Leaderboard

Any hope of some acknowledgment of Goodwin's brilliant coaching performance? Completely out thought LB. Must be galling to those here who wanted him gone.

10 - 1

We’re a team for the big stage now, no doubt about it. The real deal. Oh mate I’m so proud right now, this is a bloody stern and rugged football team. It’s not about sis toughest, it’s about who’s toughest the longest. Could have easily been a shoot out, hell the Dogs could have easily kicked the first of the second half and made it a game but we just juice extracted the early parts of these quarters and frustrated the heck out of them. Beware of the Dogs? I think not, beware of the guy guarding the gate with a big demon pitchfork! No dogs allowed Where do you start with the performances? I think you have to start in the coaches box. Yze saying we weren’t going to tag anyone? Mwah, absolute brilliance in theatre. Harmes to Libba when we could have easily sent him to Bont, we really did our homework there. Spargo’s run with role was excellent as well. It’s not all about the possession number it’s where they happen. Heck Bont had 30 of them, does anyone remember Bont actually doing anything? Clayton Oliver take a bow young man, this guy could win a contested ball in Antarctica, even if he had to get there first. The way this guy is playing right now, do not change. His excellent handballing is still there, kicks when he should. Don’t even change the hair right now friend, seeing the Pat flowing front as he gathers a tough ball is a sight of beauty. James Harmes, you started it all with that great goal and his game for the next 120 was just workman extraordinaire. Had his knockers, thought he’d find it hard getting back in but I think he’s back to stay now. Gut running midfielders are still in season and he played a game tonight like James McDonald would do every week back in the day keeping his opponent down but getting a lot of ball for himself. Best game in years. How about Gus Brayshaw? 50-50 balls in the air that could have gone either way on that wing and he won nearly all of them. Huge part of the win. Trent Rivers you gun. Never wastes the footy, brilliant in one on ones. I’m actually getting sick of how this guy manages to spoil the ball in contests he looks like he has to right to be in (Just kidding, I’m not sick of this at all). Jake Lever played but also played with rage! His holding the ball tackle I saw a look in his eyes I hadn’t seen before. It was a ‘You’re dead meat’ look. Man it’s so good to have the player we thought we were getting and then some. And how about disco Plugger Macdonald? Key marks in the game, his leads were to complex for the cruddy Bulldogs defenders which are just not up to it. G.Lyon made a great point a few weeks ago how they are balding at the crown but the party at the front can be combed back. Man I’m tired and drunk, need to finish this so I can drop the tablet and flop. ANB, Pickett, Jordan, Fritsch, Spargo just immense. Forward pressure was back tonight and we smoked it. Even Clint Bartram played well tonight, whenever he is. We worked so hard tonight, no passengers. And after the week we’ve had as Victorians we deserve it. Can just sit back and enjoy the weekend filled with activities localised to my backyard. And everyone else including the ladder can get stuffed. Very very proud. I’m tired, bed.

And once more: the AFL's clash jumper "policy" is a [censored] disgrace. We can't wear red vs the Dogs, and in the Sir Doug Nicholls round to boot, but Essendon can wear a black jumper on ANZAC Day against Collingwood, and Carlton gets to wear its home jumper against Richmond, Collingwood and Essendon. Steven May was talking during the week about how much it meant to him to be able to wear the jumper in Sir Doug Nicholls round. To some it's a small issue but for a competition that wants to be elite, it's a disgrace.

Can we talk about Petty for a second? Real impressive, all he needed was a decent run for it to come together and I think that was his most complete performance to date. Good job mate, tracking beautifully.

How good is it to wake up Saturday morning, sitting prettying at the top of the ladder while all the other teams still have to battle for the minor placings?

Reckon the Weid can build on his 2nd half tonight. Needs a confidence boost and might've got a little hit tonight. Got a couple marks to stick. Kicked 2 from 3. Gets his hands on just about everything. I'm backing him in to start holding a few more. Reckon he's gotta relax, trying too hard. Feeling the pressure to hold his spot.

