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Sensible flexible cheap depth.

With concerns over injuries (Brown/Tmac) and long-term futures (Grundy) a 1 year deal seems reasonable to me.

The forward line this year has been a fascination to me - some in the media intimate it’s a massive issue and liability and I would have agreed a couple of months ago due to two things; no Fritsch, Brown, TMac, and Melksham meant not much forward craft and nous, and our forward connection was really down with little delivery to options, but the remedies have been impressive. With one addendum that Jake Melksham won’t be there to take pressure off Fritsch and provide ‘interceptor engagement’ of which is so good at. But back to the remedies; Petracca - obvious one and a powerful one made even more so with Oliver coming back. Chandler in the team - allows another speed forward in Pickett to get up the ground and also play out of the guts. Smith being trusted - I came down for the Carl-Freo-Coll games and he was avoided in 1-1 contests like the plague but now there is more trust there. Pickett out of the square - last week against the Swans he was a 5’8 Tony Lockett putting the fear of god into people kidneys coming out of the square. SCG is a unique ground but there is another option that Kozzie is more than happy to execute. He never can mark it so he may as well knee someone in the back of the head. What we are left with after the last 8 weeks is a really potent number of options regardless of if they go small or tall with TMac. IF our forward connection is good enough and we look to hit the option and not blast away, we have a good enough forward line to kick a winning score. Well done to Goodwin and Stafford.

Hey all, hard to believe Round 1 kicks off tomorrow night. The lack of media attention has been deafening. I know we are in the midst of finals but we can walk and chew gum at the same time. Women's sport is undergoing a revolution and the AFL is (slowly) getting on board What's not to get excited about?? local game at Prinny Park with hopefully a big crowd Unfurling our first flag Daisy in attendance Missy Higgins on the pre game entertainment First game for Hore as captain Macca first game back after her ACL Hope to see y'all there Game Day info https://www.melbournefc.com.au/matches/5832#game-guide

Not sure if he will or not, but if TMac gets selected to play finals it will be an absolute credit to him and his amazing determination, persistence and never-give-in attitude given the injuries and the time out he’s had over the last few years. If he is fit and in form we are a better side with him playing.

A piece for the folk who bang on about Josh's 'lack of hunger'. Cause it really [censored] me to tears. It's lazy, myopic, set in the past and not even slightly nuanced at looking at at the attributes that need to come together to make up the myriad of humans that become AFL players. A common narrative among spectators, both seasoned and amateur, is that a player who doesn't showcase an obvious burning desire is "not hungry" enough for the game. These players, by this definition, lack the aggression or motivation that the sport supposedly demands. Let's dissect this notion and understand the myriad factors that shape an AFL player's disposition on the field. 1. Personality and Inclination It's essential to recognize that every individual is unique. Just as two people might approach a problem differently in an office, two players might approach a ball or an opponent differently on the field. Some are naturally aggressive; some are calculative, and others might be more observant. Labeling someone as "not hungry" based on a single trait discounts their unique contributions and strategies, that you the pundit can't actually see. 2. The Pressures of Professionalism When you're 16 and surrounded by peers who dream of sporting glory, the concept of professional AFL seems alluring. The fame, the fans, the fortune—it's easy to be blinded by the shimmer. However, the reality of professional sports is grueling. The intense scrutiny, the physical and emotional toll, the constant pressure—it's not always what they signed up for. Not everyone thrives in such an environment, no matter how "gifted" they are. 3. The Complexity of Motivation Just because a player isn't the loudest on the field or isn't always gunning for a fight doesn't mean they aren't motivated. Some might be driven by the love of the game, others by the camaraderie with teammates, and some might find purpose in proving naysayers wrong. The spectrum of motivation is broad and intricate, and it diminishes as time progresses... 4. Changing Dynamics of the Game AFL, like any other sport, evolves. Today's game emphasizes strategy, skill, and teamwork more than ever. Not every position or strategy requires raw aggression. The game needs thinkers, planners, and those who can keep a cool head under pressure just as much as it needs the fiercely combative. I for one am glad Tom Boyd chose to be proactive, exit the game and look after his mental well being.

