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Cam has been re- ontracted for another year. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-08-18/big-men-sign-on-for-2018-season He is a great example of a player who took on board coaches feedback and worked hard to get the best of himself. That he has been so willing to do any role the team needed him to play has been a real asset to our club. I doubt we would be on the verge of finals if he had not risen to the occasion. Delighted he is staying with us. Congratulations, Cam. #Lovepedobear

I'm watching a reply of last night's AFL 360. David King was just discussing the 'evenness' of the ruckman this year, and said that McEvoy is probably leading the pack. He then said, for the 8 games that Cam Pedersen rucked solo, Champion Data had him as clearly the number one ruckman in the competition. He's a 193cm utility. The guy is a legend. He's all heart. So pleased (and relieved) he's had the season he's had, both for himself and the club. His performances have been absolutely critical for us. No doubt there'll be a lot of silence from those posters who authoratively proclaimed him to be a list clogger and nothing more than a VFL player. They've obviously been absolutely wrong though - his contributions have kept our season alive. Pleasingly, the football department has acknowledged this through extending his contract. I just wish he played a few more games earlier in the season. Perhaps we'd now be pushing for the top 4? Well done Cam. Hats off to you. A true Demon.

Looks like I had solid intel

This will be Jesse's 50th game! It has taken 4 difficult years, with many obstacles. Have huge admiration for how you have tackled and overcome them. Congratulations on the milestone. Hope the team bring it home for you and for us!

Some absolute dribble from both sides of the argument in this thread. Only a handful of reasonable posters are on top of it. He was in poor form and lacked the intensity that the team is expected to carry out as a whole. So he goes back to Casey to recapture it and hopefully comes back fit and firing by finals time. It really is as simple as that.

Kim Jong-Gil

That's a relative statement. Yes, it functioned enough to win but we had 62 Inside 50s and had 26 scoring shots. In our best wins: StK 55 and 30, Ess 55 and 27, WB 54 and 28, Adel 53 and 22, Coll 57 and 29, WCE 47 and 24, PA 62 and 23. There is a lot of noise in those numbers but we were running at a better efficiency earlier in the year. And we have left ourselves a tiny bit exposed in those last two stirring wins with excellent starts that didn't get enough out of the domination. A rough guide would be a shot at goal for every two entries and we didn't get that, so I do believe it can function much better.

Stretch coming in for Viney, Hogan replacing Weideman. Kennedy the carry-over emergency. So the bench will be Brayshaw, Stretch, Hannah and Wagner. Maynard and Sammy playing for Casey. This might change tonight but that's the team as of right now.

Jesse should do the Lin Jong and strap up the good side.

Except when it functioned last week

This. I honestly do not know why there is so much spite involved with his dip in form and demotion.

Wattsy was great before he got hurt. How quickly things turn on here.... He is a Melbourne player, so get around him. I for one hope he comes back and helps us win a final or two.

All the talks of his football career at Melbourne being over or should be over is just crap. The whipping boy isn't ever going to be a consistent star forward. He is a third forward whose best football is really valuable and the club has invested in him to keep working on his intensity because he does so much well when he is in form. Too valuable to trade. Roos said on League Teams this week exactly what FD says here above. He is simply lacking the intensity. Hasn't played well since returning from the injury and just needs two solid weeks in VFL. Roos said two weeks is usually the standard to get guys back into form. He expects Jack to play well again this week and lineup against Collingwood.

I reckon he has stuff to work on, much like 97% of the players in the competition. He was awesome prior to his injury, but hasn't recaptured that form following his injury. We need to win every game and can't afford to carry out of form players. Watts is out of form. At his best, he's a match winner, he's mercurial, and he's a required player. BUT a lot of posters here are intent on plugging him at every opportunity. Nothing knew - all cliched and repetitious stuff. I will give this bloke the biggest cheer if and win we ever win the flag and he gets presented with a GF medallion. Xx

@Drunkn167's bro, Declan Keilty has been re contracted for another year on the rookie list. Big men sign on for 2018 season By the reports that his bro has given us he has worked very hard. Congratulations to Declan and thanks Drunkn for keeping us up to date with his progress.

