Interpretations Invited

[The Royal Sampler]

Quotes from MM on realfooty.com today. The first relates to his views on youth and rehabilitation, in light of recent events. The second is regarding his views on list management prior to GC17's inclusion in the competition.

"The reason why I'm involved is that I believe in second chances, quite frankly," he said.
"When we look at our own life it's generally when we have a hiccup, when we are at our lowest ebb, that we take stock and try to work out which way to go.
"Yes, young people have got to stand on their own two feet but sometimes they need that little bit of support … In society we can't do it by ourselves.
"What we are trying to do is promote opportunity for all. Once the kid has served his time, once he is rehabilitated, the next stage of rehabilitation is normality."

"It's going to have some ramifications on the group," he said. "I half suspect that, not necessarily this year but next year, you'll be wanting your older players to play the extra one or two seasons if you can get them over the line, you'll probably be (salvaging) players from other clubs … you may well elect to go to the second or third round of the draft and hope that you get a Goldsack or such type of player."

My first question would be; how many chances have the following players had: R Shaw, A Didak, B Cousins?

I'm also interested in everyone's assessment of MM's list management comments...

 

[Pie eyed]

Quotes from MM on realfooty.com today. The first relates to his views on youth and rehabilitation, in light of recent events. The second is regarding his views on list management prior to GC17's inclusion in the competition.





My first question would be; how many chances have the following players had: R Shaw, A Didak, B Cousins?

I'm also interested in everyone's assessment of MM's list management comments...

Firstly I think MM is paving the way for "any" decision regarding Didak. Softening up if oyu like.
The second comment could be in reference to Rocca, Wakelin and Burns.


Either or both could certainly be in reference to Cousins.

 

[kevind]

Regarding the first quote, I sincerely hope that he means the club has decided that Didak and Shaw have learnt their lesson and will be back next week. Let the hypocritical media bitch and moan all they like. Eddie and co run the CFC not the bloody press. The great mistake we made was kowtowing to their demands.

I also hope it means that Didak will stay at the club next year, he is our best player and it could end up being an horendous decision to trade him. At best it will amount to gambling. By implication, I hope it also means we take the ridiculous 5 year deal to Johnathon Brown off the table and forget all about recruiting him.

 

[PendlesIsAStar]

Quotes from MM on realfooty.com today. The first relates to his views on youth and rehabilitation, in light of recent events. The second is regarding his views on list management prior to GC17's inclusion in the competition.





My first question would be; how many chances have the following players had: R Shaw, A Didak, B Cousins?

I'm also interested in everyone's assessment of MM's list management comments...

Other than having a few whilst injured what else has Rhys done? Surely he wasn't the only one to have a bad day on GF day 2003! In fact his form turn around since has been admirable and I miust admit he's been on of my favourite's since - if he's in the doghouse then others should be there too.

I think Didak will stay, he's too good a player to delist and othet clubs will try and get him for a song - can he not be brought into line? Surely he's had the biggest wake up call in his football career and one would hope with the support of the club he'll start to pull his head in.

Experience is evrything - imagine how much better we'd be travelling with Joe Clement in the backline! If there are more clubs and the talent pool lessens then you would imagine players longevity will prolong accordingly.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

It's not a loaded question; I genuinely feel that Heath has only used up the one chance, however on the others I'm not at all sure what the public perception is. Don't take it as an attack on Rhyce.

 

[Pie eyed]

I think the club is "pro-actively" laying the groundwork for Didak to stay on as we speak. The club is certainly making all the right noises.
MM's, Eddie's and Buck's rhetoric all point toward a "rehabilitate' rather than "retaliate" attitude to the Shaw/Didak incident.

I think we are a very outside chance to get Kerr but a real chance to get Cousins, which may explain some of MM's comments.

 

[Bay Pie]

Regarding the first quote, I sincerely hope that he means the club has decided that Didak and Shaw have learnt their lesson and will be back next week. Let the hypocritical media bitch and moan all they like. Eddie and co run the CFC not the bloody press. The great mistake we made was kowtowing to their demands.

I also hope it means that Didak will stay at the club next year, he is our best player and it could end up being an horendous decision to trade him. At best it will amount to gambling. By implication, I hope it also means we take the ridiculous 5 year deal to Johnathon Brown off the table and forget all about recruiting him.

I totally agree on you whole post except I think the 3 boys should have been suspended for 1 week for going out on the piss and that should have been handed down on Monday. All the other BS that went on would be irrelevant.

Get Ben Cousins. He's cheap and is exactly what we need. Ready made midfielder with skills and ball winning ability. Question mark over is off-field but I'm willing to punt on that.

J Brown looks just about done and dusted to me. I watch the guy every bloody week up here and he has max 3 years left near his best, probably only 1 or 2.

Rhyce may be trade bait but not because of his indiscretion, although that could make us look god, but because he was offered last year. I think we may have Ryan Cook earmarked for that role.

 

[Bonuspoints]

Agree with ya Bay Pie about Rhyce Shaw. We shopped him around a little last year and have some youngsters that look ready to take his spot. His indiscretion is minor and shouldn't deter clubs that may be interested to hear what we want for him. I'm just not sure which clubs will take him as he won't get better and lets face he turns over the ball way too much.

Geez that second quote is interesting. It indicates that our first round pick is up for grabs.

 

[TwisTz]

Get Ben Cousins. He's cheap and is exactly what we need. Ready made midfielder with skills and ball winning ability. Question mark over is off-field but I'm willing to punt on that.

