Red and Blue realist

Both Clarry and Bedford were in the training photo's put up on the website just now. I think Trac, Spargo and Kossie all live together (or did last year) - none of them are in the photo's?

Had 32 and a goal plus got the 3 brownlow votes against them last year for the saints, so if he can have that impact he's welcome!

It's all about the set up, normally we have at least 1, if not both ruckman and 1 of the tall forwards there. With 1 or 2 inside mids or AN standing under the pack and langdon on the outside. They have numbers there too, we just back ourselves to win or break even everytime

Given the depth we have, and that we played as late as possible last year - I'd think we might see a few guys rested in the early part of the season. We've got the round 14 bye, so that gives us the last 9 rounds to have the 'A' squad together as much as possible, but in the lead up to the bye, I think they might help a few guys out, both by giving certain players a rest from time to time and then also giving others on the edge a chance at AFL level to see if they can grab their chance or at a minimum gain some confidence. So this week I'd be leave BBB out again - it'd be hard coming of minimal training and none with the group. While I'd also be giving Tomo a spell. Lever to come in (naturally). Then over the coming weeks, give May a break (either for Petty or getting Tomo back), send TMac for a rest (to find form) when BBB is fully right, I'd even consider letting Gawn or Dogga have a week off - not at the same time! - and see how Daw looks at the top level again. Viney, Sparrow or JJ could come out for Dunstan with Oliver or Trac to play mostly forward for a week and Bedford in for a full game with Kossie, Sparrow or ANB having a rest (Chandler might come in too). I know it's always better to have the best 22 run out, but we need to make sure they are all fit and firing at the end of the year, rather than in the early stages. plus we saw last year with Hunt, then Smith then Hibbo that you need players to come in and play their role with confidence should injuries hit.

He's also one of the coaches of our AFLW team, so hopefully it's not from one of our women's players who he's a close contact, they've got a big game tomorrow.

We can't take this lightly, the Suns have won their last 4 round 2 matches, and always play better in the early rounds before fading mid-late season. The longest road trip in footy off a 6 day break won't help them, but we'll need to be switched on early so they don't get too much believe up.

Another big tick to our leaders last night, Goody for putting TMac down back when Salo went off, I thought at the time it was strange he went with another tall, but it paid off big time. Not only did he play well but provided additional leadership that could have fallen onto Tomo, but it was good to just let him play his first game back without that on his shoulders as well. Big Max was very good, clearly he was frustrated with the amount of gifts given to English, but kept his cool. He was especially good after the joke free kick given to Weightman, he immediately went over to Smith and stopped any further penalty. I'm sure he was screaming on the inside like the rest of us (well if your like me it wasn't inside at all!), but to defuse the situation shows true leadership and class.

I agree this is why I think they went with Smith, he can also fly much better to compete with Naughton in the air if he gets on a role, and we know May is smart enough to stay down if required. On May, he'll also be fit this game as well, no hammy (touch wood) issues so I expect his output to be greater than in the granny.

Did you know he used to play basketball?

All of them, good chance the top liners will only play a half and we'll see all named play at least some of the game. I'd su next week might be a little more like a real game

https://www.afl.com.au/news/708264/teams-superstar-dees-named-gun-recruits-ready-to-roll MELBOURNE 1. Steven May, 3. Christian Salem, 4. James Harmes, 5. Christian Petracca, 6. Luke Jackson, 9. Charlie Spargo, 10. Angus Brayshaw, 11. Max Gawn, 12. Toby Bedford, 13. Clayton Oliver, 14. Michael Hibberd, 15. Ed Langdon, 17. Jake Bowey, 20. Adam Tomlinson, 23. James Jordon, 24. Trent Rivers, 25. Tom McDonald, 26. Sam Weideman, 29. Jayden Hunt, 30. Alex Neal-Bullen, 32. Tom Sparrow, 33. Oskar Baker, 36. Kysaiah Pickett, 37. Kade Chandler, 38. Mitch Brown, 42. Daniel Turner, 44. Joel Smith, 50. Ben Brown Notable absentees: Jack Viney, Jake Lever, Jake Melksham, Luke Dunstan, Bayley Fritsch, Harrison Petty NORTH MELBOURNE 1. Jack Mahony, 2. Jaidyn Stephenson, 4. Aiden Corr, 5. Curtis Taylor, 6. Jason Horne-Francis, 7. Jack Ziebell, 8. Bailey Scott, 13. Jared Polec, 15. Atu Bosenavulagi, 17. Lachie Young, 18. Hugh Greenwood, 19. Josh Walker, 20. Nick Larkey, 21. Callum Coleman-Jones, 22. Todd Goldstein, 23. Ben McKay, 24. Tom Powell, 25. Paul Curtis, 26. Tarryn Thomas, 27. Miller Bergman, 28. Kayne Turner, 29. Will Phillips, 31. Josh Goater, 32. Jacob Edwards, 33. Patrick Walker, 34. Jackson Archer, 35. Charlie Lazzaro, 37. Kyron Hayden, 40. Eddie Ford, 44. Cam Zurhaar Notable absentees: Jed Anderson, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Ben Cunnington, Luke McDonald, Jy Simpkin, Aiden Bonar, Charlie Comben, Tristan Xerri, Aaron Hall

