Grand New Flag

Must admit, I never thought we would see Newton in the senior side again...... However, under the circumstances, its the right decison. He may have had more chances than any other player in the history of the AFL! Lets hope he finally takes his opportunity.

Its going to be painful. Just hope we can take something from the game. Maybe stay in the game for a bit. Anything beyond this is extreme optimism.

Mate your expectations are way too high. We have a group of kids playing together for the first time v a group of men who are mostly at the peak of their career and have played together for years..... a group that expects to win the flag. I expect to see improvement and better intensity, periods of the game we win and no early blow out......... but that is about all. If we win this game it would be the greatest upset in the history of the game..... people should remember this but also understand where we are at. In 1993 Sydney rebuilding with youth won just one game, in 1996 with basically the same team they made the GF with 16 home and away wins. Suck it up and understand what we signed up for when we embarked on a total rebuild. Collingwood by 60 - 100.

Yep, had to go for a sulk on the top deck by myself for a while. Get my head around it! Anyway, I agree likely painful day = more beers in Frank Grey Smith. See you there!

A better performance or another painful day?

Interestingly Barrassi led the Sydney Swans complete rebuild in the 90s. The Swans were absolutely pathetic during this period. Barrassi started in 1992 and only won 8 games in his first 3 seasons. Barrassi left at the end of the 1995 season and Eade then took the now grown up Barrassi kids to the GF in 1996. 1990 - 5 wins 1991 - 7 wins 1992 - 3 wins 1993 - 1 win 1994 - 4 wins 1995 - 8 wins 1996 - 16 wins in regular season and then went on to GF. The point is these rebuilds are long and painful, but if you stay on the road and don't succumb to the temptation of a quick fix and supporter and media pressure (like Richmond) you will be rewarded.

You can't be serious Barrassi's Melbourne from 81 - 86 was thumped by 10 - 15 goals on regular occasions.

Roost It; you are absolutely spot on with your analysis. Bailey has had a complete clean out, a complete rebuild, this will take time. 2 years and 1 round is nowhere near enough time to expect any sort of improvement especially considering that in 2008 we had a mature list and now we almost only have inexperienced kids. In 1981 when Barrassi took over he started a similar rebuild. It was long, slow and painful and in 1986 after 5 seasons of rebuild the Barrassi experiment was considered a failure. Melbourne was awful in 1981 winning just one game by 1 point against the second worse team (Bulldogs) with a Robert Flower goal after the siren from 50 meters out on the boundary. Before the 1982 season Melbourne went on a spending spree buying a number of A grade players and became competitive winning between 6 and 9 games for the following 5 seasons. However they also stepped up their youth policy even going as far as Ireland to collect the best 16, 17 & 18 year olds they could get their hands on. It was these kids recruited by Barrassi that went on and made 5 consecutive finals series between 1987 and 1991 including one GF and 3 Preliminary Finals. Melbourne had to wait for their Barrassi kids to reach 21 - 26yo before any meaningful results were seen, however there were signs as early as 1984. Barrassi left a failure but time showed he was in fact the architect of a new period of success that was desperately unlucky not to produce a premiership. Getting stuck into Bailey at this point is simply wrong and counterproductive. We are all disappointed with last weeks result, we all want to see improvement, but this is what we signed up for when we embarked on a full rebuild and every supporter who has been following what has been going on must know this and lower their expectations accordingly. Its boy’s v men at the moment. Blow outs and inconsistency will occur and are part of the growing process. We are doing the right thing and the MFC will be rewarded for this in time. But it will take time and we must suck up these hard times and believe in our future, back our coach and understand that this is a 5 year plan. The only way this rebuild is likely to fail is if we get off the course we have already set. Now stop winging and toughen up! We all need to be in this for the long haul.

