45 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Melk was a slow starter last year for the first 6 rounds. The footy dept kept the faith in him and he repaid them in spades. I suspect we may be seeing something similar....

Agree but I think you have to pick on current form. He couldn’t miss a goal last year but misses everything now. He’s a very frustrating player, as he was at Essenscum.

42 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Melk was a slow starter last year for the first 6 rounds. The footy dept kept the faith in him and he repaid them in spades. I suspect we may be seeing something similar....

Well he started the preseason on fire and has gone backwards IMO if bugg was to be dropped so was melksham 0.7 goals\behinds for the season is not good enough.

 

 

17 minutes ago, praha said:

Gee, Tigers fans aren't confident on Bigfooty.

Between calls of "Campaigners" and "Tanking" (Jones being called a "balled campaigner" was my favourite), they're mostly calling a heavy loss. Big change from early in the week.

Big test for the Tigers. Prestia also looks to be a late change for them.

I suspect we'll shorten in close to $2 ahead of the game tomorrow.

On Punt Road End some are very nervous. Vlastuin is a big out and they are worried about being smashed in the clearances. Vlas, Graham and Caddy are the 'outs' and 3 of their 'hardest' players apparently....

Edited April 23, 20186 yr by jnrmac

1 hour ago, Rusty Nails said:

 

 

Surprised with Fritsch before Melk also.  Room for improvement, especially with his defensive work inside 50 but i still had Fritsch  ahead of Melk last week.

I'm guessing managed for the Bombres or maybe the week after vs the Saints?

Harmes should have got the arse before Fritsch, offers more ATM.

melksham was brilliant in the second half of last year - played the defensive half forward role to a tee and rarely let his man get goalside of him on the rebound, and was good for 1 or more goals a game

so far this year he's reverted back to the atrocious form of the first half dozen games of 2017 and needs to impact the scoreboard and stop the rebound otherwise i'm assuming he's got the goody gold pass if he maintains this form and his spot in the side 

10 hours ago, DaveyDee said:

If Hunt, Stretch, Tyson & Weeds are our IN's - then I think we have nailed it.

You must break down the defensive structures of the Tigers both in the air and on the ground. 

You must make them accountable man on man - again if these are our in's I like it. I think we match up well on the Tigers on a man to man basis. 

3 sometimes forgotten players from the Tigers are Short, Houli & Valastuin - you must restrict their ball movement out the backline. Then you also must isolate Rance & Astbury and not allow them to play in tandem in the air.  For me Hogan goes to Rance 1 - 1 in the goal square, Weeds takes Astbury . 

I’m happy we have nailed it to do our best to beat the Tigers - great job boys. Go Dees

Edited April 23, 20186 yr by DaveyDee

1 hour ago, DemonLad5 said:

You can't be listed as an emergency if you've already played VFL 

Maybe check the named listed emergencies then?

I don't mind the ins. Fritsch is a bit stiff to be dropped or rested but in saying that he was just ok against the Hawks so for the sake of team balance I don't mind that change.

Weideman is an interesting one, with Hogan playing well up the ground we lacked a target man last week against Hawthorn. We can't really afford to let Rance play unaccountable so I think if anything Weideman will be important to give Rance and Astbury a contest. 

With Vlastuin out that then puts a lot more pressure on their other players to distribute out of the backline. 

Don't like some of the inns and worse SOME WHO ARE LUCKY TO BE THERE!

Stretch ? Shape up!! Career defining game methinks. If he doesn't cut it Gone!

Harmes?? don't know why and how he was retained LAST CHANCE SURELY?

Nibbler?? Similar

Why you would keep Wagner and Drop Frost mystifies ME??

Weeds?? time to perform.

Melsksham?? owes a good game

Jeffy? gee needs to lift!

Not at all confident and if we get flogged watch this site go into Meltdown!!

1 minute ago, Bonkers said:

 

With Vlastuin out that then puts a lot more pressure on their other players to distribute out of the backline. 

Good point - they will probably drop Conca or Ellis back but both are exploitable the other way. 

Good changes.

The selectors had to also keep in mind the 4 day break after this game.

We have many guys down on form that would want to fire tomorrow night, or they are out.

1 minute ago, picket fence said:

Don't like some of the inns and worse SOME WHO ARE LUCKY TO BE THERE!

Stretch ? Shape up!! Career defining game methinks. If he doesn't cut it Gone!

Harmes?? don't know why and how he was retained LAST CHANCE SURELY?

Nibbler?? Similar

Why you would keep Wagner and Drop Frost mystifies ME??

Weeds?? time to perform.

Melsksham?? owes a good game

Jeffy? gee needs to lift!

