Grandson of a gun

I hate the filth and would love to beat them. We should never have been close to them on QB but they kept missing goals (some from easy positions). And even though they allowed us to stay in the game, we still weren't good enough to win it. Don't know that they would be worried but hey if we make it then anything is possible...

Shattered confidence or not. Who Cares. It would be the best 17.47 seconds of her (and my) life!!!!!!!

Again another person satisfied with "close enough". 12 wins is the minimum to achieve a "winning" season. "Close" will not win us flags.

Trengove to have 26 touches, 2 goals.

Colin Sylvia was on SEN this afternoon and the Ox asked him the question of Leading Teams. Colin unequivocably stated that his turn around in his life, attitude and football came as a result of the Leading Teams program. He was first cab off the rank and the home truths are what got him to where he is today. From an outsiders perspective, that would seem like it is working for MFC. Hopefully it continues to do so.

Ridiculous. Wow. Do we understand English differently. Here is what the MFC report on Bail says: Rohan Bail: Rohan kicked the ball really well and had 17 possessions. He went hard at it all day and had a pretty solid game. Can't see how that will get him dropped. Do you ever consider that Junior was actually tagging Simon Black and rendered him ineffective? People are so blind. Here is the MFC write up of his game for all you nuff nuffs: James McDonald: It was great to have James back. He had a really good battle with Simon Black. After eight weeks out, it was a nice, solid return. WTF? Does the kid have to bring World Peace before people will actually get off his back. If you cannot see this kid developing more and more every week then you are as blind as you are stupid. I suppose you wanted Nic Nat too. Don't believe anyone is beyond dropping. But as i mentioned above, he tagged Black out of the game which was a big contribution to our win. Hopefully he does the same to Deledio or Cousins or whoever else this week. Dropping him. Geeeezus.

I'll back in Chip. But it will also come to assistance from Garland and Rivers and if Richmond continue with the bomb it in theory my thinking is that Jared Rivers will be licking his lips as that is his forte and he will have 15 marks for the day. I'm predicting a much closer game but the Demons to flex some muscle towards the end and run out 23 point winners.

Ha. Yes Rhino that is right. But do we really? Think about it....... Go back to the game and watch. Collingwood smashed us for a half but kept missing. You were at another game if you didn't see that. I gave them credit for fighting back then and i still do. But bottom line we weren't good enough to win. Getting close doesn't win you grand finals. Winning the close ones does. I agree with the rest of your post and that in essence is part of the reasoning behind mine.

I meant that he was gone in the first minute of that game. That was effectively three weeks for the injury. Don't get me wrong, he is great and up until recently i think he would have been automatically back in but based on the FD's recent selection decisions, i wouldn't be surprised to see him come back through the two's. That's all.

If not, very close. He rose last year, became consistent and tore games apart. Has also done it this year but with injury interruptions which always affect a players form.

Don't get the thread sidetracked lads. I think Jordie is in front of Jack in terms of an RS nomination. I do believe hurley might pip him but Jordie's season has been more consistent.

I think it has reached a point with the number of weeks missed by Moloney that he (like McDonald and Trengove) will come back through the twos. (if it was only a couple of weeks then yes he selects himself but i think it has gone beyond that). Surely people are waking up that we need that second ruckman. Using Dunn and Sylvia also hurts the types of games that both are playing at the moment. Johnson is doing ok and will stay. I believe LJ will stay too for at least one more week. Whilst i don't think Bennell has been bad, or that he should be dropped on the weekend's game alone, he is probably in the gun given the pressure on for spots. Based on this (and assuming no injuries or suspensions): Out: Bennell In: Trengove If Sylvia gets sighted for a front on hit and goes then i believe Maric will come in. Warnock is stiff but the backline is functioning really well at the moment and none of them deserve to be dropped. If they drop LJ then Bate will come in as the replacement forward target. Tapscott is getting closer Looking forward to what will be an exciting match.

