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I understand people being critical of Fritsch but his job has been difficult all year with Petty offering nothing JVR in and out of the ruck. It became even more difficult with kozzy and anb out of the forward line and McAdam in the forward line. He's supposed to be the dangerous third/medium forward, as he was in 21. Not the only forward!

I've said a few times now this week but potting the forwards isn't the right analysis after a game in which we were pathetic at clearance, contest and territory.

Last Sunday’s 6,100 would have really bolstered those numbers….

with all the doom and gloom about MFC this week, wouldnt it be great to knock those [censored] off on Monday

A lot of people are underestimating the loss of Brayshaw.

Quite clearly we'll all look back in 50 years and see the fact that Luker Kentfield took "too long" to get to his first training session as the starting point of the crumbling of the MFC empire, much like the sacking of Norm Smith in 1965. Thanks for bringing it to all our attention so early!

Don’t feed the troll, how many times do you fall for it

Perhaps one reason is that we have a team full of players that are injured, out of form, slow, have poor skills or are seemingly fatigued in body and mind. They are not performing at a level that inspires confidence that anything is going to change. Are you going to simply select the same players who are currently playing poorly?

We're Big 4 now.

Is it just me that can't see the name Frampton without thinking of Peter Frampton?

Apparently Luker lives on the second floor.

We have showed strong interest in GC ruckman Ned Moyle according to Jon Ralph. Adelaide and Collingwood are also other clubs showing interest.

Got the message Uncle, I'll see If I can park some arrangements and get down there!!

It looks as though is has been an overcorrection but it was done to preserve the bulls who have been battered come September last 2 years. We did seek to bring players in that were (allegedly) better/smarter kicks (Billings/Windsor/McAdam) but they haven't had sufficient effect. We also looked to put the ball in Salem's hands more. Personally I think if we lose the Pies we should put the cue in the rack and start getting ready for a final throw of the dice in 25. Ditch the NQRs, get back to our DNA, get blokes fit and head to the draft/FA cashed up and single bloody minded. Oliver, Viney, Trac, Langdon, Fritsch, Lever, Kozzy, ANB are all still in their prime years, they won't forget how to play footy between now and next September, the just need to be fit. Gawn will still be fine, JVR, Windsor, McVee, Rivers, Bowey can improve. There's enough there if they are fit and playing their proper roles if we plug some gaps. Must find a big bloke that can contest the ruck, batter the opposition and bring the ball to ground in the forward line. a mid with some zip a meat axe for the guts to assist Clarrie and Vines I'm not taling about stars or AA level, just solid citizens, but they mustn't be broken down or bits and pieces which we have too many of right now.

TBH, I am expecting an old fashioned MFC victory - ie not losing by more than 40 points (dropped my bundle)

They are still in shock from Sunday.

I dont think its really ever been about the forwards, ever. Even during the 22/23 campaigns. I'm not going to defend Petty's recent performances because there are ways you can get yourself into the game (same for McAdam). The issue has always been our f50 connection and method moving the ball into forward 50. Does Collingwood have a star studded forwardline? What about the Swans? The answer is no. Can we improve the forward line performance - absolutely but it wont change the root cause of our woes. In a hypothetical experiment, if we were to swap JVR/Petty with Curnow/Mckay and keep our midfield VS swapping Trac/Oliver/Viney(2024 version) with Heeney/Warner whilst keeping our forwards, which do you think would make a bigger difference? The answer is the later. Our midfield whilst strong at contest and defence (over the last 4 years) is a butcher by foot. Always has been and always will be. Our game plan has to recognise that this will not change without changing our personnel. So we should go back to our original plan and look to improve accuracy and f50 connection. Accept that its not perfect and it has its vulnerabilities and that our main scoring sources are stoppage based not turnover which puts us on the back foot for winning flags. We managed to win one and the buck the trend. Carlton are in a similar position to us.

Welcome to the curve of equilibrium, by design. Welcome to the sport that neutered the influence of cash to have a 'relatively' equal competition, rather than purchased success, where over a period of half a decade, any team can win a premiership, in effect. We rode the crest of the wave with a game style that won a premiership and now, as the sport, the tactics and the opposition has evolved, those warriors (and coaches) that won us a premiership are moving towards the setting sun... Some may see it that we haven't moved with the times, or haven't drafted/recruited well enough. Or the coaches cant coach, or are outdated. Some may even be genuinely entitled in their expectations of a dynasty has been missed. I would take the players that we had, and the coach that we had, for the one premiership of supreme joy and 4 years of quality, quality competitive football, game after game after game. Whilst acknowledging that all good things, start a decline, and it's actually no-ones fault. There is no one to blame, but we do like to do so. Every thing in life is transitory, Everything is impermanent. "Pursue it vigorously, and hold it lightly."

