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Good luck today ladies. By the end of the day, I hope to see the following headline: ”Devastating Demons Destroy Disappointing Dogs”

Yes absolutely but I won’t be watching the replay ?

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/feb/20/former-collingwood-player-leon-davis-we-dont-want-our-kids-to-have-to-go-through-the-[censored] I imagine ours and other clubs pasts are similar and man it’s hurtful to read these kinds of stories. I really hope with the guidance of Wrecker and Jetta there are better support networks for indigenous players and staff and our players are better educated.

We used to play picks too early to get games into them and I am sure that killed some careers. Now I dont think we hold players back now I think we reward good preseasons and then post that make youngsters earn their spot when they are ready. It’s hard to say we hold players back when last year Pickett, Jackson and Rivers in a similar fashion to Port with Rozee, Butters, Duursma. Jordon and Sparrow have been unfortunate that they have been behind some quality mature mids. Petty and Chandler were injured most of last year.

Lachie Ash is the nephew of Chris Connelly and supported the Dees but jumped ship to Geelong because how terrible we were during the Neeld years.

It’s grammar ?

The idea sounds great in theory but it never works. He hardly ever takes a contested mark when playing deep forward. He's much better at taking a grab in defensive 50 than forward 50. He's a ruckman by trade, not a forward.

Sounds like Goodwin was the stand in coach today with those stats.

Makes sense if we continue to butcher the ball.

Really felt last year we just persevered with players out of form....ie Harmes/Tmac/Melksham/Brayshaw but with no real reserves competition we did not really get to see others showing their wares. Baker was one that put together good string of form to get him few late games but apart from that i can't think of any others that were able to force their way in/up. I hope we just don't persevere with players horribly out of form in the senior team. I really think players like Mitch Brown should have been played much more and earlier last year when it was obvious a bunch of our senior players were so far off AFL standard.

For years Ive been perplexed by Melbourne Merch. With our updated, simplified logo/rebranding a few years back I thought about time. Whilst it is an improvement, its still reasonably ordinary with such a lack of imagination and variety. But hang on...I take it all back now after having just jumped on. For my prayers have been answered...meat cleavers are now available for purchase. Ill say it again...MEAT CLEAVERS! F.M.D

It’s only February

For some reason my all time favorite final is the win against Carlton in the 2000 final series, what a game and Malcolm Blights one sided commentary still rankles me. Green and Bruce played crucial cameo's in a solid team win, I can still remember that we were all jumping up and down as the scoreboard chopped and changed in that last quarter...Phew, I was exhausted.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok Ill say it...... If we continue to play guys like Melksham, Spargo, Baker, and even Hibberd et al we will amount to nothing Start playing Bowey, Laurie, and "The Freak" Fraser Rosman EARLY !!! Just to explain the Nickname "The Freak" came about after I saw him two weeks ago in simulated match practice take "The Mark of the Game" then in another bit of play kick "The Goal of the game" from 50 out on the wrong side for a left footer on an acute angle, without too much bother!!! FREAKISH !!

Nothing and I say again absolutely nothing can top this game for me!!??? ANNNND the after match party at MINOOTZ RESTAURENT in Collingwood I think was a particularly great night! Players, Wives, Coaches hangers on and associated hangers on partied on in what still remains for me a pivotal moment in time!! Not sure if this restaurent is still around!!?

Terrible game with terrible kicking (if we kicked 50% better it was an easy win). Kicked ourselves out of the game by missing miss shots on goals and didn't fix out forward structure. Bulldogs know their game well. They also marked really well today around the group with their big players and were often positioned better out the back for when the ball went over, thats bad coaching/leadership by us.

Could be but surely you saw his last 3/4 games in 2020 he was pushing up from HB to HF and running his hardest ever. He actually impacted games esp the GWS one and even kicked a goal, I believe he can become an A grader if he uses his skills and gets a tank and impacts the team performance and would like him up the ground as I believe He also bought Much more urgency to his game . Worth a try in my opinion.

1989 Wayne Carey 4 games . nil goals 2 behinds.

Hi all, I recently decided to join up on this site given that over the years I have often visited this forum to read, learn and mostly enjoy the contributions and views of passionate MFC supporters. I thank you all. I would like to make a positive contributions to this site and therefore to start with would like to share an interview that was recently recorded with a current multiple premiership winning coach. Whist this interview may not be directly related to AFL football, I believe nonetheless offers tremendous insight into the thoughts, views and philosophies ( including player recruitment) of the very successful NRL coach of the Sydney Roosters in Trent Robinson. A number of you may be immediately put off by the fact this interview is conducted by Mark Bouris and with a coach from a different code. Fair enough. Im not here to judge. However, if you are willing to get push past this, I believe you may just enjoy many of the insights into coaching, leadership and recruitment that is offered. For Storm fans, please feel free to delete. For those of you who decide to click on the link, I hope you enjoy the interview.

