Little Goffy

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

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! Feeling better about our season very day. Saw a ladder with 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 for every team on it, instead of hanging on to last years round 22. Start your engines.

My big call for round 1 is Dunn on Franklin. It just looks so right. Also, a nice side note that accoring to finalsiren.com the hawks best players vs Melbourne over the last five games are many of the same players they are now missing, including Jacobs, Brown, Hodge and Crawford. Franklin doesn't have a record of firing against us. What we have to really watch is bloody Mark Wlliams. C'mon Belly, nail him to the turf!

I agree that we'll have a slow start to the season, sadly. But our second win will come against Carlton in round 5, and will be a corker. 2-3 then doesn't look so bad. And after that a bit of confidence comes in, we'll be getting close to the full list, and start winning games. Into the eight with about 13 wins, win a home MCG final against an overated Collingwood... and that's where my predictions end, because tipping well into the finals is just daft! Dunn to breakout, possibly as CHB!!

I scraoed the money together and signed up as a member in 2003. So quit your moaning. If we tanked a year to get one extra top draft pick, I'd be filthy. But if it takes a year of annoying stories and club-imposed sanctions, and some hard truths about retirements and delistings, to change the culture of the club for the long term, then I'll deal with it. And still, we have no real idea of how we're placed yet. I'll be there to find out.

There's a simple problem with the tactics as far as I can see- the players have been instructed to run with it and look for a good option to pass off to, fair enough, but what we're seeing with these 'held on to it for too long' and 'sideways handballing' moments is that the rest of the team hasn't properly got into the habit of actually presenting good options, running to the right spot, and being ready to push on once it comes to them. New motto, to be drilled into them all day every day - MOVE WITH PURPOSE

Ok. This one will surprise some but then we'll all go, 'oh, yeah, of course...' Matthew Whelan! Consistently 80% plus disposal efficiency, which places him in Champion Data's elite category - but the important part is that he does this while almost continuously under pressure given his usual role of close checking in defence. Priceless, underrated player. He's James McDonald rebuilt for back-pocket / small defender. Can't wait to have him back. Fingers crossed.

Oh please, cool down all of you. Brad Green performs consistently at a good standard, and works through bad form by doing the hard work anyway. Cameron Bruce is our most vesatile player, is ALWAYS near the top of our hard-ball gets(!), posessions, tackles, clearances you name it, EVERY SEASON. There have been some footskill issues recently, but seriously, he's a long way from being a liability. To be honest, I think the 'correct' underperformer was traded. Travis Johnstone does not have the versatility, intensity, footskills (in terms of actual effective use, rather than appearances) stamina or team attitude of either Bruce or Green, both of whom are regulars in the B&F top ten compared to TJ's sporadic appearances. I'd love to see Bruce and Green surge back up to the stellar form which we have glimpsed from them at times. But can we please get some perspective - these are good players and our concern isn't at a level of 'playing for their careers' - it's that they haven't been the out-and-out stars we'd hoped for. 'Last season' prospects as I see it - Warnock & CJ are in danger of 'not quite making it' at AFL level. Bode and Weetra also, though they are probably entitled to more time. Jamar is in some trouble since he just hasn't made any progress for years now, despite increased opportunities. PJ has more versatility and to me is showing at least some continual improvement, I think he's safe for 08. Neitz, White, Whelan (if injury persists) Yze and Holland are prospective retirees. I don't think McDonald is actually going to get old, ever. I think it'll be five delistings a year for the next two years - that's a big turnover following last years eight or so, plus rookies. Why on earth would anyone be talking about dropping solid performing moderately experienced players with some years left in them - certainly long enough to ride with the wave of youth. Side note - the idea that Robbo plays best when the team is performing seems ridiculous to me - think Carlton in the the last game at Princes Park for an example of Robbo turning a game that we we're losing. The poor bastard practically carried us into the 05 finals and this is how we talk about him?

I damn well hope that the AFL isn't pulling too many strings - I'd trust them to act in our best interests, or even deal honestly, about as much as I'd trust a Carlton president to sell me a cardboard box at market price and without extra off-the-books fees. Gardner has been satisfactory. I can't get excited, but he's not some kind of buffoon. I'd be unhappy to see him go but would be prepared to accept a good replacement.

Interesting, we'll actually be fielding an even less experienced team than against Geelong, even though there will be a few more players with 'some' experience. None of the inclusions have 100 games up. Two are still less than ten. Shame about Buckley, I'm gonna assume he pulled up with a corky or something. As I've said elsewhere - if this squad beats Richmond, I'l be laughing. It's incredible but I think we're somehow still the stronger team, with 50% of the best 22 still out. I actually think Morton will have an impact right from the start, which contradicts assumptions I've made in the past about being too young and skinny at this stage - I now think it's more a case of him gradually getting worn down too much if he tries to play a full season at AFL level. Still wouldn't tip for rising star this year

Heh heh. I would imagine a lot of players will still be rested this week. CJ will be the biggest inclusion. Possibly Robertson to miss... If we win against Richmond this friday I will laugh till I fall over. We'll still be running the rookie list, no doubt about it. We're making sure of full availability at 100% for the season proper. I'm not going to complain about it since underdone players have been my favourite gripe for years. Having said all that, we'd be an even chance, which speaks volumes about the Tigers.

offically, it's about 75 / 25, ie well below average. Also one the the worst players for retaining posession from a kick-in in the league. Bye bye Travis. Enjoy BrisVegas.