deespicable me

So Sam Weidemann is just coming into that period of peak ability. He is in good shape and in my stupid little head the salary and picks we have to pay Grundy doesn't translate to much more productive output onfield. I don't get it.

Agree. Trac, Oliver, Viney, Harmes. Even Sparrow and Brayshaw. Not one of these players at the moment are elite ball users. The two teams that adopted our game plan in Swans and Collingwood use the ball better than us. Pendlebury as the pivot in the middle of the ground is elite. Swans are more prepared to keep movement on the ball when required. Both teams are high intensity, high pressure and create opportunities through turnover. Similar to the last 3 premiership winners in Melbourne, Richmond and Dogs. Interesting that dogs did it without a ruck and a lack of kpp's. Richmond with a mosquito fleet of runners who spread so well on turnover and Martin as their Pivot and elite distributor. Clarry could be our distributor but we seem to use him closer to the contest. As he ages we should be looking at Pendles and Martin and we should be using Clarry in a similar way. Surely it's a big mistake to think kicking down the line to Max and Grundy and Ben Brown and TMac is worth pursuing as a game plan. We should be evolving, getting youth and energy back into the side, and working on fine tuning chaos ball as that is the way now. Improve our forward line. Build the team around Kossie, not Max. As fantastic as he is our Max advantage needs to be downsized as Max ages.

I would have thought it re-inforces my theory. What are we doing playing an injured bloke for half a year? Same with Salem. If they're injured don't play them and make new plans. Catering to injured players isn't a successful game plan. How can you put that up as an excuse?

This is a mistake. Paying overs to get in an old injured hack to re-inforce a game plan that is old and been trashed. Kick it down the line. We shouldn't be doubling down on the "Max is the best ruck in the league" game plan. If we want to reduce the reliance on Max to be our game winner, change the game plan.

I reckon there are 3 or 4 players from the Casey side who would immediately make our AFL side better. Turner. Played mostly on a small for Southport and pretty much towelled him up. Is young, reads the play well and hits targets coming out. Would replace Hibbo with him and let Hibbo get himself ready for the second half of the year, to see if he can get back in the side. The other alternative is Salem. I personally (knowing that many would disagree, and understandably so) would look to trade Salem. If the return and money saving is worth it . Otherwise tell him he needs to do a lot of work berfore and during pre-season because at this stage he's not best 22. Woewodin. Plays wing. Is super strong and fit and will improve if he commits over the off season. Takes JJ's role which is a bit sad but I think JJ needs to look at developing a secondary role as he is ok as a winger but isn't quick enough and hasn't really made the wing his spot, never to lose. Maybe a half back flank but they are already taken, JJ's other option is to work on leg speed. JVR. This is pretty obvious, he is a unique talent and with a further pre-season, fitter, stronger and with maybe 5 more kilos on his impressive frame, should be starting 22 Weidemann. Has done everything asked of him, has had a player who he can naturally replace, (admittedly as a slight downgrade) a player leaving, and in the last third of the VFL season has finally excelled in a position. He has obviously taken longer to develop to the point where many think he won't make it but give him the position, tell him he's considered top 22 and tell the Pies to get stuffed. Just a further point on why we are chasing Grundy. We are being soft on Max. It's the wrong call because Max wants an easier life. Max has been and will always be, a champion for Melbourne FC and also the AFL but he liked the idea of easing Jacko into the role and he would go forward. This hasn't worked this year. It did last year. And more importantly getting Grundy reinforces a game plan that has been trashed this year. Kicking down the line. Stagnant movement. it's old, Goodwin needs a new game plan not bring in a bloke that re-inforces an old one that isn't working. Get to those blokes and tell them if they do the work they're in and we will be a better side next year.

What West Coast players would you guys like. I know Allen has been mentioned, but think outside the full forward box and look at their list. They would have to want to, but boy oh boy they could be playing out their careers in a bottom 4 side as opposed to coming to a finals club. It must be attractive to a few of them. I haven't watched them at all this year so don't have a clue. That Josh Kennedy goes alright. But seriously folks.

Looks like you didn't rate them much higher than me La dvc.

Just a couple of points. 1. Jackson is going home to be a part of his family and build his life in Perth. His family are into Fremantle. As a consequence, there is very little chance of him going to West Coast. The only reason West Coast get involved and we keep that negotiation open is to try and secure a better deal. Those two teams hate each other. 2. The Grundy negotiations involve two factors, how much salary Collingwood will pay and draft picks. So if they pay $400,000 per year of his ongoing salary and we take up $600,000, then we would have to offer up a pick around 10. If it's only $200,000 Collingwood pay and we carry the rest (god forbid) then theres a point where they should be giving us a pick. Whats the equilibrium???? For me I don't really want to pay much more than about $500,000 a year for Grundy and he's worth about pick 25-30. I don't think that will satisfy Collingwood and I hope we don't get shafted. I don't like the deal. Leave them in a world of pain.

Don't worry I'm sure we'll all be back next year. But to call people "on here" hand wringers and fair weather supporters is ridiculous considering the obvious issues with the team and the disappointing coaching efforts to try and address those issues. To win 6 of our last 14 games for the year is disappointing.

