Jump to content

Featured Replies

Coaches have mentioned trying different game tactics in games. 

Maybe Melksham is to experiment with ball movement into our fwd line.  The # of points we kick says our fwd work isn't as good as the rest of our game.

And, by now other clubs have done their homework on us and working out tactics to counter our strengths.  If we change up our mid to fwd ball movement it helps make their ideas less damaging and give us better scoring accuracy.

Good timing to change aspects of our game with Freo, Sydney, Pies and Lions over the next month.  Even if Melksham doesn't hold his spot if we are trying something new and it works the selection will be a success.

Lets not look at Melksham's stats but at the role he plays.

 
20 minutes ago, Cranky Franky said:

Having watched Casey all year I'd have thought Dunstan was the obvious replacement with Melk a close second. I'm sure the 200 games came into the equation.

Dunstan is not a forward

The thinking seems to be if Viney, Oliver or Trac are out then Dunstan comes in to directly replace them. If Harmes, ANB or Sparrow are out then it's Melksham. BBB, TMac, LJ and maybe Fritta (we haven't seen that yet) then Weid gets a go. Kossie or Spargo then it's Bedford into the 22. One of the tall defenders goes out then it's Tomo.

However, if one of the running/smaller defenders goes out then shuffle Brayshaw or JJ back - so I can't wait for Salem and Hibberd to be available to see what the plans with the team are then? My guess, Salem comes back in, probably for Rivers or Hunt depending on form or even if we need speed or stronger defence more. The Salem, Gus and JJ all play a hybrid wing/half back roles, rotating with one on the bench the whole time. Salem might stay closer to the backline initially but as he builds back to full fitness have the same licensee to run as the other 2 do at the moment. Of course Langdon just does his thing on the other wing. 

 

I'm OK with Melksham playing. There could be many reasons for this selection but perhaps he got the nod over Dunstan and Bedford due to a concern that we're not really kicking large scores, even though we're winning. Melksham provides a better forward target and a better forward distributor than either Bedford or Dunstan. The latter two provide better on ball work and probably better defensive pressure, but perhaps we use Neal-Bullen more on ball this week to compensate for that part of Harmes's game that will be missing.  


15 hours ago, Nasher said:

Exactly my first thought too: probably the closest like-for-like option available. I don’t mind it. Good luck to him, hope he gets to 200. He’s been an excellent servant of the club since coming over from Essendon.

Brown plays his 150th vs his old club this week.

Melksham plays his 200th in a home game at the MCG next week.

Neat.

6 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

Somewhere in South Melbourne?

 
7 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Somewhere in South Melbourne?

Port Melbourne's home ground

22 minutes ago, old55 said:

Brown plays his 150th vs his old club this week.

Melksham plays his 200th in a home game at the MCG next week.

Neat.

Good to have you back old55!


It's probably not as surprising as it first seems. Melksham is a closer fit for Harmes' spot than Bedford, even if Bedford has been on the cusp of selection longer than Melksham has.

8 hours ago, DubDee said:

You seriously think Milkshake is not the best player to come in, in the coaches eyes but is playing ahead of more deserving players to get him to 200 games??

I can see this for a club legend like Jones to get to 300 but Melksham who has played 84 games for us I don’t get it. 

I wasn't being entirely serious but on reflection maybe I should give up on humour because I'm clearly not very good at it.

I'm sure Melksham is being picked on merit and I think that was proved by the fact that he wasn't picked as medisub last week ahead of Chandler. Instead he was only picked once Harmes was out through injury. Clearly he is being picked as the best replacement for Harmes, even if I and some others don't necessarily agree with the decision. Good luck to him. I hope he plays well and if he does he deserves to retain his spot.

3 hours ago, Fat Tony said:

Good to have you back old55!

Just starting to sober up after last year 🙃

1 hour ago, Sydney_Demon said:

I wasn't being entirely serious but on reflection maybe I should give up on humour because I'm clearly not very good at it.

I'm sure Melksham is being picked on merit and I think that was proved by the fact that he wasn't picked as medisub last week ahead of Chandler. Instead he was only picked once Harmes was out through injury. Clearly he is being picked as the best replacement for Harmes, even if I and some others don't necessarily agree with the decision. Good luck to him. I hope he plays well and if he does he deserves to retain his spot.

hey it doesn't stop me so I say go for it!

19 hours ago, MrFreeze said:

Melk is - he can play a role and will make way when needed 

Let’s hope Melk actually does this which I am not confident but time will tell. 


7 hours ago, Red and Blue realist said:

The thinking seems to be if Viney, Oliver or Trac are out then Dunstan comes in to directly replace them. If Harmes, ANB or Sparrow are out then it's Melksham. BBB, TMac, LJ and maybe Fritta (we haven't seen that yet) then Weid gets a go. Kossie or Spargo then it's Bedford into the 22. One of the tall defenders goes out then it's Tomo.

However, if one of the running/smaller defenders goes out then shuffle Brayshaw or JJ back - so I can't wait for Salem and Hibberd to be available to see what the plans with the team are then? My guess, Salem comes back in, probably for Rivers or Hunt depending on form or even if we need speed or stronger defence more. The Salem, Gus and JJ all play a hybrid wing/half back roles, rotating with one on the bench the whole time. Salem might stay closer to the backline initially but as he builds back to full fitness have the same licensee to run as the other 2 do at the moment. Of course Langdon just does his thing on the other wing. 

