14 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

What do you mean “accepted”?

We don’t get a choice.

We also get what we deserve when we had sub-20,000 crowds in the last 2 months of last year.

If our crowds drop off further in the last 2 months of this year, expect more of the same for our 2026 fixture.

I believe we sold the Alice game, so it’s our problem, the club is a disgrace, a complete shambles.

11 hours ago, The Cult of Disco Turner said:

Isn’t that kind of what St. Kilda have been doing and everyone is criticising them for it?

I’m not aware of what St Kilda is doing nor who is criticising them so couldn’t comment. I’m outside Vic so don’t follow all the apparently constant media/shows about footy

9 hours ago, bluey said:

I believe we sold the Alice game, so it’s our problem, the club is a disgrace, a complete shambles.

The Alice game has nothing to do with us being given the Port, GC and Adelaide games in a row.

3 road games in 4 weeks? Sure, not ideal. 6 of the first 7 games in VIC wasn't too bad though.

And remember when we hated our mid-year bye being a 10 day break? Here's a 13 day break now but oh too much travel!

It's not invalid but really this has probably been the toughest part of our draw all season, with mostly a full list to choose from.

Say it out loud.

I think we took a gamble with playing not many talls and it backfired miserably with our injuries, but this is football and sometimes you get that.

We had Rivers playing on Ethan Read ffs, Rivers is 188cm and Read is 202cm.

Lever should have been replaced by TMac, or if they have given up on him then play Adams and give him a crack.

We went in with only Petty and Jefferson and lost Petty early so expected a 4th gamer to hold down a key forward spot and ruck.... idiotic.

We are not skilled enough to play the 'undersized' gameplan like a Collingwood or Hawks do.

20 minutes ago, layzie said:

3 road games in 4 weeks? Sure, not ideal. 6 of the first 7 games in VIC wasn't too bad though.

After this week we don't leave Melbourne again for the rest of the year. If we were competitive, we'd be excited about the opportunity.

Our fixture last year was unfair with 5 games in 28 days and back-to-back Adelaide games against Adelaide sides. Our fixture this year has been fine.

The push to play kids grows as we now know finals won't be happening this year, but against that is the fact that all clubs and coaches go into games wanting to win - the Kruzer Cup excepted.

With Petty and Howes out, I am hoping the Dees make a couple of tactical adjustments in order to have a chance of winning.

Firstly one of the Crows strengths (and they have many at the moment) is that they have three strong tall forwards - Thilthorpe (who is a very decent back-up second ruck as well), Walker and Fogarty. To again go into a game with only two tall defenders and no back up talls is lunacy. So Lever (assuming he moved better) has to come back but T.Mac may well be a better option for Tex because of his extra height. Turner has to play on Fogarty, who is the more mobile, while May gets Thilthorpe and switches to Fogarty when Thilthorp's rucking.

Secondly our own tall forward set-up has to change a bit because without Petty we lose our lead-up forward to contest the down the line work. JVR has been tried, but is still not dominating VFL games, so it would be nice if he was played down back in the VFL to get form and confidence back. We seem committed to trying Jeffo and I must admit the access to higher-level games has seen him improve marginally - so it's worth giving him another game or two before the season is out, even if he's well below AFL standard. But Jeffo body-shape means he is more a lead-up player, he's not a realistic down-the-liner option, so someone has to play that role with Melky.

We could throw Turner forward but it's a little unfair to expect him to battle all the Crows big bods, so it would be nice if we thought laterally and brought in Tom Campbell to share the down the line man work with Gawny - to be honest Gawny is the only player on our team that has looked like taking a pack mark up forward all season, but Campbell is also big enough to not be pushed off an aerial contest so easily. And the advantage off having TC is that when we rest Gawny, there's no mismatch with Thilthorpe.

And the following week we need TC again to take on the best push-and-shove tap man in the game in Xerri (Grundy is close), allowing Gawny a bit more rest time so that he can expose him around the ground.

I don't really see any other changes this week although Billings and Laurie both deserve games (and not one's as subs). Culley is getting close but it would be nice if he had a 30-plus possession VFL game.

11 hours ago, Deespicable said:

The push to play kids grows as we now know finals won't be happening this year, but against that is the fact that all clubs and coaches go into games wanting to win - the Kruzer Cup excepted.

With Petty and Howes out, I am hoping the Dees make a couple of tactical adjustments in order to have a chance of winning.

Firstly one of the Crows strengths (and they have many at the moment) is that they have three strong tall forwards - Thilthorpe (who is a very decent back-up second ruck as well), Walker and Fogarty. To again go into a game with only two tall defenders and no back up talls is lunacy. So Lever (assuming he moved better) has to come back but T.Mac may well be a better option for Tex because of his extra height. Turner has to play on Fogarty, who is the more mobile, while May gets Thilthorpe and switches to Fogarty when Thilthorp's rucking.