Watching last years Rd 22 game and Cox is a dog. The number of times he knees Gawn is disgusting. I also hope someone takes out Maynard and his faux toughness. Very interesting first half. We killed then in CPs but allowed them to score too easily.

I'm going with my daughter. The first time we have gone to a footy match together for over 10 years. She hasn't been to an AFLW game and has no interest in the AFL. Interestingly though she really got into the Women's work cup and went to the fans sites multiple times. Is going to join Melb city women's team as a member such is her new found enthusiasm for soccer. I say interestingly because when i asked if she wanted to come with me to watch the dees AFLW game tomorrow night i was really surprised when she said yes, and is really keen. I couldn't get her to a game, men's or women's, last season and i have no doubt the experience of being at AAMI park to watch the Matildas is why she is keen to go to a footy match.

We really need to go hard shopping for a key forward for the medium term in the off season.

Big Carl’s last game 1980 He knew how to Deal with Collingwood Players

Nice short injury list to kick us off: Two confirmed outs from the GF team (Chaplin and Daisy). McNamara already a confirmed return from that spinal injury. Much like I still worry for Angus's head at times, I'm sure there'll be some nervous moments as Eliza doesn't shy away from the contest. Have to say she looked full of confidence in the praccy match. Nice video here with the announcement: https://www.instagram.com/p/CwkCoQ6hthb/ So, there'll be at least one other in for Round 1.

He’s currently our only Gawn backup. He can also cover for TMac, JVR and Petty if injuries hit next year. Clearly happy playing seconds.

Hey @Engorged Onion. Thank you for your well articulated and thoughtful contribution. I agree with the notions expressed in your first four paragraphs. What I would say is this. The Love Shack and Jack Watts share the same characteristics, one of which is the inability to exert themselves physically on a game. This is not a lack of desire, but something that just isn't in their genetic make-up. I don't have it myself and this made me a very average footballer. 45 years after giving up on football, I know I definitely have 'hunger', but it expresses itself in a different way to that that is expected of footballers. Aussie Rules is a brutal game, and for some of us, so it is in life. Yet, somehow, hunger - expressed as resilience, tenacity and persistence, get us through the difficult encounters in the same way that toughness and brute strength are relied on by footballers. Once again, thanks for your fine contribution. QD.

I can't believe people are still bitter & twisted about missing out on Mac Andrew. He went at Pick 5. A 25% discount would have meant we had to give up the equivalent of Pick 10 in points to get him. We used picks 19, 39 & 65 to get Jacob Van Rooyen, Blake Howes & Taj Woewodin which in points is about the same as Pick 10. I know who got the better deal (and it wasn't Gold Coast!).

Viney is 4th on the Coaches Votes since round 13 and clearly number 1 for Melbourne during this time. He has polled in 10 of a possible 11 games which is more than any other player in the AFL (Bontempelli, Serong, Rozee and Petracca have all polled in 9 games during this time). Here are the most votes for rounds 13-24: 69 Errol Gulden 58 Marcus Bontempelli 53 Caleb Serong 52 Jack Viney 50 Lachie Neale --- 37 Christian Petracca 29 Max Gawn 17 Angus Brayshaw 17 Steven May

Josh has kicked 29 goals for Casey so far this year, we have a shortage of fit tall players on the list, Josh is Insurane and I have been harping on about it all year, we need more talls on the list. I hope Will Verrall makes the grade but needs to put in a huge pre- season to get himself right.!!

