Webber

I was at the game, which is why it was sooooo apparent that the blueboys just happily ran into unmanned space to be delivered to, with a startling lack of pressure from us. With the exception of the Adelaide game, our willingness to make the opposition accountable for an entire game simply does not exist.

Same thing Nathan Jones does.....fracture something. Judd, Selwood, Mitchell on the other hand.....don't touch 'em. 6. Sylvia 5. Jones 4. Rivers 3. Watts 2. Macdonald 1. Martin

Based on last night, how could anybody drop Newton instead of Petterd? I think Newton is the biggest roaster in the spud patch, but Petterd particularly, and Bate second, were MUCH more of a liability than Newton. We are just a horribly wobbly caboose full of passengers at the moment, but due to injuries, we just can't make them accountable for their undeserving play. On form from last night, there are 6 I would drop from last night, but Petterd MUST go, and Scully(if fit) and Trengove must come back. Therefore, Out: Petterd, Evans, Nicholson (harsh, but they are underexperienced, and we need to have some experience out there. They will get more oppotunities) In: Howe, Scully, Trengove.

Last night, Carlton racked up an endlessly depressing stream of uncontested possessions. Thus, their possession stats went through the roof compared to ours. It made for woefully boring football,but was relentlessly effective against us, the turnover kings. What does it take for a team to shift it's defensive strategy to make these possessions accountable? It has to come from the coach/es. Why are we not playing contested, accountable football? Why, why, why, why?

FWIW, I spoke to an inside observer of Jack's footy at Carey, and he is apparently 'scary tough', fast and hard. I know it's only school footy, but it sounds like he might just be a chip off the old block.

Totally correct. There are a lot of blinkered posters here. His progress has been unarguably consistent, and his base level abilities (speed, coordination, decision making, marking and kicking) are becoming delightfully more apparent. He is going to be a superstar. If we can hang on to Scully, the thought of having Watts, Scully, Jones, Trengove, Gysberts, Jetta, Tapscott, McKenzie, Grimes, Garland and Frawley fit and firing in 3 to 5 years gladdens my heart. As sub-25 year olds now, and from where they are at, or have shown they will become, I truly believe they will form not only the backbone of the best team in the AFL, but will be fighting for AA positions. Add some consistency from the talented waverers like Jurrah, Bennell, Petterd, a dose of the unknown such as Tom McDonald, Max Gawn, Lucas Cook, and Jeremy Howe, and dare I say Jack Viney? (again all under 25), and some reliable seniority from Sylvia, Moloney and Rivers, and we will take A LOT of beating. There is an enormous amount of frustration about our season to date, but things will steady. Maybe not this year, and maybe not with this coach, but I see it coming. It doesn't make the North or West Coast game any the less soul destroying, but it JUST MAKES SENSE. Jack Watts is just the poster-boy for those with unrealistic early expectation syndrome, but in 3 to 5 years, he's going to be a poster-boy for a whole other reason.

Megan Fox, assuming she's the 62 year old one from Scoresby.

I think Newton actually IS Kozi! It's just some weird parallel universe/time dimension relativity thing! Have you ever seen them in a room together? No......

Ain't that the truth.....they are our nuggets, basically week in, week out.....they'll just never get the credit.

10 metres out....you're being generous! But he is hilariously woeful

6. Jones 5. Martin 4. Moloney 3. Rivers 2. Gysberts 1. McKenzie 0. Umpires.....worst season of umpiring in memory.

I thought yesterday's battle between Newton and Koschitzke for the worst player in the AFL was the most enjoyable aspect of the game. Watching Rivers just body Kosi off the incoming ball like he was flicking lint was as fascinating as it was hilarious, while Gwilt did the same to Newton. Surely he must NEVER be given another game! OUTS : Tapscott obviously, Newton, Bate (what did he offer that it wouldn't be worth debuting Howe for?), Watts (just kidding), INS: Bennell, Morton, Howe. Whatever, we are in for a massive and very ugly thumping.

the Casey player review was heavily intimating Jordie McKenzie won't be playing for the Dees this weekend. Evans or Nicholson for the upgrade I would think, and based on consistency, Evans seems likely...

Good post, and it's an interesting topic as it deals with intangibles. The lack of 'mongrel' you describe is spot on. I was saying it in my teens, and keep coming up with it in my forties.

Scully's knee is a result of a pre-existing condition. Here's the scenario....in preseason, the intention is to bring every player up to a 'peak' level of fitness. Along the way, you grade their workload based on symptom presentation. If they have no symptoms, there is NO reason to hold them back, unless you have a history of symptomatic response to a certain workload. This is why older players have a more considered approach. Tom Scully came to the club having suffered a patella fracture. He then had a preseason and played a full season ASYMPTOMATICALLY. That's a clean slate. During preseason, he would have started to present with soreness, was subsequently assessed, and found to have a stress reaction. Appropriate response and management from then. This is not anybody's fault. Compare it to Trent Croad's foot. THAT is poor management, and it ended his career.

