The Jackson FIX

I reckon you’re 75% of the way there with one conversation with your list boss and recruiter: get me blokes who are elite kicks, handballers and decision makers.

I suppose what I am saying is that my bar for consistency is higher than 3 consecutive weeks. Some better signs, yes, but he has had stretches of a few good games in a row in the past and then disappeared for the next month.

Nas has signed at StK for $2m a season. Surprising. Odds of landing Windhager just tightened (still bloody long though)

his hands and attack on the ball have looked good recently but I find his effort and confidence is all over the shot as a forward.

What does this even mean?

Forgot about those two. Couldn’t take Treloar based on his body being cooked anyway. Top 20 player in the league only very recently though

I am trying to operate more from a world of reality, not fantasy.

I heard from senior execs at MRC a while back (1 year +) that the MRC and trust were all good with MFC coming on board but the dees just had to stump up the cash. “Someone needs to help pay for the new grandstand” was the comment (or along those lines).

Windhager won’t happen if Nasiah goes. Be surprised if it happens if he stays to be honest, feels more like hot air than anything. Khamis looks like he wants out at the Dogs. They are low-balling Treloar too. His body is cooked but he has been an amazing player.

‘Selected before the Grand final’. Start date in April ‘26.

Hopefully our resource-stretched recruiters stop spending so much time on planes to WA and double down on scouting local talent that won’t give us go-home headaches if they turn out to be any good.

The move of a club still haunted by the handling of Junior late in his career

The issue I’m worried about is that our midfield’s poor fit for the modern game became clearer again yesterday, and they’re all on big, long contracts that provide us little trade value. Not a whole heap for a new coach to work with up forward too, sadly. A new coach might/should be looking at that thinking that he hasn’t got many cards to play if he is to get us back into contention immediately, which appears the expectation.

Gawn got a tonne of it but I didn’t think he had any meaningful influence on the game.

Who would’ve done a better job out there today / Jed or May? It’s a rhetorical question but why aren’t we trying new things, new players at this stage we are in. We looked old, slow and effortless to many time today, give the blokes at Casey who are desperate to prove themselves a go! Not sure if that is a question or a rant.

I can’t see JL getting the flick. That would be a weird and harsh decision given they actually aren’t far away From the top of the ladder (like the entire top 9)

They will have plenty available. More than plenty. Allen going as well.

You should see what Elon’s one said 😬

maybe we don’t need a coach after all? Maybe we just need an elite AI prompter “MFC’s “forward-half connection problem” has been their big talking point since at least 2022 — they can win the ball, lock it inside 50, and create pressure, but too often they fail to turn that dominance into scoreboard reward. A new coach stepping in would have to treat this as a multi-layered puzzle, not just a “kick it better” issue. Here’s how they might approach it: 1. Diagnose First, Change Second A smart coach wouldn’t walk in with assumptions — they’d run a data + vision review: Heat maps & turnover chains to see where inside-50 entries are breaking down. Video breakdowns of leading patterns, spacing, and ball movement from the back half. Player role mapping to check if the forwards are structured to suit the midfield delivery. 2. Tactical Adjustments A. Cleaner Ball Movement Quicker corridor play — not just “bomb long” but working 45° kicks inside to open up space. More overlap run from half-back to give mids better angles going inside 50. B. Leading Patterns & Spacing Fix “clumping” — Melbourne’s forwards often collapse to the same space. Implement rotating deep targets (e.g., Petty, van Rooyen, Schache/Fritsch) so the defence can’t zone off one man. Use decoy leads to drag defenders and open pockets of space for medium/small forwards. C. Midfield–Forward Synchronisation Dedicated mid–forward training blocks where delivery is the sole focus. Scripted drills to replicate high-pressure entries — not just clean training-ground setups. 3. Personnel Tweaks Identify if a true connector half-forward is missing — someone like Toby Greene or Izak Rankine who can mark, crumb, and create. Experiment with positional switches (e.g., Viney/Trac rotating forward more often to add aerial threat and grunt). Recruit for kicking skill + composure, even if it means sacrificing some contested dominance. 4. Mindset & Decision-Making Encourage lowering the eyes rather than kicking to the “hot spot” every time. Reward risk with foot skills — Melbourne can be too safety-first with inside 50s. Build confidence in small forwards to lead and call for the ball rather than waiting for crumbs. 5. Match-Day Levers If inside 50 entries are breaking down, shift an extra ball-user forward temporarily. Change angles by resting wingers deep forward to exploit mismatches. Use forward-half stoppage structures to score directly from repeat entries. In short: A new coach would blend structural change (patterns, spacing), skill emphasis (delivery, decision-making), and personnel clarity. The aim wouldn’t just be to get more entries — Melbourne already does that — but to turn dominance into damage.”

I wonder if PowerPoint is still the presentation du jour? Or are they onto canva presos these days?!

Explains why Greeny is desperate to see out the process

I never thought Tom Cruise’s behaviour would become a system of measurement on Demonland. But here we are. Or aren’t.

Dees admin still frantically trying to find out which island and which bloody hostel Ange Postecoglou is staying in so we can fax him an invite

I’d be shocked if his severance deal with the club didn’t have solid non-disclosure clauses

Max would either be relieved that Liam wouldn’t be sitting on him in games or nervous Liam could be sitting on him at training