bing181

Yes, on paper at least it looks great - and higher than Hawthorn's. But let's not forget that 25% of those tackles (21) came from just 2 players. Still, a step in the right direction, and maybe Bailey is, after all, addressing some of "the issues". B

Nice thread! Something that's also clear is how the lack of "stars" up forward is not helping the younger players. You're a young player in the middle, you get the ball, and you know that all you have to do is get it down there somehow, and a Buddy or a Roughead will probably do the rest. You don't have to think about what to do, you don't have to try and hold the ball up till someone gets there for you, you don't have to decide between a Millar (unreliable) or a Petterd (out-numbered). So, you just do what you have to, and you look efficient and decisive. Then Buddy (or whoever) gets on the end of it and slams it through, you get a big pat on the back from all and sundry. You feel great, and not only do you do the same thing next time, you're desperate to do the same thing every chance you have. Confidence breeds confidence. Most of our players would look very different in a top-4 side. B

Apparently Juice tore it up at Casey ... 4 goals, and hard at it. He and Sylvia in, maybe Garland. Not sure about the rest ... B

Ah, a "positives" thread. Thankfully ... there's only so much self-flagellation a man can stand. I only saw the second half on TV, and apart from some sloppiness at the beginning of the third quarter, the boys were starting to look OK. Of course, the horse had bolted, blah blah blah, but the problems looked to do more with nervousness and inexperience than anything else. We were over-run and overawed. We're just desperately missing a couple of Hodges, Roughheads or Abletts that would lift everyone else 200%, and make them look so much better. But ... still a lot of games to come, and they WILL start to get it together. Sylvia back next week, maybe Garland, that's already something to be positive about, but they're better than this. Let them play together for a while. B

A voice of reason. I just don't know what people were expecting.We just don't have the players or the experience, and jumping up and down about it and demanding action and looking for who to blame is just not going to help one iota. I for one am looking forward to next week. B

Brave man! B

Say it, of course, but bang on about it in every other post gets tiresome. And if you do honestly believe that a lot of our players, coaches or tactics are not up to scratch, then that doesn't leave much. You like the colours of the jumper? B

That depends on the forums. I follow a number of boards where robust exchanges take place without personal insults ... ... while remaining on-topic. Which this post isn't. My apologies. Healey/Hughes: Whatever is going to happen, it probably needs to happen this year, though that's equally true of a number of players. Could be an interesting post-season. B

It's not the same injury. Most of last year he was out with a KNEE injury. Now recovered/repaired. And even this time, the club have said it's the other hammy. Not to say there aren't injury management issues that he and the club aren't going to have to address to try and minimise a repeat, but at least let's get our facts straight. B

Says who? The club has already talked about what they're looking to get out of this year. But either it's not getting through to you, or you don't/can't accept it. B

Yes, and while we wait for the seniors to get their act together, could be a bit of excitement in the two's. B

I don't know that we can presume that it's not something they're not being taught or working on. From comments in the press and from reported discussions, it seems pretty clear that Bailey and the footy department are aware of the various shortcomings, and do work on them. This is a side that's low on experience, confidence and a settled line-up, and it shows. B

Great to see a couple of more reasoned posts. Not that it's about rose-coloured glasses, but some of the wrist-slashing and player-slamming that's going on at the moment seems well wide of any sense of the reality of where we are. The Fitzpatrick references above highlight what's going on with the club at the moment. He was thrown to the wolves in the first few games, and was universally panned on the boards. But then, he starts getting mentioned in dispatches from Casey. Playing a work-in-progress like him hasn't helped at all with our results. But in the longer term, or even the shorter term, may help enormously with his development, and move the club forward. And all this discussion about game-plan. Even if there was one that the players were able to execute (without having to think about it first ....) , the revolving door of players through choice and injury is surely hugely disruptive in the heat of battle. This is not (yet) a settled side. Overall though, the fact that with all the inexperience, and all the players out or out of form, we were still able to manage 26 scoring shots seems a big plus to me. If we can do that every match of the season, there'll be much to be positive about. Heck, we may even win some games ... But probably not in the shorter term. Too many disruptions, too much inexperience, too many players out. But .. it WILL come. B

No. Get over it. B

Firstly, without you being in team meetings etc., I'm not sure how you can know what's being said to the players, and as such, what the "company line" is. Secondly, I've not heard DB making any excuses recently, quite the contrary. ".... everyone needs to earn their place", "no more excuses" etc. etc. As for the Hawk's stats ... that's the exception that proves the rule if ever there was one. What happened to them last year? B

Yes, it's a ridiculous situation .... but obviously, they need the money. I would certainly contact the club though, to let them know of your feelings, as the current situation is mediocre at best. Ironically enough, for their money, Bigpond are getting nothing, as it only makes them look ... well, like what they are. Out of touch, out of date, and overall, just not up to it. As an aside, maybe they SHOULD hand it over to Apple ... it would look better, it would at least work with a Mac (which it doesn't now ... no video content at all). B

... and Spencer.

I think that's pretty clear ... or any faith for that matter. B

For me, where we are, any wins will be great/a bonus, while I can live with any losses as long as there's a feeling of moving forward, and we don't completely drop our bundle. I feel that any real evidence of any advance is going to come later in the season (injuries permitting), where not only will we have more games into young bodies, but some interesting players coming back from injury (Garland, Morton, Tapscott, Blease etc.). It would seem utterly realistic to me to believe that we'll do better than last year. We basically haven't lost anyone, but everyone else is a year older and wiser, and we've added a few useful pickups. But ... B

Go for it Dean .... B

... and the reverse. Which is, for the most part, the present situation, and is one of the reasons why we fell apart on Sunday. B

... or a foretaste of things to come. Time will tell how much of an aberration or wake-up call it was. Of course, I hope for the best. But ... B

Good post. The thing that struck me was that Dees' players almost seemed surprised when they were tackled .... mid-way through exercising routines that they'd obviously been working on at training. B

Absolutely. Which hopefully is behind some of the recruiting strategy of late: Watts over Nat for example The kind of on-field accountability, leadership and experienced presence that Freo had last night, and we haven't had for a while now. You just have to wonder what a difference it would have made yesterday if we'd had just a Sandilands and a Pavlich. The last AA Melbourne had was the skipper, back in 2006, and then Jeff White two seasons before that. We just don't have enough (or any?) game-changers and on-field leaders, players who can weather the storm and marshall the troops. Another long season ahead I suspect, in spite of the rise and rise of the 'kids'. B

" He has forecast more pain for Richmond and Melbourne supporters, who he tips to fight out the wooden spoon. After doing his homework over summer training and looking at all 16 AFL teams, he says the Demons' skill level in the pre-season has been ordinary." Shane Crawford in the HUN. Tipping us to fight out the wooden spoon with Richmond. B