Deemania since 56

The Dees need Tomlinson in as he is getting quite adept in the backline and assists in the release of interceptors such as Lever and Salem - the former in the air/packs and the latter off the ground/around the packs.

Rain or showers? Surely the Dees wouldn't take to the field if unwashed? It's possible for the Filth, Geelong and Carlton but not the Dees, purveyors of the Palmolive.

Absolutely! Dead rubbers are nice to win; a fit and ready Gawn is an absolute joy for us all. A rest for big Max, please and toss in Grundy (supported by Tomlinson at times, perhaps) and big Max can rest easy without head and neck trauma from the pecking Swans. Our midfielders are good enough and cunning enough to rove the taps from the Swans ruckmen, anyway. We will be a fast-break, circular spectacular. If it doesn't work, it really won't matter yet Max will be rested and ready for what is to come.

Tommo is playing a little better than 'OK' and is a trusted 'fit' with the rest of the backline - plus another game responsibility and settlement into that role will continue to add to his confidence.

The chances of Fritta getting the 'right amount' of touch with Casey are minimal, I'd reckon. He does need to get into the bigtime asap, display his wares and frigging confuse the hell outta the Swans. We actually have a multi-pronged attack now and he is a vital part of that separation we are all looking for, reviving his kicking for goal practices and honing his skills for the finals. Fully agree, smurf; important call.

Keep him front and centre up forward. He brings terrific pressure on opponents, and we all know he can burst like no other in our team. The stage is his, he will produce in what is ahead. Whoever we play, he's a very tough match-up that leaves opponents flat-footed and trailing; in the meantime, he's scored and seeks out other opportunities to pressure our challengers. If he is regarded as 'good' in the midfield/centre, he's bloody phantastique (with style) near goal and its approaches.

Serviceable game put in, with some good links in a new environment.

...but they can't beat the Mighty Dees!

Liked his work today, as well. His 'defender' skills in the forward line are consistently handy. His goal kicking contributions are tough and moving towards 'reliable' with some great shots. With the emerging criticality of the finals rapidly approaching, he might be predictably in line for a chance to 'really shine' up forward.

Terrific win but the second chance is a priority asset as you mention. We will need it - just for injuries, most likely; perhaps, a drop in form over a gruelling finals season might cause a hiccup, regretfully. Good call, McQueen.

Lever pole-axed the Hawks. Hawks - many new, some unknown players - that showed in the first quarter. Melbourne, once they knew who was who, did not concede, worked out their patterns, went forward with style. Looking good for finals. Fritta, JVR, JSmith, Melk, Chandler and Kozzie - with 60% Tracca - what forward problem?

JJ, Kozzie and Chandler - a triad of potential - pace, courage, skills - for Gawn sake, let them settle and control up forward.

We do need the backline authority of HIbberd, he can take on all comers so it may have been a wise decision (in his sunset) to not have him in the side against the Hawks but instead, to train and recover from niggles so that he is fit as a Mallee bull for the finals run.

Bliss!

What I do expect for Max this coming weekend (200th) is a little bit of overdue umpire protection for the bashing and physical abuse he has endured over the years. It must stop, here and now. Congratulations, Max, we hold you in absolute awe.

If Clarrie was one of the 'pretty boys' who gain so much media attention, he most probably would have already won a Brownlow. Everything (or very close to it) that Clarrie attempts comes off with flying colours and that is what sets him above so many of the Brownlow winners in the past coupla years. Then, his consistency at playing at this level so frequently against any opponents can be factored into our praise for his efforts, just like it had with Tulip.

That skill requirement is within easy reach of Kozzie, Chandler and JJ - mark my words - they can all do it at training with added speed and mongrel grunt to that of Spargy-pants, more penetration and will round the three off if tasked by Goodwin to so do in gametime. ANB is already doing it, kicking a conservative pop-up rack of goals, holding back the play cleverly for zone-ups and coverage of opponents team wide, and hitting the 150 games marque with smart intercepts.

Oh, never saw Hardeman? Frank Davis? Jetta? et al?

It is impossible to get this correct; the Mighty MFC has had some outstanding footballers yet poor teams more often than not. Three current players would possibly make it, yet even these three could well be debated: Gawn, Oliver and Petracca. Swooper and NSmith would vie for the best coach - but even that is too hard to split. Best of luck attempting to make the necessary calls - for me, it's impossible.

Ken Oath.

Carlton midfielders, across the game, were fed by and roved well to big Max. Reading the 'tap' is an art and Carlton - like other teams this year - picked the eyes of Max's dominant ruck work more times than our midfield brigade. It helped enormously across the game, getting in many first breaks to increase scoring opportunities for them. We have seen this before and there has to be a solution. When Grundy rucks, he taps it to his feet, almost; creating increased congestion and so frequently, results in another, immediate ball up until one team gets the break. Possibly, the only solution is to tap the pill into a larger radius from the tap point with varied but intended midfield runners to firstly screen (not block) opponents for others to snatch the ball for a clearance; or, employing better indicators to where the ball will be tapped outside the centre circle - and rehearsed at training. These were the left-hand, right-hand taps that Crackers used to great effect with his 'roving' division, making him one of our most effective tap ruckmen in past times. (OK, so he wasn't too flash in other areas of a ruckman's game), but he could put a tap down the throat or in the pathway of pre-determined, 'secret' scouts in his presence.

Yes, for those of us who watch many different team contests, not just those involving the MFC, the disparity between umpires and the anticipated excellence of umpire impartiality and rules applications is highly suspect, and has been for quite some time - at the point of obviating preference rather than the judicial application of sacrosanct, well-documented reason. No longer can umpires hide behind mere judgment variations; comparisons have become too noticeably different. Added to this is the clamour amongst the magistrates of the whistle to be seen as entertainers and popularity profiles - assisting key teams with the largest supporters or noise generation as a crowd in attendance, usually remaining instantly quite satisfied with the bang for the buck that they just received within and about the game from official sources. That happiness far outweighs any conceptualisation of reasonably fair play. Human error at this frequency does not contain permissible undersights or oversights. There are no checks and balances in operation - it is just allowed to happen. Thanks for coming!

Yes, don't really like this for Grundy, as well. But he is available and could do a temporary role in this regard - certainly to discourage opposition forward pushes in his 'zonal' area across differing forward pushes. It could also release May to come further up the ground - even Hibbo - for some more 'heavy' attack on the incoming [censored]. Bringing the ball to ground is another role for Grundy in such an array - as we have so many very good smaller clearance-types in that zone (thinking Hibbo, McVie, Ginger Meggs, Salem) plus an angry Viney providing further discouragement to opposition intent.

Good question. So far, it has not transferred into any behavioural observations and action from the umpires - yet remains clearly visible to all spectators at each game he plays. All one can assume is that the AFL has not responded to such enquiry.

In Harmes as a tagger and mongrel.