Little Goffy

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...0-19742,00.html Jimmy Stynes has publicly expressed an interest in getting involved at the MFC Board level, and has not ruled out taking the presidency if it were on the table. Another one of those little bits of news that give you a momentary rush. To have someone this humbly effective involved at the top would be sensational. And remember that while Paul Gardener has been a solid president all things considered, the oft-repeated story is that it would actually suit him to step aside sometime soon. So no need for gross politicking should a handover be the option taken. Very positive.

I agree completely. I guess I was just wrapping it up by saying - 'here's the others who didn't look so good on paper', but they're obviously not in the 'could be dropped' category. All three played heavily defensive roles, and did so with discipline. Their return to our team is a soure of optimism, particularly as they each get some more run in their legs and more comfortable with AFL intensity again (Bartram and Rivers have both missed a year, after all).

Hmm... you posted that immediately before the good competitive effort against the premiers at their home ground. I'm feeling more positive than that. We can even give the Kangaroos a tough battle, maybe even take home the four points next week. Still Bate and Whelan to come in, at the least. What I saw on Sunday was the coach giving the team more freedom to kick, and the team also doing a little better on the run-and-carry passages. We also are yet to show any reliance on stars, which is positive... ...compared to Carlton, who have their two 'marquee' players BOTH play absolutely blinders (Judd/Fevola) and they STILL lose. Guys, I think we can stop worry about the priority pick order. We'll win at least half a dozen over the season, no doubts.

We'd need to know the status of Bate, Moloney, Frawley and Whelan before we can really make the call. I'd say Frawley in for Garland. Or simply Garland out and select from the above. Other players who should be nervous - C. Johnson - out for Whelan, Moloney or Bate. Poor CJ just hasn't been able to stand out. Robertson - out for Bate, though there still seems to be a wait on Bate. Maybe just out, with Miller as filler. Sylvia - Better perform soon or people will start throwing things at him. Bate and Moloney are both better options, if fit. I disagree about dropping Davey - while weak so far this year, he has started to put it back together again - a half step closer to slamming into his prey, each game. Not far off being 'back', I reckon. Rivers, Bartram and Dunn are other statistical low-performers from Sunday. All returning from injury, all putting in the effort, all likely to be better next week. Sounds good.

An interesting call by the AFL to line up a bottom four team from last year against three of the 07 top four in the first four rounds (Hawks, Cats, Kangaroos). We can now say this was never going to be a cruising start to the season. And also, I'd love to hear how this arrangement was supposed to 'maximise attendences and viewers'. Throw in the Bullodgs, who do seem to have made some improvement, and it's just abit of turd luck for us I spose. Still, a win against Geelong on Sunday would bring the house down, wouldn't it.

This is the best post ever on Demonland. Start a thread on this - it would be nice actually to have a debate on who the most deserving player is. To keep it positive, just ask people to nominate a first and a second, with reasons. No insulting other's choices or paying out players, just the honest statements of respect. Whoever can go into a game against these odds and still give it a red hot go, deserves the nod and every other accolade we can hand them.

Cale Morton did well, looked calmer than just one week ago. I like the lad, and oh boy is he going to get opportunites! Simon Buckley is the replacement for Daniel Ward at this stage - lots of initiative, but... Still, he has a lot more time to improve than Daniel Ward. And enough of everyone crapping on Brad Green. He's averaging twenty-one posessions and 3.5 tackles a game, and has been a part of about half of our goals. In fact, he's our second highest scoring player (behind only 'junk-time' Robbo), plus he's our highest goal-assist player. And he's delivering with at least a decent level of accuracy through the midfield. He's also been visibly into it and showing some passion. He even appears to have his radar back when it comes to set shots, when you look at the preseason as well. Could become a valuable half-forward once again. Jones got his highest ever possession total against the Doggies. Poor bastard. Another two good games and he'll be our next 'captain in waiting' to stew under pressure for a while, like Miller and Mclean both had to deal with. And didn't the hype and attention do those two a world of good. (hint hint) Nathan Carroll was grimly determined and did well in obscene circumstances. I never quite figured out why people started hating him when he was underperforming last year. Maybe some just like hating fullbacks. Paul Johnson is looking like a legitimate starting 22 player, and is someone holding up his end even when the team implodes. Actually, I guess that's the theme of my post - here are six players who have not folded under when it would have been easy to join in the cringe. The rest of the team needs to look at this lot and take note - it's across all ages and levels of experience, and all types of positions. That's what needs to be focused on - that there are players out there who are not folding, despite being in just the same situation as everyone else who was out there.

