Lord Nev

Haha that's a more than reasonable call for a Monday morning. Cheers mate!

Because he's taken 1 mark from 45 one on ones. Simple.

Come on mate, seriously. We're talking about one on ones here, not pack situations. Far out. Don't understand why so many are so hesitant to admit how bad Brown has been. So bizarre.

Can understand that, and I'm not trying to say Weid is better than Brown, just pointing out that Brown has been terrible most of the year yet many still try to defend him.

Mate, read the first line again. It's very specifically about how poor he's been in one on ones. 1 mark from 45 one on ones, out marked 8 times from those. That has nothing to do with TMac and nothing to do with being out numbered. Brown should wear his fair share for his lack of marks on the lead too, I've watched him closely at the games I've gone to and he simply does not lead and can not find a way to get around a defender. Bombing it forward is not all the mids fault.

BEN BROWN Ben Brown has been targeted inside 50m one-on-one 45 times this season. He has taken one mark from those battles — a junk-time grab on Marcus Adams (Lions) late in the fourth quarter. He has been out-marked eight times. The Demons don’t trust Sam Weideman or Mitch Brown and so it’s a mighty concern for Melbourne as the absence of Tom McDonald — the swingman they attempted to offload in 2020 — aches. On Thursday night the Dees took six marks inside 50m, their equal fewest this season, and the disconnection is also disarming Kozzie Pickett and Charlie Spargo while Bayley Fritsch has been accused of being goal hungry. Contrast Brown’s numbers to Geelong goliath Tom Hawkins, who gobbles 38 per cent of his one-on-ones. The next best in the AFL is Darcy Cameron (Collingwood), who marks 25 per cent of his one-on-ones. Early Tackle: Sam Landsberger’s Likes and Dislikes from round 17

Peter Ryan from The Age seems on board with a Laurie/JVR/both debut: It’s time to introduce in-form youngsters from Casey to give them a spark, otherwise their premiership defence is doomed. AFL round 17 key takeouts and match review news

I'm firmly in the camp that we did some loading in/around the bye, but can see this narrative going a bit off the rails now. Admittedly I wasn't at the game in person on Thursday, but at least on TV I didn't think we looked flat like we did around the bye. We just looked beaten by a more physical side who have been planning for us for a long time. Feels like some may have got sucked into the early media narrative of us being unbeatable red hot flag favourites so now every time we lose we must be in a loading down turn.

Pretty coy on it at the moment is old Tex... https://www.facebook.com/7AFL/videos/5217726195014887/

BEN BROWN Ben Brown has been targeted inside 50m one-on-one 45 times this season. He has taken one mark from those battles — a junk-time grab on Marcus Adams (Lions) late in the fourth quarter. He has been out-marked eight times. The Demons don’t trust Sam Weideman or Mitch Brown and so it’s a mighty concern for Melbourne as the absence of Tom McDonald — the swingman they attempted to offload in 2020 — aches. On Thursday night the Dees took six marks inside 50m, their equal fewest this season, and the disconnection is also disarming Kozzie Pickett and Charlie Spargo while Bayley Fritsch has been accused of being goal hungry. Contrast Brown’s numbers to Geelong goliath Tom Hawkins, who gobbles 38 per cent of his one-on-ones. The next best in the AFL is Darcy Cameron (Collingwood), who marks 25 per cent of his one-on-ones. Early Tackle: Sam Landsberger’s Likes and Dislikes from round 17

Pretty much everyone would, including the club, I reckon. There was goss we were looking into King before he re-signed, doesn't seem likely now though. I really really like Larkey, would love us to have a crack, but he's contracted until end of 2024, and given he's only just turned 24 we probably wouldn't be able to entice North with draft picks. All that said, there's no reason we couldn't bring in Walker AND bring in another young key forward. We'll lose a few key talls this year anyway.

Yeah for sure. Weid is the interesting watch for mine too. I reckon he was as good as gone earlier in the year, Goody seen enough, but with Daw, M.Brown and Jackson all quite possibly gone he probably stays but may depend on the Walker call.

Yeah 100%. Don't know how much of a chance, Walker may decide he wants to stay at the Crows, but just heard the Dees were keen.

Genuine chance of happening apparently. Rumour is talks, and potentially offers, have happened.

