Gator

If you are a talented key forward you must compete in the air as often as you can and make sure at worst you're not out-marked so the ball comes to ground. From there the ball is either crumbed by a teammate, or it is retained in the forward-line through pressure. Making it hard for the opposition to get the ball out leads to poor quality exits from D50 and therefore (hopefully) repeat entries. You don't want Hogan front and centre if he has an opportunity to compete for a high ball. Ideally, you want him getting hit-up on a lead, but where there is a bail out kick, or top of the square kick, he needs to compete. On occasions he's been choosing not to. It has to - and I'm sure will - stop.

I don't agree that we have stage fright. Stage fright isn't belting Port's midfield in front of 45K rabid Port fans. We didn't lose to Collingwood because of stage fright. We just didn't play well. That can still happen to young teams. If you suffer from stage fright you don't methodically break hoodoos like we have over the last couple of years. The number one contested team in the competition doesn't get stage fright. A tough inside team that leads the competition in inside 50s and is top 3 in tackles and clearances doesn't get stage fright. Outside down hill skiers get stage fright. But a still young team is not immune to poor performances. And it has nothing to do with poor regimes pre Paul Roos or stage fright.

Our culture pre Paul Roos and Peter Jackson was terrible, hence the club being in the doldrums. That's not some mythical Norm Smith curse - booga booga - that's having the wrong people at the helm. I believe we've now got the right people at the helm and a talented group of players, hence the past is irrelevant. As I said, it's pure logic. And you either have that or you don't. ?

You're illogical and funny. Previous regimes mean nothing. Fancy judging the 2018 MFC by the standards of the club in 1970. Hahahaha Take up "stand-up:".

Previous years and playing groups are utterly irrelevant. Surely you're not that stupid. Hawthorn were the competition's easy beats for the first 30 plus years of their existence. By your reckoning it should have stayed that way forever. You're funny. ?

That's far from certain. Port were smashed in the middle and 19 times out of 20 they lose that match. And 10 points hardly constitutes anything worth worrying about. Richmond are a better and more seasoned team. That's not a mental issue. They're just better. The other losses early in the year are irrelevant. Our game-plan, structure, and personnel is now different. Holding on to those losses merely exposes a lack of understanding. Jaded cuts slack to West Coast for losing to a flaky Essendon because they were sans two important players. But Melbourne's own supporters don't cut the team slack for being sans McDonald and Viney early in the year. They're just as important to us. It's a long year and you should be smart enough to know that you shouldn't make cast iron assertions. Plenty can and will change by year's end and not just for the MFC. In rounds 7, 8, and 9 last year Richmond lost 3 games by under a goal. Their equivalent WYL supporter would have been carrying on like a pork chop saying how mentally fragile they are. Their side 10 weeks later was vastly different to their early year side. Cast iron conclusions by supporters are usually based on a pile of hot dung.

Then don't reference them as "top teams", as though they present some insurmountable problem. They don't.

The point is there are no infallible "top sides". None of these sides should scare you. None of these sides play 120 minutes. West Coast just lost to flaky Essendon at home. Sydney have lost at home to North and both of the Adelaide teams. I could go on, but won't waste more time...

Who are these "top sides". I'll pick apart their losses for you.

Compelling.

We're all impatient, but nearly all of our best players are sub 80 games. We had 15 under 100 on the weekend compared to Port's 9, yet in most metrics we smashed them. I get sick of the excuses too, but I'm consoled by a strong view that the future is very bright.

How many games did Richmond's "stars" have under their belt before they started to perform in the big moments ?

We have a different team and structure to the one that lost to Hawthorn and Richmond. And we haven't even played Sydney. Hawthorn lost to Brisbane FCS. Are they one of the "good teams" you're referencing ? Sydney have lost at home to North, Port, and the injury plagued Adelaide. Are they this infallible outfit ? Richmond were beaten by Port one week before us. And they never had the numbers we put up against Port. I don't think there are any great teams in the competition. And I certainly don't think a mentally fragile team wins 18 quarters in a row. The most quarters in a row Hawthorn have won in their history is 13. Do you know how many flags they've won in the last 50 years ? There were plenty of crap teams they were coming up against during this period, so it's lazy to reference our opposition during that streak. We're far from perfect, but I don't buy this "mentally fragile" BS. When you smash a team like we did against Port and you don't get reward for effort on the scoreboard and you leave the door open you're a chance to have what happened to us happen. Especially in that type of environment interstate.

That's rubbish and lazy. Port know they lose that game 9 times out of 10 with the way their midfield was smashed. Btw, who are these "good sides" you speak of ?

Our biggest issue ? It's going to sound simplistic and it's not the only issue, as there are others, such as Lever going down, Garlett not playing to his best, and not enough goals from our mids, but for me it's Petracca not only stagnating, but going backwards. GWS are not the same team without Toby Greene. Collingwood are a far better team now that De Goey has elevated himself. Caddy's rise has been huge for Collingwood. Caddy has kicked 28 goals and averages only 2 disposals less than Petracca. De Goey has kicked 17 goals and averages 2 disposals less, but is far more impactful with his 18 disposals than Petracca's 20. Petracca has kicked 9 goals from 12 games and just isn't impacting games the way he can. Imo, if Petracca had taken the next step as a player we would have won more games. As I said at the start, there are multiple reasons that have adversely affected performances, but for me Petracca's ordinary year is at the top. Match winners can make a huge difference. He should be ours.

It's not like the last few weeks define his career. It's been atypical. He'll sort it out.

?

I'm struggling to take you seriously these days. Mentioning dropping Hogan and Petracca hasn't helped. Mate, T. Smith won't be retained by Goodwin because he thinks his "pressure" is good.

Weideman is more athletic and a smarter user of the footy. He's a better hand-baller. He's a better contested mark. He's smarter. Trying to argue that Smith is good at negating a fill in ruck is mind-bogglingly silly. I don't give a [censored] about Smith's "pressure". He's not in the side for "pressure". That's a component for a tall, but not their primary action. Let's reconvene after Weideman replaces Smith on the weekend. If Smith stays you're right and I'm an idiot. Won't be happening.

I thought Smith's one hit hout and one mark game was pivotal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf4nlIEHfaU

Nuffies are going to nuff. And the amount of nuffies on Demonland is awe-inspiring.

So many different views from people who watch the same thing. Makes the world go round. Hogan and Petracca won't be dropped. Frost is a potato at AFL level. Pass. Tim Smith ? I'm not a fan. I know he provides size, pressure and aggression, but he's not AFL quality for me. I'll forego his 7 disposals, 1 mark and 6 tackles. I think we can cover that. Just... I'm not rapt in a defence that has Joel Smith as the second tall. It's just not a great structure. I'd like to see how Petty performs as 2IC. We need a crumber, so I'd like one of Garlett or Spargo in the team. And the sooner Weideman becomes a staple in the side the better. Prior to his injury he'd played in 3 straight wins. IN: Weideman, Petty, Spargo or Garlett OUT: Smith, Smith, Vince

Irrespective of today, Weideman is going to be a very good AFL player. He'll come in for Smith. I hope Frost isn't selected. He's a great athlete, but a hopeless decision maker and very average footballer.

I'm pretty relaxed and pragmatic. If we're a genuine top 4 team we'll win, as these are the games you have to win to deserve top 4. And if we lose I'll be comforted by the knowledge we're still a year, or two away. Either way I'll learn a lot.