Grand New Flag

Its a funny thing football. The way the football cookie has crumbled Tom Scully would be on his way to Richmond if Jordan McMahon had of missed that goal a few weeks ago and we would only have pick 2, pick 20, pick 36, pick 52 and preseason pick 2. That is significantly short of picks 1, 2, 19, 35, 51 and PS 1. I know we still have one round to go but if it was Richmond in 16th place right now I can assure you that they would find a way of losing against West Coast in Perth this weekend, delivering them Tom Scully. Thank You, Thank You Jordan McMahon. You may be a dud player, and a poor shot at goal, but you came good when it counted, you did the best thing for the mighty Dees and for that I will forever be grateful. If Melbourne win a Premiership with Scully and Trengrove I propose life membership to the MFC. Jordan your heart beats true for the red and blue. Thank You.

Was I the only Melbourne supporter at today’s game? I was the only Melbourne supporter in the area that I sat amongst 1000 stinking Carlton Supporters. Funny thing was while all other team supporters have paid me out over the last 6 weeks for Melbourne's tanking efforts, the Carlton supporters were today very supportive of our "experimenting" tactics over the last 6 weeks. Spoke in detail about the fine art of tanking with a Carlton supporter who was all over our recent tactics and all for them. He spoke about Carlton of 2007 and the tactics they used and others Carlton supporters around joined in the conversation and all seemed supportive. He suggested Frawley coming off mid way through the third with Melbourne pressing as "classy experimentation" translated as "sound tanking". I tend to agree, but it was unnecessary we simply fielded a team way to inexperienced to threaten today. Saying that "Well done DB"

This thread is pathetic. However, the above comment is very much true. I know this as a fact! Tom resigned himself to becoming a Demon back in May. He is very excited about adding to our young list, he knows and has played with many of our recent recruits and is looking very much forward to his opportunity.

I disagree. Every year there is quality at pick one in the pre-season draft. Last year LJ, Cousins, Dawson plus a couple more I can't remember. Trust me an A Grade player some where will fail to come to contract agreement and end up in the PS Draft. Farmer, Nick Stevens and many other quality players have ended up pick one PS Draft in the past. If no elite players end up in the PS Draft we can take the next best kid in the country, someone who everyone over looked. The FD knows what it is doing.

Personally I would not tag Judd, let him go head to head with McLean like we did last time. McLean was thrashed (although he got plenty of ball) Juddy was BOG and the rest was history. Also will Newton be fit this weekend? He must be played. He is our greatest tanking asset. I too am nervous but feel our FD will try every trick in the book to ensure a loss. I hope that we get smashed out of the blocks, quickly find ourselves down 5 or 6 goals so as I can relax and support our team from that point forward. I am desperate for the PP and I will find myself supporting Carlton if we find ourselves up. I know this is wrong................ just can't help the way I feel.

Green and Davey are our best players. Both are at the right age to become Captain with Green having at least good 3 years left and Davey a good five years. I love the how tuff Green is. Always eyes for the ball, always going hard. Davey has done a great job leading the Aboriginal players and his greatest benefit to the club may well be to continue to concentrate on them. I would like to see: Green: Captain Davey: VC

HERE, HERE Stynes has saved the club, DB and CS are now being ruthless. This is the first time I have ever seen the MFC do this, we have been the laughing stock for too long, but the laughter from the rest of the football community and public is about to drowned out by the roar of a club on the up. Especially if we get Scully + pick 2 and 17 and pick 1 in the preseason draft. I think we should extend DB contract (assuming we win only one more game). Our recruiting last year was excellent Prendi should

I thought that last week DB was trying to give the tigers a good head start so as we could then play a game plan without so much blatent experimentation (similar to the Sydney game). Only problem was that the tigers were simply not good enough to kick 3 or 4 quick goals. Hopefully we don't draw North down to the same standard as us like we have against Port, Sydney and Richmond over the last month and they are able to take advantage of the situation. Schwab and DB have made it very clear to the entire football world that they are going to continue "list management and experimentation" for the remainder of the season and Demetrou has backed DB to do this. We should be home free.

Expect another weak team to be selected this week. Expect more experimental player positional placements. Expect another round of media tank talk next week. But it will be like water off a ducks back to the MFC. MFC will continue to "experiment and list manage" and wont care what the public or media says!! Full marks to the FD.