Jackson LOL. First 6 weeks the supporters wanted their money back He had 7 games with 10 hitouts or less. Never took more than 7 marks and had limited disposals in 9 games If that's an AA then I'm a monkeys uncle

This Herald Sun article asks what each club will do with its first pick - Ultimate guide: What will your club do with its first pick? It’s early days still, but this is what the author says about the Demons: MELBOURNE Current Indicative Draft Order: 5, 15, 24, 34, 89 As it stands, the Demons hold two of the first 15 selections in this draft. That's because they secured Fremantle's first-round selection last year as part of the trade that sent ruckman-forward Luke Jackson to the Dockers. There have been indications that Melbourne could package up picks to move up the order. However, if they hold onto pick five - which could become pick six or seven - it would still put them in the frame for a high-end talent. If exciting forwards Zane Duursma and Nick Watson are already off the board, the Demons could look at 192cm marking forward Nate Caddy to try and bolster their tall forward stocks into the future. If Melbourne wants to look to life after Steven May and Jake Lever, Connor O'Sullivan would also be in the mix as a big-bodied 198cm key defender who has had an outstanding season.

I don’t agree that Disco looked “ out of touch”. In fact ,I thought he did remarkably well for a guy coming back from injury, and only in his third game. He did look as if he might have sustained a minor injury v. the Swans, though.

It is scary how similar Schache and Weideman are.

Yeah, haven’t seen one for years, quite simply because they break. Surgeons have therefore gone off them, because they run like spooked sheep from ‘failures’. The Swans player whose name I can’t remember was an exception, but if he followed clinical patterns it would have broken by now. Thus, anyone who gets one, ultimately needs an allograft (own tissue) replacement anyway, meaning another significant knee surgery, increased likelihood of early degeneration in the knee, and so on. The next best, and thus fastest, is a cadaver graft, harvested from donor bodies, but the graft still has to go through a ‘dead’ phase, before enlivening again with its own blood supply, meaning still 6-9 months (as against 9 - 12). The only difference between that and standard allograft (hamstring, quadriceps or patellar tendon) is the absence of issues related to harvesting your own tissue, which isn’t a problem long term anyway. Cadaver grafts are popular in countries with ‘opt out’ organ donor programmes (and meniscal transplants are WAY ahead in those places). Our organ donation policy is ‘opt-in’, which nobody wants to talk about, so cadaver grafting is niche in Australia. Too much info?

Yep AF, a massive Congratulations to Trac. His 4th blazer got lost in the wash a bit. Trac became the third most capped Demon ever behind Gawn (6) and Paxy (5).

...yet again. Informative, open, entertaining, and positive on a lot of matters we here tend to be so negative about. Among many, particularly loved his '5 more years' line 😊 More of this, Max!

I just watched the replay of the KB match. It seems to me that unfortunately Cox can get Max, usually by pretty poor tactics. On the other hand, Grundy treats him with contempt - he knows just how to play him. So I think he should be picked, as a ruckman, to share with Max. Normally I like to have Tommo in the backline but if we play Max and Grundy, Max can probably drop back and be the third tall in defence,

That Northey Side were tough, we lacked a gun CHF to go the next level, but John was a fabulous Coach

He has the talent, it was why he was a top draft pick. He doesn't have the mongrel. To be a key position player, or any player really, you need to be physical and at least be ok with body contact. Not everyone is Viney or May, but you have to really be willing to put your body on the line to make it. Schache is very timid and I can't see it changing.

Viney needs to have a chat to him. ..or get Kozzie to put knee into his back a few times. There will of course be those pure of thought who detest 'thuggery'... well.. Footy ,like a lot of contact sport at its highest level can attract a bit of niggle. There are strangely enough quite a few Bully Boys out there that like to play a bit naughty. Bullies are dealt with the same everywhere As long as Cox and his ilk think they can run amok unfettered..... they will...and do. Some will suggest either let the scoreboard do your bidding...or rely on the umps. Well..never rely on maggots... and the scoreboard won't help your team-mate as he's on his knees gasping after some dog act. Without doubt Cox or other will be given instructions to touch up a few of us...esp if we do nothing. That's a mind game win right there. Dont let it happen Melbourne

Does it every time we play them he is an absolute scumbag, hopefully the club has pointed this out to the AFL. Fairly certain he did it on QB 2022 which contributed to Maxys injury.

