The Chazz

Not sure if it was due to the fact that it was their first ever game, but be prepared for pre-match entertainment that would rival ours, actually, would demolish ours in the cheesy stakes. I was one of not too many on this site, if any, that was at the Gabba at their first game, gee whiz, it was terrible! Apart from the standard club song words being displayed on the screen so people could sing, they had very tacky footage showing for around 30 minutes leading up to the game, and their supporters, well, apart from the fact they had bugger all to cheer about, when that opportunity was there, they were in struggleville! I actually felt sorry for them, especially in the third quarter when a guy in an Essendon jumper stood up, was tweaking his own nipples with one hand, while waving a wooden spoon around in the other, all while he was walking around their cheer squad! Then the expected crud from typical Carlton supporters. As a Melbourne supporter, I ask for the advice of my fellow members. Do we continue this theme, or do we use up our energy at hurling abust at how soft Jared Brennan is and that even in a team full of amateurs, he is being made to look second rate. I personally admire those poor GS supporters that continue to turn up at tough times for the Club, but can understand that we went through similar heartache only a couple of years ago. Thoughts...

Well said Hardtack! Too many getting caught up in the Gysberts hype. I guess the advantage of him at the moment is that it's given Tapscott's leg a rest from all the dry-humping that has been going on!

That's the stupid part - we aren't playing well but are having trouble naming 2 guys that should be replaced by 2 second year players! Based on current form, I'd say Green and Davey would have a question mark over them. They are 2 that haven't really shown anything this year, but are too valuable to leave out. I think Bennell is doing more than enough to hold his spot, and is growing in confidence. Interesting month coming up.

Did highlight what a fantastic job our defence did, and is doing. Makes you wonder just how good we could be in a couple of years, providing out of the group of Scully, Trengove, Grimes, McKenzie, Gysberts, Blease, Strauss, Tapscott and Morton, if we can get 6 that are serious A-graders, which I think is quite realistic, that gives us a couple of those guys not going on (ie my thoughts on Strauss). We will have 3 or 4 true B grade mids in Moloney, Sylvia, and Davey. That's also leaving out the likes of Bennell, Bail and even Jones to fit in to either of those categories, plus anyone else I left out (delibrately didn't name anyone else becuase I'm being realsitic about some of our players). It truly is our best chance of the ultimate success, that's in my 30-odd years anyway.

It's going to be a big call who they replace. I'm sure the usual suspects will come running in saying Jones will be one. But, if, and it is a big IF, Jones strings some good games together like he did on the weekend, then there is no reason that he should be dropped. I think Dunn will need to pull his finger out and I'm buggered if I know who else!

Just read this on the MFC website and thought it gave a great insight as to this vital inside 50 stat. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/111523/default.aspx Sometimes we do get caught up in certain stats, but it's great that Clubs have access to further explain certain areas, especially during the match. While the issue early on the weekend was how shallow we were kicking it inside our 50, I could see it, the commentators could see it, and I'm not looking at these stats in such fine detail, I have no doubt that the change in attitude swung the game our way.

Was it his big toe that caused him grief last year? Sorry, can't remember! As I said, if it is reported that it's his ankle, all good (sort of!), just looks more foot related to me.

His best is A+ (not many in the league that get that grade), but his worst is D. If he can reduce the gap from his best and worst, he has the potential to make it as an A grader. At what point can we confirm what level he is at? I'm thinking >100 games? That gives around 4 seasons to perform consistently at a certain level, allowing for a handful of games to be better/worse.

I have 1 ticket for sale for this weekends Gold Coast game. It is in the Lower South Section (licencsed), reserved seat. Send me a PM if you're interested.

Has it been reported that it is his ankle that is playing up? He had issues at the end of of the Hawks game I think, then again against the Lions. I had a terrible thought that it may have been at the end of his foot, where he had issues last year. So hopefully someone can ease my mind and tell me it is his ankle!

