old dee

Could not agree more with your last comment. we have almost no mongrel, there is probably no melborne player that other teams hate. Too many "nice guys"

Me too DC but the only way you find out is in real games. Training proves very little, some players are great trainers but lousy players when in the heat of battle and vice versa. Hang in there till April.

I agree but after todays statements you won't get anything from this lot it is all about self preservation. It reminds of the old one "we did not break down we just failed to proceed" Is james Sutherland the "king with no clothes " of australian sport or what. We just got beaten in the worst manner ever recorded vs the Poms. Have some decency and resign alone with Hildich and Neilson.

I think it is all fairly simple. We do not have enough quality players to compete with the top 3 - 4 test teams. If you look at the performances over the fives games then IMO only 4 players would be in contention to get a game with England. Watson at 5, Hussey at 4, Haddin and perhaps Siddle, would any of them actually replace an english player? The only player I think that would replace an englishman would be Watson for Collingwood. I have been around for a while and this is the worst team that we have fielded against England. Even the team that took on england at the start of the "Packer" revolution did not get belted like this team. At least we had a captain and Vice captain that justfied their spots in the team. It is sad but we have a very long way to go to get back to the top. IMO it is time to start at the top, how can you entertain a chairman of selectors who is part time! We should replace the selection commitee, and coaching panel even if they have long contracts, the ACB is far from broke. A bit of "Essendon Therapy" is required then start a fresh with the team, pick a side for August based on performances over the next three months shield results. A few players should be advised that their ACB contracts are under review and a few others should be told that it is over, eg. Hughes, Ponting, Kadich, and all the bowlers except Siddle and Bolanger ( too early on Beer ). I know that is a lot to replace but as the saying goes "to make an omelette you have to break a few eggs".

I am not trying to get up your nose, go back and read the end of second last line. It says " but he is really quite innocent" Whatever else he is it is not "innocent"

Well AoB he has put up another fine display today 4, yes FOUR! Summer average is now 18 and still headed south. a long time ago I was told you dead bat the last ball of the day no matter what the game position. He was the VC with his team in a tough position. Pure and simple he gave away his wicket. If you look at his long term average the big scores are against the weaker test nations eg NZ. The guy is a good shield player who is not up to it against the better test sides. Should not be in the test side let alone be the captain after his performances this summer.

No he was not in Brisbane! However you can get a drink in New York I believe

But she is now only 17 rpfc, this has been going on since adam and eve. young girl gets involved with an older man. Older man has his fun then dumps her. Young girl is very sad and upset. The only difference is in 2011 the young girl now has new ways to get revenge even if in a misguided way. I do however agree with you and others the photos are not the real story!

I don't think he is being persecuted "dee-luded" his list of Alcoholic episodes is long. He is not "really quite innocent" the guy is 30, has a wife and children. However he is an Alcoholic, pure and simple, in Australia he has a lot of mates However that does not excuse him. I hope he can realise what he is and stop drinking that is the only way out for him. The alternative as you suggest is bad.

In isolation all he has done is drink too much on New years eve. However he is an alcoholic with numerous transgressions and like a lot of achololics he gets agressive when he drinks. I think that Brisbane is stuck with him unless the AFL suspends his license to play AFL e.g. Cousins. The call will have been made to the AFL until they decide the Bris line will be he has asked for leave to sort himself out. If the AFL suspend him Brisbane is off the hook. If not Brisbane is stuck with him. Unfortunately he is no rocket scientist and now may be the end! No football cheque and with big bebts it would not surprise to see him do something very silly. I hope not but it looks grim.

The guy spends half his life in New york these days. If you believe him you have a serious case of wishful thinking. 8th place I think would be around the mark for the Dees in 2011. We are still a very young side with a lot of players who have not proved they can make it at AFL level.

Brad Green for me. That means Davey will get it for sure!

Thanks DC I am not ancient but 3-4 years seems a long time compared to 10 years ago. I have every intention of being around long after 2014 I just get a little frustrated with 3 - 4 year time frames these days. Happy new year guys I am looking forward to a big 2011, 10 wins will make me very very happy.

