Jaded No More

Like every other staff member at the MFC, the fitness team will also be looked at. They'll have a lot of explaining to do, although not all of our injury woes can be attributed to the new fitness regime. On the other hand, we've run out most games quite well... pity about the first 3 and a half quarters

Expires 2007 David Neitz (v) - 1 year Russell Robertson - 2 years Byron Pickett - GONE Jared Rivers - 15 years... whatever Brock McLean - see Rivers Brad Miller - trade or one year Paul Wheatley - trade or one year Ryan Ferguson- GONE Nathan Brown - Retirement Clint Bizzell - GONE (one year if we have to <_< ) Colin Sylvia - 3 years James McDonald - 2 years Nathan Carroll - 3 years Nathan Jones - 3 years Paul Johnson - 2 years Ben Holland - Retire Mark Jamar - trade or one year Clint Bartram - 3 years Chris Johnson - trade or one year Simon Godfrey - 1 year Daniel Ward - GONE Matthew Warnock - trade or 1 year Micheal Newton - 3 years Simon Buckley - 2 years Heath Neville- GONE ® Jace Bode - Depending on form in the last 5 weeks plus finals, possibly elevate? ® Shane Neaves - Elevate- 2 years ® Daniel Hughes- GONE ® Daniel Hayes- One more year on rookie list P.S.- I'm almost certain Rivers and McLean extended their contracts last year?

Ratten did extremely well to turn a 20 goal defeat into a 10 point defeat in one week (against a good opponent). Suddenly they're gallant in defeat, instead of insipid. It's the demoralising 10+ goal losses that really hurt you in the long run.

Sadly, we've been harping on about the same thing for years. No leadership, poor attitude, terrible body-language, egos that inflate quicker than a hot-air balloon. In fact, we seem to be the biggest bunch of back-slappers in the competition. We win a few games and suddenly we're invincible. We lose a few games and suddenly we have no confidence. Yes, confidence is a legitimate issue in footy, but it's also a load of [censored]. You build up your own confidence, just as you make your own luck. I look at the turn-around of Collingwood, North and especially Geelong, and for some reason, I just can't see us doing the same thing. Not because our list is not good enough to compete with those clubs, it's because I know that after we win 3 or 4 in a row, we'll inevitably fall back into the usual trap of looking too far ahead and fail to perform consistently. We just haven't got the mental toughness required to be a real threat. If we lost the first few games of the season like Geelong and North did, we'd really struggle to pick ourselves up. And if we lost 4 or 5 games mid-season, like West Coast, we'd be gone too. I want to believe that a new coach will come in and change that, but it seems like a huge task.

I didn't listen to what they said, as I had the volume turned down, but I still find it hard to believe that a professional organisation approaches coaching candidates via text messages. In fact, I don't want to believe it.

I wouldn't believe everything the media says. If we're interested in Voss, he'll be interviewed like every other candidate. The list of goners is long and extends beyond old fringe players. A good measure of the new coach, will be which players in our best 22 they are willing to put on the table during trade week.

The Melbourne Football Club- sad shadow of former self Today's Effort- disgusting Jones- forgiven

Yeah, lets get Charman and he can help Sandy win another flag. Why do we need another ruckman when Benny Holland (bless his socks), does such a good job?

Much like most of our players, I simply don't give a [censored] about this season anymore, but for the love of god can they please PLEASE put Robbo and especially Neita on ice? The man is one serious injury away from retirement, so what is the point of playing him? I hate what this club has become. It really really breaks my heart, and I hope above all that whoever coaches us next year, brings with him a change in attitude and perception, because at the moment we are a sad joke.

They dropped Carroll and PJ, and as I suspected, we've loaded our forward line because we have too many immobile talls. Pathetic pre-match selection. Miller and Holland as back-up ruckmen when we have two perfectly fit ruckmen at Sandy. Logic? Carroll in the VFL when our backline is getting murdered. Logic? Dunn and CJ in the VFL when we can't hit a target. Logic? The scoreline flatters us. We deserve to be 10 goals behind the way we're playing. Jones, Newton and the return of Belly the only highlights. Godfrey doing a good job too. P.S.- NEITA IS NOT FIT. DON'T PLAY HIM!!!!

Place your losing margin below.... 12+ goals Dunn might still come in as a late change, if Tredrea doesn't play. At least Belly is back!

