praha

I thought they were consistent. Both teams got some horrendous calls against them. There have been worse games from the umps, but yesterday wasn't good.

Hmmm where were you sitting? I was right on the wing on the first level in the Southern Stand, could hear it fine. No problems at all.

My post was more about us overhyping the kid rather than whether or not he was ready. Actually, the latter wasn't even mentioned in my post. I just think they let him debut against Collingwood with a hidden agenda is all.

Am I the only one to think that the Melbourne Football Club's handling of Watts over the past 4 weeks has been anything but professional and in the best interests of the boy? I am really disappointed when I think (and strongly believe) that the only reason Watts debuted against Collingwood on Queens Birthday was to add another 5-10k fans on the gate. Furthermore, the lead-up and hype to that match, mainly by MFC personnel, was bordering embarrassing. Was the hype really warranted? No. Was it justified? No. Why? Because it was an 18 year-old kid, yet to debut and yet to prove his worth on the big stage. Why advertise him as the next best thing when he is yet to play a game? You only dig yourself a grave when you do that, leading yourself to embarrassment and criticism if the plan doesn't pan out like you expect it to. I'm not saying the kid doesn't have potential because he clearly does, but what would have been wrong with simply announcing his name like every other person when the teams were officially announced? No media briefing, no press conference. Just a normal call-up that happens week in, week out. Was it necessary to allow him access to the media for interviews? Was it necessary to feature him on the official website and [censored] the young kid to the media like as if he was Jesus? The answer to those questions is "NO!" Had he been announced normally without much hype, the media would have talked it up anyway. With the club talking it up as well though, there was major overkill. I know how some of you think. You believe that because he is the No. 1 pick and because he had pulling power, why not take advantage of it, right? But we're forgetting an important thing. He might be a professional athlete now, but he is just a kid. How is putting the weight of a 150 year-old club on the shoulders of a kid yet to prove himself a good thing? Granted, doing so is a great way of judging his character and true potential, but to say the whole fiasco leading up to the Collingwood match was overdone is a massive understatement. It made me cringe when the pre-match announcer actually used Watts as a way to hype up the 60,000+ crowd...while Watts was actually on the field warming up. When has that ever happened? Does it happen in Geelong with Ablett takes the field? Did it ever? Has it ever with any other club? I think this whole instance is clear of how absolutely desperate the club is at the moment. We, as supporters, really know so little. We might look at him as a messiah for the team that will lead it to success, but from a business stand-point, the club used the kid as a marketing ploy to bring some much-needed attention to the club - and it worked. I genuinely feel sorry the kid. This is a kid studying VCE (which, unlike some of you may think, IS important to some people) and is obviously dealing with things most 18 year-old kid deals with - puberty, girls and popularity. Throw the expectations of the worlds oldest sporting club, which is currently struggling terribly on and off the field, and you have a kid with way too much responsibility, only three matches into his career. Is that right? No it's not. You can put expectations on him, sure. But the weight of a club? Let's not be so naive to think that the club doesn't hold him to be the key to the future. That's fine if they do, but to advertise it as blatantly as they did over the past few weeks is just asking to be disappointed.

I believe his fibula broke through the skin, which is never any good. I broke my fibula in 2004 and I still get pain there every now and then.

15,675

I guess we can assume it's prostate cancer or a tumor of some sort, both of which can be cured with surgery and the recovery is only 6-8 weeks.

Facilities is an issue. Worst in the AFL in 20 years. That effects the culture. There is no "home" for the players, so less bonding. People underestimate that. It effects injury management, team morale, bonding, dedication. There was no place the players could really call home, so less of a "team" feeling, so less dedication to the club and history. I don't think anyone could argue that we have had too few players who have played and just didn't care for the jumper. Look at Essendon. An outstanding culture there. Haven't moved and don't have to. Still deep within Essendon and the suburb, with a consistent "home" and great place for players to bond.

At the start of the 2007 season, an article on real footy actually had us as the best chance to bring the premiership cup back to Melbourne. Injuries and a departing Daniher ultimately ruined the season. It was always going to be the last year we were going to have a chance.

