bing181

And to add to that: "at times … the same as every club". Recent example. Garlett at Hawthorn. Have a look at St Kilda: by 2011 there wasn't a single player they'd drafted in 2009 still on their list, and their whole drafting from 2006 onwards was disastrous. Drafting is not an exact science. You win some, you lose some. We've had a few in both camps, as has every club. But as has been alluded to, is it the drafting, or has it been the environment?

Would have been more powerful without the added commentary.

You speak for the "many"? Or just the "many" on Demonland? Or perhaps just the "many" in this thread. You certainly don't speak for me.

I think (hoped!) my point re the Bennell report was to illustrate the constantly shifting sands of injuries and rehab. It's not just Melbourne.

Exhibit B: "GOLD Coast midfielder Harley Bennell will miss at least another two matches after aggravating his calf injury. Bennell re-injured himself while trying to prove his fitness for last weekend's round two match against Fremantle in Perth. "Unfortunately I pulled up sore again last week," Bennell told the Suns' website. "It has been a pretty frustrating start to the season, but all I can do is concentrate on getting it right. "There is still plenty of football to be played this year and that's why it's important to get it right." Bennell has struggled to overcome the injury since first succumbing to it during the pre-season and Suns' football manager Marcus Ashcroft believes giving Bennell a rest is the best option. "We believe by stepping back and giving him a couple of weeks to get it right, will give him the best chance at ensuring he plays plenty of football in 2014," Ashcroft said."

Perhaps understandable given that he's having to be played out of position (KPF). I felt when he was moved up the ground, he looked something like the JH we know and (mostly) love.

"...their ability to play to a plan was confounded by the absence of a forward line to accept the ball, or to run deep and searchingly to be there to link the play. It meant they hung on and waited and had nowhere to go. It was confounded by the abject lack of skill shown routinely through the game, in part this was lack of confidence, in part lack of vision, in part lack of ability, but 11 Eagles goals came from turnovers." Fair assessment I'd say.

You're frustrated? Imagine how he feels.

Biggest single problem. Having no realistic targets is having a flow-on effect right up the ground, and has everyone under the pump the whole time.

You look at the stats, and you look at the scoreboard and you'd think they were from different games. We matched or bettered them in many areas. They were just so much more efficient with ball in hand.

Predictable match, predictable responses here.

To be honest, there's a lot less of this infighting on the Melb board at Bigfooty. Certainly currently no anti-Toumpas bitching, or "I'll microwave my membership card if I don't have detailed info on what's going on with Mitch Clark".

After one season, it's not even hindsight, it's foresight. IOW, guesswork.

Mitch Clark is not your employee - and even if he was, there's a limit to what you have the right to know. Membership gives you a fridge magnet, a scarf, and admission to games. Nothing more, nothing less.

All been discussed before. Viney would never have slipped to the second round if we didn't deal with GC/GWS. Fantasyland.

"Sam Mitchell not warming up, will be a late out. Battered & bruised from last week" No mention of any problems with Mitchell from Hawthorn during the week. Nothing. On the other hand, re a couple of the other injured players, we get this from their Elite Performance Manager: "“We’ll get them back into full training next week, and then we’ll see the best way to get them into game play from there. “They’re both at a similar stage and they’re progressing really well.”

Without information, what are opinions based on?

"Richmond's Alex Rance will miss the next three weeks after breaking his foot after falling off his bike."

Concussion. Which has meant no match practise. A fair way back fitness-wise. Pay attention.

On the one hand, I understand some of the concerns, but such is the way with injuries. I follow other sports as well, and it's the same story, especially in the short term and immediately after matches etc. Phrases like "we'll have to see how it responds to treatment" or "we'll have to wait till the swelling subsides to see where we are" or "s/he's working through a program of rehab and it's looking good" are not unique to MFC. It's not surprising that there are so many injuries that miraculously appear 3 or 4 days after a match. It's not because of any wilful misinformation, it's simply because often it takes that long for bodies to settle down or for that "little knock" that you got in the third quarter to develop into something more serious. I also feel that some here underestimate the physical strain that players' bodies are under. They're taken right to the edge, and basically held there for the best part of a year, and keeping them just the right side of that line, so they don't break down completely, is no mean feat. Finally, very physical sport, very hard on bodies. It's no accident that our 2 young crash-bang merchants, Viney and Hogan, are having repeated injury issues, while N Jones and Cross, who play similar games, don't. Grimes was constantly injured in his first couple of years, but has been pretty well injury-free these last two seasons. My 2c.

What team in the AFL could win with 7 or 8 first-22 players out - including their entire key forward setup - and then lose 2 more key players in the first quarter? Uphill battle.

Dawes: He's a professional footballer, I'm sure the last thing he wants is to spend his time watching his teammates take the field without him. Frustrating for all concerned.

Viney not ready. Underdone. Same for Hogan, even if fit, will need a run or two at his old stomping ground at Casey. Suspect Pedersen will stay in, can play forward or back, they have plenty of talls. If he can make a contest, provide some backup, that's a start. McKenzie perhaps, Gawn, maybe one of Blease and/or Jetta.

Having a contrary opinion is one thing. Expressing it in an abusive or disrespectful way is something entirely different.

Plays more from behind I think.