bing181

Can't be overemphasised. We were in front at half time, but then they came out with more intent. We soaked it up, but were still 8 points down at the last change. There was a time that would have been game-over, but to get up from there, to slog our way back and win was something that we've (almost) never been able to do. More importantly, it's the mark of a good side.

Being able to defend a slender lead for over 10 minutes has nothing to do with "free flowing football" or "natural footy instincts".

It's his brother, Luke. Josh Tynan is still on the injury list.

- Couch gets sick and misses a game and training - VFL have a bye, which means that Couch doesn't get to play for three weeks and is short on match fitness - Moloney gets one more chance

Irrelevant in the bigger picture.

No, just a sizable number who don't buy into the conspiracy theories and groundless criticism. Since 186, the club has undertaken the most comprehensive change of personnel of any club - that I've ever known of anyway. Additionally, there have been comprehensive changes in how those personnel have been configured within the structure - which has also completely changed. This covers most of the FD, including the entire fitness staff, pretty well the entire coaching staff, and a number of other positions in the FD - people like BP and Ian Flack have gone, Mahoney and Connolly to different (and new) positions etc. etc. Let's not even forget that Bailey didn't have anyone as "overseer" - whereas we now have an experienced and respected football person in that role in Neil Craig - nor that the assistants didn't have their own assistants, not to mention their own IT people. etc. etc. If we'd just sat on our hands, or tinkered round the edges after 186 I could perhaps accept some of what you, Hardtack etc. etc. say. But all I see off-field is a proactive CEO and board, prepared to do whatever it takes to move the club forward and to take big steps to address our off-field shortcomings, especially in the FD. Football is a sport, but at an elite level, it's technical, sophisticated, complicated even. Tiny advantages in, for example, recovery can make a huge (and I mean huge) difference on-field. And they do, and they will, and that's what we're seeing now. The rebuild of players started a few years back. But the rebuild of the FD and all that goes with it, has only just started. We could never have been successful with the FD we had, it's as simple as that.

You're serious? The coaching appointments (getting Craig and Brown when a number of clubs were trying for them, pinching Misson etc.), including the development coaches for each line, Mitch Clark, clearing the debt, moving to new premises, the new sponsorships, Bentleigh club. Massive turnaround from where we were pre-Jimmy. But that's OK, keep your head in the sand.

And Gawn (OK, not a "top" draft pick ...)

I'd go against the flow here, and suggest he be kept on for at least another year. If he could just get in a full pre-season under Misson, and have another year under Neeld and co., perhaps the body and the head will get to where they need to be.

There was (is) a thread over on the Dee's forum on Bigfooty that tackled exactly that. When it was first put up, I thought, nah, no-one's going to want to emerge from behind the anonymity of their keyboards, but it really took off. And yes, intriguing what people do.

Tom Hawkins (and a lot of friends of Tom's) say hello.

More conspiracy theories. What you see is what's going on, nothing more. Or less.

How many times did he shirk it today? I want a number.

Well thought-through post ... rucks next week will be Spencer and Fitzpatrick, that'll have them quaking in their boots.

Maybe we could wait for the game to start before we start slagging the players? He's in the team, give him a chance.

But why are you presuming that that's not the case? Asking for the players to be more defensively accountable isn't the same as asking them to stop attacking. Whether they're doing it or not, or able to do it or not, is another question.

MFC are not making poor decisions. So no reason to make any excuses. Just one of the many fallacies in your superficial assumptions.

... and they all lived happily ever after. Even Dean. The End.

We don't have the same team on the park - or even the same list for that matter - and those wins were, in the overall scheme of things, meangingless. (Gold Coast, Brisbane and Adelaide at home, with Adelaide in particular a basket case ...). We haven't even played those teams yet this year. Already discussed at length around here - perhaps you missed it, or didn't feel like joining in? We're bad, and we've been bad for a while, we were going nowhere with our unaccountable footy, and thus the sacking of the previous coach mid-season.

It doesn't look like that to me at all. In getting - and in some cases stealing from under the noses of our competition - the likes of Misson, Craig, Leigh Brown (highly sort-after) and Mitch Clark, the actual results of our activities would indicate the exact opposite of what you're saying. We've been nothing if not proactive. So the idea that while we've been demonstratively aggressive in regards to the above, while when it comes to the most important FD appointment of all, the head coach, we've somehow rolled over ...well, it beggars belief.

I'm with RPFC on this. The press and the boards at the time were awash with "Crows miss out on Neeld" stories and posts. Now, out of the blue, an article saying they always wanted Sanderson, written by an Adelaide apologist. If it's true, why didn't Caroline Wilson include it in her article about the appointment of Neeld, an article which seemed pretty in-depth and well-researched (or at least trying to be), or why hasn't that information been made available up until now? For some here, supporting MFC seems to consist of p***ing on the club from a great height at every opportunity - and if no opportunity presents itself, well heck, we'll just make stuff up.

Weak defense. You're basically saying "I just made it up".

Never thought I'd live to see Demonlanders lamenting Morton being dropped ... though I share the sentiment!

Both Dunn and Bennell have done decently (or more than) over a couple of weeks at Casey, whereas Petterd hasn't done much - or enough - since being dropped. Not to mention, Dunn is the obvious replacement for Jurrah up forward. As for Seller, with Martin and Gawn injured, Spencer not ready, and Fitzpatrick having been tried and failed (for the moment), not sure who else you'd like to see to help out Jamar? Seller at least provides a contest - which is what many of us have been calling for. Not saying that any of those ins or inclusions are going to set the house on fire, but not exactly sure what/who the alternatives are supposed to be. Think we should also wait to see who makes it to the final 22, though with 3 rucks named, hard to see Seller not being included. Just re the Couch non-inclusion, he missed the last Casey match with illness, and regardless of any other considerations, may be lacking in (match) fitness. Probably some players a little bit stiff here with Casey having a couple of weeks off, which is just not particularly helpful to anyone.

Gawn