Great_little_footy_team

What do you think is the point of Robbo as an interviewer?

He's not meant to be the hard-hitting media type who does what he can to get as much material out of the subject as possible. The idea is he's meant to be one of "the boys" who gives an insight into the light-hearted atmosphere around the club. He talks about himself as a bit of a joke to bring out the light-hearted banter oucher pointed out between Neeld and himself. If you are watching Robbo's interviews for anything other than a laugh and insight into the personalities around the club you are seriously mislead in terms of his role.

I for one am a big fan of what Robbo does on DeeTV. Always worth a laugh and gets away from the stress of us worrying purely about the on-field performance. Keep it up Robbo!

6. Clark

5. Frawley

4. Grimes

3. Jones

2. Morton

1. Howe

Well he just played a full game for Carey Grammar today and played very well in a win.

Think he'll be alright, one of the toughest kids I've seen play footy

Wow, alot of positivity here for what was a very speculative pick. You're all saying there's minimal risk involved as its only pick 50 odd that we used but following that logic, there was minimal risk involved in any decision we made at that pick.

Sellar is just like any other kid we could have picked up. Not better, no worse until they start playing and proving themselves. Alot of positivity on zero evidence, here

Excellent post Bhima. Interesting thoughts that are extremely well reasoned and I see the logic in all you say. Just a few observations:

1. Howe just seems to be a natural forward to me. Although you point out many assets he could bring to the midfield, his number 1 strength is still his pack marking and the only way he will make full use of that is in the forward line

2. Agree whole heartedly with your belief about the way Morton needs to be treated. Some people are motivated by criticism but others require constant praise and for Morton to get the best out of himself he needs alot more confidence than he holds now. However, can't seriously play on the ball with his size.He'll be smashed out of the way by the bigger bodies and this'll just crush his confidence more. Needs to play on the wing for now at least

3. Absolutely must happen. Only concern is fitness, everytime he plays in the midfield he appears to be injured next minute! If Nisson gets him up and running he MUST play midfield. Especially with the likes of Tapscott and Blease having the ability to play his backline role. These two could also be important to out midfield, get them switching between backline and mid roles

4. As high half forwards I think this will naturally happen. They should both be rotated between forward and mid with plenty of flexibility to go to either regardless of position

Ok, I was quite sceptical about this at first but 18 goals over two weeks, wow! Fev was dominating VFL level and Manson has upstaged him, he has to have something to show on an AFL list! If he is available at our 1st pick, please get him! Jurrah and Manson in the same forward line is too exciting a prospect to pass up!

Can't get stuck into him too much right now. Details are still not fully given. For all we know he was on his way to some running track for some early morning fitness when someone from another car or his mate who was driving did something silly. In that case, we'd all feel sorry for him.

Not saying he didn't do anything wrong as he may have at 6:45 but wait for more details before hammering him completely...

Kicked 34 goals in 17 games. And got named 5 times in the best.. Obviously was playing forward early then moved into the midfield because a lot of his goals were in rounds 1-5. Only being in the best 5 times shows that he didn't exactly set the world on fire. Also think he was named in the Tasmanian state team. Don't know if he played Tassie Under 18s.

This is the most impressive highlights video you will ever see! He has everything - pace, good mark, good kick, takes the game on etc.

Someone with a skill set like that should be tearing a Tassie competition apart. With only 5 times in the best he must have some serious work rate issues...

Saw Lisle play a bit in his junior years (his year 12 really) and didn't rate him at all. He shows glimpses of potential but never really dominated a game, even in the APS competition where he should have looked a class above. He's done nothing to show me otherwise since he got drafted. Would be pretty disappointed if we picked him up

Agree

As I recall, Junior was playing very average football when he got a "sore hamstring" in Round 11. He was out for 7 weeks - during which people like Gysberts really showed something. There was a big question mark over his ability to get another year out of his ageing legs. I reckon that was when they decided to cut him. They should have kept an open mind until Round 22 ... but even then he was a risk. As it happens, he is probably better remembered now than he would have been if he'd limped his way through another season . A tough decision for both club and player. The way it was handled - apparently led by Connolly - was the disaster.

