3031

Does Jay Kennedy Harris deserve some senior time now?

Anthony McDonald

Geoff Whitton

Thanks for the idea and the effort Deevoted. Appreciated.

Kicking was his weakness before his injury as well as not being hugely blessed with speed - IMO

When he finally got back to playing with Casey I saw more of the same - but would like to emphasise, he appears to have a good footy brain and puts himself in the right places. I think he would be a bit of a coach's dream in terms of effort, attitude and toughness.

A couple of times at Casey it was obvious he hurt himself (back) laying and receiving a couple of tackles - didn't stop him though and there was no thought of calling the trainer.

It's quite possible the back injury affected his kicking or he's just an ordinary kick. He's put a lot of size on while injured and IMO deserves his spot on the senior list next year. I hope he gets an injury free run at it

Thanks Roger. Lets hope he can overcome these injuries and he can really move ahead. Hopefully his kicking can be turned around and made into a strength to add to his attributes. :0

From the televised games of Casey I gained an very positive impression of Evans as someone who broke through the packs and knew where the goals were..on a couple of occasions at least he showed real class and good disposal.

Perhaps his disposal to team mates might be the weak area to which you were referring?. I can't recall picking up on this.

Is that what you were discussing when you said he was a shocking kick? Cheers

Back injury

I quite like Evans, has a crack and knows how to play. Having said that - shocking kick

RDB twelve months after the world losing JFK..both significant figures for me. The next 3 or so years after Barass left were especially tough years. I remember one day at Princes Park he plonked himself in the back pocket for the last quarter and continually rebuffed our attacks toward goal when we had a chance of winning.

RDB started it all. At the time I remember thinking it was the end of the world, and in a way it pretty much was (in terms of football success anyway).

Don Williams, Doc Roet, Tassie Johnson, Geoff Case, John Beckwith, Gary Hardeman, Bernie Massey, Barry Bourke (when he played down back in his later years), Denis Jones. A few from earlier times there. Showing my age!

I won't be shooting you down..yours is a valid observation and a possibility..would be good to see it come to fruition. Maybe it won't..but its possible.

I'm going to be blazed, shot down, abused and lynched for this BUT, I have a feeling that if we had a decent midfield, and a few gun inside mids, that both Gysberts and Morton could be very effective outside runners.

With the addition of Viney, and possibly Wines and Jones/Sylvia having good years I think both of them could excel.

Agree totally Tex. You make good points.

Thanks for your apology Ignition. I respect the fact that you did that. Shows something to do that. Cheers.

Yes true, I'm sorry if I offended anyone and maggot was a bit too far. I did get a little carried away directly after reading the article to hear he is now desperate to prove the club wrong by finally working very hard to gain 3 kg in the off season, although thinking this dedication should of been shown at the start of the year. I will be more than happy to delete the post.

Well said Satyricon, Cudi_420, S_T and others..this young player needs games in his legs and experience..and constructive criticism, encouragement and support from his coaches.

He did some good things yesterday despite mistakes and weak spots..and if I recall, his first game (or one of his first games) against Collingwood several years ago he did really well early in the match. I feel he has suffered both from injury and lack of game time to mature.

Overreaction. He had a few awful clangers, but his first quarter was fantastic and he has been far better in 2012 than 2011.

Agree with you Striker.

Neeld had to start somewhere. He says he's still getting to know the players' particular strengths and weaknesses. Are we going to see him adapting then, in the next so many weeks, on the basis of what he learns? I am hoping so. What he has said suggests it is a possibility.

Tailoring the game plan to the players will help restore the players' confidence. Confidence is from self-belief, but I suspect the value of "self" is not rock-solid for players at Melbourne, what with with the running disaster of 2011, and the public "new game plan" talk, and everyone being unsettled by the axe falling regularly since at least when Junior was moved on, not to mention the amount of mortality hacking at the club over the past few years. I think lack of confidence all round is a big part of Grimes turning it over in the face of no presenting option. Throughout the game we fumbled and reacted slowly, Davey and Morton and others hesitated and were lost - it could all be down to lack of confidence, especially when we have seen these same players decisive and accurate in the past.

