Maldonboy38

How does Barrett keep his job, and his self-inflated reputation, as a "leading news breaker" by getting up on national TV and sprouting this stuff? A list of 6. Oh, really! Are you sure it isn't 5 or 7?This is so much like the Holy Hand Grenade from Monty Python's The Holy Grail it's not funny. I hope Kirk is on our radar, along with about 20 others, and through this year the short-list will be formed. But the Holy 6 is absolute bull.

What's with all the people wanting to drop Evans. Were people watching when he came on? He was hard, fast and played with an aggressive intent. No way drop him for mine.

The Suns are very quick. Under normal conditions I would be looking at Clisby but because of the Suns pace the only change I would make is Blease for Terlich. But this depends if Blease shows any defensive improvement for Casey.

I know that at the moment Hawthorn are making everyone else look rubbish, but on tonight's Hawks v GC game we are a real chance next week. They have the Ablett factor but Jordie can take care of him. Apart from the Ablett factor, I reckon our in and under players of Cross, Viney, Jordie, N Jones we can match them at the stoppages. The Suns are super quick so we can't play Toumpas or Trengove. Evans, Watts and Bail are vital in this game. Do we consider bringing in Blease for Terlich to get the extra pace? Do we risk Jamar like we did Dawes? Gold Coast ruck division is really weak at present and this could give us a clear stoppage advantage. Or will Spencer dominate? The confidence will kick in and we will be very much in this game.

Yep, Saturday afternoon footy is the best by a mile, even if I couldn't get there today.

As I think about the win more and more, it was a genuine 22 player team win, and it is a long time we have seen that. Most of our wins in the last 5 years or so have been in the wet, on the back of one or two individual performances. But a team win was great to witness. At the same time, how bad are Carlton?!?! Our disposal efficiency was really high but I put most of that down to a constant lack of pressure from the Blues. They lost so many one-on-ones or two-on-twos by almost expecting to win contests against us. They were terrible. Next week against the Gold Coast we need to be better by hand under pressure by hand and foot. But let me type this one more time... how bad are Carlton?

Yes, he did lay some great tackles, a couple of them strong and brutal in the second half. But there were major passages of play where he sauntered around waiting for the play to be made by others when he was the man in position number 1. We are not "on Jack's back": we are making game observations. We want him to succeed like everyone else but his lack of grunt in a contest remains a huge hole in his game.

I rhink you might be forgetting Ro Bail's amazing game against Sydney in 2010 or 2011, but it was a very good game.

N.Jones- leadership, grunt, skill Grimes - poise, leadership, efficiency Watts - skill but soft Dawes - a huge presence Viney- natural aggressive footballer Frawley - wow, absolutely wow. Tyson - was played close McKenzie - welcome back grunt Dunn - another great game Kent - some important plays Cross - example setting leader Pederson - works very hard Vince - poor game really Kennedy - Harris - quality small forward McDonald - confident and efficient Evans - love his attack Howe - quality team game Bail - run, grunt, skill M.Jones -keeps on improving Terlich - not great game Georgiou - reliable and composed Spencer - duracell, aggro, unco.

6. N Jones. I am beginning to think he might be our best since Flower. 5. Frawley. 4. Spencer. He is a big doofuss, but his aggression and second efforts are inspiring. 3. Bail. I am a huge fan, but posted about 10 days ago that I didn't think he would make it. 10 tackles, 2 goals and ran all day. Wow. 2. Grimes. Poise, grunt and balance, and limited the turnovers. 1. Cross. Having Dawes changed our playing shape and his work off the ball was amazing. T Mac was back to his best today, and like Grimes, limited his turnovers. Love the way Viney, Bail and Evans attack a contest - run in and cause havoc.

