PaulRB

You mean like if my aunt was a man, she'd be my uncle..?

Referring to some as sheep or goats with your use of "bleating" puts you firmly in the childishness camp for mine Satyr...

Maybe re-uniting Stringer with his old coach might have him return to his best..?

I'd prefer the tribunal be consistently harsh on hits to the head, it's got to be removed from the game at AFL level, to provide leadership and example to players umps and tribunals at all levels. Its a sad blemish on the game, and if not checked will inevitably result in tragedy and the law getting involved.

I'd have Vanders and Gus straight in if they were available and in form this week as well.

I can't stand the way they order that... Melbourne injury (& suspension) list: round 16 Jeff Garlett (hamstring) – test Jesse Hogan (testicular cancer) – test Dom Tyson (knee) – test Jack Watts (hamstring) – 1-2 weeks' Christian Salem (hamstring) – 2-3 weeks Lochie Filipovic (hip flexor) – 3 weeks Nathan Jones (quadriceps) – 3-4 weeks Pat McKenna (hamstring) – 4-5 weeks Jack Viney (plantar fascia) – 4-6 weeks Tomas Bugg (suspended) - 6 weeks Angus Brayshaw (concussion) – indefinite Tim Smith (navicular bone) – season Aaron vandenBerg (heel) – season Colin Garland (knee) – season

Hopefully the afl world is growing up and prepared to show more leadership (and less acceptance) of violence that is totally unacceptable in the broader community.

Fair enough, he looked remorseful and shocked after he did it. He'll be back for finals, wiser and better for it.

What's to defend? What he did was unjustifiable and indefensible. Falling at the feet of the court was his only "honourable" option.

Bugg made a costly error of judgement. There's no room in professional sport for assaulting another player in this way. If he'd done that outside the stadium he'd be charged with assault. Six weeks for assaulting someone in your workplace is actually grossly inadequate. Only in the delusional bubble that is the AFL can we think 6 weeks for a king hit behind play is unfair.

Well he won't do that again.

Is it just me or does it look like the Swan on the right of Bugg is purely focused on ripping off his jumper (and struggling)?

I think after three 6-day breaks this past month, the boys will be walking on air this Sunday. Cherry ripe and ready to rock, with Hogan and Jeffy in and on. Go Dees!

Hard for the AFL to make an example of Bugg given it's own issues on that front, I'd guess he'll get 6 down to 5.

Your strategy is high risk low reward. This year we've beaten teams you'd have us "roll over to" in West Coast and Adelaide, while losing to teams that you erroneously assume we'd now beat in North and Saints, both of whom beat us earlier in the year. So aside from corrupting the winning culture of the club, holding us out to be mocked by the AFL community (remember our last tanking experience, yay!), your philosophy most likely would fail if the "evidence" of this year was to continue. So, still silly, in fact more so the more thought I give it.

While our midfield has been decimated, we can draw some hope that we have a good number who can step in to play cameos or even more... I.e Hannam, Melksham, Garlett, Hogan, etc... with Jeffy and Hogan back... things may not be so bleak.

If we start believing in the excuses and adopting the strategies you're suggesting we may as well run up the white flag on this season now, cause we won't be there in September and certainly not in the last game. The AFL season is a marathon, more so now with an even competition. If we're ever going to taste real success it's because we've built resilience and strength by facing our challenges, rather than shirking from them as you suggest. If we push hard and accept no plausible excuses, then we may fall in a heap, but next year we'll be closer to a flag for the lessons we learnt from it.

So, having recruited competitive kids, trained and built belief that they can beat anyone, having beaten the Crows already this year (at their home ground), and having to win at least 5 more in order to play our first finals series in a decade... you suggest we start throwing games. That's just silly.

As Jimmy used to say "Fook Em!" With expectations will come scrutiny and snipers looking to score points kicking us on a down day. The boys (Bugg and the four idiots) opened us up for such scrutiny. We need to hang tough and take our hits without losing focus,

Best keep Lewis away from Cripps...

Best guess from what I can gleen... Round 16 Sunday, July 9 - Carlton Vs Melbourne - MCG 3:20pm A Players likely to be back - Garlett, Hogan, Joel Smith Round 17 Saturday, July 15 - Melbourne Vs Adelaide Crows - TIO 7:10pm H Players likely to be back - Watts, Tyson? Round 18 Saturday, July 22 - Melbourne Vs Port Adelaide - MCG 2:10pm H Players likely to be back - Salem Round 19 Saturday, July 29 - North Melbourne Vs Melbourne - BA 1:45pm A Round 20 Saturday, August 05 - GWS Vs Giants Melbourne - UNSW 1:45pm A Players likely to be back - Viney?, Jones, Brayshaw Round 21 Sunday, August 13 - Melbourne Vs St Kilda - MCG 1:10pm H Players likely to be back - Bugg Round 22 Sunday, August 20 - Melbourne Vs Brisbane Lions - MCG 1:10pm H Round 23 Sunday, August 27 - Collingwood Melbourne - MCG 12:00am A

not quite. 1st game - 6 day break - 2nd game - 6 day break - 3rd game - 6 day break - 4th game.

Well, the blowtorch is on which ever of the four are elevated into the team vs Carlton, as they've blow some credits making themselves unavailable for Friday. Similar to Lewis for his hit on Crips earlier in the year.

I reckon they might have watched the game (like the rest of us), before making themselves ineligible. Or is it too much to ask the poor babies? No ones "suicidal", you're just being a [censored].