It's an article from a Melbourne supporter. I feel the same way. All of us do. I could have written the same article. I just want to see that from someone who isn't a Melbourne supporter. I don't need another supporter to tell me to "stick around". I'm going to do that anyway. I want someone who wouldn't normally give a crap tell us we're going in the right direction.

Yes. I am so sick of losing. I just need a win, because I can't see us winning any other games this year.

Why dump Cheney and keep Robbo and/or Whelan in the side :angry:

Hmm, I'm pretty sure our entire team sucks, let alone our midfield.

Chris Lamb as full-back. And the lack of Brent Grgic is insulting to anyone who enters this thread.

I want proof that this interview actually happened. lol just kidding.

A second year player who has played in only 4 wins and is as thin as a stick isn't playing well after playing 90% of matches over the past 2 seasons? OMG! Sack him!

Well we've been consistently playing the same bad gameplan, so I guess that, going by what Austin Jones said, we should see some consistently good gameplan executions soon? Anyway, I can sum up Essendon's gameplan pretty well: Have Fletcher play as the extra man back. He is 7 foot tall and can get 20 back clearances a game. Kick the ball into a one-on-one contest of Lloyd and an opposition player. Chances he'll get a free-kick and goal. Simple.

I love the red jumper with the blue flame "M" that was posted above. Our best clash jumper to date. But I don't mind the white one. I haven't bought a Melbourne jumper in about 15 years. I might actually buy this one if it goes on sale.

They changed it because MFC were trying to push into China, and the demon logo would have turned off potential investors and supporters, as the demon is a strongly protested symbol in Chinese culture. This is the only reason why they got rid of it. I won't accept any other reason. The sooner they bring back the demon, the better. The 90s-2007 logo was brilliant. I loved it. It was emotionless, hard, striking and intimidating.

No no no no no no no. We already have enough older, experienced players in the team. It's either Wheatley or Whelan. One or the other. Not both. We already have Bruce, Green and Miller, with Whelan and McDonald (bar last week) and now you want to add Wheatley? What purpose would that have? How would we benefit? You'd have to drop one of Grimes or Martin, and I'd much rather Whelan in the team than Wheatley. I've said before how having players like Miller, Wheatley, Robbo and even McDonald in the team don't benefit us at all. Green, Bruce, Davey, Brock and Sylvia SHOULD be enough when it comes to leadership and experience, but they haven't been. They need to step up. IMO, drop Whelan and Miller, keep McDonald out and focus on the next core group of leaders and make them lead the way. They really haven't been able to because hacks like Miller are clogging up positions, and McDonald is in the team purely because he is captain - he offers nothing statistically to the game. Martin needs to be played as a forward. I don't want Bailey to make the same mistake with him as Daniher did with Green. Green could have been a 60+ goals per year player, but Daniher was just too stubborn (and we also had Neita). As long as no young players are sacrificed to bring in older players, I'm happy. I don't want to see Wheatley brought in for an omitted young player.

3 wins next year, 2013 finals, flag in 2014.

Yeah, to be honest, I probably will go there again if the Dees are playing, so I made a little lie, but god damn I hate that stadium. Just the worst. It's funny how there are seats near the scoreboard up along the side, but those seats are never sold because they don't actually have a view of the ground. Who the hell designed that stadium? Morons.

Firstly, I am never going to a game there again. The fact that I couldn't see the boundary line below me without standing up AND standing on my toes is a disgrace. Secondly, the room in front of you is probably half that of the MCG. At the G, you can walk past people without them having to fully get off their seats. At the Dome, people have to literally get up, stand and turn for you to walk past. Even old cinemas from the early 90s aren't that bad. Thirdly, all of the restaurants at the Docklands suck considering what you pay. I went to Mecca Bar and paid $22 for a chicken kebab - one shish kebab on a small bed of rice. Wow. (I know this has nothing to do with the stadium but thought I'd throw it in lol) I just hate Jihad Stadium.

Yet he gets dropped after one bad game and players like Whelan, Robertson and Bruce, who do absolutely nothing for the development and leadership of our team, get regained in the team.