Watson11

To nullify a superstar like Josh Kelly and impact the way he did was just insane. He shaded Max for BOG imo.

He's one of the quickest on our list according to champion data. We don't use his strengths at FF. We don't use him enough on the lead. If we hit him up on the lead, he'd be less vulnerable to having to beat 2 gorilla's on the long balls when he stayed back.

How tough is he? And still only 22 and had a broken hand just a few weeks ago. Geez our midfield is exciting. Should be together for next 7 or more years.

I’d love Hawthorn to lose to Sydney. Then we’d need to beat Geelong, Sydney, WC to make GF if all other games go with favourites. But first things first. GWS. Win that at the G and I’ll be optimistic we can cause some damage.

Don’t think so. Cyril retired and the articles were all about how much salary cap freed up.

Maybe make some tough decisions. Jones and Lewis to coaching roles. Frees up salary cap. Offer $1.2m a season if that is needed.

He's a talent but don't think he can impact now. Needs another 6 or 7kg over summer, and a bigger tank but he is a good grab, has a bit of mongrel, good kick. If he can do that over the next year or two then he'll be the same weight and height as Josh Kennedy and Tom Hawkins who really only started impacting when they were around 23.

I don't buy the luck side. Shouldn't be left to a bad bounce etc. Our problem with our close losses is our own making that we need to fix. Gary Player summed it up pretty well. Reportedly the following quote originally came about after a “good old boy with a big hat” stumbled across Gary practicing in a greenside bunker. After seeing Player hole out at his first attempt, the golfer offered him “50 bucks” to do it again. In went the next attempt. “Boy I have never seen anyone so lucky in my life.” “The harder I practice, the luckier I get.”

It makes sense we would have been interested at the start of this year. But with Brayshaw and Harmes developing so well I'm glad that we would take it off the table. I hope they are still going hard for Gaff. Maybe a new kicking coach (is that Hawthorn biomechanics guy available!)

It’s unfair that Adelaide had to play us twice! They could be sitting in 3rd if that hadn’t happened!

Optus is the same size as Etihad (Marvel) as well. These days I prefer that comparison considering we’ve won 7 out of 8 in the last 2 years at Marvel (versus 10 out of 22 at the G). Just shows there is no reason for our poor record at the G

I somewhat agree. Viney's a brilliant player but we are so deep with inside mids that it shouldn't make or break this season. He is missed in last quarters when the game is on the line but we need others to learn to step up and lead as well. I'd rule a line through him for the season if there is any risk of re-injury. Make sure we have Viney, Oliver, Brayshaw, Petracca etc together for next year and the years after. These guys are aged 24, 21, 22 and 22 so we want to make sure they are at their peaks for the next 6-7 years. No point in risking ruining Viney's foot in my opinion. Max is only 26, Hogan and McDonald 23 and 25, Lever is 22 and so we have the backbone of a superteam. I'd love to snag a flag ala baby bombers, hawthorn (2008), bulldogs (2016) this year, but not that the expense of risking long term problems.

He wasn't great against Port, but he contributed and he has been pretty good in some other big games. Against Port if our mids had lowered their eyes going inside 50 Hogan could have had a day out. He's our top 3 quickest according to AFL tracker and we don't hit him up on the lead enough. Our mids seem more comfortable kicking long to a contest and so he stays back too much.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-04-20/improving-demon-just-keeps-on-running He runs hard both ways as well.

I agree with the stoppages comment, and think this is the main issue we have. In general we haven't had workrate issues like we saw against the Saints. But in my opinion our stoppage work is really poor and has been most of the season, despite Max dominating. The big concern is whether the coaches think our stoppage style is a strength because we usually win the clearance count. Problem is most clearances we win are rushed and scrappy as there are several Melbourne players within a couple of metres of the ball. Opposition clearances tend to be cleaner with a good outlet handball and then exposing us in defense. For the Collingwood game we were obviously so hyped up for that game that we looked like Under 8's all chasing the ball, and Collingwood really hurt us from stoppages just through better structure. That's not lack of effort, but just structure and should be easy to fix.