MadAsHell

Last night was the first time I've been really critical of Bailey's coaching. Staring Watts as loose man in defence said it all from the get go. I'm not asking for Bailey's head right now but unless he can somehow manage to squeeze out at least another 5 wins this year then I reckon he's gone! As for any potential coaches for next year and beyond, the top 5 people on my list in order would be. 1. Malthouse 2. Roos 3. Clarkson 4. Viney 5. Eade

Will have to agree to disagree dee-luded. While I agree Newton has a crack, that alone can't keep him in the team as he just not up to it and wont be at the club beyond this year anyway. Also I don't see how your argument of us needing a deep marking target works as our best games in the last few years have been without a deep marking KPF eg: Adelaide game this year we were using Jurrah & Petterd, Sydney game last year Jurrah & Green & Brisbane game last year Petterd & Green. Long term Jurrah is more then capable of playing deep as long as he has someone like a Fitzpatrick or Cook who's able to support him like O'Loughlin did at Sydney with Lockett & then Hall to ride shot gun next to. And again as for Petterd, he needs a bigger output I agree, but as the defensive forward his main job would of been to curb Yarran's influence which I reckon he did. And I can't recall what particular soft act Petterd was involved in last night?

You're probably right. Potentially Petterd could be the sub again like back in round 1 and Green could then play as our defesive forward on Essendon's mosy damaging rebounding defender. Which is probably Fletcher.

The problem they find themselves in with Morton is that they played him even though he didn't show anything at Casey. The last Casey match v Bendigo Morton got a lot of the ball but butchered it and did not deserve a recall. Newton always has a dip but doesn't mean he should stay. Makes to many mistakes & with Juice playing it forces Jurrah to play to high and out of his most dangerous position.

The axe must be swung. IN: Blease, Gawn, Howe, Scully, Strauss, Trengove, OUT: Bate, Bennell, Maric, Morton, Newton, Warnock * I think Petterd's got a bit of a stiff run here. Although his stats were poor last night and he hasn't had a big impact since the Adelaide game he was playing as the defensive forward last night on Yarran and didn't let Yarran have a big impact himself. I agree he needs to lift his output. 6 of the 7 players I've elected to be dropped I was much more dissapointed with then Petterd. FB: Frawley, Rivers, Strauss HB: MacDonald, Martin, Green C: Trengove, McKenzie, Jones HF: Sylvia, Watts, Petterd FF: Howe, Jurrah, Jetta FOLL: Gawn, Moloney, Scully INT: Blease, Gysberts, Nicholson SUB: Evans Scully & Trengove will help the engine room ina huge way with their class, grunt and contested play. Strauss will allow us to have someone who can kick the ball coming out of defence without turning it over. Then we can debut Blease (run and tackling), Gawn (play as no 1 ruck with Martin to support and play CHB when not in ruck) & Howe who can either play forward or off a wing. Edit: After Casey game and who played well, Wonna not included in Melbourne team.

If Davey some how manages to hold his spot then he should be moved forward and given a defensive role on Yarran. That way he's forced to be accountable and if Yarran's cutting us to pieces then it's obvious to everyone just how hard Davey's working. Yarran has shown to that he struggles with a tag so if Davey really does put in the hard yards he should be able to keep him under wraps which will go a long way to us causing an upset. Also in this type of a role Davey would only need half a dozen to a dozen disposals to hurt the opposition with 3 or 4 goals. However in my opinion this role should be given to Petterd and Davey should be sent to Casey for at least 2 weeks with Bennell where the 2 of them can work on their hardness/toughness and team play. I'd rather see Blease & Strauss be given games to fast track their development (even if they're yet to fully prove themselves at Casey) then Davey given another game and Bennell recalled after only 1 week out and Casey had the bye anyway. Edit: spelling

I'll be there for sure. Match is actually on at the same time as a concert I really wanted to see, so instead of missing one or the other I've taken Thursday & Friday off work and am flying to Adelaide on the Thursday to watch the concert there that night, then flying back to Melbourne friday afternoon to catch the footy! My horns don't work though (don't flash) so wont be wearing them.

