Jaded No More

How can we expect to win games when we play well for just one quarter? The game-plan in the first three quarters was an absolute joke, and Daniher needs to take responsibility for that. He loaded the forward line with Neita, Robbo, Miller and White, and yet we took 20 minutes to get the ball into the forward line. Thankfully, we woke up in the last and played like a completely different side. However, playing one good quarter of footy a week is not going to win you games. Something has to change! We cannot possibly play like world-beaters for one quarter, and like wooden-spooners the other three. If the MFC is trying to drive us crazy, they are doing a fine job. Winning games on the other hand...

Mmmm, I love it when I'm right

I think he was referring to the Jame McDonland 'push in the back' against the Dogs, which was clearly NOT a push in the back. The hands in the back rule has got to go down in history as the most idiotic over-ruling of our game. I remember when it first came in and I brought it up here and complained that it will be too difficult to umpire and will ruin the game. A lot of people disagreed at the time, but I guess now everyone apart from the AFL itself has realised that there is nothing worse than manipulating rules that have been set in place for years. It is completely unnecessary, when we have never had a problem of pushing players out of a contest. In the past, when a push was really obvious, they payed the free and it was fine. I've never heard a supporter complain that players pushing one another in the back is ruining the spectacle of the game. This stupid rule on the other hand... I understand when they bring in new rules to protect the players from getting hurt, but nobody has ever suffered from being pushed in the back by an opponent. This isn't under 10's FFS, we WANT to see a contest. As Richo said last night, he's been playing for 15 years and for 15 years his mark would have been deemed ok. Why fix things that aren't broken?

I don't get it. You CHOOSE to support Melbourne, nobody puts a gun to your head. Therefore the club owes you nothing! If you don't like it, you can get up and leave at anytime. The door is open, and nobody is forcing you to stay. I hate the notion that the club owes us supporters anything. It doesn't. This club has existed long before it supporters turned into a whinging, soft, fickle bunch of moaners, and let us hope that it continues to exist long after they all get over themselves. We complain that our board, coaches and players are all soft, and yet the only truly weak part of our club is our members who need to get paid in order to turn out in numbers. If there is one thing I hate about this club, is the outside perception brought on because the majority of our supporters berate instead of barrack! /Vent over.

But I guess we have a new vaccum cleaner to debut, so that raises the anticipation level. If Brock remains an emergency: 4 If Brock comes in as a late change: 8 (yes, Brock is worth 4 anticipation points)

He is unknown up forward, which in my opinion is his natural position. Is he up to it, I say yes, but we've seen so little of him that we don't have much to go on apart from his pre-season form which was excellent. One thing I am sure of, is that he is more up to it than Bizzell, especially in the long term. When you are 0-8, you look for the win, but in the back of your mind there has to be some sort of consideration for the future. As for your Gallagher example, are you trying to say that we shouldn't look to give listed players a game based on their VFL form? Maybe CJ won't cut it, but we will never find out if he is forever stuck at Sandy. Besides, for every player who is a VFL star and doesn't cut it at AFL level, there are dozens who play well in the reserves and translate that form to seniors when given an adequate chance.

CJ was named BOG at Sandy last week, Bizzell did nothing from all reports. Bizzell has 14 games left in his career.... CJ is only 21 Bizzell has shown us what he can do for quite a number of season now, CJ is still largely unknown Bizzell is yet another tall-ish player who adds no legs to our rotation, CJ can play on the wing, up forward or as a small running defender Bizzell is couragous, so is Ferguson. Neither are up to it though, CJ IS. Two can play this game you know. I don't think anyone can change my mind on this one. CJ deserves as much patience to 'make it' as Sylvia, Miller and so on have received. For some unknown reason though, he isn't getting the same treatment, even after fighting for his position in the VFL and being named in the best. Even when selected, he plays one game and is then dropped like he is the scapegoat of the side. I can often see the logic behind most of Daniher's decisions, but not this time. As I've said before, we will lose CJ and he will be a handy player for however picks him up. In the meantime, Bizzell will enjoy his retirement with an extra few thousands from match payments .

McLean emergency again? I distinctly remember him saying he could be back as early as Round 5. It is now Round 9 and still no McLean. What has gone wrong? :( And what the hell does CJ have to do to get a game? Bizzell selected ahead of CJ is a disgrace. I am not one to randomly abuse our coach or the selectors, but FFS what is the point of the Bizzell selection?! If I was CJ, I'd be getting my manager to make some calls. Pathetic. *Sigh*. I shouldn't waste my time getting angry, when I predicted it would happen.

