Ned

Seconded.

Yeah, they lost it by a margin similar to ours on Saturday and Port then lost the grand final by a similar margin. His finals record is awful.

I know. I'm from South Australia and have observed a couple of generations of Williams's. Initially I didn't like the idea but the guy is educated, a football animal and has something left to prove. He's also won a flag (that is the clincher). Malcolm Blight is barely sane too. The greats are often like that. You think Clarko is a balanced individual? That's what gets them the extra distance.

No thanks. I want someone who's climbed the mountain. Laidley did well with what he had but that's immaterial. His sides were pretenders that were exposed and flogged in finals. I want us to go hell for leather for Clarkson or Choco. I'm really starting to warm to the idea of Choco. He's an animal full of passion. I also want Trengove as captain. The old journeymen on our list can be led by a natural leader. I also want Scully to rack off. As someone who lives in Sydney, I'm going to give him a gob full at any game I attend here.

Why don't you pull your head in for once and allow adults to have a conveersation.

And if you're not in (I hope you are) - then stay right out.

I love watts. Respected how he stood up for himself when the cats players got into him (supported by a couple of young blokes - no surprise the senior ones were MIA). He and Martin are the best things to come out of this year.

I don't get all the Schwab love here. He has a reputation for being brilliant early and then turning destructive and it sounds like he's been doing some serious meddling. My alerts went off on that loan from the club a bit back for a property investment - 1970s style management. I really doubt our guys chucked the game but the club is clearly not a happy place. I wouldn't be sad to see Schwab gone and Connoly and Bailey. A line needs to be drawn under thus period. Let's make Trengove captain and try to get a top notch administrator and coach.

Hopefully we can win one of the next two quarters. Then Bailey can talk about the disappointment of losing three out of four. In truth, the senior players should be dropped. This is disgraceful. But Bailey will have to resign and leave Viney in charge for the last 5 games. We then need to throw everything at Clarkson. There must be change.

Geelong don't even seem to be playing that well. We're just really bad. No improvement this year. It's just depressing.

By that logic, Jack Watts would've played less than 10 games in his career. Sometimes backing a player whose confidence is shot is the best strategy. Work out which you actually believe champ. You like to call people keyboard warriors but your line of thinking is about as fickle as a that of a teenage girl.

I don't think Jurrah would get any benefit from a spell in the twos. He's an A-Grade player. Either rest him or put him on the park. I notice his form has dropped off since Davey has been out and Wonna away on leave (or is my mind playing tricks?). Maybe missing a bit of support? More likely carrying an injury I guess. In which case give him a rest.

Yep, agree. Today was terrific but Freo are decimated by injuries. Essendon have dropped away and Adelaide are a joke. The Tigers will be a good test (feels really weird writing that!) Beat Richmond and we're into the eight. Lose and we simply don't deserve to be.

I know Melbourne should win - and probably will - but I still have absolutely no confidence in that result. It's depressing. I don't know who above mentioned Watts on Pavlich. I like the idea but I reckon Goddard would've been a better experience (Bailey chose not to then). Every time I watch Watts I see some Goddard in him. Hope he has a cracking game today. Every heart beats true.

Totally agree. He's playing like a spud but he isn't one. The problem is his confidence is shot. Maybe he'll feel more comfortable in a team whose confidence is totally shot?!!

That's gold. Hit the nail on the head.

Trengove is certainly a future leader - he's talented, courageous, intelligent and would be a great representative of the club. Moloney -- bless him as he is a heart and soul player - is almost as thick as you rpfc.

No we won't. We've been thrashed by 15 goals in front of 76,000 people in our single blockbuster of the year. Our opponent, even accepting it has an even spread of talent, was without its three best players. Teams like that don't deserve to play finals.

Thanks Dappa, yep, the idea was that I had been wrong; and agree, the first 15 minutes will tell us a lot.

I agree with those who think Scully will be a once-in-a-generation player. He is an utter professional and I think that professionalism is why he will go to GWS. He lives to play football. It doesn't matter where or with whom - perhaps it would be different if he was at Richmond, the club he supported. I suspect the only issue would be proximity to his family and if he goes to GWS he will be in a position to move them as needs be. It would be extraordinary to turn down the money - and, moreover, if he was serious about staying then he would already be negotiating. Perhaps some people on here know him better and I am wrong. I would love that to be the case as I think he could lead Melbourne to the top of the mountain. But all the signs I see are of a professional player doing what he does best - playing quality football - who will leave at the end of the season when his contract expires.

Tell me about it. I'd been told it was a pretty intolerant and humourless place. I hadn't experienced that until now.

A keyboard warrior? Poor judge of footballers? If you had any critical ability - which you clearly don't - you would see the point I was making was on his intent. It has changed.

I don't like it either - but we all know the point he's making is that given Melbourne is a stretch to play finals and hasn't played in the big one for a decade, this is the next best thing. And it's true. I'm absolutely psyched for this match (have to admit, my hatred for Collingwood is far less than for Carlton - but they'll get theirs soon enough).

Jack Watts owes Collingwood and will do all his career for that gang tackle laid on him when he took the field two years ago. I've been a relentless critic of Jack's and wouldn't even acknowledge his improved play in recent weeks - until the Essendon game. He's now starting to have the look of a competitor about him (he certainly did last week) and we (or at least I) can now see the upside if he backs himself. Part of me thinks we are a shot against Collingwood and part of me thinks we're going to be blown away. If we are to compete, then Jack needs to break the shackles and absolutely rip the Pies to pieces. I actually believe he's capable of it and I know this is the stage on which he has to do it (be it this year or in coming ones). Let it be Monday Jack! Go Dees!

That was the curse-of-'65 stepping in to prevent a return to the Promised Land. I know we had a stack of injuries but my lord we were good in that latter part of '87. We would've given the Grand Final a shake. It all seems so far off now.