did put in. Green was absolutely throwing himself around. There was a difference in attitude it was just what they were doing with it. There have been very few here after the Carlton game complaining about tackling and putting there heads over the ball so I find the Carlton comments antagonistic and arrogant. I especially think Brock Mcleans comments about it feeling like playing footy 5 years ago - bruise free football were especially galling.I don't believe that Brock has a longterm future at Carlton just a slightly longer one than Chris Johnson.It also makes me wonder where did this phrase "bruise free football" come from. It just seems so contrived that three players have all said it.

I hate to say it but dont Collingwood and Essendon have the next highest numbr of MCC Members. They dont seem to have a problem. What a whole lot of rubbish.

If there is only one player that steps up from VFL this week it has to be Gawn. He is solid but good on his feet and hands down low and I like his second goes and his good hands in marking contests. We need another tall to combat Essendon's tall timber. Depending on matchups I would leave at least Evans in for another game.

Yes, I thought he had muscled up around his chest and shoulders. He certainly looked heavier and not as slight.

Spirit, don't you think that Bailey already knows that his time will be up at the end of the season unless there is a massive turn around. He deserves to be "advised" that the Club are looking at other possible coaches but at the same time the Club would be remiss not to start looking at alternative coaches. Just like any good recruiting officer will be looking at what players are out of contract next year. I would however hate for the Club to do a Hird on him. Bailey has started the process. Our next coach will complete it. My problem is that there are certain things that should not be made public if you have the best interests of the Club. To say that you are heroically saving us all from making inane posts dont worry about it. It's entertainment. There are a few on this site who probably have more information than what they are revealing but don't because it is not in the best interests of the Club. We know that the Club take an interest in the site so it will be interesting if they come out on the front foot and confirm that they are talking to various aspirants. It will also be interesting if it comes out in the media.

On SEN on Friday night after the game, Dermie said "I would love to go down to the Club..." and (paraphrasing the rest)and show the Melbourne forwards how to play as forwards. Josh Mahoney is not getting anything out of our forwards at the moment. Now whether that is because the ball coming in is so indirect or whether the forwards can't get back after pressing forward. It seems frustrating to see Liam put a single effort in at high centre half forward and then just jog, stop, jog without any intensity. I really don't care how Mahoney feels about an outsider coming in but some one who was an intense and physical a player that Dermie was can only be a positive for our forward line. Generally,I don't believe that our midfield or backs are "soft" (despite one or two negatives) but I believe our forwards are soft. We have all discussed the lack of second efforts here. What harm would having Dermie come in and provide our forwards with some of the ugly truth that we face every week.

In a perfect world you would leave Scully for another week but we are definitely on another planet at the moment so I think Tom may get a recall. Gawn was definitely the standout as far as MFC goes and I agree seems to be more a complete package than the unfortunate Spencer. Not sure about McDonald whether he would cope with AFL but we will never know until he is tried. I liked Aussies work rate and tackling (yes TACKLING) today. Blease gave some great chase downs. One thing I noticed that Tom does not get in and under (might be wrong here)but certainly stays on the periphery and pounces on any loose ball. His body is always moving and reads the play so well. Howe did some nice things and I think it was him that kicked a great goal. Just on Fev - he certainly has fitted in at Casey and certainly (for Casey)provides a great point to kick to - Liam and Ricky should have been there today to learn how to lead etc. I saw Kelvin Lawrence limping after his match So all in all possible INS for next week: Scully, Trengove, Gawn, McDonald (possibly Davey if avail. to tag not to be tagged), Aussie OUTS: Newton, Warnock - definites and others depending on match ups - possibly putting Morton in with that lot. Jurrah one more week and the same with Pettard

Address - Watton Street, Werribee - Melways 76F8

Last I heard he was injured with a minor knee problem but its strange that the Club has not got him on the injured list.Maybe they have run out of ink!

Can someone here tell me the difference between the Bentleigh Club and Leigh Oak in Oakleigh. Does the Club make any money from Leigh Oak or should we now take our hard earned down to Bentleigh.

WAC I see you joined last year so you should know that most of us at Demonland have a special interest in Liam. He and his community's journey is a part of Demonlands recent history and if we are discussing Liam's current form it is because we are genuinely concerned because we know how hard it has been for him to have even got this far. There would be very few here who would "bag" Liam for his performance but rather most of us are showing their concern that something maybe amiss be it injury or some other personal issue. Rudeboy has enlightened us that he has a few niggling injuries. The last thing we would want was to lose Liam but I also believe that if he made the decision to go back to his community we would also be thankful to have been able to observe his magic even if it was for just a short time.

which board

It won't.

