Dr. Gonzo

Because they've come from different clubs rather than the draft I think some people forget Michie and Newton have both played only about 15 games each.

This - along with winning at Geelong and unearthing the next champion of the game, winning at Docklands is one of the big positives out of the year. Some will say hoodoos are [censored] and to an extent I agree but just to have people stop talking about is a massive positive and one less distraction/excise for the players. Cross mentioned it in his post match so obviously it's something the players are aware of/talk about.

And to paraphrase Bill Hicks "since when did mediocrity and banality become a good role model for your kids? I want footy players that play with [censored] HEART!!!"

Well that's not hyperbole at all. People criticise him based on his footy, nothing more nothing less. He hasn't had a good season at all - he had a good 5-6 weeks mid-season but was pathetic early in the year and has been poor the last month or so.

North and Freo didn't try to lose.

Easy, but incorrect.

It's not that people focus so much on Watts, it's that so many people continue to jump to his defence and make excuses for his performances which means others have to continue providing the rebuttals to these ill-informed views.

Like Hogan? If we don't recruit players based on our belief we won't be able to retain them then we may as well pack up shop as a professional club.

It's not tanking. Tanking is the players/coaches deliberately trying to lose a match. A club has 38 players on its list and is entitled to choose the 22 it wants to play on any given week as long as those players play to win once selected. Who is the AFL to say which players a club should or shouldn't play?

Why would you?

He had a couple of great games this year (notably our wins against the Dogs and Pies) but he was exploited by opposition pace far too often. As much as I loved him the last couple of years it's the right call by the club, his time had come. Hopefully whoever fills his spot does it with as much heart and effort as Cross showed throughout his career.

Pretty sure that's not what the free was for despite what the morons in the commentary booth said. He got pinned for holding the ball after stumbling and getting kneed in the head.

Realistically there's about 10-12 players facing the axe before Toumpas and he's a young mid with potential so we're not going to dump him for unders. I really hope Toump makes it this year I started to doubt for the first time. But he did have a couple of decent games this year so I'm interested to see how he goes with another preseason into him and more time with McCartney.

I thought their effort in the first half wasn't bad, they've just been outclassed and outcoached by a better team. Two massive issues, they don't know/haven't been taught how to work it through half forward quickly/efficiently to enable a F50 entry that will allow us to score and our turnovers especially when trying to take the game on through the middle continue to slaughter us. The effort around the contests hasn't been too bad, miles ahead of the last 3 weeks.

If we get within 80 points I'll be surprised.

TGR I love your contributions both on Demonology and here at "Strawberry Fields" (how ironic that seems now huh?) But seriously man come on. The issue isn't that we stunk it up against Carlton last week - the issue is its happened about 5 times in 8 weeks (maybe more?) It is the norm for us, it is not the exception. Had we not turned in the performances we did against St. Kilda, Essendon, North and Bulldogs then the Carlton performance wouldn't be as infuriating as it was. It's all about context and ours is embedded both in the recent past (the last month and a bit), the short to medium past (the last 9 seasons) and the longer term past (the last 5 decades).

Oh no doubt. But I'd trade their last decade and current situation to ours any day of the week.

If it becomes consistent then they'll start getting restless. That's the issue with Melbourne, not that it happens but that it happens all the time.

A million a year is probably unders by the time the next CBA is announced.

Part of the stuff you read on here is people venting in what they feel is an "anonymous" forum. It is anonymous in as much as individuals are concerned but as a collective we all identify as Melbourne supporters so there is an element of transparency there. I don't see many similarities with 2011 besides some players still seeming to pick and choose when they can be bothered doing their job. 2011 occurred because of a breakdown between the CEO/board and the FD/players. I don't know the inner workings of the club but it seems those who work there are all on the same page. PJ/Bartlett don't seem the type to tell Roos and co how to suck eggs so I dont see the same issues that caused 186.

It's a mindset thing. Most of them still act like it's park footy and play accordingly. I seriously doubt many of them understand the concept of professionalism. Don't they have pride in their own performance?It's why guys like Hogan, Viney and Brayshaw come in and stick out like dogs balls.

Exactly Macca - surely responding to emails is the job of the admin from the temp agency. He should be worrying about getting the players to play team football, attacking the opposition and the contest with extreme ferocity, doing 1%ers like shepherds, pressure acts, tackles etc and putting time into the development of our kids, our game plan and combating the opposition game plans.

Is anyone seriously suggesting Roos should get the sack? I'm sure there's some malcontents but on the whole I would assume they are in the extreme minority amongst our couple of hundred thousand supporters.

Also why would you disenfranchise the heart and soul of your club? It just seems like it's a poorly thought out commentary that could only serve to drive a wedge between the coach/club/players and the supporters.

Yes but why? To deflect attention from the players and coaches. Extremely weak to attack your supporters who are there through thick and thin (even if they do whinge) and have no voice in the media to defend themselves.