Harrisonrules

I think there is both a push and pull factor. We play really well when the backs and mids get on top and they push the ball forward well and bring out the best in the forwards. At this stage we haven't developed the necessary talent on the forward line to create the pull from the forward line to lift the mid and back lines when they are struggling. If the forwards are good enough to capitalise on any half a chance then they create scoreboard pressure. The opposition backs get scared when the ball comes down. The game is circular. Our circle is still lopsided to the back half

Those who continually bag Rivers etc, can at least sympathise with those of us who can't get our head around Bartram and Miller. We all have our preferences and often differ from the coaches. I'm not one who think the coaches always get it right, but we just have to live with it. The one thing we all get right is that they pick a red and blue team and we barrack for whoever is wearing it.

Get over it. Don't forget Brock busted his gut for the Red and Blue. Just be smug that he openned the door for Jordie Boy. We are the long term winners. Just know on this Saturdie the Blues will be a bit slower than usual.

When I sat down to pick my tips this week I naturally came to Melb v Blues and wondered if I now dare to sacrifice one selection to loyalty win lose or draw. Was I right to pick the cats last week at the cattery?, loyalty or common sense. I chose the cats. But where does one draw the line in the sand. We should have beaten the Kangas and the eagles. We lost it against the pies and doggies, they didn't win it. Our form is unpredictable. Backs and mids are relatively constant. We know what we will generally get from them. Against the cats I was happy enough with our general play, but the forward line is still a long way off. The cats just know how to kick goals, we don't. We are getting there but very slowly. We are still a long way from having a sound forward line with a bit of tweeking with the rise and fall of form. The blues should be favourites this week end. We can win but it depends on which team comes, the good forwards or the bad forwards.

It always puzzled me why Craig Cameron was celebrated as a great recruiter but left us with such a poor list. Of our current team, one selection which has concerned me was the pick of Maric when we were desperately in need of tall forwards. Young Bulldog Roughhead came in the same draft in the early 30's, I for one will be watching the progress of both players.

Re Miller. In Darwin he happened to be in the right place at the right time. Watch the last quarter and see his eight dissmal attempts to mark in contested positions. We are marking time with him there. We should be trying other options like, Rivers are Garland up forward.

The idea of a Darwin Syndrome is reasonable to a point. But we can go to far. Warnock had not played the week before but was far from good. As a small backman Bartram can shadow but he has never provided run out of the backline , maybe Strauss and Cheney should be given their chance soon. Tall marking forwards have often provided our backs with problems, eg North Melbourne. Martin should still be considered as our best option to do this.

Each scar has its own particular treatures to offer. We are treaure laden.

Bailey recently stated publicly that the forward line will need one more solid tall to stand by Jack Watts and Liam Jurrah. His vision is for the three talls. And don't forget Liam is only 188. Jurrah and Watts are mobile talls but lack weight. We need the solid pack marking forward according to Dean Bailey. There is nobody in the club who is measuring up to this requirement at the moment. Fitzy is the next in line to show his wares. Middle of next year he may appear but even if it is 2012 my opinion stands. If Gawm progresses quicker I'll be happy. In my opinion Fitzpatrick will appear earlier.

I'm sure we are all thoroughly enjoying the development of Mark Jamar. his tap and body work is fantastic, his improvement around the ground is great, particularly his contested marking and kicking especially for goal, it must be close to 90% accuracy. Our back up is the problem. Martin, Johnson, Spencer all have a reasonable capacity to releave Russian at the bounce. Our problem is to find out what to do with them then. A second possition for a tall requires one extra major skill to justify their place on the ground and that is overhead contested marking. This is a major problem at Melbourne. Johnson looks so good until the pack flies and he just cannot read the flight of the ball, Spencer takes an occasional mark but his other skills are poor. He needs several years to develop to justify his position. Martin was good down back, but has taken a lot longer to adjust to a forward postion. Down back he took some good marks but will take more time to satify us with his marking elsewhere. The next level of potentially forward talls, eg 194 to 196cm who might hold down a set position and pinch hit in the ruck similarly have let us down in the contested marking area. Leaving aside JW and LJ, Newton, Dunn, Miller, Bate are our tall forwards but non of them can competatively mark high ina contested situation. Newton gets up there but drops most, Dunn has a good range of skills but rarely if ever flies high and hard for a contested mark and brings it down, Bate has 50% hands and cann't jump at all. Miller has extremely poor hands and has no sense of flying for a mark in a pack, if you doubt me I suggest you look at the final quarter of the Darwin game. There were about 8 chances for him to mark the hard ball and he just couldn't compete. Bate is the only one who has a chance of surviving becasue he has great goal sense and a beautifully accurate kick over distance. Fortunately our tall backs can all mark, Frawly, Warnock, Rivers, Garland, MacDonald. So where is our hope. Its a year away. I believe Fitzpatrick is our man. And my opinion is as much hope as evidence. I've seen a couple of his games, but several video clips around the draft time. In those he was a great mark, can play forward or back, has great speed and agility and he is 200 cm. Along with JW and LJ he is the missing forward tall and backup ruck. Go Fitzy... I believe Gawm will take time and will be the replacement for Jamar.

