MadAsHell

I'd be more then happy if they brought it back next year in place of the NAB cup as there'll be an odd number of teams competing. To make it competative though they should have 2 divisions. DIVISION 1: South Australia - AAMI Stadium Vic Country - Skilled Stadium Vic Metro - Docklands Western Australia - Subiaco DIVISION 2: New South Wales/ACT - Blacktown Oval/Manuka Oval Northern Territory - TIO Stadium Queensland - Cazaly Stadium Cairns Tasmania - Aurora Stadium Everyone can play each team in their divison once and the top 2 play off in a divison 1 & division 2 final.

Had just been doing some research on our current dismal batting performances. So far in Marcus North's 15+ test career he's averaging about 37 with the bat, Hussey has been averaging 38 in his last 25 test matches and even Ponting is only averaging 41 in his last 25 tests. This is simply not good enough and the fact that the selectors have allowed this to run for so long is not good enough, especially considering Brad Hodge was dropped with a batting average in the high 40's or even low 50's after 5 tests.

Personally I didn't mind our old red clash strip that we wore back in 2004, I thought that was ok, but I to hate the white strip!

Judd, he's now twice gone to ordinary clubs (West coast & Carlton) and helped get them into the finals and in West Coast's case helped them win it. Gets harder balls then Ablett and he does it with nowhere near as much support as what Ablett gets. Ablett's always been with a pretty succesful club (almost always in the finals) and mightn't be as effective in a weaker team.

Normal cost to get into VFL is $10.

Fire by Kasabian. Not sure how good it will sound only being played by trumpet though?

I'm not one to normally dwell on things and say if only this or that happened? You can't change the past, but if you look at a few results we've had this year you realise that we're not far away at all from being a very good side and could of quite easily been embeded in the 8 this season well ahead of schedual. First let's imagine Petterd had of held onto that mark in round 2 against Collingwood and won us the game after the siren. Secondly if those two goals that were ruled points against the Bulldogs had of been given goals. Thirdly if Green's last shot on goal against Collingwood on QB had of gone through instead of just missing! And finally we could of reversed our two ordinary performances against North Melbourne & West Coast (games we were actually expected to win!) We'd be 11-6 and in 5th position only % off 4th. Staggering when you think of where we were just 12 months ago. What's done is done and it doesn't actually bother me that we're where we are as I know how good we can become. But is is comforting to know that we're not far off at all from already beign a finals chance. This shows it's based off what's happened in the actual matches and isn't just a pipe dream. All we need to do now is learn how to win those close games and the ones we're expected to win and then things will be looking mighty good indeed!

Hope Gysberts is only out for the two weeks as he needs to play 2 more games for Casey to be eligable to play in the VFL finals.

Sell and redevelop Victoria Park into a 50,000 seat stadium. It's on a train line so is the best suited ground to use.

In their defence when we lost Shane Woewodin and Stephen Powell they were still definatly considered good players. We got nothing for Powell and picked up Heffernan & Bell for Woewodin, break even at best. We only got pick 17 (eventual James Kelly) for Jeff Farmer which we on traded to geelong with Brent Grgic for Bizzle who I thought turned out to be a good player for us in defence. Darren Jolly and Troy Simmonds are the only other decent players I can think of over recent time who left Melbourne for another club, but both were yet to really establish themselevs when they left. But overal I agree, melbourne do quite well at holding onto their players and have obviously created an environment where the players don't want to leave. (Thompson & Farmer only left in order to return to their home states.)

SG your real name isn't Karmichael Hunt is it? Come on you can be honest!!!

IN: McDonald, Moloney OUT: Maric (can't find anyone else), Scully (rest) * Trengove to come back through Casey. FB: Garland, Frawley, Bartram HB: MacDonald, Rivers, Bail C: Morton, McKenzie, Davey HF: Watts, Dunn, Sylvia FF: Jurrah, Green, Wonaemirri FOLL: Jamar, Moloney, McDonald INT: Bennell, Bruce, Johnson, Jones EMERG: Bate, Maric, Trengove

Yeah I reckon we're a good shot. I predict a win of about 4 goals, and to top it off nicely I reckon the Dees will win by about 12 goals on the same day!

6. Frawley 5. Sylvia 4. Green 3. Bartram 2. McKenzie 1. Bail Sorry Bruce, couldn't get you in.

Your source that he might be leaving or that Gold Coast are in discussion with him? What do you know that no one else on this sight knows?? Watts is out of contract and yet to sign a contract extension with MFC along with about a dozen or so other players. There's still about 12 weeks or so before we get to trade week, let alone when players have to nominate for the draft, Watts has plenty of time to sign. At least with Petterd, Frawley & Bruce there had been reported interest from Gold Coast however this discussion about Watts is just speculation, you may as well alledge that's he's going to sign with the Melbourne Tigers in the NBL next season! Nothing to worry about as far as Watts goes. I'm so confident he isn't going anywhere that if he does I'll take out a Gold Coast FC social club membership and attend all of their home matches even thought that will require me flying from Melbourne every week.

