Nice to see this thread which I created going so strongly
*ducks for cover*
Anyway, my two cents.
I have reservations about McCartney still. He has had three years and we're still in the bottom four. Yes it's a big rebuild job he was given and he inherited a list that was badly out of shape but after three years we are still no where near it.
Regarding the players leaving, I have no sympathy for Jones who is a massive sook for leaving. He totally deserved the tough love that McCartney was giving him by banishing him to Footscray and the fact that he's thrown the toys out of the cot and asked to be traded because of it is pissweak from Jones. Totally backing Macca on this one, no problems.
Higgins I would prefer to have stayed but it's not a major disaster that he's going IMO. Too unreliable injury wise and form wise for anyone to have major concerns over him leaving. Not sure if Macca is a reason Higgins wants to go anyway, it may be so but there's no evidence that he is, if there is I'm yet to see it.
Tutt is the one I'd question Macca over leaving. The one thing amongst many that the side is lacking is pace and a good finisher. Tutt has both. Why hasn't he been played more? He may not have made it but at least give him a chance to show what he can do. Tutt didn't get played anywhere near as much as I'd have liked him to, especially when it is so obvious that we lack speed.
I also don't have a problem with the club telling senior players to pull their heads in if they're having a sook about Macca and backing him in (if this is the case). They need to grow up and deal with the fact that Macca is the coach and what he says, goes.
However at the same time that players deserve a kick up the arse and to get their act together, I say McCartney also does. If we don't improve next year, I'm not sure the club will want to back him in any more after four years in the bottom four. Coaches with much better records than Macca have been given the arse in shorter periods of time, this is fact.
So to summarise: Macca, coaching staff, all players - get your act together. This club needs some sort of hope.