Not if they have a losing season ( ie lose more games than they win). See above. Not so ridiculous. We ran Collingwood close once. Weren't good enough to win. We ran the Bullies close once and again weren't good enough to win. We should have been 10 goals down against the Pies the second time around at half time. We still weren't good enough to win. Don't get me wrong, the performances were great and a drastic improvement on years gone by. I took many positives from them, but ultimately, and Dean Bailey said as much in the post game interviews each time, Yes we ran teams close but we weren't good enough to beat them. I am not knocking how hard they work or where the club is headed. For years it took 12 wins to make the finals. A winning season so to speak (12-10). It is only the last couple that have seen teams slip in with a losing season. I always want us to play to win. And if teams above us keep falling over and we make it then so be it. As i said i just don't think teams with a losing record deserve it, Melbourne or anyone else. It rewards mediocrity and that is not what we are about as a club........

Agreed Barty has been great. If his form stays like this then his occasional disposal deficiencies can be forgiven. Certainly has been fantastic and that courage is great.

Agree that Jordie should win it based on his season as a whole but think Hurley will pip him. Still, fantastic to see this kid WIWO slogging his guts out. And it is great that we have such midfield depth at the moment that Trengove has to come back through the two's. (With blokes like Moloney and Gysberts not even playing).

Yes there will Chaser. For years, it used to be 12 wins to make the finals. That's a winning season (12-10). For the last couple it hasn't been that and i just don't think that teams who lose more games than they win deserve to play finals. Don't get me wrong, i always want Melbourne to play to win and if the other teams in front of us fall over then so be it. As i have said, i just don't think it is deserved if you look at how we have played the season as a whole. Too inconsistent which is what young teams do. I expect us to finish around 10th and then make a push for finals next year. 8-9 wins this year was the goal. It looks like we will achieve that. Anything else is gravy.

I still don't believe we deserve to make it on the season as a whole (losing more games than you win is not a finals team IMO) however the teams above us don't seem to want to play finals either and keep falling over. It would be remarkable, however unlikely.

He and Bruce will both be given the option to play on depending on their bodies. Junior was playing great footy prior to his injury which may see him go round once more (with a full pre-season under his belt).

Just another example of why we need to get games into our youngsters. It wasn't until Sylvia got to about the 60 game mark that he started to show his star qualities consistently. It wasn't until about 80 games he became a star.

Great to see Bail play well again. There were people calling for this bloke to be traded or delisted. Hope their words taste nice cause this kid is a gem.

I just don't think we deserve to be in the finals if you look at the season overall. We have been way too inconsistent and have shown a lack of work ethic at times. This is not what finals teams do. I believe it would be a false reward. We should go close but the players will then learn that they need to step up again next year just to make the finals.

Bottom line. Great win in the development of this team. LJ disappointing. I think they will persist with him next week. Bennell also however i am reluctant to drop him based on last night alone.

I hope we get close but ultimately miss out. I love this club to death but this year they have not been good enough or consistent enough and they do not deserve a finals appearance (or two) based on the overall season performance. The season is like the Collingwood games. We have been great in patches. Ordinary in others and on both occasions, because of our inconsistency, we were not good enough to win. We haven't worked hard enough or performed well enough over the whole year to make the finals and if we did it would be a false reward. Players need to be taught that nothing but hard work and consistency will get them to the top and i believe if we make the finals that lesson may not get learned by all as everyone would agree we have been terrible at times (in games we have won and lost). If we get close then the players know the work that is still required to just make the finals let alone be a real figure in them.

Yes he will be disappointed. That is football in a team that is on the way up. I'm sure Warnock is made of thick enough fabric that just because he wasn't called up the last two weeks he will seek a trade. MFC will give him a good contract. They see his value. He will be back in the team before the end of the year too me thinks!

Great article and a great summation of our Pres. The stuff about Peter Sentzal was really emotive too and you could imagine the effect that had internally on the club.