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Its a fantastic night. Last time I was very close to the centre of the MCG in the drizzle with my pink poncho on. What broke my heart was seeing loads of men, cradling a framed photo of a loved once who had succumbed to this terrible disease with tears running down their faces. Some of these guys were big, tough blokes all bought together with something in common. I locked eyes with the great Jimmy - will never forget that moment. Went along with my friend who was not a Melbourne supporter but a breast cancer sufferer in her mid 40's - her prime of life. She unfortunately lost her battle 18 months ago. My mum is battling this terrible disease at the moment. I will be there for her. Remember if you plan on coming, you need to get there early ( I think it is about 4.30pm) as it takes a bit of organising to get everyone on the field but it is truly the most amazing feeling when the put the picture of the pink lady up on the TV screen. I would crawl over broken glass to be there.

Lynch's evidence may be something like "I wath approthing the fooball when I thaw Viney coming and then I thaw oh thit and then I don't remember anything" I hope he has learnt from his big mistake.

The crux comes into whether he actually chose to bump and if he had an alternative to bumping. I watched the footage on the AFL website over and over and these are the key points IMO. Initially he is chasing a bouncing, loose ball at full speed. He has every right to do this. On the final bounce, the ball sits up and it only then becomes clear that Lynch will take possession before Viney does. (until then, the ball could have changed direction meaning Lynch could have missed it and Viney could have run on to it). Viney responds to this by slowing considerably and in that very short period (I would love to know exactly how long it is from when the ball last bounces and it becomes clear that Lynch will take possession and whent the contact is made - very short period of time) he braces for impact. In that short period of time, there is no way he could change direction to avoid the contact. At no stage did Lynch secure possession. The ball was still bobbling around when contact was made. When two people pursue a loose ball and reach it at a very similar time, a collision is inevitable. Lynch took possession of the ball and was propelled forward so he could not brace himself. Viney barely had time to brace for impact. Any change of direction for Viney was because he was following the ball, not because he was trying to bump. Would love to say that would be enough but history is against us.

If Lynch was wearing a helmet cam it would have looked something like this:

In motor racing, this would be called a 'racing incident' As in it is something that is no ones specific fault and is a consequence of the way the sport is played

While were praising Roosy, I spoke to the Toump who I know through a friend and he was glowing in his praise for him. Said he's a really nice bloke, great teacher, honest and just wants everyone to stick to the structures and play their roles. Also said everyone has bought into his gameplan and the way he wants everyone to go about it. At Sydney when they won their flag in 2005, blokes like Nic Fosdike, LRT, Buchanan, Luke Ablett, Craig Bolton, Jarred Crouch. All of those players weren't superstars but played their roles and got the best out of themselves. He will do exactly the same with players like Pederson, Terlich etc.

If he goes for that then we should come out on Saturday night wearing pink tutus.

It's interesting that the force of the collision actually moved Viney back a couple of metres towards where he came from. It shows he was bracing for collision and not going on with a bump. If he'd hit Lynch at speed, you'd think he'd have kept going forward. Who came up with the ball? Viney. He was aware of where it was immediately after he got hit. That's all he had eyes for.

Having had a look at the vision again, I think the following points are in his favour: 1) He was initially looking to win the ball and only at the last second did he change his action and bump Lynch. It was more of a 'brace' position then a clear election to bump. 2) He had little choice, if he didn't brace for the bump he would have been steamrolled by Lynch who was coming at a fast pace. 3) Lynch had the footy so it was in-play, not off the ball like Douglas' bump on Ward. 4) He didn't leave the ground. 5) He is significantly shorter than Lynch so it's impossible for him to bump Lynch in the head (while not leaving the ground) without Lynch going low. The reason why Lynch went low was because he got nudged forward by Georgiou. It is impossible in that micro-second to see Lynch get pushed forward and then change your action. 6) Was the broken jaw caused by the head clash or Viney's shoulder? If the former then he shouldn't be made to pay. However I have no faith in the tribunal system and their arbitrary decisions. It is decided on the basis of injury, which is an absolute disgrace because you should be punished for what you can control (i.e. conduct) not what you can't (i.e. an unfortunate and unforseeable set of circumstances that results in an injury). I'm expecting no other result than being shafted by the tribunal in much the same way as the umpires did to us on the weekend. I really am sick of seeing players banned for legitimate tough footy and snipers being given far less significant penalties for blatant and intentional dog acts.

Far and away Jetta's best game. Gave Betts a bath, which I loved! Funny how last week many people were calling for him to be asked and never in the squad again. This is the difference between Roos and Neeld, Roos backs players in and gives them confidence that they can do the job. There's something particularly satisfying about seeing someone who's struggled through his career smash a player that the media adore.

