Robbie57

Thank you and well done.

Thnx for the photos has Martin joined the Leningrad cowboys?

Looks straight forward to me, wanted to get back into a coaching role and none available under Neeld.

Wouldn't surprise if he asked for such a role and was disappointed not to get one.

I wish him well.

Do you mean a bit like the group in your avatar, without the magnificent guernseys of course.

No I reckon the blokes in my avatar are likely to just play for the love of the game and the guernsey.

this got me curious, on the GWs site it shows photos of them running on an athletics track not around a park or on grass. Immediately behind Voldermort there was several players and the text says a couple of them came in close behind.

Whilst I am no expert running a time trial on a track presumeably with split times being given is a long way from running around the tan or princess park.

Maybe a little less sizzle in this sausage than advertised.

another photo of the group training looks like the under 16's.

Long time lurker, first time poster.

Was driving by Princess Park this morning and saw the boys out training so stopped for look. They had just finished the time trails with half the group do handballing drills while the other half were running warm down laps of the park.

I had a chat with some training staff, but unfortunately they were tight lipped on the finishing positions and times.

Is that a 3.2km trial?

FB: Rivers Frawley Bartram

HB: Grimes Garland Morton

C: Bate Moloney Gysberts

HF: Howe Watts Jurrah

FF: Green Clark Davey

R: Jamar Jones Trengove

I/C: McKenzie Martin Bail (sub:Petterd)

Blease Tapscott unlucky, Morton in hope and Sylvia to come in....boy the NAB is going to be interesting for all concerned, especially Nicholson who is likely to get the nod and put the pressure on for a spot. And Sellar who doesn't get a look in until he is a known quantity.

Who is this thread about?

Green with 40

Jurrrah with 30

Clark with 20

Howe with 15

Watts with 25+ (depends on how/where he is played)

Davey with 18

Sylvia averages a goal a game so he must be up for 20 as well.

I think Green will thrive with clark, watts and Jurrah taking all the heat from the opposition.

Ricky bob may just do the same as well but the question mark is how does he get the opportunity, put him down for 12.

Dunn?

2 or 3 years ago Bate was a shining light in an otherwise mediocre team. Some considered him close to top 50 in the league. He has talent. But he is in no mans land in that he's not a true midfielder and not a true KPP forward. He has excellent disposal I50 and regularly hits targets. I feel he could be an excellent HFF. I have doubts about his ability to be a very effective midfielder, but would love to be proven wrong.

Aso, I know we have a severe lack of class in the midfield compared with the best teams, but in 2000, I really don't think we were much different. We had a solid but workmanlike midfield. We will only be a REAL premiership contender when we get this class in the mix and firing 100% (I'm thinking Trengove, Sylvia at his best, Jones to step up as well and become elite (similar to Dane Swan in my opinion) and Viney to add the finishing touch). Add Grimes with a couple more years development,Morton with a few added kg's and perhaps Tappy and McKenzie rotating through and we could become a class midfield. Even Bail and Jetta add another dimension.

Time will tell, but in the meantime, there's no reason we can't significantly improve and make finals this year with the stocks we currently have.

I too recall those days for Bate and thought he could be a good player for us, then it all went very wrong. I think the optimistic amongst us hope the change of position and coaching staff will do the trick in the way a change of club does. I hope he does well.

As for Jones I think he has made a step up each year. Whilst I dont think he will be elite he will improve yet again because he has that sort of attitude. Remember a few years back when he used to break through packs and it would always end up in a horrible turnover. He learnt that lesson.

What i am keen to see is who embraces the new up or out policy.

And I cant wait to see what surprises Neeld has for us come the first match.

Will Watts be played in a role similar to Goodes.

All pretty exciting.

My list of favourite players:

1. Robbie Flower; I lived in Port during the dark years but would walk to the "G" and come home with the knowledge wehad the best player going around bar none.

2. Ronald Dale Barrassi: I am old. First number on my back. Had a pair of his boots. Remember going to the football with my dad just to see him.

3. Hassa Mann: Like Ronald Dale he is etched as a legend in my memory.

4. Gary Lyon: A true leader and barging tough.

5. Jimmy Stynes: Bar one moment of his career I loved watching him lope around the ground.

6. Adam Yze: How I wished he could go on forever...what was it that made him seem so much better than he was.

7. Rod Grinter: Neeld would have 6 of him in the team today. Imagine having him walk up to you at the start of a game.

8. Sean Wight: Desperate and totally lacking in fear. Would throw himself at the ball. Crazy double handed punches and lunges.

