TeamPlayedFine39

That was a terrible match from Melbourne and I remember walking away with big doubts about the Bailey team. We were a monty to make the finals that year according to the pundits, but there were big cracks even in the games we won. What that match did show was that we HAD a genuine match winner in Jurrah. He was the difference that day- have had anyone like him since... hopefully that void will be filled by the Hulk. The 2010 and 2008 wins against Brisbane were magic!

They have been through such a terrible time and could not have been prepared to play that match. They looked exhausted both physically and emotionally and the emotion was raw and heart wrenching. You can forget sometimes that many of them are basically kids and they've suffered a huge loss. It was very difficult to see them out there at the end of the match, seemingly alone. When they were walking off the ground Camporeale was trying to get around to them to offer a word, but they are a devastated group of young men. Hopefully tonight, as difficult as it was, was a healing moment in their grief. They have a long way to go.

Whatever the offer is, add %10. Needs to be too good to refuse.Our first pick and Howe... And fingers crossed.

If only we'd taken Brad Johnson instead of Trent Ormond Allen!

He is beast! Needs to work on his disposal but with another AFL preseason under his belt, he could explode next year. Would love to see him lining up in the centre square. Great pick-up and re-signing.

Thanks for the reports. Any sign of Salem out there? Is he back running? Have been re-watching a few of the games from the first third of the season. Salem was pivotal; need him back soon.

Home being Victoria or home being Geelong?

If we can win 8 games this year then we would have had 2, 4, and 8 wins over three years. It is logical to conclude that we will be sure to win 16 games in 2016!

Agreed! Was such an exciting prospect in his first two years. Jack, Petracca and the fella in charge of their rehab fitness program, post updates on Instagram quite regularly. They're both looking fit and strong; so fingers and toes crossed...

Impossible to predict with any confidence and a lot will be determined by the players we get back from injury and how our young players cope in the later rounds of a long and brutal season. Getting Salem, vandenBerg and Garland back is important if we're to win the so-called 'winable' matches in the run home. Eagles @ TIO Stadium: Eagles are no where near as good as the media claims them to be; but are far better than opposition supporters give them credit for. (probable loss) Bombers @ MCG: Desperately out of form and shot for confidence; if we play with intensity and physicality we should win. (probable win) Lions @ MCG: They knocked us off last year and will be confident to do it again. If we come to play and are physical and ruthless, we should win. (probable win) Saints @ MCG: At home and with a few players back, we should win and win well. If the Geelong match was spurned on by the loss the previous week, we will hopefully be breathing fire against the Saints. (probable win) Magpies @ MCG: I really rate their up and coming list, however it is a very young one. Our only chance is if they start to tire after a very strong first half of the year. (probable loss) Kangaroos MCG: I don't think they have the personal or the game plan to win finals. They do however have the personal and gameplan to beat up on younger, weaker teams. (probable loss) Bulldogs @ Etihad Stadium: Tough ask at Etihad where they play very well. They will be out to get us from the first bounce. We're every chance if we can pressure them as we did four weeks ago... but I really rate the Bulldogs. (probable loss) Blues @ MCG: They'll think they're a chance here and will be preparing for a red hot go at us. If we can get on top early we should account for them. Can't let a team like this get any early confidence. (probable win) Dockers @ Domain Stadium: Oh dear... (probable loss) Giants @ Etihad Stadium: They've never feared us, even in their early days. A lot will depend on whether they're still a shot for the finals by then. They were very average on the weekend but are overflowing with fast and efficient ball carriers. Not liking this at Etihad either. (probable loss) By my count that's 4 more wins and 6 more losses but, as I said, it's way too early to predict anything. I can pretty much guarantee we'll lose one we're expected to win and win one we're expected to lose... otherwise we'd all be much more successful gamblers!

Whoops! I've been blaming Stevie J all these years for being the one who did this...

He plays with a maturity well beyond his years and a physicality well beyond his physical stature. When viewing the footage of him at TAC level and seeing him run around over preseason, I was thinking there's no way he is going to be able to play this style straight-up in the AFL. Since round one though he has been an animal at the contest and habitually puts much larger, grown men on their backsides. A pure footballer. Gun.

Jeffy played himself into some form yesterday. Was rushing and fumbling everything early, but after he jagged his first, the confidence returned. He's been a fantastic pick-up and was exactly what we needed in our forward half; we now threaten in the air and when the ball finds the turf. Has speed and nouse and hopefully many more years in the red and blue!

In my time anyway, melbourne's never really had huge accumulators of the ball. We've had damaging midfielders, but not ones pulling in the massive numbers that bernie has been the last month.

I think there's maybe been better since, but that win was almost a carbon copy of this weekend. Decimated by injuries, written off by all, hoodoo team on a cursed ground.

He also yelled out 'He ducked!' during the second quarter- it was comical. Not only that, but at least twice today he failed the basic addition/subtraction and hit the margins wrong, very wrong.

He looks a little lost to me or even down on confidence. He has spent an entire pre-season preparing to follow up and excellent 2014 in the backline, only to now find himself switched forward again. For someone who's always appeared to be a natural forward, he appears all at sea

Jimmy's problem has never been his effort. It's great to see his team mates looking for him in space and using him well. His hard running and understanding of the game-plan, speed or AFL and leading patterns are paying off. He's also got a bit more pace than he's given credit for and is getting a bit of separation on his opponents.

I would take Aish in an instant. Last year's form is a better reflection of his ability as a footballer; and that form was very, very promising.

Takes a good grab because when marking overhead, he pulls the ball down to his chest as quick as he can; almost snatches it. Doesn't give opponents the chance to punch it out.

He's a garn! Reminds me of Travis Boak. Very confident he'll be a long term contributor to the MFC. Well done Gus!

After the bye for mine. No rush at this stage but love his form and attitude.

Very true - and Paul Roos agrees with you. Our bad is very bad, but when we're good, it's the best football we've played since '06. It's not the electric, fast running, all one way Bailey style; it's a hard, sustainable brand that could stand up in finals. We are a while off doing it week in, week out though. I had such high hopes this would be a positive thread... It seems there's many people on this site who do not enjoy football...

This site has violent mood swings! Last week it was like Mardi Gras in here, this week it's like a funeral home. The game has changed a lot since 2007 and, particularly last year we had a coach and game plan that was intentionally trying to keep the scores in matches low. Unfortunately, this style kept the opposition AND our scores very low. While an interesting (and somewhat depressing) read it doesn't paint the full picture. Part of the picture? Certainly. However there's so much more to our game and club than those numbers- that's what keeps forums such as this churning.

And he's taken the resting mid-fielder when they've gone forward- exemplifying his versatility.