Leaderboard

This probably says more about you than Petty.

I would love to see this for no other reason other than to see if May and Lever would still argue with each other at opposite ends of the field.

And it’s not a perfect science, Andy. Not even close. Repeating an annual refrain, injuries, injury management, projected return to play, and outcomes of RTP are all a ‘best anticipated based on what’s known at any given moment’ situation and projection. What people fail to factor in are the personalities and psychology of any given player. They ALL struggle psychologically with not being able to do the thing they’re paid for - their beloved day job. As such, anything from fear of re-aggravation to denial of possible re-aggravation, or even of a problem to begin with, have to be factored in. It’s incredibly tricky, and fluid, and on a case to case basis, often really hard to predict. We know what we know about the physical nature of injuries of course, and the biomechanics causing them, then what’s ’physically’ required for RTP, but that’s still just a corner of the picture. The predictable lament by some, maybe many (not you of course 😉) - “he’s STILL 4 weeks away, how can that be? Are they incompetent?” - reveals, to put it kindly, a mind-numbingly repetitive misunderstanding of injuries and injury management.

The under Naarm sounds a bit like the Chappeli incident.

Champion player who has achieved all you can in the game. Seems to lack that drive/hunger that drove him to be the player he was but is no longer. Should retire as a one-club player and Tiger legend.

I must be the only one with a negative story about Max. Saw him and his wife one night, and asked for a selfie. He looked like he was going to punch me! So I asked again - very politely - and he got even angrier, started yelling and swearing and said he was going to call the cops. I actually felt threatened for my safety at that point, so I left his house. Just a warning to others that he's not as approachable as he seems.

To the suggestions of moving TMac or May forward... how about we don't mess with the only thing in our team that is actually functioning like a premiership side, our defence. Fullarton and Brown sounds like suicide, especially if McGovern is fit to play. I'd think about trying a smaller forward line, replace Turner with Koltyn.

MFC does not make enough noise with these poor umpiring performances. We're way too polite.👏👏

TMac’s ‘stang:

Excited to see two new clubs have adopted their First Nations names! We've now got Euro-Yroke (St Kilda) and Waalitj Marawar (Weagles). Proud of the club for starting off this approach ❤💙

Nobody is overlooking or forgot the fact that we’ve lost Brayshaw on this side. He is an enormous loss and we will not be able to fill the hole he’s left on our list, neither from a leadership nor versatility perspective. He is sorely missed and I dream at night of Maynard getting hit by the karma bus.

I think everyone overlooks the fact that our list is 2 places short, with Smith and Brayshaw missing

