napster

I believe that losing Brayshaw was a significant factor in our loss to Collingwood, but even if we had beaten them, beating GWS in the prelim was no given. They only lost to the Pies because of a large number of shocking pro-Collingwood umpiring calls in the last quarter. We would not have enjoyed the same armchair ride from the umps. The Giants ball movement and superior disposal efficiency would have exposed us.

It’s good that Cornes has turned the spotlight onto Melbourne. The mainstream footy media are usually so obsessed with the big Vic clubs that MFC flies under the radar for way too long. For ‘questionable’ list management decisions I would substitute ‘poor’, especially in regard to trading in of other club’s players, but also with our exchange/trading of picks at the draft. The club should have been up to speed with Oliver’s issues when they re-signed him and thus been more cautious. They should have also been aware that anyone with Brayshaw’s concussion history is one serious ‘Maynard’ away from a career ending injury. Bringing Grundy in was a mistake that didn’t recognise our main weaknesses (lack of midfield speed and poor midfield foot disposal skill), but selling him for next to nothing and also strengthening a flag rival was an even bigger blunder. Then replacing Grundy with Fullarton, whose contested ruck work issues should surely have been revealed with a modicum of research into his Brisbane playing history, compounded the error. Fullarton might yet make it, but it seems we wanted to turn a ruckman, Grundy, into a key forward (fail), and now want to turn a potential key forward, Fullarton, into a ruckman? I disagree with Cornes about trading out Petty. At the time we needed to keep him, assuming 2024 was our last chance at a flag with Gawn and May in the last year or so of their prime. It didn’t work out with Petty this year, but his serious foot injury appears to have had a greater impact than anticipated and hopefully he’ll be back to his old self next year. Our depth issues are part of our list management issue, but Jordon and the unmentioned Bedford were both victims of Goodwin’s poor use of subs. As for Goodwin, a lack of creativity, slow response to game day and broader issues, favouritism of certain players etc etc are ongoing issues. Even if he doesn’t change, I expect he’ll get away with it for a few more years. The Cornes snow reference was unfortunate but (I can’t help myself…) it does appear to be a club whose future is threatening to turn into slush.

If there was any brain injury it must have been temporary, otherwise you’d have ended up barracking for Collingwood.

Hopefully Fosters Flop has limited the future damage.

Just returned from the Swan Street party/puke zone after picking up my daughter, who couldn’t persuade her friends to go elsewhere for the night. It was a descent into Hell. A morass of morons chanting and droning the same old monotonies. It’s where this horrible month has been inevitably heading, once that thug opted to ‘flinch’ and put his shoulder into Gus’s face. As much as it hurts to say, I thought Collingwood were the better team today, but the AFL gifted them their opportunity, not suspending Maynard, a 6 day break for the Giants (Carlton gets an 8 day break of course), then the umpires stopped doing their job in the last quarter and ignore 5-6 blatant Giant frees. And now the calendar is scarred.

Would have been Nicky D but for his dicky knee.

Only if Carlton are bowling, then there is no doubt, you are out, you're totally fARCed.

And their aura of entitlement is a large one.

Acres and his mate in the ARC have given us a new definition of ‘fringe player’.

Maynard visits Gus and brings wine as a gift for his victim. Alcohol is a neurotoxin. Was he trying to finish the job?

I am feeling an ongoing anger that is with me from the moment I wake. I’ve been told by my partner I have this one more day to talk about Gus and Thug then after that I’m sleeping in the bath if I bring it up again. I agree the players looked flat, but hopefully their spirit will lift as the week goes on, (if they’re not also sleeping in the bath it would help), and they channel their frustration and anger into the destruction of the Blues.

I know Port thrashed the Giants recently, but the way the Giants are playing recently, I think they’re a good chance. I think we’d have been vulnerable to them in a Prelim, because we’d go in favourites, which doesn’t seem to suit us, but also we are vulnerable to their fast and skilful game style. Collingwood could be vulnerable to the Giants as well, but then they have the intimidating crowd factor, the umps etc to count on, so will likely easily beat whoever they play. If we can get over Carlton and not suffer any more significant injuries, Brisbane might freeze on the big stage, Joe D and Hipwood could kick 6 points rather than 6 goals, and then we have the chance to revenge ourselves on the Pies, hopefully without the backbone provided by their ‘heart and soul’ enforcer/attack dog thug.

Collingwood supporters are not considered part of humanity, so no need to lose faith.

A load of BS about Maynard and his ‘footy act’. We see lots of footy acts, ie kicking the ball, marking, hand balling, etc. Most smothers we see involve players putting their own safety on the line and flying across the ball’s trajectory and risking the ball impacting them on the head, or being kicked by the kicker. When was the last time we saw a ‘footy act’ exactly like Maynard’s? If there has been, it would be one in a million of the 'footy acts' we see, but one with a terrible outcome. Not a footy act, a dog act.

Agree with those who were disappointed by this session. Half paced, nothing pressurised that I saw, the forwards versus defenders drill in front of me, which featured May and Lever, was competitive in name only. In preservation mode, fair enough. I thought BBB looked a little bit proppy in the warm up runs. Max was wonderful with the kids. Grundy seemed grumpy - he has to be picked for Friday - channel the anger and look out Blues.

Look out - lotsa learnings ahead.

Is he up for some genuine learnings?

Rivers - Feature article curse

The forecast suggests Melk’s replacement should be a medium or small (preferably Laurie). But if Melk is replaced by Tom Mac, Laurie stays the sub, Grundy, Jordon and Woewodin the emergencies. Schache is nowhere near it. Give Schache and Spargo a full game for Casey. Jordon and Woewodin play half games for Casey, surely they’ll be fine five days after a half game, if one of them happens to be needed. I wonder if the selection committee has been spooked by losing two players to ACLs on the same day? But that was an incredibly unlucky day. How often has that happened?

One thing is for sure, no matter where we finish, we’ll play Geelong down at Geelong next year, and the next year, and the next year ......

The thought of weekly meetings with Liz Truss was the final straw.

The Queen, Brighton lose Potter to Chelsea, please don’t make MFC tonight the third loss.

Bailey Laurie some class touches, great hands. Moniz-Wakefield lots of talent to build on. Same for JVR.

I believe it’s just one of their primitive habits. They’d otherwise pick their teeth, but for that you need more than one.

The club was going to suspend May for 2 games for drinking under concussion protocols, but reduced it to one on learning that he’d actually landed one on Melksham. Also, there was a recent Age article discussing research from Monash Uni, and it was suggested players should have a 28 day break from contact sport after a concussion. I just see Steven May as being at the forefront of medical science.