titan_uranus

I'm certainly not taking @Macca 's side of the argument here, that it's 100% the players (although I think Macca doesn't actually believe that but is taking the devil's advocate approach to counter those who say it's 100% Goodwin - for the record, neither argument is correct. Our current predicament is partly due to poor coaching, partly due to players not taking responsibility for their own form/fitness/recovery/etc., partly due to a lack of leadership at the Board/CEO level, partly due to list management - it's multi-factorial). But the bolded really drives me nuts. You're not the only one to do it, but it seems like whenever someone in 2025 wants to argue that Goodwin's struggling and maybe even should be sacked, we get "he wasn't even that good in 2021". It's unfair revisionism. In 2021 we went 17-1-4 with a percentage of 130.8%, 5th for points for and 1st for points against. The "big dip midyear" you mentioned was a period where we went 4-1-4, where the four losses included losses to GWS (semi finalist) and the Dogs (grand finalist). The same period included wins over the Dogs, Brisbane (semi finalist) and Port Adelaide away (preliminary finalist). We were the best side through all of 2021. It was a dominant season. There's also an insane amount of "it wasn't Goodwin, it was the assistants/Burgess". Just like our current predicament, 2021 was the result of everyone being at the top of their game. That doesn't mean Goodwin didn't do an excellent job, nor does it mean he doesn't deserve credit for coaching us to the flag. He does. Cutting down his achievements in 2021 is unnecessary to also be correct in saying that we are putrid in 2025 and that Goodwin's coaching has not been good this year, or last, or even the year before.

This is a big part of it. Goodwin called it out this week. It's almost my sole focus tomorrow. If we're not "on", and early, that will say a lot IMO.

I'm not trying to defend Goodwin overall, but this argument can be very flawed: Sydney last year finished 1st and made the GF. They lost in Round 3 to Richmond who went 2-21. GWS in 2023 made a prelim (lost by a point). They lost in Round 2 to West Coast, who went 3-20 that year, and didn't get within 40 points of a side other than North Melbourne until Round 16. Collingwood in 2022 made a prelim (lost by a point). They lost in Round 4 to West Coast, who went 2-20 that year and lost the 7 games immediately following that win by an average losing margin of 80 points. I don't know if we'll be in danger of losing the fixture if we get one bad crowd, but the general point is correct. Each year the AFL is under increasing pressure to get Carlton and Essendon more games at the G, but so long as there is a minimum number of games that have to be held at Marvel, that means someone else has to make up the Marvel numbers. We've been given a Marvel home game this year after not having had one for years. It will become 2, or 3, if we continue to draw small crowds. Hence why it's so important for all of us who can go tomorrow, to go.

So Petty takes Treacy, but who plays on Amiss? Are we expecting Adams to be a late in? Or Turner to play back, leaving Fullarton on MFC debut to lead our forward line with no JVR or Fritsch to help?

Geelong might have something to say about that. Already have wins over Fremantle and Adelaide, and if they beat Hawthorn on Monday that will probably be the best suite of defeated opponents anyone has. With their two losses by a combined 16 points.

I read this a lot. First of all, if you think the flag was "lousy", I can't help you - that's on you. It was, for me and I dare say the majority of Melbourne supporters, the complete opposite. But out of interest, how many of us do you think would have actually got a ticket to the G on Grand Final day?

I think the sub has to come from the bench, which is Oliver, Melksham, Rivers, Sharp and Sparrow.

Deserves his chance. Presumably will be doing the relief ruckwork when Gawn rests, too. Will be tough against Fremantle’s defence, but I hope he gets a few games in the seniors as reward for his hard work.

Just to be clear, I have no issue with Fullarton getting picked, but it should have happened last week. I would have had no issue with Fritsch being dropped, but it’s come after (mild) improvement. We’ve been burned by bringing guys back off long injuries without VFL game time already but we’re doing it again with Tholstrup. Meanwhile Sharp, Spargo, Melksham and Sparrow stay in.

I’d have thought it’s Turner for JVR, Fullarton for Fritsch and Tholstrup for Henderson.

Yeah, I think we actually largely agree on all this. I also think dropping 3 forwards but no mids in one week is unhelpful when a significant portion of our problem is in the midfield.

Yeah. Best game. Relative to the ones before. It’s surprising that it’s happened this week, when it didn’t happen for the last 3 weeks.

Yeah but we’re dropping Fritsch after his best game of the last month, bringing Turner back after one week and no Casey game (so why TF did we drop him last week) and Kolt comes back without a VFL game. It’s haphazard.

May and Pickett both named. The only defensive emergency cover is Howes. McVee, Kentfield and Jefferson all returning via VFL.

https://t.co/qmMiB8giE8 In: Fullarton, Tholstrup, Turner Out: Fritsch, Henderson, JVR (all dropped) My initial thought: WTF are we doing

This seems two weeks too late and not at all the right call, but let’s wait for the team sheet.

Agree, although not necessarily in relation to Fritsch. Spargo’s the one who comes to mind for me.

In addition to our 23 players who are under 24, we also have 13 players who are over 29. That leaves just 9 players aged 24, 25, 26, 27 or 28 on our list. I don’t know how that compares to other clubs but I’d guess it’s not similar to the contending clubs this year. PS two of the 9 players in that “prime” age bracket are Henderson and AJ, who only started playing AFL this year and have 7 games of experience combined.

I agree. He was very blunt yesterday when he said we’re too easy to play against. Which is true, and is being lost amongst the focus on our lack of scoring. If anything it means we have nowhere to hide on Saturday.

Some interesting tidbits from Daniel Hoyne on radio tonight. We are apparently the third fastest ball movement team in the competition, with the main reason being because we get it and go quickly (i.e. playing on), with short forward movements Our ability to move from one end of the ground to the other is the 5th best in the competition, but we're awful at scoring from these transitions - scoring from 1 in 4 of these chains, when AFL average is 1 in 2 We are apparently +26 in first possession across the first five games, but -36 in clearances - the 62 point swing is the biggest ever recorded after five games Gawn, Oliver and Viney are all bottom 5 in the competition for converting a first possession into a clearance I'd hazard a guess that no one is surprised about points 2-4, but point 1 will raise a few eyebrows on here. We've heard Goodwin talk about getting "good looks" but not converting them. Point 2 above backs that up. We've also heard Goodwin talk about our method at stoppage being bad. Points 3 and 4 back that up.

Have you ever seen a president do this before? Ever? If he did, the criticism would be that we’re infighting, lacking unity, drawing more attention to ourselves etc.

Insanity. The line should be north of 30. I suppose it just reflects on the market’s lack of faith in Fremantle on the road.

If he said nothing he’d avoid a meaningless response like today’s letter, but be criticised for being “asleep at the wheel” or similar. If he says what he said today it’s vice versa. Reality is, because we’re down in the dumps and/or in a crisis right now, he is going to be criticised no matter what he does.