Melbourne’s turn for the bye came early in 1924 with the club sitting out of proceedings in Round 2 before its next assignation against Collingwood. The fierce rivalry between these two clubs of later times had yet to emerge, but the result of the game - a one point loss - hurt the club deeply in its quest to rise from the place at the foot of the ladder it had occupied at the end of 1923. All was not lost however, as the Redlegs uncovered a future star and premiership player in Gippslander Stan "Bunny" Wittman who played 109 games and kicked 132 goals for the club between 1924 and 1931. Known as "Bunny" for his pace and elusive turn and Wittman’s recruitment, long before the days of the draft, was certainly unusual by today’s standards. By a stroke of good fortune, Melbourne Football Club secretary, Andrew Manzie, embarked one day on a tram from the Hawthorn Bridge to the City when he received a tipoff from the cable tram’s gripman who recognised him and told him about a 22 years old footballer from Rosedale who was tearing apart the competition in Gippsland. A few weeks later, Manzie was making the same trip into town and the same gripman caught his ear again. This time, the trammie was so persuasive that Manzie decided to take a closer look and, as it turned out, the glowing reports on Wittman were accurate. As a result, he was invited to the club for a training run. Wittman was an immediate hit at centre half forward, but he wanted to return home happy in the knowledge that he could match it with the best in the business. The club persisted and managed to persuade him to return and he kicked off his VFL career on the MCG in front of 18,000 people in Round 3 against Collingwood. Wittman made a favourable impression from the start. Early in the game, he soared high over the pack to take a fingertip mark before effortlessly threading the ball through the big sticks with a 45-metre drop kick. He went on to earn best afield honours in a debut described as "one of the most sensational ever registered by a country recruit". And he never looked back. Wittman played mainly either in the key half forward or right flank for the Fuchsias but he broke an ankle after playing eight games in a row. He returned for the last three matches of the season and by 1925, he was established and played 19 games for the improving team, helping them make it to the finals. In his third season at Melbourne, Wittman was a member of Melbourne's 1926 premiership, its first in more than a quarter of a century, playing 16 games and scoring 20 goals. In the 1926 Challenge Final against Collingwood, the half forward flanker was one of his team’s most noteworthy contributors with three goals in a masterful 57-point victory. Wittman’s output diminished in 1927 when he played only 12 games, due mainly to a wrist injury, which also kept him out of the interstate carnival. However, in the following year, he kicked a career best season tally of 34 goals, helped by a six-goal haul against North Melbourne at the MCG. He played 19 games for the season. He missed out on the interstate carnival for a second time after being selected in 1930, but was unable to take time off work to travel to Adelaide for the carnival. By this time, his career was starting to wind down and he played only six games for a single goal in his final season, 1931. Wittman did manage to don the 'Big V' jumper twice in his VFL career. Stan "Bunny" Wittman was renowned for his “seemingly almost telepathic partnership with effervescently talented wingman Dick Taylor”. He was made a life member of the Melbourne Football Club in 1992 and passed away in May 1994 as the last surviving member of the 1926 premiership team. Round 3 Melbourne vs Collingwood Saturday 10 May Venue: MCG Attendance: 18,211 MELBOURNE 5.3.33 6.5.41 7.9.51 8.13.61 COLLINGWOOD 2.4.16 3.8.26 5.11.41 8.14.62 Goals Dave Elliman Stan Wittman 2 Johnny Egan George Haines Derek Mollison Richard Taylor Melbourne made a hot start with a five goal to two opening term. The Pies were wasteful early and continued to miss chances earlier in the second and their inaccuracy in front of goal saw them manage to cut the Redlegs’ lead by only a further two points by mid-game off their lead at half time. After the break, the tide turned and, despite the fact that Collingwood were weakened by injury and illness, they clawed back some of the deficit in the third quarter before storming home in the last to record a thrilling victory. A late goal to debutant Wittman was not enough to stave off defeat by the narrowest of margins. There was controversy late in the game when an obvious holding the ball decision was not awarded to a Melbourne player in front of goal. The umpire, who had previously played for Collingwood, left the ground to the sound of hooting from the members' pavilion. Melbourne players were Wittman, Richard Taylor, Alf Wilson and Albert Chadwick. After two losses by under a goal and a week with the bye Melbourne had sunk to the bottom of the ladder. Seconds Collingwood 17.9.111 d. Melbourne 9.9.63 To be continued …

It is but we have certainly had a long summer, it’s high 20s all week. 4.20pm WST Sunday should be perfect for footy. West Coast will be up for a challenge at home, but if we play as we have in the last couple of games outside of that first quarter vs Carlton, we should win

Not that limited - has held up the Sydney Harbor Bridge for 90 years.

I have no problem with Government money being sought, but i am sick and tired of Jeeelong getting the majority of it, for whatever the want.

@Demonland, could the title of this thread be 'changed up' now, to something more optimistic and fulsome? 'MFC's Permanent Home'? ('Demon Fields'??)

Such a lovely story, I hope the club keeps this design for a few years. Or gets Mali to do a series. There has been a disturbing recent trend on social media with our indigenous members of our community having their identity questioned from the ignorant overseas. Won’t go into more because it isn’t relevant to my next point but I am really proud of the club that they do this and that we just make it a part of this storied club. The best time to start a tradition is ten years ago, the second best time is today. I think that’s the saying…

He could be a handful as a child as well.

No.

There is a reason the bible left out Jesus's teenage years....

Didn't Rivers have to come off with the blood rule after being belted by Curnow? They stopped play. Then the ball was thrown up and a free given against Max yeah? As for the rules committee. The only problem with them at the time was that to feel like they were doing their job, they kept changing rules. They introduced some stupid ones. The MFC does not make enough noise with these poor umpiring performances. We're way too polite.

Any danger that these clowns could fund something themselves ? As far as I'm concerned the only appropriate use of government funding for Geelong would be to build a decent bypass around so none of us need to enter the bloody joint.

Just in time after the state Government announced major budget cuts for everything, except the sacrosanct Footy club that stands for regional VIC right? 🤷🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

Haven’t been able to contemplate footy one week now - until this. Mine provide some relief

Not funny. I heard an interview with Tom McDonald recently and he had a foot injury a couple of years so. And he understands what Petty is experiencing. It’s not only a physical recovery but also psychological. Petty will be worried that if he puts too much pressure on his foot that he will injure it again.So the more he plays and stays uninsured , the more his confidence will grow. I think that’s what Tommy said!

