Frenzy Mckenzie

Don't you think that's a bit of an excuse? I do agree with you to a certain extent but once you engage your opponent in a tackle it happens so quickly that its more about technique and strength making that tackle stick.

Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere but I thought it made for an interesting read: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-05-24/who-are-the-leagues-best-tacklers All preseason we were hyping up a new tackling technique and how this was going to be a potential area of strength - this year as we all know we have not been laying enough tackles nor have we been overly effective in the ones we have laid. What I didn't appreciate is just how bad we really are in this area, and now the stats are there to show it. My question is this, did the avid training watchers get it so wrong over the preseason or is it simply we are not employing on the field what we have practiced in training? I'm sure most of you agree that there is nothing more frustrating than watching a tackler being effortlessly brushed away by opposition players time and time again!

3/4. Had to work during the WC game although was planning on going after half time. I turned around and went back to work when I saw the score in the third! Yesterday's win, albeit against GWS, was one to savour!

This just about sums it up. One of the worst articles I've read in a long time. For people in the know is there a case for defamation against the age if we are found to be innocent of tanking?

In on this. Thanks 45HG16

If there's any room to join one of these let me know - finished 5,000-10,000 mark last season

To everyone who gets down to training and writes these reports, keep up the great work. I honestly don't know what I'd do without the updates - they make the footy off season in Perth bareable! Can't wait for season proper!

A big thankyou to all who get to training and write these reports. I've said this before, but being a Melbourne lad currently exiled to Perth, surrounded by WC and Freo supporters, these updates are an absolute godsend. Will be back early February just in time for season proper - definitely looking forward to having a few jars in the franky grey smith with any of you MCC/MFC members come game day!

This post sums it up perfectly. In a club that has been rocked by scandals and false inuendo over the past 24 months, do you really think we would take a punt on a kid who is immature enough to post photos of himself in compromising situations clearly without thought of the consequences. Says alot about his character at this point in time. That's not to say he won't grow up and actually start getting his priorities straight - then he'd be worth a punt!

This bloke was a top 3 for most of the year and at one stage some sources thought he was whitfields equal, surely we had a gentlemens with GWS for him to slip. I suppose we will never know! Anyway, regardless of how it happened I'm stoked!

Seconded. Cheers for the photos SD. Also great write up BH - anyone else with some notes?

I agree with you here BH, a well thought out post. I too haven't seen enough of either to justify saying which one is better at this stage, and although I'm always going to be a fan of an accumulator with a manic attack on the footy (Wines), I think it's important to note that a minute of highlights for each hardly makes me an expert. Although its a pretty open ended statement, I'll happily put my faith in the FD to make the right decision simply because they have scouts that have been following these guys for a long time - another topic entirely, but it does make you wonder though how we've got so many high draft picks wrong over the years! For mine the debate shouldn't be 'which one will address our lack of outside pace therefore o'rourke over wines', the debate should be 'which one do we think most likely to turn into a genuine star'- whether that's in the same mould of Pendles or Watson I really don't care!

The old man used to brief him and also opposed him in court a few times, when I told him he was repping the dees he was stoked, says he is a very very clever guy - at least the club is leaving no stone unturned in mounting a defence.

If she really wanted melbourne to be penalized running a vitriolic smear campaign against us isnt the right way to go about it. It will only further crystalise support for us in the main stream. She must really hate the mfc to put her journalistic integrity on the line the way she is at the moment. What have we done to you caro? Was CC or CS mean to you as kids?

http://www.bigpondsport.com/tanking-probes-innocent-victims/tabid/91/newsid/97657/default.aspx Probably been posted but a good article none the less.

If the MFC is not allowed to prepare a defence to allegations made against them, then the AFL set themselves up for legal ramifications down the track - which they would know. This is not clear cut like salary cap rorting or drug cheating, this is a divisive issue that has far reaching consequences for both club and individual careers, not to mention the precedent it sets for any other alleged club alleged of tanking over the years. The AFL, including AD, has already said this investigation will not be rushed and will take as long as it needs to be finalised. The pessimists and naysayers on this site never cease to amaze me.

