On 15/02/2025 at 02:12, DubDee said:

Happy for Jai but surprised we didn’t add Roy George as we need small fwds so badly

We haven’t added Culley yet (and Shane isn’t on the LTI yet) so there’s every chance George could still be added

  On 15/02/2025 at 02:15, OutOfTheCentre21 said:

Yes, it made it logistically impossible to get the kids there after school. We can't teleport there!

Family days need to be on weekends or during school holidays, surely they understand this...? 

Ah NOPE! 

  On 15/02/2025 at 02:12, DubDee said:

Happy for Jai but surprised we didn’t add Roy George as we need small fwds so badly

No decision has been made as yet.

  On 15/02/2025 at 00:54, BC_1718_DC said:

Spin it how you like. The club played Clarry so he wasn’t left out or isolated. Almost the opposite. Not hard to differentiate why Trac and Viney would be left out but Oliver wouldn’t…. but go on. 

You've taken a guess here based off no facts whatsoever lol.. and you reckon I'm spinning it? 

Clarry would have felt just as supported playing at Casey for a number of weeks without all the pressure and scrutiny from the media with the focus of getting his fitness levels up scratch. Our welfare and off field support is one of the best in the business in my opinion. They would have/looked after him just fine.

If he was getting game based on the merit that he needed to not feel left out or isolated then you'd have 10 blokes lining up at Goodwins office demanding a game based off this excuse.

Look at the way the club treated Jake Melksham and Charlie Spargo in keeping them connected to the playing by giving then a role on the bench on game days  whilst dealing with their injuries.

The point of my argument is that it doesn't matter if you're a seasoned pro or not. If you miss a number of weeks in pre season, especially match simulations, then it's going to take some time in getting up to match fitness conditioning.

Viney still should be fine as he completely majority of the work until last week but Petracca will take a while to get going because he hasn't fully trained since the second week of January. 

Take into account that he hasn't played a game of footy since June last year. We are not going to see him at his optimum level probably until well into the season.

I stated this in the 'Are practice games worth it' thread that getting in the match conditioning into your legs makes a significant difference then your standard fitness and ball work that everyone else does during those pre season sessions.

  On 15/02/2025 at 02:05, titan_uranus said:

The timing of this match is the sort of thing that needs to be raised at the AGM. Why are we embarrassing ourselves and our hardworking volunteers? Is there a good reason? I certainly can’t think of a good reason for a Friday afternoon timeslot in school term. 

The McAdam injury is devastating given his changed fitness and attitude this pre-season. Only serves to compound the frustration that comes with Pickett’s suspension.

The players are about to play games on weekends for at least 25 of the next 28 weeks.

It should've started at 4 or 4:30 not 3 but it was a training session, it's ok to have it on during the week when players generally train before they start sacrificing their weeks for half the year.

Similarly they need to have trainings on the big ground at Casey, they can't disrupt preparation by having everything at Goschs.

Is there anyone who got there after a school pick up at 4 or 4:30 who was overly disappointed? Or did it fit the bill and people just weren't all that keen regardless of start time?

With games about to start and some actual coverage and footy of training this year I think most of our fans just weren't all that interested and that's ok. I stuff up that it didn't start at least an hour later but hardly the end of the world.

On McAdam, I feel incredibly sad for him.. he's clearly worked hard over the off season and we saw glimpse of reward in that match simulation footage.

I was looking forward to seeing him fit for round 1. Really thought he would have added a completely different and unpredictable element to our forward line.

Unfortunately I hate to also say it but  rupturing your Achilles at his age could mean the end of his career. Absolute [censored] of a thing come back from when you're trying to integrate back into sport full time.

 

  On 15/02/2025 at 02:20, dazzledavey36 said:

You've taken a guess here based off no facts whatsoever lol.. and you reckon I'm spinning it? 

Clarry would have felt just as supported playing at Casey for a number of weeks without all the pressure and scrutiny from the media with the focus of getting his fitness levels up scratch. Our welfare and off field support is one of the best in the business in my opinion. They would have/looked after him just fine.

If he was getting game based on the merit that he needed to not feel left out or isolated then you'd have 10 blokes lining up at Goodwins office demanding a game based off this excuse.

Look at the way the club treated Jake Melksham and Charlie Spargo in keeping them connected to the playing by giving then a role on the bench on game days  whilst dealing with their injuries.

The point of my argument is that it doesn't matter if you're a seasoned pro or not. If you miss a number of weeks in pre season, especially match simulations, then it's going to take some time in getting up to match fitness conditioning.

Viney still should be fine as he completely majority of the work until last week but Petracca will take a while to get going because he hasn't fully trained since the second week of January. 

Take into account that he hasn't played a game of footy since June last year. We are not going to see him at his optimum level probably until well into the season.

I stated this in the 'Are practice games worth it' thread that getting in the match conditioning into your legs makes a significant difference then your standard fitness and ball work that everyone else does during those pre season sessions.