Sorry, I must have missed your post. This is my ideal match-ups, if Tredrea doesn't play: HF: Danyle Pearce, Lade/ Brogan?, David Rodan F: Daniel Motlop, Justin Westhoff, Brett Ebert Westhoff- PJ Motlop- Frawley Pearce- Bell (can go with him in the midfield if required) Ebert- Warnock Rodan- Carroll Lade/Brogan- Miller Keep in mind that this is about development more than anything. If we were trying to make the top 4, obviously the side and match-ups would look different. PJ, Frawley and Warnock can and will get better, Ferguson and Holland won't. I don't buy that Carroll doesn't have a match-up. If we were in a winning position, he would play. He plays taller than he is, but he has the pace to go smaller. Just as a side note, can anyone explain the logic behind dropping PJ and not bringing in Jamar? We're going into the match with one struggling ruckman... if that's not a sign we're trying to lose, I don't know what is.

I could never forget Belly. As I said in my initial post, he is best suited to Ebert, who is their most consistent small forward. The issue is, we haven't got enough options down back. Carroll and Bizzell, even CJ, give us much more flexibility than Holland and Ferguson. Not to mention better rebounding options. But then we're not playing to win, so it doesn't really matter. Carroll being made to play at Sandy this week is a joke. I don't care who we're playing, he is our best fit defender and he could play on a number of players and give us some options. We'll end up with a slow bench and no run, we'll lose and be a game closer to a top 2 pick

Bizzell could probably match him in terms of being able to read the ball. He may not have a lot going for him, late in his career, but his ability to read the play is still very good. Motlop would beat him for pace, but Bizzell would definitely compete with him in the air. Not ideal, but better than having Frawley on him IMO. A good match-up for Motlop would actually be Matty Warnock, but he isn't getting a game. How about Dunn/Garland just for something different? They'll probably get smashed, but it's a good experience. Word is that Tredrea has knee soreness and may not play. Keeping that in mind, I hope we get as many runners into the side as possible. Already it looks like we could have two talls on the bench at any one time, which means one of Holland/Ferguson/Miller should be a late withdrawal depending on circumstances.

Biz on Motlop for me. Frawley got smashed on the lead last week. I'd suggest Ebert is as quick, if not quicker than Jones. That worries me. And I know Brown works hard off the ball, but he has so many other faults that far outweigh his positives. I can't for the life of me see the point in keeping him on the list. At best, he'll come in and cover for injuries. I rather give Bode another season at Sandy, than waste an extra year on Brown. He is a wonderful character to have around the club, but he just isn't a good enough player, and if we're serious about winning a flag, that's all that matters!

We're going nowhere if Nathan Brown is still on the list next year. Yes, he is a great clubman, and a hard worker, but he is just not good enough to play AFL anymore. Horrible decision making, poor disposal, decreasing pace... what position will he play? And Ebert is too short for Frawley. He's only 180cm if I'm not mistaken. Port have a number of short, quick forwards. I'd rather have kept CJ in the side and play him as a defender than bring in one of Ferguson/Holland who are likely to spend a lot of time on the bench, alongside one of Jamar/Newton (can't play both in the forward line). That will leave us short of runners. Even Bizzell would be more suited. BTW, CJ was better than Buckley last week. Not that I want to see Buckley dropped, but I just can't figure out why CJ doesn't get the same extended run as most do.

A forward line consisting of Holland, Neita and Robbo? Accountability on the rebound would be at an all-time low Also, where does that leave Newton? Holland was clearly selected to do a job, which is fine. That is the only reason he's on our list. I don't actually care who comes into the side, as we should certainly look at everyone (even if for the last time) over the next few weeks. It's who they drop that annoys me. Memembers of our best 22 (who are fit) in favour of extremely ordinary players, or developing kids (i.e.- Dunn last week, PJ and CJ this week). Meanwhile the same players get a game every week, when clearly their careers should be over.