There was an also an email from the club about scarf collection next week. Perhaps the Demon Shop could have been added as a place to collect the scarf along with the Jaguar retailers and MCG. Might have added some more traffic through the shop during the week. Interested to see if many members actually visit Jaguar to go pick up their scarf. Just don’t fall for the come back home with a Jag and no scarf trick.

Dee-lightful headline Mr Crompton. Go Dees!

Not sure how much of an advantage as not all teams play each other so the fixture depends on how the AFL manipulates it to help the teams they want in the finals. I've mentioned it before but Carlton is one such team. Since they lost their first two they have played newbie teams; Saints and Tigers. I would expect them to get a lot more of the low teams to help them to finals. On the other hand we will get Freo, Crows, Lions and GWS making it harder for us to finish up the ladder/top 4. How many of those 4 games are i/state who knows but we need to win i/state because of 'Home' finals. tbh, I'm not worried by the travel. I'm more worried by the AFL manipulating the fixture to favour teams and to help broadcasters with 'blockbuster' games. I will be filthy if we or one of the other 'top' teams' miss finals or the top four because a fixture 'fix' gets teams like Carlton in. The fixture is already distorted by not all teams playing each other. This week-to-week fixturing adds to the farce. Time for the AFL to set out the next five weeks and if covid lockdowns interfere then amend it at the time.

Am beginning to think North aren't as good as many thought. Track record so far is: Rnd 1: vs Cats. Win 11.5.71 vs 1.3.9 Rnd 2: vs Saints. Win 5.6.36 vs 1.4.10 Rnd 3: vs Mighty Dees: Loss 8.3.51 vs 9.6.60 Rnd 4: vs Pies: Loss 0.8.8 vs 4.4.28 I don't think they are as bad as the score vs Pies suggests (bad kicking) nor as good as the first two wins vs newbie teams. Are they becoming the 'flat track bullies' of the AFLW? Hopefully today's game gives more insight on where we sit in the comp. It is also a classic '8-point game'. Win and we go two games up on North, Bulldogs, Carlton and maybe Crows, if they lose to Lions today who are playing at home. I know it is early in the season to talk of '8-point' games but with 5 rounds after today a win gives us a foot on the top four of the ladder. I've now made myself more nervous about today's game.?

Someone mentioned in a training report (a rumour) that Lachie Ash would be heading back to Vic at the end of his contract (2021) and would be going to Dees or Cats. Whether it's true or not, he can be chucked on top of the list. Just what we need!

I haven't read the article OD but my understanding from someone at the club is Victoria will need 28 days of zero cases to have 50% crowds attend. There will be an option for 30% crowds subject to case numbers as well but not certain of case numbers required for that. Even 30% crowd maximum shouldn't bother us bar 3 or 4 games lol.

Commiserations young man, it is a terribly sad fact that we all have to face and it stays with us for the rest of our lives, but you must remember just how proud of you your mum would have been, you have achieved so much in your young life span. Hang in there Kozzie and remember that you have the whole MFC family thinking of you and your family.!!!!

Yes particularly when there hasn't been any training as reported?

The way we're going we'll probably have room for another 5 preseason pick ups before the cut off.

What beats the Melbourne V Bulldogs at the Western Oval when we needed to beat them and Hawthorn needed to beat Geelong for us to make the finals for the first time in 23 years. It was the final round. With 2 mins to go in our game and holding The Dogs just about every Dees supporter at the ground was glue and listening to the radios as the siren went at Kardinia p[ark and Hawthorn hung on to a 3 point win coming from behind thanks to Dunstall's winning goal. The Dees supporters at the ground all went ballistic while our game was still in progress it felt by the players of both clubs had stopped and thinking the siren had gone. However the Melbourne boys would have worked it out quickly l believe. Brings a tear to my eye, 1987. They did it for Robbie,

Geelong and Hawthorn finals 2018.

It doesn't mean every now and again that Max can't be rested. He has been rested up forward many times. Max is a genuine tap ruckman and has the all round craft that is his best position and is possibly the best at his trade. 3 x AA that says it all.

This adds a bit more juice to the story and calls out the clubs leaders... I must admit Buckley's silence has been deafening. https://www.afl.com.au/news/550084/-can-no-longer-stay-silent-ex-pie-takes-aim-at-leaders-over-racism-claims?fbclid=IwAR1Ii51BWjCo3C03vaKhl6y6EevJR6o_-W0E6J7gc2pWwrQJ-ODuC0SR0HI

Respectfully you don't move a 3 time All Australian ruckman out of his best position. I don't mind the idea of occasionally resting Max deep in the forward line.

