Dear Dan,

I still find myself in moments of disbelief about how particularly woeful our performance was yesterday. I read that Graham Duff was talking about preserving Melbourne members of the club and I just wonder how enticing that performance might have been to any North fan considering membership.

I understand your thoughts about Laidley but I am not sure how responsible he can be for what the players do ... Dean doesn't make Corey Jones fumble almost every time he touches the ball, it was not his fault Shannon Grant can't really remember what a football feels like or that Andrew Swallow gets run down from behind a number of times a game. Obviously, the instruction that gave rise to the pre-half-time farce was sheer lunacy. What were they thinking? If we hold on to this 2 goal lead now, there is no way Hawthorn will have enough time to hit the front during the course of the entire second half? Do they seriously have the estimation of the collective skill level of our team?

And if Laidley goes now who will replace hime? Donald MacDonald? Darren Bewick? I don't see any replacement coming from another club at this point of the season. This means we are looking at a caretaker or someone like Grant Thomas whose tenure in the North coaching box has a fraught history.

Selection continues to baffle - and I thought after Shane Clayton was delisted I would not have too much to complain about - and the persistent selection of Brown and Sansbury is symptomatic of either a complete lack of depth or lack of confidence in any of the younger players on our list. Sansbury is like a deer in the headlights and utterly useless in the face of any kind of pressure. He did, however, kick five goals on Adam Cooney once. Leigh Brown appears trapped in the middle of being not tall enough, not fast enough and not imposing enough.

The question is who replaces these guys and who else can we bring in? Sadly, Callum Urch has done another hamstring - maybe a hamstring transplant is required - and I now concede that we may never really see him again. Hopefully, Blake Grima and Jesse Smith stay uninjured and get some match fitness in a hurry. What has happened to Daniel McConnell? As you know I am not a Brad Moran disciple - his newness to the game is so glaringly a weakness which is manifested in almost every aspect of what he does out there - his athletic ability is incredible, but I think the VFL is the best place for him to learn more for the time being.

I think our backline has been OK and until Sunday we seemed to have played relatively attacking football. We need to continue this, but our forward line is too stagnant. The forest of midgets isn't going to take too many pack marks so Edwards (who is the best mark on the lead we have had at the club for some time) and Jones need to be constantly presenting. Another leading target is required - or someone who can at least take the occasional contested mark. This is where David Hale won't make it as a forward - not quick enough on the lead and not a great contested mark. If we didn't need him in the backline and the midfield I would think that Spud would even be worth a shot in the forward line. Shannon Grant needs to play closer to goal and quicker delivery will let him use his ability to read the play to advantage.

And now I discover that our game is not on free-to-air at all - I thought the Carrara games were to be shown on FTA on delay?

Perhaps not seeing the game would be better anyway ...

Maybe, things can only get better?

Justin