Eye sight maybe but comprehension is ok. Like DC said I think we are all pretty much of the same opinion. Nice tread though that is worth reading on the last day of 2010. Does anyone have an opinion on when our premiership window will open? I think 2014 ( hope it is earlier as I am not getting any younger ) because I think it will be that long before we have a large number of players with 100 games to their credit. around 100 seems to be the magic figure floated by some "experts"

Sorry AoB but he is a promoted beyond his ability! He should not be in the 20/20 side, every game his slow scoring holds back the team. A captain does not throw away his wicket on the last ball of the day trying a ridiculous shot. He should stick to selling second hand Astons and underwear. I think you have missed the new guy from NSW to replace Ponting, so that makes 5 out of the 11 starters is 45%.

Exactly why it could be a Melbourne player.

All of what you say is correct I just think you are kidding yourself to think that our players are going to be immune to approaches. I will not be surprised if one of our young guys leaves.

Most players have stayed with their existing club because it was very difficult to get to the club of their choice and the incentive was probably only 15% more. That is not the case with the GWS, they know exactly where they would be going and increase could easily be 100%. A large number of recruits come from interstate they know no one at the start but relationships soon develop. No different in going to a new club. As for the premiership window, that only applies to a few clubs any way. The MFC is probably not a long way ahead of GWS and you may never win one by staying at the MFC. Look at Prestie at Collingwood played there all his career and was injured and never played in a winning GF. I think at times we all want players to stay and convince ourselves that players will stay for various reasons. The reality is that given a big enough cheque a large number will jump ship and I could not blame them. Remember they only came to Melbourne in the first place because we chose them in the draft!

I saw a lot of Robbie Flower he was brilliant! Unfortunately he played in a period when we were hopeless. Had he left and gone to Carlton / north melbourne he would have played in premierships Been on TV ( They only recorded 2 games a week in those days )had much more exposure. And his reputation would be 10 times bigger than it is now. I have no arguement with his decision to stay at Melbourne. However there is always another side to every story and RF has no idea how he would have felt playing in a Premiership for Carlton. If he had left his book might have said "leaving to play in a premiership was a good move".

I agree with you DC however I think an MFC player will go for the cash in the next couple of years Especially if you think the competition for your spot is getting too tight e.g Mclean As I said before I would for an extra $300 000 x 3 years = $900 000

I agree I was angry when I saw the team but what can you expect. Until there are changes made at the top it will be the same old story. It is almost 2011 and Australia has A chairman of selectors who is part time Oh please! WE have been beaten in every area on and off the field by the English I always judge a team by " how many of these players would the oppositon want?" In our team I came up with 4, Watson, Hussey, Haddin and Siddle. Not many is it. My new theory is this team led by a guy who has an average of 21 and laughs when we are getting done like a dinner will again get thumped. Hughes, Clarke, Smith and Hilfenhaus will be shown up as the imposters they are and fade away never to be seen again. I am actually surprised Hilfenhaus is in the team could have sworn he came from Tassie.

I have no complaint about the jumpers however I have a small story about the MFC shop. Just before Christmas my wife ( Collingwood would you believe ) went with my daughter ( not Collingwood thank god ) to buy me one of the new Polo shirts. They were both very disappointed with the experience. Both claimed the place was a shemozale with almost nothing of the new range available. There was old gear all over the place. The staff were nice and tried to be helpful but you cannot sell what you don't have. Their comment was why advertise the 2011 items when there was no stock. My wife came home muttering about no wonder we cannot beat the "PIES" I am still living with the negative comments on the 30th. I think in some areas the club still has a ways to go before we can match the top clubs!

But there were also a number that did go DC! All I am saying is I will not be surprised when one does go. If we are talking of 100 000 more on top of $500 000 it is a lot different to $300 - $400 000 more Would you stay for $400 000 less? An AFL career is quite short. I would take me about 5 minutes to decide.

Oh how I hope this is true however my gut tells me otherwise. If someone approached you and said come and work for us at twice the pay with a guarnateed contract of three years and the same conditions what would you do? Say no I like the lunch time conversations too much!

After reading the article WJ I think he is dead right but as you suggest the AFL will not do any thing in the hope the idiots at the ACB will take all the media attention over the next six weeks then the Pre season competion will start! If something does see the light of day they will hide behind the fact the police have investigated and no charges will be laid. BF and LB all over again.