This is back from 23rd June so may no longer be accurate but wouldn't think much would have changed in Brown and Fritsch's positions. "Of the top 50 most used Inside 50 targets in the league, Gawn is sitting 47th for the percentage of times his team scores when he is the target (33.3%). It’s worse reading when Melbourne’s most used target, Ben Brown, is sitting at 46th (34.2%)." Article Here

Nah all good mate! Can see how that would happen. To be clear, if we just picked one forward to come in it would be JVR over Weid without a second of hesitation. Was more just trying to highlight the minuscule difference in their output compared to the huge difference in their assessments by us fans. Can 100% see what you're saying, I just differ with you I guess in that I'm choosing more to look at the whole game rather than just the first half. I have much higher expectations of Brown than what he produced on Thursday night (and for most weeks previous). I'm not sure 1 half of footy is a trend. Yep all fair points for sure. Absolutely agree bringing the ball to ground is important within the context of our game plan, but I'm a bit sick of it being the only thing we expect from Brown and the line that gets trotted out as a defence of his poor form. The games I've seen live this year I've been extremely disappointed with our tall forwards, including Gawn when he's there. Prior to going to a few games I was putting all the heat on the mids for bombing it long, but once I went along to games I realized it was at least 50% the forwards fault. The lack of movement, crowding packs, all flying at once is really bad this year and leaves the mids with not many options when breaking forward. That's another part of the reason why I wouldn't mind a change up in there as a circuit breaker. As far as the mids go, I'm disappointed we seem to be bypassing ANB and Spargo a fair bit when going inside 50, both can be good users going forward, so I think an adjustment there might help too. I think Goody will keep Brown in, and have a feeling we might bring in another tall to help him. I'm with you, if he was to bring in 1 tall I really hope it's JVR. Reminds me a lot of Petty tbh, just has that bit of mongrel about him, a lot to like.

Agree to disagree, which is all fine by me. One half of footy isn't good enough from Brown, the expectations have become so low now, I find it really strange. That's highlighted by the stats you mentioned - Weid gets crucified here yet Brown is apparently 'turning it around' and is really important purely because he apparently 'brings the ball to ground'. I expect far more than that from him, he's a much better player than that and should be delivering better than what he has so far this year. Staggered we're all happy with 5 marks and 1 lucky goal in a half from Brown, that's the minimum requirement IMO and not even taking into account he did literally nothing the rest of the game. Also, 4 out of his 10 touches were turnovers. Most of Brown's marks were up the ground - he took 1 mark inside 50, so sorry, but I don't buy into the argument that it was all the mids fault that he didn't take any more marks for the game. That's another let off for an underperforming player. I've already stated this, but to point it out given you're either being misleading or haven't understood - I didn't say Weid in for Brown. I have JVR coming in for Brown and then Weid to come in for Bedford as I believe we need to have the two talls there. You're saying there 'one half is an improvement' for Brown's form, why do we just accept that? Very few other players get away with that, Weideman certainly wouldn't. Now I get that they have very different career outputs, but that's why Brown has been giving SO long to turn it around and Weid gets dropped after 1 poor game. Don't get me wrong, I don't have high expectations for Weid, I don't think he's going to suddenly 'break out', but for me we've reached the crossover stage where Brown's form does not deserve any more chances, JVR has earned a chance, and IMO Weid is a good partner for him at least this week. We'll need Brown in form for finals, he's not finding it at AFL level, let's get him right now before it's too late - and imagine if JVR 'pulls a Bowey' at the same time? All of a sudden we have a firing tall forward combo for the important time of year. That would be sensational. *Disclaimer - I don't expect Goody will drop Brown, it's just what I reckon could be a good move.

Yep, definitely agree on all that. Laurie could be this year's Bowey with giving us a bit of a lift at the right time of the season too. Could use his kicking going forward that's for sure, Spargo seems to have lost that part of his game lately.

Haha funnily enough thought Weid would come out but Mitch stay in for the Geelong game. I think Weid just is what he is, he's depth and whatever level he plays he should be the second forward I reckon. Can backup ruck, has good hands in close for a big man, good when he has a run up, things you'd be ok with from your second tall, but he's just never been and never will be that beast that you need to be when the main man. Don't reckon BBB is that this year either though, but his reach and proven history grants him more opportunity. Whatever happens, IMO we need two decent tall forwards in form by finals, and we have 0 atm.

Yep, if you had to pick just one tall from tonight it would clearly be JVR, no argument there. Agree on freeing up Salem, my preference is to get Gus back to the wing to do that though. We're losing out from a team perspective with Gus at HB and JJ on the wing IMO.

Makes sense, it's not exactly what I think, but can 100% understand your reasoning there. Just feel like we need to change something up with Brown, they've given him more than enough time now to turn his form around and he hasn't, not even close. I had high hopes after last night's first quarter and then he totally disappeared and i don't agree that we totally changed our game plan at half time and it wasn't his fault at all that he did nothing. 0 marks in the second half, and 4 out of his 10 disposals for the game were turnovers. Enough is enough, get him back to VFL to find form because we need him in form at finals time. Even after last night, Weid still has Brown covered for contested marks this year. That and the tackling and pressure is what Weid can bring that will be a lift from what we've been getting from Brown. It can't be one rule for one player and a different one for another. IMO Brrown has been given the extra time he deserves based on his history, but it's time to make a change and get him on track. I suspect you'll be right and Goody won't drop him, but if so, I'll be watching again to see how that plays out.

Don't mind it. Reckon that wiil be pretty close to what Goody does, although gut feel is he might not drop Bowey just yet.