Jaded No More

Would be slightly hypocritical to drop Dunn for some selfish or soft acts. Have you met some of our senior players? Yes he squibbed it. So has Morton this season and so have many players over the course of their career. It's a poor effort, but not everyone has the killer instinct that allows them to dive head-first into every contest. Dunn needs to get better using his body and being physical, but I remember a young Brad Green having the same problem and now he is one of the first ones to dive on a loose ball and go head first into a contest.

Paul Wheatley is a shocker. Yes he can kick it 70 meters, but he usually just bombs it long to nobody. On one occasion, had he looked to his left he would have seen Garland all on his own ready to take the ball and run. He didn't bother turning his head, instead kicking it to a contest which we of course lost. I was much happier when CJ took the kick-ins, and maybe it's time we gave Garland a chance to do that as well. Wheatley is not effective in this task unless he can spot a man all on his own 70 meters away, and that will never happen when you're playing Sydney... or any good team for that matter. The coaching instruction seems pretty simple to me... get the ball and move it as soon as humanly possible. Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn't, and that's usually thanks to players not presenting or the kicker completely missing the target. Too often our defenders, instead of making themselves an option, are worried about leaving their man. Consequently, you'd get some half-arsed token effort from some midfielder who is slowly walking down to the defensive 50, by which time the opposition have zoned off and are ready to spoil our party. Even when we play a loose-man in defence, we can't seem to pick up a target. It really is sad.

I'm just happy he is finally getting the opportunities he deserves. And I'm sure someone will come on here and say "he got the limited opportunities he deserved in the past" (yes, that's directed at you Rhino), but we all know he didn't. He wasn't brilliant at Sandy, but poorer players received game after game after game, while CJ was brought in only to spend 60% of the game on the bench and be dropped the next week. At least Bailey is playing him for full games now, giving him an actual role and some responsibility. It makes a huge difference to an inexperienced player when someone actually believes in your abilities. CJ is a very good user of the ball and has some pace. If he can develop a defensive side to his game he might even turn out to be a very good player. Put it this way, had we picked up CJ with pick 3, and Sylvia with a third round pick, I'm sure Sylvia would be on his way out now while we'd still be pumping up CJ. Perception is everything.

Jeff White is struggling big time. He has no impact in the ruck contests anymore. At least Jamar occasionally will tap the ball to advantage. He also does little around the ground and takes far too long to dispose of the football. I know he's given us years of excellent service, but his time has come and we need to learn to play without him. 10 years of over-reliance on one ruck has left us without a competitive ruck option. We traded both Jolly and Simmonds, somehow hoping White will be effective forever. PJ is developing nicely but he is not a center-bounce ruckman. He is not strong enough, and he doesn't get his hands on the ball enough. He can be used to take throw-ins around the ground, and that's about it. Jamar provides a strong presence in the middle of the ground, but turns invisible thereafter. Neither of these players are going to provide any long-term rucking solutions. As for Meesen, I wouldn't have a clue who or what he actually is. I'm hoping to see less and less of White before he hopefully calls it a day at the end of the season. He deserves to retire with his dignity, and while he is still servicable, and I'm not suggesting we should make him play out his career at Sandy, but certainly he has got to take a step back and let Jamar be first ruck for the rest of the season. That way, either Jamar will use the experience to become a decent player (unlikely, but anything is possible), or he'll gain some trade value and we can use him as bait at the end of the season. PJ can stay up forward or even down back. At least he is learning to take overhead marks now... slowly.

It was a soft hit, but he clearly lined him up. You could see that he looked at Bartram, although it was for a split second, then went in with a slightly raised elbow. Had it been any other Swans player, I wouldn't want them getting suspended for that, but the arrogant scum that is Goodes needs a reality check and a week off. Glad Bartram jumped straight up. Targeting a second year player who weighs about 60kg is just pathetic. Would love to see him try to run through Brock or Jones!

CJ is contracted. He can't be delisted. Other than that, this thread makes perfect sense

Our turnovers and dumbarse decisions are killing us. So many idiotic forward thrusts that end up in the hands of the opposition, pissy little handballs and kicks that bounce short. So incredibly frustrating. Good defensive games by both CJ and Dunn. And PJ was great presenting up forward. Very disappointing midfield effort. Jeff White needs to call it a day.

Agree completely. What a lowlife. He looked at Bartram and did not hesitate to just run through him. What a hero you are Goodes! Hope one of our boys puts a knee in his back. As a team, we are just DUMB. Jeff White is the main culprit. It takes him far too long to dispose of the ball, and when he does he usually chooses the wrong option. Wheatley, for all of his million possessions is in exactly the same boat. And will someone PLEASE feed Frawley. He gets pushed aside far too easily. Ugh, I hate this season.

Glad Yze has been dropped. But Jamar ahead of Morton and Valenti? Tanking?

Or they are trying to get value for money out of his contract I really hope they drop him. I've had enough of his selfishness and laziness. It goes against everything Bailey is trying to teach the younger players.

I'm still shattered that nothing came of Robbie Flower's son. Something definitely went wrong in that gene pool.

