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Goodwin confirmed on AFL 360 that he carried a back injury into the game, which was worsened early in the game when Cox jumped into him and the also rolled an ankle. Goodwin confirmed he would've been subbed out but as he left the field Turner was concussed and Petty got hurt so Max got to complete his duties. Gutsy effort by the legend.

I'm not in favour of moving Gus from the backline. He has been the best thing about it this year. He saved an avalanche yesterday in the 3rd quarter. Langdon and Jordon are fine on the wings.

This KID is not getting anywhere near enough credit for basically carrying our backline the last 3 weeks while held together by fresh air and super glue. Just another reason I am so furious with May. Petty deserved a week off, instead he got smashed yet again, kept labouring out there, got hit in the head, is barely able to move his arm, and was still one of our best performers. I saw him getting taken off for a concussion test and he looked like he was about to cry. Has spent equal time on ground as getting medically checked the last month, and as soon as he was off we got a bag kicked on us. He will be special if he isn't already!

not one for inside word, but a coterie member we sometimes cross paths with, has said the team is really battling fitness at the moment. Langdon is no where near fit, his ribs (broken) not right, Petty is multiple injections to play last 3 weeks, Petracca has had a flu that has stuck around and is really causing him to labour.. a couple of the covid players from earlier are taking longer than usual to find 100% . Also Salem looks off the pace which is to be expected. SO while im sure its not THE problem, i am sure its A problem. Hoping a decent break, mentally as well as physically will do the team wonders. The thing i hold my hat on is that we are a good side and we know how to play good footy, so that doesnt go away, form is temporary.. class is permanent and a few players will return to top form which will dramatically help.

I'm confused. Do you want nev to facepalm - but only if he is a coward? But if he were to facepalm your bemusing post, given your challenge, wouldn't that be courageous? But if facepalming your post is courageous, then he would not be a coward in doing so.. So then can't facepalm because he is not a coward. Personally, if was nev, o would use the laughing emoji. Because the post, like pretty much every one of your posts, is pure comedy gold. By the by, on the topic of cowardly posting behaviour, I don't recall you posting much, if at all, during our run of 17 straight wins. But, now, with tge cover if 3 losses you suddenly appear with more of your, we are woeful, contributions. So very courageous. Not.

Was bound to happen at some point. Jackson and Weed as a one-two combo should frighten most teams. Weiderman is a veteran of the club now whether we like to accept it and needs to step up. It took Max until his 6th season to step up. This is Sam's 7th. No better opportunity for the kid to step up.

Petty has been enormous. im in awe if his efforts , fighting spirit and great courage.

They don't make facepalms big enough for this call.

Spargo & ANB play like small midfielders. If we want another genuine small to actually put the ball in between the big sticks, it's Bedford.

I thought it would be fun to have a predictions only thread. There are so many threads full of the discussion about where we are at now and where we are heading, so I don't think we need another thread that contains that stuff. I would like this to simply be predictions, no back and forth or analysis. Firstly, our W/L after round 19 (18 games played). Round 19 is when we had our last loss in 2021 and breaks up the run home approximately in half. Then an end of season W/L (22 games). And then a finals prediction, with or without detail. Round 19 - 12W-6L - I'm fully expecting to continue to struggle, so I think we go 2-3 over the next 5 games. Round 22 - 15W-7L - We'll start to come good, but its a tough draw so we'll go 3-1. Finals - Premiership - Finish 5th after H/A. Solid but not outstanding win against a team like Collingwood who have scrapped into the finals. Much stronger win against Sydney or Carlton in week 2, who have had great seasons to finsih top 4 but don't have anything left come September. Big win over the prentenders Geelong in the prelim who get found out again. And then a big win the grand final against Brisbane who finally go well in September but are really no match for Melbourne. Have at it.

Can the swearing filter be turned off please. I am bloody sick of no plan to protect Max from cheap shots. I want to see an opposition player throwing up after some body work the next time they elbow Max in the head. And words cannot describe my sadness at the prospect of Max having that particular injury.

Hmm, has anyone considered we may be loading? 🤔

This whole pushing players through the injury barrier is certainly paying off..

Not true for all of last year. 4W-1D-4L in the middle of the season and we were terrible in some of those losses. At our best what you said is true, but we simply were not at the best all of last year.

It appears the Pies had some Intel on Max's injury and deliberately targeted it all day. I've decided to baselessly blame Jeremy Howe.