Roost It; you are absolutely spot on with your analysis. Bailey has had a complete clean out, a complete rebuild, this will take time. 2 years and 1 round is nowhere near enough time to expect any sort of improvement especially considering that in 2008 we had a mature list and now we almost only have inexperienced kids. In 1981 when Barrassi took over he started a similar rebuild. It was long, slow and painful and in 1986 after 5 seasons of rebuild the Barrassi experiment was considered a failure. Melbourne was awful in 1981 winning just one game by 1 point against the second worse team (Bulldogs) with a Robert Flower goal after the siren from 50 meters out on the boundary. Before the 1982 season Melbourne went on a spending spree buying a number of A grade players and became competitive winning between 6 and 9 games for the following 5 seasons. However they also stepped up their youth policy even going as far as Ireland to collect the best 16, 17 & 18 year olds they could get their hands on. It was these kids recruited by Barrassi that went on and made 5 consecutive finals series between 1987 and 1991 including one GF and 3 Preliminary Finals. Melbourne had to wait for their Barrassi kids to reach 21 - 26yo before any meaningful results were seen, however there were signs as early as 1984. Barrassi left a failure but time showed he was in fact the architect of a new period of success that was desperately unlucky not to produce a premiership. Getting stuck into Bailey at this point is simply wrong and counterproductive. We are all disappointed with last weeks result, we all want to see improvement, but this is what we signed up for when we embarked on a full rebuild and every supporter who has been following what has been going on must know this and lower their expectations accordingly. Its boy’s v men at the moment. Blow outs and inconsistency will occur and are part of the growing process. We are doing the right thing and the MFC will be rewarded for this in time. But it will take time and we must suck up these hard times and believe in our future, back our coach and understand that this is a 5 year plan. The only way this rebuild is likely to fail is if we get off the course we have already set. Now stop winging and toughen up! We all need to be in this for the long haul.

Roost It; you are absolutely spot on with your analysis. Bailey has had a complete clean out, a complete rebuild, this will take time. 2 years and 1 round is nowhere near enough time to expect any sort of improvement especially considering that in 2008 we had a mature list and now we almost only have inexperienced kids. In 1981 when Barrassi took over he started a similar rebuild. It was long, slow and painful and in 1986 after 5 seasons of rebuild the Barrassi experiment was considered a failure. Melbourne was awful in 1981 winning just one game by 1 point against the second worse team (Bulldogs) with a Robert Flower goal after the siren from 50 meters out on the boundary. Before the 1982 season Melbourne went on a spending spree buying a number of A grade players and became competitive winning between 6 and 9 games for the following 5 seasons. However they also stepped up their youth policy even going as far as Ireland to collect the best 16, 17 & 18 year olds they could get their hands on. It was these kids recruited by Barrassi that went on and made 5 consecutive finals series between 1987 and 1991 including one GF and 3 Preliminary Finals. Melbourne had to wait for their Barrassi kids to reach 21 - 26yo before any meaningful results were seen, however there were signs as early as 1984. Barrassi left a failure but time showed he was in fact the architect of a new period of success that was desperately unlucky not to produce a premiership. Getting stuck into Bailey at this point is simply wrong and counterproductive. We are all disappointed with last weeks result, we all want to see improvement, but this is what we signed up for when we embarked on a full rebuild and every supporter who has been following what has been going on must know this and lower their expectations accordingly. Its boy’s v men at the moment. Blow outs and inconsistency will occur and are part of the growing process. We are doing the right thing and the MFC will be rewarded for this in time. But it will take time and we must suck up these hard times and believe in our future, back our coach and understand that this is a 5 year plan. The only way this rebuild is likely to fail is if we get off the course we have already set. Now stop winging and toughen up! We all need to be in this for the long haul.

Watts had an ordinary game on the weekend, but from what I have been told from inside our club it was far from a shocker. Further it was only his 3rd and 4th quarter of football in 10 months compounded with a very limited preseason. Jack is on track for the seniors call up in round 4 or round 5 depending on his form in Casey over the next couple of weeks.

I seriously can't believe what I am about to suggest. In: Newton & Syliva Out: Spencer & take your pick Spencer gave us absolutely nothing and is not yet ready for AFL football. He was a asset to Hawthorn in our forward line. The weather is going to be warm and dry perfect for forwards so I think we must give Newton a go. At least he will make a contest. Newton is a dud of a footballer and should be off our list however, there is a need for a power forward and with injuries he should probably be given a go. At least he can mark and make a contest, which is more than any of our faoward bar green could do last week. He can ruck in the forward line and leave Jamar to take the rest of the ruck contests. Dirty days indeed.

I am told (by the management of Carlton) that CJ is on his last legs. He has recurring back related hammy problem. Regardless he will need to string a number of good games together this season to survive this years cull. Thus Joel Mac is better. I think its way too early to talk down Joel Mac after one game where our midfield was out played to such a level that the backs where under constant massive pressure. Put it this way Joels game on Saturday was still better than the best came CJ played for our club. Ridiculas to judge any player after just one game.

Oldman, Bailey has just been signed to another 12 months meaning he will not come out of contract until the end of the 2011 season. Are you suggesting Malthouse for 2012? Can't see this happening. Bailey will have proven himself by then and can't see Melbourne being able to afford Malthouse, or Malthouse having any interest in coaching a minnor.