The surgeon who screwed Hogan's collar bone back together also put a bolt in Max's elbow so he can't straighten it.

Do they have spots available on their long term injury list?

Getting on a park would help.........

Vital cog in our best 22 when he is playing well and has 100% confidence in his body.

Apart from his injured foot, I'm not too concerned that he's out of the team. Having Jones back, particularly if he plays like last week, really picks up the slack in the stoppages/clearance area. Also, with Gus back in the team we've picked up another very handy player who based of last weeks game will help cover any loss Viney presents. A second week of Brayshaw magic is keenly awaited.

Currently sitting on 99 goals as well.

Jack is a thoroughbred not a brumby! There are plenty of 'brawn' type players. I do not understand why everyone is obsessed with making him a brawny brumby! Jack is at his best as a 'link player'. The most perfect example of that was his game winning run, play and goal vs the pies on QB. The best link player is Adelaide's Tom Lynch. I don't usually go for stats but in this case it is worth comparing their career averages: G: Lynch = 1.5, Watts= 1.0 B: Lynch = 0.9, Watts = 0.5 K: Lynch = 11, Watts = 9 H: Handballs = 5.6, Watts = 7.0 M: Marks = 6.2, Watts = 5.3 T: Tackles = 1.7, Watts = 2.0 Pretty good performance in that role, especially as he played a lot of games in defence and pinch hits in the ruck. Obviously, he is not following coaches instructions. It can't be those stats. I think it is more likely to be the '1%ers' and 'pressure acts'. I am a firm believer in letting people (in any walk of life) play to their strengths rather than make them something they are not. So play Jack as a link man. That is what he does best.

How many current players? Just Saty.

Good result, Adelaide will now have to go hard at the Eagles next week or go into the finals on a losing streak.

Just remember, we smashed Adelaide in Adelaide and the Swans beat us after an unprecedented 3 consecutive 6 day breaks. All when we were impacted by injuries. We shouldn't be overawed by these 2 teams.

If the Suns do beat Essendon they will become everyone’s second side

You're ruining selection day :-( Jokes, you're my favourite poster ?

Pedo has been signed for another yr. hope he continues to play well this season and next.

Removing someone's accreditation is not the same thing as censorship. Anyone who has been accredited has been given access which most people don't receive. It's therefore a privilege. With that privilege comes responsibility, one of which is not to make stuff up. If someone wants to make stuff up and publish it there are plenty of places to do so which don't require accreditation, such as social media, like Twitter and Facebook. And just to draw a parallel, I believe Demonland's administrators will withdraw a person's privileges if that person posts stuff they've made up on Demonland. I think Gill McLachlan is just following the excellent standards set by Demonland.

I'm Dom Tyson?

I think all the PCL injuries ruckmen were getting were more of a concern than Jeff White's dominance.

Our Clarry only needs 18 more disposals this season to hold the MFC record for most disposals in a single home and away season. And he's only 20. Absolutely blessed to have this kid at our club!

Silly comment.

Today and tomorrow off..... whats a bloke to do?

So now MFC gets a rap over the knuckles because Max talked about infringing! "THE AFL has written to clubs warning them that public commentary about umpiring will be closely monitored after Tigers coach Damien Hardwick and Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn were outspoken on the standard of officiating last week". http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-08-18/watch-the-umpire-commentary-afl-warns-clubs For mine that adds insult to injury! He didn't complain nor criticise the umpires like Hardwick did. He simply stated he didn't understand why he was infringing. Time and time again it seems it is when someone at the Dees is seen to 'step over the line' that the AFL act. What about the running commentary recently from coaches (Scott, Buckley, Scott, Beveridy) on MRP cases? No, not a word from the AFL there! Use MFC as the 'sacrificial' example seems to be their motto!