Astrology is a huge load of carp, but I reckon a few stars are aligning today: Malthouse under the pump for a whole range of reasons. The whole Blues camp whinging and moaning because of their pathetic "entitlement" mentality. The Blues playing worse footy than any other team - even us. We get Dawes in which dramatically alters the way forward. Viney and McKenzie to join Cross and Jones - this allows the outside runners to get up and running. At some stage, the Dees game plan and personnel will click for 4 quarters, probably against a team like the Blues This is very even game. Midfields evenly matched but ours in slightly better form. A lot of turnovers from both teams. This will determine today's result. We have to stop Lachie Henderson - his swing game could be the difference. And I am going for the big one - this is Watt's break out game. If he gets running, they do not have someone who can go with him. JKH to play 4 quarters and burn it up. Dees by 10 points.

Hands are tied regarding who can come in, so there will not be too many changes. Grimes, Fitzy, Watts deserve a spell for various reasons. They won't be dropped yet but if the footy they are playing continues, I reckon Roos will drop them. As soon as there are some big forward options and we don't need so many mid-sized players, these 3 will be under a very big microscope. So far, Roos has stayed true to his word, and I reckon he will continue. OUT: Fitz, Byrnes, Bail, Terlich (slim chance), IN: Clisby, Jetta, McKenzie, Blease (slim chance)

I agree with most of what is written and have the same sense of boredom and apathy generally about the game: 36 players chasing the ball around on perfect green carpet Running their guts out for 15kms to the point of exhaustion so they cannot kick goals. Huge injury lists caused mainly at training, not in actual game play. 60% of media coverage and commentary is about everything else apart from game play. (I am so fed up with stats and "breaking news"!!!) High marking disappearing, with the occasional screamer from Howe and the worst of all, the great full forwards are gone. Not going, gone. But I have solved my problem. I am back watching local footy. My eldest son plays U14, but after his game I like to watch the seniors,even though I have no family of friends involved at the club or playing. A pie from the canteen Toothless uninformed nuff-nuffs abusing everything and everyone The smell of jock straps and linament, (my dad's favourite quote about footy) 36 blokes semi-fit, having a decent crack at a game for the love of it, for the jumper, and for a beer afterwards with mates. Being able to sound the car horn after a goal. Real footy lives!

I reckon we will only have 2 wins by round 11, but will win 5-6 in the second half of the year. Rounds 8 - 11 we will see Jamar, Gawn, Dawes, Hogan, Viney all fit and finding game form, leading into a strong and consistent second half of the year.

I caught the Dee-train that the MFC set up with the Casey City Council. A bit daggy but a great idea. Lots of mums and dads with kids from toddlers to teenagers. It felt good to be a Dees supporter surrounded by people with a bit of passion, and ready for first home game of the season. There seems to be a good feel about the club at the moment. But it came crashing down straight after the first centre bounce. Within 8 seconds it was 2 kicks down the ground in the WCE forward pocket. And so went the day. The club might be improving but the playing group are still crap. Bitter, I cannot adequately communicate via a keyboard how crappy I feel as the dad of four Melbourne-supporting kids. My 18yo daughter who came with me and my 14 yo son today, said "someone is always saying we will be better this year, and we never are". And all I can do is agree. I might go and quaff some Glenfiddich and join you in the alcohol-induced reflections.

Just listened to Roos' press conference, and it is clear he is beginning to draw a line in the sand regarding footy essentials. Kicking, handballing, marking (he mentioned chest marking), tackling. Who can, who can't on a consistent basis, pressure or no pressure. The only thing is, from today's game it would mean 15 players would be cast aside! OUT: Bail M Jones Fitz Michie IN: Gawn Viney Blease Evans

At least one thing is emerging clearly. Roos is beginning to see the players who won't help us move out of these doldrums. Pederson, Bail (sad, really, because I am a fan) Fitzy Spencer (but keep him for now for his aggression and doggedness) And some players are emerging with huge question marks: Grimes. Watts Trengove M Jones. Michie (might be a bit early but he looks limited) Byrnes Apart from obvious inclusions like Galrand, Viney, Hogan etc... we also have to play Salem, Hunt, Harmes and see what they have.

