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I'd be content with one flag in my lifetime.

I think humbleness is important at this time. It can all come crashing down very quickly no matter how high we’re apparently flying right now.

2013? Where were you Round 4 & 5? ?

Dogs supporters are a good bunch. Was genuinely happy for them in 2016. Ruchmond supporters on the other hand...

When Hogan played on and was disallowed a shot at goal at 3 quarter time that would have put us 86 up a tiny voice in my head said "I hope that doesn't cost us"

I don't want to spoil everyone's fun (and I admit to wandering over to other club sites from time to time) but, apart from the fact that these things are a bit tacky and could backfire on us, I'm frankly not really interested in what the other side says these days.

Considering Dom played for GWS, we might get a first rounder from Carlton.

It is Jones’ 250th. I will pop a valve if they don’t have a dip for Nate.

I think a Premiership is the only thing that will do it for me. I see the way we're playing and I know we can beat anyone but I'm so scarred by the past that I can't believe that we can be successful. It's all in my head. We were 60 points up last week and I was still thinking we could lose it despite what was actually happening. I need help.

I rang a couple of days ago organising a couple of things and it was quite a long wait, they said they're sorry for the wait but they are flat out signing up new members. Yeh......

We are deadset screwed. Melbourne should be planning for a 100pts + win Etihad is not an advantage anymore against them. They beat us easily there in 2017 Melbourne will be the best team we've played this year, looking awesome today: pace, excellent field-kicking, goal-kicking - all those things we lack really. All those early draft picks and some astute recruiting have created an impressive line-up We've been killed by some of the best rucks recently and next game happens to feature Gawn Neal-Bullen dominated last week. Taken 5 spots before Bailey Dale So far this year we have kicked 97 goals, Demons have kicked 160. We're screwed. All we can do is stack the team with defenders and hope for the best At what stage to we plead the mercy rule we have kicked 10 goals the last 2 weeks they have kicked close to 50 goals so if that average applies 25 goals to 5 goals 120 point margin Logically Melbourne should be winning this easily, but they’re definitely due for a down game Lost all 4 quarters to them last year I predict Melbourne to meet West Coast in the GF and lose a nailbiter Melbourne supporters whinging about going theough tough times the last 10 years which is why they're getting ahead of themselves now Melbourne will beat us by over 80 points - Gawn will dismantle us Melbourne might even smash us by more they did last yr - and that was a slaugheration. We can only hope the Dees get ahead of themselves and screw up I got a horrible feeling about this week after our last 2 and Melbourne ‘s last two Be a hell of a scalp against Melbourne Every week Bevo comes out with excuse after excuse , total dribble , over complicates his post match analysis I am literally at a complete loss. To me 2016 seems like a grand deception Can we just concede defeat and not even turn up for the Melbourne game?

I have stuck with this club for the past decade with a heap of terrible memories. I'm going to gladly accept this run of good form and enjoy it as much as I can. I am fully aware that it can end at anytime. If other supporters want to get ahead of themselves then good for them. Enjoy it.

Two things to watch out for this week: 1. It was reported here a month ago that we had set our sights on the Crows game - we delivered but did we burn up too much mental energy? 2. Short recovery time - Bulldogs can move the ball very fast with their not-too-legal 'flick' passes and double handed 'scoop' passes. Will we have the physical energy to run them down? I think we will win but am not expecting it to be huge. Possibly a tougher game than we had for a while but that is not a bad thing: my MFCSS makes me nervous cruising easily thru games.

No mercy. Smash the dogs. We need to keep winning. We must be 9 wins by the Bye

The comments in this thread, as well as the Goodwin thread, show how scarred some fans are. It annoys me, but at the same time I slightly understand where they are coming from. The last month shows how we need to be patient - a couple of bad losses and we had some supporters, who now look rather stupid, questioning everything as if the club was caving in. Now look at us. Just goes to show that we don't need to be negative about every decision made and be able to see the long term view, not just the short term.

When we lose our next game in 2021, it’s going to invalidate every single victory between now and then, and we’ll realise it had just been ‘same old Melbourne’ all along.

The first upset has already occurred. I'm upset that Carlton are part of another televised Friday night game. It's an outrage!

