Hopefully that's the game he needed to end his form slump, definitely looked like he regained some confidence. We still need a genuine spearhead to shield JVR a bit and allow him to keep pinch-hitting in the ruck. Where that player comes from, I have no idea.

Took some marks on the lead

Nailed his scoring opportunities

Kicked well inside 50

More of this please from Rooey

He's not our problem

2 Senior players want out

2-3 mid 20s players have not developed

And, old Father Time has sneaked up very quickly on our 30s players - battered bodies

We have big issues

I liked his contested mark against Thilthorpe, who is 4th in the competition in contested marks and who himself is a good example that sometimes key forwards take time.

Was one of a few highlights over the weekend.

And a really important one, because even though he isn't the issue (delivery, skills up the ground etc. are), he is a big piece of what we will need going forward. If we can have Roo regaining confidence and finding his feet (again) i50, it'll be a big boost in 2026. I think we still need to find another forward, but a couple of goals from him a game would be massive.

Btw our current leading goalkickers btw are Kozzie (29) and Melk (20), which is particularly notable given they have only played 13 and 12 games, respectively. We are screaming out for a Larkey type (38 from 16), Hogan, obviously, sad face (40 from 12). Even Georgiades is 42 from 16! (we helped that along)

Anyway, point is, Roo moving forward with us is much better than offloading him to a team who will (you know it) get him clicking. He is seriously talented, just need to find the right mix and invest the time. Or someone else will.

I feel for JvR

No fwd coach who has ever played fwd in the 4 years he has been at Melbourne

No one to mentor him on forward craft

Spends 30% of his on ground time in the ruck.

He been in and out of the team this year and can't get any continuity.

A masterclass on how to stuff a young gun's career.

Well done MFC

10 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

I feel for JvR

No fwd coach who has ever played fwd in the 4 years he has been at Melbourne

No one to mentor him on forward craft

Spends 30% of his on ground time in the ruck.

He been in and out of the team this year and can't get any continuity.

A masterclass on how to stuff a young gun's career.

Well done MFC

Stafford kicked a heap of goals. Chaplin spent his career playing on said forwards. Not to mention BBB and Melksham at the club during his tenure.

Gawn’s played 88 and 84% tog in JVR’s last two games. JVR wouldn’t have played 30% in the ruck combined in his last 2 weeks.

He was sent back to Casey after a long leg rope in the side and able to get some touch back. That’s life on the fringes of an afl team.

He’s simply not that good and not that talented right now. Time to turn things around but he’s an undersized big straight line clunker who struggles to get up in the air, isn’t holding his marks or using his size to impact the game.

He needs to find his physicality and have a huge summer becoming more agile because he’s outside of a nice set shot he’s never really had the skills required to be more than a workhorse.

2 hours ago, Tony Tea said:

Dawes had trampoline hands, JvR has a trampoline chest.

2 hours ago, SFebes said:

Both had/have both IMO.

We had a Club captain with the nick-name 'old Rubber Chest'.

Edited 22 hours ago22 hr by Queanbeyan Demon
tpyo.

8 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Stafford kicked a heap of goals. Chaplin spent his career playing on said forwards. Not to mention BBB and Melksham at the club during his tenure.

Gawn’s played 88 and 84% tog in JVR’s last two games. JVR wouldn’t have played 30% in the ruck combined in his last 2 weeks.

He was sent back to Casey after a long leg rope in the side and able to get some touch back. That’s life on the fringes of an afl team.

He’s simply not that good and not that talented right now. Time to turn things around but he’s an undersized big straight line clunker who struggles to get up in the air, isn’t holding his marks or using his size to impact the game.

He needs to find his physicality and have a huge summer becoming more agile because he’s outside of a nice set shot he’s never really had the skills required to be more than a workhorse.

I'm sorry but you don't get a plumber to fix a faulty powerpoint.

1 hour ago, jumbo returns said:

He's not our problem

2 Senior players want out

2-3 mid 20s players have not developed

And, old Father Time has sneaked up very quickly on our 30s players - battered bodies

We have big issues

In all fairness..you must give Trac & Oliver a full preseason before writing them off. I don’t need to mention the issues last year for Trac & a couple of years for Clarry. I think you forget that May snapped his plantar ..it’s not healed ..he would play under enormous duress which is why he’s inconsistent. He’s written off by many one week & then brings it on the weekend. You only have to listen to Turner to see who he credits for his development. Viney had a pretty serious rib injury ..then concussion but his last couple of games have been pretty good. Max ..no more needs to be said. Salo does his job as does Langdon. I’m pretty confident they’ll hold up …def for next year & I also think Melky will be good to go for 1 more ..

1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

I feel for JvR

No fwd coach who has ever played fwd in the 4 years he has been at Melbourne

No one to mentor him on forward craft

Spends 30% of his on ground time in the ruck.