I rewatched this year's KB game. One thing we did superbly was to push our D line up the field. Many times McVee, Salem or May/Lever would disrupt Collingwood's fast transition. We created a lot of turnovers from Collingwood's turnover attempts.

Firstly, thank you for taking the time to engage with the post. The comparisons and the insights are good. I wholeheartedly concur with your sentiment regarding the Love Shack and Jack Watts. It's crucial to understand that passion, desire, and "hunger" don't always manifest in the traditional sense. Just as in life, not everyone expresses their dedication or resolve in overt, external ways. Your analogy with your personal journey is particularly enlightening. 'Hunger', as you aptly noted, isn't always about physical aggression on a sports field. Resilience, tenacity, and persistence are forms of hunger that many individuals rely on daily, be it in professional settings, personal challenges, or the sporting arena. This kind of hunger often goes unnoticed because it isn't as flamboyant or evident as a footballer's tackle or sprint, but it's equally valuable, if not more so. AFL, in many ways, mirrors life itself - filled with highs and lows, demanding various skills, and testing individuals in numerous ways. Just as a player's worth shouldn't be judged only by their perceived physical aggression on the field, individuals in the broader spectrum of life shouldn't be solely assessed based on overt expressions of resilience or passion. Sometimes, the silent warriors, those who grind it out quietly day in and day out, have the most substantial "hunger" of them all. Thanks for broadening the discussion and emphasizing the multifaceted nature of motivation and resilience. Your perspective underscores that while footy is a microcosm of life, there are countless ways to tackle the challenges that come our way. Great stuff 🙌

ROUND 23 Votes Player (Club) 10 Jake Lever (MELB) 8 Jake Melksham (MELB) 6 Trent Rivers (MELB) 2 Jack Viney (MELB) 2 James Worpel (HAW) 1 Finn Maginness (HAW) 1 Karl Amon (HAW) I wonder if Goody gave Finn Maginness the 1 vote? Leaderboard at Round 23 Votes Player Club 102 Zak Butters PORT 99 Nick Daicos COLL 96 Marcus Bontempelli WB 90 Christian Petracca MELB 82 Lachie Neale BL 81 Connor Rozee PORT 78 Errol Gulden SYD 77 Jack Sinclair STK 76 Caleb Serong FRE 74 Toby Greene GWS 73 Zach Merrett ESS 72 Jordan Dawson ADEL 71 Noah Anderson GCFC 63 Jai Newcombe HAW 63 Tim Taranto RICH 62 Charlie Curnow CARL 60 Patrick Cripps CARL 60 Jack Viney MELB 58 Luke Jackson FRE 56 Shai Bolton RICH 56 Tim Kelly WCE 56 Tom Liberatore WB ROUND 24 Votes Player (Club) 10 Errol Gulden (SYD) 8 Christian Petracca (MELB) 5 Bayley Fritsch (MELB) 5 Jack Viney (MELB) 2 Callum Mills (SYD) Leaderboard at Round 24 Votes Player Club 109 Zak Butters PORT 102 Marcus Bontempelli WB 99 Nick Daicos COLL 98 Christian Petracca MELB 91 Lachie Neale BL 88 Errol Gulden SYD 87 Connor Rozee PORT 86 Caleb Serong FRE 77 Toby Greene GWS 77 Jack Sinclair STK 76 Noah Anderson GCFC 76 Zach Merrett ESS 74 Jordan Dawson ADEL 65 Jack Viney MELB 63 Jai Newcombe HAW 63 Tim Taranto RICH 62 Charlie Curnow CARL 62 Dan Houston PORT 62 Tim Kelly WCE 60 Patrick Cripps CARL

We're probably paying the guy in buttons so if he's happy to stay and challenge for a senior spot fair play to him. After a year at the club they both know what they're getting.

Trade with Suns to get ND pick #4 and with picks #4 & #5 take 2 from 1st choices - Curtin & Duursma 2nd choices - Mckercher & Watson Reckon that covers some of our areas which need some attention over the next few years. Trade in some depth of senior players and take Kynan Brown

Am I thrilled with this? No Am I disappointed with this? No Need cover and he's probably as good as we're gonna get.

