AlphaDee

No offence CB because I know you are passionate, but with an attitude like that it might be better if you stay away and let the rest of us turn up.

Green gets plenty of (mainly) easy possessions but has no impact on a game anymore. A few years ago he was a damaging forward - would lead and mark strongly, kick beautifully for goal and inspire the team with his enthusiasm and celebrations (after kicking a goal). Why not put him back where he plays best - FP or HFF.

There is an old saying (from Rosavelt I think) that goes something like this: "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country". It might be a bit corny relating this to the MFC, but I am wondering if, perhaps, we are all just spectators who post our thoughts on boards like Demonland, Demonology and BigFooty and generally complain about things to each other. We "talk the talk" but do we "walk the walk". What can we do, if anything? Should there be a "call to action"? Do we need a "Supporters action group" to get out there and get things done? Is the club receptive to our thoughts and concerns and, if so, how do we communicate with them? Do we have anybody whose role it is to liaise with the club about our concerns and ideas? Do we all expect others to do something without doing anything ourselves? (I am probably guilty of this). Any ideas?

I agree that Cranbourne is ridiculously far away but your comments, Jacka, are an insult. There are good people living all over the place and Melbourne supporters all over the place too. If I was living in Cranbourne I would be incensed with your comments. Grow up.

YM - why are you so modest?

Look. YM has always been a passionate (at times excentric) poster around here. Unfortunately it seems that all the pre-season stuff and the negativity has got to him but hopefully he will get his loyalty back and buy a membership. Come on YM, we need you around here and the MFC also needs you more than ever.

Great! Somebody being positive after all the doom and gloom. Here goes: "MFC Rocks My World And A Premiership's On The Way".

It is true that Northey did very well with us. We had a core of excellent players such as Robbie, Lyon, Stynes, Spalding, Yeats, Bennet (from '89), than Jacovich. About half our side, however, would have struggled to get a game with another club. The pattern of the team's results was remarkably similar to under ND. We would string together several wins, be close to the top of the ladder, then inexplicably lose form and lose several games in a row. In a couple of the Northey years we had to come back from the dead to sneak into the finals. Still, the main difference was that we were capable of shutting down the opposition's play and grinding out a win when we had to. If ND's teams of '04, '05 and '06 could have done that, we would have got much closer to winning a flag and may even have done it!

Probably so you know who sent it to you !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

My kids each got a second pack today with the same rubbish that was in the first kids pack. My son was so cheesed off with his first one that he refused to go to the family day - he said "why should I go, they don't care about us". Now he has double the reason to be upset. Don't know why they sent a second one - probably just a stuff-up and a waste of money. All this on top of my group of 4 being split-up in the reserved seat allocations - we are in the same row but now have seats 1, 8, 9 and 10. The MFC is becoming an embarrassment and I'm finding it hard to be passionate!

If this is true, this is great news! Is it 93.5 fm Bendigo? Please let us know the URL. Thanks

IMO the main problem for our defence is the number of inside 50s the opposition seems to get. Any defence would crumble in the same circumstances. Our half forwards and midfielders need to put more pressure on the opposition (like flash a couple of seasons ago). We are generally very poor at this and the ball comes down too often and too easily.

Like so many others I am trying hard to stay positive and when I look at the team we had against Geelong then look at the missing players I feel a lot better. Here is my team anaylsis that I also posted on Big Footy (sorry if I am repeating some of what others have already said): - 3 rookies: Zomer, Wonaeamirri, Valenti = Average 0 games - 5 others with 0 games: Martin, McNamara, Weetra, Cheney, Maric = Average 0 Games - 6 with 10 games or less: Bode (2), Garland (2), Warnock (4), Bode (4), Buckley (6), Newton (10) = Average 4.6 - 6 with 11 to 52 games: PJ (27), Jonesey (29), Bate (33), Bell (45), Jamar (52), Sylvia (52) = Average 40 - 6 experienced players: Holland, White, JMac, Yze, Green, Robbo Missing: - Likely starters round 1 if available: Clint Bartram, Cameron Bruce, Nathan Carroll, Aaron Davey, Lynden Dunn, Brock McLean, Brad Miller, Brent Moloney, David Neitz, Ricky Petterd, Jared Rivers, Paul Wheatley, Matthew Whelan = 13 players - Possible other inclusions: James Frawley, Chris Johnson = 2 - Unknowns: 2 early draft picks = Cale Morton, Jack Grimes Looking at this list, they couldn't have all been injured so it looks like Bailey decided to give all the new boys a taste of the big time. For round 1, I would expect most of the missing players to be available and many to be included. We will definitely see a far more experienced team out there with a sprinkling of our younger talent also getting a go. Here's hoping!.