I liked what I saw from Turner early, made a couple of errors but did some really nice things and attacked the ball hard. Such a pity he copped that head knock.

any chance you could guide me to the nearest second, so I don't have to listen to Dwayne? 😘

I think it goes without saying that I don't want to keep Jackson if it means we lose Oliver... I mean I would much rather keep him, pay him a little over what he is CURRENTLY worth and take the punt that he will turn into a star player, than give him up for 2 top 20 picks that might end up being 2x Weideman* *I am not having a dig at Weideman, it is not his fault where he was selected in the draft, I am just pointing out that top 20 picks can be Oliver and Jackson and Trac, but equally they can be Watts, Toumpas and Weideman.

I'm not convinced that loading is the issue. Here's where I am on the MFCSS scale.

That has to have been James Jordons best game. 829 metres gained is huge

Ah yes, moving our worst decision maker into a position where we're currently making terrible decisions, replacing our best decision maker... That will help!

Having sat in basically the same seats on the wing of level 2 in the MCC for the last three weeks (thereby having an ideal view), I've been trying to identify what the problem is. Until today, I thought it was primarily the continuous bombing of the ball to a crowded forward lines - doing the same thing time and time again for the same negative result. However, I think the reason we are put in this position is plainly due to slow ball movement and being too 'cautious', players too scared to take the game on and make mistakes. When we have the ball on the half back line, we try to get the ball forward with 15 metre kicks wide, adding in the odd handball, which simply gives the opposition time to flood back and make it almost impossible to find a free forward. We have no option other than to bomb in and hope - which is what teams did to us last year. On the other hand, opposition teams over the last three weeks have shown positivity towards us, use the 30-40 metre kicks to targets, which simply means by time they get it to their forward line, we don't have the numbers back and they can use space to score. Player for player, it's hard to argue we don't have the most talent in the league, so why we are not taking the game on is simply beyond me. If we don't change this come Thursday week, we'll simply be making up the numbers for the rest of the season, and wasting a very very good list. The 'problem' is fixible - once we do it, it will have immediate effects, we will have far more room and our forwards will all look way more potent - just like that! My take on today: Gawn - limited without making any real contribution, due to injury Viney - Prolific, without being overly damaging Brayshaw - Mr Reliable in the backline for three quarters in terms of blocking the opposition movement forward, albeit being 'too careful' when using the ball, hence contributing to slow ball movement Salem - Reasonable given game two Lever - Some decent uncontested marks but otherwise a deer in headlights Bowey - Liability Turner - A presence and relatively promising before injury Petty - Restricted but focal Hibberd - Classy, poised, encouraging game one Oliver - Lucky he plays for us! Petracca - Nothing possessions, clumsy at times Langdon - Ribs must still be a real problem Harmes - Little to commend B Brown - Restricted because of congested forward line, but needs to hold marks Jordon - Sound disposal, but a momentum killer, slowing play down too much, often reverting to 15-20 metre safe kicks Neal- Bullen - Pathetic Jackson - Needs to make a decision on 2023 asap, otherwise 2022 will end up a total waste Spargo - same as Jordan description, minus the 'sound disposal' part Sparrow - Player that has gone the 'most' backwards since 2021 Pickett - Mr Cameo who goes missing 99% of the time Fritsch - same as B. Brown description M. Brown - I was a fan before today

And our fans were booing Ginnivan in the opening minutes despite never playing a game against us. Don't hold your breath waiting for rational behaviour by footy fans.

Harmes got hit hard by Maynard and was vomiting on the sidelines. I am actually really sick and tired of sides coming out and physically hurting us and getting away with it. We don’t want suspensions, but Jesus give them some back. Protect your captain at least.

Many Demonlander posters are glass half empty types and like a good self flagellation!

I don't get this layzie Why is it supposed to be an afterthought, not a hot topic of conversation? Even if, like your good self, you are not convinced about loading, but are not ruling it out, i reckon it SHOULD be a hot topic of conversation. The thing i find bizarre is it's not a topic that is discussed AT ALL by the so called football analysts and media people when trying to work out what is happening at the dees. Instead they cast around for all manner of causes and theories to explain our slump. Just as they did last year, and in 2018, 2019 and 2020 to explain the ultimate premiership winner's mid season form slumps (remarkably similar to ours). I mean, even if you don't buy loading, or think it only has a minor impact, surely the fact the last four premiers' seasons have followed almost the identical pattern (start strong and bank wins, mid season form slump including some truly mystifying losses to crap teams, finishing the season full of running and all having a very similar number of wins) would be worth noting and exploring. It's possible the fact the last four premiers have followed an almost identical pattern on the way to their flag is simply a coincidence . But logic suggests that it is unlikely to be the case. And even if it is, the fact we are mirroring that same pattern this year is worthy of analysis and discussion. Instead they all ignore it all together. After 8 rounds or so David King said 'Be very afraid, Melbourne are going at about 70 per cent of last year, and they’re already proving they’re 50 per cent better than the rest of the competition'. We completely drop off a cliff and go from one of the fittest sides to one that getting overrun in second halves - again, just as we did last season at the same point in time. And David King jumps off us, is all symptoms but can't nail a cause. And doesn't even touch on loading as a potential factor. Bizarre. What i find really curious is why loading it is not discussed - even if only to debunk it - by any of the analysts, ex footballers or commentators. In other words, why isn't it a hot topic of conversation? (I have made this point any number of times, but to be clear, i don't think loading is the only factor contributing to our currently predictable form slump. I do think it is the MAIN factor, but our injuries, the impact of covid and the flu, the form of individual players, other teams developing good plans to negate our strengths etc etc are all factors too)