FB: Frawley, Warnock, Bartram HB: Strauss, Rivers, Sylvia C: Morton, McKenzie, Jones HF: Petterd, Watts, Green FF: Martin, Jurrah, Maric FOLL: Campbell, Moloney, Evans INT: Blease, Gysberts, Jetta SUB: Howe EMERG: Davey, J. MacDonald, T. McDonald IN: Blease, Campbell, Howe, Morton, Strauss OUT: Tapscott (inj), Bate, Davey, MacDonald, Newton I know Robert Campbell has only played half a game for Casey reserves so far (issue with Casey reserves having the bye 2 weeks straight and Casey having it this week). But he needs to be rushed into the side to bolster our ruck stocks, help out Martin and help provide some leadership amongst the group. I also feel for the good of Gawn's development we shouldn't expose him to the AFL level until next year if we can help it. Blease will help with our run and speed across the ground which is vital with matches against Carlton & Essendon coming up. I'd of given Nicholson a match for this reason also but my final rookie promotion spot went to Campbell instead. Howe deserves a call up, and I reckon playing as the sub could suit him well. Could come onto the wing, half forward or deep forward and have a big impact. Morton received a good write up from Gotch after Casey's last match, says he played on to ball at times and was better around contaested footy. Strauss gets a game with his kicking to help us coming out of defence. Form at Casey probably hasn't warranted it but it's time for him to stand up after 2 and a half injury interupted seasons on the list. Edit: Replaced Bennell with Strauss as Bennell despit being dropped last week didn't have a match at Casey which I think he needs to prove that his worked on his issues.

Don't know where your comment about Blease struggling comes from??? He had a bad game against Frankston when he got concussed but otherwise I think his development in the VFL has been very good this year. I watched him against Bendigo the other week and was very impressed with his game, I think a debut match wont be to far away. Comments about Gawn and Strauss are fair though, although I'd give Strauss another season on the list before I write him off.

Ok this has come from a conversation I had with an idiotic Essendon supporter at work today. Just in gerneral football talk we were talking about some of the best players we've seen play over the last 20 years and I made the comment that in my opinion (probably with red & blue goggles) that Jim Stynes was the best ruckman I've seen play the game. This Essendon supporter then proceeds to tell me how overated Jim was and that he wouldn't be close to his top 5, he was then backed up by a filth supporter of all people to cap that off. He named Cox & Sandilands as 2 that he thought were miles ahead. This then got me looking up some of their stats by comparison. Games: Stynes 264, Cox 209, Sandilands 163 Kicks Per Game: Stynes 12.3, Cox 8.7, Sandilands 5.3 Handballs Per Game: Sandilands 7.7, Cox 7.2, Stynes 6.6 Disposals Per Game: Stynes 18.9, Cox 15.9, Sandilands 13 Marks Per Game: Stynes 5.7, Cox 5.3, Sandilands 3.8 Hit Outs Per Game: Sandilands 27.4, Cox 21.5, Stynes 11.8 Goals Per Game: Stynes 0.5, Cox 0.5, Sandilands 0.4 This has Stynes ahead or equal top in all areas but hit outs and handballs, and even each of those can be contributed to less stopages when Stynes played (less hit outs) and more long kicking when he played also (less handballs). Clearly I know this shows I have nothing better to do but it did get me thinking. Am I just looking at this through red & blue coloured glasses or are my work mates as I suspect just idiots? What's everyone elses opinion on Jim as a ruckman in the last 20 years?

On second thought after having read the Melbourne player review I'm now thinking the changes may be. IN: Evans, Howe, McKenzie, Rivers OUT: Bail (inj), Garland (inj), Dunn (susp), Wonna (omit) FB: Frawley, Warnock, Bartram HB: Bennell, Rivers, Tapscott C: Jones, McKenzie, Green HF: Petterd, Watts, Maric FF: Newton, Jurrah, Jetta FOLL: Martin, Moloney, Evans INT: Davey, Gysberts, Sylvia SUB: Howe EMERG: Blease, Gawn, Morton

Anyone know what happened with Robert Campbell? I thought he was supposed to play in the Casey Reserves practice match?