Totally agree. I did the count before the game and this surely is a record number of first gamers for any AFL or Pre-season game. This left a huge workload on our few experienced players who clearly struggled under this weight against a very strong Geelong side that was really sharp. Many of the first gamers looked very raw and had no idea what to do when the Cats turned it on in the second quarter. I was really impressed, however, when the whole side ran onto the ground looking pretty fired-up for the third quarter and did a great job with the Cats lucky to stay so far in front. IMO Valenti was a standout (played like Priddis) and McNamara was fantastic for a 17/18 year old in his first game. It must have been a great experience for the others and they will be better when they get their next chance. Overall, I don't think we can read anything into the result because we won't field a side anything like this again this season.

A tie. Good Grief!!!! Yet more ammunition for supporters of other clubs to make fun of us and to reinforce the stereotype of us as wealthy upper-class business-types. Why not throw in some ski-gear as well!!!

I have lots of rellies in Adelaide and I can't stand the ill-informed, anti-Victorian generalisations that some of them come up with (and truly believe)!! Besides, I bet that Rivers and Belly would have something to say about that. So let's not get into generalisations here (except about the pies, of course....... .

I don't know if I'm imagining things but it seems to me that Juice is maturing rapidly, looking more and more comfortable with being an AFL footballer, is developing a bit of charisma and also seems to be adopting a bit of a leadership role with the younger guys. These are just my impressions from the China trip and these photos. His debut season this year was impressive and hopefully he will continue to mature and become a great player for us.

It didn't work, YM, because your role is not to ask questions but to make pronouncements (and not necessarily sensible ones)!!!! Anyhow, just watch all the opposition supporters pick us 15th or 16th for next year, just like they all picked North to finish last this year (as I also did). We will surprise them all and I reckon we will finish 5-8 but could be a chance to finish top 4!!!!!

If, indeed, the Roos do move North, that will certainly leave us as just about the most vulnerable in terms of possible future relocations. Despite us being "Melbourne", it appears to me that the AFL cares little for us and is not emotionally attached to the idea of maintaining a club by that name. What we need is a groundswell of real support for our club in its 150th year. This means thousands more supporters turning up to normally low-attendance games at the 'G, the Dome and even at Geelong. We can no longer afford crowds of around 20,000 and the embarrassment of few Demon supporters turning up to away games at the Dome and almost none at Kardinia Park. We need at least 40,000 minimum to every MCG game, 20,000 of us at away games at the Dome and some noticeable support at our game in Geelong. We need our entire supporter base to get behind the MFC, starting 2008, whether we are winning or not.

Here are some of the favourites, some of whom were freaks but never champions but also a couple of champions thrown in: - Haaassssa! The 60's hero of the kids (including me) - Parke and Dillon! The first a freak Mark but a very average kick. The latter who sometimes could do almost anything but on other occasions was useless and couldn't pick it up when all alone in the goal square and would miss a sitter from 10 meters out (a bit of a 60's and early 70's Richo) - Diamond Jim!!!! - Biff! My favourite for many years and the only full-back I ever saw frequently run to the wing bouncing the ball - Jacko!!!!! Mark and Alen and Ricky - Robby!!!! Of course - Strawbs! - Ooooooooooze! Well, a few years ago - Robbo! The heart and soul of the club - Godders! The occasional hero - Juice! Hopefully very soon Probably a few other I've missed as well

K O'D was one of my favourite players. Had pace and skill but was a bit undersized. From what I remember we sometimes had the Irish cenrtreline of Kelly O'Donnell, Chris Connolly and Paul O'Brien. All average footballers but very honest triers. Robbie would sometimes play half-forward, full forward etc. Once kicked a bag agaisnt the Saints at Moorabbin because he was ill and had to play FF. Vomited several times behind the goals between taking big marks and kicking goals. O'Donnell possibly played wing that day. Does anybody have a record from this game?

Hmmmm! I seem to remember a thread like this last year and we lost. Can't remember which game but I think it might have been the second Carlton game. Definitely don't like this sort of thread.

Have also heard some supporters calling Bate "Torch" and Ward "Punter".

Was not a believer before BUT NOW I"M CONVERTED!!!!!

I don't believe that we should sack Byron right now but I agree that we really need to give all the young guns as much game time as possible. Not all of them every week but certainly half a dozen games each over the remainder of the season.