Classic! Yet we still have people that will criticise this thread - unbelievable! Just a quick point that I'm not sure has been mentioned... The friendship between Jack Trengove and Luke must be as strong as ever, which is great to hear for the MFC. I realise they went to school with each other, but I don't recall them being best mates, more just school friends. I am one of the sad ones that follow most of the boys on Twitter, and it must be quite a comical thing with the other players about how close these 2 boys are. Often there will be Tweets about how their friendship, and often there are little Twitter conversations like this; Jack Trengove - "Off to have a look at Carl Barron tonight with DeeBull (LT), hoping for a few laughs, better be good" and the reply... Colin Sylvia - "I'm sure you'll get a laugh when everyone see's u 2 holding hands on arrival, haha". Totally useless information for some people, but I find it both amusing that Jack and Luke love to stir the rest of the boys up, and the fact that because they are such clsoe friends that it will have a positive impact on the footy field.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_McAdam I love LJ to death, and think he has already reached great heights just by running out on the MCG with a Melbourne jumper on, especially from where he has come from. However, I'm trying like mad to keep a lid on it, and wont let it go until I see him with 80 games and 200+ goals next to his name. And hope that we can sit back in 3 years time and comment about the smile on LJ's face when he accepts his premiership medal. Don't underestimate the role that Austin plays onfield. I said it a couple of weeks ago, Aussie's presence seems to take LJ to a level where you just have to sit back in amazement. They have this amazing awareness of each other (note the chest mark on Sunday that Aussie took inside 50 when Jurrah flew in front of him). The physical aspect that Fork mentioned is of some concern, but I think that'll be an area that the FD will work on. I loved watching him have many words to the Lions players, but he needs to realise that if he is going to add that component to his game, he'll need to expect some cheap physical shots in return.

Surely for this week we will leave him in his favoured role of being the quarterback. And surely we want to play our best tagger this week on Ablett (which is probably Bail). This week is not a trial match, we should field our best team possible, in their best positions, so that we make a statement against a team only two years at most behind us in their development. After this week, I'd be trialling Bennell to play that quarterback role. He is just as quick as Flash, and his disposal by foot is quite impressive. While some will question JB's courage to play that role, he wont be any softer than the bloke that's already doing it. I also like (can't believe I'm going to say this) HG's suggestion for Flash to tag someone himself. Only thing will be it creating a 2 on 1 against Melbourne, but it will mean we have a loose man somewhere else.

That's last weeks injury list, as reported on afl.com The one in the Herald Sun is a copy and paste job fron the AFL one. So in theory, take a week off everyone above.

Are you serious? Yeah sure, Gys had 26 disposals himself, but that's because he was on his own for a lot of the game (he must have been considering Ablett had 32 possessions himself, and kicked 2 goals!). Nothing against the kid, well, maybe, but he's going the right way to prove me wrong!

That can be put down to 3 things; 1. No talk from his teammates 2. Inability to improve his close-in stoppage work 3. The game plan is to clear it from a stoppage if possible, by foot, if not, then by hand 2nd. Sadly, none of us know which one above is correct. But becuase of the fact Jones is running at around 90% of games played since he started, I'm putting option 2 as unlikely, until proven differently!

Welcome to D'land! I need to stop watching Family Guy, all I read then was your wife will be flashing and you'll be wearing a horn. Oh god (said in Quagmire style). Hope to make it before the game. I think Pineapple Hotel will be a better venue - most people know where it is. If someone organises a time I will hopefully get there.

I'm with you Webber, although I am watching most of my games on TV. The problem for Nathan is that when he gets the ball, he's generally under the pump at a stoppage, and often a quick kick forward is the only option. If such kick doesn't hit a Melbourne jumper, or more exact, hits an opposition jumper, people believe his disposal is poor. I would have him in our Top 3 from 50m out having a shot on the run, and I also think that his handball skills, especially when our running game is going, is as good as anyone at the club. The issue that some people may have is when we have our running game shutdown. I think his disposal looks worse, but I put this down to pressure, especially when there are a lot of players around the ball. It has nothing to do with poor decision making, or poor execution, rather than just keep moving the ball around so we don't get pinged. Most times it works (causes a new stoppage as the guy he handballs to is claimed straight away with no prior opportunity = ball up), sometimes it doesn't = what people on here sweat for! Will be going to the game this weekend, so hopefully we are well up early so I can sit back and pay close attention to Jones and Watts.