Jetta's biggest problem is apparently he doesn't have a head or shoulders according to the umpires....

Quoting another poster: Asked if the club will plead 'not guilty', Paul Roos replies "absolutely!" #AFL360 there is also a freejack or freeviney hashtag on twitter to Like This Quote

Langdon was probably BOG in a team of Beams, Pendles and Swan all playing well too. JKH was awesome, but Tyson, Viney and Dawes etc. were better than him. He will get one before the years out.

Talking of no peripheral awareness. Shite, the bloke head butted about 5 goal posts by himself

Just watched it several more times. Viney is charging at the ball like a bull at a gate, as he always does, sees contact is coming, braces himself for a good, fair hip & shoulder, which he effects to perfection, bounces off the other player like a rubber man, pounces on the ball and delivers it to a team mate. Absolutely sublime footy! And, they refer it to the Tribunal?? Spare me...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He certainly seems very willing to take on whatever is asked of him. None of this "that ain't my role" stuff. For his size his ruck competitiveness is a revelation. Well done Cam.

One point here, Viney doesn't run into Lynch, Lynch canons into Viney

The AFL may as well now declare that Footy is to become a non-contact sport. Of course the injury is bad luck, but there was no intent, or, in my view, negligence. There has to be some quarter given for the speed of the game and a player's natural instinct to protect himself, lest he be severely hurt himself. At no stage did JV lay a crude tackle or bump, but the resulting injury occurred due to a chain reaction. A travesty if he goes for this

Straight to the tribunal... this is Bull [censored] Well that will be Viney on holiday for a few weeks. [censored] me this game is getting soft. Back in the 90's Jack would have got 3 votes for a play like that one

Football is littered with thousands of possible match turning lucky or unlucky moments. That was a common one. To name a few more costly lucky or unlucky moments in footy. Pettards dropped mark. Simon Eishold's miss from 1 metre. Lenny Hayes kick takes 120 degree ball bounce also 1 metre from goal. Wayne Harmes applying the cloak of invisibility to the boundary line. Stynes infringing on the mark. The only relevance is that we got the four points.

Matt Jones is one of the core dozen selected every week. The coaches LOVE him, they have every reason to, he IS an AFL standard footballer now, as he was last year and hasn't hit his ceiling yet. The lack of insight into his value to this team on here is baffling.

It's fascinating that we have put our best defensive team on the field just as we've moved Frawley forward. Not saying that Frawley is anything but a top shelf AA defender. More to point out that teamwork and systems is what improves a team, the individual performances is the cream on top.

Nathan Jones and Lynden Dunn out, Maia Westrupp and Dom Barry in?

The ump will blow time on. And btw its only a 5 second rule if you drop your toast......

And please don't slip over....

Just got named in Loydy's All Australian team, doesn't mean much because he is a drongo but still recognition.

Sitting third in the Lou Richards medal right now if he got any votes yesterday he'd be winning Top 10 in Herald Sun player of the year More than likely got 8 or more brownlow votes so far Ranked 109 in the afl player ratings Something out of place there seriously underrated

Umm... interesting no one has looked at the Tribunal show on the AFL site. Nathan Schmook sp? actually is saying that the reason it has gone to the tribunal is that under MRP laws that with the severity of the injury (Broken jaw) that they would not have had any other option than to give Viney 3-4 weeks, and by referring it to the tribunal that they can actually not charge him, or give him a more lenient penalty than they are forced to with the MRP laws itself. MRP has no discretion in how to assess an injury like this, but also with the bump and head high contact being stamped out of the game they basically have no other option but to refer it to the tribunal to determine. Maybe some truth in this?? dunno what people think on this.... http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-05-05/charged-round-seven

Great tweet from @TitusOReily:

Interesting to hear the AFL's reasoning for clearing Josh Kennedy on Colin Sylvia in 2010.

I wonder if Adelaide kicked up a stink. It's the same scenario when Trenners tackled "glass jaw" Dangerfield. Sore losers Adelaide made a big deal, Trenners gets 3 weeks and hasn't been the same since. Dangerfield excels the next round, so much for his concussion as shown on the doctors report. What's with that club.

If Gillon McLachlan wants to change the face of football or show that he understands the football community- then he can start here.

Ball was in dispute, hows it different from any collision injury when two player intent on the ball collide?