He sounded happy in the interview last week - he had just come back from a China holiday and doing promotional work there (I assumed that was for the club but not sure). Maybe contract talks have started and he isn't happy with the offer. Its tough for him, having spent 50% of his 3 years injured so hasn't been able to show what he can really do. But also tough for the club to evaluate what he can offer. But if Vand is doing a dummy spit because he isn't getting the role he wants it would be really disappointing given the support the club has provided. He could ask for a one year deal, back himself in and earn a spot in the midfield and renegotiate for 2019 and beyond. But if he wants it handed to him on a platter then fine he can go elsewhere. Hope he stays!

Not happy with his role? Bit hard to be given one when you are not even on the park. This is a rubbish rumour of the highest order.

Dont know what all the fuss is about. He is going to be a Demon. Redleg hit the nail on the head, Adelaide are struggling to sign their top end young talent. However, that has not hurt their on-field performance so they have no need to change their pay structures. Welcome to the Demons Jake Lever.

Reckon big Max Gawn is set for a monster game on the weekend. looking forward to seeing how he responds.

Zorko has had a great few seasons and is a star. Would be a massive player if in Geelong or Adelaide or any other top side. I'm worried about Hipwood tbh, another gorilla (or giraffe) fwd. Our midfields will either neutralize each other, or we'll come out on top and the rest of our class across the board should shine (Jetta, Garlett, Hibbo, Petracca etc) Having TMAC back reflects this dire need to sure up our last line of defence over the next month with Frost assumedly falling our of favor. We can afford to let our mids and forwards be creative enough to create the scores, if we're willing to build an elite defensive unit and let the chips fall where they may in other areas.

Feeling positive after last weeks win, playing finals is looking likely and Brisbane are on the bottom of the ladder with little to play for, except draft picks. Lions by 8 goals.

If we make the finals, give me Port in Adelaide over Swans in Sydney any day of the week.

Just reported on channel 7 news, max opened talks about contract extension and is seeking a deal that will see him a demon for life. Let's hope he gets it done.

And they say this with a straight face? Wow! Some of this guff would give diarrhoeia the sh!ts. How can one ruckman block another when they start on either side of the circle with the ball between them? If the ball bounces towards one ruckman, who then puts out an arm to stop getting knocked over by the other, it is then a block? I really shouldn't be surprised, but sometimes I still feel the need for a double facepalm with twist and pike ...