N.Jones - absolute super star Grimes - rattled and weak Watts - soft and weak Toumpas - skillful but slow Frawley - tough, mistake riddled Trengove - opposition ran past him. Byrnes - worked bloody hard Tyson - reduced by turnovers Dunn - another great game Cross - kick it sometimes Pederson - Casey Fields beckons Michie - very poor game Vince - not effective enough Kennedy -Harris - provided some energy McDonald - useful at times Howe - zing has disappeared Spencer - workhorse was murdered Bail - really shocking game M.Jones - horrible decision making Terlich - man up sometimes Fitzpatrick - really poor game Georgiou - bring Garland back.

6. N Jones. 5. L Dunn. 1. S Byrnes Daylight. Sort the rest out between yourselves. Dom Tyson is getting heaps of the ball, but his mistakes are atrocious. On at least four occasion last week and again this week, he cracks in and wins great possession, only to handball it straight to an opposition player who is in 2-3m of free space. Opposition run and carry ensues. He has to get this out of his game. Frawley was ok today, doing a tough job on a good forward getting good delivery. His man-on-man stuff was strong and reliable. But his heart was not there. He stopped running to get to spoiling contests, his handball and kick turnovers leading directly to goals, and he did not take on the opposition trying to brush past like he does when at the peak of his game.

Wow - was really tough being a Dees man today. We forgot to turn up for the first quarter, and then couldn't get past half-forward for the rest of the match. But I come away fairly critical of Roos' coaching today. Too many times Byrnes the only man inside 50, with one opponent standing beside him 10-15cm taller, and one spare WCE player always willing to fall back and make it two on one. This happened while Fitzy and Pedo led time and time again up through the 50m arc being generally ignored by our midfielders. This was never corrected and I did not see the runner come out to these players. Very bemusing. For at least half the game, watching WCE midfielders run past our players, we set up in the centre after another WCE goal with Trengove on one wing, Toumpas on the other, Michie, Cross and Jones in the middle. Could Roos not see the pace of WCE? And he chooses not to play Blease or Evans, two players with genuine outside pace. I know the game wasn't lost only because of these things, but they were glaring mistakes rarely, if ever, corrected.

Sandy Roberts: "there's a pig at full forward". Lou Richards: "he's kicked that really high...up near the sky". Cometti: he gets that out quickly, surely a case of premature extraction"

I don't mind most of the commentators, and over the years have like channel 10's coverage and commentators. Really like Anthony Hudson. Loved Mike Williamson. Loved Sandy Roberts - he was probably the best. Bruce and Dennis are ok. Still like Tim Lane and Drew Morphett on ABC - a bit starchy sometimes but at least it is free from trite carp (most of the time). Dwayne Russel easily the worst ever. I don't know one person who likes his calling. Dermot Brereton can be the most insightful and the biggest [censored] in the same sentence.

I doubt whether the "no change" declaration will hold until game time, but it is refreshing to see that when Roos says he believes in the players, he is not just talking. He means it, and he is going to build this trust right through the playing group. Apart from goal kicking, the coaching group believe the players played according to training/game standards so are placing the trust in them again. I don't reckon T Mac will play. He got 2 knocks on that corked thigh, really hard to play 8 days after that. Regarding Fitz - there is no way legally they will play him if he has been genuinely concussed. My opinion is that the impact on the ground shook him up, maybe triggered something in his CFS, and they are being cautious with him. Disappointed that one of Blease, Evans or Kent isn't in the team for pace, but let's wait until game time.

We have had superstars. Superstars are players who are of such a high standard that opposition clubs have to plan for them. I reckon these blokes qualify - Flower Peter Moore Ox Farmer These blokes almost qualify - Lyon Neitz Tingay Current - Mitch Clark Up-and-comers - Hogan Viney (I am not sure about him but I want more than one so I chucked him in)

Just watching a replay of Channel 7 Sunday morning footy show - Game Day - and noticed a banner headline that mentioned Brett Ratten as a possible candidate to be the MFC senior coach successor. He was our midfield coach a while back and our midfield did perform well under his leadership. But as Carlton coach it was widely known that he was too close to the players and this robbed him of the tough edge to succeed as a senior coach. I am not immediately against the idea but thought it would be good to open the discussion. Thoughts?