17 minutes ago, monoccular said:

Because Buckley and Hird have been so successful??

I heard that Lever was now the dreaded 4-6 weeks 🤬

8 weeks

B: Petty, May, Bowey

HB: Salem, McDonald, Windsor

C: Langdon, Langford, Lindsay

HF: Chandler, Turner, Viney

F: Fritsch, van Rooyen, Fullerton

FOLL: Gawn, Petracca, Pickett

IC: Rivers, Sparrow, Tholstup, Melksham

SUB: Henderson

On 06/04/2025 at 14:30, deanox said:

Marty Hire

We have a Hore for Hire?

On 06/04/2025 at 11:53, titan_uranus said:

Pot, kettle?

FWIW I agree that if Fullarton's stepping up at Casey, it's increasingly harder for Goodwin to ignore him.

But perhaps if you want to go into bat for him, you shouldn't dish out needless insults against others. JVR's out of form, no doubt, but playing as a key forward in the MFC forward line in 2025, particularly when your senior coach allows Geelong at GMHBA to have a spare defender, is an incredibly difficult role.

I agree. I think JVRs challenges are.

1. Chaotic forward structure and delivery.

2. A complete lack of confidence.

Last year he was finally starting to clunk those marks and now he's gone completely backwards.

His whole career here he's had [censored] delivery and no second big forward to really give him cover.

Most of the time ending up under a bomb in a big pack getting pushed under the ball.

I'd love to see two good key forwards working together in a well functioning team.

I'd probably have to watch a different club though.

1 hour ago, Brownie said:

I agree. I think JVRs challenges are.

1. Chaotic forward structure and delivery.

2. A complete lack of confidence.

Last year he was finally starting to clunk those marks and now he's gone completely backwards.

His whole career here he's had [censored] delivery and no second big forward to really give him cover.

Most of the time ending up under a bomb in a big pack getting pushed under the ball.

I'd love to see two good key forwards working together in a well functioning team.

I'd probably have to watch a different club though.

3) no one at MFC with any clue about designing/ building/ training forwards.

SFA development in a key area. I mean the game is only won on the scoreboard......... can't be that important

IN - Fullarton, Lindsey

Out - Spargo, Sharp

I get the want for Fritta and JVR to be dropped but they're supposed to be our major source of goals and it's only letting the opposition off the hook if we further deplete our forward line.

So many players on severe notice it's not even funny.

On 05/04/2025 at 16:11, 48 Year Now said:

Geelong was much taller . It seems 198cm forwards are common place now so I hope both Fullerton and Verall make it

It seemed that way. We seem to struggle against tall sides.

8 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

It seemed that way. We seem to struggle against t̶all sides.

Fixed 😉

I see Lindsay is a "test". If he is OK, my call is just one change - Lindsay in for Sharp. We shouldn't drop Spargo based on one quarter of football, a quarter when our team pressure rating disappeared.

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

https://x.com/7AFL/status/1909053038830178315

1 hour ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

IN - Fullarton, Lindsey

Out - Spargo, Sharp

I get the want for Fritta and JVR to be dropped but they're supposed to be our major source of goals and it's only letting the opposition off the hook if we further deplete our forward line.

So many players on severe notice it's not even funny.

They are not performing. I think JVR would benefit with some Casey time for confidence, but because it's a VFL bye round I think that Fritta should be dropped to make a statement. Bring Fullarton in for Fritta, keep JVR for now.

23 hours ago, DubDee said:

The way we are playing, I can't see us beating anyone. Maybe Tigers or WC

Essendon will easily run over us in the second half after we try for an hour

It's a real danger game this one, a real 8 point affair.

Edited April 8Apr 8 by YesitwasaWin4theAges

So, zip and 4 going into round 5 playing Essendon in Adelaide. Not where to hoped or expected to be at the start of the season.

I am actually very confident about a win in this game. I believe that we will come out and things will click for the team. We are getting a few players back and a couple have found form at Casey.

What I would like to see is that we go back to basics. Go back to our strengths and evolve our gameplan as the season unfolds rather. The basics of selection to my mind is to select players that are in form and play them in the positions that they are excellent at.

