Engorged Onion

it feels as though in the last 15 years we've had numerous leave to go on and win flags.. feels like its more than other clubs... i know its not quite the same question... Personally, Darren Jolly would have been more than handy... steven armstrong another

seems pretty fair, and to keep the riff going... where's that parish bloke?

100% agree @demoniac - I remember Hawkins was pilloried for the first 3/4 seasons of his career - and that was a decade ago...same narrative happens... we all 'know' that key talls take longer - unless you are a freak genetically (Hogan) - but we still want awesomeness straight away.

For mine, he looks quite elegant.

1 and a bit goals a game methinks...

As I was writing the post I was thinking about it for other clubs also - so perhaps it's a moot point anyway?

Maybe I'm a pessimist - I think we've only got 4 players that can step up and turn a game - and 'drag the rest of the team along' - those that would be willing and have capacity to do so. Gawn, Oliver, TMAC and Viney when fit. It might be a reductionists way of looking at it - but I still don't think we've got the cattle at this point in time....with all due respect to the 40-60 game players. Again the off season will be exciting to see what/if we can get some silk...

I've got a vibe that he is out of the club, no info, just a vibe - not that he isn't wanted, but the pragmatism of the horse trading at the end of year, is to get some value, but him leaving would be for him on his terms - back to WA of course. Personally, I'm happy to have Hogan at the club, and I'm also happy if he chooses to leave - as I am sure what we would get in return would be of great value. And the only thing I have to base it on is his demeanour - mind you - it may not be about Melbourne (place and club) he may have that demeanour no matter where he is - that is - looks aloof/disinterested/ when he presents in the media. Anyone else feel the same way?

I hear what you're saying @Redleg - and everyone knows (Football department, supporters) its a win loss industry. But if you like numbers (which I do) - there is still sophistication and nuance in understanding the WHY of the wins and the losses that people like to revel in.

Valid point @Rogue, it got me thinking about how Goodwin has gone about it sans Lever - maybe Goodwin is looking large scale consistently. Supporters see stubborness, which is fair enough, perhaps Goodwin says players play the role whatever, irrespective of who comes in to fill the role - to learn the role on game day - even at the overall expense of 'potentially' losing a match. Because its about learning the craft under pressure on game day, in the system that he thinks works. Now... the system would presumably work really bloody well if Lever and Hibbered were in... and they're not, and this is the discrepency - no players who would typically fill the void - so you bring in someone else (petty, smith, frost, pederson) you then start rejigging the system to accomodate their lesser skill sets - and that then throws everything else out of balance...a cascade effect if you will - for the worse.

Blicavs is the new Green...

taking the urine surely @pewpewpew

I'm still comfortable we will beat West Coast over there...

that's it in a nutshell isnt it. Until something changes, whatever it is - it feels permanent... Goody though, is all about the yet... thank gawd....

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/max-gawn-reveals-different-groups-within-dees-playing-group-and-why-he-loves-watching/news-story/0dd0b4217cdccaffbb1cabafec0c2fa3 within it is a nice little bit on H.Balic " I felt helpless when Harley Balic announced his retirement last week. He just couldn’t keep up with AFL footy and the demands. But at least we were all able to see Harley for being Harley. He felt comfortable to be himself around the club and he opened up to the boys on multiple occasions, but, ultimately, he just could not commit to the journey. Footy is hard and there is a baseline level of competitiveness, professionalism and fitness that you have to reach. But footy would be a whole lot harder if you had to change your personality or use extra energy pretending to be different person."

How's the love b/w the team eh... @Caligula's cohort - how's his spelling ?

I might be the only one on this forum, I am genuinely confident that we can win the next three - insofar as, not that we will, but we certainly can, based on our game plan and players. IMO - for the record, aside from three weeks (Richmond Hawthorn, St Kilda) where one of the teams was too good (Richmond) and the other two after quarter time we did not bring intensity/spread etc - yes we've had close losses which is disappointing, and the margins of error for a win or a loss are small sometimes. Melbourne can comfortably beat anyone, anywhere.

Not sure that the club is 'all talk' - they speak about the aspirations... rather than the entitlement.

Coincidently opened up to a page today - from The New Psychology of Leadership (great read) - which was recommended from an AFLPA lead workshop recently. Unfortunately the images/photos wont upload but - briefly At the Uni of SA (Mohr, Larson, 1998) - analysed umpiring decisions over 170 AFL matches that were played between teams from different states over a 4 year period. Needless to say, the umpires who adjudicate games are supposed to do so from a position of impartiality and fairness, their very purpose is to ensure fair play. Yet - when home state of umpires was taken into consideration, the awarding of frees were distinctly unfair. It reliably favours the team from the umpires home state. Moreover, this pattern of in group favouritism as particularly pronounced when the match was being played in the umpires home state. that information (thus data has been gathered) has been sitting around in a scientific journal for at a minimum 20 years... could really be used to inform versions of integrity and governance in umpire placement (a la, international cricket) (not because there is deliberate deception), but because umpires are human (insert gag here) and respond to deep seated psychological factors, like the players do too.

those who shall not be named... essendon

Now that the heat has gone out of the Brayshaw incident... - it’d be remiss if we didn’t enquire about him. One punch does not make a boxer/ one swallow does not make a summer...

I can see Pedo playing, particularly if Gawn won't - judging by the recent assessment as seen on channel 9 in how Max responded.

as everyone in the industry drones on about ' control the controllables'.

no problem over there - they're our bunnies... http://www.afl.com.au/video/2017-06-24/watch-the-last-two-minutes-wce-v-melb

Hee hee, that should have been ‘dorks’ - far less inoffensive than that Kyle dude.