In the long run we want a cohesion made of what we have, rather than a created cohesion made up of players acting out "roles". That's not to say we can't look for improvements, and change bad habits and learn good ones and so on, obviously you can learn and develop and still be yourself (every school teacher will have studied the concept of "respect for persons" as a necessary element in classroom teaching. It means that we value the individuality of the student, and the knowledge and experience they bring to the classroom; the teacher aims to foster growth rather than imposing on the student values and judgments that invalidate their own take on life). I agree with Hardnut, we want to see some inspired outside-the-square thinking from our coach, alongside his unyielding expectations. We want a club that embraces its originals and values the contributions of its players, as well as one that toughens up. Watts is not the next this player or that player, any more than Jurrah is, just as Jakovich and Flower and Barassi and Doull and so on all were unique and the direct cause of many wins. By all means play cohesively and responsibly, but let it be a cohesion of the players that we have, and please never just the playing out of a white-board.

When Richmond got their run on, they went for shots in total faith that it would go through - in contrast to themselves in the first two quarters and us all day. They suddenly remembered they can do it, and went for it. We look like we are flat out trying to play parts, and not really knowing them. This is what frustrates me, because there are some really talented players out there, under-performing...

Hopefully, Neeld is on his own learning curve... New boy, everyone's patient, but he is not god. At the same time, on the evidence of his Collingwood experience, he does have an impressive skill-set of his own too. Unless he goes pig-headed and bullying, we can expect him to be thinking out modifications to his default game plan, as he gets to know the specifics of what talent is available to him. He admitted that it will take time to really know the list. On these grounds, at this stage I say we are reacting hastily, no matter how upsetting the current form is. Give him - and them - time to adjust to one another, and see what comes out of that. You can be sure they are putting into it at least as much thought as we are!

Thoughtful post with good insights.

Dad (finally realising we were old enough not to be annoying) took us to our first game at the G when I was 10. 1997. I fell in love with the G and the Dees that day, even though we got absolutely trumped by Adelaide. Over the next few years, I would travel down (2 hours away) to more and more games, until eventually I would be giving up social weekends with high school friends to see the footy. Sure, I was bullied by more fairweather fans when we were down, but I never really cared, because I knew I belonged at the G, barracking for Melbourne.

Kids these days can be very impatient and are always jumping on the next big thing, whether it be technological, a footy team, or otherwise. This is what is driving them away from Melbourne, not the parents who can't convince them to stay.

In the meantime, when I have my own army, they'll be dressed in red and blue from day one and, as they get older, the message will be clear... "If you want to go to the games, you need to go with us. And we only go to Melbourne games.". That's how my dad convinced my ex-Fitzroy supporting brother when he was considering Brisbane after the merge.

Fantastic for the Dees to have you WhateverItTakes. Authenticity and loyalty. Great to see in these tough times

I just watched the presser with Neeld then, and bloody hell it is hard to do so... I also make sure I give myself time to cool down by watching the next day. Sure I was [censored] off like everyone else was with the performance yesterday, but then by cooling down and listening to this helps me to try understand where things are headed. We have gone backwards for sure, but I am hoping it is one step back and two steps forward.

I don't have much more to add except that Neeld is the senior coach, he is calling the shots and we have no choice but to stick fat, whether we like it or not... the club saw fit to bring him, Misson and Craig into the club to turn thing around and I hope they can, if they can't, well let face it that will look after itself too.

Since "186" we have had a massive amount of instability surrounding the club, the structures that Neeld and Misson are creating whilst I hope are solid good, are still a source of instability that the players and supporters are struggling with. The last month has rocked the club a fair bit.... but we need 2-3 years of stability, not 2-3 weeks.

Hope this isn't seen as overly positive, just trying to be realistic.

Well said Oucher.

Thoughtful, mature posts with insight Akum and Theo. Very refreshing to read.

We need to stick with the club and Neeld and co. right now. Neeld is an very intelligent coach and as he showed in the presser, he sees the critical importance of supporters in our plans and efforts to achieve success. We should feel chuffed that he sees us as an important part of the overall scene, plan and culture. He is showing an insight into the bigger picture of what a successful football club involves.

In a way he is challenging us just as he is the players..to show resilience, hang in there despite disappointment, and to support each other and the players. Supporters can have a big effect on the playing group..and Neeld has recognised this..and his challenge for us is to look to the longer term and support through the tough times.

A mature post Maurie. Thanks

"Culture", "losing mentality", "lack of heart", "lack of leadership" ... all "nothing" terms and easy, sloppy analysis, used by unthinking supporters to vent their anger.

