deanox

Makes sense. This year our plan for defensive roles has typically been to negate the value of possessions, rather then to prevent them all together. Making sure that Mitchell's 30 dont hurt us is probably a stronger play than trying to try someone out of it.

Or Viney goes to negative/tagging midfielder, Jordan steps up minutes in modified rotation, and VDB becomes the rotation/spare parts player on HFF and midfield rotations? Harms played 69% TOG last week, our 6th lowest (Rivers at 62% everyone else >65%). The week before against GWS Harms was our 5th lowest TOG with 72%> Sparrow was the lowest with 55%, and again everyone else >65%.

https://afltables.com/afl/teams/melbourne/season.html This resource might help.

Is this the most "no change" we've had in a season?

In think his value has been recognised by demonland as demonstrated by his performance in the PotY: 151. Clayton Oliver 141. Christian Petracca 111. Christian Salem 87. Jake Lever 84. Max Gawn 69. Steven May 66. Tom McDonald 63. Ed Langdon 43. Luke Jackson 35. James Harmes 31. Kysiah Pickett Everyone has raved about May and Langdon, so for him to sit between them is a strong result. I think the strong performances of the top 3 make them a pretty clear top 3, but after that it is not much between the next 5. Edit: also I think this year to have 3 defenders in our top 6 is an anomaly compared to previous years, but we have definitely built our game plan on defence rather then attack, so it isn't a surprise that our first forward is down the list a little (and positions 7-11 include 3 forwards). In other years, our leading forward would probably be top 4 or 5.

I'm pretty sure I showed up on the old server around 2001/2(?) and remember the swap over, but thinking about that scares me a little! There are definitely a few familiar names still around. If we haven't gotten to Coach status or above in 20 years I guess we never will!

You're probably right. The AFL own 49% of Champion Data. The whole thing is a racket. These two bits of info make sense. Betting agencies won't be paying champion data to suppress the stats, it will be part of their sponsorship agreement.

I think Champion Data need to release this kind of stuff because they keep all their real info secret so they can sell it for big money. In American sports where lots of statistics are released, 3rd party analysts can find real and meaningful correlations, and the public can come up with their own personal key stats. Because the stats aren't available, they need to make up some kind of over complicated metrics to convince they are getting the info.

I think there would be uproar in this case. In 2019 competing clubs got an allocation of 17k for members. I can't imagine that more than 5-7k of those would be sold as GF Guarantee, it's too risky otherwise. So unless we are have capacity of 25k or less, I think we'll be fine.

Yeah fair call. I think there is a big gap between those clubs and the top 4, but under pressure some will come good. I do prefer our fixture of lower tables and top ranked teams. Although I wish one of Geelong or WCE was at the G.

Geelong have a pretty good run except from Freo in Freo, and us last round (they play middle tables teams like Saints, GWS and Richmond). I'd actually like to play them in the finals as I think they will be very beatable with our fitness. We've got a touch run with dogs, WCE and Geelong. Win 2 and we should finish on top I think, but results could really change it, it's tight at the top.

The Superintendent.

They would be a perfect fit for Clarkson.

Impossible task this week. 6 Petracca 5 Petty 4 Oliver 3 May 2 McDonald 1 Pickett Apologies to Hibberd, Gawn, Salem, who all could have had votes.

Mind boggling. Leave him to intercept like he does best.

I think there via setting to be said about playing a team that is trying to beat you vs playing a team that is trying to minimise damage. Sometimes the later can bring the game down to their level, while the former becomes a battle of skills and systems.

Is pressure points measured as actions that effectively apply pressure? While I agree that we have looked off with pressure, my question is "is it laziness or is it a structural/game plan thing"? What I mean is, early in the year our zone was dominating. Opposition players kept kicking to spots we were defending, so it was easy for our players to apply pressure, and thus earn pressure points. Adelaide beat us structurally by kicking a shallow kick to where May/Lever weren't, forcing them to move out of position and therefore the opposition created opportunities to score. This could look like a lack of pressure points on the stats sheet, because our players had less opportunity to apply pressure. I thought GWS played a game out of their D50 where they chipped short to the HB line before going long or cutting 45 back into the centre. This meant our players were regularly out of position, and therefore couldn't apply pressure. So is the issue that after 10 weeks the other teams have started to crack our structures in a way that means we can't apply pressure? Or are the players not working hard enough to apply the pressure? Or both?

I think after the GWS game they decided they needed a tall forward for PA, so picked Brown as the one to play part game time for Casey and stay rested.

Cause or effect? Was his low game time because the coaches didn't give him time or because he didn't have the fitness coming back from injury? Given we sent him for a mini preseason it would suggest the later?

Both Leigh Newton (1997-1999) and Michael Newton (2005-2011) who played for the MFC were nicknamed Juice, in obvious reference. I am not sure if Ben Newton (originally PA then MFC 2015-2016) got the same nickname.

A top of the ladder finals contender drops a couple for games, a couple of ladder spots and looks shakey. A debutant is not going to fix it.

Personally I've always thought body language could be better or a thanks used. But I Ivery loosely know one of the Melbourne trainers and was talking to them last week in a general conversation. I wouldn't expect this person to say anything bad about Melbourne or the players - because it is the trainers workplace too - but this person did comment to me about the players being a good bunch of people and generally pretty friendly to be around. No need to say that if they didn't mean it.

Shallow inside 50s but also (without evidence) my feel was that they kicked shorter out of defence, meaning they were able to get it outside the D50 before kicking down the line or cutting into the coridoor.

Agree. Definitely under the microscope right now. In his favour is that he once again converted the 2nd most ground on field and had our most sprint efforts, meaning he is probably playing a big role in our system. But his stats and impact have levelled off, and he needs to start having a bigger impact again. For me he is the anti Melksham. I don't think Melksham does enough or works hard enough but there are a handful of times a game where he is devastatingly effective for us with respect to setting up a scoring opportunity. Can we afford to carry both Spargo and Melksham? Two players who probably don't do enough work but create scores? Who else can bring the tank and system role that ANB brings?

I agree with this. I think. Weid is competing with TMac for a spot. They both like to cover the ground a bit more, and when Weid is stuck at home he often struggles to get the the ball drop for while reason. Coincidentally this was the 2018 set up that worked too. I think Jackson fits in this just fine because he is versatile, good below his knees, and his primary role is 2nd ruck / resting forward. I know forward connection is a bit of a joke but connection is built on leading patterns, consistency and trust. At the moment every week it's a different set up and it's hard without a "bail out option" when nothing else presents. Brown's straight line running and leading should straighten us up and give a first target for the eyes. His long leads will create space behind and around him for players like Fritsch and Jackson to drop into. And while he may not be a strong pack mark he at least is a stay at home tall, which means there is always something to hit, instead of trying to spot up Spargo or Pickett. The lack of VFL has really made it hard this year, so I hope we haven't left it too late.