nutbean

I had the pleasure of talking with Shaun Smith about injuries and although the Science has progressed he said the tightrope hasn't. Shaun said he was never 100% pain/ache/niggle free - it was a fine line between what was his norm and what was a more serious injury with which he shouldn't play. He reckons 90% of the time the medico's and himself go it right. He pointed out that nothing has changed today and the medical staff still heavily rely on player feedback as to what is going on with their bodies. Players play with niggles and soreness - the scans didn't pick up Trengoves fracture. If you took the cautious approach with 3/4 of the players playing today you wouldn't have any of them on the field. But we slam the medico's for Trengove playing when perhaps he shouldn't and we slam the medico's because Hogans back isn't following the timetable we would like.

You guys have so little insight into the medical conditions and actual medical histories of players yet are so confident in making pronouncements - it amazes me. This is a heavy contact/collision sport - players play each week with sore spots and niggles. That any player is 100% spot on is usually a rarity. You watch players in the rooms after a game and they are icing up legs and arms - would you suggest that they don't play them then next week ? rest them ? Football clubs are in the business of winning games and that requires the best players to be out on the ground playing The medical staff have a balance act on making calls between injuries that can be played on, that may not get worse with playing or not playing them at all. How many time do you see players cop a knee injury and then the player says he thinks he is ok and goes back on the ground to test it - then after the game a serious knee injury is identified and they miss multiple games - conversely - the exact opposite happens too - they go out and play and all is good. How many times do you hear players say that they will continue to play because of finals looming but after the event it is revealed that had there been no finals they would have gone in for surgery? whats that doing to their bodies ( let alone jabs that keeps them going). Then compound all this with players who are so keen to play that they are not as forthcoming on pain issues as they should be. We applauded Dawes coming back but that could have had serious consequences - by his own admission he is underdone. We hear coaches say that they will take "conservative approach" with players - nonsense - it is a roll of the dice as players and medico's push the limits to get players back on the field as quickly as possible or allow players to keep playing with injuries that may ( or in the case of Trengove ) may not settle.. That is the nature of professional sports and medico's will get it right and get it wrong - or more accurately - the players bodies will accept the medical regime or it won't.

do you remember the chanting when we steam rolled into the finals - the chanting sent tingles down my spine

My new partner barracks for Collingwood ( still has her own teeth - amazing !) I took her aside about two years ago and said I wanted to ask her a very serious question - she got quite flustered. I asked her to change football teams to Melbourne. Didn't talk to me for three days. Only after a week did I realise she thought I was going to ask her to marry me. I am sensing there is a reason why I have two failed marriages behind me. ( postscript - she has met me halfway now - she has stopped barracking for Collingwood - its a good start)

I actually felt a little bit sick putting those two words together. ( Carlton and friend) a story - my two daughters were/are Melbourne supporters - both grown up now. When we were going through a horror patch - one of the many - my eldest daughter who was about 9 said she couldnt take it any more and wanted to barrack for the same team as mummy - she was a Carlton supporter in name only. I said to the now ex wife," I can go through life not having having a son but I cant go through life living with an actual Carlton supporter - So the exie changed to barracking for Melbourne - and to this day - every week my now 24 year old daughter and I go together to the footy. A side note - I may have also told the daughter that I would cancel her MCC waiting list application and I would never take her to the football again - harsh but necessary.

I posted this elsewhere... The reason I am quite gung ho on McKenzie - is because he has the unbelievable appetite for the contest and has a great attitude. I absolutely see his limitations - Whilst he doesn't have the same abilities as Jones I rate him the equal in his attitude to extract the best out of himself. Under the proper tutelage of Roos and Stone I can see him extracting every last bit of talent out of himself - whether it is good enough time will tell

Rileys disposal is quite good - but he was used both in the SANFL and his few appearances with Adelaide in a different role than McKenzie - comparing him to Wines is fairer than comparing him to McKenzie. McKenzie has purely been a shut down footballer - Saty's post about McKenzie getting more involved as link man is right. I am no apologist for McKenzie but have seen him pretty much do whatever the coach has asked of him. Was he a little more positive in output on Saturday ? - yup - exactly what Roos apparently was asking for. I'll judge McKenzie on what he delivers going forward this season not what he has done previously. ( the reason I am quite gung ho on McKenzie - is because he has the unbelievable appetite for the contest and has a great attitude. I absolutely see his limitations - Whilst he doesn't have the same abilities as Jones I rate him the equal in his attitude to extract the best out of himself. Under the proper tutelage of Roos and Stone I can see him extracting every last bit of talent out of himself - whether it is good enough time will tell)

Gysberts highlight package looked good - his NAB form and magoos form looked good and his first few games looked great - then nothing - if the world stopped after his first 3 games then we you would suggest the recruiters looked like geniuses. Newton was always more speculative for me ( as his draft pick 43 suggests) - he always showed glimpses - unfortunately he showed nothing more than glimpses and rare cameos. I gotta say Steve - you gotta get yourself into the "then" - not what you know now. Tapscotts first few games - we looked pretty inspired with his selection too - not looking so flash now though. Looking at Riley - great form mainly shown at Sturt which is a whole different level - but was the clearance king - his problem being that every time he ramped up with a good period of form he would get himself injured - he also found it hard to break into what is Adelaide's strength - their midfield - the same reason that Vince is now with us.