All too true just now, it seems ...  https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1130811/viney-to-miss-roos-clash

Yep, and Luke Dunstan is the ideal replacement for Jack Viney.  Isn’t it great that we have such fantastic ‘like for like’ depth on our list?

Edited by Deeoldfart

No one concerned we have two “hammys” at once, with a new fitness guy at the helm? Something to think about for sure 

Lot of experience on the list these days, 2 hundred + gamers waiting in the wings to come in 


8 hours ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Maybe Melksham is to experiment with ball movement into our fwd line.  The # of points we kick says our fwd work isn't as good as the rest of our game.

Lets hope Melk has his kicking accuracy working (both at goal & kicks coming inside).  Without that im not sure what other assets he actually brings as a HF/Mid.

If he can't bring that in the next few weeks then we should be getting a few more games into Bedford well before finals IMV.

If Melk brings that plus his 2018 intensity then he will most likely have met the role the FD are hoping for.  Should be able to bring this against the lowly Norf this week as a minimum.

Anyone have any idea if Viney is a proper hammy or just tight/precaution?

 
31 minutes ago, qarocks said:

No one concerned we have two “hammys” at once, with a new fitness guy at the helm? Something to think about for sure 

Prevention better than cure i reckon Q.

And no better week to pull out the conservative card than this week against Norf eh

The $5 for Demons under 40pts is looking tempting 


Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

Featured Content

  • GAMEDAY: Essendon

    It’s Game Day, and the Demons are staring down the barrel of an 0-5 start for the first time since 2012 as they take on Essendon at Adelaide Oval for Gather Round. In that forgettable season, Melbourne finally broke their drought by toppling the Bombers. Can lightning strike twice? Will the Dees turn their nightmare start around and breathe life back into 2025?

      • Haha
      • Like
    • 50 replies
    Demonland
  • PREVIEW: Essendon

    As the focus of the AFL moves exclusively to South Australia for Gather Round, the question is raised as to what are we going to get from the  Melbourne Football Club this weekend? Will it be a repeat of the slop fest of the last three weeks that have seen the team score a measly 174 points and concede 310 or will a return to the City of Churches and the scene where they performed at their best in 2024 act as a wakeup call and bring them out of their early season reverie?  Or will the sleepy Dees treat their fans to a reenactment of their lazy effort from the first Gather Round of two years ago when they allowed the Bombers to trample all over them on a soggy and wet Adelaide Oval? The two examples from above tell us how fickle form can be in football. Last year, a committed group of players turned up in Adelaide with a businesslike mindset. They had a plan, went in confidently and hard for the football and kicked winning scores against both home teams in a difficult environment for visitors. And they repeated that sort of effort later in the season when they played Essendon at the MCG.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: Essendon

    Facing the very real and daunting prospect of starting the season with five straight losses, the Demons head to South Australia for the annual Gather Round, where they’ll take on the Bombers in search of their first win of the year. Who comes in, and who comes out?

      • Like
    • 489 replies
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 05

    Gather Round is here, kicking off with a Thursday night blockbuster as Adelaide faces Geelong. The Crows will be out for redemption after a controversial loss last week. Saturday starts with the Magpies taking on the Swans. Collingwood will be eager to cement their spot in the top eight, while Sydney is hot on their heels. In the Barossa Valley, two rising sides go head-to-head in a fascinating battle to prove they're the real deal. Later, Carlton and West Coast face off at Adelaide Oval, both desperate to notch their first win of the season. The action then shifts to Norwood, where the undefeated Lions will aim to keep their streak alive against the Bulldogs. Sunday’s games begin in the Barossa with Richmond up against Fremantle. In Norwood, the Saints will be looking to take a scalp when they come up against the Giants. The round concludes with a fiery rematch of last year's semi-final, as the Hawks seek revenge for their narrow loss to Port Adelaide. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

    • 195 replies
    Demonland
  • CASEY: Geelong

    There was a time in the second quarter of the game at the Cattery on Friday afternoon when the Casey Demons threatened to take the game apart against the Cats. The Demons had been well on top early but were struggling to convert their ascendancy over the ground until Tom Fullarton’s burst of three goals in the space of eight minutes on the way to a five goal haul and his best game for the club since arriving from Brisbane at the end of 2023. He was leading, marking and otherwise giving his opponents a merry dance as Casey grabbed a three goal lead in the blink of an eye. Fullarton has now kicked ten goals in Casey’s three matches and, with Melbourne’s forward conversion woes, he is definitely in with a chance to get his first game with the club in next week’s Gather Round in Adelaide. Despite the tall forward’s efforts - he finished with 19 disposals and eight marks and had four hit outs as back up to Will Verrall in the second half - it wasn’t enough as Geelong reigned in the lead through persistent attacks and eventually clawed their way to the lead early in the last and held it till they achieved the end aim of victory.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • REPORT: Geelong

    I was disappointed to hear Goody say at his post match presser after the team’s 39 point defeat against Geelong that "we're getting high quality entry, just poor execution" because Melbourne’s problems extend far beyond that after its 0 - 4 start to the 2025 football season. There are clearly problems with poor execution, some of which were evident well before the current season and were in play when the Demons met the Cats in early May last year and beat them in a near top-of-the-table clash that saw both sides sitting comfortably in the top four after round eight. Since that game, the Demons’ performances have been positively Third World with only five wins in 19 games with a no longer majestic midfield and a dysfunctional forward line that has become too easy for opposing coaches to counter. This is an area of their game that is currently being played out as if they were all completely panic-stricken.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland