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Really enjoyed Hunt’s recent form after such a horror season last year. He’s been clean with the ball and using his pace to full effect.

Oh and Nathan Vardy is a [censored] GRUB!!!!

Kind of ironic, last time we went over there our season was on the line, circumstances couldn't have been any more different. Not sure what I honestly expected back then but I think we were all shocked at the result. Things have gone down hill since then. Not sure what to expect tonight. I am taking my son for his first AusKick tonight. Alot has changed since my first kick of the footy through to his; 8 (unfortunately I think that's about to be 9) Prime Minister's 10 Melbourne coaches (even sadder) 5 different names for Kardinia park 34 players on our list were born 4 clubs were invented 13~ John Farnham tours (difficult to quantify) 22 Marvel movies 14 Professional Darts Corporation world titles for Phil Taylor 7 F1 titles for Michael Schumacher 7 V8 super car championships for Jamie Wincup (1 for Mark Winterbottom, go Frosty) 23 confirmed nuclear detonations Pluto was officially dropped as a planet 0 Melbourne premierships The sun will come up tomorrow regardless, we will have our time in it again, would be nice to have a win to accompany my inevitable hangover though

The club sees a 'serious ' injury to a young player as an opportunity rather than a serback They give them teaching/learning opportunities as well as building them physically, Baker this year physically bears no resemblance to last year, he also has a greater understanding of the game, chatted to him about it They are doing the same with Aaron Neitschke, already put on a couple of k of muscle whilst off legs, has Nev Jetta to keep him company at the moment, which can only be a good thing

I've only seen the second half and that was clearly the best football we've played all year. We lost this game because we dominated the third quarter but barely scored. We were playing top 4 football at times, other than in respect of shots on goal. We were tough at the contest, quick on the spread, we hit targets by foot, we had players leading up at the ball, but when we needed to kick the goal we missed or fluffed the mark or didn't make the distance or dropped a soda of a mark. We should have been 5+ goals up at three quarter time, not 2. Key umpiring mistakes in the fourth didn't help. I'm pretty sure Petty touched that first goal, there was the non-call on the throw, but the biggest one was Jetta's sling tackle on Tim Smith which should have been called a dangerous tackle. Each of those cost us a goal and the third one was when our confidence broke. The crowd found its voice, they had their confidence, we were a runner down on the bench and on a six-day break with too many VFL level players we hit a wall. We should have had a nice 5 goal buffer though, so that we could afford those things to happen. Play like that for the rest of the year and we can improve significantly and do far better than our current record suggests.

Played our best footy of the year by far, and lost. That’s life. I made the call early in the week that the watchability of the Gold Coast win was of no concern because it would be irrelevant to the standard the West Coast game would be played at. Pretty happy with that call.

Just witnessed a middle-aged man in a west coast jumper slip over whilst walking over the bridge to the stadium. He landed on his guts as if he was about to go down a slip and slide. It’s a sign.

Loss is the most likely outcome od. And no shame in that. We have close to half of our best 22 out playing the reigning premier, who have most of their best available, at their home ground interstate. But hope springs eternal and whilst a loss would hurt (but not sting, assuming we give total effort) a win could change the trajectory of our season and be one for the ages. Beware the motivated underdog, coming off an inspirational last gasp win, who have nothing to lose. Go dees.

I said it at half time too, but I thought Hunt was great tonight from start to finish. Was super clean with the ball and used his pace magnificently. Great to see him back - didn’t look the same player at any stage last year.

Nah. The Cripps non-throw hurt, but it was no worse than usual. Can’t control the umpiring, but you can control missing set shots and easy goals. Let’s concentrate on that rather than the umpires.

It was there for the taking ….. and we threw it away

Eddie McGuire is filthy on the non decision on the dangerous tackle on Smith.

Trac should have had 6. Easy. Jeff 4. Just kick the easy goals!! great effort by the boys. Pity we couldn’t finish. Vardy is a dead set [censored]

Win, lose or draw. It’s refreshing to see that we still have the 2018 football in us.

Few games and he’ll be right I reckon

Twice in a row Tim Smith doesn’t jump when he’s in the vicinity of TMac. The first one TMac misses the mark by a whisker, the second spills out the back and he gets a goal out of it. Forwards who don’t spoil each others marks - it’ll never catch on.

Let's be fair though, most people on here had written us off before the game, so the fact we led for 80%+ or something like that and should have won should be a positive to the same people who thought we were in for a 10-goal loss or a repeat of the prelim.

Im most Peed off that Tim Smith was given Holding the ball, Every other instance of players stopping has been a ball up. 12 point tunaround and a concussion. Game over.

I am shattered who wouldn't be however a step in the right direction. 8 frees to 1 in the last to the Weasles. No back line but rapt in Petty and the ever reliable Marty Hore. Upseting that we did genuinely have our chance but l am proud of the boys. Give me something to hang onto. If only we converted the early misses. Yes if only. We keep the faith.

Dean Margetts has legit West Coast affiliation

David King just said there will be a lot of anger against the umpires by the Dees and virtually insinuated they robbed us completely.

I thought Baker had a great debut. Pity for him that he didn’t kick that goal in the 2nd. I was nervous for Petty after his debut but thought he had a good game also. Bit to like with those two. Hopefully this performance spurs them both on.

Pathetic post

Just waiting for that pathetic excuse for a MRO, Christian, to spin Rioli out of the slam tackle that (1) should have been a free to Smith, instead o free to WCE, AND (2) concussed a defenseless player with arms pinned.

Considering the outs and all the traveling the umpires the crowd, we did really really well. We took chances and played 110 times better than last week. Build on this.

Looking to see Rioli rubbed out for his concussion causing sling tackle on Smith

Cant blame Frost, hes been great tonight

All the Frost haters must be starting to believe they’re simply wrong.

FROSTY destroying petrols shirt is now my favourite moment of the game haha

I actually reckon it might be the other way and we flew Pruess over as a bit of gamesmanship. I think Goodwin has conceded that we won't beat westcoast in the air and will endeavour to play the game on the ground. That's my take.. I don't think he got outfoxed, they'd have played Pruess if they'd wanted to.

608 games of experience out, 72 games of experience in thanks largely to ANB’s 64 against the reigning premiers on their home deck. What could go wrong? Nothing, Dees by 1 point. Good luck to the Ninja.

Max Gawn is a work horse and a War horse. Why wasn't Preuss playing tonight? Gawny needed a breather and some help and just can't do it week in and week out. He will most definitely break down and that is not what we want. Preuss could have been a foil for TMac and a marking option up forward. The beast that he is and needed tonight to bring ball to ground as well. Sorry football dept you got this one wrong.

Really like Marty Hore

Massively disappointing to be the better side for most of the night & let a 19 point lead slip but you can not question the endeavour & effort by the side tonight. Grossly undermanned & backs against the wall, no ones mentioned the 6 day break & double travel which is a joke, I don't think any side would have 2 trips back to back let alone on a 6 day break... Proud of the effort just disappointed we didn't get reward

May be he spoke like a little girl.

Boys gave it all I am just over watching Eagles get critical goals from free kicks. You just know where going to get pineapple. I don’t know about other posters but Eagles are the most arrogant pile of manure and have been since early 90s. That pay out on Gawn show up their mentality. I just live for the day we whip there [censored].

Once Baker adjusts to the speed of the game he’s going to be a very good player.

That was a new look team and I liked it. We were quicker, more mobile and had better agility. Preuss up forward would have been good to help provide relief again McGovern. Baker and Petty a big tick. Wagner, Smith (despite brain fade), Lockhart and even Stretch were all solid. Get a Fritsch back into the forward line, get Petracca a sports psychologist, get Preuss in the team, keep Lewis and other slow players out and we’ll be fine. The focus this week at training should be how to pick the ball up off the ground, we simply can’t do it.

Get a kicking coach into the club and we’ll win the premiership. Set shots: 2 goals 6 behinds from 11 shots. Pathetic kicking.

Seriously, Melbourne must send a please explain to the AFL about poor umpiring

Honestly the AFL has become a joke. Who wants to watch games destroyed by bad rules and terrible umpiring?

Surely that's a free against Kennedy for the knee directly in the back of Oscar without touching the footy.

It’s almost like we had an interrupted pre season and it would take us six or seven weeks to build form and fitness.

Best piece of play all year for the hunt goal.

Great work except I think it’s fortunate we’ll be onto our 9th PM!!

Not at all confident.. Hoping for a close, entertaining Friday night game. Wish both Baker and Petty have strong games and stake claims to hold their spot.

Yep can't wait my youngest pulled a gig in halftime of the little league, so once he gets through school unscathed tomorrow will be great

Good luck to Jake Lever, for a safe and high quality return.

Mods should lock the 'Changes' and 'Pregame' threads when the Gameday thread is started. Just a suggestion. ?

I wouldn't say a horrible injury list is "fallen" just rotten luck....