Just heard that Joel Smith wont be available for this dinner.

You don’t think that would give opposition coaches a few ideas how to exploit us? ie no chance in hell would the club ever come out and say it.

If games were played over 2 quarters, we'd still be undefeated. Unfortunately it takes performance over 4 quarters to win a game against good opposition. Just too many passengers these last 3 weeks especially, but there has been signs of this nearly all season. So not too happy at the moment with our team, when we know they are capable of so much better. Perhaps its time for a real shake up: In: May, Dunstan, Weid, Rivers, Daw, Bedford, Harmes (sub) Out: M.Brown, Turner (injured), BBB, ANB, Sparrow, Harmes, Chandler (sub) B. Hibbert May Lever HB. Rivers Petty Salem C. Langdon Brayshaw Jordon HF. Kossie Weideman Petracca F. Bedford Jackson Fritsch F. Gawn, Oliver Viney Int. Daw, Dunstan, Spargo, Bowey Will we make this many changes? Most likely not. But after the last 3 weeks, its almost cathartic to have expressed my disappointment in this way.

I did, in large because two of my mates who I was sitting wirh were screaming at us to move rhe ball all quarter! I definitely think we were looking to slow rhe game down and hold the pies. But my theory is they did so, not so much to conserve energy for an assault in the last, but to conserve energy full stop. By that I mean, you could see they were gassed. It doesn't actually matter what the cause was, their fatigue could not be more obvious (tracc was totally gassed for instance and had no power at all in terms of bursting from stoppages). And equally you could see that the pies were less fatigued. So I reckon the dees were trying to take the speed completely out of the game as that was the best way to stay in the contest. The pies eventually got control of the tempo and put speed on tbe ball. And, just like freo and the swans, ran over the top of us. Again, leaving aside the cause (because lthe idea of loading seems to be very triggering for some people) it was as clear as day that we simply couldn't go with them.

Nathan Jones hinted on radio today that we could be in the loading phase So if it is true then that explains a lot. I'm hoping that is the reason but we still have some game plan issues and we still need to fix our forward line woes and our speed & delivery into the forward line As others have mentioned, we need to take the game on more with quicker movement going forward and we need to make greater use of the corridor We've looked a bit tired & listless (to varying degrees) from the North game onwards (mainly in the 2nd half) Up until then we've looked good in nearly every 3rd quarter and then closed the games down in the last quarter's We'll soon find out about our ability to come out strong in the 2nd half of games as next up is Brisbane. Better to be tested right now The dilemma the selectors have got is do we persist with 2 key forwards along with Fritsch & a resting ruck in the forward line or do we play a decent medium sized player forward instead of Mitch Brown (who plays like a medium sized player anyway but doesn't get the ball enough) We have to persevere with Ben Brown as even though he's not in great form, the alternates are worse (or unproven)

I think the team only areas at least need to be made available, and while I know it’s not going to stop it (there’s a few foul-mouthed dheads in the Melbourne reserved area) it at least stops this kind of baiting which can lead to fights. Myself and the other guy laughed it off, what happens if I was a puss loaded Melbourne fan who takes a swing at him for baiting me? Australia has a problem with booze, hate to say it but it’s true. Drunken behaviour has been laughed off and normalised for too long. Sorry to derail the thread.

