Rodney (Balls) Grinter

That's a nice opinion to have, unfortunately, the facts are that players you think are apparently not up to standard have played 200 - 400 AFL games between them that means that they are up to the standard.

Reading this again, I agree with most of the above except the first part. We really need to replace Garlet with a like player. As it was we lacked both a small forward use to playing the role of tackleling/chaseing, providing that speed over the back and taking Hunt out of the backline robbed us of that linebreaking rebounder. Like you, I was almost waiting for White and the reshuffling of our team to play out as some kind of inspired move on behalf of our coaching team, but it didn't materialise on the night, probably because the rest of the team was so flat and depleted.

WTF, what a load of BS When we were winning all these blokes looked the goods and we're kicking goals metaphorically (and literally). Pretty tough call to single out these guys when 3/4s of our side looked spent and lathargic tonight. Oliver had a [censored] night, perhaps he's a VFL player also. Gawn was ok, but still not hitting his A game (with good reason). If anything, I thought Harmes and Melksham were a few that actually showed a bit of energy and drive tonight. Yes Harms missed a soda early in the second half, but that's hardly what lost us the game tonight (not to mention the clutch goal he kicked last week to keep us in the game in the fourth). Let's not forget that a number of those you list are still essentially developing players who have continued to improve and pretty much all normally fearlessly and relentlessly attack the contest, hunting the ball and the opposition and take on the gamr in a manner that our game plan/style which has been so successful over the previous four weeks demands. I'm quite prepared to put this game down to 3 X 6 day breaks, No Watts, Garlett, Jones (& Pactically Viney) and comming up against the other form side in the comp who are at close to peak fittness/personal. Even then, we hardly discraced ourselves. If next week's game is a disaster, the things would look more ominous for some, but let's wait and see there, so far this year we have been pretty good at backing up after a loss.

We lacked a fit (read uninjured) energetic midfield brigade to get the ball into our half. Our forwardline did pretty well for the limited opportunity they got tonight.

Channel 7 comentators overplayed this incident big time and just wouldn't shut up about it all night. [censored] off. I think Dermie actually got it right, it was a stupid act, but probably not intended to make quite the contact that eventated. Scofield's could have been just as bad. All about the intent and the realitive needlessness, which was similar in both cases. If anything at least Bugg's was actually in gametime and far closer to being in-play than Scofield's.

Please no one state agan that either McDonald are poor kicks. Showe'd tonight (as they have many times before) that they are anything but. Thinking particularly of Tommy - has kicked 9 goals 3 this year and nailed a perfect pass tonight into the forwardline that shows he has the goods. Was poor with some decision making early in his career and probably lacked confidence and needed to perfect his craft, but he certainly has now, so MOVE ON McDonald haters.

I've probably been in denial for a good 18 months, but my feeling is that Bernie is spent as the dominant midfielder he once was. I was actually hoping that we could rest him through this period of 3 X 6 day breaks, but injuries stuffed up any such luxury. A game like tonight would have been the ideal opportunity to throw him in the guts and give us something, but I get the feeling that it wasn't tried because the club understands his now limitations. I find this sad, because I love Bernie and everything he has done for the MFC ...now go and prove me wrong Bernie.

Personally I thought White was the wrong selection on team ballance, not a bad selection per say. Garlett should have been replaced with like with one of Kennedy, JKH or Kent. Playing Hunt forward to start was a loose loose. I would have picked Wagner over White, I wasn't unhappy, but suprised to see White get a go an was hoping that it could have been some kind of inspired move, but not to be. Hinsight is a beautiful thing.

Thought about starting a new topic "Why I now hate Friday night games": 1. We lost. 2. We lost. 3. We lost. 4. Six day breaks; 5. Brian Taylor; 6. Brian Taylor; 7. Brian Taylor; 8. Bruce McAvaney.

Agree with the general theme of all posters. Thought it was a good game from Melksham. His form over the last three or four weeks has been pretty good and I think he's actually one of those, along with Oscar who have actually got better over this period.

