Gator

This has been an excuse for this bloke for years, but in my opinion it's completely overblown. He's been physically capable of competing for most of his time at Melbourne. I don't buy into the ''skinny kid'' stuff. Jye Amiss was just as ''skinny'', if not more so, but was able to perform well as a teenager on his way to 41 goals in a season. What he does need is a mindset of yearning for the contest. You'll never make it as a key forward in the AFL unless you embrace the physicality of the contest. Caddy does and so does van Rooyen. Neither have more talent than Jefferson, especially Caddy, but they have the requisite desire to compete, to hurt, and to commit. Jefferson has the talent to make it and I'm sure we all hope he does. It's a big year for him to show that he's made inroads. Needless to say, I'm dubious.

You're off the mark here. Robertson kicked over 40 goals in a season six times. He also kicked 73 goals in a season. He won a best & fairest. He kicked 7 goals in a Queen's Birthday match and 7 goals on Matthew Scarlett in a stunning win at Kardinia Park.

Schwarz shouldn't be in the side. 59 games and 61 goals in the 2000s doesn't cut it. Rivers hasn't done enough. Howe ? Defintely no. He failed as a forward and was OK down back, but not enough to be in the best defence in the last 25 years. It's harder to say who should replace them, but unquestionably James McDonald makes the team.

I take a more hardline approach. He's going nowhere at the end of 2025 unless the club is satisfied in a trade, which is highly unlikely. It could well be different at the end of 2026 with only 12 months to go on his contract. The club may be more pragmatic then, but not at the end of this year.

That's all well and good, but when you sign a contract extension 21 months ago until the end of 2027 the decision where you play is really out of your hands. And he can't have been thinking about a move for very long considering he extended not all that long ago.

Supporters seem to expect that match simulation will be the same quality as two AFL best 22 teams going head to head when in fact it's between some AFL calibre players and at least half the list who are depth, not quite good enough, or junior players learning what AFL footy is all about. They're also judging 30 minutes to an hour, or so, of match sim condensed into 6 minutes of video. It beggars belief the conclusions they're capable of drawing. Btw, what teams aren't making mistakes at this time of year ?

I wouldn't take any notice of the above report. Firstly, we don't get to see other clubs train and secondly, it's all completely subjective. Btw, the person signs off mentioning the ''Melbourne Demons''. I've never heard a supporter refer to the club as the ''Melbourne Demons''. It's a very odd thing to say about the club you follow.

When it comes to speculating on ''mental health'', which was the post Pickett was responding to, I agree with him. No need.

It might be how you rate them, but you're clearly wrong. With regards to Hill, Pickett has him covered for disposals, goals, clearances, inside 50s, tackles, tackles inside 50, metres gained, score involvements and just about every other relevant statistic.

You're usually pretty circumspect when it comes to the Dees, Tony. This prediction surprises me.

When have I questioned our last 8 years ?

Choosing the beginning of the AFL era is about as nonanomalous as it gets.

Which year suits you best ?

Their recruiting since Taylor joined has been very good, not perfect, but pretty exceptional. As CEO Peter Jackson got the club back on track. But in the AFL era we'd have to be close to the AFL's biggest basket case. We really have been a joke. The following win/loss percentage sums up how deplorable we've been. Thank goodness for Gold Coast. Since the beginning of the AFL era in 1990. Geelong 63.51% Collingwood 54.80% Hawthorn 54.48% Port Adelaide 54.34% West Coast 54.33% Sydney 53.55% Essendon 51.75% Adelaide 51.22% Western Bulldogs 50.06% North Melbourne 48.69% St Kilda 48.05% Brisbane 47.33% Greater Western Sydney 46.51% Richmond 46.00% Fremantle 45.33% Carlton 44.96% Melbourne 44.14% Gold Coast 29.51%

How on earth is the paper at fault when Pickett is continually ''liking'' posts that link him to another club ? Are there more delusional supporters on the planet than Melbourne's ? Some blame everyone but the club or players when things go awry. It's a really strange dynamic. I get supporting the club, but I don't get completely being blind to common sense. Then there are others who don't think the club can do anything right. Are there any normal Melbourne supporters out there ???

Because I corrected a post that asserted he averaged 25 disposals and was poor for ''his standards''. Both assertions were wrong. It's not hard to work out if you read the post.

Firstly, you're stating the bleeding obvious as to why he performed the way he did. Secondly, I didn't criticise Oliver. I simply stated facts. He was fat and horrible and he'd agree. Yes, I didn't provide any explanation, because one wasn't required. We all know why he was bordering on awful. The fractured thumb was the biggest reason of all.

I suppose I should expand, because a couple of posters don't appear to understand my reply. My comment was sans excuses. Firstly, I corrected the notion that Oliver averaged 25 disposals, he didn't, he averaged 23. Maybe facts don't count. And secondly, it wasn't a year that required lauding in any way. Oliver was fat, couldn't tackle, and just threw the ball on his boot at every opportunity. All round, it was a horrible year by his, or any gun's standards. Now, if you want me to come up with excuses for such a year I'm sure could oblige equally as well as you. But that wasn't the purpose of my post. Excuses for Oliver have been done to death and I didn't see the need to add to the pile.

Non sequitur.

It's totally irrational for Melbourne supporters being concerned by Hird giving advice with regards to the search for a CEO. People seem to lose their mind when it comes to football clubs.

He averaged 23. And it was a poor year by any gun mids standards, not just his.

Strange, but true.

I think it's more that no-one calls him ''Ollie". Although it wasn't hard to know who you meant.

No, just running. Mainly with Reece Conca.

Yes. I didn't notice him much. That said, it seemed to be defensive-centric. Not many forwards stood out.