So you are saying the AFL has 23 days (15 business days) before the ND to: 1. Complete its investigation 2. Give Melbourne time to prepare its defence and appear before its 'Commission' 3. Decide on appropriate punishment? With the Tippet saga still not resolved, I highly doubt any penalties we might cop will be this year.

What will be interesting is to see how the AFL defines the line between players not being told to loose and coaches deliberately making suspect calls. This ''meeting" might have occurred, but if the actual instruction to the players on game day was to win then the rest is just conjecture. Any half competent barrister should be able to put forward a fairly comprehensive defense if it comes down to that. Still, I think it's now pretty clear this was the major factor that caused the rift between FD and admin during the latter stages of baileys tenure - very poorly managed to let the players get involved also.

What about Garrick Weedon from WC?

The evidence certainly seems like its piling up against us in a very Lance Armstrong type of way. I'm still of the belief that the AFL must be seen to be acting, rather than actually imposing any sanctions on us. If they penalised us it would be an admission that the priority pick system itself was flawed and susceptible to 'tanking', something that AD and co have long since dismissed. As the AFL is never in the wrong, I just can't see it happening. Still stranger things have happened, and I might just eat my words when this issue reaches a culmination! Also, a question for those that know more than me - is there an actual rule or doctrine in built into the draft system that specifically states that a team must not deliberately loose to further their position in the draft, priority pick included?

Is anyone going to training this Thursday? Being in Perth at the moment I can't get there so I'd love hear some reports!

Great calls, agree 100% with your logic. I'm a big fan of what we've done, and I really hope it works out next year because it will give me no end of satisfaction to call barret up and laugh at him.

I've been listening to TWR since the start of the trade period. In summary we have been slammed by Barret since the start, and after all the bs opinionated tripe he dished up this year, its clear he has an issue with the MFC - hack journo and a [censored] to boot. We shouldn't waste our breath our Terry Wallace. Apart from blaming the tigers woes under him due to lack of resources, he also claimed partial credit for their resurgent midfield today. Yesterday, after analysing West Coasts list he said the eagles don't have a ruck after Cox and NicNat, to which a caller pointed out Scott Lycett, he then rambled about how he's more of a forward. In short, the blokes opinion matters very little to me. What I'm curious about is why, as a club trying to become competitive, we are continously beaten down by these irrelevant muppets. As for all the people on here complaining about our draft period just think about the players regardless of draft picks- IN Rodan: Senior body, who fills a role for 1-2 years while the younger blokes develop. Win if he stays on the park. Pedo: Similar age to Martin but offers much more. I assume him and sellar will compete for the same spot, thus creating depth. Byrnes: Crying out for even a pass rate small forward this year, he's no star but will fill a gaping void for 1-2 years. Dawes: Straightens our spine, huge win Hogan: Looks the goods, fantastic prospect who has the rig to provide a contest from 2014. Barry: Prospect, doubt he will play next year, thats why the acquisition of a guy like Rodan was important. Viney: Gun attack on the footy, great attitude, mature body Wines/Toumpas/O'Rourke: If wines or toumpas will inject quality from next year, O'Rourke has big upside but will not play much next year. OUT Morton: has shown next to nothing after 70 odd games which is ample time to develop on your shortcomings, has terrible disposal especially on the run that has hurt us numerous times, soft, ran away from lade which I will never forgive him for. Gysberts: Inside midfielder who probably couldn't bench press 75% of his bodyweight and after many years has not improved his upper body strength at all which points to a terrible attitude, can't break into the 3rd worse team in the league. Martin: Key word here is promise. Has promised for years but delivered one decent season. Poor decision making and should be influencing games more than he is at his age. Cook (potential out): Drafted as a forward but without critical skills needed to play his role e.g. lacks pace off the mark, doesn't influence the contest nearly enough and has not come on like he should have in 2 years. Moloney: Flat track bully. Jones does his job far better. Rivers: The only one I'm dissapointed with, however, big questions over his knees. The inclusion of Pederson might soften the blow. Hardwick cleaned out Richmonds list over a few years, the same is happening to us - I just don't see why people are complaining, mediocrity is not fun, nor is getting belted every week. The mature bodies like Rodan & Byrnes won't be around by the time we make finals, but they will mean we are more competitive in the interim while our young list develops.

The saddest thing about this is that I'm not against it.

There's not much scope for Melbourne to get any worse DD