For the players the basics to me are hard running to both ways, nailing tackles, fast reactions to turnovers and concentration on the simple handballs and kicks. I am not saying that I do not want them to be ambitious with the ball in hand but I want them to execute properly.

My team:

B: TMac, May, Rivers

HB: Salem: Petty: Bowey

C: Langdon, Oliver, Windsor

HF: Sparrow, Turner, Chandler

F: Fristch, AJ/Fullarton, Pickett

Fol: Gawn, Petracca, Langford

IC: Viney, Lindsay, Melksham, Tholstrup, Spargo

Sub: Henderson

Play Petracca on the ball as much [censored] possible, Windsor and Langdon on the wings for a majority of the time and Rivers defending a majority of his time. Picket 70/30 split forward and on ball.

If Lindsay does not get up I would look at giving Brown a run. JVR to go back to Casey to get some confidence. Personally, I like what I see with AJ. A tough straight forward footballer that can backup in the ruck for a bit.. Full Cream might get the nod though.

Viney needs a big game.

Tholstrup back in first up to be subbed out late third quarter.

Dees to win a 'back to basics' game by a few goals.

On 05/04/2025 at 01:11, 48 Year Now said:

Geelong was much taller . It seems 198cm forwards are common place now so I hope both Fullerton and Verall make it

Homestly, one could look at the whole team play as Casey's next round, but to be honest, right now we need speed around the ball and forward line improvement. I would give Jefferson another chance and definitely bring in Fullerton to support an aging Gawn. Rest JVR and Fritsch. - Don't play Spargo or Sharp till they prove themselves in the Reserves.

Please fo not give Laurie or Woey Jnr another chance ahead of some youngsters.

9 hours ago, CHF said:

Tholstrup back in first up to be subbed out late third quarter.

Last 2 games we've had injuries very early, so there is a risk to this strategy, especially with our 4th quarters so far this season.

Just not Woey Jnr and I like the idea of Laurie but he doesn't show enough...Woey really hasn't had anything to offer at top level he needs a long time in the reserves he should not be AFL level right now based on his recent performances.

Jeffo to come back soon, reckon JVR needs time in reserves, for mine Fritsch stays in though he was good last game just needs to convert, and we all know he can.

Would like Fullarton to come in and AJ to second ruck...not sure that sounds like too many talls though grrr who cares they'll do something and I hope we win just don't bring Woey in there are so many other kids ahead of him.

Our challenges in the forward line, in my humble view, are not personnel based.

We need to move on from considering the personnel inside a system, to considering a system level analysis of what is going inside that forward line.

And what inevitably goes on inside the forward 50, is a direct product of what goes on between the halfway line and the half-forward line.

JVR, Turner, Fullarton, Johnson, all should just be capable of being rotated in and out of clear roles.

What is hurting Melbourne at the moment, is that our system of entering the forward half is now behind the cutting edge systems that were put in place 2-3 years ago by Hawthorn, Collingwood, GWS etc. The question for us as a club, is whether we copy, or innovate. We are playing catch up at a system level, which is why we all must suffer the rhetoric every pre-season of "we are changing the way we play, you will see more changes" etc. We've been left behind.

As a humble observer of this football club for the last 6-7 years, it's so clear that our "method" is to try and enter the forward 50, deep and into the pockets, with a focus on contest and quantity over quality. You wonder whether someone in the stats department has got a grip on gameday strategy on the basis of some silly "forward 50's -> scores ratio" or something similar.

What is deeply troubling for us as a team, is we do not generate any easy f50 goals. It's always so laboured for us. No tick leads, no kicks across half-forward to generate leading patterns (ala Geelong), no observable blocking patterns from any of our forwards for any either jumping forwards (like JVR), no identifiable leading lanes (either creating negative space, or leading into space positively and with intent). It's this last one that I can't get my head around, this is just movement. Sitting deep in the forward 50 with boots like concrete doesn't help the midfield. Demanding this (!) midfield to draw fowards into space is simply not going to happen. The forwards must be more dynamic, more demanding, and must be grilling midfielders when they aren't honouring leads. Put simply, there's an absolute dearth of leadership in that forward half.

