PaulRB

Cue the tragic music... "I'm not the one"

Fair enough and good points I guess. I like the idea of Fev (redeemed goal kicker) but are too removed from Casey to analyse his performance and suitability for modern AFL deeply enough, i.e. ability to apply defensive pressure, adhere to team structures and roles etc... and find that much of the debate re-Fev doesn't go into this cool analysis of his football value. Some are saying he'd be a good fit at Freo, why? So what I'm trying to get to is a baggage free analysis of Fevs footy value I'd love to hear an in depth evaluation of where his footy is at and what he'd need to improve to become an AFL asset again. And given that analysis of his Footy value explore how it matches up to the needs of our footy team. I personally see there is a good fit, but as I mentioned I've not followed his football performances closely enough this year to provide an in depth analysis (i.e. like we discuss on any potential draftee)...

Compassion Exercise Honesty with yourself leads to compassion for others OBJECTIVE: To increase the amount of compassion in the world. EXPECTED RESULTS: A personal sense of peace. INSTRUCTIONS: This exercise can be done anywhere that people congregate. It should be done on strangers, unobtrusively, from some distance. Try to do all five steps on the same person. Step 1: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person is seeking some happiness for his/her life." Step 2: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person is trying to avoid suffering in his/her life." Step 3: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person has known sadness, loneliness and despair." Step 4: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person is seeking to fulfill his/her needs." Step 5: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself: "Just like me, this person is learning about life." ©Copyright 1994 by Harry Palmer, author of the Avatar® materials.

+1

Taking Fevs last year (2011 playing for the CAsey Scorps) as the best guide to his future form, has Fev: - Kicked a bunch of goals pushing Casey into finals contention? Yes - Had an indiscretion free tenure at Casey? Yes - Created a distraction, fractured the playing group? No - Provided a negative influence during the development of our kids (our future)? Not that I'm aware of. - hampered the playing development of our young forwards by occupying a spot in the forward line they would otherwise have? No - sulked, provided a poor on field example, draws negative attention towards himself and the club? Yes, I heard he did this at Casey's game against Geelong - hasn't perform as expected (by some), being another year older and having only performed against substandard opposition for half a season in the VFL? No, he's performed above expectations in the second half of the season - committed some sort of indiscretion, just like he has done, time and again, and AGAIN, at Carlton, and then appeared to have learnt briefly at Brisbane... before proving this leopard could not change his spots? No, he's been indiscretion free for the year... Seems Fev has done ok in 2011 even on your own scorecard...

I'll be watching Casey on Sat, in part to check out our boys, but also to run the ruler over Fev. Assuming we all agree Fev is a talented forward capable of playing AFL again. And most are aware of and concerned about Fevs off field and cultural issues (i.e. potentially negative). Yet there is another area of the game that Fev would bring to Melb that has not been discussed much, namely, his ability to pull a crowd. So just to round out our discussion of the Pros and Cons of Fev at the MFC I'll ask the question, what media, membership, sponsorship, revenue value (positive or negative) would Fev's recruitment deliver to the MFC? Lets start with the scenario that Fev acts like a normal AFL player, i.e. good pre-season allowing him to be in the MFC team for round 1, 2012?

How about Martin and our first 2011 draft pick for Butcher?

Red herring to buy time (one month).

I think you are over estimating the impact Fev would have should the scenario you outlined occur. The players are young men who have played much of their careers to date with the normal range of personalities that a footy club has, including potential boofheads like Fev. I don't hold to the mollycoddling approach, and think that every time the club makes a decision based on the presumed immaturity of the team, they further compound that immaturity.

Funny how the Fev scenario brings out fear of the MFC being corrupted, it's fans humiliated or condescension as the common line of rebuttal... I.e. "...deluding themselves into thinking we are a Fev away from the top 4..."(rpfc) "It will be embarrassing if this actually happens" (Range Rover) "Walk away please MFC, just walk away quietly....leave it well alone." (why you little) Seems that few want to argue the logic of his merit as a footballer filling a need that the MFC have, so they appeal to other more emotive arguments.

