TeamPlayedFine39

May is a real mongrel and deserves what he gets from the tribunal; hope they nail him. While I'm not infatuated with GAJ, I think people are making a bit much of his role in this. Is the theory that May was going to somehow miss him until GAJ redirected him? For mine, the fault is May's and May's alone; hope he gets five weeks.

I think we need to find room for Vince and someone may consider themselves to be very unlucky, or in Oliver's case, managed. Jeffy though hasn't played, not really trained since April 2nd, he may need a run in the two's just to get match fitness. Now that the cap has been introduced we're seeing players getting exposed when they're coming in and they're not at 100%.

It looked like a lot of our tall forwards were 'let off the leash' and were able to move up an around the ground; with Hogan, Watts, Frost and Pederson all getting marks and possessions up the ground. The fact they were more mobile gave us a much more unpredictable elements to our gameplan. Was very impressed by Frost today - was reminding me of Mark Blicavs. We tend to forget how few games Frost has played; still very much learning the craft.

Whilst not thrilled with pick 25, I see a bigger upside in Melksham. With that said, we can't consider them in isolation, we need to look at the package. Last year we gave up a second round pick for a mid-range player with potential... now that that has been done, do we want to do it two years in a row?

For me it all comes down to their status at the end of the year. If the suspended players contest their contracts and become free agents, yes please- the more the merrier. A player like Hibberd though I wouldn't be willing to trade much for.

I agree. If we can win 2-3 of the next 3 matches we will hit the hit the season full of steam and full of confidence. If we drop these matches (which is also a real possibility) we are in danger of slipping into the general malaise that has consumed the last ten seasons.

Never thought seeing Essendon get smashed would make me feel so sad... don't think it'll last for too long though.

Didn't see this one coming - well done!

Good to see Oliver was in full traing; hopefully this means he'll be right to play this weekend after possibly being referred to as one of the 'tired players' on the weekend.

Doesn't sound too terrible... light jog afterwards.

I hope he matures and grows out of it too, but there are many champions who were cantankerous, dummy-spitters... Richardson J.Riewoldt Lockett Barry Hall Brereton Even our beloved Allen Jakovich. Flanboyant stars, full of flair and personality and passion.

Jesse is out of form, possibly for the first time in his life. He had concrete hands in the NAB challenge was towelled up by Davis Round one and was unable to hold the ball in contested marks against the Bombers. He's frustrated that he can't do the things that usually come very naturally to him. He's still very inexperienced; he didn't play under 18s as he was over here with the Dees, he sat out an entire year with a back injury. He's an immature player in a very mature body, many tend to forget this.

Most decent/semi-decent hotels and resorts around Asia seem to have the same basic cable, that includes Australia Plus. Afl live international can just be accessed through the AFL site.

Two very different players and both have made excellent starts to their AFL careers. If we were in a position to have both, I would have grabbed that with both hands!

When the Libs came in and revamped the Australia Channel there was a lot of talk about there being no more AFL. The only real difference is the Australia Network has been renamed Australia Plus. 1 Friday night game 2 Saturday day games 1 Saturday night game 2 Sunday games We're pretty well looked after in Asia and when the Melbourne matches aren't covered, the AFL Live app work well.

A few people have said this before me, but I'd hazard a guess that there will be very few, if any, changes for next week. Roos regularly espouses the value of continuity and sticking to the gameplan. In many respects this is what makes him such a stubborn (and in many opinions on this site, poor) gameday coach. He believes in the gameplan and the system that they have in place and he is unwilling to be reactionary and change it. In his first year at Melbourne he said it was pointless to swing massive changes at the selection table as the team didn't gel if there were five different players brought into it each week. Whilst I don't necessarily believe it's for the best, it's what I think will happen - one, maaaaaaaybe two changes. The coaching staff seem to have huge belief in Lamumba, Kent, Harmes, etc. who are at the tops of a lot of people's lists.

Inflammatory title, but a sound OP. I agree - bring on Round 3!

It's not so much a matter of ability for any of these players mentioned- they're simply not match fit. We'd have 4 Brayshaws out there huffing and puffing. Give them all time.

I was trying to add to your comment, not rebut it- I agree with you.

And that people try to draw too many conclusions from one or two games.

IMHO Jones is a very good captain of the side, for further proof of this, dig up the threads that follow many of our wins. When we're firing, Jones is praised, when we're playing poorly, he cops it. Which, to an extent, is fair enough; he's the Captain of the team and the buck for onfield leadership stops with him. The issue for me is that Jones, Vince and McDonald are terribly, terribly out of form. Great players, playing badly. Jones and Vince are not impacting off halfback and they are struggling to impose themselves when they are playing in the midfield. McDonald, another onfield leader, has some far more obvious and visible blunders. Until these three find form, following interrupted preseasons, we will struggle.

You've bumped 2 Jimmy Toumpas threads to give yourself a pat on the back... how's life under the bridge??

Great debut and looks like he'll be a great player. Staggering that a talent like that was almost missed!

Showdowns are great matches, nothing shocking about that being televised. Chanel 7 will unfortunately miss a record breaking game when we beat the Bombers by (literally) a buzzillion points. That'll be a shame.