Your avatar is freaking me out man...... ( although he does have a nasty streak that has been lacking for past 5 years)

What side of the face was Lynch hit breaking his jaw. If right side then Viney would have to walk immediately. Look at Viney's bent knees during contact in the Age photos bringing his shoulder even further away from the 195cms Lynch's face and head. That was the attempt to avoid any illegal contact. Look at Lynch's knees bending bringing him lower while being dragged down by Georgio. No Georgio tackle no injury. It appears Lynch is bumped by Viney and canons back into Georgiou's head. No player can sum that up in a millisecond. Common sense would suggest then he is clear but common sense doesn't seem to apply to things AFL.

I love this kid!

I was at Groovin the Moo and I knew the outcome too but watched the replay when I got home and stupidly felt ill in the last 10 minutes with nervousness - what if the digital universe got it wrong ?????

I'm nearly tempted to hang around the following weekend to watch us end Hardwicks career.

And also one game and percentage away from 18th. Yes, you're correct about us improving, but until we can string consecutive wins together and build the players confidence, we are unlikely to progress too much further up the ladder. Playing good footy is one thing, but coming up against a team like Hawthorn is something else... that is something that can quickly sap the confidence out of a team and leave them floundering for a couple of weeks while they regroup. We are a chance against the Bullies and the Tigers, but if we stumble there, then there's a very good chance we will be in for a lot of pain over the following weeks when we meet Port and the Pies who are both playing much better football than us... and I mean chalk and cheese better! Nice to have finals aspirations as supporters, but I think the players and coaching staff have a slightly more realistic view of where they are at, and I would imagine that even they would not be upset if they were not to play finals footy until next year... as has been said more than once in this thread, the team are taking on each game as it comes.

Wasn't having a go at your defence of Pedersen, because I agree. It's the self-justification/self-congratulation I was commenting on. I'll jog on now.

Win the next 2 games and get back to me. I heard Lynden Dunn on the wireless last night. He wants wins...

Neeld had a dysfunctional board and admin behind him, Roos the opposite. Don't underestimate the affect PJ has had on this club and the players. It's amazing what a little trust and belief can do to a workforce Edit: Missed the L in Neeld

Too true ... The bush telegraph is out of control. All that's been presented has been someone's interpretation of what was told at a team huddle and it's something that runs counter to much of what Welsh has said and done publicly. My observation is that over a long period through the Daniher and Bailey years our coaches worked on an attacking game plan which was a departure from that adopted by several of the more successful clubs of the past decade. The introduction of Neeld was supposed to add a more defensive edge and this failed. Roos is starting to get the message across to the team but we know that this requires more skill and stronger, more experienced bodies. This is exactly why developing the same game plan is a more difficult assignment at Casey than it is at Melbourne. The Scorpions have the younger Demons and, apart from Panozza most of their VFL aligned players don't have the experience or strength of AFL players. Werribee had a number of bigger bodied stronger players who eventually wore Casey down. It's been a pattern for most of the season and, at times quite frustrating to watch. If you think it's been tough over the past few years to take the transition required to become a team that plays the modern style of football at Melbourne then it's doubly so at Casey. Of course, the club might have kept the Magner/Couch types down there for another year and this would have certainly resulted in more wins, but exactly what would that have achieved?

I thought you were above the above. Take his spot, that's all Roos is saying to the group of players you think should be there. If he is rubbish, what are they? I'm too tall to play Fwd Pocket but it, with CHF, is the toughest spot on the ground to play - get it the right spot, take the half second opportunity and you do your job. Do it three times, and you have had a good game. Miss the spot or the shot and your a waste of a spot. Play the position in a team that averages 35 inside 50s and you are on a hiding to nothing, and seeing nothing but hidings... I don't jibe with this 'he won't be around for much longer' stuff, neither will Cross, nor Jamar. But they are the best options for this team in the roles they play for us to win right now. Let's do that. Now, I am sure that Byrnes' position is under threat after a few apparently played well in the VFL, but whoever takes his spot won't be taking out the trash. They will win their position and be in form and play his role better than he has. That's it.

If the reserves coach doesnt support the game plan he should be sacked immediatley

I don't think I've seen a bigger turnaround in a player at Melbourne in my time. His highlights when we recruited him looked good and some of us got excited but several soft, lazy and dumb moments on top of the fact that he didn't look fit made his recruitment look one of the worst in recent memory. Fast forward to 2014 and even in the first NAB Challenge match Dermott Brereton was calling out just how hard Pedersen was working. He now runs all day, puts his body on the line and is a player I actually now trust with ball in hand. Well done and keep it up, Cam.

Jesus comes from a basketball background, he'll never have the hardness to be a top line AFL player.

Just change the 'new' to 'real'.

If Viney gets suspended/sanctioned for that I will give up football, demonland, drugs, sex and alcohol. No [censored]!