Big NO from me. What would we possibly get in return? Probably something equivalent to a 3rd Rd, possibly a 2nd Rd pick at best with an exchange of 3rd Rd picks or something stupid like that. We will have a 2nd and 3rd Rd pick this year, so why trade a potential gun for that. We've carried Lumumba on our list this year (stupid bloody AFL rules), so I'm sure we could even Cary Gus for another year I'd that's what it would take. Probably something of a topic for another thread, but someone mentioned loyalty as a two way street. If there is anyone at Melbourne that should extend to it's Jack Trengove. Almost forgotten, but I'd love to see this guy play at the top level again, and I think the MFC should keep him on the list until either says enough, can't hack it at VFL level or makes it back into the senior side - hopefully the latter.

Dermie, punch that idiot David King back twice as hard.

Go back 5 weeks to just after the North game and Kingy stated on On The Couch that he thought St Kilda were ahead of the MFC on development and I also seem to remember him stating that we wouldn't make the 8 this year either. Personally I'm enjoying the ride, but you also have to be realistic, it's a looong season and a lot could happen yet. I felt our start to the season was really beter than what we got rewarded for wins and loss wise, due to the Geelong and Richmond games where we had all the accendancy for the majority of the game, but we're cruled by early in game injuries and couldn't finish them out and got over run.

Surprised if he'd given us one prior anyways.

At 3:55 on Tommy Mac Donald "Yeah, he got drafted as a forward - I didn't see the potential myself...if he does it two weeks in a row I'll give him credit. Yeah if he kicks five again, I'll be the first to shake his hand" Lol cracks me up does big Maxy.

Another from same media conference: On the general closeness of the competition "you could be just about playing off for the wooden spoon and still have a chance of making finals"

Pleanty of good pickings from Max's latest media conference: http://m.melbournefc.com.au/video/2017-06-26/media-conference-max-gawn A personal favorite is, with reference to Jack Viney injury status "he'd just about have to have the shoulder hanging off the bone for him not to play Jack".

If we loose this week to Sydney, I think the lowest we can fall is to 6th place, courtesy of a 4 preimership points break to 7th and our healthy percentage. Other than the beleif factor, it is one of objective reasons that the wins against the Eagles, Dogs and to some extent Collingwood were such huge 8 point games. To some extent, beating Sydney then loosing to Carlton the week after would not be as bad as the other way around when it comes to our campaign for finals... not that I want to loose to Carlton again in a million years though.

I don't remember if he was on the panel this Monday, but go back only 4 weeks and after the North loss, Kingy was definetly stating that St Kilda were ahead of us in development and playing us down big time. The media's obsession making all these outlandish statements and predictions is increadable. Not only is it the career media types like Sheean, but you would think that the so called 'expert' panelists would know better than this stupid flavour of the month band wagon jumping and predictions. One of the few I have developed a level of respect for is Brad Johnson. Carries on like the village idiot a bit and doesn't take himself too seriously, which is what I think I like about him. However you also sense an astute footy brain lurks behind the grin, which materialises in occasional gem of wisdom without getting into this band wagon jumping group think so much. At the start of the 2016 season he made what seemed like the outlandish prediction that Freo would miss the finals after finishing on top or there abouts in 2015 - he was practically laughed at by the other pannelists, but in hindsight was right on the money there.

Am I on the same forum and or barracking for the same team I was 5 or 6 weeks ago when our season was teetering on the presapus and there were still question marks all over Goodwin and over 3/4s of our list internally and externally to Melbourne suporters?

I'd also imagine big Jimmy, Robbie and to a lesser extent Dean Bailey up there with them. Whilst yes he was associated with that now imfourmous period for the club, few have given more heart and soul to the MFC than Jimmy. Still so much water under the bridge to actually winning a flag again, but thanks to Roos, Goodwin, Taylor, Viney and Jackson it's good to be in a position where at least dreaming of these things doesn't seem like a complete farse.

Likewise, Melksham and Harms did some very tidy things in setting up others. Oliver usually contributes so well through the guts, but some of his forward 50 entrys were also sublime - that sidestep followed by the well weighted pass to Melksham, shows that there is much more than winning the hard ball and handballs to this lad.

In all seriousness though, I actually think most opposition suporters actually realise our situation and are happy for us to be having some success again at last...unless we are beating their team of course. I think we would be the absolute fan favorite against GWS or just about anyone else should we make the GF sometime soon, except perhaps against St Kilda and then we would probably split the market a bit.

Lol - I like it.

If anyone does windge about any of the concessions we have had, then tell them that their team is welcome to have the last ten years that we have had and they can have all the concessions they [Censored]ing well want - see howhat many takers you get.