kev martin

They say that a finals campaign is a new season. Hoping we get to use the Carlton facilities for our training sessions, so we can create a home ground advantage at the 2 or 3 finals games, and really set ourselves to "boom". Move in there and push Carlton out for a while. I'm sure that won't happen. Casey fields just doesn't work for us. Too far to travel, poor public transport, and usually challenging conditions, though it definitely has a home ground advantage. Interstaters must hate all that travel, and the open environment. Why did they start the renovations before the end of AFLW season? (Disorganised, disrespectful or the board thought it was appropriate.) Oh well, anytime, anywhere. Go Dees.

We really have had most of the games our way. No score board pressure and our tackling have forced the errors in our opposition. We have been playing freely. It will be interesting if the opposition start scoring well and they don't panic when we come at them. The yips could easily take over if we start panicking. Hoping winning form gets our confidence high and we continue the fast, hard and attacking game. Would hate to see us drop the bundle. Though we possibly will need to try some tempo footy if we start losing control. We also have been playing in poor environmental conditions. It will be interesting to see how we go when skilled play is easier to do. They say finals are won by pressure and the backline. In this we have been doing very well. I think we are on a mission, we will be too, disciplined, resistant, hardened and strong willed.

Great home and away series by the MFC AFLW team. Even a blow out game like today had plenty of drama and entertainment value. One point, loved that they got themselves into a place where they nearly did it. How was Taylor? Nearly made it happen, Lauren with her snap out of the ruck, the same, and Daisy going for the percentage play instead of aiming to bring home the chocky's. We have so much to like about our team. Our ball movement is aggressive, and must worry the other teams. Skills by foot and hands, our attacking back-line who intercept and trust each other. If not Birch, then it's Gillard, with support from Lampard and Gay. The engine room with Purcell, Hanks and West. Our talls doing lots of ground play and the one percenters. We take marks all over the ground (Birch, Taylor, Zanker, Hore) and we have a few who take it on with run and pace (Bannan, Goldy, Zanker, Lampard, Heath). Then there's Paxy who has grown as an outside runner, Heath is just getting better and her role play along with Mithin continues to stop the opposition. We tackle hard and give others very little space, that pressure ensures turnovers. The kicking of Taylor, Gay, Hore and Gillard is beautiful. There's still growth as we are a young team with, Chaplin, Fitzsimmons, Macklin, Sherrif, holding their own Get our goal conversion right and we dominate. Finals footy now, Go Dees.

Does anyone have what score we need to top Brisbane's percentage?

Eagles started to play early in the 2nd and we were able to get our control back. Our quick play on, move the ball from half-back has been great Birch, Zanker, Taylor and Gillard can be added to our better players. Missing too many shots/snaps on goal.

Tough conditions with that wind. Doing well with us controlling the game, we hunt the ball and the opposition. Plenty of ball movement by hand, the women can trust each other as there is always an outside runner. We are wrestling in our forward 50 where the game has been played. Need to create a bit more space in there. Paxman, Lampard, Hanks, West, Goldy, Lauren and Purcell leading the way.

Essedon has a fair bit of mongrel about them. I can see them being the first AFLW team to get the melee fines, when other teams start the even ups after reviewing them and saying let's take the fight up to them. Good last quarter against the wind.

6.30 pm on a Sunday and the game is still on. Has that happened before? Chaplin so close to her first and doing well.