IN: Blease, Evans, Gawn, Howe, MacDonald, McKenzie, Rivers OUT: Bail (inj), Garland (inj), Dunn (susp/omit), Bennell (omit), Newton (omit), Warnock (omit), Wonna (omit) We need more runners, I've felt most of this year we're playing one tall to many and it's time we made players like Watts hold down CHF without sharing the role with Dunn or Bate, lets set this young team a challenge with 4 debutants, we also need to go smaller in our defensive end with St. Kilda's smaller forward line. FB: MacDonald, Frawley, Bartram HB: Tapscott, Rivers, Blease C: Jones, McKenzie, Green HF: Petterd, Watts, Maric FF: Martin, Jurrah, Jetta FOLL: Gawn, Moloney, Evans INT: Davey, Gysberts, Sylvia SUB: Howe EMERG: Bennell, Morton, Newton

MacDonald for mine, he was named in Casey's best last week where as Jetta wasn't and he's also more of a like for like replacement for Grimes' role, where as Bennell (already in the team) can be used anywhere with Maric & Wonna potentially getting more of a run on the ball in at different stages through rotation.

With Grimes and Jamar now out injured and Trengove's unfair suspension team changes IMO need to be. IN: Bennell, Gawn, MacDonald, Newton OUT: Grimes (inj), jamar (inj), Trengove (susp), Bate (dropped for team balance only) FB: Garland, Warnock, Bail HB: MacDonald, Frawley, Tapscott, C: Jones, Moloney, Green HF: Petterd, Watts, Maric FF: Newton, Jurrah, Wonna FOLL: Gawn, Gysberts, Bartram INT: Bennell, Davey, Sylvia SUB: Dunn EMERG: Jetta, Morton, Rivers To early to bring Campbell in as he's only had 1 game with Casey reserves and Martin isn't a specialist ruckman so can't take the no 1 ruck role which leaves Gawn. As for the back up ruck, we need someone a bit better in the ruck then Dunn who has the ability to play forward when not in the ruck and that leaves Newton, meaning Bate has to go for team balance.

They over look it every match when players don't get concussed by it. The sling tackle is either illegal and whenever it's applied a player should be suspended (there were half a dozen of these in the match last night). Or it's legal. You can't just single one out cause the player who's been tackled is more prone to concussion then others.

As mentioned by other posters, all of our home games have been against interstae clubs. Then we've had Gold Coast at the GABBA with less then 15K I believe. West Coast @ Subi on a Thursday Night which may have affected the crowd slightly, and Hawthorn on one of those shocking Sunday Twilight time slots which always affects a crowd by about 10K no matter who's playing. Needless to say we haven't had much of an opportunity to have a big crowd as yet. Will be interesting to see how many we get at our friday night game against Carlton???

Shattered about this one, reckon he wasn't far away from getting a senior gig. Hopefully it's only a minor injury and he'll be back in 1-2 weeks.

IN: Fitzpatrick, MacDonald, Rivers (if fit) OUT: Grimes (inj), Bate (unlucky), Warnock (if Rivers fit) Jamar certainly needs more form of support other then Dunn and I think it's the perfect time to bring in Fitzpatrick for this role. Fitzpartick's a forward who is more then big enough to help out in the ruck and can even play back if needed, he's also extremely mobile for a big man. Fitzpatrick can play Dunn's role from sunday while Dunn plays Bate's role. MacDonald's a like for like replacement for Grimes and I'd also like to see Bennell get named in Casey's best for another week before coming back in. Warnock would be unlucky but River's really does lead our back line well IMO. And he also doesn't turn it over quite as much as Warnock does.

Really difficult question, but I like it. Of current players special mention to Trengove, Chip & Jurrah but I have to go with the guy who's number I have on my jumper, Jarred Rivers! Back in 2004 looked like he was going to be anything but hasn't developed as we would have all hoped due to injuries. However he still reads the play as good as anyone in our back line and never backs away from a contest. Is hard as anything and that's why I still love him despite some of his short comings. Of past players special mention to Woewodin, Farmer & Ricky Jackson (first player who's number I had on my back. Don't remember much about him apart from yelling his name out as a 6 year old!) But I have to go with Garry Lyon. Growing up Garry was Melbourne, could play up forward, down back and even went into the midfield when needed, the man had red & blue blood flowing through his veins. Also still the only Melbourne player I've seen kick 10 goals in a match when I went to the 94' semi fianl vs Footscray.

Watts will stay, they'll give him at least 5 or 6 matches to try and shown something before they look at dropping him. NO CHANGE: Frawley should have at least 1, possibly 2 games with Casey before coming in. Same with Morton.

