Pello

I agree we are more competitive this year and I think DB is doing an OK job at the moment. The jury is still out though given his appalling win/loss record. I understand where we are at the moment as a club but I don't think we can pump his tyres up just yet. What happens if we finish bottom next year? I doubt DB would get his contract extended? It concerns me that we don't get the ball into our forward line enough and we have avoided a number of real beltings simply because the opposition kicked poorly. Eg. R3 v Port (37 scoring shots to 20), R6 v Geelong (18 scoring shots to 36) and R7 WCE (30 to 17).

Assuming contracted players will remain as we don't have the funds to pay them out and assuming that we will intend to draft 6 players then my list is: 1. Dunn 2. Bell 3. Junior (retire) 4. Meesen 5. Wheatley 6. Whelan I hate putting Whelan in as I still think he has something to offer but tough decisions will need to be made for the future of the club.

The bottom line is that we are easy targets because we draw poor crowds against interstate teams. We must push back on this and send a message to the AFL that we are not going to continue to be their punching bag. However, if we seriously want the AFL to look to consider other options in situations like this in the future we need to consistently draw good crowds. If we regularly had 25,000 - 30,000 MFC supporters/members turn up to a game against an interstate team then they would focus their attention on the Bulldogs, or North or Richmond. We are a target due to the lethargy of a large proportion of our supporters and members that don't make the effort to turn up unless we are winning.

Agree its better than that silver abomination. But it doesn't clash with the WCE jumper and we need to push back on the AFL from time to time. The only good thing about Collingwood is that they don't get pushed around.

Why did we wear our clash jumper again yesterday? Our traditional strip should be worn as much as possible. Surely it doesn't clash with the West Coast jumper. We need to stand up a bit more and only wear it in our away games against Carlton, Essendon, Bulldogs and maybe Port Power.

How does Bartram get dropped after arguably his best game of the season?

Because he struggles with the physicality side of the game and the opposition are aware of it.

You may be right Jaded but I thought the three other goals were on Grimes. That's part of the frustration when you are reliant on camera's to do the viewing for you.

Interesting how Dunn was the first one to hit the ground!

Out: Frawley & Rivers In: Cheney & Newton. Cheney has been named emergency for the past 2 weeks and that is usually a good sign as to how close senior selection is. The Bulldogs don't have a tall forward line so he will be useful down back. Newton deserves another shot - its not like he doesn't get the ball. He just has problems with conversion which he will overcome. This releases Martin to take up a second ruck role and/or additional option down back.

I think Grimes shows plenty of promise and was good in patches today in what was only his second game. But in reality he got towelled up by Le Cras who kicked 3 goals on him and probably should have kicked 6. His performance needs to be put in perspective.

I celebrated a few years ago when I knew I would be attending that s#%*hole for the last time. If it comes back I will go to follow Melbourne but I don't enjoy going there.

PJ has more effective ruck taps than anyone else at the club. The trouble with PJ is his best is great and his worst is horrible. He is not only inconsistent week to week but quarter to quarter within a game. He needs to work on narrowing this gap because we have seen that the guy has obvious ability. The position PJ is capable of "nailing" is full forward. He leads very well, he is fast, he is tall, he is strong, can take a good grab and would be a pain in the backside for most full backs. That would also take the pressure of Robbo and Miller (and even bloody Bate who shouldn't be in the team). PJ should be instructed to bring the ball to ground when out of position so the likes of Maric and Petterd can crumb.

I have a bit of a laugh everytime I hear it. Our image of being range rover driving, leather patch wearing, snow skiing toffs will only ever change when our supporters and members consistently turn up to games regardless of the weather.

Isn't Wayne Jackson on the board at the Crows? Its like one of our board members suggesting the Crows and the Power merge. Given the crowds they have had this season that might be a good idea.

Daniher was a joke! Even putting his coaching to one side (a whole new topic by the way) his list management skills combined with Cameron have left us in the position we are in. Still we move on - but I'II never forget!

Out: Bate & Messen In: Newton (should never have been dropped ahead of Bate in the first place) and Whelan. I like to see Whelan in the back pocket and Bartram tag Kerr.

Don't forget to mention his disposal efficiency at 66% is not in the top 20! Of his 83 disposals 16 have been clangers. So 1 in every 5 disposals are a shocker. Also don't forget to mention he is 16th in the 1%'s. I'm glad you find it pleasing that a key forward has got 5 goals out of 6 games - you're easily pleased. His lack of intensity at the ball and in the chase and in putting overall pressure on the ball carrier is disgraceful. He has had enough chances - replace him with ANYONE on one condition. That his replacement has a crack!

Good call - well said!

Jaded, the criticism labelled at Bruce is now and is focused on this year. When he is not getting the ball and his effectiveness to the MFC declines I too will call for him to be dropped - we are not there yet and based on his form so far this year he is some way off. Agree there are other threads that focus criticism on other players but none more often and none more unjustified than the Bruce bashing that goes on. Here is some more stats for all to dwell on: - He is 2nd in total disposals for the year; - He is equal 2nd in contested possessions this year; - His disposal efficiency is 75% for the year. This is better than Brock McLean, Junior and many others; - He is equal 6th in clearances; and just to give some balance to the argument he is equal 6th in clangers. All in all a pretty good year to date and certainly all of the crap that goes on about Bruce is simply not justified. I know you will say stats aren't everything and I saw him do that or he should've have done that. Yes there are "nuances" in the game that can stick in peoples mind and hence stats are a way of removing the emotion and taking a step back from the argument. Afterall stats can't be that bad - every single coach at every single club analyses them in great detail every week.

There are many players at the club that dispose of the ball poorly - my point is that Bruce is but one yet he is the focus of all the criticism. Winning a B&F may be damning BB59 but all he can do is play his best and that he did and he won the honour - end of story. I highlight the stats to prove a point - he still has on average 17 effective disposals a game. So clearly some players don't mind being on the end of any of those 17. I agree that stats can be misleading but they are a useful resource when the criticism is so harsh and unrelenting on one player who commits the sin that is committed by so many in the team so often.

Another Bruce bashing thread. Remember he won the B&F last year and remember this year he averages 26 disposals per game. Does he butcher the ball anymore than Bartram, Morton, Jones and Petterd? Certainly arguable but Bruce always seems to cop it. Because he is a senior player and he gets the pill that often his poor disposals are highlighted. By the way his disposal efficiency yesterday was 82% but even if we assume an average of 65% (which by the way I think is lower than his actual efficiency for the year) then he is sending it to our advantage 17 times a game on average. How many players in the first 5 rounds have averaged 17 effective disposals a game - I'II go out on a ledge and say none! He is a hard running midfielder that wins his share of the contested ball so get off his case!

Its one thing to be out of form but Bate doesn't work hard when he hasn't got the ball. He runs around in circles and takes short steps in a contest. He has no intensity in his game. I said last year he should have been traded and we could have picked up a handy player with another draft pick. By years end he won't have much trade value as most teams have figured out he is soft and play him accordingly. Of course he will play the occasional good game usually against weak opposition in a game where there is little intensity. Unfortunately for him when you are on the bottom of the ladder there aren't too many games like that.

Either "re-educated" or the club cops a $5,000 fine. I bet he chooses the fine and if he does he should pay not the club.

Robbo certainly has been a great servant of our club and deserves to be recalled to the seniors. However, just in case you may be reading this blog Robbo please, please when you attack the ball or the opponent KEEP YOUR BLOODY FEET.