OUT Viney, Fritsch, J.V.R, Spargo,Sharp, Henderson

IN Fullarton, Jefferson, Brown, Laurie, Mentha,Sestan

Goodwin needs to make a statement!

Edited April 9Apr 9 by picket fence

Someone has been reading the game day threads.

2 hours ago, roy11 said:

Last 2 games we've had injuries very early, so there is a risk to this strategy, especially with our 4th quarters so far this season.

Agreed. I wouldn't rush Tholstrupp back this week and I'd give McVee a week at Casey next week.

Bringing in under done players who are a fraction off the pace (eg- Spargo) just hasn't worked well for us, nor should it for other sides.

On 07/04/2025 at 13:54, beelzebub said:

Speaking of Fritta .. my b-i-l attended game. ( he's a filth ). His sms to me....

"Mate what l saw in the last qtr OMG Fritsch is a front running cat! To attempts at Goal 1 set shot point! the other he could have give his team mate a Joe the goose! Nup kicked snap under pressure and missed! Both times Cats cleared an got goals and that gives them a chance their forwards have no structure and the ball just gets bombed in"

Our forward "structure" is not a secret to anyone. There isn't one.

I would send that SMS back and ask for it in English.

2 hours ago, picket fence said:

OUT Viney, Fritsch, J.V.R, Spargo,Sharp, Henderson

IN Fullarton, Jefferson, Brown, Laurie, Mentha,Sestan

Goodwin needs to make a statement!

This is like one of those “Instagram V Reality” posts because this aint happening mate.

It's a running game Not kick, mark, stop look around for a target. If you want a tall in you have to drop one, don't slow us down. Pity we've lost 3 good running players in Bedford, ANB and Jordan.

On 06/04/2025 at 21:50, Dee-tonator said:

Is it time for Viney to feel some selection heat?

His continual long kicks onto the chests of opposition defenders largely neutralise his ball-winning abilities.

It’s not neutral, it’s a net negative. When he’s kicking we’re often running forward so when it lands in the oppositions hands we are all caught goal side, so the opponent has an open park in front of them. Big reason why the sling shot is so devastating.

It also means other players are less eager to get proactive, so they end up sitting back more, making our offence stagnate.

Super net negative.

42 minutes ago, stinga said:

It's a running game Not kick, mark, stop look around for a target. If you want a tall in you have to drop one, don't slow us down. Pity we've lost 3 good running players in Bedford, ANB and Jordan.

Even Harmes is a loss. Clearly in Dog's best 22 who are miles better than us as a club.

A couple of poor games in 2023 and his papers are stamped.

On 07/04/2025 at 12:45, roy11 said:

Given Oscar Allen likely on the way out at WCE, do you think its a risk dropping WA born JvR? I know he has a long term contract, but still concerned about having his head turned

Still think a lot of this was injuries/suspension based, so wont judge him too much for this

With regards JVR, the Lever long-term injury combined with Petty's failure to play a significant role down back means that there is now a spot for him to find form down back and also provide a more mobile tall defensive player down back. Petty's problem for some time has been his inability to make quick decisions when he gets a mark or a free. Instead he kills any quick movement and invariably opts for the long bomb. We need a vibrant intercept player with a bit of pace and an attacking mindset and I think JVR can do that. But my guess is that Goody will now opt for Jed Adams to replace Petty. Adams has improved heaps but he is not a quick attacking tall, he's more a good option to replace T-Mac or May when they get injuries.

As to the Rd 1 super six debutants (five plus first MFC game for Sharp), Goody defintely had options rather than rushing in all of them. Lawrie had trained well all summer and was overlooked and is a similar sort of player to Henderson, who had trained for three weeks. The same could be said of Brown, who was fit but overlooked.

Then there was the option of playing our other impressive pre-season performer in Tom Campbell instead of blooding both Aidan Johnson and Jefferson in the one game.

It's great that Goody liked the look of the kids, but not all of them had to play Rd 1 and in a close game the decision backfired.