J Brown looks just about done and dusted to me. I watch the guy every bloody week up here and he has max 3 years left near his best, probably only 1 or 2.

Agreed.

Benny Cousins suits our needs far greater than JB.

We need that dominating inside midfielder. Without one our midfield looks rubbish.

 

[Pie eyed]

Agreed.

Benny Cousins suits our needs far greater than JB.

We need that dominating inside midfielder. Without one our midfield looks rubbish.

With Cousins there is also the existing "mentor/student" relationship with Mick Malthouse, something I would see as a positive regarding controlling Cousins personal battles.

He looks to be the "round peg" for our hole so to speak.
Kerr, and more so Brown, just don't seem to fit quite as well regardless of cost.
Brown's major draw would have been his leadership, but I think Burns has that covered now, with the club putting the foot down on Shaw/s and Didak.
Kerr, apart from being a good mid, really does not seem to be a Magpie type...and if rumors are true he would prefer Carlton then...proof he certainly would not fit in at Collingwood if we wanted him.

 

[The Norm]

Quotes from MM on realfooty.com today. The first relates to his views on youth and rehabilitation, in light of recent events. The second is regarding his views on list management prior to GC17's inclusion in the competition.

The reason why I'm involved is that I believe in second chances, quite frankly," he said.
"When we look at our own life it's generally when we have a hiccup, when we are at our lowest ebb, that we take stock and try to work out which way to go.
"Yes, young people have got to stand on their own two feet but sometimes they need that little bit of support … In society we can't do it by ourselves.
"What we are trying to do is promote opportunity for all. Once the kid has served his time, once he is rehabilitated, the next stage of rehabilitation is normality."

"It's going to have some ramifications on the group," he said. "I half suspect that, not necessarily this year but next year, you'll be wanting your older players to play the extra one or two seasons if you can get them over the line, you'll probably be (salvaging) players from other clubs … you may well elect to go to the second or third round of the draft and hope that you get a Goldsack or such type of player."


My first question would be; how many chances have the following players had: R Shaw, A Didak, B Cousins?

I'm also interested in everyone's assessment of MM's list management comments...

Rhyce had a chance in the 2003 Grand Final. From the club's perspective his behaviour was far worse than Didak because he ignored a strict no-drinking-when-injured policy. It's exactly this type of attitude that breeds behaviour where the consequences can be much more serious.

Didak's situation is more complex. You can argue that the consequences of both "incidents" were more to do with the management of the incident rather than the incident itself. As far as we know he adhered to the behavioural clause implemented in his contract, so in a sense his behaviour is not the problem (disregarding the fact he let a friend and teammate drive drunk - a bad decision but not one that warrants the penalty he was given). On the other hand, Didak's management of both incidents has been terrible and the club would be seriously questioning whether they can trust him.

Heath Shaw's first serious misdemeanour.

I don't think we know anywhere near enough about Cousins as to how many chances he would've been given. Hopefully after the public attention he's been given he'll be able to fully rehabilitate himself. He certainly seems like the kind of person that would find it far easier than most in overcoming an addiction. It's evident that he has will-power, self-discipline (ignore the irony) and a supreme self-confidence that will not allow him to believe the drug is stronger than he is. A must-get for the Pies.

As far as interpreting Mick's comments, like someone else said, I think the first quote allows that whatever decision they make on Dids won't contradict what he has said. He could mean the club will help "rehabilitate" him and keep him, or "rehabilitate" him for his own benefit and trade him. I can't see them trading him though, so I intepret Mick's comments literally.

Second quote means he needs Burns, Wakelin & possibly Presti there, while also commenting on the influence the loss of Clement in particular has had on the group.

I've been noticing that much of what Mick says in the media seems to influence the club, usually positively but occasionally negatively. I'd give Mick the credit and say that he's aware of how what he says can influence the club's on-field performance. I've been rambling so I'll wind it up but "blockbuster fatigue" & "how Melbourne only get themselves up for a big game" have both turned out to be self-fulfilling prophecies except the contradiction is that it is our own team thats been affected. There's many more examples of this but I'll write about it properly one time when Spain vs USA basketball isn't on.

 

[twoforjoy]

Lord who knows with MM? It's not as if he hates philosophising, red herrings and using the media for his own agendas.

 

[Snag Breac]

I think the club is "pro-actively" laying the groundwork for Didak to stay on as we speak. The club is certainly making all the right noises.
MM's, Eddie's and Buck's rhetoric all point toward a "rehabilitate' rather than "retaliate" attitude to the Shaw/Didak incident.

I think we are a very outside chance to get Kerr but a real chance to get Cousins, which may explain some of MM's comments.

Just so. And MM standing with the angels, Christ and the Dalai Lama leaves our options open on all the bad boys.

 

[King Woodie]

I am perplexed by the second comment.

I don't think clubs should hang on to players at the end of their tether to "wear the storm", I think they should hang onto the younger players, even at the expense of the older ones.

Otherwise, 2 or so years later, we will have none of those older players left and none of the younger players drafted from the GC period, leaving us with a huge vaccuum (as with the situation around Judkins' last few years where we had no one remain on the list).

We need to look more long term.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

It seemed to me that with the "not necessarily this year, but next year" line that he was alluding to the fact that a few players such as perhaps Holland and Presti might pull the plug, but then players that are likely for 2009 would be asked to stay on into the next decade. Those players could possibly include O'Bree, Rocca, Wakelin, Burns etc.