Just now, homsar said:

Frost is almost the opposite of Lever IMO. Always rushed and clumsy. Tries his hardest and an amazing athlete, just don’t know if he has the footy smarts and skills. 

Would it be ridiculous to try Fritsch back there? Lovely overheard and a beautiful kick. 

No it wouldn’t be in the intercepting part, the defending part, possibly. But losing his link play in the middle of the ground would be huge.

Frost for mine, this is his opportunity to really cement a spot in this defence. If he squibs it, then one of the debutants gets a crack.

44 minutes ago, Webber said:

Melbourne has more ACL reconstructions performed per head of population than anywhere in the world. The best, most comprehensive science and rehabilitation in respect to recovery is right here. 

So why would clubs bother sending their stars to the States?

1 minute ago, McQueen said:

So why would clubs bother sending their stars to the States?

Desperation ? ..just posing it

1 hour ago, Rusty Nails said:

Very unfortunate for Jake and the team.   Just starting to really gel down back.

Frosty time.  Our next best intercept player.  Will need to step up a little and play the role with a level head.  Has everything that Jake has but smart choices / decision making are the difference and will need to improve in this area to do the job as effectively..

Frost (or whomever) will be stepping in to a well drilled defence with a great midfield to aim for.  Sure he will (at least initially) a downgrade, but it is what it is.  Time to be positive and supportive of whomever gets the nod.  He will make errors and will cost some goals, just as every defender does at times (OMG even Broooooose's  greatest of all times, Diver Rance!!!!)

1 hour ago, dieter said:

I truly feel sorry for Lever.

However, for the doomsayers, remember we won a lot of games last year without Gawn, Jones, Hogan, Viney and Watts who was really good in the first half of the year. Also, we won them without Lever.

In 2016 the Dogs were decimated by injuries to some of their best players. Guess what, others stepped up.

I'm sure we have enough ammunition to cope with this loss.

Nice to hear positive thoughts being shared.  

PS Richmind won the flag last year without Lever too, and the Dogs the year before.

1 hour ago, Nasher said:

Anyone who reckons it doesn’t hurt the team is kidding themselves. Lever is a gun and had developed in to an essential part of the side. His replacement, whoever it turns out to be, is indisputably a significant downgrade.

I just feel terrible for him though. After a rough start he’d just reached full swing. He’ll be struggling, no doubt. Hopefully the recovery is as smooth as it can be.

Golden opportunity for someone else to step up now.

Exactly.

47 minutes ago, Webber said:

Melbourne has more ACL reconstructions performed per head of population than anywhere in the world. The best, most comprehensive science and rehabilitation in respect to recovery is right here. 

 

46 minutes ago, Mickey said:

I wonder why that is? AFL related?

I heard that it was netball > footy.

2 minutes ago, monoccular said:

 

I heard that it was netball > footy.

Yep. Those knees really don't like those quick stops. Although the Irish were pretty good over the last couple of decades because of knee cappings being a common thing in that [censored] for tat war.

5 minutes ago, Uncle Fester said:

Yep. Those knees really don't like those quick stops. Although the Irish were pretty good over the last couple of decades because of knee cappings being a common thing in that [censored] for tat war.

Dont you just love the auto censor  ;-))).   I will give it a test, but I do remember when we couldn't use the name Dick as a contraction for Richard.

And, Uncle, I think the surgery for the Irish knees was far more challenging and had far worse outcomes than our sporting ACLs.

Good luck with your recovery, Jake.

I wonder if this changes our list strategy going forward with regards to who steps in to replace Lever.

2 hours ago, Chook said:

I wonder if LARS is a chance? Knowing Melbourne, we'll go the old fashioned way regardless.

Interesting aspect Chook, I believe that the LARS Procedures overseas have gained significant momentum than those done in the past and now are considered more viable than ever

Would the club the club and Lever consider it?

It would mean is all goes well he's back this season!

I believe you make your own luck in life, but it’s hard not to feel like this club is cursed. 

To lose Lever is a massive blow to our structure. No doubt our backline is the weakest part of our side. Hibberd and Jetta are elite and so is Lever. We lose Lever and suddenly we are left with only 1 tall defender who is very young still. The replacements for Lever are there but gees not one of them will be half the player Lever is. 

This is a big blow to our chances of winning a flag. I know people mentioned Murphy but losing a non KP player is much easier to cover. Losing Lever is the same as losing Hogan or TMac or Gawn. Very hard to replace. When Lever found form so did we. This is a huge blow! 

