Norm Smith's Curse

Not a bad call mate.

Exactly - words. Actions seem a lot harder.

Many here also believed in Tom.

Im hoping Norm Smith's curse isnt true! But im starting to wonder...

Deez Nutz - more like that average game stood out compared to the crap served up by most.

Thankfully I kept my Richmond comments to myself, so used to it backfiring when the Dees serve up worse...

I honestly believe that Adem Yze - this long out of the game - would have had a bigger impact if he'd walked out than many.

It just annoys me that we have players like that on our list if its true. And Bate (who i rate) would have sold his right nut to get out at the end of last season even with Neeldie begging him to stay...

Names like Cotchin and Martin are starting to make me wonder...

Add to this rumours that Moloney and Green arent happy about being let out of the leadership group and Liam Jurrah awaiting a likely jail sentence...

Ive heard from someone who went to school with a current Demons player that Sam Blease doesnt want to be a Dee and wished he could have followed Scully (whom he was very close with).

St Dee - you've made my day. I hope he does - we are about 10 years too late for a hardass coach.

Magner, Watts, Trengove and Tynan. Bartram??? Did you actually watch the game?? Clarke?? Howe?? I can think of no one in the forward line that did anything of note the entire game bar one mark. Although this had more to do with delivery than anything else - its like we still have the 'bomb it to Neita' gameplan... Magner was the clear bestie and I can tell you why - he hasnt been around the club for long... A VFL player that has been overlooked for years walks in and shows up the entire team for heart and spirit. What a joke. My question is - why did Bater only come in the last quarter? Why wasnt Dunn and Pettard (injury?) in the team?

What has happened for too long in this club is that 'potentials' have been given endless time to reach there potential - but unsurprisingly they never actually get there because they know they'll get a game either way. And the other problem has been too many years getting rid of the wrong players. Think about it in terms of a team like Hawthorn - 'Look Col Sylvia, we know you've got talent and your close to a break out game, but you've been given two years, see ya later.' 'Look Wattsie - your just not up to scratch mate, see ya later.' We continually accept mediocrity because we endlessly hold faith in players that have never quite got there. Gone for mine: Davey, Green, Morton, Jetta, Watts, Joel Mac, Bartram - close Col Sylvia. Think about it - would other teams trade for these guys? Time to get cut-throat. If your not up to scratch see ya later. Mitch Clark is here for one reason - the coin. Tom Scully went probably for more reasons than the coin. I still sit wondering how different things would have been if we'd picked up Nat instead of Jack and Trengove/Dustin Martin instead of $kullduggary.

Madness, we already got rid of Junior who provided maturity and body size in the midfield, so without Beamer we'd be a bunch of stick figures and Nathan Jones kicking it to the opposition. However I must admit we never recovered from losing Scott Thompson in the midfield. I think if he'd stayed at the Dees back in the years when Bruce was early brownlow favourite we might have gone better than we did. Moloney talks the talk but he has never been as competitive as Scott Thompson was in his early years for the dees. We held on to Neitz, Robbo and DEFINATELY Miller for far too long. We should have been looking for a key forward years before in Daniher's years. Ferguson could have stayed a year or two more - at least he could take a contested mark. But we have too many young blokes without any decent role models in the team. Davey's two seasons past his best, Green would be performing better as captain for mine. If I was Neeld Id just sack a bunch of players, wipe things clean and start again. Bring in some older players from somewhere else to learn off. But Beamer is a required player for mine.

ive watched games where Dunn has been the only bloke even trying.

Our best player was a VFLer who has been overlooked for a number of years. Says it all.

Why cant we just combine Morton's skills with Bartram's ticker and Martin's height - one player with all those combinations would probably perform better (although thats a little harsh on Stef).

its a sad indication of where we are when a first game player from the VFL who has been overlooked by the AFL for a number of years is our best player and midfielder. Too many 'potentials' on our list. Just like the years we held onto Brad Miller because he could kick ok in training... Bring in Sellar, bring in Dunn, Petterd will be back soon... And Matthew Bate!!!!

From what I can see Melbourne have now lost their run (Bailey's game plan) and a number 1 draft pick and gained nothing - a sluggish, one dimensional game plan aimed at banging it in long into a forward line that still cant contest or take a mark. Honestly I just cringed the whole time... Skill errors seem as bad or even worse... lack of commitment, lack of having a go... Typical Melbourne to justify rather than show up Tom Scully's decision to leave... Typical Melbourne to make Mitch Clark wonder what he has just bought into... I can only hope that Colin can bring something when he returns...

I have it on authority that Bate was told by Bailey that they considered him better than Watts but that they were going to exclusively choose Watts over him to get games into Jack. New coach means a whole new lease on life for Bater and Im personally glad that he's not going, since I think I get most of my rumours from a guy that claims to know him.

No way. We have our own 'never-quite-theres' - we dont need any more.

The clear intention of obtaining Mitch was for him to play a key position in the forward 50. And in 2011 Stef Martin was pretty reliable at the set shots. And he did very well in the ruck.

Stef Martin is about the only person who had the composure in 2011 to reliably stand back and kick set shots. I like him in the forward line and I think Watts would offer more on the wing or in the backline. Personally I think Mitch will play forward, with stef martin rotating in the forward 50 as well.

Bater aint going anywhere - Bailey told him that he would get limited opportunities while they tried to get games into Jack Watts - but Watts isnt shaping up to be a strong centre-half forward, so under Neeld Bate - providing he has a good pre-season - might get better opportunities. Dunn always tries his hardest which is more than you can say of many on our list. I rate Joel Macdonald - he reminds me of a younger Bruce and created a bit of run out of the back - like Ward used to do. Players up for trade have to have shown a bit in the previous season - Wona would not be on any other club's want list,despite the obvious talent he has shown in the past. Bartram - I love the guy's effort but he creates some hair-tearing moments - mind you so did Stef Martin in previous seasons. Big Maxie Gawn better not be going anywhere.