Not at all confident and if we get flogged watch this site go into Meltdown!!

i'm not confident at all and then they'll tear us to shreds on the rebound - their ball movement is scarily good

at the moment they remind me of the pies in 2011, who won every game after a premiership...except for those when they played the cats

they're a very, very good side 

54 minutes ago, bing181 said:

Says a lot about how to encourage developing players.

Happy to encourage performance. Smith obviously didn’t play and was coming back from injury and Petty had 4 kicks and 2 tackles. Even KC said Melb listed players were poor.

I don’t think they are worrying about next week, the goal is to win tomorrow night but who to bring in the week after.

As usual thoroughly nervous about the game but I reeeaaallly dislike the Tigs and hope we put a good old Melb belting* on them.

Lucky enough to be heading along to the Chairman’s function for the second time this year, this time thanks to one of our major sponsors.

*which is a 35 point win.

Not sure if I heard correctly, and not sure if this is the right thread so apologies if this is incorrect information in the incorrect thread. But I think Jack Viney is about to be on talking footy on 7Mate if anyone is interested. 

Edited April 23, 20186 yr by Ethan Tremblay

19 minutes ago, Watts the matter said:

Was he? This is news to me and revisionism at its finest. 

Which games do you remember him playing and being a significant factor? 

He was listed in our best players 3 times for the whole season (this included the final 2 games). He played 19 games (the equal 9th most) and finished 16th in our best and fairest which is skewed towards players who play more games.

21 goals in 12 games does sound good, and when you extend it to a whole season 40 goals would be impressive. 

And yes, I watch most games 2-3 times.

How is it ‘revisionism’? Last year he was widely praised for having an excellent second half to the year.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/the-move-that-breathed-new-life-into-melbournes-jake-melksham/news-story/4d177aa89bd50d6e43f8314a6f8ea02c

His highlights sees the commentators consistently saying how good his second half of the year was.

It is ‘revisionism’ to say that now that he is playing poorly this year, he was never any good.

FMD this club.   I've nearly had enough. 

So Viney has just walked off Bachelor in Paradise. Who in their right mind allowed him to go in the first place!? Regardless of his condition. Clubs' a shambles.

4 minutes ago, Monocology said:

So Viney has just walked off Bachelor in Paradise. Who in their right mind allowed him to go in the first place!? Regardless of his condition. Clubs' a shambles.

?

5 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

How is it ‘revisionism’? Last year he was widely praised for having an excellent second half to the year.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/the-move-that-breathed-new-life-into-melbournes-jake-melksham/news-story/4d177aa89bd50d6e43f8314a6f8ea02c

His highlights sees the commentators consistently saying how good his second half of the year was.

It is ‘revisionism’ to say that now that he is playing poorly this year, he was never any good.

He played his role adequately in the second half of the season, no more, no less.

Saying he was excellent or repaid the coaches in spades are over the top as evidenced by his poor standing in our best and fairest.

I have never said he played poorly in the second half of the year, so I'm not sure of the relevance of your last sentence.

As mentioned by another poster, his time at Melbourne has being similar to his time at Essendon. He is a frustrating player and with his experience in the AFL he should now be delivering on a consistent basis.

I would prefer an inconsistent Hannan if this is what we are getting.

16 minutes ago, BigFez said:

Not sure if I heard correctly, and not sure if this is the right thread so apologies if this is incorrect information in the incorrect thread. But I think Jack Viney is about to be on talking footy on 7Mate if anyone is interested. 

He’s on now and it’s quite painful - Jack is not the best media performer.

2 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

He’s on now and it’s quite painful - Jack is not the best media performer.

“You know” “you know”

The coach has made his statement. 

He is praying that bringing the old band back together from last year will make a miraculous difference, whilst retaining many out of form one paced mids.

One of Harmes, ANB or Melksham needed go, but we have no one in form to replace them.

The Weide will be tested while hard bodied Pedersen plays VFL. Much as l love Billy and his endeavour, he is a little out of his depth playing battle hardened bodies much quicker than he. 

I understand our depth of talent is quite light on. Our ins and outs are effectively a net nil except for the one forced change, producing a net gain.

Hunt's speed will be very welcome but Bayley's composure will be missed, albeit he was probably just rested for the weekend. Bugg was a necessary out. 

Last week 19.5 Hawks demoralised us. It is anyone's guess how 22 fit tigers will deal with us. 

I hope all our players bring their A game tomorrow night. We will need it to be competitive against a now very slick outfit. 

Anyone under estimating the league leading confidence and skill of Richmond does so at their peril. 

If Goody tries that failed high press farce of a game plan, Hardwick will enjoy the night. We need something different yet something the players know how to execute. 

Edited April 23, 20186 yr by Hot as Hell

5 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

He’s on now and it’s quite painful - Jack is not the best media performer.

I thought the panel asked him some good and valid questions, to which he gave almost no answers. We have no more information than we did before he came on the show. 

Round 8 possible return is all I got out of it.