The Chazz

Would you risk him a week before the bye? The Pies have bigger fish to fry, and coming back from a hammy is something that you wouldn't risk at this stage in the season. They didn't have him agaisnt us last year and we still got pumped! Unlucky for Pendles, I'd be lying if I said I was disappointed (for this week that is!).

And because the back line is the easiest area to play footy right BH? You won't be at all surprised with this, but I will absolutely challenge you on that opinion. 10+ years ago, sure, the backline would be considered an "easier" place to play, and no doubt in today's age in some lower levels of football (I'm talking a lot lower than your Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, etc leagues) it would still be the case. However, I have absolutely no doubt he backline is the hardest place to play in the AFL in its current state. To top it off, if you're wearing a red and blue jumper, and the I50 counts are so heavily agaisnt us in most games, it would be fair to say that the backline would be under the most pressure. With forward presses, high opposition I50 numbers, the strong emphasis that teams put on forward pressure (such as tackles inside F50), and the fact that our players don't seem to "gut run" like most of our opponents, for Watts to have 20+ possessions a game, and on Saturday night be travelling at high-80's/low-90's% effiencey rate, he is doing what he does best - making something difficult look easy. No doubt you will explain how you see football differently than I, or find some way to try and convince yourself that yours is bigger than mine, but let's see if you can actually reply without being your typical self. I'm doubtful.

Will have to watch the replay again, but I think there was a time in either the 3rd or last quarter, when we got a goal that was set up from some great work around the wing. The camera showed a number of Melbourne players getting around that player, as his act meant the team scored. That's the sh!t I want to see. I also pumped my fist when Neeld threw the headphones off and celebrated, but then had to hold the players back from running on to the ground because the siren hadn't gone! Can anyone tell me why Garland was on the bench when the siren went? He basically was a match winner, yet he spent the last 2 minutes on the pine??!!

There is a "6 point" system of some description HG. Neeld has made it common knowledge that players need to earn 6 points a quarter. In regards to changes this week, it will depend on the fitness of Frawley. If he is 100%, he plays, it's as simple as that. If Blease is 100%, he plays too. Assuming Frawley & Blease are right, my call would be; In Frawley Out J Macdonald Very stiff Joel, was between him and Greeny, but I chose to replace a defender with a defender.

I don't understand why if you have a view that is not a 100% positive one, that you are considered a Scoffer. At the risk of speaking on behalf of these so called "Scoffers", we will always support the MFC, but I'm currently in a situation where I'm not entirely happy with how my/our football club is operating, and for my own health/safety/sanity, can't put 100% blind faith in those that are involved at the moment. That doesn't mean I'm less of a supporter than the "non-Scoffers"; I continue to buy my memberships, wear my colours even after each loss this year, live with some hope that perhaps next year will be our year, but currently, as Old Dee (I think) has said a few times of late, there is a life outside the MFC that is a bit brighter at the moment. If that makes me guilty of being a Scoffer, I don't give an obese rodents clacka.

RP - I'm interested in your thoughts about this bloke. I have read a number of posts on this thread talking about getting the best guy we can, and there are more than a few who believe this guy is it, yet he's 2nd best at Collingwood. I would be of the view if we want to get the best we can, then we start with the best and work our way back. Same as players at trade time - no one is out of reach until we have exhaisted every possible avenue to get them.

My point is that having a gun head of recruiting is no more important this year as it has been in the last 25. In actual fact, our 3 x 1st round draft picks this year are potentially going to be quite easy, given that we will most likely (but hopefully not have to) take Viney with our first pick. I'm not drumming it in, I'm just trying to inform people that the so called superdraft may not be as super as some hoped (as reported by the girl that everyone hangs on to every word she speaks about drafting). But hey, we wouldn't be Melbourne supporters if we didn't build up unrealistic expectations on our later picks would we?!

I don't understand your logic in this one bit sorry.

It's a fairly basic point hey Nasher? Most Club's will on average, have 16 players out of contract at some stage each year. Some will not get extensions until the end of that season, some will get extensions prior. I ask this question for those that are alarmed...would you prefer the list of OOC players to have all been signed up by now? Doesn't give us much movement at the end of the year when we are required to make a minimum of 3 changes. We are win-less on the bottom of the ladder, we have a new coach, a new football department, and new expectations. I would imagine no player is "safe", especially given the current form of most.

