Lord Nev

IMO if you put Rivers into a lockdown role on Rohan, particularly in a high pressure final, then we lose his drive from half back.

And we all know what's happened in the 99.9% of other games.

Yeah Rohan isn't in great shape (kicked two last night though) and is a notoriously invisible finals player, but for mine he has far more potential to turn a game than Ratugolea does. If Ratugolea even plays that is, we're all just assuming that's what the Cats will do. Should he play, I'm not particularly worried about him having an impact, so IMO that makes him the perfect matchup for Lever. Petty would be wasted on Ratugolea IMO. Since coming back into the team, Smith has seemingly been used on small forwards so I'm not sure if they'll change that up now should he stay in the team.

Ratugolea isn't their 2nd best tall forward though. And personally I don't think Lever is great when the ball is on the deck so having him on Rohan could be danger.

Just in case anyone sees this post and takes it as gospel - A few mates have passed on you CAN call up and buy a membership with a GFG until 5pm today. Must have been revised given COVID and the chance to make up a little money lost during the year.

Really should have quit while you were behind. Just stop.

They stopped selling memberships with a Grand Final guarantee on 20th August... https://am.ticketmaster.com/melbournefc/faqs

Was pretty sure memberships aren't on sale anymore. You sure this wasn't a sangroper pulling your leg? (via the news)

But the outgoing players were once incoming players, so doesn't that throw a spanner in the works... 🤔

Two flukey snaps v One amazing evasion under pressure. Easy choice for mine.

Just some rumours that another club is having a look at him. Emphasis on 'rumour' at this stage.

Even if he doesn't get the AFL job it may be a short stay at the Bombers...

I'm with ya mate. Selection has been a lot better this year than previous years, from our outside perspective at least anyways, we seem to be being 'less tricky' with it and just trusting the roles etc. Would be exciting to see Hunt on a big run down the middle in a prelim!

For sure, as mentioned, Hunt has most of our players covered for run and carry, but that's not what was being discussed in regards to the whole 'football wisdom' thing. Also, just using that Hunt 10 minute period as an example, just like you picked out the 2 times Bowey was caught as your example. Reckon it's fair enough for me to bring it up in that case tbh. For mine, with Salem not in peak form due to injury I would be trying to keep Bowey in atm. That doesn't neccessarily mean Hunt doesn't come in, but I'd be disappointed (and concerned for our ball use) if it was a swap for Bowey in that circumstance. I can understand why some are arguing Bowey's lack of experience, but my whole point in all this is that experience doesn't make you a better decision maker, some players have that as a strength and some don't. The other thing perhaps being ignored in all this, is Hibberd has both Bowey and Hunt covered for experience.

You're right, I just checked, it was 3 times in 10 minutes. That still means in 10 minutes of football, Hunt was caught more than Bowey has been in his 5 games this year. What did you see when you saw that? I saw a player with not much awareness despite his 'experience'. Sure, Hunt has most of our players covered for 'run and carry', but not sure what that has got to do with 'football-wisdom'? Bowey is clearly a better decision maker and user than Hunt, don't you agree? For me, it's not even close. I'm not trying to put Hunt down, he has his strengths, and they're useful for us, but it's simply no contest when comparing their 'football wisdom' IMO. I honestly don't think it's a 'bit much' to say one player has more of a certain aspect to their game than another despite the difference in games played. That's just the different talents of different players.

Why? Different players have different aspects to their game. That's just footy. Bowey is naturally less panicked and a far better user than Hunt. Games played doesn't have anything to do with it IMO. Look at Sam Frost, would you call him a wise head? Toby Greene, wise head? Just playing more games doesn't make you wiser as a player, and more 'experience' hasn't stopped Hunt from being caught and turning the ball over, albeit a bit less than he used to. "Opposition-awareness"? Bowey got caught once. Remember when Hunt got caught like 4 times in 5 minutes? His 'experience' didn't save him those times.

You're massively overselling his options and opportunity mate. He wasn't 'going inboard', he was trying to win a contested ball and it to a player who 1 second before was right in front of him.

Mate, watch it again a few times, RIvers has it for a split second, doesn't even really gather it. He handballs to where Smith was standing facing him a second earlier but Smith has turned to find his man upon realizing he was miles away. Smith neither impacted the contest or stayed with his man. Poor mistake by him, which I'm sure he's learned from.

Rivers didn't have time to gather, look around, think about his options, he handballed it while still in the air to where Smith was standing a second earlier. Was a mistake sure, but Smith needed to either get involved in the contest or stick next to his man, he did neither.

Sure, Rivers got rid of the ball without checking if Smith was looking, but the goal would never have happened if Smith hadn't left his man open by 20 metres. I'm not a Smith basher, I don't think he was that bad tbh, but the first 2 goals were his fault IMO. Personally, I'd keep Smith in to play on Rohan if we end up playing Geelong.

Sorry mate, have watched it a ton of times and can't totally agree here. Smith gets drawn away from his man and towards the ball. He's neither on Cameron or attacking the ball so he's in no man's land. Initially Brisbane look like they're going to get it, and just before Rivers gets to it Smith realizes he's left his man and turns to try and find him which is when Rivers wins it and tried to dish the ball out towards Smith. The reason Cameron 'gets the break' on him is because Smith is nowhere near him. Sure, after that Smith won't be able to catch him, but that's entirely Smith's fault for not having any awareness and being indecisive.

Sorry mate, that's not correct, Cameron's first goal came after a long kick inside 50 that Brisbane won. Are you referring to the 2nd goal where Cameron gets it in the middle perhaps? If so, check the photo I posted in my next post, Smith's positioning in that contest was horrible.

After this goal, Smith can be seen gesturing to Salem and then after the bounce Salem is next to Cameron. This goal was either due to confusion about who was on him due to a switch not implemented properly or it was on Salem.

He's not "spreading from the contest". Riv turns it over, but look at Smith's positioning in relation to Cameron when it looks like Brisbane will win the ball.