titan_uranus

AJ given a week. http://mfcde.es/4ib1ROq

I agree, as silly as it might sound given it was 2 minutes into the game, but I reckon the psychological boost of two goals in 2 minutes would have been significant.

As with everything, we need to do it week on week, but what I saw yesterday was promising enough structurally. The Sparrow and Sharp set shot misses really hurt though. We just will not make the required progress if we keep missing easier set shots.

Yep. Absurd. Lynch is as much of a recidivist as Koz, if not worse. That’s IMO a textbook suspension for a high bump. The Archer one is way more complicated though.

A few on radio have said that Trac went to the midfield huddle prior to that bounce but looked to call an audible and put himself in the forward line. I didn't notice it at the ground but did anyone else? i.e. it might not have been Goodwin/the coaches' decision.

Yep, this is an issue. Interestingly enough, prior to that Carlton game we had gone 4-2 in games decided by 6 points or less in 2023, two of which involved us holding on at the death (vs Collingwood on KB and then vs Adelaide at the G).

I've mentioned in my last two posts in this exchange with you what I considered to be the biggest issues yesterday: our fitness, our inability to defend transition, and letting two goals through in stoppage/congestion in our D50. I'm genuinely interested to hear your views as to why these issues were not as important to the result as the forward line - and indeed, I'm interested in what it was about the forward line yesterday that was the issue over and above the correct, but generic, statement that our forward line continually lets us down.

Whoa, knives out hey @Macca? What’s my (now ancient) history of criticising supporters who withhold attendance from games as a protest got to do with the forward line? I asked you why you think the forward line was the (sole) reason we lost. I gave you three other factors, the biggest IMO being how we slowed to a walk in time on in all four quarters (but most notably the third and fourth). Our forward line has been an issue for 4 years, no one’s disputing that, but I walked away from yesterday thinking a few other issues were more significant than forward half inefficiency.

You’ve posted it about 100 times now but why do you say our dysfunctional forward line was the reason we lost? As opposed to what struck me as much bigger issues - not running out quarters, struggling to defend transition, and conceding two goals from situations we usually kill (both to Coniglio).

Even if he didn’t have Sam Taylor as his opponent, we shouldn’t be drawing conclusions based on one game. If we want to see JVR play without rucking (I do), then we need to see it for 4+ weeks.

To my eye Greene didn’t go ballistic because Howes went off, he went ballistic because they moved him more into the midfield. At any rate he killed Howes all day in the forward line.

There’s no way in the world Petty should go forward. I appreciate TMac was good but Petty looked more comfortable today than he did at any time in the forward line last year. It’s natural for him. He must stay back. I do not know whether we can swing TMac or May forward, nor whether we should, but it just cannot be Petty. Henderson was good enough to hold his spot over Spargo, IMO.

We’re now 1-4 from our last 5 games decided by less than a goal.

Not a fair comparison. Last week they were playing against a side who also were playing their first game. Collingwood lost legs, GWS didn’t. That has no bearing at all on this week, where they had the benefit of building match fitness last week and we didn’t. This isn’t a question about fitness overall. This is about them having built match fitness last week, blowing the fitness-related cobwebs out, whilst we didn’t.

Out of interest, what did @DeeSpencer say which you think is so egregious?

Not sure about the dangerous tackles. I thought both times the GWS player had an arm free but maybe not. Assuming no suspensions, Chandler may still be at risk. Howes was poor but who is better without McVee available?

6 - Trac 5 - Gawn 4 - Lindsay 3 - Bowey 2 - Lever 1 - TMac Really interested to see all the Salem votes. I thought his kicking was far too laid back and put us under unnecessary pressure.

Really odd take. They were missing Briggs, Hogan, Stringer and Riccardi and we led most of the day. This wasn’t about personnel.

I’m fairly comfortable saying the biggest difference wasn’t Toby, or accuracy, or our missing players. It was fitness. They ran all four quarters out better than us. I’m sure it was because they played last week. Their last goal occurred mainly because we were gassed (although we shouldn’t have let them through the middle). We did so much right for so long, but just couldn’t close out quarters. Combined with too many turnovers and them finding goals from Greene and Coniglio at exactly the right moments, meant we just couldn’t get a big enough lead to hold them off. We’ve clearly found one in Lindsay. Unbelievable debut. I reckon AJ looks promising, Henderson too, and Jeffo can at least kick straight. Real issues though with our small/mid defenders. Really missed McVee, and whilst Bowey played his best game in years, we felt really vulnerable in that area. Plus we of course also conceded a stack from turnover, but many sides will vs GWS this year. We showed real grit, a clear desire to want to move the ball, and good pressure. Plenty of reason to believe we can contend this year. But in a season where the fight for the top 8 is going to be brutal, we’ve just let 4 points go begging.

I put the last 10 minute fade out down to fitness. We slowed to a walk waiting for Ht and they kept running. Symptom of them playing last week I think. We’re doing a lot right but we will keep making life hard for ourselves if we don’t limit the turnovers and if we keep missing set shots from directly in front.

So the new song we run out to is…On Top by Flume? Not quite Enter the Sandman or Hells Bells

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1732890/late-change-may-withdrawn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZljoitk2F05ozCRnXbunQkEmvPa1xY11sCOvlYp1lKsyDphE_QDWQzbX4_aem_sLMhIK1Fp_fqL1w0KraCgA “May sustained a knock to the throat during training at Casey Fields on Friday, and scans have since confirmed a fractured larynx. General Manager of AFL Football Performance Alan Richardson said the club would take a cautious approach with May’s recovery. “At this stage, our medical team does not believe the injury is as significant as what Max Gawn sustained earlier in the year,” Richardson said. “We will assess Steven further next week, which will give us a clearer picture of the recovery timeline.”

I’ll be over the moon if we score 90 points today tbh.

TMac’s a perfect replacement but our chances take a hit with May missing. How did he get a fractured larynx? How have we had two of those in 3 months? Edit: club has said it was a knock at training on Friday, but it’s not currently thought to be as bad as Gawn’s.

I'd be far more staggered if they finished top 2. I certainly think they're closer to 9th than 2nd. It's all too common to read too much into Round 1 (even Rounds 2-4). But I'm with @At the break of Gawn in that I think last night was more about Port being awful than Collingwood being amazing.