Anyway we're past the "loading" phase of club life. We're up to the "dumping" phase

Goodwin has got us back to 2nd on the H & A ladder and (if we beat Brisbane) to a prelim in 2022 so it's a pretty successful year but you don't need to be a brain surgeon to see the faultlines running through our team and it's almost impossible to see us beating the last two opponents to win the thing this year. We are probably the 4th best team in it. So he mose well keep loyal to these players till we go out but if we lose to Brisbane all rain and hail and cataclysmic unrest will pour forth in the name of CHANGE So, ah, good luck guys.

I agree. I was there for 4 days and with all the museums, a game of golf and the footy it was a good trip. I electric scootered to the game. They get snow in the middle of winter though.

I don't think a pick around 14 can be considered enough, no matter what it's packaged with. I would have thought he is worth conservatively, a pick in the top 5 or maybe up to 7 at worst and then a back of first round pick as well ie 16-20. But pick 14 as the best they're offering is a disaster for us and should not be entertained.

I'm screaming!!!!

I heard Brisbane will need points to bring in young father/son prospects Ashcroft and one other (forget who he is). Not sure who we would be interested in but they will need to trade for points and worth looking at.

He does make an excellent coffee though

Agree. Bowey gets more of the ball than Spargo and is a like for like. Is fend offs a stat. Harmes did 37 today for Casey, but would add grunt. Weidemann was very good today. Spargo my only out, was poor mostly last night.

Some people are glass half full and see the negatives in life. For anyone who loves positivity the series Ted Lasso is a fantastic show. As a negative personality person I love it. I would love to be more like him. But I'm not. And while I'm reasonably well adjusted (thank you) there are a lot of people where their negativity can overwhelm them. I think your post is borderline bullying telling people how they should think or feel. What arrogance. And to be on here doing that means you are not a truly positive person yourself. Just pumping up your own tyres at the expense of others.

They'll argue Ahh Chee got concussed as Cripps fell down and hit him in the head, which was accidental. The initial jump and hit to the head was not that malicious, no free kick given (of course) and not an act that would have concussed Ahh Chee. He'll get off I think.

I think what happened on Friday night was we went into the rooms at half time and the coaches once again said, "Defense! Defense! Defense!" We all know the narrative, "we need to get the game on our terms." etc,etc. And we come out and try and shut the game down. We are so focussed on defense, we can't score anymore, the opposition, who still remain close, get bolder, gain confidence and run over the top of us. This is a bit (well okay very) simplistic, but terrible coaching. We aren't playing to win. We are playing to a "brand". Our brand is defense. Our brand or mindset needs to change to win at all costs. Good teams get in front by 20 or 25 points and hold. If the opposition get inside that margin they go again and get it back out to 20 or 25 points again. We can do the first part, but we get stuck trying to hold. Goody needs to give up on this stupid defensive mindset coz its killing us. Go out and play football and WIN. We are being seriously outcoached at the moment. Imagine an interview with one of our players after the game on Friday night. Commentator "Wow, that was awesome. You kicked 10 goals in the first half, then came out and kicked 3 for the rest of the game. Inspiring stuff. Tell me ........, what was the message at half time. What did Goody say to you guys to get you to play like that. It must have been inspiring alright"

https://player.whooshkaa.com/rsn-breakfast-club?episode=1028645 So you're calling out Adam Yze now. Wow I think you might have "got ahead of yourself", yourself.

I thought Joel Smith played really well in the second half for Casey. He took a couple of lovely marks and got better as the game wore on. The danger with him is he flies indiscriminately. But thats better in the forward line and he remains a chance if BBB or Fritsch gets injured. The main quandry this week is Harmes. I suppose he is in the mix with Jordan, ANB and Sparrow. I like Sparrow a lot but admit he does make mistakes. As do all four of these players. I think the other way to get all four of these players in is to move Brayshaw back and drop one of Hunt or Rivers but I hope they aren't thinking like this. I liked Hunts game and am happy no-one is wanting him out. And the back seven with Salem, Rivers, Hunt, Hibbo, May, Lever and Petty (with Bowey as the reserve) were great against Freo and can hopefully keep it up and keep Gus in the mid/forward rotations.

I reckon he's great and although he's never been AA and is rarely in medias minds when they talk about all Melbournes good players, he is one of the best mid forwards in the league. The two others that maybe he could be compared to are Heaney from the Swans who is a star and Rosey from Port who is being talked about as AA and would have to be given a HFF if he was to make it even though he spends most of his time now in the midfield. Oliver is a definite lock for AA, Petracca probably as well, then Max probably still holds the ruck but English is a chance (not much), I think Brayshaw and Fritsch are the next Dees players in? May is a chance, as is Langdon and Kossie but they may miss and Lever won't make it this year.

Yeah sure we're second with a bullet. We're loading and about to explode again and go undefeated for the rest of the year. Personally I think you're clutching at straws. But I'll be very happy to be wrong.

Oh, I didn't realise I was being so negative. I really like the reference to Brent Grigc. I don't think it's all doom and gloom though. I just think that we've more than come back to the pack and we need to re-invent ourselves a bit. We have a good list and yet we are going through a period where our weaknesses and inefficiencies are being exposed. As to Luke Beveridge I think tactically he is superior to Goodwin. Goodwins major move in the last 5 minutes was to send May forward. Dogs couldn't win this year, they over-achieved last year, but they were an improved side on Saturday night from what we have seen. He has done a good job to keep them relevant while they improve their list.