A team that has half of it's players playing their 3rd game, opposed to a team that has half of it's players playing under 30 games. It's not as bigger gap as you would think (especially considering the Ab-factor - he loves playing us). Don't forget, this will be Gysberts' 5th game. That said, we will win!

A very accurate post there H, well done. Only thing I will disagree on is the comparison of Jones and Moloney. The only thing they have in common is their size and pace. Moloney does, and should get more possessions than Jones, because his main role in our team is to get the tap from Jamar, then dish it off to someone else. Jones, especially for the last season and a bit, has played a lot more tagging roles (except against Sydney where he is the one tha tgets tagged), aimed at developing the defensive side of his game. Where Jones needs to step up is to regularly get 20+ possessions a game, even as a run with player. If he can add this, he will be very important going forward. He does have the ability to sneak to half forward, and make his opponent accountable. I think with a better midfield, which is still a couple of years away, it will allow Jones to play the role that he should be - the true B grade midfielder. I like your comparisons with Murphy, as I don't have him as an A grader yet, but ask most Carlton supporters and they do. I don't have Judd as an A grader though, he is above that, in the same way that I think Scully will be. To clarify my posts, I'm not getting caught up in Roos' comments about Jones being underated, I just think there is a lot of unfair criticsm directed at Jones on this site, and when people have him under the microscope, as soon as an error is made, they are straight on to him. Some need to realise that he has 21 teammates, and they all make mistakes, some worse than Jones.

That's a very good point, and I can't blame them for that. We have worked our butts off to have a positive, professional image amongst the football community, we don't need little incidents like this to undo all the hard work that hasa been done. I'm all for having a drink, and I probably suffer from the same symptoms as Beamer at times, but he made an error, and has to deal with the punishment. The Club has put its foot down to enusre that any potential culture like this will not be tolerated.

Not sure if you're a Jones-hater HG, but you're right, Roos did have to do a top 5 for a newspaper on the weekend, and Jones wasn't one of them. However, he was the name he mentioned last night, so in theory he could be considered Roos' 6th most underrated in the AFL. Considering there are some 650 or so players listed in the AFL, I think to be named the 6th most underrated by someone recently out of the game, who is also someone that a lot of people on here are wanting as our next coach, shows a lot about NJ. Regardless of the technicality, it was good to hear that a former premiership coach can obviously see a lot in Nathan's game, to the point where he used to use one of the best taggers of recent time to run with him. Chunk obviously has certain tasks each week, and the fact that he's played something like 90% of all possible games since his debut, might just show that he is doing a lot of things right. However, some still fail to see through this!

Again, we may not know the full story of what is happening behind the scenes. From where I am sitting though, I'm glad the Club has made a statement by enforcing this. We are a very young team, and the last thing we want is for our current batch of teenagers, that get paid quite handsomely for their age, going out on the weekends and getting hammered. I have no doubt it will make Beamer more hungry. Regardless of if the punishment is too hard or not, he didn't set a good example, and I'm pretty sure that there will be no hard feelings held by Beamer. He would know he made an error of judgement, and that it was lucky that it didn't cost the Club. If he is a true clubman, like we all think he is, he will take his game to another level. I would also like to think that he does enough over the year to warrant being voted back in to the leadership group.

Presser @ 4pm today.

You'd almost have to give Maric a chance wouldn't you? 1 1/4 games in the seniors on the back of great preseason form, then gets dropped and produces a BOG in the reserves first up. Regardless of what people think of him, he has surely done what you'd expect from a bloke that had something to prove?