Hannabal

Now I know why there's 8 votes in the "do you want to win more than 5 games ?" in the other poll.

I worked, so couldn't attend, but it's quite a nice drive and day down at the Cattery. I haven't been their since the drawn game in 06. I think we've established that you're not a soft supporter. Just a stupid one.

What question ?. I'll answer any question put to me. Especially if they're coherent. It's great that you want to win, win, win, but right now that is against the best interests of the club in its quest to climb the ladder and win a premiership. That's a p.r.e.m.i.e.r.s.h.i.p. Winning will make you happy. I understand the notion of happiness, but in this instance it's very selfish of you. Not all supporters that want to compromise the chance of Scully, or a second pick in the top 3 - that's "a second pick in the top 3", don't go every week. I made a generic statement about the flogs I know. Your sentiments are quite admirable. Just stupid. Really really stupid. And terribly selfish. That's not to say that you're always stupid, or selfish - although you may be, but your lack of nous and wherewithall on this issue and your complete ignorance of how winning will adversely effect the club you love is quite mind boggling. And stupid.

One really has to question any supporter that would rather this footy club win a couple of meaningless games and compromise itself at the draft table. I was chatting last night to my older Brother who doesn't post on here and I explained that some supporters would rather the club finish on 5 wins and miss out on Scully and another top 3 pick. He thought I was taking the [censored], but then he remembered many of the soft supporter mates we now rarely see in the MCC members from the last 20 years and suddenly he wasn't as surprised. He and I are the only regulars left, but we know we'll start spotting them again when we're back playing Finals. Some supporters just don't burn for a flag. If one comes along great, but it's not the be all and end all. And they're happy to take a ridiculous moral high ground even if it's at the expense of their own club. In the last 25 years this club hasn't had one star midfielder and we both lamented that every year we have to endure hearing about the stars of other clubs. Every year other clubs star mids are winning all the awards, are fawned over in the media, and win important Finals matches. We both reckoned that it's about time this club secured a star mid of its own. And whilst there's no guarantee, the odds are better than even money that Scully will be an out and out star of the competition. Especially to those that have already seen him play over the last couple of years. He'll win or register highly in awards and he'll be pivotal to this team seeking higher honours. Not only that, we'll get another top 3 pick by remaining on less than 18 points. But rather than watching Scully starring in the red and blue at the G for the next 12 years, some of you would rather the club keep winning, even to the detriment of its future. Unfathomable really.

I think I saw Donnie 25 floating around.

I've received a message from someone very close to the club that assures me that the injuries are genuine and that none of the players ruled out would have been playing this week under any circumstances. And yes, perhaps I believe in tooth fairies, but I believe that the person believes what they're saying. Whichever way we look at it, I'd say everyone's happy - except perhaps those with a genuine injury. I'm posting this purely out of a sense of decency and because it could be argued that the changes are almost too obvious to be true I wasn't happy receiving this message as it leaves me still slightly uncertain as to whether the club is being run by flogs with no clue. But I suspect (hope) we're all on the same page.

Either someone hacked into my account and posted under my alias, or I was extremely [censored] when I got home last night from a junior footy function/dinner, as I have no recollection of having made that post - or what it means.

Who cares ?

If you had Bell on your list last year you should have had fool tattooed on your forehead.

It's Sylvia easily. He's the only player on our list that has shown any capability of playing elite football. And it's certainly been beyond virtually anyone's expectations. Well done Trag.

And that's why this exercise is a pretty pointless and futile one. It's being done by amateurs without the necessary information. Me included.

It's a difficult exercise. Some people have Jurrah top 5 and wouldn't have known what he looked like 2 months ago. Things can change quickly. Being bottom age Blease was one of the youngest drafted last year and I really like the look of him. He's fast, takes the game on and has excellent finishing skills. Skills we sorely lack. Moving forward it's predominatly our first round picks that will take this club to the Finals and beyond; Watts, Morton, Frawley, Blease (pp), Sylvia, Grimes, and hopefully Scully and one of Trengove/Morabito or even Butcher if that's the course they take. There will always be a Garland, Bennell, or Jurrah that become the icing, but it's the first rounders that make a quality cake rise.

Just because some don't rate him top 5 in importance doesn't mean there's a "lack of love". It just means some don't rate him top 5 importance. From a structural point of view I think Frawley shades him in importance.

1. Jack Watts 2. Cale Morton 3. Jack Grimes 4. Sam Blease 5. James Frawley

Steady on ? It's an appalling list in terms of quality and depth. As for Tingay ? He was a good player and yes, we never saw his consistent best due to injury, but Mainwaring used to take him to the cleaners every time he played on him. There's been no club with a worst set of 'best midfielders' since the VFL became the AFL in 1990.

It's a good list. Add davey. Sylvia for me.

A lot of nervous Nellies barrack for Melbourne. If he had a bad back injury it wouldn't say 'test'. And if he misses a game or two it's no biggy.

Where possible I'll watch any game. Ask my wife. She (now) hates football. I have to be very careful.

I think you have a good point, Don. And unlike some others, I'm not an advocate of playing too many players in a position that's foreign to them. Bailey has said that some young players will get a taste in different positions, but it's unlikely that any coach will do it on mass. The coach is selling a message to his players. He's urging them to develop a competitive attitude and the last thing I want, and I'm sure the coaches want, is for the players to have any inkling that something isn't right. Players aren't stupid and they understand the sentiment out there regarding tanking, so it's very important that they don't feel that anything is wrong, or unusal. It's a very hard question to answer when you're not in the inner sanctum. Obviously players carrying an injury need to be put in cotton wool, and perhaps fringe players given an opportunity before a decision is made on them. As a coach, perhaps I'd think twice about moving a player that was being soundly beaten, but I wouldn't do anything too overt that would arouse obvious suspicion. I'd try to be as subtle as I could. I think that there are small things that can be done that can make a difference without telegraphing your intentions to the world. But I'd also accept that there's only so much you can do. If the players are on and they get that win that some of us don't want, so be it. I'm sure west Coast didn't want to beat Hawthorn, but they got the win anyway. There's no fool proof way of manipulating results. In reality, Don, I don't think that we'll have too much trouble only winning one more game. Others may disagree, but I don't think we'll beat Sydney, Richmond or North. But they are nervous times. I just want to reiterate where we differ. One player can make a huge difference. Whether that's Flintoff in the cricket, Carey in football, etc. Stars have a massive impact on their team. And if we can unearth a couple it will impact greatly on the MFC. We really do need Scully. I just have to keep my fingers crossed.

That would mean having to listen to her voice. No thanks.

I hope not. One should never change their allegiances.

If you're certain that we're screwed from a PP point of view then that's the best news I've heard all week. Scully is just about a certainty to be a Dee.

It's always very bogan. It just hasn't been thread worthy before.

McLean has been rubbish this year. I just hope he can show next year that his season was effected far more than any of us realise due to his injury in 08 and subsequent compromised preseason. Luke Ball is having a pretty good year, but been down of recent times. I love the fact that Ross Lyon is prepared to make tough calls on his players.