Ollie fan

100% agree

Collingwood, who are second favourites for the premiership, had beaten Carlton by only 6 points the week before. Carlton came out breathing fire after that loss and yes, we started slowly and poorly. Our comeback was remarkable. What I was trying to say is, clearly the club is aware of these problems and is trying to address them. But it is not all doom and gloom; we have performed excellently over the last few years and I am confident we will continue to do so. No, I am not a troll. I don't come on to Demonland to bag the club. I am a supporter of the Melbourne Football Club who has faith that the coaches are trying to address these problems. I also have faith they know a lot more about what they are doing than I (or you) do.

Agree. It was a thing of beauty.

Just looked into this thread. First comment: the complaint is about the change in game style. For the last two years there have been any number of critics (moaners) who say Goody doesn't change things, isn't flexible. Now the complaint is that he has been flexible and changed things. Secondly, the theme is: Our game plan is no good. Is that what people thought after the Geelong game? Or when watching the comeback against Carlton? Third: The complaints about failure to get a good KPF and good ball users. As others have said, it is HARD to get s good KPF to swap clubs, and the threads has noted that we tried hard to get Tex. But our recruiting over the last few years has included JVR and Jefferson, as well as trading for BBB, Schache and Fullarton - clearly the club is trying to address this, and I believe that next year JVR will be a star. But young KPFs take time to develop. As for good ball users. - isn't that why we picked Windsor and traded for Hunter and Billings, and why we are playing McVee, Howes, Bowey? Yes, there is room to get much better, but noone should think the club doesn't know these things or isn't addressing them.

Just watched Goody's presser. What a contrast with Chris Scott!! First question was about MFC but he straight away turned it into complimenting West Coast. At least he showed that he's taking the loss very seriously

BBB is a very good person and has been a very good player - but not for the future. Salem is not a midfielder - his disposal is not as good as it was and he is too slow. Now is the time for our good players to stand up.

Who knows if it will work out as well as that, but it is the right thing to do and it will give him some confidence and some knowledge of the game.

Swans v us

Reading this thread, about how good James Jordon is, I am now convinced. We should have kept him and traded Petracca or Oliver.

I just loooove seeing Geelong brought back to earth.

Do we gather that you approached him at his house, and did not leave when asked?

I think under no circumstances should be tamper with our backline. Apart from a short lapse in the first quarter against Carlton, it has done an unbelievable job. Having TMac in great form back there has been the final piece in the jigsaw. With Salem, his form before his injury was not that great. To me, he seemed to be a little bit slow for a midfielder but I suspect he would be best served by a short stint at Casey to find form and fitness. If Fullarton is fit, surely this is exactly the situation the club got him for: we need a fill-in forward/ruck, and this is his opportunity. If we don't select him, why have we got him?

Riewoldt strikes me as a much better special comments man than most.

Watching Adelaide v Brisbane, I am struck by how much the umpires just don't pay! BTW agree 100% with jnrmac above. But I watch players dropping the ball in tackles all the time - if this was paid regularly for just a week, the whole game would change. Throwing the ball: may as well scrap the need to handball. But also: a free kick is paid with the offender holding the ball in his hands, who then just places it in the ground. What happened to 50m? This has been a trend across the board recently - Rivers does it a lot, and don't get pinged. Whether it is us or them that does it, it deserves a 50m penalty. Not to mention running too far, paying marks on short kicks - the list goes on and on. Simplify the rules and then enforce them!

100% agree. Get rid of the knee-jerk reaction rules (eg rucks nominating to avoid third man up), get rid of grey area rules - so , for example, have no deliberate OOB, or make it out on the full, or last touch, but something that is CLEAR - and completely revamp holding the ball.

Don't agree that he marked it - another split second , and maybe yes, but it was ok not to pay it. And in the first quarter Petty held on to one in the forward pocket for longer- not paid - and the spoil was over the shoulder - not paid. I don't actually complain about either decision. As i have said in another thread, the problem is not the umpires: it's the rules.

I don't like him, but on this I agree with him. Essentially, the fault is not the umpires, it's the rules. They need to be much simpler and clearer. But the AFL keeps fiddling with them, with knee-jerk reactions which are often completely stupid. And the AFL being the AFL, they never ever admit that they have got it wrong. Simplest case: nominating a ruckman, to avoid two ruckmen up. But there are many. Holding the ball needs a complete revamp and simplification.

I think JVR is following a very clear trajectory. He has some good and some bad games, but always tries. He is young but has aggression. I think next year will be the one where he will really emerge, and will end up being a Brereton-style CHF and a champion.

Well, we win a LOT more than we lose, and if the defence is keeping our opponents well below average levels, that paints a pretty good picture.

Should have switched TMac?? McKay and Curnow kicked 3 goals between them. TMac made a couple of mistakes, but how many goals would they have kicked if we had eg Turner on McKay? I am VERY glad they did not make that switch.

I have said on other threads, and truly believe, the last night was an extremely important game for us in a very positive way. We had no right to win it or even get close after the disastrous start. It showed that this year, the character and determination of our team is off the charts, which, in my view, sets us well and truly on the path to a flag.

I have never been so proud of a loss. We had no right to get anywhere near winning. To get so close was a testament to courage, character and determination. I believe this game sets us up for an absolute crack at the flag. To me, it is the most important game we have played this year.

Anyone who bags the team after that should be shot! Unbelievable effort!!

Don't Port have a surprisingly good record at Geelong? Or am i just imagining that?

I want surprised about it at all. They've been like that for years, with the particular stars being Hawkins, Cameron and Danger. None of them has EVER infringed the rules; any free kick against them is plainly wrong. And I have never seen any of them pinged for dissent.