Anyone got anything on this comment? Or is it too disappointing for people to think that this may not be the superdraft that they are expecting where we get a star at every pick up to pick 103?

Some smart ideas there DeeZee. I would love to see Grimes start in the guts, with Blease and McKenzie. Have Jones and Magner on each wing and Moloney coming in hard from the HFF. At some stage having Howe in the middle at the bounce won't hurt at all either. JT playing the "Grimes" role in the backline is a genius idea - I'm sure he'd hit a target better than Grimes could! Getting him to take kick-outs, etc, just getting his hands on the pill will help. On reply to the OP - of course fitness is our issue. Have you not listened to anything that has come out of Misson's mouth since his arrival? Would've been a lot quicker to do that than try and work our quarters won, which quarters they were, the percentage down at each querter, etc, etc, etc.

So Carlton doesn't have salary cap concerns that Norm Smith's Curse thought they had? Hence me asking Norm where his idea of Carlton's $ issue fits in with what is actually correct.

So are you saying that Carlton's salary cap won't be maxed out? I don't disagree whatsoever.

Not sure if it has been mentioned previously in other threads, but did anyone see the twet from Emma Quayle the other week about this draft not having the great depth as originally thought, but the top handful were of the highest quality? Regardless of who is boss of recruiting, our ladder position will be the most important factor going in to this year's draft. If we can get away with not needing to use our first pick on Jack Viney, we will be in a better position, especially if The Queen of the Draft © is accurate about the depth not being as great as first thought.

So where does this fit in with the Carlton salary cap being maxed out Norm? Sounded good until reality took over...!

Geez Bing, I know what you're saying here, but bloody hell, the bloke (Big Jim) is as passionate as the rest of us on here. You're not the only one that comes this "you speak for all of us" business when another support states "we members...", I just don't see the need in pulling someone up on it. If what Big Jim is asking, and some members agree, then I'll listen if CS/DM speak. There's plenty of times where I think we need to be told something that others won't agree with, and I'm sure you're in the same boat. These are tough times at the MFC for all involved, especially the die hard fans that post on these sites, just give a few of them a bit of slack hey?

Played a loose man in defence for basically the entire match (hence Watts' tally), and Blease provided some run off half back that I hadn't seen a great deal of. There was also a lot more switching of the play when we were 0-50m out from Sydney's goal, so there's always going to be an increase in possession counts there.

Totally agree with Cook, but is that like hoping Ablett will decide that the MFC is the place where he wants to play in 2013?

I would like to know if the players are actually getting their contracts fulfilled, ie. are they getting paid? Is the Club doing everything they have committed to according to the contracts each player agreed to? If so, the time has come for Schwab and McLardy to come in and rip the sh!t out of the players. Reality is, they are the boss of this organisation, and the players are the paid employees. The players, at present, have absolutely no right to try and demand things run differently. The Club has put things in place, and to be honest, I can't see Neeld or Craig agreeing to come on board, if they didn't believe in the processes and the structure the Club has. This action can only work if McLardy and Schwab are on the same page, and that they have tried to go through the "proper" channels (ie. through Craig/Healy) to get certain points accepted by the playing group. I've worked for companies where my boss would continue to kick our arse if we didn't perform, and if it got to the stage that it was bringing the business down, the "big boss" would step in. I was lucky enough to be doing my job, it's just my teammates were letting me down, but it gave me greater bargaining powers when I fronted management. My teammates who weren't hitting targets tried to do the same, but they had no right to criticise about the way they were treated. But, as BH said, it's all guesswork from our (the supporters) perspective. We don't know what's going on, but what ever it is, I hope like hell they sort their sh!t out soon.

Interestng HT - It was either last year or the year before where I started a Twitter Ban thread, and got laughed off the site. How the tide turns... I'm amazed RF, that this post has been up for well over 12 hours and Ben-Hur hasn't ripped you, and Watts, a new one. Beny boy will not be happy if Watts plays the "Goddard role", and will cry "poor drafting". Anyway, on the topic, I made it clear my thoughts on Sylvia after last weeks game, and got a warning for it. I'm amazed that this thread hasn't been locked, but thems the standards x 2.

Would be a massive pick up for the Club, but can't see it happening. If, and it's a bit IF, the right position was vacant at the end of the year, what are the thoughts of us chasing Ben Buckley? I don't know a huge amount about him - pretty sure FFA headhunted him and the AFL were disappointed that he left. Others will no doubt have a more educated opinion, so if you do, I would like to learn from with you giving facts/reasons for your beliefs.

