Macca

Weekend Special EPL Sunday Midnight $2.90 Tottenham Win & +2.5 Goals Match Score vs Everton

Big query on whether Nature Strip can run the 1200m and OB will be there to run him down if so. 4 Group 1 2nds ... surely the Bull gets his Group 1 success this time. Demons to win as well (of course) ... paying 2.05 leading after every quarter. Put in the Bulldogs (League) to win at home and got 16-1 for the Saturday arvo tri-bet! Fingers crossed!

Hey Wadda Are you including Osborne Bulls in your multi's mate ... up against Nature Strip in the Doomben 10,000. Looks a match race in 2 with daylight to 3rd. Paying $3 after opening at 3.60.

It was a good show for the first 10 years or so but it did well to go for as long as it did. Agree with others that Trevor Marmalade was a vital component. The Front Bar is terrific entertainment and 'Head' knows his place which allows him to be tolerated. Sam & Mick are a great pairing. Not really blokey either but often very funny. One show dies but the new show will live on.

And I see our defence as being threadbare right now so Lewis stays. I also haven't given up on the season either so every win matters from here on in. But good on you for sticking your neck out and offering a viable solution. With Hore back there already you don't want too many inexperienced types. Frost & Oscar aren't exactly seasoned veterans either. The next month sees us go the Eagles, QB clash and games against the Crows & Giants. To my way of thinking we need some experience down back. Lewis isn't the player he was but he is still capable of standing out if the team plays well.

I can almost guarantee that Goodwin won't see the defence as being our major issue right now He knows we're undermanned and under seige down back and he'll also know that our real issues are further afield. Blaming the A--end of a problem is dumb analysis. Lewis is at a stage where he can shine if the team plays well. And for many players, that defines their entire career.

I am a fan of Frost ... rjay isn't Stop jumping at shadows And I don't laugh at any players ... never have, never will. Why do have the need to slag off at so many of your own players? You are so full of hate ... I actually feel sorry for you. You need help.

So who are your 7 defenders ... name them all if you can rjay as we often play 1 more back Are you going to name Frost? ha ha

Drafting is flawed ... you can say we botched it but that is a lot like many here calling a trade a bust because a player gets injured. More lunacy. The reality is that many here just don't get it. They like to have their moan and before you know it group-think takes over. The myth becomes fact. None of the first round draft picks back then were called busts at the time ... not from you either so stop talking rot. It all came later ... in hindsigjt. And that is fact. As per usual, I am just keeping it real. Any other rralists out there who want to have a go?

But you never said that at the time did you ... quite the contrary, you thought our troubles were over with all the prized first round picks. You are using a hindsight argument as a bedrock. At the time, you never once said that we'd drafted the wrong type of player ... in fact, I dont recall even seeing 1 person saying that (back then) Again, it's being said now but that is way after the event ... zero foresight and lots of hindsight as I read things. I had no such belief system as I already knew the pitfalls. That is why you argued against another rebuild in early 2012. Your faith was unwavering (until it wasn't)

My view on the draft is that it is flawed ... I'd be a draft believer too if I was to disregard the bad news ... but realists aren't wired that way. It is warts and all. Carlton did the same by regurgitating failed top end picks and that also failed. When will these clubs ever learn? You argued with me something fierce when I called for a total rebuild in early 2012 ... remember that dl? Your reasoning was "We've already done that" We had to do it again didn't we? We had to wait until Roos arrived before the cleanout began but nonetheless, we had that rebuild. We don't need another total rebuild this time round but we do need a huge injection of speed and skill. And that might take 2 or 3 off seasons. Until then, the odd finals game is the best we can hope for (best case scenario)

If we play to our best, we'll win DJ. But we haven't seen our best this season and we're 7 games in. I am more disappointed from an overall perspective this season than I can remember. Previously we had a poor list of players who couldn't win but we've got some talent now. But I will still resist the temptation to point the finger at any particular player ... it's a pointless exercise anyway which ends up not offering any sort of solution. That player goes and then it becomes the next player ... rinse and repeat. As previously stated, if the team doesn't win it's everyone's fault. The top clubs are hard on each other that way where as the poor clubs finger point.

Most of you want Lewis out but you neglect to nominate his replacement ... why is that? Oscar is on the outer here as well. May & Lever aren't available and most want Frost gone. Hibberd was also in the gun until last week and Jetta is injured. And the Wagners aren't stars either. Is there anyone else? Hore shows a bit but he's played a handful of games. So that leaves us with Salem and not much else ... yet we need 6 or 7 backmen as a general rule. As previously stated, get rid of Lewis and we're worse off. He stays and he plays. Our backline hasn't actually been the problem this season as they've been under siege for the most part ... a midfield with disposal and decision making issues along with a dysfunctional forward line is where our problems lie. Rule of thumb ... fish rots at the head. Our gameplan is highly questionable as well. So blaming the A-end of a problem (backmen under seige) is unintelligent. The game starts out of the middle in terms of winning the ball and then using the ball properly with a properly functioning forward line ... if that system doesn't work the backmen are in for a hell of a time. It isn't rocket science. Footy is a team game where proper analysis should always be focused on all the working parts ... it is never 1 players fault if the whole team is underperforming. It is in fact everyone's fault ... even the best performed player needs to put his hand up as being part of the problem. When finger pointing is the norm, disaster is around the corner. And we've all seen that happen.

