Strawbs

Sean Wight played with an incredible spirit and in many ways sets an outstanding example for today's young team to follow. He refused to be defeated. I feel incredibly sad tonight with a part of that special group from 1987 and 88 passing away. I didn't know Sean personally, but I am feeling the loss just the same. To all Melbourne supporters - never forget the courageous, selfless and spectacular number 27 who thrilled and inspired us as we followed the red and blue. Rest in peace Sean Wight. Thanks for the special memories.

A massive test. There's absolutely no reason why we shouldn't be able to beat the Dogs at ES. I don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but I feel confidence and momentum building amongst this group. A win of Friday night will show them what they're capable of. No excuses.

He's been behind the eight-ball since his injury at the start of the year, just as he was in 2010. Yep his form has been average - his disposal yesterday was poor - but I think we need to stick with him. He's got the makings of a very good player which he has shown in the past. I think in time he'll reward us.

I agree. We managed to hold off Gold Coast last year, we need to do the same with GWS. I'm over Sheedy's smug declarations that he's going to raid the league of its best players due to the size of his AFL-bankrolled cheque book. They can get stuffed. I hope we give them donuts!

I would trade Bennell, Morton, Wonna and Bate before Dunn IMHO.

Stef should be applauded for his hard work and dedication. At this point in the year, he'd have to be a monty for the 'most improved player' award. A terrific effort and he's getting better as the weeks go by. Top job big fella!

Here, here Ron. Very well said. I couldn't agree more. We are learning a lot about Tom's priorities and clearly the club is not one of them.

If he signalled his intent the whole situation will go away. Simple.

Absolutely agree that this situation is thanks to our friends at the AFL - it makes a complete farce of the draft. And of course he is not beholden to the club - he can do whatever he likes, but as Norm Smith said so well back in 1965, it's about principle. If this early into his tenure he is willing to take this sort of approach, then I'm sorry, but he is treating our club with contempt.

Yes, this is a perfect case study in how to get those that support you, off side. If he does stay, he'll be Mark Waugh-like for me - a player that you admire for their brilliance, but find it hard to warm to. It's a massive shame but he has done it to himself (...and with a little help from his friends at Velocity Sports!)

I disagree Hardtack. With the amount of speculation and media attention this is generating, members who are in fact the 'shareholders' of the club have every right to question what is happening here. Particularly with the unique GWS situation that has arisen. I don't think people are losing their heads or going feral, rather they want some sort of sign that he's going to commit. Much like our number two pick Jack Trengove did and number three pick Dustin Martin did with Richmond. If he signalled his intent to stay now and did the formal contract work at the season's end, all of this would be over. Be fair to your fellow supporters on this one. I think we're being treated with contempt.

He should be embarrassed by the banner that was held up at the end of the game today which said 'Number 31 Please Don't Go'. Melbourne supporters were screaming this same line back in the sixties when Barrass headed to Carlton - that was after he gave his all for our club over a decorated career, and was only making the move to set up the next phase of his career. This kid has yet to achieve anything for our club, yet has the Melboure faithful bending over backwards to keep him. He is showing us absolutely no respect at the moment. Give me a committed Jordie McKenzie or Jack Trengove any day over this rubbish.

Memo to Tom: Don't treat the people that back you and help pay your wage with contempt. The tone of your comments give a distinct hint of arrogance. You are a second year player - build up your credit points over a long period before taking this sort of approach. The whole thing lacks class.

And by the way, I'm getting sick and tired of having to pander to this kid. If he had any respect for the place, he would see all of this as an unecessary distraction that the club could do without. He and his management would have absolutely known the sort of speculation and attention the decision to delay contract talks would generate. The club is and always will be bigger than the individual, Tom. This is not how I would expect a future captain to behave.

It's time to turn the heat up on Scully's management including Peter Blucher and the Fox commentator from today's game - Alistair Lynch. Blucher regards himself as one of the pioneers of sports public relations in Australia having been the first club media manager during his time at Brisbane. But it seems that he's forgotten what he used to do for a living, because right now he is doing incredible harm to his client's reputation. It's a disgrace that halfway through the year, we as supporters don't know whether to love or loathe the man wearing our own number 31. I know that right now, I don't feel any warmth towards the kid. As a supporter and member, it's a terrible position to be in, so I can't imagine how his teammates would be feeling right now, particularly guys like Jack Trengove who was picked just behind Scully and has made it perfectly clear that he wants to be a 'one-club-player'. And how can Lynch sit there as part of the commentary team today with all the question marks about Scully, when he would absolutely know what's going on. He's a Director and General Manager of Velocity Sports! Talk about a compromise. Turn the heat up on these bastards. They're more concerned about lining their pockets with the biggest commission cheque possible than showing any repsect to the club that drafted and has since developed their star client.

