Michael must not play anymore

[j-mac31]

I don't think Michael should get another game for Essendon.

We really need to develop some key defenders. In very limited opportunities, Gumbleton and Neagle have looked like they might have the goods to be a great FF-CHF combination. Long term looking good.

The problem is our tall defenders hardly seem to exist unless they are over 30 (Fletch, Mal). Ryder will no doubt be a gun there, but he's rucking right now. Fletcher is too good and important (and has been so good for us for so long) to not play. I think for the rest of the year Ryder, Johns, Pears, Lee (if fit) and maybe Daniher or even this Hooker bloke who I know nothing about should be given the opportunities to play on big forwards. Which means that Michael has to play out the season with Bendigo or retire. He's not going to go on next year, so we're just bringing forward the inevitable by 15 weeks. And of course Fletch won't be around for ever and then we are f***** unless we've developed a couple of other tall defenders.

Yes, they might get plenty of goals kicked on them, but if not now, it will happen next year. At least we don't have to worry about Barry Hall this year.

[billyduckworth]

Big call.
I thought "recruiting" Mal worked really well last year - released Fletcher, giving him his best year for ages.
But this year (despite a more complete pre-season), Mal looks lost.
Maybe it's the new game plan or maybe he has just played on one season too many?

[tom9779]

well its a bit of an invalid argument at the moment.
Mal needs to play because we have a loooong injury list, and importantly fletcher is out injured.

We are also missing mcphee and nlm from the team, two kpp players.

Its been stated a number of times, the addition of Michael has brought Ryder along in leaps and bounds.

With a fully fit best available team I get your point and agree to some extent.

But Neagle and Gumby have not been denied any opportunities. For the most part they have been out injured and not available for selection.

Gumbleton is out again for a number of weeks.

[gringo]

I don't think Michael should get another game for Essendon.

We really need to develop some key defenders. In very limited opportunities, Gumbleton and Neagle have looked like they might have the goods to be a great FF-CHF combination. Long term looking good.

The problem is our tall defenders hardly seem to exist unless they are over 30 (Fletch, Mal). Ryder will no doubt be a gun there, but he's rucking right now. Fletcher is too good and important (and has been so good for us for so long) to not play. I think for the rest of the year Ryder, Johns, Pears, Lee (if fit) and maybe Daniher or even this Hooker bloke who I know nothing about should be given the opportunities to play on big forwards. Which means that Michael has to play out the season with Bendigo or retire. He's not going to go on next year, so we're just bringing forward the inevitable by 15 weeks. And of course Fletch won't be around for ever and then we are f***** unless we've developed a couple of other tall defenders.

Yes, they might get plenty of goals kicked on them, but if not now, it will happen next year. At least we don't have to worry about Barry Hall this year.

Usually I'm good at detecting sarcasm but I can't find any evidence of it in the above...which worries me greatly. Pipe?

[BenDoolan]

Do you want the opposition to kick a score over 200 rather than 150?

Seriously, with Fletcher out and if Mal aint there, who do you expect to stand up in defence right now?

[bombercol]

[j-mac31]

Last year I was happy when Michael played well, but still thought it was wrong to get him, as we were clearly in decline and needed to develop other options. Nothing has changed.

And what has he done this year? I don't think he has been too good when we've had the ball and he hasn't been playing on the big forwards anyway.

OK, maybe short term he plays because we've got injuries, but I'm not sure the scorelines will be very different without him in the team.

[Madden]

I don't think Michael should get another game for Essendon.

We really need to develop some key defenders. In very limited opportunities, Gumbleton and Neagle have looked like they might have the goods to be a great FF-CHF combination. Long term looking good.

The problem is our tall defenders hardly seem to exist unless they are over 30 (Fletch, Mal). Ryder will no doubt be a gun there, but he's rucking right now. Fletcher is too good and important (and has been so good for us for so long) to not play. I think for the rest of the year Ryder, Johns, Pears, Lee (if fit) and maybe Daniher or even this Hooker bloke who I know nothing about should be given the opportunities to play on big forwards. Which means that Michael has to play out the season with Bendigo or retire. He's not going to go on next year, so we're just bringing forward the inevitable by 15 weeks. And of course Fletch won't be around for ever and then we are f***** unless we've developed a couple of other tall defenders.