I'd be incredibly surprised it that was the case and it would be plain stupid by the club. Anyone that has missed a year with a knee injury would know you need definitely full match practice under your belt before you're at maximum level. Melksham will need a number of weeks at Casey for not only match conditioning but also to get form. Some are forgetting that he's nearly 33 and at the wrong end of his career coming of a 12 month injury. Highly unlikely we'll see his best again especially with the way our forward line is functioning which has been sub par.

With Adelaide losing, it will be nice to get out of the headlines for 5-10 minutes.

In the space of a month Melbourne has gone from chocolates to boiled lollies in terms of its standing as a candidate for the AFL premiership. The club faces its moment of truth against a badly bruised up Collingwood at the MCG. A win will give it some respite but even then, it won’t be regarded particularly well being against an opponent carrying the burden of an injured playing list. A loss would be a disaster. The Demons have gone from a six/two win/loss ratio and a strong percentage just south of 125 which placed them firmly in the top four after besting the previously unbeaten Cats to where they are now. At seven/five, a percentage barely over 100 and tenth on the ladder, a catastrophic fall from grace on the back of a scoreless opening term against Carlton, a woeful capitulation by 35 points to West Coast and last week’s 92-point drubbing by Fremantle. The only W in this period was against St Kilda. Their opponent this week is not in such good shape either but not for reasons of poor form or a lack of enthusiasm but rather, because they have been decimated by a massive injury list. At Marvel Stadium on Friday night, they came out firing and full of enthusiasm to kick four of the first five goals to lead by 22 points before the Western Bulldogs reeled them in and ultimately dominated the final term scoring five goals to nothing. If the Magpies had nothing to give in the last quarter of that match, then consider the Demons who gave nothing for all but the opening seven minutes of their game against the Dockers in Alice Springs! As former Collingwood coach, Nathan Buckley, said after the game: top four teams “just don’t have a performance like” the Demons’ 92-point loss. “Plenty of sides have got players out at the moment and to only get 37 inside 50s against any opposition is a concern.” Buckley believes there are lingering issues beneath the surface at Melbourne and there are some real questions to be asked. The fans have been asking those questions all week, but nobody has come up with any answers so the task of looking into the crystal ball has been made more difficult because of the lack of clarity coming from the Demon camp. In the normal course of things, I would look at Collingwood and read missing names like De Goey, Mihocek, Cox, Pendlebury and Elliott and declare Melbourne past the post for a win by five goals. However, on current form (and if truth be known, there is no current form that you can trust in the context of this team), you would be justified in arguing that the firm of N & J Daicos could beat them on their own, such is the skill and brilliance of that duo. They never let their team down which, after some of the Demons’ dismal recent performances, you can’t say about any of them other than perhaps Max Gawn and possibly Christian Petracca and the skipper is carrying an enormous burden on his big shoulders at present. The Magpies at least showed plenty of aggression and determination in their last up display which means that they should be able to open up a big enough lead on the Demons to hold off any fast finish that their slow starting opponents are capable of mounting. Collingwood by 5 points. THE GAME Collingwood v Melbourne at the MCG, Monday 10 June 2024 at 3.20pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Collingwood 154 wins Melbourne 85 wins 5 drawn At the MCG Collingwood 86 wins Melbourne 64 wins 3 drawn Last five meetings Collingwood 4 wins Melbourne 1 win The Coaches McCrae 3 wins Goodwin 1 win LAST TIME THEY MET Collingwood 9.6.60 defeated Melbourne 7.11.53 at the MCG in the 2023 Qualifying Final The Demons were jolted early in the 2023 Qualifying Final by the head high hit that ended Angus Brayshaw’s career and helped give the accurate Magpies a big enough start to fall in by 7 points despite a goalless final quarter. Many Melbourne fans argue that hit cost their team a flag and many others are still bemused about the fact that the perpetrator was free to play on in his team’s finals campaign including the winning grand final. THE TEAMS COLLINGWOOD B B. Maynard, D. Moore, C. Dean HB I. Quaynor, B. Frampton, J. Noble C S. Sidebottom, F. Macrae, J. Daicos HF B. Hill, L. Schultz, W. Hoskin-Elliott F B. McCreery, P. Lipinski, J. Howe FOLL D. Cameron, J. Crisp, N. Daicos I/C H. Harrison, N. Kreuger, O. Markov, L. Sullivan SUB J. Bytel EMG E. Allan, T. Jiath, A. Johnson IN W. Hoskin-Elliott, N. Kreuger OUT A. Johnson (omitted), W. Parker (omitted) MELBOURNE B J. Bowey, S. May, T. Rivers HB C. Salem, T. McDonald, J. McVee C E. Langdon, C. Oliver, C. Windsor HF K. Pickett, B. Fritsch, H. Petty FF K. Chandler, J. van Rooyen, A. Neal-Bullen FOLL M. Gawn, J. Viney, C. Petracca I/C B. Howes, B. Laurie, T. Sparrow, D. Turner SUB J. Billings EMG B. Brown, K. Brown, T. Woewodin IN J. Billings, B. Howes, B. Laurie, IN J. van Rooyen OUT L. Hunter (calf), S. McAdam (omitted), A. Tomlinson (omitted) T. Woewodin (omitted) Injury List: Round 13 Jacob van Rooyen — adductor / Test Marty Hore — calf / 1 - 2 weeks Josh Schache — foot / 1 - 2 weeks Jake Lever — knee / 2 - 3 weeks Jake Melksham — knee / 2 - 4 weeks Lachie Hunter — calf / 4 - 6 weeks Charlie Spargo — Achilles / TBC