Getting his body right is his issue. Contract up at years end - I have given everyone a clean slate under the Roos regime but he just needs to get out and play football and prove he is worthy of a place on the list or he is in big trouble. BTW - to the others advocating we don't take skinny footballers but footballers that are ready to go - he was considered ready to go. ( such a nonsense argument - take footballers that the recruiters think will be good footballers regardless if they are skinny or built like Tapscott.)

Almost as good as my texting to my Carlton friends at the 28 minute mark of the final quarter ( one can never be too certain of a Melbourne win)

A good question.

Subway may be better than Sylvia but it is still subway....

I only semi agree with that. You absolutely have to mix it up a little so you don't become predictable - the opposition knowing that you will only handball. But if you are better by hand than foot then thats what you should do if the hand option is clear. ( unless your team mate is by himself in the goal square screaming for the ball) Mitchell vs Pendlebury is a perfect example. Mitchell is adequate by foot over the shorter distances. He is going at 46% by foot this season ( Jordie was 50% on Saturday) and he goes 52% over his career. Pendlebury goes over 60% because he is so delicious by foot. Jordie over his career goes at 37% by foot so he does need to lift it. Kicking goals ? Lots of the best midfielders don't - I think the point that Roos is making is he needs to work harder and deeper into the forward half to create an option at least. If your opponent who is a tagger kicks a goal, coaches go berserk as they always want the "markee" to work hard both ways. I guess the message is get more involved when we have the ball and push forward as well. I wasnt unhappy with Jordie's game on Saturday as Gibbs wasnt effective and Jordie was more involved when we had the ball than I have previously seen him do.

Colin is the "subways" of the AFL. His advertisements look absolutely delicious but the reality is a really bland, tasteless, underwhelming sandwich served by rude 16 year olds.

I saw Riley's highlight package when we recruited him and instantly fell in love ( not that there is anything wrong with that !). He is suicidal hard at the ball with a nice bit of pace to boot. He is my new smoky to be a gun ( my previous smokeys were Newton, Gysberts and Bennell - sorry Aidan)

There is a difference between Jones who had some lapses in disposal as opposed to Nicholson who is hold your breath when he has the ball in hand.

This season - lets see if his career moves in an upward trajectory. Lets see if he improves as we become more cohesive. He is not a youngster that needs to develop - he is mature and I see the possibility of him continuing to improve as the midfield cohesion improves. My knock on Trengove as a tagger as he is not only running slowly but seems to be doing everything slowly. McKenzie is not quick by foot but i witnessed on Saturday quick release of the ball.

Actually I always found it interesting the MFC players that got the Bluey in those days. Not that Flower ever shied away from a contest but he wasn't a crash and bash player. In his era ( of horrible football played by us) when it came to the Bluey we rated the ultra courageous above all else. Laurie Fowler took Blueys away from Flower in my opinion. I'm not devaluing Fowler who was suicidal brave but he was no Flower. I think also we had an expectation of Robbie Flower - He was great nearly every game he played but we got used to that and somehow just expected it.

I can't agree - in his first season, he was never quick but he wasn't treacle like he is now.

me either

Again, it must be wonderful having hindsight glasses. Have a read - who would you have picked at the time 1. Bryce Gibbs (Carlton). This is an era of dominant midfielders and Gibbs is by far the brightest midfield prospect available. Genuinely football smart and takes up intelligent, dangerous positions, accumulates high kick numbers, uses the ball superbly and creates and kicks goals. Not a speedster and probably not a hard-ball player; very much in the Ben Cousins or Nick Stevens playmaker mould. Will play next year and will be a preseason favourite for the Rising Star. At 187cm he is very much the modern midfielder who could develop into a Lenny Hayes type centre square presence. 6. Joel Selwood (Hawthorn). Selwood is a high-possession running player similar to Shane Crawford. He doesn’t have pure leg speed and his kicking can be hit and miss. He gets teams going forward and can be sharp in tight spaces. Very good a metre or two off the pack. A genuine playmaker and a good choice to put in the centre between wingmen Ellis and Muston. A year-long knee injury may see his value drop, but not too far. Has good leadership qualities.

Just google - searches like "AFL draftees 2004"

What I don't get is that it is our hope that under Roos we will become a much more disciplined, structured team. Under Roos we hope to see players who have stagnated ( or gone backwards) for the last 2-4 years improve. Watts will improve, Dunn will improve etc etc. Some on here are not willing to extend the same courtesy to McKenzie. He is super tough, sticks close to his man. His disposal when given an extra few seconds is ok as shown on Saturday. As our team improves, as our stoppage work gets better, as our spread becomes more instinctive - all of these will benefit a player like McKenzie.

no...no I don't. Actually Jimmy was an ordinary tap ruckman and not a great pack mark (like NicNat) but had unbelievable endurance and took plenty of marks by putting himself in front of the pack. He developed body on body marking later in his career and also learned how to nullify at the ruck contest.Strawbs was a much better tap ruckman.. He was impossible to play on at his peak because he played like a midfielder and you had to run a ruckman with him because he would outmark a small but just ran every other ruckman off their feet. ( and yes I remember him sprinting down the wing and kicking the ball up to himself rather than bouncing it...)

me ! me ! pick me !!!!!