22 minutes ago, monoccular said:

Dont you just love the auto censor  ;-))).   I will give it a test, but I do remember when we couldn't use the name Dick as a contraction for Richard.

And, Uncle, I think the surgery for the Irish knees was far more challenging and had far worse outcomes than our sporting ACLs.

True, but I did hear a surgeon talk on this a decade or two back, and he mentioned that the Irish had the best knee guys in the world because of that. Some of them did come out here to help with sports knees. If they are no longer the top of the tree then that is a good think for the Irish.

Lost 4 words. Poor bloke was playing really well.

[censored]  f×ck cr@p @rse [censored] t1t 

 

1 hour ago, monoccular said:

Nice to hear positive thoughts being shared.  

PS Richmind won the flag last year without Lever too, and the Dogs the year before.

And, just for the record, when Lever was playing yesterday the Dogs scored 3 goals. They scored another 4 in the next three quarters and a bit...

( No, I'm not saying Lever was the reason the Dogs scored three goals.)

I thought, why throw the Southern Stand for him after 4 matches. However since then he has shown he is pretty good.

Buggar !!!!

Harmes looked to spend a fair bit of time back with Lever down, and could be a useful replacement in the role.  It would then be about adding a rotation to the midfield.

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

. When Lever found form so did we. This is a huge blow! 

Success in converting strong inside 50's into winning sores coincided with lots of things, but primarily T Mac coming back, with huge flwo on effects on Hogan, and mids who finally had targets, but Lever was important also.

However his replacement will merge into the best defence in the league - Hibberd, Jetta Salem, Lewis and OMac. Plus a top line midfield that helps protect them.

I would be more mortified in losing Gawn, T mac Hogan , Viney, Oliver, Brayshaw,, Jones........... 

Just the debate on here about Lever' s replacement has thrown up 4 or 5 options. For any of the above there is no-one capable of filling any of these shoes in tersm of quality.

QB will tell though

 

I am still gutted

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

I believe you make your own luck in life, but it’s hard not to feel like this club is cursed. 

To lose Lever is a massive blow to our structure. No doubt our backline is the weakest part of our side. Hibberd and Jetta are elite and so is Lever. We lose Lever and suddenly we are left with only 1 tall defender who is very young still. The replacements for Lever are there but gees not one of them will be half the player Lever is. 

This is a big blow to our chances of winning a flag. I know people mentioned Murphy but losing a non KP player is much easier to cover. Losing Lever is the same as losing Hogan or TMac or Gawn. Very hard to replace. When Lever found form so did we. This is a huge blow! 

I think there's weaker parts of every line to our team but I still like the 6 remaining defenders. Hibberd, Jetta elite as you said. Salem's made a couple of errors but is playing at a very high level since going to half back. Oscar looking solid. Lewis very good in the right role. Vince doing his job defensively even if his kicking runs hot and cold. 

Inexperienced outside run (can Fritsch and Harmes be consistent against good opponents), midfield kicking skills (Gus, Viney, Oliver, Tracc all better with their hands than feet) and lack of a good two way small forward (Spargo and ANB excellent up the ground but ideally we'd have a gun pressure player and goal kicker replace Hannan) are equally large gaps. 

Lever's injury has opened another one but it also creates an opportunity for a player with a different skill set. As good as Lever is when allowed to read the play and zone he's still only average one on one. Potentially we can now play a better lock down defender (maybe Frost) and shift Hibberd and Salem in to more attacking roles. Or we can play Hunt, which takes away some aerial ability and clean skills but doubles down on the ability to cover space quickly and rebound. The Lever injury costs us the ability to set up on our terms to play our very best footy, but the trade is being able to rotate a different 7th defender based on match ups and roles and that could work in our favour.

Shattered!

Wonder if Petty might get a sneaky game or two this year....

2 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

Wonder if Petty might get a sneaky game or two this year....

 

The prophecy has been foretold and is two thirds compete.

 

 

Need the best reader of the play and mark to replace Jake.

Can anyone in the back six move 1 step to the left?

Are we looking at a half back rather than a KPP?

FTW.

Very disappointing for Jake. Naturally he will be replaced but he is something special. You could call it the X factor or simply team lifting. He is dynamic. My sense of watching the warmup was that he was also very much a leader taking charge of some of the drills. That will be missed. 

 

1 hour ago, Petraccattack said:

 

The prophecy has been foretold and is two thirds compete.

 

 

I remember when this was posted. I thought it was an odd thing to post. Who’s the stupid one now?