Here it is! http://www.theage.com.au/news/rfnews/afl-b...9350546840.html Also reported in "The Age" Essentially Demetrio gives full support for "list management" and says Melbourne "deserves" a PP!!! Other interestingf quotes: Schwab: ‘‘Our club’s very much about list management and experimentation with the team. It has been for much of the season but suddenly it’s become tanking. My concern with Andrew is that we are being heavily scrutinised for this but we are determined to continue on this path. He was very supportive.’’ Demetriou: ‘‘I discussed the game with Cameron and agreed with him that some of the conjecture and commentary has been absolutely disgraceful,’’ Demetriou said. Essentially Demetrio gave us the green light to continue "list management" and Schwab said we have been at it all season and will continue to "experiment" for the last four games. Great news!!1

Simply that was the worst performance I have seen for a very long time. We did everything possible to lose the game short of asking the players not to give their all, and Richmond still almost lost. Richmond fielded a team close to full strength yet played like school boys. They are destined to a long period at the bottom of the ladder with aging stars (Richo and Brown even Newman) and unable to rebuild due to the entry of the new clubs and their incredibly generous draft concessions. Richmond have made one finals series in 26 years............. PATHETIC. Further it is hard to imagine them getting close to finals for at least the next 5 years with their current list. Also interesting that Port, Sydney and now Richmond all played so badly against us. I am starting to think this may not be them it may somehow be us. Is our pressure really good enough to make these teams miss targets, drop marks, miss goals???? Each of these teams has looked very ordinary against us. Are we on the way up already or are teams just not mentally coming to play against the bottom team with all eyes on Scully and the draft?

I doubt it CarnTheDees, People will still turn up. The experiment with players and positions combined with the tanking debate has actually increased my interest in the end of the season. Normally by this stage of an awful season my interest has dropped. Not so this season. Even if crowds did drop as a result of our experimentation tactics this would be a small price to pay for increased interest and memberships in following years if this Scully kid or for that matter any other player turns into a superstar. Not to mention the increase in attendance once we start becoming a good team again, the higher sponsorship, increase tv audience which leads to better fixtures of Friday night games and Saturday games against the big clubs, which leads to higher demand for sponsorship again and increased sales of merchandise and improves the overall profitability of the club. Maybe we can even get off AFL welfare. Just have a look at Carlton. They seem to have a Friday night game every week and will make the 8. A far cry from just two seasons ago. Look at their increase in membership, their increase in merchandise sales (in particular number 5 guernseys), sponsors falling over themselves trying to get involved with that club and look at the fixture they are given. Carlton have become a rich club again................. any why. Because they experimented with their list and made sure they did not win 5 games in 2007. If its good enough for Carlton and so many other clubs over the last decade its good enough for the MFC. The precedent has already been set. As I have said before football is a game of opportunity on every level both on and off the field. We must take this opportunity if we are to become a top four side. Football is not a gentlemen’s sport, I could not care if other clubs hate us or like us. The truth is that its far better for the club to be hated by other clubs rather than liked. It brings people to the game. Well done to DB, finally someone is ruthless in our club.Just what the doctor ordered! Extend his contract at once.

Nothing wrong giving our backline experience in the forward line to aid their development in the dying games of a dead season. But seriously Richmond were awful. If they had played anywhere near as well as they did last week they would have beaten us easily. We can't get into any trouble for tanking. After all we were in front when the siren went. Further the players were clearly upset with the loss and no one could suggest they were not giving their all. Yesterday may be a pivotal moment for this club. Its not just Scully and pick 2 its also pick one in the preseason draft. It is essentially 2 and a half top players we are better off. What we did yesterday was inside the rules of the game and inside the precedents already set by a number of clubs over the last decade. Well done to DB and the football department.

Our forward line is very top heavy. AKA West Coast last weekend. No crumbers, its mark the ball or watch it go back out. Then again really makes our tall forwards accountable. We are definitly going for it (PP)! Still nervous, the tigers could well think they have this one in the bag and fail to come to play like Port and Sydney.

Wow! Now thats where we need to get to! Also 12 first round picks! Tells the story!

Don't mean to be rude but: Donny: you have your eyes closed!

Agreed Adam Far, Sounds like DB is qualifiying our expectations on LJ. Out: LJ (general sorness) Bruce (does he not have a sore foot or something) Miller (no star but safe enough for 2010, easy to justify being dropped) Bennell (pays price for taking eyes off ball and general poor game) In Bail (yet to get a run, needs to be tried) Buckley (was emergency last week, three weeks in VFL enough under circumstances) Sylvia (hard to justify how you could not pick him, maybe needs a run for Casey to get his touch back but seriously think thats taking the [censored]. Then again I thought the same when I saw Morton on Goods, but it that turned out perfectly. Cale is going to be something very special) Hughes (yet to get a run, deserves his time after years of effort and terrible run of injury) Also expect a late change or two. But seriously the team could be anything.