ON A PLATTER by The Oracle At this time of the year, when the battle for the finals heats up, every game involving one or two of the contenders can be dramatic. By the time, Melbourne's turn comes to defend its current top eight placing, all five matches played either on Friday night or at some time on Saturday will have had an influence on the prospects of the teams playing for a finals finish or a top four spot (although admittedly, the Hawks' late bid may well be over before their game starts). The fact that we will have better knowledge of how the club is placed in its quest for its first finals appearance since 2006 will not however, have an effect on what it has to do against the the 18th-placed Lions. Success is never served on a platter given away by others. The challenge for Melbourne is to win this game and then the next. If it does that, it won't have to depend on others to make the finals which is what it's all about - the capacity to be responsible for one's own future. The challenge of winning this particular game also requires the team to step up in a crunch game where it starts as the favourite against a much lower ranked side. On four occasions (against Fremantle, Hawthorn and North Melbourne twice), the Demons have turned up expecting the four points to be served up on that platter only to stumble and fall by narrow margins. There is not much use in crying over spilt milk but a simple glance at the ladder will tell you that had they won half of those close games, they would have been in top four contention instead of fighting with three or four others for a place in the eight. The Brisbane Lions have hit some form recently so they can't be taken lightly. Melbourne has much more at stake and simply cannot afford to lapse in this game. If it does so this time, then a large number of its fans, including yours truly, will be cheesed off. And on that note, I hope that the players are not distracted by the fare of cheese, avocado, prosciutto which one Melbourne supporter feasted on last week at the Saints game. THE GAME Melbourne v Brisbane at MCG Sunday 19 August, 2017 at 1.10pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall: Melbourne 23 wins, Brisbane 20 wins At MCG: Melbourne 13 wins, Brisbane 3 wins Last Five Meetings: Melbourne 2 wins, Brisbane 3 wins The Coaches: Goodwin 0 wins, Fagan 0 wins MEDIA TV - Fox Footy Channel live at 1.00pm Radio - SEN ABC ABC Grandstand THE BETTING Melbourne $1.17 to win, Brisbane $5.25 to win LAST TIME THEY MET Melbourne 19.17.131 defeated Brisbane 9.14.68 at the MCG, Round 9, 2016 The Demons don't often win games by more than 10 goals but they did just that the last time the two teams met 15 months ago. Jesse Hogan booted five goals, James Harmes four and Tomas Bugg finished with 31 touches. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE B: Michael Hibberd, Oscar McDonald, Neville Jetta HB: Jordan Lewis, Tom McDonald, Jayden Hunt C: Dom Tyson, Nathan Jones, Clayton Oliver HF: Alex Neal-Bullen, Jesse Hogan, Christian Petracca F: Jeff Garlett, Cam Pedersen, James Harmes FOLL: Max Gawn, Bernie Vince, Jake Melksham I/C: Angus Brayshaw, Mitch Hannan, Billy Stretch, Josh Wagner EMG: Ben Kennedy, Corey Maynard, Sam Weideman IN: Jesse Hogan, Billy Stretch OUT: Jack Viney (foot) Sam Weideman (omitted) BRISBANE LIONS B: Daniel McStay, Harris Andrews, Daniel Rich HB: Darcy Gardiner, Josh Walker, Sam Mayes C: Hugh McCluggage, Dayne Zorko, Ryan Bastinac HF: Lewis Taylor, Michael Close, Claye Beams F: Ryan Lester, Eric Hipwood, Jake Barrett FOLL: Stefan Martin, Tom Rockliff, Dayne Beams I/C: Jacob Allison, Rhys Mathieson, Nick Robertson, Alex Witherden EMG: Tom Cutler, Ben Keays, Sam Skinner IN: Alex Witherden OUT: Cedric Cox (omitted) Brisbane has a poor record against Melbourne at the MCG having won there only three times (although that figure might have looked better had the Demons not sold home games to play at the Gabba in the Lions' halcyon days). Their last win at the G was by 41 points in Round 1, 2012 which was Mark Neeld's first game as coach. Things are far different for both sides these days but a loss to the Demons on Sunday would be far more devastating than the one from 5½ years ago that marked the beginning of the former coach and his team's long ride on the "reality bus". A loss at home to the last placed team in the competition would signal that Melbourne simply does not merit a berth in the finals. Fortunately, the team does have the experienced heads who can lead it through the pressure of a must win game starting with co-skipper Nathan Jones who has dedicated his football lifetime to be in reach of the September action he last saw when his career was in its infancy. With him is Jordan Lewis who has seen it all in his time as a four-time premiership player and is now on the brink of yet another finals campaign. The Demons have won most of their games when these two have been in the team together and the leadership of the club's wise old heads will be critical over the weeks to come. And with them is a young team with a lot of talent that plays a high possession game, wins the contested ball and has an All Australian ruckman who is smart enough to learn and adapt his technique after the issues he had with the umpires in the game against the Saints. The Lions have improved greatly in the second half of the season and had a great win last week against a club in crisis after the sacking of their coach. This week they face a club with a mission and the boot will be on the other foot. Melbourne by 45 points.

Brisbanes mids are surprisingly good on paper. No idea how they are bottom. beams, zorko, rocklif, mccluggage, Lewis Taylor, rich, bastinac and a very handy mobile ruckman. They have class in defense with Andrews and mcstay. Both have played 50+ games and forwards with hipwood. wouldnt surprise me if they are playing finals in a couple of years.

Very harsh to judge someone's class with gale blowing Antarctic winds after a 4 week hamstring layoff.

He was out of form, he got dropped. Didn't set the world alight at Casey Our forward line functioned fine without him. Whats the problem and how was he mismanaged?

What did Jason's skull feel like against your shin?