It looks like they used a combination of tightened their rules around how players/coaches interacted with others and then reduced the time needed in quarantine for those who were fully vaxxed - only 24 hrs if non-symptomatic. I wouldn't be surprised if teams go into some sort of bubble type setting on the eve of finals, it might not be to play at the same venue, but all players/coaches might be living at the same resort, eating together, taking the same transport etc. with harsh restrictions on any outside movement. Clubs might be happier with this knowing it's only for the finals period. Of course that all depends where the virus is up to and how many vaccinations are needed by then?

Membership $ is what counts most - all clubs have quirks that can inflate numbers. The Saints were handing out free memberships to all kids who joined a certain junior league and sold a heap of $1 membership one year, I think the Pies and Tigers have a large pet membership number. The key is the membership $ return, which from memory - I can't find but haven't looked very hard! - we had a much higher $ return from every member than most other clubs. So 40,000 members for us is significantly better than 40,000 for other clubs.

Great all round post CHF, I think there's one area that wasn't addressed and that's small lock-down defenders. You've covered off on the running backs and some of them play a hybrid role in that regard, but we've have Nev retire and moved on Lockhart. I know our style of play means we haven't had to rely on a small defender but this was one area that I thought we were struggling with - being vulnerable when the ball hit the ground in our defensive 50, especially in a 'chaos ball' way - this was until Bowey came into team, which gave us much quicker ground coverage. However, I don't think he's a lock-down defender and I'm not certain we'll need one all the time, but I'm wonder if this is one area teams might try and exploit us, of course that's easier said than done, but Collingwoods win over us was mainly due to a 'chaos ball' type approach into their Fwd50, low and hard in rather than deliberate and direct.

Spot on, I contacted them but they only did the 57 for a competition, no doubt they would have got a heap of business. Maybe they just underestimated the level of sales?

Howler have done a premiership beer, no idea how this tastes but the label looks good. https://www.howlerbrewing.com.au/shop/melbourne-fc-premiership-beer

I've always thought they should have a grand final replay in round 1, personally I'd prefer it was at a more family/travel friendly time slot than Friday night, but I can see why the club would want this - that sort of exposure early in the season is a great sell to sponsors and those that haven't signed up for a membership yet. I don't think opposition clubs care that much about when a club unfurls their flag, that's more for the premiers supporters.

These type of results rarely tell much of a story, given they are in isolation. How often would a player get to sprint 20 meters without being impeded, or run 2kms without having to change direction or even with the agility have to come to a complete stop. It's good to know he has these attributes, but he has to be able to use them. I'm sure Trac's not in the quickest in the club for the 20 meter sprints but he gets out of a pack nearly quicker than anyone just due to his power, and the same as Frost, he was lightning quick - unless he had to think, then he was one of the slowest players off the mark.

I think this is player driven, without the clubs involvement so nothing to worry about with breaking the collective bargaining. Happens every year, but is only really newsworthy this year! It's also only the guys who came back to Melbourne to give them something to do, heaps of others stayed in WA or travelled beyond there.

First player to come out to not being vaccinated - in the AFLW, but I'm sure we'll see some in the men as well. https://www.womens.afl/news/74985 The most shocking thing about this, is who it is and what she does/did for a job outside of footy - seriously she's an ICU nurse who in this article says she'd done a lot of education into Covid?? https://anmj.org.au/afl-player-and-icu-nurse-deni-varnhagen-on-footy-and-working-in-healthcare-in-unpredictable-times/

Very impressive, was at Brisbane before he came to us and they had a great run with injury in the last 2 years he was there.

Howler brewing are doing one - not sure on any other details but saw this on their facebook. Doesn't say when/how much, but they've previously done them for the tigers wins.

I asked them and they said it'll only be for that promotion, and they only made a very limited amount. At a guess the 57 for the promotion, 1 for the auction and around 200 that the players drank after the game and in the following days 🤪

Well done MAH! I love that you had all the bidding numbers in there as well, most of the media phantoms seem to have no idea about that works.

I think it's now nearly consensus that if there were no F/S or NGA that JHF is the number 1 pick anyway, so maybe they are just taking the right pick in order and hoping that other clubs don't deliberately pick their F/S or NGA players early in the future just to make them pay.