9. Jeff Farmer: "Wiz!" yelled the crowd. Say no more.

10. Gary Hardeman: Like Flower all class and better than the flashy pretender from North Melbourne on any given day.

Special mentions; Neitz, a ray of light in the dark, Jacko and Jacko (vich) both crazy and unpredictable. Fun to watch. David Schwartz oh my when he was on. Stinga, Stan Alves, Brett Lovett, Jeff White,Green, …I keep getting some greart memories from this thread keep it up.

We have got a player on our list that has the ability to be one of the best midfielders in the competition, he has all the strengths and has show us that he can be a superstar, unfortunately he only shows it 2-3 times per year.

If you could put Jones desire into Col's body.

I always thought Col could but unless he steps up i doubt it. Watts has the right attributes to win it if he plays around the ground.

As an award I fear its tarnished by only being able to be won by a small group of onballers.

I'd like to see Backs and forwards recognised in some way.

Move over J pod we have the J pack.

Does a rookie have to be paid rookie wages?

Maybe he has put a price on his head for the PSD and has done a deal with us if he falls through.

Interesting one out of left field.

Anyone know what would have to happen for this to come off?

Absolute legend (not a word I use lightly).

Bruce Hearn is a good man (despite his passion for the wobbles).

I know it was a bitter disappointment to him that Liam didn't go to the Pies.

We all owe Bruce a vote of thanks along with all the families who make homes for young recruits.

Robbie, it is impossible to lose something you never had B)

Ah you have picked the flaw in my arguement. I have to defer to you.

What is disturbing to me is the AFL appears to have lost its moral compass on this issue.

Their whatever it takes attitude to establish a beach head Western Sydney means that actions that would be significant breaches by other clubs become worthy of re-examination, players who take a $1M to become the best paid in the league are courageous, income splitting cap avoidance schemes are "strokes of genius" and anyone who questions the "vision" is victimising GWS and its players.

The reality is this the other clubs (including ours) are making sacrifices to help GWS get established and expect it and the AFL then to play by the spirit of the game and rules. My view: putting parents on a salary creates a distortion in the market for players, players are fully entitled to get the best reward for themselves but that’s exactly what it is hardly an act of courage and throwing money at a player beyond what the market would ordinarily bear is not an act of genius. In my view a CEO who applauds such nonsense and forgets the sacrifices being made by the whole football community is not acting in the best interests of the game.

Finally, GWS appear to have adopted a position of gloating and goading which has been a PR disaster. They deserve the bad press and supporters response.

What GWS should have done is thanked the Clubs (who by the way are the reason the AFL exists) for the sacrifices they are making in talent and financially.

Of all the journalists and all the football administrators in the land there is not one man with the cohunas to stand up and expose the shameful collusion between the AFL and GWS and the connivance of those involved in the Scully Scandal but there is one woman who today does make a statement - A Giant miscue lost in the crowd

Caroline Wilson. I salute you!

Spot on.

Thanks Redleg.

Impressed that we are pushing people hard. Does Gawn still look as scared as he did at the Bluey night.

Very glad Bate is going all out this year and is being groomed for a new role, much better we try that than some other team.

Being a long way away I would be interested in a comparison with our training in previous years.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Nathan Jones will one day be the captain of the Melbourne Football Club. He has everything you look for in a captain: a great work ethic, plays every game, he's a consistent performer, loves the club and he's a great role model for the younger players. I have no idea why MFC supporters constantly criticize him. I think he is going to thrive under Neeld and become one of our best players.

I am a big fan but I dont think he has a couple of the qualities I set out above.

I admire that he has improved year on year and puts in for the club. I bet Neeld likes him already.

Happy to be proven wrong but can he commnuicate the coaches message on the field and be an inspiration?

Great congrats to the MFC for getting the DeeTV movies onto the website within 3 or 4 hours.

Why is it I can never get the damn bigpond site to play the videos!

Telstra!

Have to wait for youtube.

Brad miller Lookalike. Does he have a wife called pia?

Welcome to the club. Good pick I reckon, no doubt theyvspoke with him so he knows what is expected.

We can expect a few glum faces when their name is called by GWS followed by "I am looking forward to playing AFL and my dad is really looking forward to his new job as a recruiter for Carlton"