It is obviously a tough time for Greeny ... especially given his relationship with Bailey. It will hurt him to lose the captaincy after such an awful year ... and it will take guts for him to front up again - a real measure of "toughness".But I hope a one year contract can be worked out - because he still has something to offer - and a good year in 2012 would see him out as a great servant of the club.

I seemed to remember that he was actually playing very good football before his injury. In fact I looked it up and he averaged 22.5 disposals which was his 3rd best year across his career as well as averaging 7 tackles. That's with a few very average games coming back after his injury.

The McDonald decision was a shocker regardless of how poorly it was handled.

Agree however that Green deserves to play on with us. Not a great captain but has been a wonderful player and servant over the years. Give him another year but strip him of the captaincy. The problem is there's no one who has shown they have what it takes to take over as skipper. I'd give a Grimes or a Trengove a shot, it's a big risk but I don't think our experienced players are up to it.

Source: http://finalsiren.com/PlayerStats.asp?PlayerID=512&SeasonID=2010

did you guys watch the match, sam blease is a one way player, i do not mind him playing on the wing, but his lame attempt of chases in the last quarter were effectively what gave them two goals. its all well and good for a player to run fast when he has the ball, it is an entirely different matter when the same player who has obvious speed, jogs after opponents, i suspect viney will spray him in the after match meetings

Agree he's shown alot the last 2 weeks but also agree with this to an extent. I think his biggest issue tonight was his fitness. He looked exhausted along the wing in the last quarter and that's the reason his chases were so sub standard.

Has alot to work on (fitness and accountability) but has shown he has what it takes to be a really damaging player!

The way we've been tis year are we much above them?

Sylvia great game by the sounds of it today, but as usual against rubbish; I'd like to see him play a couple of those sorts of games against Collingwood and Hawthorn, not Richmond or Gold Coast.

When will we learn; Col thrives on these contests, but we'll heap praise on him and the media will laud him, oh well.

Hawthorn round 2: 26 disposals

Collingwood Queen's Birthday: Our best player with 17 disposals and four goals

Colin Sylvia had an awesome and consistent 1st half of the year and then had a big form slump. We all jump off him and say he must be traded... Today I thought he was going to shut you all up... apparently I was wrong

He is our most dangerous match winner and before being dropped was our leading tackler going the other way... Give him a break!

When I read the title of the thread I presumed it was going to be about how he shouldn't be playing forward.

I don't know how bad his injury was but he seriously struggled to get involved today (still used it beautifully when he did). As a result, all today did was show that he should be playing mid and behind the ball as much as possible, certainly didn't look like a forward today!

Bruise free stuff should be irrelevant. I don't care about some player weeks ago who made a comment which turned out to be very true. It shouldn't be our motivating factor, we have bigger things on the agenda.

This week is about pride and respect:

Respect for our club

Respect for your teammates

Respect for yourselves

Unbelievable some of the hate on here for Sylvia. Thought the fact he was winning our tackles this year would get him some respect…

Sure, when Scully, Mckenzie etc. came back he spent more time in the forward line and struggled. He's lost form the last month or so but before that he was one of our most consistent performers.

He's one of the few blokes in the team who we've seen stand up when we're losing (Haw last year, 4 goals Queens bday this year).

Also thought he was one of the few blokes who looked like they were trying to get something going on the weekend, he failed but tried - 8 tackles

Would be shattered if we lost him. One of our few dangerous playmakers and match winners!

Wow... I was thinking I wanted him to go... Now it has happened I feel very sad and strangely regretful. Hope it was the right decision...

He's a good bloke, Dean, and I believe a wonderful teacher but he simply didn't demand enough from his players.

I wish him luck in whatever his future endeavours may be...

Hahaha!! Been a shocking day and thanks for the laugh, needed it!

