Binmans PA

Well, it hasn't been a good start to the campaign for my reds, but as soon as Aquilani starts playing, we'll smash it up. We just need to get there with nothing but wins from now. Hopeless start. We were lucky to beat Bolton, Benitez needs to pull his finger out (he's a [censored] manager IMO) and get them playing the score at all costs style we played towards the end of last season. If we begin playing that, there's no one that can match us. Chelsea are pretenders, Man Utd nothing without Ronaldo (and Vidic) and Arsenal couldn't get close, with their lack of depth. Still that is a worry for us, with limited transfer funds. El Nino has scored 3 from 4 games, but at the same time looks out of form and perhaps match fitness. Just imagine once he's properly fit. He's the best striker in the world and he'll rip any EPL defense apart. Go the Reds!

I have it from a very reliable source that Shane has been told his services are no longer required.

I completely agree. In this case, it's not neccessarily Aaron's skills that put him before Moloney, but it's the one percenters and moments in the game, where he can lift the team, in a way, the skipper should.

If you don't think what Aaron did on the wing yesterday was inspirational, then you must be deluded. His constant chasing, smothering, tap ons...need I say more...he oozes leadership. He doesn't do it occasionally, he does it every week. The area he does struggle is the niggles he receives. If he learns to deal with this, he'd make a great captain. He may have been shy when he first came into to it, but he's less shy than Macca and on par with him in terms of speaking. If you've listened to Macca (as much as I love him) speak after a number of games this year, he's very awkward and seemingly shy, but amongst the group must exude inspiration. Flash is the same. Aaron constantly sets the example with his chasing, tackling and one percenters. Furthermore, I don't think we can make an assessment of whether someone is a leader amongst the players, unless we're apart of the playing group itself. I don't deny Moloney has passion and leadership in spades, but he wouldn't be in my best 22 come next year, if we pick up Scully and Trengove. Flash would be though.

If there was a standout key position player, we probably would take a KP, but there isn't, so we'll go with two midfielders.

I'd watched both Blease and Strauss on YouTube at the start of the year, but I'd forgotten how good these two looked! I can't wait to get them both out on the park. Give them both full pre seasons and they could add class and pace to our midfield. I just hope Blease doesn't loose any of that electrifying pace, as a result of his broken leg (it was a leg not a shoulder, correct?). Imagine, adding Scully and Trengove to those two, plus Grimes, Sylvia, Bennell etc. Suddenly, pace, skill and great decision making.

I don't think he's good enough to be captain though, personally. I want a gun to be our next captain and hopefully take us through to win a flag. There's no doubt Moloney has fantastic leadership qualities, but he's not the most skilled, nor will he ever win us a game off his own back. Sylvia might, but he has had too many discretions for the moment. Let him play a consistent, full season next year and then I'd think about him for the leadership group, following that, he'd be one for captain.

Some of his tap work was fantastic. He moved around the ground well, it was only his disposal by foot that was the issue yesterday. There's no doubt he's still very raw, but that's part of the story with a project player, such as Spence.

At the moment, it isn't particularly clear. Flash would be the front runner, but at times, he still gets dragged in by niggling. A captain cannot. I suspect this is a major factor, why Macca is staying. We lack strong leaders. He may not be the most skilled, but the players still respect him. Pick a new captain after '10.

Did anyone hear the commentators praising Bailey yesterday? I found it extremely interesting, considering we've won two wooden spoons. That said, I believe the same of Bailey. He has the potential to be a great coach, if his shrewdness and ability to foster and develop youth is anything to go by.

This is made more difficult by the fact that we won't know who's going to by left by that stage. The beauty of picks 1 & 2 is that we can pick whoever we wish. Having said that, in another thread I went with Tappscot, Panos or Carlisle. All forwards, who can take some of the pressure away from Watts and Jurrah. I can invisage a forwardline, where Watts and Jurrah play in the middle and on the flanks and a Panos, Tappscot or Carlisle are the key target inside 50. If we need a pack mark, Watts will be capable at some stage of taking it. He just needs more muscle and he will be able to play the Riewoldt role.

Yeah, well done Wheats, on a great MFC career. I've loved your work and believed for many seasons that you were the barometre for our side. Good luck with life after football.

I agree with the two midfielders with the first two picks, but we don't need a Betts or Milne, Aussie fits the bill perfectly. He is also a better build than both of the former. I wasn't the biggest fan of Cheney either, but having watched him play a very solid game yesterday, I've changed my mind on him. Bell is not a small defender, he's a back flanker and as you point out, not good enough. We have enough to cover him. Bennell can play there. Jamar and Spencer are both looking good in the ruck, whilst Jones and Morton showed signs of being able to tag. The thing that Bailey seems to be developing is flexibility and therefore a specialist tagger may not be required, if someone like a Morton could step in to tag a Goodes and Jones or Dunn could follow a smaller midfield type. Tappscot, Panos or Carlisle could fill that other key forward roll too.

I'm not a fan of the Hawks, but gee I was rooting for them, such is my hatred of Essendon. Oh and Lloyd has always been a sniper. Just as Campbell Brown has always been a sniper.

I thought it showed a tiny bit of MFC arrogance that I haven't seen in my life time. It was good. About time we start to get arrogant!

Yeah, I also noticed when watching the reply, at one stage when maybe Milne marked it on the 50, he punched his hands, filthy with himself, even though he didn't have a chance to spoil it in the first place. I thought he showed great leadership early, when the game was on.

No, thanks.

I think Brock played probably his most solid game for the season yesterday. He won a bit of the hard ball and I only remember him turning it over once or twice. I think we keep all three hard nuts (McLean, Moloney and Jones), add Trengove, Scully, Boak and then remembering Grimes, Bennell etc and we'll suddenly have great depth in our midfield. We've stocked up on backs, now is the time to stock up on midfielders. Over the next two to three years, it'd be nice to pick up one more key forward (no, not in this years draft) and then IMO we'll be set. I'm now confident Jamar and Spencer can carry us in the ruck divisions.

No. Spencer was extremely promising yesterday and Jamar continued his good form. I want youth only being drafted, unless a gun recruit (ala Hodge, Selwood or Buddy) is available. Sandilands is a log.

That certainly summed his performance up today. He was fantastic. 27 hard earned possessions.

I had this discussion with my old man today and after briefly thinking it through, I stated Jurrah as the most exciting player I had seen, in an MFC jumper. I thought of Farmer, but he was less consistent and didn't quite have the skills of LJ. I watched Jacko and he could take an opposition apart, as you put it RR, but I think LJ is on par with him there, probably even better. I can see him kicking a bag of 10 one day.

I'd go with Scully, Trengove in the ND and Boak in the PSD. That'd suit me nicely.

Only one, from Swan Districts, this season? Still, I suppose the AFL drafted half of last years team.

Perhaps, we're simply sniffing out all our options, so we don't overlook anything. That is understandably sensible. Any well run club would do the same.

I agree and I think we're doing this. The three retirees wearing Melbourne scarfs today was a great touch.