I miss Gus :( and absolutely not underestimating his loss.

Funnily enough his name is Ian, but since he’s not a 73yo grey nomad he goes by Bobby

We're about to find out if last week was just an aberration for an incredibly consistent team over the last few years ...or the start of something creaking and collapsing. I have no idea which way the dees are going nor how this match will go. My suspicion is this will be a closish match but also one we lose. I have distinct end of a golden era vibes about the 24 dees. But in saying that the Dees have made me incredibly proud the last few years...a bit more luck and we win 2 flags . Im not putting the boot in here at all...its just my sense. Hope Im wrong

He mightn't be ready but neither is McAdam or Petty who are currently in the side nor Hunter who must come out of the side.

So am I

Has Clarry now been handed a different centre bounce role than in previous years? He was always first to pounce on the tap out and, if he couldn’t extract the ball, he was usually at the bottom of the pack. That now seems to be Viney’s role, unfortunately. If so, it ain’t doing him, or us, any good. I say give him last years brief, and let him go, as only Clarry can. It may just help him to get his mojo back.

That’s BS. We aren’t big 4 but we are next. Our conversion rate of total fans to crowd numbers is probably close to best in the league. The criticism of us is BS.

Interesting that the media continues to push the narrative that we dont attract crowds. If I'm not mistaken we've been top 5 for attendances the past 3 years at least.

east timorese origins, which is how he qualified for our nga

Definitely not a saviour but at least deserves a call up. ...been the only consistent performer at Casey.

Gets a number of possessions but rarely hurts with his disposal IMO. Certainly one of the better VFL players but the Casey bar is not high these days

Hutchison was pick 3.

Just to state… you had to see his game v Sandringham. No meaningless kick outs !!! Definitely showed all the qualities of an AFL player. By the way he offers more than Laurie. His speed and ball winning is better. Also his upside is better than Hunter and Billings who are in the decline in my view. I think he’s more of a forward than a defender. Actually not sure why Dee’s trying to turn him into a defender. I’d play him across half forward. His tackling alone and better than most small forwards , and more like Chandler. Deserves a game ahead of them.

AMW might still have to wait a little longer going by Whitford’s assessment of last week’s game. The last paragraph stands out. Andy had another exciting performance and we’re starting to see some real improvement in his game. His ability to take the game on and challenge the opposition's defence was exciting. He used the ball well and was really influential in the game for us. Andy’s next steps are in his defensive consistency and reliability.”

Bump and agreed. @Tarax Club AMW deserves a game. Simply cannot believe that he’s not even an emergency or travelling to Alice Springs for his debut. I would have rested Chandler who’s clearly not 100%. A role as a sub would be perfect for game 1. Note Freo and Pies have lots of small forwards to cover and AMW would be well suited. His kicks were not earned by kickins or soft out the back cheap kicks. He won contested footy. His tackling was solid. He had a 2 turnovers I remember from under pressure. His disposal is probably as good as any of our senior players. Yes they also make mistakes. ANW deserves a go and not for a week but for 2-3.