Insurance

Mostly mids in the top 20 here too. Great effort by Viney, top 15.

It'll be Tmac for Melksham in my opinion and Tmac will be told to get on his bike and be the link up player

Just watched the Footy Classified Show, and they ended with, "enjoy the week off", as if there was no AFL being played. They must know that the AFL women starts this week. I also did not hear any commentary about the games. If Wilson was on, I'm sure she would have at least mentioned the opening week. Women's elite sports have such a difficult task to get real support. If Collingwood was unfurling the flag on Friday night, would the Collingwood show (footy classified) and the mouth piece Eddy, have made a song and dance about it? I don't get the lack of media support. There is a product there with AFLW, yes?

Chol on the trade table, wonder if we'd be keen

This is why the AFL should bring back the 'draft picks cannot exceed list spots' rule. Or eliminate draft points for pics >ND40 instead of stretching them out to ND69 as it would force clubs to use 1st or 2nd round picks. While I'm on a roll, eliminate the 20% discount!! It is a joke that they can draft 3-4 elite/A level players with such rubbish picks and they will have more after trading out ND4. Something like 15-20 players will be taken as Academy, NGA or F/S in this draft (mostly in the top 3-25 range). It has been reported that the draft thins out after the top 20 and no more than 50 players will be drafted this year which leaves about 30 to 35 available players. All that makes for a compelling case to for clubs to cash in their chips and get as high up the order as possible. We only need to use 3 draft picks: a late one to promote Turner, a mid to late one to draft Brown. So I can see us taking just one or two picks to the draft. Picks 4 and 5 will do very nicely!! Or convert them to ND1 or ND2 if those are gettable.

PREVIEW: Smithy's VFL Week One Finals The Bulldogs have risen from the depths with 10 wins in a row but most of their recent victories have been against the lower ranked teams in the competition. Much will depend on team selection with the devastating loss to the Demons of Luke Dunstan to an ACL injury, a major blow.

AA is as big a joke as the Brownlow these days. It's all media driven, boring and cringeworthy.

Congratulations to all at the MFC Board, Players (AFL, VFL and AFLW) and every fan on this magnificent achievement. The Strategic Plan aims at 75,000 so we are that close. If we can win our 14th Flag this year it's totally on the cards that we can get to 75/80,000 in the near future. Heady and even more exciting days. What we need is the extra 5/10,000 each game especially our lower profiled games vs GWS Suns Freo and North to consolidate this growth. Our 50,000 average home MCG should be smashed next year and all those reserved seats for sale in the Ponsford Stand will be gone also. Mubb B h to Perty,s drlight. Big month of September starting tomorrow night with the fantastic record winning AFLW premiership team in the spotlight opening their defence of that great flag just under a year ago. Strength in numbers Dees there are still some fans to join and be rewarded by our major role and that is to continue to play consistent strong tough and exciting footy that makes us so proud of.our Club. Go you mighty Dees. Onwards and Upwards. Play with that Demon Spirit and be Possessed!!

Tom Stewart making the team is an absolute joke. Has had an average season and Geelong’s defence has been ****house this year. I genuinely hate Harris Andrews and I’m no Weitering fan, but to have Stewart before them is ridiculous and the AA selectors are just playing favourites.

Dees are flying under the radar and personally I like it that way, we all know that we are really 2nd. We are a very even team focussed group that can shut teams down, change momentum score quickly when we can smell the blood in the water, we are well coached and well managed, Bring it On.!!!!!!

I will own up - Mia culpa. Thought that once he passed 100 Demon games he would have been out out to pasture. His latter half of 2023 has been enormous. Maybe Webber (or other experts) could elaborate. Is the LARS procedure still popular for older players? It was once quite fashionable and players got back in maybe 6 months though there were reservations about longevity. Well put. Jake has silenced (most of) his critics this year.

Will always be my favourite

He and his brother would be unbelievable assets. I'd be focusing my attention there and not on Harley.