I have genuine sympathy for those who are so scarred by our past that they cannot enjoy the beautiful football we are playing at the moment without being pessimistic and feeling the need to remind everyone that it can all fall apart. Enjoy it guys, I've been waiting 31 years for this and am loving every moment of it. Dee's by 80+

I like this quote from a st kilda fan over on reddit "If I've learned anything in the last three weeks, it's "play Melbourne if you wanna get f****d"

1) Not in the eyes of the AFL and Ch7: membership/supporter numbers are the basis of their fixtures (despite their protestations to the contrary) for FTA premium time slots - Count the Thur, Fri and Sat night FTA slots for Ess, Coll, Rich, Carlt, Hawks even in their non-performing years. Simply, Ch 7 want numbers to sell adv time to their sponsors. Also, check out the venues those clubs play at - you rarely see them at low capacity grounds like Kardinia Park or Docklands when they play each other. They play at our home ground while we have to sell games interstate or play at Docklands. 2) Not in the eyes of sponsors: club sponsors want numbers to market their products to. The more the merrier. The profitability of the members is of little interest to them. We make a lot more more money from sponsors than members so they are critical to our financial well being. Again, look at the sponsorship revenue for the aforementioned clubs. It is big because they have a lot of members! 3) Not in the eyes of clubs: once they have you as a member, even as an Armchair, or 3 gamer they can work to make you a full member and get your family on board. (Without those membership options we may not have any country or interstate members). Also, members buy merchandise, adding revenue to the club and revenue and advertising to our sponsors- anyone buy New Balance gear recently? 4) The more members we have the more people at games and so gate revenue goes up. Looking at 'Net Profit' is a very limited view, especially as club costs are 'fixed' - effectively, any additional member is almost 100% profit (after allowing for making up and mailing membership packs). The club would be ecstatic to break last years record so early and grow our membership by over 30% in 4 years. We fans should share that excitement. So, I don't see the point of introducing 'Net Profit' to this thread. imv it simply isn't relevant to the thread nor to the value of increased membership numbers. Enjoy the ride on and off the field!

chugging along nicely - another day, another lazy 474 - WOW 43,195

I'm guessing that watching the team winning flags might be a bit like loosing ones virginity, the first time is special, but then you want more. I'I' still waiting to pop my MFC flag cherry.

It wouldn’t be beyond us to have a flat one. But I don’t think we will. This seems a different mindset to last season. We’re playing FOR each other. There’s a confidence. There’s a ruthlessness. There’s a flint hardness. Last year we lost to bottom four sides, this year we’re smashing them. I’m interested in seeing how our ball movement matches up to a more defensive group. We’ve looked very fast moving it, without having any overt leg speed. Least bounces in the comp this year. Want to see how we move it against better teams. I spoke with a senior player after the Hawks loss: they were trying to use the corridor more. At that stage we were 18th for corridor use. Now, we own it. He said it was a confidence-thing. Now you see players turning inside before going down the line. It’s good to see, but take some elite kicking.

To me this week is our biggest test since we started winning. We were always going to be up for it last week, with the commentary around how 'we haven't played anybody yet'. This week we have supposedly 'weaker' opposition, the media hype around us is unprecedented, we are all of a sudden a genuine premiership 'threat'. Anyone who saw the first quarter last Friday night will know the dogs can still play some decent footy. I see this week as the next test of maturity. Will we expect it to happen like we did so many times last year? Or will the team keep executing the way they have been and do what they need to do against a weaker opposition? The 4 wins against the minnows should have set my mind at ease, but still have a slightly uneasy feeling around this weeks' match. Hoping we haven't gotten ahead of ourselves and we keep doing what we have been doing.

Regarding the emergencies, so long as the team is remaining unchanged, I expect all the viable choices will just continue cycle through and change every week. Not about who is “closest” per se, just meaning they minimise the disruption to the emergency players. Pedersen would be the exception as he is the only viable tall available at present until Weideman gets going at Casey.

I've seen Pedo up in the Trident section mixing with fans and cheering on the team. Very friendly bloke

To start the weekend it is Sydney vs Carlton. I don't know if many people read the 'roar' aussie rules (yes they call our game by its correct name) website but it is quite good - their writers tell it as it is without histrionics. https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/05/30/friday-night-blues-looming-afl/ In this article about tonight's game this line caught my eye: :.. who would want to watch a developing club like them [Carlton] continue to suffer Friday night humiliation when we could be watching an up-and-coming club like Melbourne?" Ha, ha! Hard to imagine we won't get a few marquee time slots next year. Earn us a few fans and a few members perhaps? Reading the last few paras of the article shows that Sydney really gets what Fri night footy is about.

