deanox

It was so I Melbourne like it wasn't funny. I reckon it was my highlight of the game.

The "balance" issue really comes down to how Dawes and Hogan work together. Do they get in each others way, or create space to run into? They've only ever played 3 games together. This synergy is a big factor in how good we can become. Also on Frost, if Dawes comes in, expect Frost to play upfield more as a traditional ruck rover. He would be the ultimate tall midfielder with his pace and strength. Can they mould him into a winger or Centre?

Best football writer in the game. You need 20 minutes to read his reviews but they always are shot on and sum up being a Melbourne supporter perfectly. His review of the smashing by Essendon at night a few years ago (round 2, 2013) is one of the best I've read. And I just realised that team only had 8 payers who played this Saturday. Amazing list turn around.

I'd assume they can't. Maybe one or two might. Assuming Dawes and Vince come in next week we have "best 22" which means there will be the 2 omissions (say Toumpas and Brayshaw) plus Grimes and Jones as the first 4 possible ins. Pedo is forward back up and Gawn is ruck back up. If all 6 of those are in the side at the expense of 6 others we will have a big change in the quality of the side. If more than that are needed at one time we are in line for a belting of we come up against the wrong team.

One of the big issues will be how many of those not best 22 players have to play at a time.

That hit by Johnson was cheap and should get weeks. Had potential to cause serious injury, was unexpected, from behind, and out of play. However it was 2-3 minutes before the melee which and to center around Clark. Any idea what sparked it?

Apparently Roos and a large contingent of MFC players are there (reported on MFC supporters Facebook page).

Offense or not it is clearly possible corruption and should be reported as such. Not reported like a fan boy.

I don't understand how any journalist can take the information that a rich Essendon coterie member organised a meeting between the players lawyers and a witness for the prosecution where details of the prosecution case was discussed and the outcome is that the witness subsequently refused to testify and write a positive article. Surely this is cause to investigate further? And report on possible corruption?

I think that the aid you don't notice on tv tends to be Watts supportive. You can see he could have got a contest and turned it to a 2 on 1 but then we'd have the bask and be a man down. Instead he chooses to trust his team mate to win and offer an option for a quick give, but gets let down. You cab see him run 150 m to a great position, open, you see his team mate look up scan and possibly ignore him while holding onto the ball too long. He certainly isn't perfect, and his physicality had left a lot to be desired (I get frustrated when he gets pushed off the ball or out marked), but while his mistakes are magnified and reported his strengths are often ignored in the same report.

I particularly agree with that last paragraph. Over the past few years I've felt that watts often want sure what he was meant to do. Stay outside and hope for it to come? Make good position? Run to the ball? Some of these uncertainties are in his own game, but others are lack of trust in his team mates who wouldn't win the ball when they should, who didn't kick it to him in a good position, or who didn't move to the right area for him.

I hope both he and Trengove can make it back. And I hope they remain demons. The Clubowes both of those kids, two blokes who stepped up and gave of themselves to try and lift and steer our club. Jones wasn't ready to do it. We had not other leaders. We were a rabble. They tried to show us the way, to give us hope, to set the standards for the young players and old, despite their own limited experience. They have both suffered for the club, both physically, and in their own football development. Reigniting their careers at the MFC would be a fantastic story. They should be celebrated as integral players (i.e. actors, not on-field players) in our (hopefully) forthcoming success. Please give them your support where you can.

Frost doesn't go out. He is our only other ruck option. Let's just leave that there, and start discussing others who may go out for Dawes.

I don't think Watts had been a failure. He may not have lived up to expectations but he has now played nearly 100 games of footy, including a handful of great games, many good games, many more solid games and a handful of stinkers. In that time he has grown into his body, spent time learning to play forward, midfield and defence, all while having no senior onfield leaders to guide him, 6+ coaches and accompanying game plans to learn, and has had to play alongside one of the most inept and worst performed football teams in the history of the AFL/VFL as a predominantly outside finisher type player who typically relies on the ball coming out. I don't know how he could be considered been a failure. I'd argue that he is still sticking it out and improving, that he has had a successful beginning to the start of his career, developed a bit slower than hoped but not really slower than can be expected based on the above, nor on his height, and he is now about to come into his prime as a player and as a leader. Edit: autocorrect typos

I hadn't really considered dropping Brayshaw because I thought his endeavour was amazing but if we are satisfied we can cover him in the middle with others, he could go for Dawes letting Kent and JKH stay. I think one of the small forwards would have to be sub though because with Toumpas out, it is going to be Brayshaw.

My thoughts were that when you run and jump at a ball on the goal a couple of things happen. A) you don't know where the ball is with respect to goal, post etc so if you can mark you usually mark to make sure of it, unless you have approached the ball shower and are confident you can shepherd it through. B) you don't know if there is an opponent coming to touch it through. It is better than "fly for the mark, not be able to take it, and rush it across for a behind". I think he decided to tap it down when he raised he want going to mark it and I'm Ok with that. Especially because it worked. Goal of the round?

Has anyone mentioned JKHs pass to Tyson running through the guts? It was beautiful and perfect. Tyson ran flat out and the kick sat up for him perfectly. The side step and goal was great too but that kick was un-Melbourne-like.

All of the above, but I wasa big fan of the vanDemon smother, gather and give off for a goal. He is massive. For me though, watts' tap was the highlight.

PS Thanks for the reports everyone!

"Max Gawn - filled a number of big man roles but was best when up forward where he took some strong marks and kicked a couple of goals." I'd love Gawn to become a second ruck who can pay forward until he is ready to take over from Jamar in 12-24 months. He has the attributes to be very damaging if he can in fact put it together. But right now I'm wondering who's place he is competing for, Frost? Because they are so different it week never be a straight swap. I like this though. It is rare we will have all of our best 25 players available for selection with no injuries. They will come and players week get their chances. I just don't think we have the depth yet to cover more than 3 or 4 injuries without scraping the barrel.

Lamashtu I'm inclined to agree that dropping anyone will hurt what we did today. To me Dawes doesn't fit the football we played today, 2015 brand counter attack football, he fits 2010 brand compete at the boundary line and slow and steady defence football. But he is our number one tall forward. I know Hogan will go past, maybe quickly, but Dawes is 26, in his prime and will be there 5 years. How will Dawes adapt to the new plans?

If one of Kent or JKH make room for Dawes, then Frost needs to pay their role. That's why I think Kent may be at more risk than jkh who is just that bit different physically (agility etc) while Kent is fast and strong, like Frost. JKHs agility and evasiveness are x factor qualities that Kent doesn't have (doubt get me wrong I love Kent but he has hard and tough as his x factor qualities which are covered by Frost).

The best part about winning is that we can say "who cares about Toumpas today?". He goes home without feeling like he lost the game for us. He will only get dropped next week for Vince, no shame and would have happened if he got 8 perfect touches in 26 minutes. But we need him to find his feet at one level, vfl, afl it doesn't matter. He had good physical attributes and good skills. So need to support him to put it together.

It is a massive call. In some ways I'd like to see this point made. It would be an amazing moment for the MFC. But on the other hand, assist from occasional on field brain snaps, Dawes is a serious and well respected leader of the playing group and (probably only for another few weeks) our number one forward. It is hard not to find a spot for him.

Toumpas for Vince is a no brainer. Frost is the only option for Dawes; Brayshaw, Jamar and Kent are the only other players with less than 13 disposals and all played their role well. Jamar obviously is safe. And I think swapping for either of the other two mixes up Tan balance a bit. It wouldn't surprise me if we go with Dawes for Kent and ask Frost to pay a more mobile role on a flank rotating into the middle etc.