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Gun Dee in uphill battle, Goody's heartbreaking chat to ACL victim Goody speaks about Gus and Viney availability and also Kozzy as well. Brayshaw to start playing VFL and Viney touch and go for round 1. Looks like Kozzy will come straight back into the side in round 1. Shows how highly rated he is by the coaches.

Last year I had the teams divided into four main groups: - Top 4: Port, Lions, Cats and Tigers. These teams were at a higher level and could beat each other on the right day. - Gunning for the 8: Dees, Saints, Dogs, Pies, GWS. Anyone of these 5 could have ended up in the 8 but 2 had to miss out. I had West Coast on their own. Definitely not top 4 but a cut above the “Gunning for the 8” group (context helped them). - Having a go: Freo, Blues, Dons, Suns, Hawks, Swans. Big group with some showing more improvement than others towards the end. - Hopeless: North and Crowd. Demons: When the FULL TEAM turned up to play FOUR FULL quarters, we could beat all the “Gunning for the 8” teams and give the top 4 teams a run for their money (but we weren’t at their level of skill, intensity, team work, strategy, etc). But when half our players made a poor effort and we fell asleep for full quarters, we’d struggle to beat “Having a go” teams. See Cairns. A lot could happen this season, but my baseline scenario: - Crows move up a group, hawks down a group. - Carlton and Freo move up a group, Pies and GWS to move down and Eagles to become part of the “Gunning for the 8” group. This group will expand. Some will miss out by definition. - Saints to move up a group, and Cats floating between top 4 and “Gunning 8” groups, like eagles last year. Where does that leave Melb? Realistically, we’re in the same Gunning for the 8 group as last year but if our forward line works and the FULL TEAM turns up to play FOUR FULL quarters EVERY week, we’re towards the top of this group and knocking on the top 4 door. That’s a big if. My two cents.

Mate of mine just rang and said Oscar has been named at CHF for Carlton in their pre season game. Ok, Hope he makes a go of it!

like Goodwins support of Neita. Full marks

Tried Google Translate with this and it couldn't detect the language. Anyone able to interpret?

Great to have Lever signed after a good season in 2020 where he played every game, so looks like his knee is holding up well. It's a confidence booster knowing he'll be there until the end of 2024. He is still young and already a leader and well respected at the club. Best of luck Jake!

Nobody rates us and why should they? Its about time this club got a chip on its shoulder and went out and proved the world wrong. More likely that hell freezes over but you just never know.

Well played @BigFez, you must speak fluent "Pub".

A good move to wait til Jack is 100% - in the past our midfield has functioned very well (and at times better) without him

Mistakes will be made with regards to the adjudication of this new rule but mistakes are made with all adjudications. That's the sport and if you want perfection and/or consistency you won't get it But I really like the new rule in terms of what it could do for the sport as a spectacle ... and that matters to me far more than a few iffy decisions More open footy and more scoring with less congestion & stoppages is what I want to see and so do many others So hopefully this new rule helps us get to that point. Those who like footy the way it is now need to remember that they used to watch (and enjoy) the sport when it was more open with less congestion and with more scoring

MY PREDICTIONS 1 MELBOURNE 2 RICHMOND 3 BRISBANE 4 WESTERN 5 PORT 6 GEELONG 7 CARLTON 8 FREMANTLE BROWNLOW : GAWN COLEMAN : B.BROWN RISING STAR : LUKE JACKSON WOODEN SPOON : NORTH BOLD PREDICTION : YZE WILL COACH COLLINGWOOD WHEN BUCKLEY GETS THE SACK.

Signed today

Hi P2J Yes-legends for sure. I was born in 1950 and sop lucky that Dad used to take me to matches at the MCG to see these guys-they have given me so many memories to carry through the years. I would love to meet some of them before we all pass on. :)

If we can go all season without losing a game I think we’re a good chance of winning the granny.

Got my tickets! Hitting the Medalion Club, doin it classy Can't wait. first time seeing the boys play since 2019. and it's not a proper game so I might relax and enjoy it!

The reduction in revenue incurred during the COVID affected season of 2020 could have caused a reduction in Ben Gibson's working days from five days per week down to three days per week as well.

