bing181

Another spurious thread?

Yes. In the absence of established senior players, we're going to have to wait till our current crop grow into the role. I think we'll start to see some improvement later this season - though it's going to be a fairly rough first half. FWIW, it's great that we have all these "tough" games coming up. Raises the bar, shows the boys where they need to get to and what they need to be doing.

Oh come on, this is just getting out of hand.

Agreed. Look at Suns today for a decent example of the importance of team and development over draft picks. They have more top draft picks than you can poke a stick at, but were still pretty woeful today - in spite of Ablett's efforts leading the way.

I didn't say that. What I might say in 5 years is speculative.

FFS

Very much depends on whether or not you see him as having made mistakes or not.

Doesn't matter what he says, there'd be plenty here to pick holes in it.

Realistic? Here on Demonland? The reason Darling went comparatively low were well documented at the time. Everyone's disappointed, so in the absence of anything we can hang our hats on, let's start a BP witch hunt. We don't have the cattle (as Old constantly reminds us ...), and we're going to suck for at least a few years. End of story. Get over it. Some nice first round picks coming up though at this rate.

Enough already with the 'failed drafting' threads. Just does my head in that people can jump up and down about drafting over the past few years. Give these kids 5 or 6 years, then see where they (we) are. As I mentioned in another thread, go and look at Scott Thompson's first few years at Melbourne, had "mediocre" written all over it, and it took him well into his sixth season before we start to see consistently solid performances, and another season or two after that before he started to become "elite". And he's not Robinson Crusoe on the "it takes time" front.

Seeing no-one else has posted, here's the updated injury list: Lucas Cook (groin) - 2 weeks Michael Evans (back) - indefinite Max Gawn (knee) - season Jordan Gysberts (ankle) - 4-6 weeks Neville Jetta (ankle) - indefinite Liam Jurrah (wrist) - 3 weeks Ricky Petterd (leg) - test Jake Spencer (knee) - 1 week James Strauss (concussion) - test Colin Sylvia (back) - 3 weeks Rory Taggert (back) - indefinite Bummer for Cook and Gysberts, can't take a trick either one. Wondered why Gysberts wasn't mentioned in the Casey reports, he'd been good the previous week.

How did we miss him, given he went at pick 8? The only way we could have got him was by not taking one of Trengove or Scully .. or Martin or whoever else for that matter. He wasn't there at our next pick (Gysberts). Understand people's frustrations, but don't know that this kind of revisionism is the solution. In any case, as above, it's not the drafting of the last 4-5 years that's the cause of our current problems, go back more like 10 years to see what's not worked. Also, before sticking the boots into BP - or more like it, CC, let's not forget that they did draft a couple of elite players - just not for MFC. Jolly and Scott Thompson. Speaking of Thompson, who's about as elite as it gets, he was at Melbourne for 3 fairly mediocre years, and it subsequently took him until his seventh season to really become what he is.

Or a lack of confidence, or experience or even understanding. Once again, we need(ed) the leaders to stand up and show the way. People here lament the lack of elite players at MFC. Sure, but a handful of reliable, experienced, workmanlike, do-what's-needed players wouldn't go astray either, and it's just as much that that's hurting us. 4 or 5 Nathan Jones's in that side, spread across forwards/mids (especially) would make a world of difference. I don't really regret letting Junior go, but interesting to hear his response to his report for GWS, that he was just trying to put some pressure on to stop the Swans getting easy clearances out of the middle. You see what has to be done, you do it. Not too sure about some of the other comments here. Still feel that the players were shell-shocked and drained after the preceding week. Big emotional roller-coaster, and these are still young men, don't know how much experience most of them would have had of death and funerals. It knocks you, badly. Still, a week's a long time in footy, let's see what Perth brings us.

... which is what he did last year as well under a different coach, and while in the leadership group. You're drawing a very long bow to presume that their form (or lack of) is part of an internal power struggle.

... or where people and commentators get off making assumptions about players getting off dictating terms to coaches.

Ah, so that's why he missed that session - he was on the phone to GWS.

Perhaps not, after all, he was the one subbed off. In fact, if my memory serves me well, Blease now has the dubious distinction in his last 3 games of 1 Rising Star followed by two consecutive subbings off after having hardly touched the ball - he was subbed in the last game last year against Port I believe. Wild swings and roundabouts.

27 taps actually.

In other words, if he doesn't agree with your opinion re the players mentioned, he's useless.

I'm with the "boys' heads not in an ideal place" crowd. Just very very flat.

Great for Tynan, also good to see Grimes included, though I'm a bit surprised Gysberts doesn't even get into the Emg.

There are only excuses, if there's a problem. For myself, I don't see a problem, so the question of excuses or not doesn't come into it. Similarly, as I don't really have any expectations regarding Jack at this early stage of his career, I can't be said to have low expectations.

My understanding is that he has had 2 weeks training alone outside the (rehab) group, presumably as part of his punishment. Also there was talk of a fine, which has presumably happened, but not been made public.

And not to forget, Naitanui is nearly a year older.

There you go then. I believe there's a vacancy at MFC for head of recruiting, sounds like its got your name on it.