Nup...if you want to know why it took Max so long to develop it wasn't only his attitude and injuries. It was the attitude of a dumb coach and footy department that persisted with Spencer in the ruck at Casey whilst trying to make the far better prospect, Max...into a key forward. I remember watching him in the ruck for Casey one day when Spencer was out injured and couldn't for the life of me figure why he wasn't the number one choice ...he blitzed, would we leave him there? no they put him back forward again. It took some serious changes at the club before this changed. Max flourished in the number one ruck role when he got the chance and that's where he plays.

Add this to the long list of poorly thought out, untested rule changes the AFL have introduced on the back of the myth that high scoring = good football. If a player takes a mark, and takes a couple of lateral steps and is clearly about to play on, is the bloke standing the mark seriously just meant to stand there glued to the spot until the umpires call play on? They'll be paying an extra dozen 50m penalties a game. Although that will increase scoring, so I guess the AFL will pat themselves on the back.

How's the club suppose to prosper? Tried to tell you this during the week old dee and you had a go at me wtf?

Don’t think I’ve heard the BB King one. Love the James Brown one. Was lucky enough to see James Brown live twice.

Final quarter against essenscum at windy hill in the 90s. Bennet tore them apart in the last quarter.

When I still had my VCR working, it was the 1998 final round vs Richmond. Melbourne could go top 4 with a win (after finishing last in 1997), Tiges needed to win to make the finals. Farmer's mark in the opening minutes and then a clinical dismantling of Richmond over 4 quarters.

The 2000 final v Carlton where Green and Bruce tore them apart is my favorite.

That's 50 he took a step to the right.

Anything involving Alan Jakovich kissing his brother or bicycle kicking it over his head or high fiving a crowd member.

I will be interested to see how this rule works in practice. In particular, players supposedly "on the mark" regularly position themselves a few metres inboard to encourage (or force) the player with the ball to play along the boundary rather than going more centrally. If it is not now possible for the player on the mark to choose to be anywhere along the lateral line, but solely to a single spot, I expect a lot more attacking football through the middle. I think that's going to be a good thing for the game.

Yes, most people don't like change, and I expect you will agree that is not in itself an argument to support a specific proposed change. We see in this forum plenty of posts pointing out why this won't work (in various senses) and some saying the opposite. But how about actually trialling it in the VFL or wherever to see who is right first? If the AFL had nowhere to try things and had to rely on a theoretical analysis of possible pros and cons, then they'd have no choice but to either can the idea or just go for it. But they do have that choice and yet frequently just go ahead with finger crossed. I'm obviously conservative because before going on a 10km hike, I try on the new shoes I plan to use in the shop first.

Partially agree with that 'balance' perception with Viney in there, all the time. Often, it appears that Viney is 'anti-team-play', perferring to do more (or attempting to do more) with the ball than what his talents allow. Again, frequently, this results in a stoppage at best or worse - a turnover. His attitude seems to be '...I have the ball, take from me if you dare...' and this runs him into consecutive brick walls of opponents. (ie: it is a good bet that in such circumstances the opposition players are justly confident that Viney will not 'pass off' to another teammate, will not run in possession towards a teammate safety/shielding zone, will continue to progress with the ball until he is trapped - often the case.) Love his enthusiasm, his desire but shudder at its execution and the frequency of negative outcomes.

Why?

The umpires for the past few years have not bothered too much with the player with the ball moving off the mark. Prediction: the player with the ball will be permitted even more freedom to move off the mark. That's the rule as it stands, not that you would know it from watching how the umps adjudicate it. They never changed the rule. The then-umps director, Gieschen, couldn't handle the idea that Buddy Franklin was subject to the laws of the game, so he made up an imaginary one on the spot. "Natural arcs" have never been allowed, except in AFL games umpired by AFL umpires. It happens all the time and that is the thing that should be clamped down on. In typical AFL fashion, they are clamping down on the wrong thing thing and worsen the situation. Prediction: players will be given licence to do so. Classic AFL shoddily -worded rules. If you're out of bounds with the ball, you can run off your line in any direction, provided it's a straight line. Meanwhile, look forward to another season of rampant throwing the ball, and going to ground to force a ball up (aka holding the ball).

One thing you can be sure of is that the play-on call will usually be made too late, sufficiently after the player has played-on to give him an unfair advanatge. Yet again I say let the player on the mark make the judgement as to whether the player with the ball has played-on. If he gets it wrong, then impose a penalty.

This has the potential to make footy unwatchable with so many 50m penalties, but the big concern for me is it opens up another option for umpires to influence results. For example if they give one team half a second longer before calling play on after the player has actually played on, the ball carrier will be off and gone. There'll be no stats on it so it goes completely under the radar. Of all the rule changes over the last decade, this one has me the most concerned.