Surprised about Kossie, I wonder if it will be alongside Chandler? If Chandler has another good outing against the Dogs it will be hard (dumb?) to exclude him from the round 1 side.

... and listen ... the inputs and influences of both Yze and Chocko will be the keys to success ...

Bah !! It’s all frog****e until we play some football [censored] the experts!!

John Time to get over IsaacSmith. NEver had him won't miss him !! Mark my words Fraser Rosman will Be there when the whips are cracking with Choco and Ooze guiding him. We are getting a list of solid and fast running players with skills which will stand us in good stead.

One would have to establish it being the best of the 6 flags In the glory years then compare with the single ones in 1900 1926 and 1948 and also the three peat in 1939,40 and 41. There wasn't much difference in the1955 56 57 59 and 60 teams and 64 was an end of successful era one that is a bonus for us. If a reunion was not achieved last year of the 1960 flag then I would encourage it to be held during this season.

Brilliant recruiting, hampered by knee injury, about to become one of the best defenders in AFL.

the mfcss is strong in you, young padawan

Melbourne will finish 3rd and win the Premiership

I'm moderately surprised at the lack of love for the Dees ......... but at least reading these predictions won't provide a lot of bathwater for our boys to drink.

Declase to add some Dee class?

I really hate autocorrect. It's become my worst enema.

I rate myself very lucky to have been been around in our 'glory years', and mention of the names from that era bring the memories flooding back. To coin a modern day phrase, I'm still 'proud to belong'. I have a wife, 3 kids and 5 grand kids, all of whom share my passion (they had little choice on that!). I only hope that they, and all Demonlanders who have not had the privilege, will soon experience the joy of #13.

Very respectful of that era & one could only wish current members & supporters could witness those flags..our last premiership Captain just turned 85.....

Think he will be a shrewd pick up for the Blues with Docherty, Williams and co driving out of defence.

Figuratively speaking, it may be another way to indicate that Chocko knew more than most about this recruit that he valued and respected, with an eye to further but time-appropriate recruitment to a worthy team. Chocko is too wise to merely expect recruitment solely at his maintenance of 'happiness'.

Good news about Gus and Kozzie, I personally had Pickett outside of the team for round given the lack of training with the squad. This is more to do with him not being able to practice set ups, stoppages etc than anything else. If he’s able to get a game or two at VFL to press his claim than I’m happy with that. I’m not overly surprised by the situation with Viney, and Goody makes a great point that there’s a fixation on round one. Hold him back until he’s right and in the meantime we have depth in that area. Well done to Goody with how he’s felt with Neita and his third knee reco.

18 of the last 20 Brownlow medallists came from finals sides. Some have Petracca as the winner , yet Dees miss the 8. If he wins, we make finals.

Thanks The Stigga-you got me keen to go back and look at the selected sides and stats-gee 1959 and 1960 teams were so good. I can't pick between them. Was also amazed when I saw the emergencies for 1959 - players who didn't make the team-what a line up:- Athol Webb Trevor Johnson and Neil,Crompton :) Team B: John Beckwith (c), Tassie Johnson, John Lord HB: Geoff Case, Dennis Jones, Ian Thorogood C: Ian McLean, Laurie Mithen, Brian Dixon HF: Geoff Tunbridge, Clyde Laidlaw, Hassa Mann F: Ron Barassi, Alan Rowarth, Ian Ridley R: Bob Johnson, [censored] Fenton-Smith, Frank Adams S: Don Williams, Peter Brenchley Emg: Trevor Johnson, Neil Crompton, Athol Webb Coach: Norm Smith Scoring Barassi 4.3, R. Johnson 3.1, Tunbridge 1.2, Rowarth 4.1, Adams 3.1, Ridley 1.0, Mann 1.2, Rushed 0.3 1960 Melbourne B:John Beckwith Tassie JohnsonTrevor Johnson HB:Geoff CaseJohn Lord b1937Ian Thorogood C:Brian DixonLaurie Mithen Bryan Kenneally HF:Geoff TunbridgeClyde Laidlaw Hassa Mann F:Bob B JohnsonAlan Rowarth Frank Adams Foll:Len Mann Ron Barassi Jnr Ian Ridley Reserve(s):Brian Leahy Ray Nilsson Coach:Norm Smith

Hopefully we're at the stage where we have the depth to easily cover your Viney's, Picketts, Weidemans, Hibbo's etc... That's when you know you're a pretty decent side.

