Maldonboy38

I would expand the thanks to include our president, Glen Bartlett. I know he is low profile and his public speaking can be boring, but his quietness, behind the scenes ground work and business acumen have done a lot of unsung work for MFC. The fact that he lets Roos and PJ do all the public stuff, and he is happy in the background shows a wisdom and dedication to teamwork that shames oth3r clubs like Collingwood etc... These three men - Roos, PJ and Bartlett - have done moer for us in 3+ years than all the falsse dawns of Barassi, Stynes etc...

His physical presence and maturity in our backline is what allows MacDonald to fly formarks, Jetta to dodge around people, and players like Wagner and Hunt to develop. I love him as a player and reckon he would be a fairly decent human being as well. Daniher almost single-handedly stuffed his career up, and to see where Dunny is today is a huge tick for hard work, perseverance and resilience. I wish the Dees had some more like him. Is he Matthew Scarlett as a full back? No, but then Matthew Scarlett was the only Matthew Scarlett. We are so much bett3r with Dunn in our 22.

I still have to do a double take thinking that the grandson of a Collingwood Weideman is playing for the MFC. I hope he hecomes a gun, but a bloody Weideman....

Apart from the obvious appeal of a father-son from a great player of the past, and not playing footy for three years etc... I see this as a window into the new MFC. And by that I mean club, not playing list. We simply do not leak anymore. At all, unless the club thinks it is strategic to do so (think of all the Howe movement information that circulated. Pretty sure that was club inspired). The leading personnel AND the entire Board are a tight-knot closed shop who make decisions and act upon them without too much spin. Pesoally I love this new look MFC. The recruiters have noticed this young kid, kept an eye on him for a long period, seen a raw potential with unknown limits, and have kept it totally quiet. Go back 5-10 years and we would have had his name up in lights with promos saying "Dees focus on father-son gun" or some such carp, with Herald-Sun photos, and banal interviews. Out of all the trading we have done, which includes very shrewd planning to end up with picks 3 & 7, there is something about the ercruting of this young kid that excites me. A 6'3" quick young bloke who is quick, willing to learn, and is a raw talent. And most importatnly - at this point anyway - has no boundaries on his potential. I can't wait to see what he becomes.

Agree with you 100% Clint. Surely they can run backwards for 5 steps or so, so they can actually look across a 180 degree sweep to make a decision QUICKLY. Having said that, I reckon this slowing down is a team rule - they have done it ad nauseum this year in almost every game. The frustrating thing as a spectator is there are clear and excellent leads being ignored or not seen.

His kicking has been a worry, but he had a great day yesterday. He just constantly gets the ball and is taking a heap more marks than I ever expected him to. I have to remind myself that he has played just a handful of games and has suffered a season ending injury early in his career. At this stage he is one of the best young trades/recruits we have done in recent memory. I see him very much as as a Job Watson type - if he gets anywhere near as good as Watson I will be stoked.

JKH is the find of this season. I continue to be surprised at his speed and agility over the first three steps and he has genuine goal sense. But I don't reckon he will play in the first few rounds because Roos has been very strong about protecting the young er players' development.

Good news. Keeping him as a rookie fits exactly right. We have recruited a lot of mid-fielders - experienced with bigger bodies We have also brought in a handful of younger draftees. Our other rookies are a mixed bag. Nev Jetta completes this mixed bag that means we have options for all positions over the ground. Some might not be 100% options but are options none-the-less. Nev has been in the system and has the one thing Roos seems to prize above everything else - grunt/hunger for the contest. Likely to spend most of his time at Casey but you never know.

Trying to understand Watts' mental application in a game is confusing but I find it stems from his basketball excellence. The main reason he does not chuck himself at the ball (in the air or on the ground) is because he makes the choice of keeping his feet in every contest, even if that contest demands that he fling himself at it. The same principle exists in soccer, where you rarely fly in with a bold tackle. You sit 1 - 2 metres away and keep the opposition player from being able to attack where they want to. Jack often appears to be controlling a space, or hanging back to defend a space, but rarely chucking himself in to get the ball. This surely can be taught. Also, his brilliance in the 2008 under age championship where he caught the eye of all the recruiters were - this is fair dinkum - his pack marking and goal kicking. Because the defensive pressure is underage footy is poor, he was able to run and leap over packs without physical pressure being a hindrance. Neither Bailey nor Neeld have been able to help bridge the huge physical gap and he still plays like an U18 footballer. His tackling really is woeful - but I firmly believe this can be taught. Give him a KPI of at least 4 tackles (that stick) a game and see if this changes his understanding of physical contact and going hard for the ball. It is his pack marking / contested marking that is the main worry. Out on a lead no problems. But jostling and pushing off, blocking for others, steady core strength all seem to evade him constantly so he goes back to being 1 -2 metres off every contest waiting to respond to a play rather than making the play. Having said all that, I am still in the 50/50 mindset with him regarding trade or not. One thing I will say. When he gets the ball in his hands his decision making and skills are sublime. Best kick at MFC since Trav Johnston. Just wish he would go and get it more often and make the play.

Gerard Whately by a mile. He is a professional commentator and it shows. Bruce was great once - too sugary now. That horrible interview with Dane Swan at the Brownlow last year. Shudder!! Dennis Commetti is still the b est of the TV guys but I also miss Sandy Roberts. For pure enterntainment, Rex Hunt. Yeah, I often had no idea who had it or where it ws going but Rex, Huddo and Robert Walls were a great trio. And I also wish Kerry O'Keefe had played footy. His cricket commentary is very good when he sticks to actual commentary.