No guesses or spin from me pal. Very happy and confident with what I’ve said and know 🙂

There’s a fair bit of contradiction in your statement about our welfare/support team with the basis of your argument being we shouldn’t have played Clarry when we did. If you think it’s so good, do you not think they made the appropriate call whether to play Oliver or not? 

 

Not going into a back and forth any further about it. Waste of both of our time.  

Edited February 15Feb 15 by BC_1718_DC

  On 15/02/2025 at 02:12, hardtack said:

just consider the fact that the players are quite likely to be aware of this forum, and that there’s a chance that they do occasionally read the comments.

Fact: some the players read DL, mainly the young ones. This isn’t just them telling me they read it, this is them occasionally saying something that they’ve clearly read on here. But that’s not the only reason folks should exercise sensitivity, even if none of them read it, it’s still a really sch!ttty thing to do: bagging a player within hours of him sustaining a heartbreaking injury. That’s sch!tty af. 

  On 15/02/2025 at 02:05, titan_uranus said:

The timing of this match is the sort of thing that needs to be raised at the AGM. Why are we embarrassing ourselves and our hardworking volunteers? Is there a good reason? I certainly can’t think of a good reason for a Friday afternoon timeslot in school term. 

The McAdam injury is devastating given his changed fitness and attitude this pre-season. Only serves to compound the frustration that comes with Pickett’s suspension.

Did you hear all the batßhit crazy stuff being asked at the last AGM titan? Your reasonable question has no chance of being raised unless it's by you in person. 

  On 14/02/2025 at 16:54, 58er said:

You are forgetting the two match practices which I feel will have more weight than an intra club hit out.  
 

AJ Pup Brown Laurie and Jefferson plus possibly Hore all deserve further opportunities to further make their case, 

Hadn't forgotten those matches. But I would be surprised if the 20 who started in blue yesterday, now 19 (McAdam was one) didn't figure in Round 1 - we still have to add 4 - hopefully they are Trac, Viney, Windsor and May. Melksham, if fit, might nudge one of the others out and into the sub's vest.

 

  On 15/02/2025 at 02:37, BC_1718_DC said:

No guesses or spin from me pal. Very happy and confident with what I’ve said and know 🙂

From what I’ve been told you’re right about the reason they played Clarrie at that time. And it’s pointless comparing him to Melks or Spargo or anyone else for that matter because they’re all individual. What works for one may not work for another. Imo they made the right choice with Clarrie despite everyone’s opinion that it was the wrong choice. 

  On 14/02/2025 at 23:09, rpfc said:

Laughable

“As part of the review recommendations, Melbourne players are spending less time at the club, and are given more flexibility to complete their recovery in their own time this year.”

The above was from the Goody/Clark interview - might explain a Friday afternoon rather than a weekend?

  On 15/02/2025 at 02:57, Ghostwriter said:

From what I’ve been told you’re right about the reason they played Clarrie at that time. And it’s pointless comparing him to Melks or Spargo or anyone else for that matter because they’re all individual. What works for one may not work for another. Imo they made the right choice with Clarrie despite everyone’s opinion that it was the wrong choice. 

I know his folks well from junior days.

Bump into them all the time up here especially his old man through work every now and then.

After the trade period the club had a meeting with his family and manager just to reassure them especially after the whole trade saga thing went down where his family were understandably quite disappointed with the club when news broke out.

One of the things the footy club did acknowledge was their mismanagement of Oliver in terms of rushing him back into AFL level. If they had their time again they would have put him through a 4-5 week intense training block to build his fitness up which in their opinion, would have set him up far better for the year then what actually transpired. 

This has nothing to being isolated or left out. He was well supported by everyone at the club including the coaches.

The club got it wrong in this instance and they've acknowledged it.

  On 15/02/2025 at 03:29, dazzledavey36 said:

I know his folks well from junior days.

Bump into them all the time up here especially his old man through work every now and then.

After the trade period the club had a meeting with his family and manager just to reassure them especially after the whole trade saga thing went down where his family were understandably quite disappointed with the club when news broke out.

One of the things the footy club did acknowledge was their mismanagement of Oliver in terms of rushing him back into AFL level. If they had their time again they would have put him through a 4-5 week intense training block to build his fitness up which in their opinion, would have set him up far better for the year then what actually transpired. 

This has nothing to being isolated or left out. He was well supported by everyone at the club including the coaches.

The club got it wrong in this instance and they've acknowledged it.

Sounds like the club have modified the story line Dazzle, I had the distinct impression that the club played Clayton to get him back in the fold and keep him connected??

Thanks to BLWBNA, Ghostwriter, Gator, wwsw, Trisul, Harvey Wallbanger and all posters and special comments. Keep up the great work Gator, I have been a bit down and sad about Shane McAdam he has been under so much pressure to get his body right, he was really looking good and loving his footy again and then a ruptured Achilles. And then the very poor Scheduling of the Family day for 3:00 pm Friday afternoon during a work and school day is incomprehensible, brings down the mood of the players, sponsors and supporters that are unable to attend. Grrrr…!!!

