Lord Nev

It's not Hogan we miss, it's what he does. He ain't coming back whether he wants to or not, but there are a couple of options in the free agent market this year. Needs to be our main focus this offseason.

(i) Goodwin has the final say as head coach right? Or do you believe he's being overruled in the selection committee? Is it not his game plan, structure and roles we're selecting for? What a let off. (ii) 'Outsiders' use the criteria of effectiveness of team performance, structural strengths and weaknesses, and fulfillment of roles. So I take it you think those things are being done well currently? Think you'll find there's a far wider group now than just Demonlanders questioning the selection decisions at the MFC. I assume they're all wrong too though because they're not in the 'inner sanctum' where apparently results don't matter and no one else could possibly understand their secret recipe for selection.

Gus seemed to find his lost spark, particularly in the second half, on the weekend. Hoping something has clicked for him all of a sudden as he looked a different player. As much as that's good to see, that needs to be the the expectation for him not the 'praise point'.

Just think it's important to keep contextual things in when quoting people, especially in this case when it was pretty relevant. No apology needed though, wasn't upset more curious. Definitely agree when replying to some of the incredibly detailed posts here btw.

I don't either mate, but I'm just super keen for us to pick on more than reputation and favouritism.

It's a false equivalency Sue, especially from someone with over 7,000 posts on a footy website. You can justify absolutely anything by referencing it against something more important: "Oh you have corona virus? Well this person has cancer, so who cares" "Oh you got a 10% pay rise? Well this person got 50% so who cares" "Oh you're entire family was killed? Well what about the holocaust?" "Oh you're a bit upset about your footy team losing? Don't you care about your family more?" Discounting peoples feelings and emotional investment by comparing it something 'more important' is an absolute cop out and the prototype for avoiding any kind of accountability on the actual topic. Also, why edit out the rest of my post that put it into more context?

So that's it then? Has 1 poor game (in a game where very few players weren't poor) and we write him off for selection in perpetuity despite any other available form since? Fess up, you're on the selection committee aren't you?

Same mate, but hard to judge that without seeing the actual game and what his role was.

Sounds exactly like the seniors, so can probably judge both games the same...

Yeah added another comment after that one after I noticed him. Looked like maybe he only played the first quarter potentially?

Jackson playing too (at least a tiny bit), so yeah not sure now! Didn't notice Weid forward a lot, he did have that nice hitout to Bennell for his 2nd though I tihnk.

Was probably playing in the ruck given Brown was forward and Jackson was a designated emergency.

Changes inc actual structure, because to me both need fixing atm. B: Jetta, May, Smith HB: Salem, Lever, Hibberd CEN: Langdon, Brayshaw, Tomlinson HF: Melksham, Weid, Petracca F: Pickett, TMac, Hunt FOL: Gawn, Oliver, Viney IC: ANB, Hannan, Harmes, Fritsch Don't really mind whether it's Jetta or Rivers at the moment. Not a massive ANB fan, but trying to take feelings out of it, and his forward use and score involvements were very good in round 2. Gives us more of what we need atm than vandenBerg does. Let's hope we stop trying to be cute and go with a structure players are more familiar with and can trust a bit more.

Not 100% sure I agree with that on ANB. In 2018 he was selected regularly because he was performing regularly. I'm not a big fan or anything like that, but if as you say we see ANB stay out and vandenBerg retain his spot then it's yet another clear illustration of Goodwin not picking the team based on form and gifting certain players more chances than others. It may be more subtle, but it's starting to appear where back to the days of a culture where your reputation or draft order gets you games.

Who says people that are emotionally invested in footy aren't emotionally invested in their family? What a bizarre comment. No one is saying there's not things that are more important, but you discount peoples emotions when you compare things in that way. "Oh, you lost an arm? Oh well at least you're not dead, cheer up sadguts" "Oh, you got a promotion? Well it's not like you won the lotto, so take it easy"

Yep, fair comment, you could also add in Salem's decision to kick to a 1 v 4 in the pocket in the play before that. Possibly not all his fault given our forward 50 problems, but still a poor decision.

I'm happy for you that you can detach yourself from any kind of passion or emotional investment in the game mate, but I don't think you speak for the "majority of supporters" if that's your approach.

It's always next year with Melbourne...

Risking my head a bit here, but we lost Hogan, Kent and Watts from a forward half that was already on thin ice skill-wise. Hogan - Great at using his tank to create forward half space and separation from the 2nd key forward which obviously benefited TMac tremendously. Also his contested marking was a big plus too. Can understand why he's gone, but that doesn't change what we lost. Kent - No superstar, and injuries a worry, but imagine having a genuine line-breaking goal-kicking speedy forward (with Burgo to look after him) in our team now. Plus, his delivery inside 50 was highly underrated. Always been my opinion it was a toss up between him and vandenBerg as far as contracts go and we blinked when Sydney came knocking for vB. Watts - Skill and goal kicking. Simple as that. Could also pluck a contested grab. Reasons for being booted aside, we miss those things. Just like we got sucked into over-investing in the backline, I think we also over-invested in the contest to the point where we have some of the worst users going forward in the competition and nothing we can do about changing it.

This is the problem though. This gets said EVERY year. Just reckon the majority of the supporter base have had enough of that mentality. Make no mistake, if things don't get better this could very well end up being a turbulent year for our club.

We've had about 5 years to work on it and it's only gotten worse.

They are.

ANB Round 2 2 goals, 9 disposals (8 effective), 1 tackle, 4 inside 50s, 5 score involvements. vandenBerg Round 4 0 goals, 7 disposals (5 effective), 3 tackles, 1 inside 50, 0 score involvements. ANB was dropped after that game. I'm interested to see how he justifies picking vandenBerg again next week (which he likely will) and not picking ANB. Particularly, if (as he has stated) we stick with a 1 key forward setup. Goodwin clearly plays favourites. It's not just his tactical failures that are hurting us.

Actually that's a good point. If you compared ANB's game against Carlton and vandeBerg's game today.... Hoooo boy.

Perhaps watch the second half mate, it may change your mind like it did mine.