100% certain about the PP. PP is still available "if we qualify" at pick 4, the 1st pick (for 16th place) would then be bumped from 6 to 7 giving "Melbourne the only team that can qualify Pick 4 & 7."

Time to reasses our expecations.

Brock certainly had a good game last night. This does not surprise me at all. Remember what we know about this traitor. When Brock played for Melbourne, when fit he always played well in the big games (when not tagged.) He was a big game player............ In this instance a big game player with something to prove. In recent years Brock always seemed to perform well against poor teams, in a winning side. Lets face it Richmond are terrible, perhaps worse than Melbourne 2008. However, when up against good teams Brock was caught for pace and looked very second rate. There is no question that Brock will be a far better player as an in and under specialist in an elite mid-field...... in the Diesel Williams bread. 20 handballs suggests to me he played his role perfectly last night, he certainly enjoyed having a dominate ruckmen and no tag. I think Brock is a very good pick up for Carlton. I also think pick 11 was a very good trade for us considering we have a basket full of in and under midfielders. I hated watching him play well last night and hated him singing the song even more. I would love to smash Carlton round 9 more than I would love to win Queens BDay this year.

Happy to see Dunn in. Think he will play forward for much of the game, as will Green. Suprised not to see Maric in. Although his form has been so so, he has consistantly been a goal kicker in pre-season. We need goal kickers. Backline looks strong. Good to see Green and Trengrove on the half forward line. If we are any chance of winning we must stop Hawthorns run off the half back line.

Well said Demon 3. It will be a tough year...... especially the first half......... we need to always look towards the big picture and not let our short term emotion overtake our brians. Lower your expectations and understand where we are and what we are building towards. The worst case result is our season gets destroyed by injury, we fail to win 5 games and end up with picks 4 and 7. Surely this and Viney in the following draft would be enough young tallent. Our best case senario is we win 8 - 12 games and push for the eight. What ever the outcome of the season, however many games we win or lose just remember we will be a better team by seasons end and will be closer to the ultimate prize than we are today.

I think a point that has been missed is that Dunn is a far more experianced and better footballer than he was in 2006 on debut as a 19yo. Further he is significantly bigger and having played almost every position on the field, should now have superior read on the play . We have absolutely nothing to lose by trying him as a perminent forward. Are stocks are down, he could possibly be the answer, we will only find out by trying him.

Here, here, I would have paid Newton out and kept Robbo and not worried about our last pick or delisted Bartum.

This makes sense. The problem with a shoulder dislocation is that once dislocated the ligaments stretch. It will naturally heal in about 8 weeks, however, if the ligaments are not tightened with surgery, the shoulder is very prone to dislocate again with minimal force. The decison to go to surgury, means the club has decided it best to tighten the ligaments up now rather than wait to the end of the season. Clearly there was significant ligament damage. A disappointing result for all involved.

I did not say they were the best team. Just said they had the best list (in my opinion).

Lets not get over excited by a couple of Hawk injuries or under estimate an incredibly strong Hawthorn list. Despite significant injuries and suspensions, Hawthorn still has (in my opinion) the strongest list in the comp. The Hawks early injury issues seem disturbingly similar to their injury and suspension problems round 1, 2008. A day the the dees were destroyed by 15 goals. A day that sent a message to all other clubs and went a long way to setting up Hawthorns premiership season and our old lists destruction. Don't forget we will be fielding a very inexperienced team with next to no finals experience verses the 2008 flag holders with superior depth, physic (age), and class. It is far too early to expect Gimes, Trengove and Scully to match it with the Hawthorn midfield. You are kidding yourself if you believe our forward line even at its strongest (which it will be a long way off) will be able to kick a winning score against this seasoned, premiership, defensive unit which has been further strengthened in the off season. Further our list has been equally hit by injury as Hawthorns, any gain that we may have due to Hawthorns poor off season luck has been neutralised by our own horrific injury list. If you expect a victory (or anything close) against Hawthorn, your expectations are far...... far.. too high. Over inflated expectations put unnecessary pressure on what is nothing more than a bunch of kids, with kids bodies, with limited time playing together and with an incredible lack of experience. These kids of ours have talent....... cream... which over time will rise to the top...... but this is still some time away. We will not win this game, I expect a solid loss and will be ecstatic to see a competitive four quarter performance resulting in a 3 - 5 goal loss. Realistically this is where we are at and the best we could hope for. Don't believe our one eyed optimistic crap....... our own bs. We are where we are (12 wins in 3 seasons) and we should not have expectations of the highly unlikely or even the impossible. Patience is a virtue!

A very weak short list for this weekend.