Jaded No More

I really feel for you 45, that's just a [censored] way for your favourite player to go out. I'd be devastated if it was Robbo Hopefully he gets up. The club played him today when he was clearly not at full fitness, so they are committed to giving him a farewell game. If they think he's at about 80% I'd say he'll play. Fingers crossed!

Cheney was very poor IMO. He loses his man on the lead too often and his disposal is ordinary. Very harsh on Frawley. He was actually struggling with soreness too.

A terribly undeserved way to go out. Well done Wheels on a fantastic career!

I really wish that the ones having a cry understand that. Today's team and positional changes will NEVER be repeated So say hello to Scully and move on. On the plus side we just witnessed Jamar kick the biggest bag of his career, and if he wants out he just significantly bumped up his trade value. It's all good news.

Jamar WTF??!!! McLean up forward is comical and poor McNamara got done by Fevola. This stadium is [censored] and Carlton supporters are a bunch of wankers. The end of this season can't come quick enough. Terrible news about Wheels

I honestly didn't think that I had to point out that the club wouldn't keep Junior if they didn't want to However the decision to play or to go was left up to Junior and the club was obviously going to be satisfied with either outcome. But lets be honest, if Junior wasn't a great leader, he wouldn't have had the luxury of choice. He would have been forced to retire.

It's quite obvious that the decision to play on has been left up to Junior, otherwise the club would have tapped him on the shoulder alongside Robbo, Whelan and Wheatley. If he wasn't a great leader would he still be playing next year? IMO no. Taking the captaincy away from someone does not take leadership away from them, it removes a title. If you believe that leadership is dependent on an official title, than I think you don't understand the concept of being a leader. Would anyone respect Junior less? would Junior stop leading from the front? Of course not. All I'm suggesting is that we remove the pressure away from both Junior and the football department by taking away that official title that makes both parties bound to perform to a certain level, which realistically Junior may struggle to do given his age. It's also a great opportunity for a younger player such as McLean, Moloney or Davey to take over the captaincy next year without the added pressure of being a sole leader. And I acknowledged the fact that Robbo does not possess the same leadership skills, which is why he is not sticking around. So what exactly was the point of the rest of your post?

Who the hell are you? I never suggested that we take leadership away from Junior, I simply suggested that he should not be captaining the club next year in an official capacity, rather he should mentor the incumbent captain (whoever that may be). This makes the transition in leadership smoother, it means the new captain has support and it also means that when/if Junior struggles for form he can be sent back to Casey to regain it. Junior is most certainly being kept around for his leadership qualities, but you can lead without a title. The decision to continue is his alone. If he wasn't a great leader, I don't think he would be playing next year and that's the reality of the situation. IMO Robbo could make a more meaningful on field contribution in terms of performance, but Junior is invaluable off the field, particularly as we are a very young team. That's why one is staying and the other isn't. Do I wish that our existing senior players could make their own decisions, as opposed to being pushed out? Yes, of course I do. But that's not always realistic and I completely support the club for making those decisions for them.

Firstly he was quite clearly saying that winning is, and always will be, everything. And that the best thing you can do as a footballer, and the only thing you'll remember when your career is over, is those wins you shared with the boys. It really wasn't hard to understand, I suggest you watch it again Secondly, what Robbo chooses to do with his life now has nothing to do with his passion for our club. He chose to say with us when the Dogs offered him a 3 years deal. He chose the club and not the best personal deal. Now that the club no longer has room for him, because of the rebuilding phase we are going through, he is entitled to seek another opportunity elsewhere. At 30, he may still have something to offer another club, and anyone who begrudged him that opportunity is an idiot.

Do people honestly think that any club would offer us their first round pick for a 25 year old ruckman who has struggled with form and injury? What the hell?

There are obviously pros and cons in this situation, and I'm quite happy for Junior to go around again if he feels his body is up to it. However I would take the captaincy off him, thereby putting less pressure on the FD to continually pick him in the team, even if he is struggling. He should stick around and mentor whoever is going to take over the leadership from him. And wouldn't it have been the nice if other, equally successful members of our senior team were given the same luxury when it comes to deciding their own future...

I think because you've stuck it out for so many years, the claim stays. Like me with Robbo. I've been defending him for 10 years, hence I'm going to claim him as my own for the rest of his life. Same for you and Wheels, you have had a man crush on the guy for a long time If in 10 years time you are still on the Grimes bandwagon then we'll reassess. On a separate note, it's a bit sad to count how many texts and Facebook messages I got today after Robbo's announcement. People texted me to say that they hope I was OK

Well I'm dropping Bell in favour of Scully next year Although a fellow poster already claimed him about 3 months ago... The problem with good players is that you can't claim them, because everyone wants a piece of the pie. Unless a player starts out as a dud, but you continually support them, in which case you have full rights to said player. Generally claiming players should be left to obscure, semi-crap players that you just kind of feel sorry for, or unknowns. Therefore Grimes cannot be claim, even though his kicking action is flawed.

That was a fantastic speech and shows how much victory, not personal glory, meant to Robbo. I'm going to miss that feeling of watching him preparing to take a mark and wondering how big and wonderful it's going to be, and the way you can just see the joy radiates off him whenever something good happens on the field. He's going to be sorely missed not for just his ability to play, but for his ability to bring so much excitement and happiness to those around him. P.S.- cried like a baby while watching that ... this is going to be more emotional than Neita's lap of honour

"The Melbourne Football Club, sexually frustrated since 1964. Jump on board for some satisfaction in 2010 and beyond" Genius. I want that sticker on my car!

I'm sorry, but I think we've jinxed our man so I'm trying to keep a lid on it. Besides, many football orgasms have been had over Brocky, so no need to feel depressed. "Brocky from the centre to Juuuuurrrraaaahh"

Can't believe Dunn was dropped after some pretty good performances in the last 3 weeks. I would assume that the club is either not keen on him doing a job on Judd (maybe why they dropped Bartram too), or wants him to qualify for finals with Casey, or perhaps it's a bit of both. Don't think he deserves to be dropped on form alone. Miller must be injured.

And stealing that for my new signature thanks

Scully is a Richmond supporter and his father is actually God, so technically he is related to Jack Watts and Jack Grimes, and is coming to Melbourne under the illegitimate-brother rule

There is only one thing standing between him and super-stardom and that's Melbourne being [censored]. Imagine what he's going to be like when we consistently get more than 5 inside 50's a game! At the rate that he's playing, even if he never ever improves, he'll be a very good player. Him and Watts up forward is going to be magic. Add Aussie and it's party time :D

If true, it's a shame that after we've invested years and years in him and he is finally showing us something, that he decides he wants to go home. But I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. If he wants to go, we'll find a suitable trade and he can go. It's a privilege to play for the MFC, not a right. If you don't want to be here, you shouldn't be.

Not sure if any of the 3 outs are injured or not. You'd think Dunn might be, given he did a very good job on Pavlich last week.

While I knew this was coming and while I agree that this is the right decision for the club, it is still an incredibly sad day I wish him all the best with whatever he chooses to do and I will really miss watching him. Despite on-field appearances, Robbo is an incredibly generous, down to earth guy who always has time for everyone he meets, be it Melbourne supporters or otherwise. I'll definitely struggle to hold back the tears when he walks off the ground in Round 22

I hear that in their desperation for another tall forward, Geelong are giving us Ablett for Newton, and because it's plainly obvious that Sydney are in the market for a marque forward as well, they are giving us their first round draft pick for Trent Zomer.

I watched 9 news and nothing was mentioned.