Gator

Perhaps you get distracted at training or your hair gets in your eyes, but it's not in question that he's been near last in endurance running during the off-season. He's obviously match fit now (to at least get selected), but his two way running needs to get much much better. One questions whether he's been doing all of the extras that some players do.

Weideman may or may not get a call up, but it's fantastic that he's getting close. The MC would have been sitting around having differing conversations too.

Fritsch averaged 12 disposals and a bit over 2 goals per game for Casey last year. He was robbed of 12 disposals and 2 goals last weekend. Those expecting much different this year don't understand the player or what his contribution will be at AFL in 2018. If he keeps his pressure up and keeps taking contested marks, hitting the scoreboard, and showing flashes of brilliance he'll get regular games. He's a special talent that's wasted at VFL level.

Nah, mate. If Gawn was injured Pedersen would be in straight away and do a good job as an undersized follower. But as a dedicated key forward he's no good and won't be recalled if Tom McDonald or Weideman are available. The club has handled Weideman perfectly and he'll repay the favour when they deem him ready.

Will the multitude of Pedersen lovers finally work out he's not in the coach's plans ? He's no key forward and Weideman is clearly ahead of him.

Seems like the coach agrees with me. Pedersen's supporters continue to not get it. Pedersen not even on the extended bench and Weideman is. As it should be.

Nothing beats match fitness. He's now had runs in the JLT and a few at Casey, so I suspect it's at AFL level, but he's well behind the better runners at AFL level.

They've been doing it for years and it means nothing. He was at the rear of all the off season running sessions. He's a mile of Petracca's fitness.

That would make sense, as he's definitely not as fit as he should be.

I like Brayshaw and I'm sure he'll become a regular and prove any doubters wrong, but Lyon is irrelevant as a supporter these days. There are posters here with far more than a clue about the current Dees.

He's a failed key forward who has never kicked more than 3 goals in a game. And he hasn't done that often. When he's used in the ruck he can be a very effective "follower", but with Gawn in the team we don't need him for that. Take up football. PS if he asked me I'd happily give him my assessment. I don't see it happening.

You'd best listen to the podcast and hear how he was given a "new role" and that he didn't use his ball getting instincts early, because he was too focussed on stopping his opponent. It was said he got the balance right after quarter time. It was clear who the tagger was, Old.

Numerous posters reported on gameday that Brayshaw was being heavily tagged. It turns out he was doing the tagging. Confirmed by Chaplin on the Melbourne podcast.

Misson could work at the MFC for another decade and some supporters would still think his name was Mission.

What was his speed and agility like ? His ability to change direction, etc. ?

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-04-10/vfl-team-review-round-one

If you weren't there I'd like to know how you know he kicked 5 "easy" goals. You may be right, btw, but I also didn't see the game and haven't automatically drawn the same conclusion. You may have information I'm not privy to. As for his set shots ? I too wish we saw how he got them. He had 2 free kicks, but we don't know if they're from them. He could have got them when he was rucking, or in the F50. He also took 4 contested marks, which was the most taken by any player for the day, so they could have come from those, or they could have been from a mark on the lead. He only took one uncontested mark for the day, so only one would have come from a lead - if at all. Tim Smith took 3 contested marks, which was the second most on the ground. I'm not so interested in his pressure acts. I'll let the coaches worry or coach that side of things. I'm interested in his size. Is he noticeably bigger in person. I believe he is. How was he moving ? Does he look more agile now his ankles are finally right ? What was his speed like ? How did he compete in the contest ? Was he aggressive ? Those aspects interest me far more, because they'll tell me whether he has AFL attributes. I didn't like the way he was moving last year. If that's markedly better I'm excited for what lies ahead.

You're a very smart man, Nut.

I agree with that too. It was a knee-jerk reaction by the AFL over the Lindsay Thomas/Garry Rohan incident. Now there's a disincentive to attack the contest and attack the footy. I hate it.

If you'd just commented on Pedersen's game in glowing terms I wouldn't have quoted you. But at the same time you were complimenting Pedersen you took a swipe at Weideman when all and sundry had been glowing of his performance to that point in the game. You mentioned Weideman's lack of physicality, or something similar. It was clear you see the two vying for the same spot, as you'd been discussing it in another thread, and wanted to let your feelings be known as to who you'd prefer to take it. Why you'd want to a failed 30 year old key forward to be given another go, especially ahead of a player who could be our future, is beyond me.

I know. I don't agree with the interpretation. If you illegally infringe it should be a free kick. Where you're looking should have zero to do with it.

Where in the rule book does it say you can't take your eyes off the ball as you're trying to position yourself ? In fact, where do eyes get mentioned in the rule book ?

While I left the ground having had a bit of a reality check, I'm confident we'll be playing better footy in 5-6 weeks. No teams are playing their best right now. None. Geelong, Port, Sydney, West Coast, GWS have all had "lapses". If we hadn't had a single lapse it would have been pretty extraordinary. The lapses aren't a massive issue for me, as I'm confident they'll go or be diminished when we're playing better footy. It's more our defensive structures and ball movement that I'm concerned about. I'll let Steve worry about the odd "lapse".

Mine is a generic statement.

Not necessarily.