We are doing ok. Our tackling is ferocious again. Transition play fell apart late in the 2nd, before that we had some great ball movement. I like the kicking of Gillard from the goal square. Clearing the fifty even against the wind. Purcell is a great find, Heath showing her skills and her all round game, Hore, Paxy doing well with Bannan hitting early on. I think the percentage is too far away to take first place. Hopefully a win by the maggies against the lions next week, will help if we win these last two games. Win today and we shore up a top two as our percentage is too high to be caught by 3rd and 4th, or 5th. Go Dees

Here is my two cents worth, possibly no sense. The hierarchy continues on its merry way. Choose A or B, and thanks for your participation in “democracy” (sarcasm). What I would want, if they are serious about representing me, would be to have got the constitution sent out, with the articles that will be changed, disposed of and added, highlighted. Though I want them to go further and allow me to vote not only on constitution, but on all matters pertaining to MFC. The board could be a kind of legal entity that draws up the articles and “such” based on a petition or a need, a true servant to the masses. They could also include capacity for veto, oversight, and displacement from office. As I see it, the board and inner circle have control and us plebs merely give a say to route A or B. Any constitutional changes worry me, especially in a climate where moves towards dictatorship is advanced. I know giving all decisions to the people is fraught with dangers, such as instability, misdirection, unforeseen consequences, time consuming, but that is the folly of a full democracy and not of emperors. I am realistic and know what I advocate will never happen, but that is my opinion on how to govern.

Some beautiful passages with slick/fast ball movement, kicking and handballs. Paxman didn't seem the same, though got plenty of outside disposals. Our tackling and second efforts are amazing. The opposition must be hearing footsteps whenever they have it and hope it is not Taylor or Birch. Some are playing the best that I've seen. Gillard needs to tighten up on her opponent. Not sure yet about Duffy, I want to see her compete in more one on ones. Love the Daisy chant.

Love our ball movement by hand, we work for each other and they trust that someone will there. We have also worked out a way to clear the ball when in our backline.

Did the stadium play the first part of Suns theme song when they got their only goal? They must have thought, that will do.

We are persistent and consistent, and have so many options. The new players are doing ok. Wilson has composure, Caris holding her own in the ruck, Brown is involved. Commentary is poor, talking irrelevance instead of calling game.

Great start, pressure and defensive rebounds again. We break them and bang. Daisy is "on", Hanks, Lampard, West and Purcell the engine room. Good kicking from Heath, Mithin, Fitzsimons,

Beveridge had some problems with him. Hoping it was just a personality clash. Always thought he was an upgrade on Mitch Hannan style of player. Very composed player and from what I've seen a good decision maker.

Lachie Hunter?

I hope Petty goes forward. Has some mongrel but afraid he might do a "Bugg", lose his cool. I hope they use him as a flexible tall back up, ruck, forward or back

The way we bomb in it to the forwards we need a "brute". Someone to stand under it and push/keep everyone away from the ball drop. If we can be clinical, then players like Schache and BBB will flourish. Hope a change of forward strategy comes along with Josh.

Misses the easy ones. (Bruce) Can take a mark, and is strong in the contest.

Is it Josh Bruce? Grand old.

I thought Weid attacked the game and opposition players with more gusto when he had some time down back. In the Casey games, his ruck work was good. Not so much in reading the play, as he was always there about, but his timing (judging were the ball drop is) and double grabs were his weakness. Given plenty of opportunities in the MFC team, but couldn't grasp, because of inconsistency. I think he will do well changing teams and having a clean slate.

Fix up the medi-sub rule. Allow the medi-sub to voluntarily come on, ten minutes into the third quarter. By then a concussion ruling won't disadvantage a team too much.

I thought the draft and the order, was about equalising the talent across the competition. I want closer games not blow outs. Destination clubs are effecting the balance. Management, of the club lists and player renumeration need to be done better, so as to get fair compensation and teams high on the ladder shouldn't get a leg up. The clubs down the ladder may stay there for several season if the AFL allows the "poaching" of picks and players. Geelong have to be happy, as are us. North, Gold coast, wow!

Please, no more interstate drafts unless we get a good indication that they will be one club players. To some extent I am happy he has gone. I thought we could tell mid season that he had decided to go, as his form dropped (started getting the fumbles) and our losing started to happen, either, disruption or was an integral cog, I think it was disruption. Grundy will be a like for like replacement. So long as we give up to Collingwood as well. I thought we folded our hand, and sent a message to other teams that we are soft dealers.