Viney out

[Con Gorozidis]

So for them no Viney Hogan Clark Dawes
For us no Steven Montagna Hayes Gilbert Fisher

I reckon slight edge for them. We start underdogs.

[Sobraz]

No Garland also who is a very underrated player..

Although our midfield is totally decimated, so they'll always have the edge in terms of quality not on the park..

They'd have to lose Jones and Tyson to make it even.

[Middo]

No Jamar or Gawn ,,,

[stinger]

So for them no Viney Hogan Clark Dawes
For us no Steven Montagna Hayes Gilbert Fisher

I reckon slight edge for them. We start underdogs.

no schneids either...6 of our best missing.....clearly we will start as underdogs.....

[mr six o'clock]

If we lose this match to an under strength melbourne then surely we have no hope for the year !

[loris]

If we lose this match to an under strength melbourne then surely we have no hope for the year !

Or if Melbourne lose this to an under strength St Kilda........... then surely they have no hope for the year!

[dragit]

You know things are grim when we are relieved that a player with 13 games to his name isn't playing for the opposition.

[Con Gorozidis]

You know things are grim when we are relieved that a player with 13 games to his name isn't playing for the opposition.

Well yep - its down to inches and degrees. Touch and go this game I reckon.

[FQF]

A lot of this unease is based on a completely unfounded assumption that Melbourne will be vastly improved with their new coach.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

A lot of this unease is based on a completely unfounded assumption that Melbourne will be vastly improved with their new coach.

not for me at least ... i personlly dont think Roo's is all that much chop to be honest Melbournes improvment (if any) will be due to theirinvestment in youth over the last few years finally coming together , they have a whole heap of young talented guys who are now in their second third and fourth year of AFL footy these are guys who have now got a few games under their belt so it is about now that logically they should be seeing some improvment ... wouldnt matter if it was Roo's , Sheedy, Lyon or Tim Watson leading them the improvment should naturally be coming along by now

[plugger66]

A lot of this unease is based on a completely unfounded assumption that Melbourne will be vastly improved with their new coach.

not for me at least ... i personlly dont think Roo's is all that much chop to be honest Melbournes improvment (if any) will be due to theirinvestment in youth over the last few years finally coming together , they have a whole heap of young talented guys who are now in their second third and fourth year of AFL footy these are guys who have now got a few games under their belt so it is about now that logically they should be seeing some improvment ... wouldnt matter if it was Roo's , Sheedy, Lyon or Tim Watson leading them the improvment should naturally be coming along by now

Surely though there are good and bad coaches. Roos record suggests he is pretty good.

[FQF]

A lot of this unease is based on a completely unfounded assumption that Melbourne will be vastly improved with their new coach.

not for me at least ... i personlly dont think Roo's is all that much chop to be honest Melbournes improvment (if any) will be due to theirinvestment in youth over the last few years finally coming together , they have a whole heap of young talented guys who are now in their second third and fourth year of AFL footy these are guys who have now got a few games under their belt so it is about now that logically they should be seeing some improvment ... wouldnt matter if it was Roo's , Sheedy, Lyon or Tim Watson leading them the improvment should naturally be coming along by now

Surely though there are good and bad coaches. Roos record suggests he is pretty good.

True, although with hindsight we now know that he had two assistants who are of the most superior coaches in the league. Very hard to tell from the outside who is really creating the success.

[Con Gorozidis]

I dont think there is an assumption they will be 'vastly' improved. But if they are slightly improved and we are slightly worse - then it becomes a close contest. The degree of difference between AFL clubs isnt that much. A few % is the difference.

Remember we have no Dal, Macca, Joey, Steven. Hayes, Gilbo, Fisher, Milne from last year.

We simply cant cover all those guys. So we will be a few % worse.

[plugger66]

I dont think there is an assumption they will be 'vastly' improved. But if they are slightly improved and we are slightly worse - then it becomes a close contest. The degree of difference between AFL clubs isnt that much. A few % is the difference.

Remember we have no Dal, Macca, Joey, Steven. Hayes, Gilbo, Fisher, Milne from last year.

We simply cant cover those guys. So we will be a few % worse.

I actually think we are missing something like 11 players from round 23 last year and about 8 of them would be walk up starts on saturday.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

not for me at least ... i personlly dont think Roo's is all that much chop to be honest Melbournes improvment (if any) will be due to theirinvestment in youth over the last few years finally coming together , they have a whole heap of young talented guys who are now in their second third and fourth year of AFL footy these are guys who have now got a few games under their belt so it is about now that logically they should be seeing some improvment ... wouldnt matter if it was Roo's , Sheedy, Lyon or Tim Watson leading them the improvment should naturally be coming along by now

Surely though there are good and bad coaches. Roos record suggests he is pretty good.

True, although with hindsight we now know that he had two assistants who are of the most superior coaches in the league. Very hard to tell from the outside who is really creating the success.

exactly ...
im not saying roos is a terrible coach but i am saying that perhaps his reputation is inflated on what it should really be ..
stats will show he has a 57% win ratio as a coach of a team that has had an extra $1m to spend each year on players ... he has had as stated two of the best assistant coaches in the comp (now that could be they are learning off him or it could be they were helping him who knows) .. if you were to look at the successful coaches (not just on premierships) you would have to rank Clarko , Malthouse , Lyon , Scott (Geelong) ahead of Roo's

[Zed]

A lot of this unease is based on a completely unfounded assumption that Melbourne will be vastly improved with their new coach.

They will improve enough to finish above us on the ladder - probably only 1 or 2 spots above us, but enough.

IF we win this week with no midfield , then we will be ahead of where I think we are.