Bont Car broke down

Hunt is part of the back 6 that is absolutely humming and he gave JJ from the dogs an absolute bath tonight

After watching the Dees beat the Dogs tonight, I have just calmed down just enough to be able to read and write. I do this after texting several of those closest to me sending messages of congratulations after tonight's's great Melbourne victory over Western Bulldogs. I have so many positive emotions going on right now. The first is my absolute joy of watching the Dees maintain unrelenting pressure for 4 quarters during this evening's top or the table match against the Dogs, and watch them take down the temporary league leaders and reclaim it for us all!. Top of the Ladder. Earned it the hard way! The second is after 57 years of supporting the Melbourne Football Club, I, not for the first time, but for the most confident time, believe. A new whiff wafts and I like it. On so many occasions over the past weeks and months, whilst wearing my scarf with pride - not just to the footy but also in public and to work (like I have done for years), random strangers, old friends, and other unexpected people are now approaching me and having lengthy discussions with me about the MFC and how well we are doing. The third is I am so proud to be able to tell them I am a member of the MFC. These discussions have all been positive and I continue to enjoy them very much. I believe I may well be the most elderly continuous supporter of the the Melbourne Football Club to have not been alive when Melbourne last won a premiership. Having been born in October of MCMLXIV I challenge any MFC supporter to knock me off my mantle.

Baker has not shown anything and does not run as hard devensively, I’d give someone else a go. Push ANB to the wing and bring in Bedford

Teams play badly against us. If you see it happen once then you could be forgiven for think that we were lucky to get a team on a bad day. But every team has a bad day against us. That's why we're good.

Rubbish. Weid last night - 6 disposals, 5 marks, 1 tackle, 2.1 goals Brown (at VFL level) - 4 disposals, 0 marks, 2 tackles, 0 shots at goal We've waited so long to build a genuinely competitive culture and so many want to throw it out the window at first chance.

You must be new here.

BT is a peanut but I agreed with his assessment that we weren’t over-the-top celebrating during the game. Not sure if it was a conscious decision or not but it was the most clinical no fuss win from a Melbourne team in a long time. I just love that we were in front for 100% of the game.

And lockdown means you can watch the reply 7 times and not feel guilty about it

Re-watch the game... Brayshaw was sensational as the defensive wing. Don't recall him losing a single one on one, and his 1% efforts were fantastic. He did everything you could ask him to do without the football. Daisy Pearce was on the money all game, that he was doing a brilliant, thankless job on the wing.

Can I just say that Harmes ‘played on’ Libba and was great getting him out of the slot at stoppages but that was not a hard tag. He had 23 touches. You can’t carry a tagger these days. Harmes was fantastic and showed why he came back into the side quickly.

No, that was Carey. Daisy Pearce stands out in this commentary line up. The rest are morons.

For all those questioning Brayshaws place in the side, tonight was a great example of how wrong they were. one of the more selfess team games you're likely to see

Riewoldt gave Brayshaw a big pump up tonight and basically said that if a player of his calibre is playing a role like that - it is indicative of a team that is at its zenith. I agree, he wants to get on the footy but he can’t do that in a contending team - he is not quick enough and his close in skills are sketchy (that’s my opinion) but he is smart and selfless and courageous and that takes you a long way on a defensive wing. So impressive.

If Ed is feeling ok to play next weekend shave his head, cover him in tats and call him “Nathan Jones”.

great win!! I love it when Harmes gets a run with role. He seems to thrive on it. I also thought Petty played super well and hopefully gets a lot of confidence from tonight. Clayton Oliver quite possibly leading the Brownlow right now.

Libba's a gun. What in the world are you talking about.

I just love my footy club. Finally, I can say it with pride and real belief. Dad, I hope we can do it for you. If we do, I'll make sure the fridge is stocked with Abbotsford lager. By the way, can you please have a word with the big fella up there, to make sure he smiles upon us for the rest of the year and tell him to have a word to Norm and let him know it is ok to let go of the curse..... finally

As we only play Brisbane once and it's effectively our home game there is no way I would want the game played in Queensland.

Good call.

Just ben watching some footage and highlights, and want to give a BIG shout out to Petty. Apart from his very capable beating of his opponent each week, that mark he took shows an increase in confidence. He gets to contests, and is steady with ball in hand. I haven't noticed him too much over the past few weeks but I made a point of watching him and I really like what he brings. And although Melksham has been on shaky ground for most of this year, I thought his workrate, effort and footskills were very good. That howler of walking the ball over the boundary line was a brain fade, but he was effective in his role last night.

Hope they play it at Metricon Stadium for the selfish reason that I’m currently hunkered down and doing it rough in the warmth and brilliant sunshine of late autumn on the Gold Coast while my thoughts are always with my fellow Victorians, locked down, shivering and huddled around fireplaces. I’m up for the challenge of single handedly supporting the Demons to a big win at Carrara if Gillon provides me with the challenge.

$4.50 outright flag Fav . Trac and Ollie 2nd and 3rd fav for the Brownlow and sitting a game clear on top of the ladder. Don't wake me up I'm enjoying this dream.