Afraid I don't agree with your first statement. Character is built one challenge overcome at a time and it is constantly tested by these challenges. The current leadership rot at the MFC will be resolved by a new coach and firm gameplan/ discipline etc... Viney has already made progress by informing (by team omission and the Subs vest) the team what level of performance is required. Your statement that MFC is "not ready to tame Brendan Fevola" implys we have to tame Brendan Fevola. Recruiting him would be a low cost (therefore low risk) calculated gamble with a large potential upside (we get a gun FF for 2-3 years). Unlike Brisbane we won't be gambling the house on him delivering us a flag, and unlike Carlton we are not responsible for nor dependent on Brendan for our future. So we take Fev with the clear condition that he presents at the MFC as a "self-tamed" professional footballer (and person) or he not bother. If he steps outside of clearly prescribed boundaries (set by the coach) he is dropped and/or sacked... The downside is the same as it was this year with Campbell...

Liam Jurrah to move to wing and be Robert Floweresque. Scully at GWS (if he goes...)

The prodigal son. LOL

The culture that the MFC should be aspiring to is one that sets itself challenges that will improve the team and then set about meeting these challenges. Every challenge faced expands the capacity and confidence of the group, team, organisation. Bringing on Fev is simply one of those challenges that will expand our club and if it goes well will improve our club in the short term. It is one of many challenges that the MFC face, and will face, on our way to climbing the mountain that is a premiership. The culture we want is to believe we can overcome these challenges and to become hungry for any challenge that may improve us.

We have to have the coach that the club believes will take us into the finals, GF and premiership nailed done a week or two after the 2011 GF finishes, if not before. Any other option would set us back by more than a year. If it's to be Mick, it's Mick in 2012 or never.

Watch the VFL finals as Sam Blease and others stream downfield and deliver the ball to a large dominant full forward in... BRENDAN!!! whoooo hoooo Goals are kicked and the team wins... Then imagine the same in Rd 1 2012 with both in red and blue with a pre-season and a new coach... whoo hooo Goals are kicked and the team wins... Come on Dees bring on Fev and entertain me

I think that we have the Big forward pieces in Watts, Cook, Fitzy and Gawn, but they will take till 2013-2014 to be imposing. Likewise our talented but underweight young mids (plus Jack V) will bulk up over the next couple of years and be cherry ripe 2013-2014. Gaps will emerge but the base is there, esp relative to the Blues... IMO

I reckon it comes down to list assessment and what Mick is looking for as his next challenge. Biased as I am, I think Carlton are a few pieces short of a premiership ( big forward, quality KPB, etc...) and will follow the trajectory of the Dogs and Saints and fall short before their window closes (i.e. when Judd retires). The MFC seems to have all the pieces, but is younger and hence will require more years to improve them enought to win a flag. Mick will know that it takes a couple of years to imprint your gameplan, communication style and development paths on a team so I reckon he'll see the MFC as perfectly placed with players likely to blossom over the next 2 years giving him a realistic tilt in 2014... Also I reckon the Blues are cocky enough to think that just a little bit of tinkering will win them a flag. Where as at Melbourne, we've suffered so much, we'll hand the keys to the joint to Mick if he reckons he can deliver the holy grail (in our lifetimes...).

I suspect this conversation has already taken place and the MFC coach selection process will meander to a "conclusion" just after the GF... when Mick becomes a Demon.

So we don't recruit Fev because he may be / is better than some of our up and coming kids, and they may have to earn their spot... Sounds like another way to lift the bar at the MFC and teach the pups that a spot in the team don't come on potential alone. Talk about culture issues, the MFCs pampered text book approach to winning a flag, has run its race, and we finish this year with a team that can be characterised as weak, timid, and lacking confidence. So lets try the traditional approach of bringing in the best available players to strengthen the team and let go of the PC mother groups mollycoddling kindergarden approach. To improve quality you raise the bar and reward those who jump it...

LOL.

Hopefully they will be hiring a coach whose mission is to win as many games possible in 2012 with a mind to developing a team that will contest for a flag in the years after 2012. Hopefully this coach will assess what the MFC playing group requires and, if they decide Fev would add value, would draft him.

+1

In addition to the huddle I thought we played a more defensive "baseline tennis" approach where we were comfortable switching and controlling the ball across the HB line until the forward thrust opened up for us. Didn't always work but they were disciplined in their application of this tactic and it worked a treat several times...

I watched Tom play yesterday and for the first time this year I felt he was playing with an intention to build a reputation and legacy at the MFC. The particular moment was when he and green both closed in (at full speed) on a contested ball, which Green ended up with... So, with no evidence apart from that feeling, I reckon he'll stay.