FB: Garland, Warnock, Bartram HB: MacDonald, Rivers, Bennell C: Grimes, Moloney, Davey HF: Watts, Dunn, Green FF: Martin, Jurrah, Maric FOLL: Jamar, Sylvia, Jones INT: Petterd, Tapscott, Trengove SUB: Gysberts EMERG: Bail, Bate, Jetta Even with Frawley, Scully, McKenzie, Morton & Wonna out I can't find room for Bail or Jetta, especially seeing as we now know that Tapscott is playing. This is a great sign for Melbourne of competition for spots. IMO Maric's pre-season form means he has to play and Martin has to play as the 2nd ruckman as Newton's still injured as is Fitzpatrick.

FB: Garland, Frawley, Bartram HB: MacDonald, Rivers, Grimes C: Sylvia, McKenzie, Davey HF: Watts, Dunn, Green FF: Martin, Jurrah, Wonna FOLL: Jamar, Moloney, Scully INT: Jones, Petterd, Trengove S/SUB: Morton EMERG: Bate, Bail, Bennell Morton's the ideal Super Sub with his ability to play anywhere and being a great height to play tall or smaller. Martin makes the team purely to play as 2nd ruck. IMO one of Martin, Newton or Fitzpatrick will have to play every week to cover this role.

Ok, maybe I've been watching far to much of the World Cup and am sleep deprived and that's why I've come up with this crazy (possibly stupid idea) on how to improve the development of other countries in test match cricket. An EPL style division system where countries can be promoted and relegated from one division to another after a three year period of solid or poor performances. This idea has come about mainly because of Ireland's impressive first 2 performances of this World Cup & the last also. In 2007 they had victories over Pakistan & Bangladesh and drew with Zimbabwe, while in this World Cup they've already beaten England and should of beaten Bangladesh in their first match if it weren't for loosing their last 5 wickets for about 20 runs when they only needed another 50 to win. I had also been impressed with Zimbabwe's openning performances, although they were pretty ordinary last night against New Zealand to be honest. So the way my idea works is the top 7 nations form say the premier division. This being India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Australia, Pakistan & New Zealand. These nations over a three year period must play a home & an away test series against one another. Usual min of 2 tests, max of 5. Where as the current 8th & 9th ranked nations West Indies & Bangladesh form a secondary division along with at first Zimbabwe & Ireland where all of these nations must play a home & away test series against one another over a three year period. These should probably all be 5 test series as there's only 4 teams in this secondary division. The second division counts as a test match and all records, wickets & runs would count towards test match averages and stats. After the initial 3 year period the bottom 2 nations from the premier division are relegated to the 2nd division, the top nation from the 2nd division is promoted to the premier division. Then to try and even everything out, the next highest ranked minow country in the Intercontinental Cup (not sure how many people know about this comp) can also be promoted to test status and start playing in the 2nd division. (This would probably be Afghanistan if anyone's been watching their improvement in the last few years, they're the most improved country by a long way and are reguly beating higher ranked countries like Kenya, Scotland etc). So this way after the initial 3 years there would be 6 countries in the premire division, 6 countries in the 2nd division, and then every 3 years the top 2 teams from 2nd division are promoted while the bottom 2 from premier are demoted. The reason why I like this idea is because it serves a couple of important issues in World cricket. 1: It means the higher ranked countries get to play more often only against the other top countries. Australia wouldn't of had to worry about this series against Bangladesh after the World Cup for example or any of those top end series as there's less countries to play against. Also it means because we have to play everyone inside 3 years it means the headline touring nation from year to year goes England, India & South Africa, and then starts again whith no lull year. 2: It allows Ireland, Zimbabwe & possibly Afghanistan eventually to gain test experience against decent opposition like the West Indies & Bangladesh. They get to play against them more often allowing their skills and experience to improve also. And while many may feel it does little for the likes of the West Indies & Bangladesh, it does give them the chance to create a winning culture, and after 3 years they will have the opportunity to take that culture in against more hardened opposition. 3: The relegation & demotion system would mean that it wont always be the same countries stuck in one division all the time as every 3 years they have the oppotunity to swap over if their performances have warranted it. So I'm curious as to people's thoughts. Obviously I don't expect everyone to love it, and I'm sure there are holes in it. But I just thought I'd see what everyone's thoughts are on expanding the game to include other countries??? Edit: Changed Ireland beating Ireland, to Ireland beating England.

Speaking as someone who's seen a lot of St. Kilda over the last few years (fiance's a massive Saints fan) I reckon your not far wrong. Next year will be their last role of the dice IMO before their window slams shut for some years. I reckon they'll do some big trading this period in order to try and pinch one in 2011. I hope we have a say in denying them!