Agree. Although confronting and terribly sad, it was a well written piece. It's easy to forget just how good a player Sean Wight was. An amazing athlete with incredible courage - two factors that he will no doubt draw upon in this battle. I'm sure I speak for every MFC supporter when I say that we wish him the speediest of recoveries. I'll always remember the courage he showed in the 1989 night grand final against Geelong at VFL Park when despite tearing his hamstring, managed to knock the ball on to our advantage, resulting in a goal. It was an heroic effort, just like the hundreds of spectacular spoils that he made, often against taller opposition. He is an absolute legend of our club and played with the spirit that I'd love our current-day players to show on a more regular basis. Get well soon Sean. We're barracking for you.

Good to see Newton selected. Just the man to provide the intensity we've been lacking... Please.

Although my first preference would be to see Dean Bailey succeed (I'm not resigned to wheels falling off just yet), I would love to see G.Lyon get involved again. I sit there and watch him on The Footy Show each Thursday night and think "what a waste!" Performing ridiculous musical parodies with Brayshaw - surely he has more to offer the game than that rubbish? As a player he had future coach written all over him - a natural born leader. Sure, he must be on a good wicket at Nine, but as the competitve beast that he was, the desire must still be there - you can hear it when he's commentating on radio. One thing's for sure, I don't think he'd put up with the insipid approach our boys are displaying at the moment - not for a second. If Hird can do it, what's stopping Garry?

I thought I read during the pre-season that Warnock was doing some work with the forwards? Could we try something different and give him a crack up there? If not him, I'd like to see some innovation and maybe looking at someone like Garland to give us a new option in attack.

Agree. I could have written the script to this match well ahead of the opening bounce. We just don't have that ability to dig deep and pull off tough wins like what was needed in the West tonight. We haven't had that tough, uncompromising approach since the Northey era, and I for one am sick of it. It was a weak performance and symbolic of the effort that has been accepted for too long. How about starting a game with a bit of vigour?

I've been following our club for a long time - more than 30 years, and that is one of the most disappointing performances that I've ever witnessed. It was a huge setback for our development and I don't want to hear positive spin put on it by the club - make no mistake it was rubbish. Put simply we were monstered by a team that most in the footy world thought we should at least be able to match - at least! Our pressure this year has been pathetic and tonight was the most spectaclur example. Our tackles don't stick, we're loose, and we're getting killed in the air. It was a vintage 2007/2008 effort, including trying to set a new record for kicking out on the full. I really want to use this forum to speak about the positives around our club - but what do any of us say tonight, other than 'thank god it's over'. A massive, massive disappointment.

Without doubt he's one of the most exciting players I've ever seen in the red and blue. He's up there with Farmer and Jakovich as far as freakish talent goes. Schwarz pre-knee was also in that group. If this is what LJ's been able to achieve in his first twenty games, the mind boggles as to what he can become...

I don't believe there was a medal presented for Best-On-Ground, but I do remember Ron Barassi presenting David Neitz with a winner's trophy after the game. He was the ideal choice - obviously with firm connections to both clubs and as a man touched by war with his Dad (and MFC player) killed in combat at Tobruk during WW2.

It's no secret that the Sunday Herald Sun is an average rag at best and Crawford is on its payroll to generate controversial commentary. If there's not a hot issue during the week that they can comment on (and flare up), they're looking to fill the media vacuum with innuendo such as what was mentioned in last Sunday's article. I've got faith that our administration knows what it is doing and won't stand for poor off-field performance. By the way, it seems Crawford is trying to change his media persona. Remember this is a man who played the role of Hank Bulger and only last year was cracking eggs with his forehead on national television. Now he's trying to position himself as a heavy hitting, Robert Walls-like columnist, but in a worst of all, in a tabloid.

Whatever happened to what was going to be an annual ANZAC round event - Melbourne v Sydney? I can recall, even during the Paul Gardiner reign, that we were angling for this - in fact I remember playing Sydney at ANZ Stadium during this round in 2004 (It was a Saturday evening - 24 April). I think there'd be merit in this continuing. Not saying that we try to take over the established Essendon v Collingwood extravaganza, but a Melbourne v Sydney match every ANZAC round commemorating the meaning of ANZAC day would be a good thing - we could build a tradition between the two major capital city clubs.