I am not panicking yet. But i do find it fascinating that we have led the last 3 games, but cannot score in the 2nd half. All 3 Games are almost identical That tells me that it is a single problem, is it planned. I have no idea But training loads may well be it. I know Selwyn is working the List hard I expect to see a different Gamestyle after the Bye

Charlie Spargo: 13 games and 5 goals Alex Neal Bullen: 12 games and 2 goals. I've left Kozzie Pickett out because he's at least kicked 16 goals this year from 12 games. He's doing his job as a small forward even though I feel like he's lacked his usual x factor and zip compared to last year. His pressure is still fantastic. But, between Spargo and Nibbler they've combined for a total of 7 goals.... In comparison, Carltons more inexperienced small forwards are; Matthew Owies: 12 games and 11 goals Corey Durdin: 11 games and 10 goals 25 These two alone have combined for 21 goals alone. We're just not getting enough out of Spargo and ANB. They run hard and link up well at times but the amount of times we bomb it forward to then not have a small forward at the drop of a contest is infuriating because defender are now just waltzing out of our forward half way too easily. Can't just leave it up to Kozzie to do all of the front half attacking. I'm not even sure if Bedford is even the answer. Poor kid actually plays well one week and then gets dropped the next week for the sub vest. So it's obvious coaching staff aren't willing to give him a run of games to at least show what he's capable of.

Too depressed to work so did some analysis of the "Bye" and the AFL's equitable game system (I've included the day of the next game of football) 15 day break - GWS/Adelaide/GC/Bulldogs/Geeeeelong 14 day break - Freo/Syd/Nth/WC 13 day break - Saints/Rich/Coll/Hawthorn 12 day break - Bris/Carlton/Ess 11 day break - Port 10 day break - MFC Make of it what you will but we certainly have not been given any favours by the AFL (and dont get me started on our game at Geeeelong)

Its also a work rate issue up forward to some degrèe DZ. Forwards need to make multiple hard leads on occasions. When i watched BB i see him sitting deep for long periods calling for the long kick in. Those opportunities dont allways present. A leading prescence often needs to be happening higher asking for the ball to be given around 50 for mids to bail or kick to under heat. Our two forwards also often lead to the same pocket instead of splitting into diff lanes making the opp second guess. There's no guessing with our forward play. Far too often coming in wide and bombing into a pocket/flank. You can still bring it wide along the boundary...but how about using the angles on occasions and hitting up a forward leading straight up and in front like we saw the Pies do yesterday on at least one occasion? Far too predictable and the Talls not mobile enough IMHO. And doesnt have to be a tall always. How about hitting up a small or Fritta leading into space on fat side on occasions a la Harmes to Fritsch in the GF?

We had exactly the same problems at the same stage last year, i distinctly remember the same commentators saying we can't score, and we can't win the premiership unless we address it. I think there are a lot of reasons for it, but one of those in my opinion is because we've banked early wins we've gone about a process to try and ensure we peak at the right time, and that means both this season and last we've had a flat patch in the middle rounds after a win streak. we were never going to just win all 23 games and smack everyone in finals. but i am still very confident we will be there abouts and give ourselves a huge chance to go back to back.

An issue for years has been connection from mid to forward. Even when when we connect, it's only ever for parts of games. I genuinely believe we need another mid who is primarily a ball user as well as a genuine contested marking forward. If that means we need to let go of a player/players then we should look at that. Every year the game shifts and every year teams evolve. What worked one year won't necessarily work the next and we've all seen Godwin's stubborness over the years. When you hear for three weeks in a row that our connection isn't there then either one of two things is happening. 1. Goodwin continues to instruct our players to chaotically kick inside 50. And when on slow plays to kick into deep pockets regardless of opposition talls being stacked back there. Or 2 - We possess too many mids who don't use the ball well enough. (I believe this one). Petracca, Harmes, Viney, Oliver, Jordan and Sparrow. All of them are average kicks. Even Petracca who can hit targets that nobody else can is too wildly inconsistent to be considered a great ball user. Either Goodwin makes some position changes for the second half of the year or instructs us to enter inside 50 a different way. Nothing has changed in three weeks in this regard and it's concerning.

Wonder if the Brisbane Lions fans are running a "what they're saying over at Demonland" thread ?

Salem and Langdon are clearly underdone and can't run. Gawn has been carrying injuries since before the West Coast game. Petty has been carrying injuries for weeks as well. Petracca has been well down since being sick prior to the Freo game. The young kids are looking tired and beaten up. How much more evidence do we need that we can't keep carrying players who aren't anywhere near full fitness?

Spot on. When Clarry’s name was read out I instantly thought of the response to Pendlebury’s ANZAC Medal in 2019. Good luck explaining irony to a filth supporter.

I found out our problem

except he's 20. and will be 21 in 3 months

The day you care what a filth supporter thinks is a sad day. They are so far below us you should already know their ability to make any sound that’s coherent is very very limited.

Anb's inability to convert set shots is an issue

100% agree mate!!! I wish we could trade some supporters

I really thought he was good today. Battled it out when was clearly buggered. Played against a really big opponent and kicked a ripping goal in the last to bring us back into the game. He is 19 ffs!

One match mate.

Out: Turner, M.Brown In: May, Weideman Need to give Weideman an extended run now and simply hope for the best.