My plan again, in 2012 we are getting Jack Viney under father son, from early indications it will cost us our first pick in the national draft which doesn't include any compo picks we may receive if Scully goes. I am 98% Ox confident that for these 17 yo kids you can sell future draft picks, and there has been recent articles in the media about GWS wanting future picks rather than players. The plan involves us trading our first round 2012 pick to GWS add a player to help may be one you mention. If GWS accept this our first pick in the draft excluding compo picks will be a round 2 pick which would be given up for Viney. We then have what should be two of the best 17yo committed to our club this year plus the compo picks we will get for Scully should he go to GWS which should be 2 picks inside the top 20 picks.

Once again I hope Scully stays, but if he goes and we can pull off the plan we are going to get some very good talent to replace him. My plan hinges on the ability on trading future picks to GWS that aren't compo picks, but reading the Adelaide article and a few other things I think we can do this.

Wow, very clever if you are in fact correct! And could offer us a serious silver lining if Tom does go (I still desperately don't want him to). It sounds a bit unrealistic us being able to trade our 2012 round 1 pick however. I mean, that could be either pick 1 or 18, big difference there for GWS' decision… This trading for 17 yo's business still confuses me!

If anyone can confirm/explain this further, please!

I would throw absolutely everything possible at Patton, he's the sort of player you can build a premiership around. No way GWS would let us get him though. O'Maera still sounds exciting!

Brad Miller kicked 10 in the VFL last year we should chase him.

Seriously I believe that we have other needs just as pressing ie skilled half backs who can break through a forward press and speedy small forwards.

Has Miller also kicked 99 in an AFL season?? Not saying we should get him but worth looking at…

But nonetheless, point taken on the skilled half backs point

One swallow does not a summer make - versus Frankston which is one of the weaker teams and with the likes of Davey, Warnock, Bartram, Dunn, Bate, Gawn etc. I suspect he had a perfect supply. Dont get me wrong I will look at him but I have strong reservations about the idea that one "saviour" will change things for us. Plus there is the consistency of his off field behaviour which would be of great concern.

Davey, Bartram, Bate and Gawn didn't play and Warnock was hardly delivering to him out of full back…

11 goals is 11 goals no matter what and only a fevola-like player could kick a bag like that! His football talent and ability to make us a better side on field is undoubted

The issues are his age, mental application (and fitness) and off-field behaviour

Ah, the key forward debate's back! Comes up at some stage every year! Remember Hawkins and Walker being talked about in the past too! As always, agree we're currently lacking a big, stay at home forward but I'd like to just back one of our own to fill that void - Watts, Fitz, Cook?? Remember last year our big target was a 2nd ruck and now Stef has filled in with perfection, it happens! I spose we could look into it in case though

Like the idea of Taylor Walker, bit of a ratbag but has heaps of potential. Would love to get Tom-a-Hawk but seriously doubt the cats will let him go, they love him down there…

Good idea with Fev but I think he's too old for our Youth Policy, think he'll be 30 next year… Would seriously consider if he was 2 years younger

Arrived about half way through the 1st qtr today and left half way through the last. Meaning I missed about 5 of Fev's goals and left thinking he'd kicked about 5!

Was pretty disappointed with the individual performances of the Melbourne boys today. Thought our best would have been Evans who had a good 2nd half and worked hard, still didn't get a heap of it but had a good day. A real honest footballer

Liked Jetta's game, didn't dominate but layed lots of tackles combined with 1 %'s and everytime he got the ball he looked class and use it beautifully

Dunn was pretty solid. Kicked a few towards the end and finished with 4 goals. Put in a hard working, solid performance and would be pleased. Didn't think he tore the game apart however. Copped a bit from the crowd for the moustache!

Thought Blease, Bennell and Cook struggled today. Especially Blease, really quiet periods and made some shocking errors, looked really frustrated on the bench… guess he was stuffed around a bit with MFC selection, sub and then dropped, wasn't too happy and a bit lost. Bennell and Cook very quiet but Cook did a couple of impressive things. Really not confident about those 3… Blease and Cook have improvement left though.

