Good to see some change. Lever hasn't been right all along, much the pity.

I'd have liked to see Tommy back.

Not sure how this setup.will go but let's see. Kudos for trying. Proof of pudding in the eating.

Hope we aren't the entre mains and dessert.

1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Now is the time to bring in new players. Finals are done

Play Viney forward, Petty Back

Why bring in Laurie, we know what he will provide

I get that but he’s contracted and has been good at Casey. Sharp offers little and Tholstrup’s all fizz and no bang. JVR and Jefferson should be given a month to show if they can be our forwards.

6 minutes ago, DemonOX said:

How are those rose coloured glasses G.

They’re fine thanks, D. I’ve got spares in case I ever lose or break them, for I’d rather live in blissful delusion than to wallow in abject misery.

7 minutes ago, DemonOX said:

How are those rose coloured glasses G.

I can only guess smelling a lot better than your 💩 glasses Ox.

4 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Hope we aren't the entre mains and dessert.

Or we sit down to feast on a 24-course degustation. 😉

3 minutes ago, Nietaphart said:

I can only guess smelling a lot better than your 💩 glasses Ox.

Didn’t know glasses could smell N.

7 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Kudos for trying.

This is the most positive you’ve ever been! See, it’s not that hard, is it.

2 minutes ago, DemonOX said:

Didn’t know glasses could smell N.

They do if there’s 💩 covering the lenses.

So I don't mind our selections, and I feel like I'm a lone wolf in feeling like Sharp isn't a total flop of a player.

What I am struggling with is the balance within the team and like for like selections.

JVR out for Jeffo? Forward for forward, but one plays as a back up ruckman and can crash packs (supposedly) while the other is more a lead up forward with more craft about his patterns. I would have far preferred Jeffo come in TO PLAY WITH JVR.

Windsor for Kolt? Young for young, I'm ok with it but they're different positions.

Lever out, and Sharp in? Clearly not like for like. Howes will have to play in the Lever role, which I don't mind him being given that chance.

I just feel like this isn't maximising our available list (and really we have a good injury list). Petty being played as a forward is killing him, get him back as a defender swing man. This was a golden chance to do it with Lever out. Jeffo and JVR need to have a block of playing AFL together, if the coaches really think they're our future then given them that chance.

The season is cooked so I just want to see development, I just have question marks over whether they are selecting players in the best way to achieve that.

8 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

They do if there’s 💩 covering the lenses.

Not sure what u are doing with ur glasses G and don’t think I want to know but mine are clean and clear.

24 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

I get that but he’s contracted and has been good at Casey. Sharp offers little and Tholstrup’s all fizz and no bang. JVR and Jefferson should be given a month to show if they can be our forwards.

How many more times do you need to see JVR play as a key forward?

I would play him as a Defender personally

This is the problem with our coach and selectors, they keep playing players in the same position, hoping it will work

Ok Lever out … certainly not 100% right

So bring in Tmcd who was in good form before he was squeezed out … and Suns have three tall forwards in King, Walter & Read … but no ?!?!!?! is he now done and heading to retirement

Ok Windsor out … needs to return to the wing. Get some run and run at Casey. He’ll be back !!

JVR out?? Why ?? He needs to be played. He’s playing 2nd ruck so a puzzle why he’s out.

Jeffo in … ok. Needs a go (but I would prefer JVR, Petty and Jeffo to be given a chance together)

Kolt in … ok. Unlucky to get dropped after the Pies clash. Perhaps we’re looking at the future

Sharp in … hmmm maybe he is in for matching up to tag one of the Suns half back runners like Rioli or Noble or likely he’s the sub again.

My call would have been

Out Lever Windsor

In Jeffo Kolt

---

Mcvee May Howes

Bowey Turner Salem

Lindsay Riv Langdon

Chandler Petty Fritsch

Kozzzy JVR Jeffo

Gawn Trac Clarry

JV7 Langford Melksham Kolt

Sub Sparrow

How Petty keeps his spot is a joke, he has done nothing for 4 years! Weakest player pound for pound I can remember in the AFL.

JVR had a great start against Port then fell away when he was moved to ruck and then bench. He needs to play a settled role key forward for the rest of the year and not at Casey.

Campbell should be brought in as 2nd ruck (or Verrall if we want to see what he has) dropping forward with JVR and one of Jefferson/Turner.

TMac, May and Turner to defense if selecting Jeffo forward.

Goodwin's on his last legs here, he should be on his knees thanking Vossy for taking the heat otherwise he'd well and truly be in the gun.