To all in the media and the greater AFL comminty - bring it on! The players should be hurting, they should more than even be united going forward. It will highlight who is not, and will be easier for Neeld to move players on at the end of the year. I personally think the media has been quite kind given how things are.

I guess this is the Sam Blease thread, and you are entitled to make comments like this. Anyway, I thought it was close to Sammy's best game for the Club in a short career to date. Was one of not many that saw ball, went and got ball (most times, albeit the couple of occasions mentioned in BH's post), and actually provided run and took the game on. At this stage in his development, and the where the team is at, I want to see this from our young guys, and I thank Bleasey for providing me with that on the weekend. If you are running with the ball, and trying to create opportunities, there is every chance you will get caught at times, and give away free kicks. Don't let this side of your game fade - it gives me hope that some of our young players, with the right development, will be good enough sooner rather than later. I just hope Sammy doesn't rest now thinking he has made it. No player has made it until the end of their career when they have mulitple premierships on their resume.

Loving Mitch, and what he has brought to the Club and most importantly, to the team in 2012. Obviously trained/trains hard, puts in 100% every week, and obviously has leadership qualities. However... Is this credit to Mitch for setting those personal standards when starting with a new team, or is this all he knows from his time spent with the Lions? The level of professionalism shown by Mitch has been second to none, but is this just a sign of what life is like at other AFL Clubs, especially where you have played with and under the likes of J Brown, S Black, L Power, M Voss, etc. Just throwing it out their for discussion, and by no means am I saying/meaning anything other than positive words/thoughts toward Mitch.

This part frustrates the hell out of me. Sure, the players have been made well aware of what they need to change and do in order to become a better football team. Why the hell aren't they all taking it on board, and wanting to become better? This carp about not liking change, etc is just rubbish, a % of the playing group do not crave success, and are bringing those down that do. The sooner we remove them from the playing list, the better we will be. If I were Neeld, I would ensure those players are made aware of where the Club rates them, and ensure that they play a majority of the remaining season at Casey. Give them time to "test the waters" of other Clubs, so that if they leave via Free Agency, we get something for it in forms of compensation. Otherwise, we will end up in a Bruce-like situation, where these players are out of contract at the end of the year, and will most likely walk and leave us with nothing in return. Bruce will never be forgiven for that, and I continue to hope he plays VFL for the remainder of his career. I attending a luncheon recently where John Eales was the guest speaker. When he was Captain of the Wallabies, prior to a game in the pre-match huddle, he looked at all of his players and realised that certain players were not the best players going around, but he would not swap them for anyone in the world. He had belief and trust is these players, knowing that they all will play their role. Eales also said that the Wallabies sides he Captained were often not the best in the world, they weren't the niggest/fastest/strongest, so instead of pretending to be, they decided that they would be the smartest. They soon become the best in the world. Perhaps Neeld is thinking that dropping all of Moloney/Sylvia/Davey/Green, given the next 2 games we are in for some hurt (may have been thinking that 4 weeks ago). Instead of sending a team full of kids out there to get slaughtered, he may have hoped that leaving the "experienced bodies" might have restricted the flogging. With Carlton, Essendon and Collingwood coming up, I wouldn't be surprised if most of those named players will continue to play, but the week after the bye, when we have our so called "easier" run, perhaps that might be the end for those players. The other thing that Eales said that I think is quite interesting, and shows the attitude of professional, elite teams. When the Wallabies were ranked 6th or so in the worl in the late 80's early 90's, they never wanted to be as good as the Kiwi's, they wanted to be far greater than them. It meant that their work was never done. At the moment, there is a lot of talk about our fitness needing to improve to be competitive against the top 4 teams. F**k that, I want us to be the team that all other teams want to be like, not us being like them. It's part of the reason why Geelong have been so good for such a long time, they never got to the top and rested, they continually wanted to be better than what they were. I apologise for this post not being in reply to the OP. In anser to the opening question, 186 and 101 were totally different games with diffferent purposes. Their was a player revolt in 186, which is totally unacceptable at any level of sport or employment for that matter. 101 was just a pathetic performance from a team that has absolutely no belief in themselves. They weren't the deliberate witches hats like they were last year.