Miller's good was good, just happened to be in the right place at the right time. But his bad was bad. Review the last quarter and check out the eight contested marking opportunities he had. He was deplorable. That's why he can no longer hold his place ( I know he will get 3 or 4 more games ). He's a lovely guy but just a VFL footballer

I agree Bartram has improved his skills this year, but question his long term potential. I have been a great supporter of Lyndon Dunn but as the FD has given up on him as a forward he is only being seen as an onballer. I really think you can only have one tagger in the team whose skills are not their dominant asset. So who is it Dunn or Bartram. Personally I go for Dunn.

I believe Morton will be better for the run. Skills were a bit off this week in the greasy condition but for first up he did extremely well. He has that great skill of running to the play or one step ahead to be a new target. I reckon he is a must for every game he is fit. He is just as important as the usual list of young guns, s..t..w...g...f.. + m....

Scully's handballing reminds me of Grep Williams, incredibly creative. Trenner's all round high level of skill closer to Buckley.

Depends on which one has the ball

Enjoyed a great night at the Bentleigh Club last Saturday night watching the big win.The meal before was great value in pleasant surroundings. Didn't know we had so many ferrel Dee's fans. It was great fun particularly yelling at the umpires who thoroughly deserved it once again. ..... as if the umps could hear us. I thought the TV was lucky to make it through the night. The despondancy four minutes to go was thick and painful but on the siren we certainly sang the song with incredible gusto.. probably better than the players ... despite being as exhausted as they were. I reckon the club could get us a better TV, nevertheless it was my first time there and will certainly do it again.

My mate and I have bought general admission tickets to the cattery for this Saturday. Any advice on the best place to watch the game on these cheepo's

My understanding is that the coaching staff are impressed with Millers athleticism, Bartram has been an elite distance runner all his life and hence he is used as a small tagger despite VFL level skills. Dunne..oops..Dunn is a great distance runner for a tallish player, tantilizing skills just haven't clicked as we had hoped. He should be Sylvia like but never breaks packs etc and rarely a contested mark.. Bell solid body with great pace but VFL level skills.. . Spencer has a great leap and reasonably good mobility but as a Basketball player is far away from the required skill level for what we need - a final eight level player. His are really still at VFL seconds level. What's the rush, big guys take longer - let him develop at VFL level.

I'm with those who think some of our backs should be tried forward. Following the game Frawley and Lyon discussed it on the Radio and concluded Bailey had been out coached. Frawley mentioned young chips earlier experience as a forward. Garland started as a very young forward in Tassie senior football and kicked something like 7 in his first game ( if my memory is correct and I'm not mixing him up with Tony Locket ), Rivers came as a back/forward. How much is it Bailey and how much is it Mahony

The general trend in the AFL has been to increasingly value the Athlete as a footballer. Many footballers are exceptional athletes, but in numerous cases the lesser skilled player is still tolerated. At Melbourne our coaches are lagging behind other teams in solving this matter. We continue to play footballers with skill way below final four level. If it is believed they can develop the required skill they should do this in the VFL. They wear Red and Blue so we love them, but Bartram, the great survivor Miller, Spencer (to early to play him) Bell, Dunne (disappointing, are all holding the team back. Why do supporters see but the coaching team don't?

We need Sam. As good as they are, Molony, Jones, Sylvia, Scully, Trengove, McKenzie, Jetta.. are not the fastest players in the league. Don't know where Gysberts and Tapscott fit with pace

Good thought. I'll cross my fingers.

We are told today that the conditions in Darwin will be warm and dewy. The players have been experimenting with gloves and wrist bands. Why would you bring Miller in when the guy has one of the worst pair of hands in the team (competition) He rarely grabs it below his knees or above the shoulders. When was the last time he significantly contributed toward a win. Spencer is a project player, maybe potential but as a basketball player he should be left to learn the game in the VFL. The game will be played on the ground. Neither he nor Miller will contribute enough to warrant selection. It's these decisions that perpetuate the questions about the competence of the coaching staff. There perceptions are still too coloured by the dream world. I guess I should console myself that this is dreamtime weekend.

This is a business selection, directed from the board. Indigenous players for the north. I'm happy for Wonna and Jetta. But they are still not fit enough. Miller !What's the point. Those who've played at Mt Gravat stick together. Bailey lets his emotions overtake him at times and loses perspective.

We may win a flag because of Jack Watts plus team. I don't think NicNat plus team would give us the same chance. We've heard of Jack being likened to Saint Nick, but I liked hearing Kev Bartlet and Pat Smith comparing him to a veryy very young James Hird - multi skills, ( Quick creative hands, two nice clean contested marks, super clean pick up from his ankles, and of course 90% shot on goals from 55 metres, not to mention speed. So we lost the game, but the fire is lit. One week at a time the kids have been showing their talent, Trengove Rising Star, Skulls Rising Star, Jack Watts super talents, Jack Grimes better than Gibbs even now, wait to see Gysbert......I'm Drouling.