Having said all that nothing would be more Melbourne than winning this game 🤣

Edited June 26Jun 26 by Dr. Gonzo

3 hours ago, bing181 said:

For god's sake get over it. TMac is old and slow and by his own admission can't jump. He's also a liability when the ball hits the ground. He can hold down 3rd tall position, but so can others. If May was out, it might be a different story, but Tom is never a replacement for Lever.

It's also important to keep playing the younger players, there's no future whatsoever in playing Tom.

Despite all those faults he still offers more than blow me down with a feather Petty.

Ready for Goodwin to be paid out at seasons end.

Lever out when he was never ready nor needed to come back.

JVR out of form but also being played ruck constantly can't be helping with his rhythm and confidence as a forward.

Caleb Windsor being played in the wrong position and has been all year.

Viney, Oliver, Trac back in the midfield together.

Petty up forward.

Should be a cracker!

3 hours ago, bing181 said:

Petty is a more physical player.

1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

How many more times do you need to see JVR play as a key forward?

I would play him as a Defender personally

This is the problem with our coach and selectors, they keep playing players in the same position, hoping it will work

When was the last time JVR played solely as a key forward?

34 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

When was the last time JVR played solely as a key forward?

No one can remember Dr. As most on here know am no big fan of JVR however I said last year this constantly playing him as second ruck is doing him no favours. Last week he seemed to play most the first half as a forward with 2 goals I would take that every week from a kPF for a first half. Then in the third quarter he looked to spend most of the quarter in the ruck or on the bench. In the last quarter it maybe me but was he on the ground? Are we trying to ruin this guys career? This week he is dropped why? He is a KPF play him there all game. If I was him I would have my agent looking for a new home because the MFC is screwing him.

Jefferson is in finally, play him for the next four games even if he is poor on Saturday he needs a run at it. Give him the luxury of games to find his feet like we have with Kolt. Kolt has had most of his games playing well for a quarter or two never more than that, give the same opportunity to Jefferson.

1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

When was the last time JVR played solely as a key forward?

When was the last time he led out to the ball and took a mark.

Play him as a Defender

6 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Despite all those faults he still offers more than blow me down with a feather Petty.

They're playing at opposite ends of the ground, it's not zero sum.

1 hour ago, bing181 said:

They're playing at opposite ends of the ground, it's not zero sum.

They don't have to be though. Both have played forward and back through their careers. Turner is another option to switch forward if necessary, we have flexibility with which end most of our KPPs play.

8 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

This is the most positive you’ve ever been! See, it’s not that hard, is it.

Oh it is ...

I can only work with what's there 😉

I'm not intrinsically negative as a person. I'm a realistic. You know... see spade call spade. I see no purpose or gain doing otherwise.

Strangely despite following Melbourne for over 60 years I do barrack for them even when I know at the time futility is more likely the result than success.

With careers including Engineering I am very used to quickly arriving at observations acknowledging what is...is.. and from that what needs to be done.

Unfortunately for me that kind of ability only sets me up for a lot of frustrating disappointment.

So Ghosty, it is 😉

But I appreciate football is far from perfect and in that manner we at Melbourne excel.

As football following suggests one game at a time ( invented by a shoddy dodgy salesman no doubt ) we will see what Sat brings.

Go us. Maybe I get an unexpected present.

Enjoy the game. Thankyou for your contribs :)

I feel sorry for JVR, give him a run, I also think 3 talls is the way forward and Melksham out. (JVR, Jeffo & Petty/Johnson)

I don't see the point of playing Melksham and Tmac now unless injuries, they aren't part of the future even beyond this year.

Windsor does need a rest, only a kid and I think his move to half back has hurt both he and Rivers progression. I don't think the Duke is a HBF, he is a wingman.

1 hour ago, beelzebub said:

Oh it is ...

I can only work with what's there 😉

I'm not intrinsically negative as a person. I'm a realistic. You know... see spade call spade. I see no purpose or gain doing otherwise.

Strangely despite following Melbourne for over 60 years I do barrack for them even when I know at the time futility is more likely the result than success.

With careers including Engineering I am very used to quickly arriving at observations acknowledging what is...is.. and from that what needs to be done.

Unfortunately for me that kind of ability only sets me up for a lot of frustrating disappointment.

So Ghosty, it is 😉

But I appreciate football is far from perfect and in that manner we at Melbourne excel.

As football following suggests one game at a time ( invented by a shoddy dodgy salesman no doubt ) we will see what Sat brings.

Go us. Maybe I get an unexpected present.

Enjoy the game. Thankyou for your contribs :)

BB you know that if you are anything less than super optimistic you will be branded negative. I agree with you I tell it as I see it. Oh and by the way I was a salesman for 50+ years. 😇