He been in and out of the team this year and can't get any continuity.

A masterclass on how to stuff a young gun's career.

Well done MFC

Had plenty of experience over the years. Master career wreckers.

4 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

He’s also ultra competitive in the ruck.

Which is a very mixed blessing - it means they keep playing him in the ruck which stifles any learning of forward craft.

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

Stafford kicked a heap of goals. Chaplin spent his career playing on said forwards. Not to mention BBB and Melksham at the club during his tenure.

Gawn’s played 88 and 84% tog in JVR’s last two games. JVR wouldn’t have played 30% in the ruck combined in his last 2 weeks.

He was sent back to Casey after a long leg rope in the side and able to get some touch back. That’s life on the fringes of an afl team.

He’s simply not that good and not that talented right now. Time to turn things around but he’s an undersized big straight line clunker who struggles to get up in the air, isn’t holding his marks or using his size to impact the game.

He needs to find his physicality and have a huge summer becoming more agile because he’s outside of a nice set shot he’s never really had the skills required to be more than a workhorse.

I don’t know why you support this club anymore and this coming from a person who thinks Gawn has no leadership qualities.

Never read a positive post from you

42 minutes ago, Billy said:

I don’t know why you support this club anymore and this coming from a person who thinks Gawn has no leadership qualities.

Never read a positive post from you

There’s not a lot of positives right now but people here have always been too high on JVR and trying to blame the club for his lack of development doesn’t add up.

Gawn was a great captain for a long time. But since the start of ‘24 he’s reached a different phase on his on field ability. And I’m not convinced he’s some great off field leader. He’ll go down a legend of the club, that doesn’t mean he’s totally beyond reproach right now.

I’m not Worried about JVR at all.

3 hours ago, jumbo returns said:

He's not our problem

2 Senior players want out

2-3 mid 20s players have not developed

And, old Father Time has sneaked up very quickly on our 30s players - battered bodies

We have big issues

Agree yet we keep having players re-sign. Eg kozzie etc.

I'm hopeful still provided coaching stcks are cleaned out and someone who can address forward issues appointed.

1 goal 12 after half time in the Alice settled it for me. Also 1 goal 6 yesterday in first 1/4.

Times up Simon. Sadly

I agree with whatever Kane Cornflake says.

6 hours ago, Little Richard said:

Hopefully that's the game he needed to end his form slump, definitely looked like he regained some confidence. We still need a genuine spearhead to shield JVR a bit and allow him to keep pinch-hitting in the ruck. Where that player comes from, I have no idea.

How about the free against him(? Iin the back) when he took that fine contested mark on the commentary side wing( ?Q2). It might have been a push, but at the same time Melk was having his head pulled off. Conveniently ignored by the umps.

The fact is JVR has not proven himself as an AFL key forward . Statistically his performances are no where near those of key forwards in more successful teams. Indeed at times this year he seems to have gone backwards in his development. His performances are very inconsistent. The most that can be said in his favour is that key forwards take time to develop. Of course this does not mean that he will develop into a key forward - he only might. Another very long contract and for an unproven player. This doesn’t excite me as much as some apparently. Especially as we can see the problems developing of putting players on very long term contracts only to see them lose interest or suffer form slumps.

Edited 18 hours ago18 hr by FabDemon

6 hours ago, jumbo returns said:

He's not our problem

2 Senior players want out

2-3 mid 20s players have not developed

And, old Father Time has sneaked up very quickly on our 30s players - battered bodies

We have big issues

Which 2 senior players?

Trac and Clarry?

6 hours ago, jnrmac said:

No fwd coach who has ever played fwd in the 4 years he has been at Melbourne

How many teams in the 8 have an ex-forward as forward coach?

JVR's disposal by hand & foot was appalling. Missed easy targets & turned it over on most occasions except for a couple of kicks.

1 hour ago, bing181 said:

How many teams in the 8 have an ex-forward as forward coach?

In the last 4 years? I'm not your intern

How many teams in the top 8 have the 4 years of appalling goal kicking for each of those seasons and have lost many games because of inaccurate kicking?

As usual you stick your head in the sand and are an apologist for the club's failure. The buck stops with the coach but not for apparently.

Thanks Simon.

21 hours ago, Tony Tea said:

Dawes had trampoline hands, JvR has a trampoline chest.

I disagree Dawes had concrete hands. Bounce in and out.

11 hours ago, jnrmac said:

In the last 4 years? I'm not your intern

How many teams in the top 8 have the 4 years of appalling goal kicking for each of those seasons and have lost many games because of inaccurate kicking?

As usual you stick your head in the sand and are an apologist for the club's failure. The buck stops with the coach but not for apparently.

Thanks Simon.

That pretty much covers it Jnr.