Culture

[Thryleon]

As long as our so called leaders stay we haven't cut away enough.
Murphy, Gibbs and Walker all need to find greener pastures where piss weak efforts are not tolerated and they are in the minority.
Only then will our culture change.

Yes and no.

Murphy has become as Judd like as he can.  He may not have the same impact on match day as Judd could (few can), but as we saw against Melbourne, we were much better when he was on the field rather than after he went off.

Gibbs may not play at the best of the best players, but he is generally a fairly consistent accumulator and performs his role well each and every week.

Its a telling statistic that Cripps in his acceptance speech last night credited Murphy, Gibbs and Thomas and also talked up young Byrne and Giles as having been a profound support for him during this season.

Give it time.  These guys are aging and will be cycled out soon enough because of attrition.  Murphy is 28, and the rate he is getting knocked around will be lucky to play past 31 unless he can reinvent himself (small forward looks to be his future with the odd run onball) and Walker is almost done (contracted till end of 16 or 17) and will be a year to year proposition from then on based upon how many players we are turning over.  Gibbs is the one who will probably last the longest of this lot.

We already have enough Jones, Tutts and fairly limited types that we need to work through cycling out, and there is no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Besides, look at the steps Murphy has taken over the last 2 years.  He has grown immensely and is no longer the reluctant meek youngster who shy's away from the spotlight, and last night delivered his speech sounding more like a leader than he ever has.

These guys might not be great leaders, but they are the best we have, and if they can have a positive influence on Cripps, then that's enough to justify retaining them IMHO.

[Bear]

Ironic that Murphy had poor words to say about Robbo when he couldn't tie Robbo's shoelaces when it comes to on field commitment.

Yes, how dare Murphy be one of our best players over a numbers of years. And then he committed to the club long term. Don't know how he sleeps at night.

[DJC]

I can't help but think that it's incredibly low of you to keep using players with personal issues as part of an agenda against a coach you hate.

Ratten being coach doesn't hep Garlett's girlfriend issues, he doesn't stop Yarran's dad from murdering someone and he couldn't stop Robbo going out and getting in trouble either.

I rarely if ever refer to specific players when discussing Malthouse's coaching shortcomings . . . and I don't hate him.  I just think that the club made a terrible decision in appointing a coach who was clearly on the wane, and we're now reaping the rewards  >

Anyway, the club belatedly realised that Malthouse was destroying the playing group and got rid of him.  That's the end of the story as far as I'm concerned.  None of your illogical arguments in support of Malthouse will ever bring him back, or re-write history.  He was rubbish and he's gone.  Get over it!

[crashlander]

Murphy has become as Judd like as he can.  He may not have the same impact on match day as Judd could (few can), but as we saw against Melbourne, we were much better when he was on the field rather than after he went off.
......
Besides, look at the steps Murphy has taken over the last 2 years.  He has grown immensely and is no longer the reluctant meek youngster who shy's away from the spotlight, and last night delivered his speech sounding more like a leader than he ever has.

Indeed. Murphy has grown into his role. I don't know if he was ready for it when he got it, be he has made considerable improvements in most of the areas you would consider 'leadership'.
We are certainly better with him on the field and when he is not present.
He is certainly working harder and appears less likely to be non contributor than he was earlier.

Can we do better? Probably. We may well have his replacement in Patrick Cripps. But we need more leadership on the park rather than less. And I would give Cripps some time before giving him the burden. He'll be ready sooner than later, but we want that. And we want Cripps to have competition for the job.

In 1995 David Parkin COULD give control over to the team in a number of areas because we had plenty of on field leaders. Many of the players were experienced and comfortable in providing the leadership for the team. We haven't had that for quite a while. A lot of guys don't feel that they belong because they are not champions, others because they are young and inexperienced, others because they are not outgoing, etc. Fair enough. In 1995 we had huge amounts of experience and a lot of self confidence in the ranks. It takes time and relative success to develop that, not to mention a bit of talent and internal expectations. We don't have that now, but we can get it back! It is not an impossibility.

It takes time and grooming. Murphy didn't get much of that, and his style of play probably didn't lend itself to the captaincy at the time. But he has taken it and matured with it. Hopefully Gibbs can do likewise. Now we need to recruit and develop the next generation of leaders, so that, even if we miss the captain through injury, we have the leadership on every line to cover for that and to take us on to success.

[Gointocarlton]

Ironic that Murphy had poor words to say about Robbo when he couldn't tie Robbo's shoelaces when it comes to on field commitment.

Feck me that's harsh. Whilst I don't think Murph is the world greatest captain, I would never question his on field commitment. He has suffered a few injuries in the process in fact. IMO youre barking up the wrong tree questioning Murphs commitment. Robbo was fwit and paid the price.

[madbluboy]

I rarely if ever refer to specific players when discussing Malthouse's coaching shortcomings . . . and I don't hate him.  I just think that the club made a terrible decision in appointing a coach who was clearly on the wane, and we're now reaping the rewards  >

Anyway, the club belatedly realised that Malthouse was destroying the playing group and got rid of him.  That's the end of the story as far as I'm concerned.  None of your illogical arguments in support of Malthouse will ever bring him back, or re-write history.  He was rubbish and he's gone.  Get over it!

Clearly on the wane? Do you even watch football?

2006: 7th
2007: 3rd
2008: 6th
2009: 4th
2010: 1st
2011: 2nd

Don't let facts get in the way of your bulls%^& dribble.

[DJC]

Clearly on the wane? Do you even watch football?

2006: 7th
2007: 3rd
2008: 6th
2009: 4th
2010: 1st
2011: 2nd

Don't let facts get in the way of your bulls%^& dribble.

Give it up MBB, you were/are wrong and he's not coming back 

[madbluboy]

What was I wrong about?

At the end of the day Malthouse is still a coaching legend and we're still the worst club in the AFL.

[LP]

What was I wrong about?

At the end of the day Malthouse is still a coaching legend and we're still the worst club in the AFL.

Legends live in the past!

Legend Def:
Any wonderful story coming down from the past, but not verifiable by historical record; a myth; a fable.

[PassIt2Carrots]

Yes, how dare Murphy be one of our best players over a numbers of years. And then he committed to the club long term. Don't know how he sleeps at night.

With the lights on for a large portion of his career.