The Herald Scum mentioned our supporters whinging about the faulty stickers in 'The Pulse' today. They even managed to sneak in a snow joke... cutting edge journalism right there! :rolleyes"

Yes, I absolutely would! It is the club's money, and they are clearly only handing it out because they are desperate. I love the club more than I could ever love another pair of shoes, or whatever else I'd inevitably go and spend the money on. Having said that, I have never won a thing in my life, so I doubt very much I'd win the money.

So this is what it comes to... Our club has to bribe our fickle supporters to turn up to the game! If I happen to win, I'll donate the money back to the club. Gees, we really are struggling aren't we?!

Well clearly (and thankfully) the club disagrees, as Frawley is certain to play, while Bizzell looks likely to miss out. Now please explain this one to me. We are 0-8 and Bizzell only has 14 rounds left in his career, and yet you want him to play ahead of an 18 year old who the club see as a 200 gamer? What on earth is playing Bizzell going to achieve, when he is one of the most one-dimensional players in our side, with limited pace and no accountability. What are we going to get from him on Sunday, that we haven't already seen before? Given where we are with our season, playing 30 year olds who can't hack it anymore ahead of kids who are ready and willing to start their career, is absolutely criminal.

No Aaron Davey. Alwyn on the other hand...

I'd be very disappointed if Bizzell gets a game ahead of CJ, given that CJ was named BOG for Sandy last week, and from all reports, Bizzell just went. As for who Holland plays on... I didn't realise Hale is back, which means he will play on Leigh Brown, or Hale if he is rested up forward. Carroll onto Drew Petrie, Bell on Jones, Frawley/Petterd on Edwards/Thomas, and the one that really worries me is Ward on Harris perhaps? Dammit Wheels, why are you always injured!

Does or doesn't??

Don't get too excited, he probably won't make the final cut. Robbo is a definite, alongside Frawley, which leaves probably one or two at the most to come in. My guess, McLean and CJ. Who would Holland play on, with Thompson out of the side? Don't expect to see Moloney for a while...

Thank you Mr.Magic MD. Get back to us when you get your physio degree He has OP, it is an ongoing condition which needs to be managed. When he doesn't play because he is underdone, you are here crying that the club is a disgrace for not playing our most talented player. So he gets a game, and plays 120 minutes up forward, and pulls up sore, and suddenly we are not looking after him properly?! FFS, have a bottle of vodka with those crazy pills will ya

How do you it's the club's fault? It is incredibly frustrating that both Sylvia and Whelan and are out injured again, especially Sylvia who just cannot string games together. Perhaps they refuse to risk him if he comes up with any sort of mild soreness, which is why he is having the week off. Better one week, than another year!

Hoorah for Frawley! Y_M, keep the suicidal ramblings confined to Sylvia discussions. This is a happy thread! :D

They can play it at dawn on Mars for all I care... just as long as we win one! :angry:

Great article! A couple of things... 1) Archer is an absolute champion person. 2) TJ clearly cares deeply about the club. I've know that for a while from someone who knows him very well, but the end of that article is just further proof of how much it hurts him to lose. Appearances can be very deceiving. 3) I would welcome Bryon with open arms if he got himself right and decided to play on in 2008.

Beautiful :D

Rightio, so does anyone have a run-down of what he ACTUALLY said... not the make-belief [censored]?

How does one 'rest' a 20 year old who has played only a handful of games? If Dunn doesn't play this week, it's either because he is injured, or because he has been dropped... and he does NOT deserve to be dropped. Newton is not different to everyone else on our list. We should not drop a performing, up and coming player just so that he can get a game. Every other debutant finds their way into the side because of injury, or because there is a vacant position to fill. I want to see Newton play as much as anyone, but the simple fact is, he shouldn't be made into a special case and we shouldn't have to drop someone undeserving just for him to have a go. As it stands, we have bigger needs down back than up forward, and therefore Frawley should be the next to debut... even if he hasn't had the chance to dominate in the VFL like Newton has.

None of us know everything that goes on behind closed doors. Some of us know more than others, but in general, 99% of the discussion on these boards is speculative and is a matter of opinion. I don't think that just because people are unhappy with our current position, and therefore feel the need to express their disappointment, that they are any less or any more of a supporter. I doubt very much that anyone who didn't love the club and the team, would spend their time on this website. The fact that some posters like yourself rather observe, than throw criticism, is what makes this place interesting. But given that we are 0-8, after many supporters and indeed the club was working towards a top 4 finish, I think that we have seen a lot more reasonable, rational, calm discussion than I expected. It does get repetitive, yes, but you can hardly be surprised with the disappointment and heartbreak that everyone is feeling, and which I'm sure you share. When you get 1000 Melbourne supporters in one place, you also get 7 million opinions and a lot of bitterness. But then, when you haven't won a premiership in over 40 years, what do you expect?