Yeah, I must admit I was happy to see Robbo dragged. I'd even be comfortable to see him dropped. There seems to be a mentality that when the club needs a hero what the players should do is try to play the 'most important' positions - ie Newton, Robbo and Neitz all trying to be FF at the same time, Davey and Green being midfielders when they should be FP and HF. Someone needs to point out that what's needed is people who will play THEIR ASSIGNED ROLE IN THE GAMEPLAN and do it well. I've loved Robbo over the years, but now I'm a little uncomfortable that he has a two year contract.

Ho hum... Gee, that Cyril Rioli is a good player. Our players aren't Cyril Rioli. Obviously... Our players aren't good. Focus on the issues at hand. Really, we should have traded Bruce for pick four a couple of years ago and gotten Lance Franklin. In fact, hell, Neitz has been a bit slow these last few years, we probably could'be got the Judd draft pick for him.

Ho hum, yeah, lets bash the players, that'll help. Mclean had a dog of a day. And Davey - I mean seriously, getting injured? He just must not care about the jumper. Finger.... Pull.... Out....

MFC has lost direction as a business... you've been believing the papers, haven't you? Let me tell you something, each time I read one of these idiot articles about how we're supposedly crumbling to dust, I actually get a little more confident, despite how annoying they are. These articles are so off the mark it's laughable - compared to five years ago we're full of direction and making good ground. And we came out of that hole, anyway, so why should anyone think we're not going to strengthen. I'll say it again, I think it's gonna be my new motto. Harden up, people.

Yes, you're absolutely right. Michael Newton and Lynden Dunn are complete write-offs and we should just let them go now, because they are obviously useless and will never be decent footballers. FOR $#%#^ SAKE. Harden up, people.

Neitz, White, Holland and Yze have all been par for the team this year and last, or less than average. They are in no way carrying the team and as such their impending retirements will have little impact. Whelan has been missing for some time - losing him would be tragic (he has my respect) but at the same time it would not be a 'negative' in so far as he hasn't been able, through injury, to deliver his 'positive'. McDonald is an issue - he is one of our few internal role models, as well as a determined contributor on match day. For each one that retires, a new young player comes on to the list, and a new space is made in the match lineup . Or is that too obvious? For what it's worth, if this year really continues as badly as current form suggests, we are entitled to priority pick no. 1, not just the number 17 - the rule is 'less than ten wins over previous two years', not 'less than five wins in both of the previous two years'. So then we'd have picks 1 and 2 coming in to the list, as well as perhaps five other picks further down the draft order. And Cale Morton looks good to me. Let's see what comes of Maric and Grimes et al over the next six months, shall we? Next year will be worse? Nup.

Yze Magic has now introduced the world to his original creation - Self Trolling. Calm down. Very bad game, blowout result, senior players seriously underperforming. But I just... I can't get into the rage. Perhaps it's because I'm happy that a couple of friends are coming along to the pub (I'm interstate) to watch the game, and enjoying it, despite everything. I'm not about to drive people away from the club by losing my temper around them.

Got my MFC email newsletter today, it's definately made a few small but genuine improvements. Principally the addition of the match info and the injury list. Next step would be the inclusion of accurate training times, and I've always thought it would be good to include a supporter profile once in a while - so we feel like we're part of a human community rather than a numerical tally of supporters. I'm ready to appreciate little changes at the moment, and like hearing about other small things that can be gotten right. any suggestions ? (please, actual suggestions not 'how bout they farkn win'.)

I'm quite heartened by all the people on here who focused on the immediate issue, and not the speculation. Mono, get a membership. As far as most people on here are concerned, you might as well be discussing whether to buy a membership to your family, and based on their recent performance. On the subject you raised, isn't it the case that a 'donation' to the club would be tax deductable? They'd get 42% back in july!