Yeah DJ ... anyone would think that we've got great depth. We've won 2 games against 2 slow teams and lost 5 games in poor fashion. Lewis is the least of our problems as he isn't exactly our future ... I am way more concerned about our myriad of under performing players who should be part of our future. But lets just blame the senior statesman as if its all his fault. Dumb, stupid analysis 101. Drop Lewis and we are no better off and probably worse off as we'd have a team with even less experience with less leadership. We actually need a few more wiser heads in the team and have had to recruit those types of players into the club in recent years after the club went on a fruitless youth campaign for nearly a decade (based on an unhealthy reliance on draft pick numbers) I'm not sure there's a great deal of practical experience with those not who can't recognise the above ... more so Alpha males who think they know it all but in reality know SFA. And they repeat themselves over and over again like bloody parrots (coupled with their misplaced anger and hate)

So long as Lewis stays match fit I reckon he's got 4 or 5 good games in him (this season) Which would be a better output than the player who might take his place. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong but those who have previously been A graders nearly always go to that level again (periodically) I would give serious thought to giving Lewis a few more games off completely - 1 in 4 (to rest the bones) Our depth is poor so he will keep getting picked anyway. Anyway, he's not the problem anyway ... nearly the whole list has underperformed to a large degree this season so pointing the finger at 1 player is unfair. I could name at least a dozen players who need a rocket.

We're going to need your expertise to finish off the transaction Wadda! Up to 8-1 (boosted) already with the Sharks & Warriors. Do your best work mate!

And every loss has been an ordinary loss rjay ... we are probably already cooked but if we get over GC you never know. But that is the supreme optimist in me thinking out loud. We've still got enough 'active' good players available but we're slow and our game plan is easily exploited. Above all else I don't trust our forward line nor the delivery into our forward line.

Midweek Best NBA Thursday 12.30pm Golden State lead at the end of every quarter vs Houston $2.65

Journalistic license is used constantly ... by the way, I never did find a direct quote from Goodwin saying that we will play 'Fearless Football' (or we want to play fearless football) There's a big difference in endeavouring to do something and saying you will do something (e.g. Neeld "We will be the hardest team to play against") Same for the May story ... apparently 2 or 3 beers is now a 'session.' (According to Morris) Back in my day 2 or 3 beers was a mere appetiser! And then there are the conflicting stories about whether a player is allowed to drink or not in terms of playing capacity or in rehab. And how much alcohol is acceptable? Is it a .05 ruling? All over the top to my way of thinking ... just let lads be lads and if they do transgress, penalise them. May hasn't transgressed so it should be the end of a non story. And most importantly, the FD and the players need to find a winning formula ...1 win against Hawthorn hasn't convinced me that we are back on track. If we can find a way to be 5 & 7 or 6 & 6 by the time the bye comes around I might be swayed.

Wow! Liverpool advance past Barca after overcoming a 3 - nil deficit. The BBC are calling it the greatest European comeback of all time. So it's Liverpool vs Ajax/Spurs in the final. Would have been long odds for that match-up 6 months ago.

And there lies the main issue rjay ... we didn't turn up for game 1. We might salvage the year with 8 - 10 wins but we've blown a great opportunity to build from last year with another finals appearance. Every team gets injuries and our injury count isn't that bad either. Players and FD are accountable and unless we play finals, we've failed. So focusing in on innocuous incidents might satisfy some but it doesn't turn my focus away from how our club rested on its laurels and thought it was all going to happen as a matter of course. As always, it's about the bigger picture. And if we get to 10 wins then what? Satisfied again?

Let the players let their hair down I say ... all the regimented stuff stifles creativity and flamboyance. We've got a list of players who can play footy now but I reckon we may well be getting caught up with the peripheral stuff. And people wonder why we have an illicit drugs and/or mental health issues with AFL players. We end up driving these young men into transgressing in private. It ends up being their preferred choice. Are players in long term rehab allowed to have 1 glass of red wine with a nice steak dinner at a decent restaurant? Apparently not. This whole silly saga is starting to amuse me Wrecker.

How about these team rules BM ... - Not running to position or creating options - Our forwards continually not playing in front in the forward line - Working on deplorable skills - Sitting back waiting for others to lead the way - 3 or 4 players all flying for the mark with no one crumbing I could go on and on with 15 - 20 more examples of not following 'Team Rules' ... and it has all happened this season. These are far more important than a player in rehab having a couple of quiet ales. Too much about gossip and not enough about the matters that really count. Like playing winning football. My rating for the team this year with regards to the team rules. 2 / 10 And we have failed to even turn up in a few games. That is what should matter to us supporters. The rest of it is bs (or gossip)

What I heard is that May was not under an alcohol ban (in a general sense) So those who are playing are allowed to drink and those in rehab are not allowed to drink. And how much alcohol is ok? They have possibly got it A-about as I fail to see how a couple of beers could impact on a 3 month rehab injury. It is just quite ridiculous. Nanny state stuff. The players who do drink are going to have a drink anyway (in private) ... impossible to police so why bother? If people reckon that even 80% of the players are going to conform they are dreaming and need to take a giant leap into the real world.

Apparently May wasn't under an alcohol ban and he wasn't intoxicated. So it wasn't even a story but not a good look according to the politically correct or nanny state revellers (outraged types) Your quintessential storm in a teacup. The players conform to our standards not the standards we want them to conform to.