Campbell wasn't great. Didn't dominate the ruck as he should have and was quiet around the ground. Really liked his 2nd efforts in the stoppages though.

A really weird atmosphere down at Frankston! Some abusive supporters (that fev snapped back at) and a drum and trumpet to go with it!

On the 28th of May 2011, George on the Outer wrote a very interesting article named--Injuries no excuse.......lack of game plan is a reason!

2011-05-28 By George_on_the_outer

I whole heartedly agreed at the time and still do-injuries are a part of the reason we are so inconsistent, lack of experience is another but the main frustration I have, is the ruddy lack of a game plan and in particular playing at Etihad.As we got belted last Friday night, the major thing I left the ground was the thought- Gee -didn't we get outcoached tonight.We didn't seem to make moves, we didn't try to assist Scully getting mauled (furthermore-it seemed that the players thought he was definately going to Sydney-as there was NO HELP given)but the thing is NO GAME PLAN.The best coach we have had recently was Sean Wellman whom left for money and now we have Josh Mahoney(first time coach at the MFC as our Forward coach.) Brian Royal- Backline coach whom has never ever been a defender and a team of development coaches in Williams, O'Donnell, Viney etc..& Bailey.

The truly only strategist among the lot is Scotty West whom oversees the centreline and only last year became a full time employee.We need to spend money in this area and gain some experienced teachers/coaches in specialist roles such as Forward coach-like a Carey or the Ox, definately a specialist back coach- as I feel we have lost our umph back there and someone to overall coach us and implement a game plan to suits our young list for the MCG and a seperate plan /s for other grounds interstate and Etihad.To me our plan of going down the guts at the MCG last year was the correct one and by God we seem to be criss crossing all around the place this year.. We have recruited well and now we have to make it work but now we need expertise(the best) to assist our players.

We seem to have lost our way somewhat -what do others think?

Hate all this tripe about us not having a "gameplan". When we play well, we have a very distinct "gameplan" but then we play like rubbish and everyones saying we've flipped!

Gameplans don't necessarily work for you, you have to work for it! Without 22 players solely committed to giving their all to the game and the "gameplan" it is never going to work. We have shown time and time again that when we turn up and play tough, committed footy, the game works for us and we can very effectively implement a successful "gameplan"

Look at WC, last year everyone wanted Worsfold's head and it looked like he wasn't keeping in touch with the modern game. It took him a few seasons to get the players he needed who were prepared to work hard to play his style together. Now they appear to have the best forward press in the league! You can have the best "gameplan" in the league but without your players being prepared to work for it, it will never appear to be present!

As for the coaching staff, I agree it appears the backline has lost something in the absence of Wellman, something may have to be done there. As for the others, there is no way for us to tell how effective each assistant coach is in their position, we just have to back the FD in...

As for Bailey, it appears he has done so much right but still isn't getting the results we need. Maybe it is time to move on, but I believe if we get a new successful coach in and we look back as a premiership side, us and the young players will have a lot to thank Bailey about as he has taught them so much. I'd love to back him in for a while longer, but I admit I do have my concerns…

Yeah I thought Nicholson was sub in his first game as well.

Pretty sure he was a sub in his 1st two games. Carlton and then Essendon, but he ended up playing a fair bit against Essendon because Sylvia got subbed off early...

I think if you love Talladega nights (the ballad of Ricky Bobby) you would love the name, now all he needs is a side kick and we can start yelling out "SHAKE N BAKE"

Hmm... I love the movie but still hate the nickname. Don't really know why, it just really annoys me. I mean, you can call any Ricky, Ricky Bobby can't you? Why's he the one picked out for the nickname?

Also quite liked the 'Kam' Mckenzie suggestion. It wasn't irony but was a clever nickname never the less!

Always loved Ricky for his attack on the ball, great to see it's come back!

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