Newton just didn't quite take the grab about five times on Sunday. Bad day at the office from that perspective, but I'm willing to accept he's got just ten games behind him. The second efforts were a worry, sure. But we've seen him do then before - Once he realises that despite the off-season hype and winning 'mark of the year' he's still got to KEEP ON doing the extra efforts that got him into the team in the first place, then he'll be right. He'd bloody better!

Our run and carry game plan from last year was built around the initiative of Brown and Ward driving out of the back line... We are not a run and carry team if you ask me - very few of this kind of player. I think we need to be looking at a more long-kicking style. And finally... we MUST get stuck into an obvious oversight in the coaching - players without the ball and not involved in the play simply don't know what to do and where to go. It is correctable. Now correct it ya bastards.

I think, for psychology's sake, we need to give the players a license to BANG IT LONG when in doubt. I know it's high risk but until the confidence comes back and the skills & decision making improve it's just not viable to keep trying to muddle through with what is frankly a fidgety style, especially sicne there are a lot of players not used to working together, and there will be many more coming in next few years because there's obviously a turnover period coming. And I agree that some players need to be dropped - Rivers in. Whelan in. Bartram in. Bate in. Sylvia in. Dunn in. Possibly all next week. So options for covering a few bumped players, across all roles. But there are other threads for exactly what changes need to be made. Side note - it's conceivable that on form we shortly wont have any members of our leadership group actually on the field.

Well, I can't get to the game, living interstate and all, but I will be bringing a few friends down to the local footy club to watch the game again, and have a bit of a kick beforehand. By the end of the season they'll all be demon supporters. I'm also going to buy a copy of the 150th special history for a long-lapsed Demon I know. I figure the connections between history that he'd know, and the stuff on the current team, would give it a shot at bringing him back into the active supporter fold. What are other people doing?

It's kind of tragic that PJ appears to have had something of a breakout game on such a terrible day for the team. I was particularly impressed by his midfield running efforts. Reminds me of a game I saw a while ago where the ball was moved down the corridor by the opposition, and this 200cm titan was the only person bothering to try to interfere with their flow. Good on Paul Johnson. Looks like he'll get a few games this year, given he is now a ruckman / buckup key positoin AND a frickin midfielder.

That was terrible, that game. Now move on. First home game, against the doggies next week. Four or five more players from our best 22 available. Coaches get to act on a serious reality check. We are at the bottom of the curve, now we start upwards.

Fair enough. I'm really just imagining a player who earns best-on-grounds in grand finals. Mind you, what with all the beef and pasta in the diets these days, and the whole 'not having a depression' I reckon Beames would have turned out at least 180 in this day and age... I don't really know what it was that made me think of the comparison orginally, some kind of similarity in some old publciity shots. Heh. Reaffirming my comments about Johnstone - playing as a midfielder he came about fifth lowest in brisbane's super-coach rankings for today (supercoach taking into account things like disposal efficiency). less points than people with literally half his number of possessions.

Ahh Travis Johnstone. How much I do not miss thee. Bruce, Green, Moloney, Mclean, Jones, McDonald. Which of those would you chuck (even acknowledging their flaws) in favour of Johnstone? We got pick 14 for someone not in our best 6 midfielders. Hell, I'd put Wheatley and definately Whelan in front of him. Would Johnstone even make our team if all were fit? When you consider his total lack of versatility, he would have to either come in ahead of one of those six mentioned, or miss the team. Jack Grimes, welcome to the club, we got you so cheap we're laughing, now get out there and be the next Percy Beames!

I thought I put up our list of eligible rising stars (in the order I reckon they have a shot) just for fun. But I want to make a point about the eligibility - the rules say... The winner must be under the age of 21 at January 1 of that year, must not have played more than 10 games to the start of that season. Which means that Michael Newton with 10 games and aged 20 years and ten months, is eligible, but does not seem to be listed on any of the betting or info sites I've looked at. Anyway, the list, which is not exhaustive but seems like the full set of likelies - Michael Newton Ricky Petterd Simon Buckley James Frawley Cale Morton Jace Bode Colin Garland Shane Valenti Austin Wonaeamirri Jack Grimes Addam Maric