Ferguson and Holland are not a winning combination, and they never have been. The argument to play them, is to either bump up their trade value (in the case of Ferguson), or give them a few fairwell matches. As you said, we know what they bring, and it's not much. The decision on their future was clear a long time ago, and there is little they can do to change their fate at the MFC. Now looking at Adelaide's forward line, here are what I think could be the match-ups: HF: Danyle Pearce, Warren Tredrea, David Rodan F: Daniel Motlop, Justin Westhoff, Brett Ebert Assuming Miller takes Tredrea, and Ferguson plays on Westhoff, that means that Holland will spend time on the bench while Lade/Brogan are not playing up forward. Ward has to play and will probably play on Pearce (oh the joy), leaving Belly on either Ebert or Rodan. That means Frawley takes Motlop (?) who I fear has too much pace for him, and Wheatley plays on Rodan/Ebert. We would have been better off forgeting Ferguson, playing Miller on Westhoff (gives away a bit of height, but definitely beats him for strength), Carroll on Tredrea, and PJ on the resting ruckman (he's played a couple of games down back and wasn't horrible, and this is all about development). If we were really trying to win, there is not a chance in hell that Carroll would have been dropped. He is easily in our best 22, and we can always find a match-up for him. Same goes for PJ (I'm in favour of giving Jamar another go, but not at the expense of another developing ruck). If we were interested in looking at the list, we'd play Warnock instead of Ferguson/Holland, which again, are not at all unfamiliar. There is nothing competitive about our team at the moment. Bell and Bruce's inclusion are a no-brainer and make us both competitive while keeping an eye on the future (both will play next year and beyond). However, 8 of the players named in the squad are not in our best 22, while up to 6 of those are unlikely to be on our list next year. Sure, injuries are mostly to blame, but a team who isn't tanking wouldn't drop their FB. Furthermore, a team trying to develop a list for the future, wouldn't play so many players who are unlikely to feature in their side going forward. I don't know what Riley or the MFC is trying to achieve here, but one thing is certain, we're not trying to win. Sunday afternoon will simply be a percentage booster for Port.

Ferguson, Holland, Jamar, Brown, Ward... Is that how you envision 2008? I'm all for playing the entire list and trying out new things, but you can't just drop players for absolutely no reason. Carroll has been battling on his own the entire season, fighting out of his weight division, and is totally committed to every contest (see Carlton game), and they drop him. That is completely unfair, especially given the replacements are Holland and Ferguson. FFS! Sure we're trying to lose, but we shouldn't burn vital players in the process. Unless Carroll or PJ have a mystery illness, they should both be playing. The idea is to drop unfit players, or those who can't/won't make it onto the list next year. Not members of our starting 22!

Come on... Look at the wholesome goodness and complete awesomeness of that half forward line! An injured flanker who doesn't give a rats about this season, a midget who can't kick, and Godfrey. And what about that backline... a man with the turning circle of the Titanic and the speed of a turtle on dope, a 26 year old stick figure, and a kid who just had the training wheels taken off his bike. All this side is really missing is Nicho at FB, and the return of Brent Grgic.

AMEN! Of those 30 or older, only Neita, McDonland and White should be kept on the list. Unfortunately for us, but luckily for Yze, he's contracted. Pickett is gone. Can't even get a game in the biggest tanking match of the year so far. He's done for.

Should have dropped White to allow Jamar to play then. Hell, we've omitted our FB, why not our number one ruckman? I couldn't care less whether we win or lose (in fact, I rather we lose), I don't even care who plays, but I don't know how Riley could go up to PJ, CJ and especially Carroll and look them in the eye while telling them they've been dropped. Meantime, Brown is still getting a game. We must be really desperate for Kreuzer.

Yeah, he'll be back to replace Brock McLean in the centre in Round 22 I'll tell you what's a disgrace, this so called 'youth policy'. When we drop CJ and Carroll in favour of a 26 year old who will never cut it, it just stinks of losing attitude. And if you really want to give Jamar another go, why not give White a bit of a rest, it's not as if he's helping us win! Why don't we just take up an ad in the paper to notify all Australians that we are officially tanking? Better yet, why don't we just not turn up in Adelaide, and pretend we forgot we had a game on.

They dropped our FB, and he didn't even have a bad game.... Ahahahahaha! CJ and Bizzell look to have played their last games in red & blue. And they're clearly shopping Jamar around, by displaying his superb athleticism for all to see. These changes are tankilicious... now bring on those draft picks! P.S.- WORST.HALF-FORWARD LINE.EVER!

Selfish! <_< I want to see Neita play his 300th when he is fully fit and surrounded by a winning team. If that means we put him on ice until 2010, than so be it! No point dropping CJ. We're going to lose anyways, might as well see what more he has to offer while doing so.