Yes, they might get plenty of goals kicked on them, but if not now, it will happen next year. At least we don't have to worry about Barry Hall this year.

1. Michael will play next year.

2. On your analysis, (we need to develop younger backmen), then Fletcher shouldn't play again either. Is that what you're suggesting?

[swoodley]

And just who are you nominating to replace him?

In terms of developing young players, they will learn more playing alongside the likes of Michael and Fletch than they would otherwise. Ryder has consistently said that his improvement as a defensive player can be put down to the fact that he has had the other two there to help him along the way.

The only reasons that Mal shouldn't play are if he's injured or out of form, neither of which apply here.

And as for not playing next year, I vaguely remember him being quoted as saying that he is really enjoying himself this year having a full preseason under his belt and that he might play on for a few more years if he stays fit and is wanted.

[BenDoolan]

Come off it J-mac. Apart from Fev, who has really dominated him? Especially when there are 500 F50 entries to the opposition every F****** week!

This is what shits me when some say Rama isn't playing well. He has to contend with enormous amounts of forward thrusts from the oppostion every week. Which other defence is under THAT much presure??????

[Doctor Fish]

Bizarre post. How much do you want to lose by? I'm struggling to accept our current amount of goals against...

Some folks around here seem to think we have a list that's as deep as Geelong's or Hawthorn's right now. They're sadly mistaken...

[jimmyc1985]

I see your point. For a club that had avoided the spoon by percentage only to recruit a 29 year old, regardless of the fact he was "free" in the PSD, probably doesn't conform to conventional 'rebuilding' strategies teams use when they're clearly in need of rejuvenating the list.

But he'll rightly play for the rest of the year. I hope his exit and Fletcher's exit will be spaced apart by a year - to lose both at the same time will exacerbate how bad we'll be in defence whilst waiting for some of the young KPDs to develop, like Pears, possibly Hooker, possibly someone else. It wouldn't concern me at all if he retired at the end of this year.

[robrulz5]

I think this will be Mal's last year. He has done well for our club and doesn't have anything left to achieve in the game. He would also be able to concentrate on his business interests on a full time basis.

[hop]

Great idea!

Let's replace Mal with ..say...Gumby. No experience and he's nearly always injured.

Then let's go with Lee...see Gumby

Daniher or Neagle? - but aren't they forwards with no experience?

Ryder already plays on the big forwards and has to help out in the ruck.

Johns? - well he looks like the answer in the back-line doesn't he?

Pears? - again - no experience and needed a rest after a couple of weeks being flogged back there.

Hooker? - doesn't he sell Real Estate?

On second thoughts - let's keep Mal there - after all, other than Hille and Lloyd - he's the only other big body we have ATM.

[bombercol]

Great idea!

Let's replace Mal with ..say...Gumby. No experience and he's nearly always injured.

Then let's go with Lee...see Gumby

Daniher or Neagle? - but aren't they forwards with no experience?

Ryder already plays on the big forwards and has to help out in the ruck.

Johns? - well he looks like the answer in the back-line doesn't he?

Pears? - again - no experience and needed a rest after a couple of weeks being flogged back there.

Hooker? - doesn't he sell Real Estate?

On second thoughts - let's keep Mal there - after all, other than Hille and Lloyd - he's the only other big body we have ATM.

That's very tounge in cheek, to a silly suggestion (IMO of course). It's far too silly to think that Paddy Ryder, a boy who is going to be our pin up for the next ten years is getting no education or help across that white line from Fletcher and that passenger Michael while he's young and growing and trying to cope with a team that getting beaten all the time.

Mal Michael has been wonderful for us, yeah he gets beaten every now and then, like any human....but he's been fantastic for us. I'll bloody jump the fence to put Mal on my shoulders after his last game.

By the way only the dirty Hookers sell Real Estate.

[Gyoza]

In fairness I guess it comes down to how you believe young players develop best.
For mine, I think throwing injury prone completely unexperienced players into the deep end with noone experienced around them to help is not the way to make them into champions.

For sure later in the year when (if...please god) we have a more complete list of available players I'd like to see the young guys given some of the bigger jobs for periods during games and Mal have a rest or take a lesser role...but retiring him would be a big mistake.

[bomberflyer]

Again another defender which has been let down by our midfield. And, you hear about young players not having confidence, take Mal out and the average age of our team will be about 12.