PaulRB

The King is dead. Long live the King. Live in hope that this one will take us to the promised land.

Grimes is out for another week prior to warming up with Casey the weekend prior to Rd1, I believe.

Jack has done very little to warrant his place in the team during the pre-season thus far. Hence, he has been dropped to Casey. I'd like to see him earn a recall by excelling at Casey, i.e. kicking bags of goals as a forward, as opposed to being elevated because another MFC player has gone out injured, bad form etc... Jack, it seems, needs to starved a bit in order to get hungry. The motivation by media crucifixion does not seem to be doing the job.

I'd be waiting for a couple of months of real game in the actual season before making any judgements on 2012. Thus far we have lost to GC, beat Brissie, beat Collingwood and lost to Hawthorn, while trying to bed down a new game plan, prepare for Rd 1 and blood inexperienced players (i.e. Troy Davis) . Would have expected to beat GC and lost to the Pies. Conclusion: data too small and inconsistent to draw any conclusions.

Freakishly talented players make low percentage plays pay off regularly. I.e. Franklin's first goal on Sat, Frawley had corralled him into a low percentage zone (boundary 50m out), but Lance snapped it anyway. Conservative drafting or training creates the backdrop for the freaks to show their skills. Looking forward to Liam getting back on the field soon...

Given that timeline, I suspect Liam's first game back in the AFL will be a week or two after his court case (17th May I think)? Seems little point in pushing him into the team prior to then give his injuries and the distraction his hearing will have...

I think we should all relax. By Liam putting in (a very limited) media performance with Eddie, he's cleared the air as best he can, given he cannot discuss the case (for Legal reasons). Liam now has until mid May to quietly go about his rehabilitation and work on getting back into the MFC 22 asap.

From Herald sun Liam Jurrah has been bailed on a $3000 surety after appearing in Alice Springs Magistrates' Court. The case was adjourned until May 17. Jurrah's bail conditions are: 1. Reside at an address in Victoria. 2. Not to contact relatives or any person nominated as a witness by the Prosecution in these proceedings. 3. To leave the Northern Territory and return to Victoria on the next available flight and not return to the Northern Territory except to attend court. 4. Report to the Officer in Charge of Police in Victoria Also reported he was at airport and on way back to Melb...

Cam's done the club proud with his press conference.

I remember when Ricky Ponting was in a drunken Bar fight in Kings Cross. And a couple of years later was Captain of the Australian Cricket team...

All very sad and tragic for those involved. The only silver lining of such an event will be how it focuses the Australian public on the ongoing challenges and issues faced in some of the aboriginal communities and provoke us to do more to support them in their healing. Much as the prospect of Liam not playing footy saddens me, my needs are irrelevant next to the pain and suffering being experienced by those people directly caught up in this event.

Given Mark Neeld is one of Mick Malthouse's proteges, is it plausable that Mick is giving Jack a serve about his intensity in order to assist Jacks development and to support his friend Mark Neeld? Neeld said recently that Jack came out of the private school footy system straight into AFL level (a big jump) without the pressure and intensity of going through the TAC cup, AIS, system etc... I've often though of Jack as like a lion cub who would need to shed the baby fat and "harden up" (physically and mentally) in order to prosper in the big league. Mick is assisting him to do that. At the end of the day, the media, Mick Malthouse and us would not be having this conversation if Jack didn't have the potential to be an absolute superstar. Interesting year ahead in his development, bring it on. Go Jack Go Dees

I think 186 was the straw (bale) that broke the camels back and forced Melb to take decisive action to address issues in the club that had probably been apparent for a year or two. If Neeld and the boys have a good 2012, we make the finals, and play consistently hard footy, then 186 may have been worth enduring. If we win a flag under Neeld's reign, then 186 was a blessing. Go Dees

Exactly what I took from sat night, that our 35 is deeper then their 35, however their top 24 are still probably sharper than our top 24. Not that Sat night illuminated this (second claim). Season 2011 did though...

Watts is being groomed for a critical role in the Melb forward line that will ALSO address any weaknesses in his game. He trusts the coach and is doing the role he's given. He is one of the pieces that will go"clunk", and when it falls into place for Jack, the Melb footy team will have stepped up another notch. Him and Clarke in sync with Liam, Col, Howe, Petterd, Green and Davey will win us finals.