Secondly our own tall forward set-up has to change a bit because without Petty we lose our lead-up forward to contest the down the line work. JVR has been tried, but is still not dominating VFL games, so it would be nice if he was played down back in the VFL to get form and confidence back. We seem committed to trying Jeffo and I must admit the access to higher-level games has seen him improve marginally - so it's worth giving him another game or two before the season is out, even if he's well below AFL standard. But Jeffo body-shape means he is more a lead-up player, he's not a realistic down-the-liner option, so someone has to play that role with Melky.

We could throw Turner forward but it's a little unfair to expect him to battle all the Crows big bods, so it would be nice if we thought laterally and brought in Tom Campbell to share the down the line man work with Gawny - to be honest Gawny is the only player on our team that has looked like taking a pack mark up forward all season, but Campbell is also big enough to not be pushed off an aerial contest so easily. And the advantage off having TC is that when we rest Gawny, there's no mismatch with Thilthorpe.

And the following week we need TC again to take on the best push-and-shove tap man in the game in Xerri (Grundy is close), allowing Gawny a bit more rest time so that he can expose him around the ground.

I don't really see any other changes this week although Billings and Laurie both deserve games (and not one's as subs). Culley is getting close but it would be nice if he had a 30-plus possession VFL game.

Generally agree with this.

One of Lever or TMac has to come back, but can Lever really go one-on-one with Walker (or Fogarty, or Thilthorpe)? I'm not sure. Might have to be TMac who gets that spot. Wouldn't bother me - whilst TMac doesn't appear to be the future, Lever didn't do much at Casey and whilst Lever finds himself down there due to form, TMac's down there due to a very tough selection call. At least TMac's recent AFL form was good.

Up forward, we are really in dire straits. I expect JVR to return, and I subsequently expect Adelaide's tall defenders to set some records for intercept marking. We really need someone else who can take a mark down the line. Your argument for Campbell to come in is a good one but I just don't see it happening.

We can make room for Billings, Laurie or Culley if we want. Is Salem playing well enough to hold his spot? Does Sparrow live off his 5 tackles and 17 pressure acts, given he otherwise struggles to get involved (10 touches, 135 metres gained, and no CBAs)? Is Sharp that much better than those three you mentioned?

The club’s photos from today’s training on Instagram show some in blue and some in white, with Chandler, Salem, Tholstrup and Pickett in blue and Windsor, TMac, Laurie, Woewodin and Spargo in white.

Not sure if that’s reflective of upcoming selection, or just last week’s teams. Or anything at all, really.

Cue Goodwin bringing Spargo straight back in.

On 30/06/2025 at 14:20, titan_uranus said:

Wouldn't bother me - whilst TMac doesn't appear to be the future, Lever didn't do much at Casey

TMac either. I think I'd take Lever's 17 disposals and 13 (!) marks over Tom's 13 disposals and 3 marks. Equally, can't hurt bringing him in against his old side.

But has been ill?

glad others get that Windsor is a winger.

all i want to see in the loss this week is no melodramatic expressions when goals are kicked against or when we stuff up plays.

just get tf on with it please (trac, may, chandler are the most culpable of extraneous melodrama in the facial region).

Trac because he's weighed down by his stardom,

May because he knows that he could have done better,

and Chandler because he is insecure against good teams and plays like an imposter in the team (no supporters agree with me i'm aware they love Chin idk why) at the best of times...gesticulating to his teammates and even remonstrating them as if he knows better, while he himself just isn't relevant for 80% game. Chandler is no 'leader', sorry to break it to those who think he should be up there in the B and F.

No more melodrama. Play to your ability please and keep the facial expressions to a minimum.

Bowey is not melodrama, Bowey is appropriate level drama because he cares, with honesty and selflessness.

On 28/06/2025 at 22:07, titan_uranus said:

Petty and Howes miss with concussion.

I really want to see get back into the side are AWM, McAdam and Sestan, who are the only actually injured players we have.

I was at the practise match where AMW did his knee. It was sickening and happened right in front of me. It wasn't a turn of direction ACL his leg was twisted and it popped. Before that he was probably best on ground. Absolute walk up start for round 1 and Windsor could have perhaps played on a wing where he belongs

Lever back in? Surely not. Unfortunately his (ankle) injuries have seen him have a lack of lateral movement. It showed even at Casey level. At times he looks slow to get to the contest.

On 29/06/2025 at 09:58, 48 Year Now said:

Realistically the games not winnable. I had us between 8-14 this year.

Time to try and lock down position going forward.

Windsor is a wingman

Jefferson stays for at least 5 more games

Laurie at least 4 games in the middle.

Play Thorstrup , Langford and Lindsay for remainder of the year but monitor their bodies and give breaks based on fitness, energy , not so much week to week performance.

Jeffo unfortunately is terrible