Jaded No More

I see your point, but they should not have taken him off in the last. He was our most productive forward at that late stage, and he was still running around giving his all. Taking him off was stupid and he had every right to be [censored] off. If they punish him for that, or they drop him for next week, I swear to god I will personally kill someone. At least he showed some passion, while everyone else dropped their heads. I agree that guys like Brock, Jones, Ricky etc... will either walk away or lose their soul to this club if something drastic doesn't happen. There is just so much to be upset, hurt and angry about right now, but Ricky's passion is not one of those things. I'm happy that he's unhappy, it shows he is a true competitor and that he cares. I'll take whatever little positive I can from last night, like the fact that despite his performance, Brock did the truly humble, focused thing and didn't celebrate his late goal. Like the fact that Ricky threw himself at every contest even late in the match. Hell, if we don't look at these kids and at least see the future in them, we might as well shut up shop and move to the Gold Coast with the Roos.

Only if instead of Holland (he's great, I love him, but he's just a bloody ordinary footballer), Yze, Ward, Brown, Godfrey etc etc... we play guys like Dunn, Newton, CJ, Buckley. If we keep playing the same side and let our future rot at Sandy, we might as well not turn up at all. This is precisely why I don't care if Petterd or Frawley or Jones or McLean stuff up 100 times and have shocking games. They will improve, while 30 year olds who were never any good to begin with, won't. And if they don't improve, we'll find out sooner instead of later, and we'll act. There is so much dead wood on our list, and sadly, so many highly-paid players who don't give a stuff about this club and who put in pathetic performances on a regular basis. They should be the ones punished this week. Go on Daniher, I dare you to make a statement and drop Bruce or Green or Davey. Hell, drop Brock McLean if it teaches our players a lesson. (Note: PLEASE DON'T DROP BROCK MCLEAN!)

He saw the writing on the wall 10 minutes into the game, yet made no tactical changes until half time. The mind boggles.

Hey, I agree completely. Why the hell did they drag him when he was playing his guts out? He was just about the most couragous Melbourne player out there. And where was he in the first half? He has every right to be [censored] off. He isn't getting used, despite doing everything right when he is out there. This is exactly why CJ is going nowhere. He gets no opportunity from the coaching staff, even when he does get a game, and it deflates him no doubt. Luckily, Petterd strikes me as a much more spirited, tough guy who won't take it lying down.

I'll sum it up for you in one sentence, we are never accountable, be it on or off the field. Nobody takes responsibility when it counts. We are all talk and no action.

Brock will bounce back and be a very successful player for this football club. Tonight was his first truly poor match and it is very unfortunate that it happened on the same night that he debuted as captain. Can't say the same for everyone else you mentioned, including the coach.

Here is it: Tell someone who cares. I don't apologies for having a sense of humour, and I suggest you go find yours where you left it. Also, if you have a personal problem with me, or the way I moderate, send me a PM and we'll sort it out. Don't resort to the tactics of some other posters who try to serve their own anti-mod agenda with their posts.

They did play Holland up forward and he kicked 3. FFS he was our leading goal kicker.... how bloody disgraceful is that? Miller and Dunn would give us options. Miller could have played down back, and Dunn could have played on the wing. That is two more positions than Yze can play. His selection was completely inappropriate given his fitness. If he was 100% fit, I couldn't have blamed Daniher for wanting to go short on a very damp night. But he is clearly injured, so why play him? He is hardly useful when fit, let alone when he can't run out a game. But what does it matter anyways? Neither a fit Yze, nor Dunn, nor Miller nor Newton could make up for the passionless crap that was served up tonight.

I like PJ and I rate his workrate. Hell, he is even winning ruck contests, but gees he can't mark for [censored]. He is seriously lost as a forward, and his kicking is ordinary too. He is about as good up forward as White is, minus the ability to take a contest mark and kick. When Dutchy has a better game up forward than anyone, you know you are in real trouble.

I heard that this is not Big Brother. If he is a smart arse, if he is a tool, if he has issues... I don't care. If he can play football, I care. This is not a personality contest, it is a 'how well can you mark and kick and chase' contest. Plenty of smart arses have played the game before Netwon very successfully. In fact, some of the best players in the history of the game have been slightly less than perfect. Who the hell cares? This should be about his ability. If he has some, then he should get a game. Especially since many players in our side, who I'm sure are lovely people, have none.

He wouldn't be the first on my list, and I would rather keep him, but let's be honest, would you not trade him for Judd? Here is the problem, Davey is very very very good when he is on, but he has too many off nights. He is yet to impress in finals, he has a very short attention span and can lose his cool far too easily. I love watching him, and his value goes far behind chases, tackles and goals. He brings in the crowds because he is great entertainment, but winning a premiership will do all that and more.

