Dr. Gonzo

Click on the Herlad Sun link above they have footage of the incident. Basically Sylvia was going for the mark, Butcher was coming from the opposite direction (so couldn't see the ball) and went for the spoil - he knocked Sylvia's arms for the spoil and Sylvia fell backwards landing on his back/side. Looked pretty innocuous to be honest and can't believe he was unlucky enough to cop a bad injury from that.

Have you seen our draw? Anything but finals is a failure.

These things have been happening longer than Bailey, at least back to Balme and possibly also Northey.

There is definitely that element to it and I have been going on about that for a while also - would guys like Trav Johnstone or Yze have been better players if they had played under Sheedy or at a club like Hawthorn? What about Green or Bruce? A lot of our players over the last 20 years show something in their first season or two and never evolve their game and improve beyond where they are at 20-22 years old.

Frankly I've heard it all before and I'll believe it when I see it. We all thought Rivers & Miller would lead us to the holy grail how did that turn out? Dunn & Bate? What about Morton & Bennell? McLean & Sylvia? We're forever pinning all our hopes on a bunch of kids to lead us into the future, what about winning now? Grimes I just hope can get on the park, Tynan hasn't played a game, Nicholson & Magner aren't even on the senior list, Strauss hasn't shown anything to think he will be able to hold down a spot in a successful side...

Dunn & Bate were both high draft picks so I count those in our recruiting failures. Whether they were recruited under Daniher or Bailey's regime I don't really care - it is still MFC recruiting that I am concerned about. Look at our best 22 - how many of those could you honestly say you can rely on to perform (even just perform a role) every single week? I'd say Frawley, Jamar and probably Moloney & Jones. Trengove & Tapscott should (hopefully) be added to that list but is not there yet - that is a hell of a lot of holes in the side we need to fill. Now - this is only a NAB Reserve Cup or whatever it s called game - a practice match - and I pretty much forgot we were even playing tonight until I dropped by Demonland. Therefore the result means nothing and is of no concern to me. What is concerning is being down by 70 possessions at quarter time to the team that finished last last season (GC don't count yet).

I don't buy that. Good players are good players and to hell with gameplans and structures. If you can beat an opponent, win a contested ball and deliver it to a teammate you are a good player. If you can beat two opponents and kick goals you are a great player. Pretty simple.

I agree 100% and probably also contributes to the mentality that is apparent within the playing group that making the AFL is all the achievement they need.

He may very well but not voluntarily.

I don't know if it's the wrong mindset or the fact they're just not good enough. Our recruiting over the past 6 or 7 years appears to have been a total failure. Dunn, Bate, Morton, Maric, Strauss, Blease, Bennell, Jetta - Maric has already gone (and was a bust) and the rest of them will likely play out their careers at Melbourne in the VFL before being delisted, traded at the age of 25-26. This is 25% of our list and is only off the top of my head. Others like Grimes and Gawn are perputually injured so anything out of them is a bonus. Then you have guys like Davey & Sylvia who have what it takes but don't have the desire to become elite and will just plod along for the rest of their careers showing brilliane three or four games a year and making supporters pull out their hair for the other 18 games.

Don't know if swapping those players above for any out on the ground would make too much difference to be honest.

We should put Trengove on Hodge and just tell him to follow him around the park. Get something out of this game and tell Trengove "this is how we want you to play".

Hodge falls over gets gifted another (he would've kicked it anyway but still). This is why I hate Hawthorn - they cheat when they don't have to cos they're good enough already. It's only pre-season so I don't really care but if this was the real thing I would be going ape droppings. Meanwhile Davey misses an absolute sitter.

Sewell ducks the head, gets gifted a goal.

Yeah was gonna say Watts getting involved but still needs to go harder at the contest to impose himself and own the footy. Good signs that he's getting the footy though.

Yep this is rubbish.

Damn I loved using it on the iPhone! Much easier to use. Oh well.

I got my games this week so anyone interested in trading PM me - one of the games didn't come through (1995 vs Richmond) but I have a decent collection of MFC games, State of Origin games and other random games and finals anyway. Dee-luded - I have that 1995 State game, PM me if you want to work out a trade.

Yeah me too - sounds like they had heaps than they expected and so are taking a while to get them out - I'm thinkning it might take another week or two before they arrive.

Is there going to be any resistance from the Chinese community due to the name "Demons"? I don't have many connections but those I do all say that the Chinese can be very superstitious. But like all cultures this may be confined to the elder generation.

Because as Melbourne supporters we all want him back and playing but have been conditioned to fear the worst. Call it MFCSS or whatever epithet you may wish.

I usually like your posts so won't be as hard on you as some others here might be but I think you need to rethink this. We are all obviously disappointed and hearts will be in mouths until he is back at the club but to paint this as "welfare" is just plain wrong and has some pretty bad implications. QFT

They've done OK against the Cats a couple of times in recent years - should have beat them last year.

Which ones? I don't know about the others but in Fiji they are rugby die-hards and our game is little more than a curiosity that they generally laugh at.

LOL poor old Cale - maybe he is actually in that photo he is just too skinny to be perceived by the naked eye. Either that or Beamer ate him.