John Crow Batty

Here's a link to todays Gary Lyon's AGE article on AFL reserves teams and what they may have done for the fortunes of Geelong and Collingwood. Made my eyes narrow with anger that we are now de facto social workers for that numbskull Fevola at the expense of our young hopefuls. Closes with the suggestion that other teams may be going for their own reserves sides next season. I hope he is talking about us TWO SIDES FOR TOTAL CONTROL

Good points here.

Changing the rules is not a problem IMO but firstly the AFL should consider them more carefully and longer before implementation. At the other extreme look at soccer where rule changes are akin to changing the national constitution. They are too anal retentive and we are too promiscuous.

Well divergent opinions are the life blood of all forums.

Our game is brutally punishing and faster than all other codes. And more game time than any other code too. I've though of a few options but I like this one now. I'd go for limiting rotations, Perhaps to 30 a quarter. And have three interchange and three subs a game. That will cover injuries, tactical changes and allow for interchange players to be subbed too. Will ensure players don't get run into the ground and perhaps reduce soft injuries also.

Thank you for highlighting my error. I'll take the smack on the chin gladly. But don't worry too much about me. Be more concerned for the club instead.

Perhaps a statement on lack of forward pressure and inadequate press? But I agree midfield and defence look worse.

If Brisbane play bad we should smash them by 50 points. If they have come to fight it out we should at least match them all the way and a 1 point win would be a great result.

We do need someone who can lock the ball in forward and chase defenders.

Tapscott looks like the man for the job.

OK lets keep him quarterbuckling or whatever for the rest of the season just to prove a point.

Hasn't anyone considered the draw with Swans was maybe a better effort than first thought after they came back and beat the glamour team bombers?

I'd be happy to see him going forward again. He's creative and dynamite around goals. It's just not working for him now that he gets tagged.

Fox Sports News tonight said 5 Melbourne players have been dropped. Does that mean Jones, Dunn, Watts or even Pettard are not playing? Not sure how to take this. Hope to see Maric get another crack soon too.

Seriously in all my heart I hope he eventually signs with us but I won't believe it until its official. But why wait up to another month? Is it really going to happen? Get it over and done with now. He's the gun midfielder we desperately want back.

Listen I think you got me mixed up with someone else. My name is not Tom.

Get another avatar. Roos looks a lot better.

And on Fox sports his injury was now listed as "Indefinite".

You being the fount of all knowledge and wisdom now transcend the use of mere words rendering them superfluous and unnecessary. The merest glance at your avatar is all the enlightenment one needs to see where all our problems lie.

"Fast tracking" all the timidity out of our game would be a good start and target to win a measly 3 more games than last season. Is that too much to ask for? I don't accept that we have to bring up our average games to 70 odd and still be playing like 2009. I was a fan of Bailey but he's lost me in the past couple of months. I'm starting to wonder if he has the full confidence of the playing group. So far they don't play like they have IMO.

I won't be happy unless I see a red blooded go for a full 8 quarters to smash the bears and the upstarts in the next fortnight. If not, start minting the coin. No more honeymoon for Bailey. Tails for Roos Heads for Malthouse Can't lose either way.

Good to see some red blooded spirit and heart. Keep it up.

Some white flag stuff and weasel word excuses drier than a pommy's towel here. How long will it take to develop red blooded competative spirit and some heart? It certainly hasn't appeared so far this season. Must be next years target. Should we ask James Hird what's his secret for a quick fix?

No offensive tactics are going to work effectively if our first clean possessions after centre clearances are coming from deep in defence with the opposition forward press coming down hard.

Confucius also says; Esteemed Melbourne coach has not more hair left to lose.