PaulRB

Where do we pour all our (Clarke and Frawley) spare cash if not into a big FA? Agree with drafting elite talent i.e. Petracca and Brayshaw and Stretch (2nd or 3rd round). So if we're not to water down the FA compo for Frawley, how else can we land a big fish (who we can pay heaps) for free?

I like the fact that the climax of ASADA push and the EFC's decision on James Hird's reappointment as coach are staring to align. I reckon losing Bomber Thompson to a decision to rehire Jimmy followed by ASADA revelations that make Jimmy's position untenable (i.e. many players issued with infraction notices) would be the perfect storm... Be happy to have Bomber at the Dees next year.

Maybe we could swap Blease for Tomlinson, so as to reunited HWSNBN with his old school buddy too.

My money is on Gold Coast.

He probably didn't see Clark retiring with depression mid season or Hogan out all year thus far, but agree he'd have suspected, irrespective, he was in for a challenging season when he took us on.

Aside from trying to regrow a team thats confidence and system has been shattered over the past couple of years, PR has lost his premier key forward (Clarke), had his next big forward (Hogan) languish with injuries, and had his premier key back (Frawley) being coy about leaving the club. While we're used to this kind of headwind or ongoing setbacks barracking for Melbourne over the years, it may have caught Paul by surprise. Few other clubs seem to suffer in this way.

Chip would be aware the longer he drags it ut the more he'l damage the MFC brand with articles like this where opposition clubs and players talk about them deciding on poaching Frawley like the MFC don't matter and that taking our players is like taking candy from a baby. That Frawley is allowing this is lowering him in my eyes. He may be a country boy but he'd well understand that him leaving will humiliate the MFC and us fans. I was optimistic, then sitting on the fence, now I figure he's gone...

Getting the feeling that the shackles should come off this sunday and we'll start to score... repeatedly.

Was reading about the Saints and Tigers fighting for the wooden spoon in The Age and it seems odd that the Tigers, a team "on the rise" should now be being speculated to win the spoon... Likewise the Saints, who played finals just 2 1/2 seasons ago (2011). But then I remembered the Herald Sun article noting that the first two likely draft picks will land big Key Position Forwards (McCartin, Wright). So I put two and two together and got Tank. As the only club to have ever been called for tanking, are these clubs doing enough to avoid joining our ignoble ranks?

Its interesting that as Freo and Swans cement their places in the top four, we'd be looking at Kirk (Number 2 at Freo and midfield coach) and Dew (Number 2 and Swans and Strategy and Midfield coach). Lets hope for a Swans Vs Freo Grand Final and one of them coming to MFC after.

Liam Jurrah kicked 40 in 18 games in 2011. P.s. Vickey = spud. Reminds me of Dutchy, another ex-tigers forward type...

Can we bring back Clarke, Liam or Wonna?

Such a shame Hogan is not ready for this one.

Fortunately the doggies have some issues with Injuries: Griffen (back spasms), Grant (broken nose), Roughead (shoulder) Suspension: Giansiracusa reported for rough conduct (1 week) Though some of those injured may well play. Feel like the Casey cupboard is empty at the moment, so not one obvious to bring back. We really need Blease or Nicho style line breaking, but neither player is setting the VFL on fire...

The problem is we are only 14 games into a new game style, new player roles and expectations. And when we play more experienced playing units who are better drilled than us, our game can become unglued. On Sunday players disposed badly in part because: a. they'd look up and see all options covered. b. they look to set plays and see these were being anticipated c. they were being covered in close so their recent get out of hand balling backwards was under intense pressure, reducing the time for players to consider options a. and b. All of these are because we are EARLY in learning a new game plan and North did some research on us and choked us into increasing our errors. The solution is more time playing together, learning to deal with what the Roos did to us, and developing the confidence to do it under pressure.

He's not Robinson Crusoe in that regard today. Many MFC Casey players struggling. That Sam Blease can't take a trick or break a line at this level is worrying.

More about his ability to give us an advantage in the ruck and in some marking contest vs McEvoy, I agree he's ok around the ground.

It's becoming clear why we might be looking for another senior ruck come years end, McEvoy with 5 goals, Gawn busy but kind of ineffectual... Thank Gawd for the Russian.

Seems the Dons aren't the only ones...

Best outcome is that he improves so much that he's seen as top 10 but not top 3, then we can then scoop him up at pick 22+, just like Jack Viney...

Yeah thats because we were in the entertainment business back then too... Yawn

Football teams are part of the entertainment business. We're looking for 75,000 to come to the MCG on Monday... So we roll out our celebrities in Dawes and Watts, who have an association with that game or team to help do it. Good businesses do try to market their products.

We did tank and we copped the fine and flack. MAde us grow up as a club and reminded us that integrity and culture are a valuable commodity, hard to create and easy to lose. That others teams did it and weren't penalised is irrelevant to us. They will suffer as a result of not having learnt that lesson, its not our concern.

Maybe it's good news. http://youtu.be/qMk-2qQeiTw I like to dream.

miss him.