MyFavouriteMartian

Hopefully he takes some hints from this week.... and shows some of his grand dads DNA. And crashes some packs, and bust some opposition ego's. And feeds the smalls, &/or brings ball to ground, and not letting opponents control the aerial duels.

IMO it's not coincidence that we did better when Pederson was at the club. He gave us run and hard at it contests and mark and lay off, and he kept his bloody feet. Flagples are only as good as they're foundations allow them. Hence why I mentioned 2 Meter Peter, some time back, because of his stout shape and solid build. We do not have any big forwards that I can see, who can hit hard & willingly crash packs naturally, like St Pedo could do. This is why I am such a fan, of what Clark Keating did in those Lions Premierships of the early 2000's. "The September Specialist" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Keating And I wonder if its why we at Melbourne has never done well in premierships with the star rucks we've had, over the recent decades. Look at Richmond's recent premierships, and their rucks. Look at the rucks Melbourne had under Smithy.? I just reckon a Ruckmans most valuable job is to crash bodies, and packs, and to take numerous pack marks around the ground. And Keating's ruck partner in those teams, was another crash and bash ruck. >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Charman It is not a coincidence.

An organisation that Silvio Berlusconi would feel right at home within.

Actually your point is a good one, that we are training the whole team in midfielder styled roles, of running and passing and fitness, and so little on the specialised areas such as key forwards roles. Pack marking and use of body to move the opponent, and set shot kicking from long distance. This could be part of the reason why so few Key forwards are dominating these days, because so little work is put into these skill-sets. and maybe another bloody casualty of the interchange and rotations. + flood/rolling maul.

From what I recall of that game, and Weide's endeavours, I can't remember of his goals, but i remember him rising and plucking one contested mark from behind a Geelong tall back near the point post. I remember him receiving a bad bounce ball, collected and fed it out well. I remember his pressure around the contest in the forward-line, and also his solid tackle/hit on one of the cats name players, at the boundary line. He played really well. One of our better contributors.

And Jimma Stynes didn't take much time either. Did he.? Which footballer would you take of the two.? Stynes, or Ditterich.?

Why not try OMc up forward as a target, to contest and bring the ball to ground for our small forwards.? He wouldn't have to mark a lot to do the job.

This is close to what I think. I'm of the view that either they both play side by side, or its one or the other to play deep. I could see a forward-line of Weide & TMc, and Brown out at CHF. With Brown leading up into the midzone, with Weide and TMc revolving around the F50.

That's right, which could open up a wing spot, for a few minutes per Qtr. Interesting post, 't_u'. If I had to guess a name for our Mfc 2020 season objectives, It would be, I reckon, "Deevelopment". I wonder IF, Gawn, Tomlinson, and Bennell, will rotate positions, on Sunday.? With Gawn spending more time forward, and Bennell spending some time on a wing.? Gawn rucking in an, as-needs basis? I want to see our Mids work without the Silver-service from time to time, to help them learn, and develop further. .

I was feeling surprised that Jackson was omitted. After reading your post, I went back to check the interchanges and emergencies. Smith interchange, and Jackson is an emergency. I wonder.?

We're on the same page 'LT'. But I do think this current footy dept' and admin are different, and we are improving on past footy dept's, and on development. But it won't show fully for another couple of seasons, IMO.

Go home factor..? blooding them early, before letting them develop, but no reserves.? I think if/when Jackson goes out, soon, Weide will come in, alongside TMc. Fritta will go back to hff, and bennell and picket will accompany the forwards. Receiving a spot in the forwardline has gotten a lot harder, than at any time in the past 20 Years.

No we didn't. Brown is a running tall forward with great endurance and a reliable overhead mark.. IMV to roam the midzone. Where TMC Used to roam high and play/run well. and Pedo as well played high and drifted back into F50. I do not sense that Brown is a strong contested mark. So I think his best area to play, is to chopout the midfield on transition. And kickouts. We've bulked up TMc, I think we did intentionally.? to play Power forward deep. At the same time we recruited a mobile ruckman/forward and small quick forwards, surely to compliment this structure with a deep power forward, to bring the ball to ground where smalls can pounce. Surely recruiting a 28/29Yr old mobile high forward, is designed to suit our carry-over time-wise, of Weide and Jackson. # maybe Brown could also double as a CHB, if the right matchup was on.?

Lets remember that Neita started and was developed into a player around 1993, not in the 2000's. Same with Schwarta. And Lyon earlier. Which top-line Key forward have we developed, since the Mid 90's.?

https://www.ourguide.com.au/tv_guide.php?r=melbourne&d=21062020&t=3

We need leaders around the club, not lazy players, who do, when they feel like doing. If he will become one of our best players, via attrition of age, then will he be a full leader of the team, or will he be another also ran leader.? He better start to think about the type of team and club he wants to be a part of, or he will lead us to more so-so culture, and so-so success. It all starts with these young tyro's now, and not wait for things to happen to them. So it depends on Oli, it depends on Tracca, it depends on Harmes, it depends on Viney, it depends on Salem, it depends on Neal-Bullen, it depends on Lever, it depends on OMc, it depends on Fritta... These players will soon be our main leaders, and they have to start to mature in mind, and begin to stand up tall.

Tall players do take time. You can't throw them out for that, unless they aren't doing the right things. Not all are immediate arrivals. And we have seen his ability. I would be expecting 3 years for a tall to show anything much, and 5 seasons to become a regular. Anything before that is a bonus, or the club has no one ahead of the player, keeping them out. Weide's approaching 23, and has already shown a starring performance in a final. Its a matter of getting his body fit and strong, and then stringing games together, to find form.

Because of the lockdown, I disagree with this, 'RbG'. I see it that he was super fit and ready, then the lockdown happened, so most players were just fit, but not match tuned on the return. So I reckon he is being given an extra scratch match, to get his game going a bit, before he gets called up. Because lets face it, he is one who is a target for many impatient disbelievers.

Reductions in list numbers, 2020.? go home factor.? I think both Riv and Jacko, will fall in love with the Dees. And I reckon the club is looking at both Jacko and Weide, as our two key tall forwards, looking ahead. Petty will I think, swing. He'll probably take-over, when May is dusted.

... without the team playing well around him.! His great game came when he came into the team almost unexpected and into a form side, which he rose to excel within. Which tall kid can come in and play really well, when the team is being pilloried by opposition and supporters alike. Anyone would be beyond nervous. I think Weide will also get at least 2 games, same as Jackson has/will.

I think we all know that Jackson wasn't totally up to it last week, but also that one game isn't enough, when blooding a player, so I think he will get the 2 games alongside his mate Rivers. With the same token, I think they are making Weide mean, and keen to get back to footy. It also gives Tmc another week to find some form before we bring Weide back. The real problem is, where do we put them when not in the team, so they can develop better.?

Next week,? we host the Cats, at the 'G'.

The training might have changed since pre season because the AFL has shortened Qtr lengths. It might have impacted on us.

Agree 'FND'. Also having the dominant ruck, stops our young Mids from having to work as hard as other opposition Mids, so can impact their development in a negative way. I'd like to see Max go forward to the pocket more often (rest deep), to allow either Jackson or Weide to spend more time in at the centre bounce, just to change things up, and to allow our inside players to workout how best to adapt, when Maxy isn't there, and to train them to be smarter, and more vigorous. They're getting an easy ride atmo.

Now we have some pacy players, I'd like to see Kozzy and Bennell start at the front edge of the square. If Max ever smashes the ball forward, we could be in the box seat.