Martin can’t hit up a teammate with a pass anymore. I was watching him last Saturday night. At 300 he should retire as a Tiger

Remove gambling from horse and dog racing and the industry collapses overnight, with no viable reason to exist

Had him say the same thing to me. The mid-foot injuries affect you with accelerating out of changes of direction. I've wondered how Petty is going with it.

TMac has said recently in interviews that his ankle and foot injuries have robbed him of the agility needed to play forward, but he can still manage to play back. I don't think we'll see him swing forward anytime soon unless we get injuries in-game

There is nothing wrong with the timelines, as long as people understand they are only an approximate guide.

Behind the grandstand is where the apartments are going. A new grandstand is being built in front of the new longer straight on the Northern side. Not getting into an argument about horse racing, but I can assure you they are among the best cared for animals on earth. A 550 kg horse, hit with a three by one inch piece of flexible soft leather, a few restricted times, on its flank, does not hurt the horse. Most of the time the jockey is waving the whip and not actually using it. If it did hurt the horse, you would see them react, like shying, bucking etc.

Big clubs playing in finals = $$$ for channel 7 and in turn the afl one of the sydney clubs in finals = ratings bonanza in sydney = $$ for 7 and thus AFL its not a long bow to draw

Jack Graham is a solid AFL player. I doubt we will do better in the mid-season draft.

Name Injury Expected Return Christian Salem Hamstring Test Josh Schache Foot TBC Daniel Turner Calf 3 - 4 weeks Marty Hore Calf 4 - 6 weeks Charlie Spargo Achilles 2 - 3 weeks Jake Melksham Knee 5 - 7 weeks

You're right. My bad. My life as a borderline gen X outcast. Should have said Chapellgt incident.

At this stage I'd be betting he plays 300 and calls it a day and rides off in to the sunset rather than plays on for 1 more year at the Suns or anywhere else. If he was clear that he lost his appetite for success at Richmond and was set to have a huge preseason then I'd be keen to at least talk to him but to me he's just had enough.

make it so!

Have noticed a few non Melbourne types are putting him ahead of Cox now (King and someone else I can't remember) he is running at 80% for goals outside 50m this season I think, makes me think of Neitz who could dob a 50 to turn the team on. Not sure why the Brownlow doesn't feature more blokes like Gawn, fairest is in the Brownlow job description afterall, not cheating, dog kicking, throwers like Cripps. I always thought the difference between Australians and Americans was Hard but Fair, versus Win at all Costs, then we had the Chappell underarm ball and I've realized my sentiments are aspirational. Gawn (I guess he was born a Kiwi) seems 100% who the Brownlow was designed for.

@Jaded No More I think perhaps this is a different point. It's one thing to not have Brayshaw anymore, it's another to not have a replacement for him on the list. We're not on our own there though - Collingwood's in the same boat with Murphy and the Dogs today lost O'Driscoll. But for us we also have Smith inactive on the list too, without a replacement. So as @Farmer says, we're two down in terms of players available for selection before you even start with the injury list, which is now up to 7, most of whom are forwards (JVR, Turner, Melksham, Spargo - Smith being a 5th forward).

He's been an absolute gun over the journey but I genuinely feel as though his heart isn't in it anymore.

Realistically only JVR and Salem are best 22 locks, and both will be available within a week or two. The sky is definitely not falling yet.

The sooner Geelong just [censored] OFF and bottom out, the better.

Should make it easier if anything assuming no massive community backlash. Our issue is oval exclusivity (even modified exclusivity). This proposal will include a degree of exclusivity so as a community softener it's good for us. Of course MFCSS suggests that we could become the AFL's sacrificial lamb.

If Salem is fit he should play off half back. Very good in the midfield against Hawthorn but may lack the fitness atm. Love to see Rivers unleashed in there. Reckon he has a huge upside and will allow Trac to float forward regularly. Bpwey will be better fir the run.

We have the fifth largest home ground attendance this year of any Vic club. Considering our membership numbers compared to the other 4 clubs, I am really not sure what the hell his problem is? We got almost as many people to the Geelong home game, than Carlton got the week later against us, and it was their home game! So stick that in your pipe and smoke it Zeeto.

I popped him up on here after his BOG in their 2022 GF victory. Gippy, or Goulburn V, boy, I think? Happy to 'pop him up' again.

Has Jeeelong ever paid for anything itself FFS😡