No10

Goody said nothing meaningful. He has no presence. Goodwin seems a great guy and the players love him, but looks as wide-eyed confused as the team when it matters. Coaches need to instil something that Goodwin just doesn’t have. Or at least not yet.

The ball didn’t deviate. The fingers didn’t move. It wasn’t touched. It wasn’t even referred. The worst is the media silence. Would be a huge talking point if it were not Melbourne.

Except ANB was a goal

I agree with this. I also agree with your earlier point that he meant to take the body. A defender has to stop the ball or the man, or both. But after reading this board I’ve changed my earlier position that it’s a football incident and there should be leniency for finals. Mundy is right, he had plenty of control in the air to choose how to collide. I hope the AFL put a strong case as it’s fairly convincing when you read this board. Should get multiple weeks. No medal for Maynard.

Certainly not trolling. Just don’t totally agree. If Maynard put his arms out but Gus turned his shoulder… it could’ve resulted the other way and knocked Maynard out… Side on is how footballers are told to impact to avoid injury. I agree Maynard could’ve seen he would make impact with Gus’ head and therefore should’ve put out hands. He should be suspended, I just don’t think the action was the worst act I’ve seen in a game.

One week seems fair. A lot of hyperbole about Gus ending his career here, I don’t disbelieve there’s a contract clause but I have no belief that’s a discussion at this early stage. To my eye, Maynard tucked his shoulder for impact. That’s a difficult problem as turning side on for collision is what players are told. And it was a collision rather than a bump imv, which makes it a football incident. Maynard plays hard, that’s what he brings and he overstepped. But JVR also has some hardness, we love it. He swung and elbow and has a week, fair. But same action could’ve knocked the player out if he was less lucky. If we penalise the action not the result, then I’d give JVR the longer penalty. Maynard deserves a suspension, but one week of finals is surely worth three H&A. Don’t know how they can adjudicate an outcome that’s not inline with the formula, but missing a PF seems right to me. For the record, I don’t think JVR nor Maynard are ‘thugs’.

…and Martin suspension you’d think

The irony - went to the filth with dreams of playing forward…

I disagree. There was nothing more stage managed this year by the AFL than the Hawthorn controversy. Suddenly Hawthorn started winning games (stopped tanking) and Clarkson was shuffled out the side door just before a milestone game… to predictably return several weeks later. AFL won’t give North pick 3. I’m sure. Too much interference/management by them this year. It’ll be end of first round, at best.

Smith looks like he’s playing for his life. Not super effective but the intensity is nice to see

… and if WC trade to a team with around pick 5, 18 and 23, perhaps. Couldn’t have Clarkson coach a huge legacy game. Nice stagecraft from the AFL, perhaps.

Great analysis. Here are my 2 predictions, highly cynical. Clarkson walk away is planned show of emotional weight. He’ll return before the season finishes. Gives the media exactly what they want, even though it’s not the real point. Hawks to win this weekend against WC. AFL can’t let them have pick 1 this year.

Despite the good instruction, it seemed too hard so I just paid for WatchAFL $30/wk is fairly steep. If I still had a subscription I’d send you my login as I don’t think it counts devices. Maybe someone will share. Hope you solve. It seems unfair that you’d have to double pay.

Ha. To each his own I guess!

I find Watchafl to be the most frustrating service. The games live are fine, but on replay they edit out all content between quarters and even now trim time after goals. They now cut as much of the channel 7 coverage as possible, switching back to the Foxtel team in a sad studio nowhere near the game. Do Foxtel management even watch afl? I’m going to try the @Hatchmansolution

The game was lost. Bris overran us in the end. The thread started based on Max assessing what went wrong, what decisions could be learned from. The fact JVR was a potential replacement for Max, coupled with the fact he then kicked 3 in the next VFL final and was among the best, as was TMac, suggests they both could’ve contributed. Bowey also among the best. The role of the bottom six is to support the top six. You can’t say the bottom six were effective and that was exposed with a weakened top six. Might not have changed the result, but the decisions of last year didn’t work. You have to learn from failure.

Mind blowing the sub wasn’t used. Great summation. To be fair, Goodwin has amended his faults every season, consistently improves. Player management will be prime… so the big question must be: what will be the issue this year?

Pretty good team on paper. Not so great for the death-riding.

Surely umps should be made professional. Are they currently on match fees only? If given the choice of fully employed with two on-field - Or - four, but under the current pay system. I wonder what they’d prefer?

My equally uneducated position is that both are needed, but super talent is hardest to attain. I like your generational draft group, but the current group haven’t fully succeeded on their potential - the absolute cream of young talent should compliment them rather than looking too far ahead. I’m guessing we’ll over pay for a top 10 selection in this draft. Everyone will go nuts but we’ll find another star. 13 + F1 + Freo F1 for Nth pick 3

Big cost, yes. But would be shared by the Tennis and highline access to the CBD, plus some commercial development. Inevitable such prime space will be developed. Being a media guy, you’d know the value in those aerial shots (grand final, tennis open) looking back at the CBD needs to showcase the city.

What’s the problem with the railway line? It’s exactly where the facility should be built. The whole sporting precinct needs to be connected and that’s the divider. Plenty of incentive to get this done from all sides.

Nobody confident to put Gawn at FF? That appears to be the plan.

It’s a strange world where after a game I actively look for the @joeboy player review. And after trade week, I want to see @WERRIDEEfield the teams. DLand… love it

Two interesting quotes from the HS article: At Melbourne, Grundy will take the lion’s share of the ruck duties, meaning six-time All-Australian Max Gawn will play more minutes in a key forward role next year. — Melbourne believes its premiership window is still wide open despite the loss of Luke Jackson as it cashed in on his departure despite still haggling on a deal for replacement ruckman Brodie Grundy. The Demons believe Grundy will be an upgrade on Jackson in the short-term future despite the departing premiership player’s undoubted potential and cherished place in the club’s premiership history.