Exactly. I’m fully anticipating a flogging. On form, it should absolutely be a flogging. If it’s any less than a flogging, I’ll be disappointed. If I’m disappointed, I won’t jump on Demonland and rant and rave and make silly motherhood statements and demand a response from the club, because I understand my own expectations are my own problem to manage. I’ll just adjust my expectations accordingly. If the result does go how I expect, though, I will experience a level of contentment that others who have tempered their own expectations won’t get, knowing that everything is actually as good as it seems. When you hold your expectations low, you create doubt in yourself when things actually are working. People see the world through their own lense. If people choose cautious optimism, good for them. I was at cautious optimism when Clint Bizkit was looking for a purchase in the hope market. I’m way past that now.

Even Caro was finding it hard to accept, but did concede, on her show the other night. The reality is, we're just one loss away from the "typical Melbourne" of "fall from grace" headlines.

I've got to agree with Whispering. I don't mind peeking over the fence after a win but I have a bad feeling about premature congratulations.

That's my favourite. When we're being referred to as a scalp, I'm happy.

Well, I of course won't say no to that. Even though I want born yet I'm still filthy we didn't win 6 in a row in the 50s.

That's what this Forum is all about. It's a lot more effective than paying for some professional psychologist to try and treat your MFCSS attacks when no one other than members on here have a clue about or know how to treat.

I moved here at 18 and it took me quite a while to warm to it, I actually also considered writing a book based on my move and my observations of Perth. I may get to it one day. The Bell Tower time’s on Facebook is worth a look at.

I must admit the last few years I feel I'm 1mm from a complete meltdown over this club ?

Meanwhile over on the Doggies board... Let's hope the Demon players are as overconfident as many of their supporters.....

Saw this suggested banner on the doggies board, real rib tickler I thought ”Will Bulldogs bite, will Bulldogs roar Will Bulldogs have a crack? Or will they want their tummy scratched and roll over on their back”

Just hate the Filth. Underlying pond life at the bottom of respectability.

This is interesting. I saw the opposite on the weekend. I thought in the first month the team was just frantically playing on at all cost in the corridor and over handballing even when there weren't options in the clear resulting in the opposition getting the ball. In the last month they have progressively minimised handballs in the contest by getting the ball out in the open and switching outside the corridor and running the ball down the wings in space and then having the time to do proper delivery inside 50. They are only using the corridor where they have options in space in there. I'm guessing our turnovers resulting in scores for the opposition has significantly dropped off in the past month.

Gaff over Sloane every day of the week. Don’t give up Hogan. Ever. Plenty of salary cap room.

Has been a great club man since joining. Very unselfish and leaves no stone unturned in his preperation. And it shows in the way he plays. Pitty he wasn't able to hold his form at times at AFL level and cement a spot. Not saying his days are over but the bar has been raised a little further with Smithy's return.

I won't be content til I see us atop the premiership ladder so 4 flags minimum.

Keep executing the basics better than those against them - yeah, I know that it is a Goodwin mantra, as is humble, but it is true. The moment that we assume the other team will not be doing those things we will get hurt. By all means I hope the club enjoys it when it works, as long as they don't forget what got them there in the first place.

Pretty realistic stuff from those supporters unlike the fantasy land Carlton supporters pre 109

That's probably not far from what our match day threads looked like in 2013.

I thought last week Adelaide were supposed to be a “scalp” however we beat them so well and by so much that they looked putrid and now they’re not a team , but one out of form and riddled with injuries and we’re just still flat track bullies who haven’t beaten anyone yet If we had won by 5 goals with Adelaide in the contest up to the end the narrative on Adelaide would be different , and then conversely the magnitude of our win (almost stupidly) would have been seen as greater in the eyes of some , as it would be seen as a real scalp ! FMD , just maybe Adelaide got beaten by a better side. Let’s see how Adelaide are now a magically a “top team “again when they have a redemptive win on the weekend . Like us as supporters the media has preconceived biases towards our team , we don’t fully trust them yet , and we see the reality of the incredible stats of the past month , yet we don’t believe it , it’s something of an outlier or an anomaly , as this is simply just not Melbourne like , and the universe will surely correct itself shortly and we’ll go back to our old ways . Well that’s what I (and many others mind you) thought of Richmond last year , maybe (just maybe) we might now be finally proven wrong about our own club too

Trying to match up Hoges, TMac, Trac and Bull must be a nightmare for the opposition.