As Leigh Matthews said after yesterday, "Melbourne need to get proper structure around the stoppages, win the contested ball, use it well and spread". Then we'll get somewhere.

Throwing out half the side, demoting players "forever", sacking coaches and blaming assistants without any real evidence are knee-jerk reactions that just make you feel good.

Big fan of that team I would keep russian for one more game not for his sake but Fitzy's kicking around the ground is awful. But I haven't seen a Casey game this year and would happily be corrected by someone who has.

Thanks Cowboy..yes would be great to see Mark Jamar play a good game and to get back to his best. Fitzy gets a mention in KC's Casey Scorpions thread..mentions good ruckwork and marking around the ground and a great goal on the run..but kicking needing improving.

Don't mean to nit-pick but you've missed out on mentioning and therefore removing JB from the team to play the Tigers.

Sort of says it all for me. JB does not have a role to play in this side and will (MUST) be traded at years end.

Yep thanks for spotting that McQueen..I should have added Martin as in and Jamie B out. Cheers

I like some of your reasoning and selections Master. Here's what I came up with after some umming and ahhing..I could easily go with some of yours instead..its so open. And what I see in either one is lots of room for rotations and movement within the game..nearly every player could play in different positions. If I looked again tomorrow I could easily come up with a few different choices too...

Bail Frawley T.McDonald

Tynan Davis Garland

Grimes Trengove Couch

Morton Clark Bate

Howe Watts Petterd

R. Martin Jones Magner

Int Fitzpatrick Moloney Rivers Nicholson (if available..Blease or Davey if not) Emerg Jamar

In. Davis Couch Tynan Fitzpatrick Morton Nicholson Moloney

Out. Green MacDonald Sellar Bartram Dunn Jamar McKenzie

With all the references here to Muppets, here are a few possible "ins" for next week:-

Kermit- slippery little fella..might just be that small goal sneak forward we need.

Miss Piggy..put her in the middle..wouldn't take nonsense from anyone

Cookie Monster--down back..sure to crunch someone.

Oscar the Grouch..we need someone mean and nasty..would have been handy when Grimes got hit.

Big Bird..a handy tall

Bert and Ernie..seem to make a good pair..could be another Jamar/Moloney style combo.

Thanks jimcor and El Demonio..informative reports and interesting and helpful for us who couldn't be there. Well done.

I think some of Lucas Cook's detractors are being overly and unfairly critical of him and Barry Prendergast for drafting him ahead of Jack Darling.

Firstly, they are two different types and although both are forwards they fit different requirements at their respective clubs. As Old55 pointed out above, Darling was usually the third or fourth tall in the Eagles' attack. He had the mature body, was ready to go as a player rarely pitted against the opposition's best defenders and he prospered as a result.

Rightly or wrongly, Darling was not considered an appropriate top 20 selection by many clubs. Not just Melbourne, but most of the other AFL clubs had the opportunity to take him.

Cook was always going to take longer to develop but in his under 18 year, he was All Australian CHF. The club knew he wouldn't be a ready made player.

He impressed in his brief time on the ground in the first NAB games in February, and while he wasn't outstanding at Casey, he did show promise in the first half of the season including the day he kicked four goals at CHF against Collingwood VFL. He was patchy in other games but there were enough brief cameos from him to suggest that he had the skills to develop into an important player for the club when he matures and develops physically to his capacity.

Late in the season, after a couple of poor games, he was dropped to the reserves and subsequently we learned that he had undergone hip surgery.

I don't believe the club has ever divulged whether there was a direct connection between the drop off in form and the injury, but my guess is that there was one.

We don't even know the nature of the injury and, given that he was reported on a couple of occasions in pre season training as showing signs of distress, I wonder how long he carried the ailment before it was diagnosed and on the flip side, how much his recovery has been held back because of the problem.

In any event, one doesn't know whether the hip issue (whatever it is/was) was evident when the draft took place and I don't believe the fact we took him should be taken as a black mark against BP's recruiting record.

As for the player, he's the type you need to allow a few year's development before you know exactly how good he's going to be.

Well expressed WJ.

yes, but if it was a 1 point loss i may die out of sheer disappointment.

and if its a 1 point win i may have a heart attack. lets do what the cats did, win by heaps the first time and then we can have a few closer ones. haha

Yes I can relate to the heart attack risk with a close one! LOL