It kills me to say, but you are spot on. Mind you, nobody else in the leadership group did anything to inspire really. Brock is still the pick of the bunch, but he had a dirty night. Can't wait to see what he does next week, it will be a true test of character for someone who has plenty of it. Actually thought Frawley did a couple of nice things. Petterd's behind did a good job warming the bench for Yze.

Take out Davey and put in Jones and you're just about right. Bruce and TJ should absolutely be put on the table. Green and Davey are not safe either. Trading a big name player now, will get us something good. Don't wait till it's too late, the way we did with Yze. Be tough and you might pull off another Shane Woewodin deal. I don't care who coaches us next year, as long as they are PROACTIVE. If they have the balls to put our big name players up on the trading table, then they will also have the balls to shake this team to the core and we will hopefully never see a repeat of tonight.

I'd love for them to not come out in the media this week and just say nothing. We've heard enough. Enough excuses, enough pathetic support for our coach, enough of the 'no leadership, didn't come to play, my nana's dog got sick' [censored]. How about for one week, our players keep their mouth shut and just say nothing. The only person who I would like to hear from his Brock. I'm sure he'll have a pretty honest assessment of his game tonight as stand-in captain. He really disappointed me, but then I am sure he is just as angry and upset as I am. He'll bounce back and he'll lead this side successfully for many years to come, but I can't say the same for a lot of his teammates. Ricky, Sylvia, Bate, Belly, Jonesy, Frawley... if we don't hold onto these kids, what hope have we got? And if Ricky is wasted on the bench for the entire first quarter while Yze can't be bothered bending over and picking up a ball, than he should be filthy. He got dragged for what exactly? Going into contests courageously and kicking a goal?

Newton would have made no difference to the results tonight, but then you made the comment that selecting Yze ahead of him, or Dunn or Miller (could have gone on to Richo?) was a pathetic, uninspired move (Ok, I've twisted your words a bit there, but the point is the same). In fact, it was the move of a coach with very little guts to just go forward and try something new. The season is shot, it was shot long before tonight, and long before we beat Adelaide. And yet nothing, absolutely nothing changes. Well now that we absolutely cannot make finals, I want to see Newton, Dunn, Buckley get a game. Don't care how mentally ready they are. This is football, it's a tough game and if you can't hack it, go home. As for trying PJ up forward, they did, and he still can't mark. I find that it is actually a big problem when someone the size of King Kong can't extend his hands and grab the ball. Will never make it as a forward, never ever.

The players should get a LOT of the blame. For me to sit at a game and actually wonder what the hell is going on with Brock McLean, well that is just unheard of. I was thrilled to see him toss the coin, and it went horribly down hill from there. I blame Daniher solely for selecting an unfit Yze ahead of the 3 tall forwards he had at Sandringham. I also blame him for not making Richmond's loose man accountable for half the match. I blame him for letting Godfrey get so much of the ball then turning it over. I blame him for the forward structure, and his persistence with PJ who cannot mark to save himself. What I don't blame him for is players not hitting targets, players not chasing, players showing NOTHING. Not even our best player and future leader in Brock McLean was in any way, shape or form impressive tonight, but this is his first poor game at the club... how many poor performances have Neale put it? I am gutted. Getting smashed by Richmond... it does not get any lower than that.

Is that a hard-ball get?

It would go something like this: "What do you think about Melbourne's season?" "We're [censored], but we'll still make finals and win the premiership" "Who are you excited to see play this year?" "Newton, he is the next Gary Ablett. No, scrap that, he is BETTER than Gary Ablett and Wayne Carey and Chris Judd. He is probably better than Jesus too" "Anything else you'd like to say?" "Yes. I would like to formally deny that I am involved in any way with Colin Sylvia. My love for him is purely based on his football ability. He is the single greatest footballer to ever walk the earth and he will probably win every Brownlow from now until he retires. He might win a couple after retirement as well"

It's 1-1 for disturbing gutter-comments made by us today.

What sort of refined ladies do you hang around?

Damn you! Always stealing my thunder. I think Brocky would appriciate it more if I was driving!

Come on, spill... who do you know? <_< Nothing surprising though. Hopefully Yze has a good game and we get to see Juice soon. Oh and BROCKY FOR CAPTAIN. That is the new bandwagon I'm driving tonight.

True. It's not like we've got finals to get passionate and excited about! If we didn't have the kids, we'd pretty much have nothing, and since we talk about the awesomeness of Brock, Jones, Belly, Bate and Sylvia (not so much when certain posters are on holidays ) all the time, we got bored and decided to jump onto the 'Michael Newton is better than sliced bread' bandwagon. I was really certain he'd play tonight for some reason, but I'm starting to think it was just false hope.

Come on, you left me right open and my gutter brain just went into over-drive. It was an obvious call to make!

Well it was raining before while I was driving home, OK?! :angry: