Deemania since 56

Simon Beasley might be considered

Possibly, like your very own situational comedy, perhaps?

Precisely. An AFL game is like a marathon with free, multi-pronged batterings thrown in! Two marathons of that nature within less than a 7-day period? Phark, cried the crow...

Agree, praha. To play a better game at the MCG - as we have all seen over so many years - is about finding that space, occupying it at brief intervals prior to downfield play deliveries or having the ball kicked to that free zone to run at considerable pace to warrant marking or playing on. The 'G often has entire side corridors totally free for most of the game (eg: the Southern side) providing the legroom for intuitive players to exploit. Our current batch of players have a tendency to overplay to Northern flanks (it has been suggested that the attentions of the Members' stand and its associations and approvals with the inhabitants thereof is the driving force). Even Robbie the Great Petalled One loved that side of the Ground. Footy players tend to be magnetised these days, and in their mutual attractions create congested areas for no particular reason. This slows the game. Richmond has developed a more two-sided approach to the movement of the football at the MCG and naturally, reaps the benefits so often, of unhindered progress and in individual player support from teammates. This is most often seen from bringing the ball back into play from a behind at the kick-in; the ball is not transmitted to a teammate who has made space in no-man's land, it is transmitted to a ruckman on the Northern flank with an entourage in tow. Congestion.

You are correct again, Chook. Mrs Oliver's sensibilities by all means should be taken into account by us, the rough football fanatics who call spades 'spades' as a form of minimalism. Young Clayton is a magician, a marvel, a superb footballer and a thoroughly pleasant young man, at the least in terms of description. A coarse term, such as 'beast' is better used on Petracca - subject of course to the prior approval of Mrs Petracca, in turn.

Agree with the key points of what you raise and my only hesitation is one of risking a win-win positive on game day vs, risking Viney himself and team cohesion. Just high hopes, I guess...

There is considerable merit in all of this and certainly, the need for resting key players is a worthy consideration as football is now so challenging at the week to week level. The smart solution to resting (or in reality, to providing preparations for season longevity) our players, such as Gawn and Hogan who have enormous territorial workloads, for example, would be as you suggest. The structures are there, the abilities are there, the proven articulation within the team of such variations are there, so why not? If Gawn falls, Hogan falls, Oliver falls or if any combination of these disasters occurs, then our finals hopes disappear.

A waste of another week of Viney's footballing life - he does not need to spend it at VFL level when we are playing the Suns. He could easily come off the bench, several times, for a workout/run and benefit from this initial exposure as a serious training run for a full game next match, as intended. Just having him in the selected team would be an asset to those players who currently have lapsed a little in their form. Now that their 'form' is picking up - just imagine what Viney's presence will do for them onfield. He is that charismatic for the team. A risk this week, or a bigger risk next week?

No, you did not mention 'polish' as a Richmond characteristic, McQ. I support your statement referring to '...an educational thing...' for the MFC and I think it is a part of the one-percent efforts that will emerge as our players watch the outcomes of their actions across time, for example: tap-ons, opponent coverage, 2nd and 3rd efforts, screening/shepherding, finding space early and two-way running.

It's possible to imagine Hannan in this role as experience grows - he has early flexibility, good hands, a faster and taller player than first imagined, takes a mark but most possessions come into him, low, and he is good already with his foot passing. The key attribute would be his ability to find space and if there is none, makes a rapid and effective decision to move the ball onwards (check out most of his 'cramped' goals).

Against the Suns, Garlett ought to be given another run, even from the bench.

Gee, One-eye, be fair. He had his coaching ups and downs, sure, but a decade ago, he would have been better that both Bailey and Neeld for us as a coach. Do you remember - other than his poise, timing, kicking, speed and capacity to run all day - how good Alves' blind turn and side-to-side dodge at full pace matched with his acceleration actually was? No-one ever nailed him - even the best opponents. No-one has ever had a better evasive technique when in possession of the ball, either. Alves' skills and penetration were just magical.

Tingay and Stretch Snr would most probably have been the best outside of Robbie Flower. One can never forget - in a very poor team - just how good Stan Alves was - particularly at the MCG - even though that pre-dated Robbie by a few years.

Just love the packaged intent that this could invoke - JV champing at the bit against Carlscum.

Sadly, common sense also dictates without hesitation that Carlisle must absolutely receive an official penalty of some significance for his unsportsmanlike action to Hogan's throat - and we do not care if it is retrospective - meaning today or in the next few days. Without that AFL response, the whole system of fair play AFL is in jeopardy. Evidence is evidence ... please explain to Hogan and the MFC why it has not been actioned!

Yep, tremendous gesture - have to do it next year - fully booked this year.

All sentiments based upon fickle performances at the team level.

Dead right as Beezle suggested: Happy to have both, don't want to lose one of the two. Different skills, different games to play.

DeeSpencer, I can see that with some physical development of the season and into next season, Fritsch has big possibilities as a wingman in the traditional mode, marking, running, intercepting, feeding by foot, etc. His body seems to be quite OK for two-way work all game. Stretch has some of those skills, as well, particularly in the running requirements, and in the old baulk of opponents.

Stinger was excellent, too!

What was this statement associated with, MR? I didn't catch the thread, but I really like Vanders as a player, when fit. So I am interested.

I guess you are correct, Chook. This is what I suspect, as well, to some extent. He (the Weed) has been given a lengthy period of time, however, to build his skills or to have these modified to suit the team. Is he in there for educational reasons alone? That must be considered to be placing what might one day be a positive with a longer-term, currently negative when the team needs a 'do it now' person on that competitive team listing. He must adapt, now. MFC cannot offer him much more time to occupy a position that can already be manned for greater outcomes by others. If you come across a Weed in the garden, even though it might be a resplendent succulent of mammoth growth potentials, you must pull it out of the blossoming array of perennial roses lest its wasteful ways soak up too much nutrient.

NIce summary and viewpoint on the topic, beelzle.

Agree with that ... to me it looks like Hannan is moving to the ball and to the space so well across the last 2 weeks with great improvement between the Ess and the StK games. He is using some natural pace, can mark, kicks are more effective and getting into 'no man's land' by reading the play for that special pass, with time to deliver the ball himself, with authority. I'd therefore reckon that Hannan may be the outside man.

Problem with this is that Weeds needs to do a bit more for the TEAM, not just his own career. One or two grabs are just fine, five or six would be better - combined with great disposal each time. He should take some risks rather than stand around, looking, so often. Just an observation...