Rogue

Err, so who are we getting rid of if GM666 is in charge?

Some brief comments on the guys you've listed - Green said that he felt tight during a game but due to mid-game injuries there was no one on the bench to replace him - felt he would have been OK otherwise. Whelan has a history of soft tissue injuries iirc. McLean has had regular injuries throughout his short career. Moloney has had OP troubles before BB came to the club. Sylvia ditto. Pickett missed games with a hamstring(?) in the second half of '06. Rivers' problem seems to be back-related; much to do with BB? Brown I'm not sure about - I seem to remember him missing with hamstrings and the like before now. I'm not sure about Petterd, Bate, or Jamar. Yze hasn't had many injures in his career

I don't think there's necessarily any reason why we'll languish in the bottom four for at least two seasons. I felt less optimistic about this year than many, but I believe we'll be better in a few years than we are now...and yeah, I created a thread (one of the rare times) stating this at the end of last year. Looking at the list indicates that while we're going to lose a few players we're going to have further development from many of our younger guys who are already in or around our best 22. If, as you said, we we had a good list coming into this year then it's not going to get much worse. In fact I imagine the development to guys with less than 50 games will be substantial. Those players are Bartram, Bate, Bell, Dunn, Ferguson, PJ, Jamar, CJ, Jones, Sylvia, and Warnock - while some may not make it, the majority are in or around our best 22. McLean, Carroll, Moloney, Rivers, and Davey were in that group not long ago. By my reckoning I've listed at least half of our best 22, and we all hope that young guys like Newton and Frawley kick on and become regular senior players. While McDonald (31) has been a good player for us I don't think our midfield will be diminished when you look at the younger players coming through. White (30) has been less effective in recent years but is still one of the first picked and our rucks are certainly a problematic area...and one that I felt would hold us back from being a top-tier team in '07. Neitz (32) will leave a big hole in our forward line but I don't see his retirement proving to be ruinous for the team. While some solid players are departing I feel it will be offset by the emergence of our younger group. PS. Sorry this turned into an essay on our our list, but I thought it was relevant considering part of your argument was based around the presumption that we're in for some pretty hard years ahead.

In previous seasons White has presented more down the middle, and I've always thought we could have used him more in that way - at least in order to make the opposing ruckman play more accountably.

Indeed. Wheatley is 26 iirc. I'm not sure it's that black and white - I imagine his job would be a little easier if Neitz and Robertson are taking the #1 and #2 defenders, although it means they will be the go-to players. I too think it's time for Miller to be dropped. I'd bring in Bate for Miller if he's fit. It's an interesting question, and considering we're not privy to the inner workings of the Club I imagine there may be some reasons that haven't been brought up here as to why Garland was picked over Newton..? PS. I could have +5'd my post count if I replied like Rhino Richards

Yze, Rivers, Moloney, and Bartram are all injured while Pickett isn't being considered for selection. Changes - Whelan (injury listed as 'test') for Ward Bate (injury listed as 'test') for Miller //If Bate doesn't come up I'd play Newton instead Sylvia (injury listed as 'test') for Godfrey B: Whelan Carroll Bizz HB:Petterd Holland Bell C: Johnstone McDonald Bruce HF: Bate, Robbo, Davey F: Green, Neitz, Sylvia R: White McLean Jones Int: PJ, Dunn, Brown, Frawley(?) I'd prefer a guy like Brown not play, but he was okay against the Roos and probably don't deserve to be dropped. While his form doesn't warrant it I'd be happy to give Frawley another crack. I'd rather see him selected over one of the old hands that have little upside/future. We might be short a runner, but Bartram and Moloney are out and I'm not sure anyone else is demanding selection. Perhaps CJ or Buckley could get a run.

I read that Green's harmstrings started feeling tight and he would normally have come to the bench. However, we didn't have anyone on the bench that was fit so he stayed out there.

You can say the same about other players on our list. Unfortunately they're not, and at 30-31 years of age Brown isn't getting any younger. I hope he enjoys 2007 because it should be his last.

Well said.

I read it "properly" - what's a "good excuse"? I'm just sick of reading the narrow-minded criticism of fans who don't go to every game the Demons play. Having said that, you didn't go so far as to blame the team's form on poor crowd figures like some other posters.

Why wouldn't you wait until the ball was out of bounds if you wanted to put your jumper on? It'd be the courteous thing to do.

I agree that we shouldn't get carried away by a good quarter of footy as it was pretty ordinary for most of today. That said, I'm pretty sure we're the Club isn't getting too excited right about now. I imagine it's a pretty sombre mood around the Club these days, and another tight loss won't help things much. However, a kick the difference in a few games and we'd have a few wins under our belt so while we're certainly not much chop it really helps no one to blast the players publically right about now IMO.

I wouldn't have thought ND was a better or worse Coach if we'd won against Port or the WB - there was nothing in it.

No, the sad thing is that some people on this forum have the expectation that all supporters have lives that are compatable with going to watch Melbourne play football every week.

Totally agree.

Rivers, Ferguson, and Warnock are injured. Who are you suggesting should be selected in place of Frawley? From what I can see you're simply arguing the point with Frawley because you don't agree with the point of view other have expressed regarding Newton.

Frawley was in line for a senior gig before the season started, and afaik played in the pre-season games. He was then injured but has recovered. He's essentially fighting for a tall back spot and we have Warnock, Ferguson, and Rivers all out. The only other player I see Frawley competing against in terms of selection is Bizz, and he's been named ahead of Bizzell - why not? I'd play Newton before Miller, but not before Neitz or Robertson (or Dunn/Bate etc).

Great to see from Archer, but I'm surprised we weren't doing this already. Always interesting to hear about what players do off the field.

Or perhaps because they think Warnock's had a few runs and hasn't done much. Ferguson played last week and broke his thumb. On the flip side, Frawley was looking like a starter come round one, but was injured before the season commenced.

Changes - Frawley for Ferguson Robertson for Miller McLean for Brown Rivers for Ward //Injury Update indicates he'll return this week Team - B: Frawley Carroll Whelan HB: Petterd Holland Bell C: Dunn Bruce Green HF: Bate Robertson Davey F: Sylvia Neitz Yze R: White McLean Johnstone INT: PJohnson McDonald Jones Godfrey Excluding Bartram and perhaps Moloney, this is just about our best side.

How do we not need to recruit another ruck? That would be the #1 prioprity (but not necessarily with our #1 draft pick - many of the AFL rucks going around now came off the 'Rookie List', but we absolutely need to bring in at least one). Even if Frawley makes it that leaves us with Rivers and Frawley as quality backs + Carroll. Rivers is best as the third tall IMHO; I'd want two others to take the key back roles. The bench strength for the defence is extremely barren - Holland doesn't have a long-term future, Ferguson and Bizz probably don't have any future, and we're left with Warnock. Not a very quick midfield you've listed. We need to inject some pace.

No - we just "weren't switched on".

Lets hope he's wrong about that too.

If they're good enough they should be getting a game in the final round (which would be the appropriate time to annouce their retirement if they wished). If they're not they shouldn't be getting a game regardless - if that means they end their days at Sandy...so be it.