Id drop weed. But I admit I may not be very objective. Backed the dees over 39 points. He shanked a shot to make it 42 points. Then his next two kicks, both of which should have set up scoring shots, were dead set clangers. Id still drop him. One tackle. And 10 half jogs and coraaling. Four possessions is rubbish. Sure 3 goals, but 2 were gifts. And he dropped mutiple marks that he should have swallowed

To really feed my addiction, this year I have really embraced catch up radio for specific segments. Makes it so easy for an addict to get his dees fix. And because we are flying, heaps of any given segment is about us! And as a bonus no ads. Radio catch up musts: Max gawn extended interview on rsn breakfast, fortnightly from 7am. Every Monday morning from 7am on rsn jimmy bartel leads a review of the the weekend's games. He rates the dees and we get a good crack. Good tactical stuff. Tuesday rocketveade reviews the weekends game on rsn breakfast Leppa on Tuesday on wheatley on sen. Jennings thurs on wheatley on sen (though I'm not sure why, but he really annoys me) Friday night on sen i have come to really like jordon Lewis. And if super keen all the radio stations that cover one of our games have post match interviews etc All of the above can be found on the relevant websites. However my favourite two hours of radio is Sunday 12-2 on the abc. 12-1 Corbin Middlemas, Brett Deledio and Lauren Arnell on Grandstand AFL Sunday. Fantastic. Genuinely interesting and they have a great chemistry. My favourite radio show Then 1-2 is Alistair Nicholson, Jake niall and someone else. More about the game in general and politics etc. But good nonetheless

Made some costly mistakes. A couple of bad clangers, allowing English to outmark him for a goal (though Lever didn't help the cause) and then getting too easily blocked to give English an easy mark on the lead and goal. But is much more attacking than tomorrow, and omac before him. Looks for intercept marking opportunities, zones off aggressively and really backs himself in marking contests. And is a much better kick than he has shown in the last two games. Could see him sharing kick out duties with may. He is a gun. And has huge upside. A future AA defender.

Interesting stat for those who feel Gus lacks a bit of pace.

Centre clearances and the goals we kicked from them, especially early in the game were crucial and a massive reason why we were on top.

Funny when Harmes plays his best position as a tagger he kills it. He wiped the floor against Libba while racking up 21 possies and kicks a goal. Amazing what happens when you play players in their best position and to what their skills are suited to. Who would have thought that!!! FMD took long enough. Better late than never though.

If that was your first thought you need to chill out a bit. We're 10-1. We just beat a side almost no one thought we'd beat. We're 4-0 against the top 8, 5-0 if you include Richmond.

One good thing about the lockdown. While everyone thinks I am working from home, I will be watching the replay twice a day

Shout out to Gus for his game. Epitome of sacrificing for the team. Only got it a dozen times but regularly won or halved 1 on 1s. Deserves votes

Great team performance, will put my hand up as one who thought it was more important to tag the outsiders as opposed to cutting off the source. Really good move cutting Libba out and anyone who uses Brayshaws stats to judge his performance doesn’t know what they are talking about

And here we are giving it to the best teams in the comp on the big Friday night games. Very surreal.

Great response from the loss last week

He wasn’t actually to bad in the first half, he was hitting the contest breaking packs and bringing the ball to ground. His first half was very much a nearly game. I was thinking he’s close to taking a few clunks here and getting some confidence

We make our opponents look ordinary. Bounced back. Clean football, very little fumbling. Good use of taggers. Good coaching. Jordon, Lever, Oliver, Harmes, Tracc, Tmac, Spargo, Rivers, Petty, Hibbs, all good. Melky and Weids on thin ice, IMO. Still need to take our chances when kicking for goal. Have plenty of upside and can expect more improvement as the season unfolds. Accuracy, finding separation when offensive, not flying for the same mark (did Weids spoil Fritta), taking the first option, not fumbling easy marks, a few more shepard's, Salem and Hunt had average games, so missed that fast ball through our corridors. We will miss Langdon, he is so important with him running hard and fast all game. Friday night footy with a win, we can enjoy the rest of the weekend's games and get talked about in all the shows. On the jumper clash. Wow, lots of difference in them, made even more when the white shorts are on. Disappointing, for all the broadcasters talking it up. The indigenous players feeling extra pride and then the let down. Why can't the MFC stand up to the AFL, like the others. Dreamtime game was played with much more clash. I guess the unveiling will be even more special in the Alice.

He shut down the whole wing....

You must be his biggest flan.....

Wrong on brayshaw. Great game.

One of the best team efforts I have seen for 30 years. We had stars, but there were a lot of blokes who played for the jumper not the stats.

Blood moon has brought out your dark side joeboy. Really harsh assessments here.

James Harmes best game in a long time