I think the Dees should have really tried to grab “the Eggman” after he was delisted by the Tigers. He has shown the skill and composure at AFL level. He showed his capabilities again last week. Is it too late to do a “reverse David Williams” and snatch him away from the Tigers.

Exactly. I think we identified the forward firepower as the area of improvement. Sure the midfield skill and pace and delivery needs to get better but our forward line setup and conversion will be our key to where we finish in 2021.

Which would have been heavily front loaded to get him over the Border.

Fingers crossed that Kade Chandler has another strong game this Monday. The trio of Kozzie/Spargo/Chandler is something that can cause Freo serious problems, and I cant recall a time when we have gone with 3 small forwards. Exciting!

Nostradamus and BigFez have never been seen in the same room.

I've just spat my corn flakes all over my computer screen reading that! I think this should read BOLD PREDICTION : YZE WILL COACH MELBOURNE WHEN GOODWIN GETS THE SACK.

I haven't read a local paper or watched a Werribee game for 2 years so I don't know anything about him I do know someone that's into Werribee I'll have to ask him what he is like.

So many things wrong about this post that again you need to be called out once again. This also proves time and time again your lack of footy judgement and knowledgeable I find it bizarre that you continue to pot a first year player in Kozzy Pickett, yet more then willing to accept a plodder in Alex Neal Bullen the benefit of the doubt. He is a average player who like Oscar McDonald has been gifted far too many games time and time over the journey, and one of the key reason we've been an average side of the last few years because we continue to carry average plodders like ANB and Oscar. It's only last year that Goodwin finally woke up to Oscar, hopefully he'll wake up to ANB. And for your information, ANB did not play midfield back in 2017. This was the year Goodwin played him in that high half forward role. You're making up stuff just for the sake of it and have the stats and proof to provide that further. At the end of the year I expect the likes of Bailey Laurie, Charlie Spargo and Kade Chandler to go straight past ANB because that will mean we've improved further as a team. I didn't name Kozzy because he's already sped straight past him as a player.

Part of the other side benifit of this is that if we can rely on Lever and May to take more intercept marks and rebound out of the backline, it should also free up big Maxy to get involved and take marks further up the ground in our attacking half.

was going to raise a thread about leveraging Lever but this is as good as any. We have to get a tactic going that takes advantage of the intercept. By himself his disposal is suspect but the time when he takes the ball is when the other team is committed to attack and are at their most vulnerable. Perhaps there needs to be a plan allowing him to lay off the ball quickly to a designated player or spot

A 24-year old, 195cm mature wingman that is good overhead. Sounds like the club have identified a pressing need!

I think a huge factor this season will be aerobic fitness. And it is a factor that works in our favor. We were super fit coming into last season. Unfortunately the 20 min quarters took away our comparative advantage. I think it is a reasonable assumption that we have at least maintained, and hopefully improved our fitness. If this is the case we will be well prepared for the change back to 30 minute quarters. 20% more game time, 10 minutes a quarter of 'red time' and a reduction in interchange rotations will make a huge impact. You could see it in the tigers practice game how the game opened up at the end of each quarter. And just as was often the case last year, even with the shorter quarters, we were at our best late. I thought the Cats would do ok last year, in large part because the shorter quarters would mitigate against having such an old team. I predict the converse will be true this year and they will be found out big time. I don't think they will make the eight.

I don't see all the gloom and doom about this season.We will have a very stable backhalf and a what i think will be a very dominant midfield.The forward line is a work in progress ,even with BB and Weid there was no sure solution.Who ever plays forward should be able to kick enough goals with all the supply from the mids,there is another brown playing for us and I think given the chance might surprise a few people .It's up to Goodwin to coach and tweak the team as needed.

I just took a call from T-Mac and asked him about the blood clot rumour. He said Oscar even rang him to ask if he was okay. Apparently there was a young Casey fella in the B game that looked a bit like him who got taken to hospital with a blood clot after the game. Someone saw him at the hospital and confused him for T-Mac.

hopefully we get more information once its declaseified.