bing181

Can't work out how to do that double quote thing, but to respond to these two points: - who here is saying they're satisfied? I'm certainly not. Equally though, I'm not going the other way, and trashing the players/team/game plan/disposal/coach/team selection/choice of after-game refreshments etc. etc. I posted earlier, just making the point that perhaps a more reasoned and balanced response would be appropriate, that's all. You get the impression that even when we win a premiership, there'll still be posters on here bitching about how someone should be dropped and the coach has no idea and that our third quarter was disgraceful etc. etc. Sheesh. - we're not finalists, so not sure why you (and others) keep bringing it up as some kind of touchstone. Maybe next year. Finally, to those saying "we've gone backwards". Maybe you're right. Progress isn't necessarily linear. Losing Junior plus Jordie and Scully (for the moment) haven't helped around the clearances/centre. But for me, it's a sport, and like all sports, is played a lot between the ears. Last year, we were still Crap Melbourne, and played like underdogs. This year, there's a far greater expectation on us - you only have to look at some of Monday's papers where the line in a few of the articles is "we still don't know if Melbourne are finalists or not" (though see above for my take on that!) Coming to terms with these expectations will take time, especially for young players, many of whom don't even have a full season under their belt. We have much to learn. The road is long with many a winding turn etc. etc.

I often think, when I come to this board, "it can't be worse than last time i visited". But I'm wrong. No matter what we do, no matter how much we win by, no matter how many positives we take out of a match, there will always be someone with pointless hyperbole like this. We beat them by more than the Dogs did ... and they were at home. A couple less posters and we would have come close to beating them by as much as Carlton did. But no, there's still someone here trashing the side completely. Here, try these select quotes: "fans disapointed with that 3rd quarter need to realise its part of the game" "Every AFL club have talented and quality players. It's insane to expect the better team to always be better than who they're playing. Each team will have their spells of dominance in a game." "Its impossible to win every quarter in the season. The lapses are just normal ebbs and flows." No, not reasonable Melbourne fans discussing our game against GC. Reasonable Collingwood fans discussing theirs against Richmond ... where they were well and truly out-played for a whole quarter. No-one trashing the club, no-one calling for heads to roll, no-one calling the FD and coaches idiots ... just a realistic understanding that even if you're the best team in the comp playing one of the worst, it's never going to be all one-way traffic. FFS.

Casey don't play next weekend either.

Because this is the MFC, and we sledge players, the club, the coach and other supporters every chance we get, warranted or not.

Another expat, share your sentiments. Just unreal around here at times.

Casey have a bye as well I believe.

Being troubled by their height in the forward line. How many frees for in the back have there been down there as they fly for a mark with our smaller defenders behind. Maybe should have brought Warnock.

Best news all week right there, especially Nicholson, Blease and Cook. New boys starting to step up. Watts and Dunn will need to be solid tomorrow with Bate and Petterd, not to mention Newton, breathing down their necks. Interesting times. Thanks for the info.

Heck, everyone else is having a go ... Suspended.

scorers?

No-one said we were "desperate" to sign Petterd, in Round 1 he was very effective when he first came on but saying he "dominated" is maybe stretching it, he didn't do all that well against Hawthorn, and then had what was described as a "flakey" game at Casey. Two so-so games in a row, one of them at Casey, just isn't really enough anymore.

Anyone know if they took anyone up as emergency?

!!!! We're 3 matches in, have a 1 1 1 scoreline, and you're talking about "salvaging the season" as if we're into the final half dozen rounds without a win on the board and with the whole club a complete train wreck. What's that acronym ... MFCSS? Sheesh.

Ablett hasn't been able to train all week apparently. Test on Saturday.

I'd say yes ... Petterd didn't exactly set the house on fire at Casey, and I would guess is there for insurance as much as anything. (Same with Strauss). If Newton had been eligible, things might have been different, but as it is, I think Jack earns at least one more week. Could be good for him.

Yep - it was all so much easier when no-one expected us to win. Building a winning team is one thing. Building a winning culture is going to take time.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck ... then it's most probably a duck, or getting close to being one. This isn't just about whether or not it's morally acceptable - yet alone an acceptable way for a professional athlete to treat their body. When the discussion turns to alcohol use and abuse per se, it becomes about physical and psychological health. Hope that Beamer can work through it. Hard lesson.

Which is why they've been scoring so many more goals than Juice at Casey. Oh wait ....

... or how anyone could justify including Petterd who had a less than impressive game in the two's. Whatever happened to "make them earn their spot"? Newton for Watts for me. Jack seems to be going backwards at the moment, and needs to build a bit of confidence in the two's. Only hiccup in that scenario, is that both Casey and Melb. have the following week off, so if he's out next week, he'd probably be out for at least 3 weeks. Hmm.

Luckily for MFC, your opinions don't count for anything.

Another insightful post ... Meanwhile, this from KC's report on Casey: " Ricky Petterd - It was a pretty flaky performance in which he went from producing the spectacular to periods when he seemed to disappear from sight. Won't get a promotion on that effort."

Not alone ... there were also easy shots from Jamar and Wonna that missed.

Watts equal highest tackles with 4, but yep, not great from these two with the likes of Petterd and, dare I say it, Newton running round in the twos. I thought competition for places was supposed to bring out the best in players - not so far. Good ins with Wonna and Gysberts, both adding a bit. But got to do something to help out Davey, or find a different role for him, he's getting bustled and tagged out of it. Going to be interesting second half, which Melbourne are we going to see??

Absolutely. There are always people on these boards lamenting that we aren't "tough" enough (not naming names but you know who you are ...). But in sticking to our guns through some difficult times, and through not looking for easy or short-term solutions, the club is taking by far the toughest option. And as above, leaving players on opponents when they're getting beaten is not necessarily a sign of (tactical) weakness on the coach's part ... it's a sign of toughness on the coach's part.

Ah, a voice in the wilderness. Excellent post ... and hit the nail on the head. Thanks. Bailey doesn't even have a coffin, yet alone any nails in it, and anyone who thinks otherwise is just kidding themselves.