51 minutes ago, Wells 11 said:

like actually win a flag and finish in the top 4 three times. That is NOT chronic underachievement. sheesh. Bar injuries and a Brayshaw hit we probably win 2.

I’m not saying he was perfect… who is? But he deserves our full respect.

Absolute chronic underachievement but I see you have his excuses down pat.

2 straight sets eliminations including 3 games when we were the better side.

Have you forgotten 2017 ?

How did 2019 & 2020 go for you

And stayed on 2 years after it was obvious he was cooked.

Not sure if he will be selected but geez I can’t wait to see AMW return after his acl last year. He was playing so well before he did it so I’m hoping for him he can get back into the great form he was in. I’d keep Heath in to help Maxy as Heath has been holding up on his own and Maxy looks to not be 100%.

Cross will replace Culley - got no doubt about that.

If Bowey is ready for AFL minutes, then he replaces X.Taylor.

Jiath is on notice.

I don’t expect to win this but I reckon the betting spread/handicap at 31.5 points is less than complimentary towards us.

Sydney have looked really impressive and have talent all over the shop. However as others have mentioned they’ve won 3 games where the oppo (Brisbane, GWS and Dogs) were completely decimated. To borrow a David King ism - “it’s not who you play, it’s when you play them”

I want us to be in the game at 3 qtr time as we haven’t been in our 2 losses this year.

If people thought the dons game was bad for allowing uncontested marks and unmand players this could get real messy if they allow that to happen against the swans in Sydney, maybe it's time for a bit of man on man type football when not in possession instead of zoning or guarding ground, stop the transferring the ball across the ground, force them to kick long somewhere along the line this will happen in the future of teams.

14 hours ago, DemonOX said:

If that’s true why the hell didn’t he employ that at the dees. Not sure I believe that tbh

He did, our ball movement was fast last year, it was the exactusion of the game plan, was not good, and with kozz and Windsor in the midfield, the right players are in thr right position, ask Binman.

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by Waverley

2 hours ago, Dees051321 said:

Not sure if he will be selected but geez I can’t wait to see AMW return after his acl last year. He was playing so well before he did it so I’m hoping for him he can get back into the great form he was in. I’d keep Heath in to help Maxy as Heath has been holding up on his own and Maxy looks to not be 100%.

I would definately play him this week and move Langdon back to a wing!

AMW knocking the door down is he worth a shout this week?

Maybe a week to early for Bowser?

Do we bring in an extra tall defender?

Tmac on standby?

Selection will be very interesting this week.

1 hour ago, demon3165 said:

If people thought the dons game was bad for allowing uncontested marks and unmand players this could get real messy if they allow that to happen against the swans in Sydney, maybe it's time for a bit of man on man type football when not in possession instead of zoning or guarding ground, stop the transferring the ball across the ground, force them to kick long somewhere along the line this will happen in the future of teams.

The future of football is probably not going back to how teams played in the 1990’s.

Teams will likely incorporate certain man on man systems in parts of the ground or on certain opponents. But if you’re not zoning you’re effectively playing with less opponents in your backline and the corridor.

We've won in different ways this season.

Sydney seem to have one way to win...their loss against the Hawks is one I'm sure King is looking at closely.

They didn't let them get the game on their terms and looked quite frustrated.

Over to you Kingy...

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by rjay

14 minutes ago, rjay said:

We've won in different ways this season.

Sydney seem to have one way to win...their loss against the Hawks is one I'm sure King is looking at closely.

They didn't let them get the game on their terms and looked quite frustrated.

Over to you Kingy...

The Lions kicked 80 points against us on turnover. We restricted them from stoppage. We simply have to be better with hands on that ground against Sydney otherwise we will get punished.

Sydney play a similar style to us with overlap run and counter attack. They will always have ‘another’ on the outside ready to take it and run. Or they will do short kicks through you. They will make you look like you’re not applying any pressure because you can’t apply pressure to an uncontested mark or much to an over lapping series of handballs in space.

I would like to think we won’t go into our shells and will commit to our fast pace but we are yet to develop a very good switch like the Pies have where they go for 20 mins locking the game up and then pivot to quick movement as a team. Sydney will exploit teams that are employing fast style when it’s not on and leverage mistakes so if we are in this game it’s because our decision making continues to improve.

6 hours ago, Cranky Franky said:

Absolute chronic underachievement but I see you have his excuses down pat.

2 straight sets eliminations including 3 games when we were the better side.

Have you forgotten 2017 ?

How did 2019 & 2020 go for you

And stayed on 2 years after it was obvious he was cooked.

Whether you think he underachieved or not he still coached us to a flag… so i’ll have to just agree to disagree.

20 minutes ago, Wells 11 said:

Whether you think he underachieved or not he still coached us to a flag… so i’ll have to just agree to disagree.

Goodwin won a flag and outside of 2019 we improved every year in the lead up to that flag.

We all know the reasons for 2019 with regard to who and the numbers who had impacted pre seasons.

22 and 23 were disappointing in the end but think we were cooked coming into September of 22 and in 23 whilst late injuries to Petty and Melksham impacted I think we shot ourselves in the foot with conversion

24 and 25 Goodwin probably remained to loyal and this fractured the group.

I have to laugh at those who don’t rate Goodwin, apparently Yze won us the flag as an assistant and Goodwin benefited

Sydney missed finals last year and now the team with the best ball movement has him as an assistant and funnily enough he is responsible for their ball movement

The CF and PFs of this site will never give him credit

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

I would definately play him this week and move Langdon back to a wing!