Bench should be: Frawley, CJ, Morton and Valenti. I want to see Whelan in the side, but can't justify dropping the other 4. Valenti against Sydney seems a good fit, plus he deserves another chance. Out: Yze In: Valenti

I'm sure that most, if not all of the players would be willing to sacrifice one weekend a year (remember, it can be a rotational thing) to help secure the club's future. They already do a number of clinics, what's a once-a-year coaching gig with some kids? You can get 2 separate teams going, with one player a week coaching, which adds up to 44 listed players. Easily can be done. And you could even initiate a little competition between the two teams, with a big match at the end of the year and the winner can get a small replica of a premiership cup and some Melbourne freebies. Very small financial outlay and an easy way to boost AusKick numbers, which are dreadful at the moment. If we don't get kids on board, we WILL die. Another idea to get kids involved, is if parents are willing to pay for a premium membership where they get to 'buddy' up to a player. Maybe get a special one-on-one coaching session with them, a worn guernsey and a personalised birthday card. Again, it's a good opportunity for parents to convert their kids for life and it's extra money for the club. None of us can say how much any of these things will cost, but it's ideas that could generate support and that's the key here. A lot of the stuff mentioned is really not going to cost the club much in terms of set-up costs, but it will certainly help recruit people and wipe out our debt quicker.

Carrying on from that, maybe we can attract more kids to AusKick if we send a different player each week to coach a team of young Demon fans?

Nooooooooooo! What the hell is our club doing to player groins?!

Which is why I said, it's a case by case proposition, and we can't use TJ as an example, because his case could be very different to Bruce's. Where exactly did I confuse you? Besides, whether or not we have to pay some of his contract is not a reason to not trade a player. If we can get a good pick for someone who is not going to be part of our next successful quest for a premiership, then we should take the opportunity to do so.

Even if we traded Bruce and ended up paying some of his salary, that this would come under the salary cap, which is set at the exact same level as any of the other 15 clubs (give or take interstate concessions). Besides, many players have been traded in the past while under contract, and clubs have not had to pay a portion of their salary. Just because we did this with TJ, doesn't mean we'll have to do it with Bruce. It's a case by case proposition.

He was thanking you for being a paid-up member. The man is a champion.

Firstly, no club would give up pick 6 for Bruce or Green, not even if pick 17 came with it. Secondly, you're crazy if you wouldn't trade either for a top 10 pick. That is seriously an insane rip-off. I think the best we can hope to get for Bruce is a late 20 pick, at best. Would still take that in a heartbeat mind you.

To do what? If his body is not up to it, his body won't be up to it in Adelaide either.

Brent Moloney and Colin Sylvia spent a good 2 seasons battling OP. Both have since come good to a certain extent (pity about Moloney's shoulder). Not sure if Rivers had the groin surgery that Judd had, but that certainly could be a possibility. We shouldn't give up on him yet, he's still young and we know he is a great player when fit.

I picked up a free flag outside, but by the time I got a seat on the third level, surrounded by random Richmond supporters, I found that waving my flag would just result in obscuring the views of the people in front, to the side and behind me. Telstra Dome is a crap stadium devoid of any atmosphere, and yes it doubles up as a morgue during the week (why the hell is it always so much colder in there?!), but if your team is playing, you need to come and support them. Who cares if you have to freeze to death, be surrounded by ferals and sit so far away the players look like ants, it's football and it's Melbourne and it's worth it just to see Garland, and Morton and McLean and Davey etc etc.... The game felt like I was in Adelaide watching a match, being abused by one-tooth hobos.

I understand why some MCC members don't buy full MFC membership, they get nothing from it. So how about, creating a duel membership, where MCC members pay a little more and this entitles them free entry into Telstra Dome, similar to what you get as a 17-game member. This will at least give MCC members some sort of an incentive to buy a Melbourne membership. Reserved seats at Telstra Dome can cost as much as $40 each. If we play there 3 times a season (like this year), that's potentially $120. By paying maybe $100 towards a duel membership with this benefit, you get to both save money and help the club. There needs to be incentives like these to ensure that MCC members convert into MFC members. There is a big supporter group to capture here, and if we get them on board it will not only help our finances it will also solidify our relationship with the MCC.

Unless it can get the council and/or the Victorian government to fund whatever redevelopment is necessary to play games at Casey. Given it's the fastest growing corridor in Australia, I'd imagine the council would be quite keen to get some AFL matches there. You'd need a seating capacity of say 30,000. Then you can add a membership premium to get a reserved seat at both the MCG and Casey, giving more money to the club and ensuring supporters don't miss out on a seat. Best of all it will give us a true home ground advantage.

I'd rather see us utilize Casey to play interstate teams such as Port and Freo, however I don't know whether this can be organised in the short term given that I have never been to Casey so am not aware of the set-up and stadium capabilities. I want to play every home game at the MCG, but that's not going to help us financially. Selling home games is a crap solution, but if it's a solution than we should do it. Just make sure we play Freo and Port etc... Casey is a better long-term solution though. Or alternatively the rectangular stadium?