Complete [censored]!!!! Our players take the same time to get over the same injuries as other clubs. EVERY injury is slightly different and are managed on a case by case basis. ALL our injuries this year have been impact related. This has absolutely nothing to do with fitness or physical preparation. It is bad luck and part of the game. In fact the one injury which is potentially workload or preparation related, and I'm being very presumptuous here, is Jordie McKenzie's groin. He is back ahead of time.

As a physiotherapist, I have to say this is the stupidest post I have ever seen.....EVER, and I'm not going to give it credibility by explaining why. Take it down before someone gets hurt!

In regard to Michael Newton, try this thought experiment.....imagine that up until this year, he was playing for Williamstown in the VFL. Melbourne decided to take him on as a mature age rookie in the manner of Barlow, Duigan or Podsiadly. He played at Casey and earned his spot in the 1's against North (whatever the reasons). With this view, how would you think he performed on Saturday? Would you pick him next week? Would you see him as one of the positives from the game? My point is, could he be a late maturer, in the manner of those players mentioned above? I admit to being frustrated that he was kept at MFC this year, but equally I have to admit that the above is possible.

Just as I suspected wyl, all the players you have named are from the Northey era....the only time in my life as a Melbourne supporter when I KNEW the team would leave it all on the park. As has been mentioned, they were a shade short on premiership ability as a team, but they were hard, and never lay down. Now who on that list is currently at the club, and has been through coaching apprenticeships at other clubs? I was convinced Todd Viney would put himself forward for the gig post Neale Daniher, but maybe he didn't feel he had the experience at that time. I know he's not the 'premiership' coach many feel we HAVE to have, but isn't he the type of 'culture' we're looking for? I think Malthouse or Matthews would be a huge mistake. I cannot imagine Malthouse maintaining his enthusiasm for coaching at another 'development' club, and Matthews time has passed. Paul Roos is worth considering if he was interested, and beyond that, if there aren't any premiership coaches available, why not Todd Viney?

Jonesy would make a great future captain, but can you imagine the meltdown on Demonland from the 'he's C-grade' brigade?

If we were to look for uncompromising 'hardness' and 'never say die' qualities in MFC players since 1985, who would be the players you would name, present list excluded? In other words, those who were NOT an example of the 'soft' culture we're debating. Would Todd Viney be one of those?

It was a pass to equal any of Aaron Davey or Stephen Tingay's best.....thrillworthy!

Couldn't agree more.... he embodies the reason I can remain loyal to this team despite some of the garbage they have served up this season. His development has been consistent, and he is as hard a worker as I have seen. The criticism of him is so misplaced as to be pathological. At the game on Saturday, after Jones had kicked long from the back pocket to a leading Watts on the wing, where the contest took the ball out of bounds, one of OUR supporters yelled, and I quote "you're rubbish Jones, I'd rather have 17 players out there than have you making up 18". What is that? Honestly, where does that come from? Needless to say, he was given an equivalent level of abuse from ALL the Melbourne supporters around within ear shot. I can only hope he felt like the idiot that he is. I was at the game with my brother, a fellow supporter and psychiatrist, and his professional spin on the Jones-hating is interesting. He has effectively become, largely because he is so visible, is a midfielder, and just doesn't miss games, emblematic of this team and all its frustrations. Even when we play well, there are those who will never consider the part Jones has in it. He is not the talisman of victory. When we play badly, he is noticed to the disproportionate opposite, he is it seems the talisman of defeat. Why this is so is probably unanswerable.... Well done Nathan Jones, you are a footballer's footballer.

Inclined to agree, and whilst his errors are frustrating, I can see the beautiful butterfly starting to poke its way out of the chrysalis.....too much ???? Aussie on the other hand, whilst many of us have a big soft spot for him, just can't be kept in the team with his lack of influence. We would like to think he can be the damaging small forward, but he's just not working hard enough in the right ways. The same could be said for Jamie Bennell at the moment, his lack of influence as an 'outside' player is frustrating, because we all know he has talent. One thing's for sure and whatever happens with selection, they will get more chances to earn back the love. Newton is a dilemma. I basically and previously believed he is a citrus fruit of the yellow variety, but he was frankly a revelation in the first quarter. Marks, goals, tackles, assists, and don't forget how beautifully he milked that little slap for a 50m penalty! He didn't disgrace himself from there on, but did he do enough to earn his spot next week? If we were all prepared to ignore his history, e.g. imagine it was his first game for the club after being recruited mature age from the VFL, a la Duigan at Carlton, he definitely would. Should we look at him as maybe a late bloomer? Stranger things have happened, and it would be a massive bonus for the club. All those who berate Martin for his efforts on Saturday need to T.A.L.H.L.A.T (take a long hard look at themselves). He was UNARGUABLY in our best 5 players. Rivers and McKenzie are definite ins. Bate, MacDonald, Gawn, Morton, and Evans are all maybe's. It's gonna be a fascinating week at the MFC, and there will be change, but remember.......a change is as good as a holiday. And who doesn't love a holiday ?

Seems to be the consensus, but given St.Kilda's height, Gawn may be a punt worth taking....allows Martin, who is super fit, to be used down back if required. Sure he is raw, gives away free kicks and probably would have nil impact around the ground, but height may be an issue for us.