Maric played a couple of games late in the season in 2008 which was his first year on the list so you probably wouldn't expect one of the youngest players in the draft who was still finishing his VCE do have a big impact, just like Watts last year. As for no serious injury, he missed about the last 6-8 weeks of last season with an injury and didn't even get back for Casey otherwise we all know he would have got a couple of games also. Don't get me wrong Maric hasn't set the world on fore at VFL level but he definatly deserves his a game in another development season for us as his form's been more then solid and is currently in better form then Jetta or Wonna at the moment who are similar type players. Maybe we should wait till Maric played 10 to 20 games before we tear up his contract a year early and send him on his way???

I was going to say I hope Melbourne don't ask to take part in it. This is just another example of the AFL being obsessed with trying to copy the NFL and everything that happens in the USA instead of doing our own thing. They've shown they're more interested in TV rights then they are in the fans. When it's not school holidays crowds will be well down as they already are for sunday twilight matches and all I can say is that I hope this blows up in the AFL's face. Let Gold Coast and GWS play all the monday night matches I say!

Lets face it the teams been in decline for the last 5 years and the selectors have done little to nothing about it. Continuing to play their favourites and not giving players who could become stars of the future a decent run when they hit the slightest form slump. Hussey & Ponting are well and truely past their best, I can understand why Ponting just holds his spot but there's no excuse for Hussey. For those who will remind me of Hussey's century at the SCG and the last Ashes series, they're his only two decent scores in about 30-40 innings, you give any first class batsmen that amount of innings and they should be able to score 2 centuries at least. Then when it comes to Marcus North the less said the better IMO. Phil Hughes needs to be given much more of a run as should Cameron White in the middle order. He averages over 40 with the bat at state level, can bowl handy leggies and IMO is our best suited player to becoming captain (probably reason why they don't play him so Clarke can get the job). I believe Ponting & Hussey should be given this years Ashes as farwell series and thenm look to replace them with White and maybe Callum Ferguson who I believe has the goods. As for North I'd be dropping him imediatley for Hughes. Here's what I believe is Australia's best XII post this years coming Ashes. P. Hughes S. Katich C. Ferguson M. Clarke (vc) C. White © S. Watson B. Haddin M. Johnson N. Hauritz B. Hilfenhaus D. Bollinger 12th Man P. Siddle

Dissapointing the Gys isn't back yet but he should be back next week fingers crossed? Also good to see Stef Martin back for Casey reserves. Hopefully he has a good game and we can see him and Blease push for Casey senior selection the following week.

I know I wouldn't kick her out of bed if she farted.

Round 5, 2001. It's been awhile!

Round 4 2006, after loosing their opening 3 games of the season Melbourne traveled to the SCG to face the reigning premiers in a must win match if they were to get their season back on track. With new recruit Byron Pickett at his best Melbourne caused a huge boil over and won by 5 points and went on to play in a semi final that season. Will this weekend see the present day dees have a win to revive their slim finals hopes? While I think they can win I still think it's to late for finals hopes. Verdict: Melbourne by 8 points.

I feel sorry for Vossy some what. Brisbane made a semi final last year and with Black & Power nearing the end and a battle scaed Brown inside his last 5 years possibly he had to make a decission to either rebuild with the compromising drafts coming up or try and pinh a flag with smart recruting. Lets face it if Fevola and Staker had of kept their form going, Clarke, Raines and Maguire were able to regain their best form and Buchanan to play as the handy goal sneek it would of looked very good. However Fevola's been very inconsistent, Clarke hasn't got on the park, Raines has been ok at best and Buchanan hasn't provided them anything a 1st year draft pick couldn't. Staker and Maguire have been pretty good for them although Muaguire's struggled with injury recently also. I do worry about Brisbane long term and think they will now be a team to miss the finals for at least the next 5 years while they rebuild. Whether Vossy survives that entire time or not I'm not to sure?

I did ladder predictor and it had Richmond-v-Port Adelaide in round 22 as a battle for the spoon match, winner to take 15th, looser 16th and I tipped Richmond with the game at Docklands.

You could actually be onto something with Bate. Moloney was only a corky I think so hopefully he'll be right. Can't see them dropping Bartram though.