To my surprise lingers has been really good down back when we’ve needed him. Great team player playing a different role for the team and doing a great job.

On 24/04/2026 at 22:51, Gawn's Beard said:

Only one change:

OUT: Culley

IN: XL / Bowey

Laurie had a strong second half & should be given a string of games

'Strong' i think is too strong of a word for what it was. He had moments, but still had several disposals that were sub par - his first half was horrid & he just doesn't appear to have 'it' espeically as he only had the six disposals after half time. I'd much rather see others given an opportunity - Paddy cross looked more up to it in his short stint than Laurie IMO

2 hours ago, Waverley said:

He did, our ball movement was fast last year, it was the exactusion of the game plan, was not good, and with kozz and Windsor in the midfield, the right players are in thr right position, ask Binman.

There's different ways of proudcing 'fast' football. By data, last season we were quick between the arcs, but the way the ball was moved is totally different to this season; that's why the scoring is significantly more efficient. Goodwin was constantly trying to play both sides with a similar reluctance to take hightened risks at the chance of being beaten out the back - you can't have it entirely both ways.

Let's not forget, Sydney were a top side already last season & have weapons everywhere - gameplans always look 'better' when they have better players executing. Last season wasn't exactly poor execution, it was a 75% commited gameplan to playing a style rather than leaning entirely into it.

2 minutes ago, heath55 said:

There's different ways of proudcing 'fast' football. By data, last season we were quick between the arcs, but the way the ball was moved is totally different to this season; that's why the scoring is significantly more efficient. Goodwin was constantly trying to play both sides with a similar reluctance to take hightened risks at the chance of being beaten out the back - you can't have it entirely both ways.

Let's not forget, Sydney were a top side already last season & have weapons everywhere - gameplans always look 'better' when they have better players executing. Last season wasn't exactly poor execution, it was a 75% commited gameplan to playing a style rather than leaning entirely into it.

Sydney finished 10th last year. They weren't a top side. And we beat them comfortably.

16 hours ago, At the break of Gawn said:

Sydney have had an amazing turn-around since the middle of last year. I had heard stories that the players were completely confused with Coxy's game plan at the start and it was causing a lot of tension.

I'm not convinced they are unstoppable though. Their best wins have been against a severely undermanned Brisbane, a Gold Coast team who are clearly in a bit of a rut and an injury ravaged Dogs team.

I think we'll really push them, although SCG is such a [censored] ground they'll probably beat us. If it was at the MCG I'd be tipping us.

We have beaten them 2 of last 3, and played 2 of those games at SCG. Not unfamiliar ground. Wre are a chance.

4 hours ago, Dannyz said:

Cross will replace Culley - got no doubt about that.

If Bowey is ready for AFL minutes, then he replaces X.Taylor.

Jiath is on notice.

It's telling that the Club has put up a vid of Paddy highlights on the weekend:

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2006186/vfl-rd-5-paddy-cross-highlights?videoId=2006186&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1777100880001

21 minutes ago, heath55 said:

There's different ways of proudcing 'fast' football. By data, last season we were quick between the arcs, but the way the ball was moved is totally different to this season; that's why the scoring is significantly more efficient. Goodwin was constantly trying to play both sides with a similar reluctance to take hightened risks at the chance of being beaten out the back - you can't have it entirely both ways.

Let's not forget, Sydney were a top side already last season & have weapons everywhere - gameplans always look 'better' when they have better players executing. Last season wasn't exactly poor execution, it was a 75% commited gameplan to playing a style rather than leaning entirely into it.

Yes true, but he still was playing a faster game plan, and Sydney have better forwards, it's amazing when you have tall forward who mark those bombs, all of a sudden your midfield hit more targets in the forward line, but the poster said he he did not Employ a faster game plan, which he did didn't he ? King has improved it and made it better, But we didn't just start playing fast all of a sudden, Sometimes it takes a couple of years to get the game plan right.

Goodwin has had couple of years using a fast game plan, now in that 3nd year he has got it working, just at a another club. Now you can say yes you're right, but you won't.

2 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

The future of football is probably not going back to how teams played in the 1990’s.

Teams will likely incorporate certain man on man systems in parts of the ground or on certain opponents. But if you’re not zoning you’re effectively playing with less opponents in your backline and the corridor.

Agree, it won't be like the 90s, but you will see opposition players not having the freedom to just move the ball at will. The one takeaway from the way the Pies play is how they chase down an opponent, even if they are 5-10 metres away; they sprint to them, not jog like us and other teams. All they are trying to do is create the perception of pressure and hope to force a mistake. So, against the Swans, work must be put in around Warner, Blakely, etc., but I am looking forward to seeing how they go in this big test.

18 hours ago, The Panglossian said:

I was a Goody fan…. But the decision to not give JJ some game time was an absolute shocker.

Just out of interest, who would you have dropped from the usual 2021 team to play him?

Fun fact: the SCG powers that be have

14 hours ago, The Panglossian said:

Jed Adams BOG……..that amazes me, from what I saw.

Rhett saw the same game as you, but in person (assuming you weren’t at Casey) and he deemed Jed best afield.

It seemed to come as no surprise to the other players who all got around Jed raucously, and I overheard one player say “There ya go!” to him, as in, I knew it would be you!

1 minute ago, DubDee said:

Just out of interest, who would you have dropped from the usual 2021 team to play him?

Subbing May with 5 minutes to go would have been an easy call.