There were a couple of 3-4 minute bursts of "flogging" last night. One in the third and one in the fourth, each resulted in a run of scores to us... nothing to get too excited about, but quite enjoyable.

Clearing the decks for... http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/129869/default.aspx

I think that in previous seasons the absence of a coherent game plan lead to senior players such as Green, Davey and Sylvia being played all over the ground as the team/opposition/game state required. of these three only Sylvia has a position HFF that I'd see as his with Davey and Green thrown around in recent years... They will flourish (as all players do) by consistently playing a role in a position with occasional swing through the midfield, i.e. Davey as a small forward, Green as wing/HFF. The way Davey and Green played and were played in 2011 reduced their output/values massively and ended in the coach being sacked, that's not a coincidence. Talent and experience don't evaporate overnight, they will be back, and with simpler roles and diminished responsibilities will start enjoying their footy again... as will several of your seniors. 2012 will be a ripper

I think you are being pessimistic about the potential in the senior group. Green - Best = B&F winner 2010, All Australian 2010 - worst = 2011 Moloney - Best = B&F 2011 - Worst = Geelong 2011 Rivers - Best top 3 B&F 2011, rising star, etc... - Worst = ? Davey - Best = B&F winner 2009 - Worst = 2011 Sylvia - Best = Rising Star Nominee 2005, 10 Brownlow votes in 2010 - Worst = inconsistent Jamar - Best = 3rd B&F 2010 - Worst = injury MacDonald - Best = ? - Worst = ? Bartam - Best = Rising Star Nominee 2006 - Worst = ? Bate - Best = Rising Star Nominee 2006, 3rd in B&F 2007 - Worst = 2011 Dunn - Best = moustache - Worst = moustache, Frawley - Best = 2nd in B&F 2010, All Aust 2010 - Worst = ? Clark - Best = 3rd Brissie B&F 2009, Lion leading goal kicker 2011 - Worst = ?

I reckon the club is quietly confident, and keen to keep the lid firmly on till the real stuff starts. Ox has smelt the vibe and i reckon is spot on. If we can hold our game plan during the tough first half of the season, we shall be rolling in the second half, and we have enough depth to endure injuries, and form slumps to ensure we keep rolling... Perhaps 2011 was another 1999, meaning...

T'was hard to take too much from last night, and most of it has been covered well in the above. What hit me was the depth we now have as a team given there were 6 potential 22 our of the squad (i.e. Trengove, Jurrah, Tapscott, Morton, etc...), and in each game we tended to rest the seasoned players in favour of giving the new kids a run (i.e. Grimes, Green, Sylvia, etc.. rested in the first game). So I'm looking forward to us playing the kids and tweaking the regulars until the real stuff starts against Brissie Round... and we can rollout and settle our 22. All good. Go Dees

If all prime real estate on the football calendar was shared I would agree with your sentiment. Unfortunately it's not, the Pies get 5 Friday night games this year to our 1 Friday night game. So we should be holding onto Queens B'day till we get a better deal on those other prime spots. And, Eddie don't decide the draw, nor pull as many strings at AFL house as he likes to think, that the realm of the Fat Controller, and he owes Melb more than Collingwood a couple of favours for our contribution to the greater footy empire...

Moloney has the opportunity to be the "Swan" of the Melb midfield over the next couple of years should he fully buy into Neeld's game plan. Also, by staying he is able to be on our veteran list when his time comes which should help get him an extra year or two... Bring on the footy. Go Dees

Sounds like Eddie is spooked by the rise of Melbourne, before the new team has even hit the field. I guess if he's historically minded he'll know that a healthy and firing Melbourne has beat the Pies in 6 Grand Finals over the past 100 years and that there are few things we'd savour more than stopping them from winning more. I reckon Queens Birthday this year will be a cracker with all this bitching from Eddie. No such thing as bad PR. Queens B'day will be packed and won't we love all that black and white money pouring into the MFC coffers.

http://www.youtube.c...bed/JFvujknrBuE Sorry Sam ;-)