  On 15/02/2025 at 04:04, DeeZone said:

Thanks to BLWBNA, Ghostwriter, Gator, wwsw, Trisul, Harvey Wallbanger and all posters and special comments. Keep up the great work Gator, I have been a bit down and sad about Shane McAdam he has been under so much pressure to get his body right, he was really looking good and loving his footy again and then a ruptured Achilles. And then the very poor Scheduling of the Family day for 3:00 pm Friday afternoon during a work and school day is incomprehensible, brings down the mood of the players, sponsors and supporters that are unable to attend. Grrrr…!!!

Woeful scheduling. Makes us look like amateurs… sadly it’s the same old story

  On 15/02/2025 at 02:15, OutOfTheCentre21 said:

Yes, it made it logistically impossible to get the kids there after school. We can't teleport there!

Family days need to be on weekends or during school holidays, surely they understand this...? 

Yep!

I started a thread a little while ago about family day and not knowing why we don’t seem to have a proper one anymore on weekends. My kid misses out too and I feel bad for him. We live on the west side and for me it’s not even about the travel it’s about the day and time! Unless you finished your kids up early and yourself with work on Friday and live around the corner you can’t go. Makes you feel so disconnected to the club when it comes to meeting players and being around other supporters. Game days are great but you’re there to watch the game and go home. 

  On 15/02/2025 at 02:57, Ghostwriter said:

From what I’ve been told you’re right about the reason they played Clarrie at that time. And it’s pointless comparing him to Melks or Spargo or anyone else for that matter because they’re all individual. What works for one may not work for another. Imo they made the right choice with Clarrie despite everyone’s opinion that it was the wrong choice. 

Not everyone.

  On 14/02/2025 at 23:19, Gator said:

I looked at Brand gazing into the empty little stand. He had a slight tear in his eye.  I asked if he was OK.  He said he was fine.  Just had a little bit of sand in his eye.

Not smoke?

Incredibly disappointing turn out which was to be expected given the time slot and location.

Such a shame when you see the setup all around the oval on those highlights and there’s virtually no one there. They’ve obviously put a lot of energy and time into it.

We’ve got a 6 year old and a 4 year old and we’re screaming out for things to do on weekends, why do it on Friday at 3pm?!

Not going to blame anyone.

But I would highly recommend to the Melbourne Football Club that ALL family days are scheduled either on weekends or school holidays from now on.

Any other days and times are logistically impossible for most families.

  On 15/02/2025 at 04:53, Ollie fan said:

Not smoke?

No.  I blew that somehwere else...

  On 15/02/2025 at 02:20, DeeSpencer said:

The players are about to play games on weekends for at least 25 of the next 28 weeks.

It should've started at 4 or 4:30 not 3 but it was a training session, it's ok to have it on during the week when players generally train before they start sacrificing their weeks for half the year.

Similarly they need to have trainings on the big ground at Casey, they can't disrupt preparation by having everything at Goschs.

Is there anyone who got there after a school pick up at 4 or 4:30 who was overly disappointed? Or did it fit the bill and people just weren't all that keen regardless of start time?

With games about to start and some actual coverage and footy of training this year I think most of our fans just weren't all that interested and that's ok. I stuff up that it didn't start at least an hour later but hardly the end of the world.

Sacrificing their weeks?Pay me the money these young boys get for playing a game and i would play in the middle of the night

As much as we might have been disappointed with Shane McAdam, I'd say he was more disappointed with himself at underperforming.  

It looked like he took that as inspiration to work hard and get better, so much so he was playing in the probables and could have had a really good season. 

The poor lad might be facing the end of his career or at the very least a long hard road back.  

If he or any of his team mates do read this, then know that most (probably nearly all) of us are really disappointed for him and feel sickened at his misfortune.  Most of us have enough humanity and empathy to commiserate with him and wish him well with his recovery.  

  On 15/02/2025 at 03:29, dazzledavey36 said:

I know his folks well from junior days.

Bump into them all the time up here especially his old man through work every now and then.

After the trade period the club had a meeting with his family and manager just to reassure them especially after the whole trade saga thing went down where his family were understandably quite disappointed with the club when news broke out.

One of the things the footy club did acknowledge was their mismanagement of Oliver in terms of rushing him back into AFL level. If they had their time again they would have put him through a 4-5 week intense training block to build his fitness up which in their opinion, would have set him up far better for the year then what actually transpired. 

This has nothing to being isolated or left out. He was well supported by everyone at the club including the coaches.

The club got it wrong in this instance and they've acknowledged it.

Thanks for sharing Daz. 

The club has done a fair bit wrong lately. Hopefully we have learned from our mistakes. Time will tell. This is a huge year for the club. 

Edited February 15Feb 15 by DemonOX