Unfortunately the tensions rearose after some of the community returned from Adelaide. Being a leader of the community is there pressure from the community for him to return and sort it out. If there is it would seem that Liam is being torn between two worlds. Everyone acknowledges that his journey is more than difficult and will always be but today he looked disinterested.In the third quarter he looked like he kept looking over to the bench in anticipation of being called off. We all want the best for Liam. If it is the situation in Yuenmundu (sp) lets hope it is sorted soon.

Absolutely agree. At least this week they didn't acquiesce like they did against Norf. What was disappointing was that it was a couple of stupid errors that cost us dearly. I thought the team fought it out despite the brain fades. They could have dropped their bundle within the first ten minutes but they did fight it out. Stef Martin gets better every week. Jetta put out today. Losing Tappy was a huge blow. Michael Evans showed considerable composure and Jack Watts has shown me today that he was a great football brain. Did anyone expect to win - seriously - no. Did we half expect to get slaughtered - yes. Commentators were saying that Saints would beat us by 5 goals. Well with a few umpiring decisions going our way we may have just got up.

Clutching at straws here but wasn't Judd injured today possibly an ankle or foot. He came off but went back on. Does anyone know anymore.

Did anyone else feel that Liam didn't want to be there today. Is he injured. I know he was said to have a knee injury after last week. His tackles were weak. There was little effort. It is so disappointing knowing that he is just so talented.

Gary Lyon said today that if the Saints lost to Melbourne they would have hit rock bottom because if you couldnt beat us well enough said.

Interesting Mark Williams comments on Brad on the MFC site "He needs to keep driving other players to perform". To me that is saying to Brad and the world what we are saying here - his current leadership skills are lacking. I think the comments of Williams of Game 8 were reflecting comments here but his comment on Moloney "he worked hard to get to Andrew Swallow at stoppages" - so Moloney was tagging Swallow. North say Swallow was tagging Moloney!

Injured (again) - surprised he is not on the list

Has anyone considered that it maybe a good thing to wait until the end of the year given the questions that could be looming with regard to Tom's injury.

It was reported last week that Bailey and Matthews were seen having lunch then a late Cam Schwab arrived at the table. Could he be mentoring DB or what. I think Dermie is usually reasonable when he talks about Melbourne. I would like to see Dermie down at the club and talking to the players about what he meant by his comments. Not just the same old same old but bring someone in from the outside to give a more objective point of view. If someone who has nothing to gain but yet is admired (most of the time)for his own footballing abilities came in and told some of the Melbourne players (and we know who to point the finger at) that they were essentially weak well, we may get more than the platitudes that we seem to get every second week. Are we saying that the culture at Melbourne is that we accept mediocrity. That we slump back to excuses - young developmental side, injuries, lack of facilities (past). Why is it that other teams get over adversity when it happens whereas we fall back into our shell when there is the slightest sugggestion that the other team want it more than we do. Have we along with the players, for too long accepted mediocrity. Have the supporters been part of the culture at MFC. After the West Coast game I think Melbourne supporters changed. I have never seen an outpouring of demand for change. At the time it was a change of coach by some but it was more. It was more because it signalled to the Club that we no longer accepted insipid performances. In the past we felt that it was our lot in life and we got angry but never in the open, never for the other Clubs to see that we were angry. We weren't like the Collingwoods and Essendons of the football world. We didn't behave like that. We were no less passionate but we never allowed ourselves to show the Club/players that we expected more. Maybe the supporters have to take the blame to some extent and now take the lead in challenging the "culture" of the Club. Jimmy and Cam have done a great job because you could not get any two more passionate Melbourne supporters (along with Chris Connolly)but there is something wrong in the football department that cannot seem to get more than a week of passion from the players. But why is it up to the FD, why don't we have the personnel to take up the leadership on field. I want to see more of Greeny grab his jumper and tell the world and his team mates that this is why he is playing. I want to feel the stomach churning feeling that I had at MCG two weeks ago when Liam ran up to the Melbourne supporters and fist pumped. I want to see that passion that we all have here on the field. I want to see the second and third efforts, the scrambling after the ball on the ground, the crunching (legal) tackles (welcome back Jordie), the running, running and more running. I want to see the boys gather around each after each goal and do it all for each other. Dunstall unfortunately is right. The football culture has to change. The Club culture thanks to Jim already has. (I feel better now - rant over)

mine is done

Didnt David Jones say to the tribunal before deliberation that they should look at the charge for the action not the result (concussion). So the tribunal did the opposite because it was the "concussion" not the so call force of the tackle that resulted in the charge. I am not certain that Jack will be exonerated as the AFL have been on a mission with regard to concussion and or head injuries and what Vlad wants he gets. Jack will be made a scapegoat despite what we and the rest of the football world think. Hopefully their pound of flesh will be one game. Even that seems ludicrous. I wonder how Jack is coping with all of this. Maybe Jim should go tomorrow and vouch for Jack's saint like character.

Robbo interviewed Tom on Sunday and he said that he felt he was three weeks away from playing.