Richmond and North Melbourne both have 4.5 wins. If they finnish on 4.5 wins do they get a PP after the first round or is the cut off 16 points? Are they still in contention for PP? We play both these teams so the answer is very important.

I think Newton is our best weapon in "list management". I am certain we will continue to play him for the remainder of the season where he is very likely to waste many of our scoring opportunities with appalling kicking. His attitude and defensive ethic this season has been a significant improvement on previous seasons. He is a fantastic mark.......... but....... he can't kick, is terrible under his knees, is pathetic under pressure, has not learnt how to lead, and most importantly has failed to take opportunities. Football is a game of opportunity. Success is defined by those teams (both on field and off) and individuals who are able to take their opportunities and those which are not. The MFC is currently trying to take its opportunity to pick up two of the best 18 year olds in the country. Newton has never been able to take his opportunity and has major limitations particularly with his kicking. Thus it makes good sense for Melbourne to play him at the moment. Personally I don't think he will make it, and I am not too interested in being proven wrong this season. What scares me though is that Newton is the sort of player who one day will have a day out kick 8 straight and deliver us a win, which at the moment would be an unwanted win. Hopefully DB would move him to CHF or give him a run at CHB if he starts having this sort of game this season. Delisting time will be hard work this season. If it came down to the 6th player to be delisted I would much prefer it to be Newton paying out his contract than Robertson who has had no preseason, back from a horrific injury, yet still demands the best defender which opens up opportunity for our new young forward line. Robbo has bleed for this club while Newton has treated his contract with contempt at times.

A educated guess, rather than fact!

Am I correct? Richmond and North are now on 4.5 wins and out of PP race! If so this is great news.

I must admit that for the first time in my life I found myself going for Sydney when Melbourne made a move in the third quarter and then again in the last quarter. I must admit that I felt relief not anguish when Newton and Miller missed easy set shots on goal. I badly want to see a premiership in my life time and thus I desperately want Scully and another top 3 pick. I know this does not mean we will win a premiership but, I also know that it can only be a very significant help. So who else was in the same boat? Who else found themselves going for a loss?

She came out with some good calls and tried hard to show some excitement for the Dees despite the one sided score line. However: * She talks with an unpleasant bogan twang that should never be allowed on Television or Radio. A male would never be allowed to commentate with a similar accent. This is my biggest problem with her. * Commentated as if on radio rather than TV. * Mixed up Melbourne players names * Was Geelong one eyed Personally I thought I could do a better job. I hope never to have to listen to her again…………… well at least until she polished up her high pitched, bogan accent.

Personally, I see no reason why we should not follow the example of: * St Kilda in 2000 *Hawthorn in 2004 *Collingwood in 2005 *Carlton in 2007 *West Coast in 2008/2009 .......... and do what ever it takes ensure a priority pick. I understand people having problems with this but if it is good enough for them it’s good enough for us. Football is not a gentleman’s sport. It is a sport of taking opportunities on every level. The teams mentioned above took their opportunity and all have been rewarded with their respective premiership windows opened or about to be opened. None of these teams are as bad as the Demons of 2007 – 2009. Priority Picks are designed for clubs in Melbourne’s position. Now it is our turn. How would you feel if West Coast grab a PP this season (resting Cox and Kerr both with a so called mystery injuries.........please) and we missed out? Personally it would feel like we just lost a grand final to me......... and the reality is that is exactly what not getting a PP this year would in effect do.

I have it straight from the horses mouth that: 1. Melbourne will not tank. No chance the players will ever be told not to play for a win. Play hard, play to win. 2. Melbourne will "list manage" as best they can and is looking to win only one more game. Players like Morton and Grimes will be played in new positions. New games plans will be experimented with etc. Fringe players coming into contract negotiations will be played. Expect more debuts, expect the revolving door to increase in size and speed. Our administration and coaches will go as far as it can to help ensure we don't win 5 matches. However will never tell the players not to try to win. Thus the administration can't guarentee we will not win 5 or more games. You guys will all have to take my word on this as any further information will give away the meeting and my idenity to those who were there at this meeting (which was on a different topic).