On his last few games he certainly hasn't NS. And while he doesn't have the cred yet and shld be made to earn a call up, that hasn't stopped SG selecting plenty of players that also haven't shown much form at Casey. Including ones going back to Casey to find form (BB), those coming back from injury via Casey (Petty, Hunter & Bowsa) or other untried new recruits (McAdam). None of whom performed at Casey to a level high enough and long enough (more than one reasonable performance in a number of aspects of the game, not just a few goals here and there and/or a few disposals) that demanded a call up. Meanwhile you have Moniz racking them up and having a number of solid to VG games so far this season. Probably the best performing MFC listed player there, but overlooked every week. As i said a few weeks ago... selection integrity is one of the key elements in a pro AFL club if you want to maintain moral and high performance standards imv.

Thanks for the support Dee Zephyr. As I clearly stated, however, apparently not clear enough for Deelectable, was that Carlton in particular had come early & hard with a 5 year, big $ offer and the Swans didn’t think they’d be able to retain him as they had other priorities. Two SA clubs made even bigger offers and Dees showed a little interest. I can tell you that the FD of the Swans are pleasantly surprised to retain him and I was told that he’s accepted at least $600k less over the term to stay at the Swans.

What makes it seem stranger is last year on Kings Bday we dismantled the Collingwood gameplan by applying pressure on the ball carrier and putting on frontal pressure across the midfield/owning the corridor. Now we seem to have (partially?) adopted a style we already curtailed ourselves last year. Collingwood got out the back far too easily and too often in the QF but had we kicked straight (nailing shots we usually kick) we would've had a home Prelim. We need a reset to focus on our pressure and contest around the ground, become the hunter again. It is our DNA.

it's absolutely disgusting. We were all so desperate for a Premiership and the club finally delivered. For a so called "supporter" to then try to diminish that achievement is treating everyone at the club with contempt.

Well said. I'm now in the boat that there's a huge chance we could miss finals based on this overview. You can't overhaul the game plan completely but even with a few tinkering you're still not guaranteed to win games. This has been brewing for a number of weeks now.

In an effort to brighten you up re: histroy of club, etc, I still am attending games since 1965 and I marvel at the sheer talent I have watched these last few years. Collectively the best I have ever seen. I'll attend Monday with that mindet - how priviledged are we to watch Max, and Trac and Jack? Only ever felt this emotion watching Robbie's career. Don't let the white noise get to you.

Thanks for the above. In my view the media pile about straight sets finals set up a narrative late last year that forced the club - incorrectly - to maybe think the past now isn't working lest we change - despite our obvious strengths. Still recognising other teams are improving with new talent we don't yet have - eg Horne Francis, Harley reid, etc. Evidence? 2022 - a couple of goals short of a prelim - with 10 players injured, incl Max, and Trac(heroically IMO) with a cracked tibia. We were highly competitve despite these issues. I attended the Gabba bllodbath we inflicted on the Lions not 2 weeks earlier then lose at the 'G'. Did noone think how that was possible. ? 2023 - Lost forward line with jake out, JVR out susp., Collingwood game - Brayshaw and poor kicking, then one poor kick /decison by Jack and prelim gone also. I concur not much was wrong, and acknowledge JVR our key to future but not quite ready. Tweak but keep going with key aspects of current game, but with a few improvements like lowering the eyes etc. I expect to see a major reversion to 21-23 style on Monday - despite personnel deficiences

The problem in myview of it, is Fritta is an "opportunistic" forward... Yes he can and does lead but he's not the #1 KPF as such. When someone is playing that role(kpf1) with even a minor amount of effectivelness it releases Fritta into his own world. And thats fine.. At these times he's very very hard to match up on and contain as he only needs an inch. When we have a shambles of a Forward setup with NO ONE effectively playing a true #1 kpf ( someone might be named....but not doing it welll ;) ) then the Oppo can tie up Fritta. This has been happening of late. He's paid a lot more attention. I dont put that on him..Thats fairly at the feet of the FD...

Sorry, but if you go to your home state, organise for a local reporter to show up and interview you while you play a round of golf, request a trade, then play with little effort the following season… you’re going to cop criticism.

Andy went alright against Sandy. 33 total disposals at 97% disposal efficiency. 16 handballs 17 kicks 6 marks Don’t recall him being the dedicated kicker in. Sandy had a high degree of accuracy in the first 3/4’s. Totalled 9 behinds by game end. 11 intercept possessions 7 contested possessions 5 scoring involvements 4 tackles Best game l can recall from AMW at Casey. Involved in the game throughout, dynamic in the last quarter during Casey’s late charge at victory. Set the personal performance mark quite high. Going back to go forward. Needs to keep knocking on the door. Hard.

To be fair, AMW would probably be captain of North Melbourne or St Kilda by now.

Sometimes I think supporters just get bored and want something new and shiney.