Pirlo

Stringer broke his leg in his draft year, and kicked 4.2 yesterday.

I never said he wouldn't get time, or that I don't want him to have it. It's just a fact that the 5 players after him have all shown real star power. Frustration.

In: Blease, Tapscott, Strauss (yes, I know), Michie, McKenzie Out: Kent, Nicholson, Terlich, Salem, Bail

What was he meant to do? There's a sub cap these days so it's not ideal to lose track. Roos calls Watts off, he has to come off. He's just listening to what the coach wants. Roosy's fault to call a player off near the ball, not Watts'.

Me too. Pedo, Jetta and Dunn (Bail too, a bit) have saved their arses. The rest: Byrnes - Over the hill. Blease - Will never be what Roos wants. Strauss - [censored]. Riley - Harsh, but we gave him the lifeline and he hasn't shown enough. Nicholson - Merchant. Evans - [censored]. Tapscott - Just doesn't get enough of it and doesn't have a position. Terlich - Diabolical when his shoulders began to bear weight of expectation. Club is still devoid of experienced leaders, so lets bring in 3 top 25 kids and one or two more older types. O'Keefe; whatever.

Also, FFS. When Toumpas is barely racking up double touches in the VFL and the two players taken immediately after him are starring - one is allowed to be frustrated. It's no longer HERHERHER Wines > Toumpas. It may not be Jimmy's fault, but we have overlooked half a dozen very good kids after him to draft one who isn't showing a whole lot.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/melbourne-coach-paul-roos-disappointed-with-players-and-himself-confused-with-rules/story-fndv8pdq-1226971310260 Absolutely teed off has Roosy, not sure if it's the right idea or not. Seems to me like he only just understands how bad some of these players are. Facts are that our players didn't want it. At 6 minutes left in the fourth when Jamar put us in front, we were so golden. All we had to do was pen it in for a few minutes, pop one forward. What do you know, the Dogs get one back 25 seconds later.

Yet he can't get a game, in this side, despite being fully fit. I don't love hating Toumpas, but we're looking at a player at the end of his second season who has no confidence and has shown none of his wares. He's now coming from a long way back.

5. Stringer - Huge game after breaking his leg. 6. Macrae - Great player. 7. Wines - Already B+ grade. 8. Mayes - Form slump after a terrific first season. Who was 4 again, is it the bloke getting 14 touches a game in our reserves?

Delist: Byrnes Clark Blease Strauss Nicholson Riley Evans Tapscott Terlich This club still stinks sometimes.

Frawley was the only one dropping his head and sitting on his haunches after every goal. He's scarred, and he doesn't want to get better.

Absolutely furious. ONCE AGAIN we let a game go to these shirt-holding cheating ****bags. Chip Frawley's directly at fault for that Bontompelli goal (both, actually) and he can run down to Geelong as far as I care. How many will the umps let go? [censored] am I angry.

Allison was at North for years, has plenty of experience, is trusted by Roosy and is highly regarded. Then again, Mark Neeld was also highly regarded. You're right about Welsh, he gave them a serve publicly a few weeks back, and whilst he wasn't wrong, it's time to go. The problem for Casey is that they can't find anyone else. They lost Lovett who was terrific, Gotch and German before that. If I'm wrong, correct me, but isn't one of Casey's main issues a lack of money that has driven some of the better VFL players away? Also, I agree on Dom Barry. I reckon Roosy is trying to stamp his papers one way or another before the end of the year, but then what about the other blokes. Blease has been getting 30 touches regularly but only ever gets bagged out by Allison for his one way running with not enough praise coming his way in turn. Either you play the bloke or you put him out of his misery. Roosy is a great coach, but he hasn't been at any club but Sydney for over 15 years and this is still a teething process. Most of our reserve players are crap, but I don't think they are being given the chance to shine at what is clearly a negative environment.

Zorko held without the ball, then gets it anyway and Swallow slams him into the ground face first. Free to North. I swear these umpires are rubbish at their jobs.

If the defenceless, forwardless Brisbane who have Stef Martin as their one and only ruckman can beat North - we simply need to beat the Dogs. Four wins may not be enough to avoid the spoon this season.

Don't hate the selection of Nicholson. He's got electric pace and is passable as a defender. Just make him handball the thing. Feel like Barry was a Neeld pick up and will play now so we can make a call on him. Blease and Michie strike me as potential parts of the future, so I would like to see them play. Hopefully we play Gawn as a full time full forward and move Frawley back to deal with Crameri. Garland must play on Jones. I will stand by the opinion that he plays his best football as an orthodox centre half back, and he struggles as third man and on smalls. Let Dunn do, just for this game, what Riv used to do and also play us out of defence.

Heck of a game this one.

Very worrying. Something has to be done. Casey will start holding us back if it hasn't already.

I see no problem with Toumpas struggling at AFL level. He's a kid after all, and his hips are a work in progress. Having said that, he needs to be taking charge of his fortunes at VFL level like he did in the SANFL. He should be banging the door down. I do worry that Casey is a toxic environment though, and that players are being sapped of their confidence.

We can't allow this to continue. It's farcical that our players should have to walk into this mess.

JKH and Salem are tired, and Roos alluded to that. Side was also far too top heavy. Out: Gawn JKH Salem IN: Kent Michie/Riley Tapscott/Blease (why the [censored] not, they'll be delisted soon anyway) At a minimum

I guess Watts and Rolf will be running through the middle?

Exactly. If he wants to leave, he has to keep it quiet and try not to choke on his words before the final siren of our last game. If he wants to stay, he can sign a contract and get on with things.

He's overrated, no doubt about that. I'd still pay him 750k a year though if it meant he signed today.

I'm inclined to think he won't be staying and has alerted the club as to such. Hence why TMac is getting the best forward every week, and Frawley is playing second banana to Dawes. Hope I'm wrong.