JimmyGadson

A mile in front? We've lost to Essendon and were smashed by Brisbane up until the power went out. Our form has been pretty inconsistent from game to game and we were extremely lucky to win today in the end given Collingwood and Brisbane would easily account for us if we played them right now and our ladder position is not reflective of our form but rather our draw. Beat Carlton and Collingwood in a few weeks and I'll believe more. It's a long way to go cobba and I think your Melbourne glasses need to be taken off..

Simply not true. The scores were even at 3 quarter time and we were up during the game the entire time. We didn't come from behind to win so that's an odd comparison. They also had an opportunity to draw the game, so they have themselves to blame. Happy to come away with four points, but we're inconsistent from week to week at the moment and I think Goodwin is covering up some cracks that are there that good teams will exploit. So, happy to win at this stage of the year but geez our backline look vulnerable and have for the entire start of this season. Steven May looks like a shadow of the player he was. Lever was iffy again tonight and his ball use is atrocious coming out of defensive 50. Petty should be going back also. Lucky to win, but it'd be nice to have some consistency in performance in certain areas atm.

We all have our bias and of course there are no guarantees. Funnily enough, I hate those comparisons also but I think the difference in this case is the head on his shoulders, (as you alluded to). Listening to him, he understands himself, where he wants to get to and he's super driven. That's more than half the battle with uber talented players. As for Cale Morton, I was never impressed by his under 18's year and he simply wasn't involved in the contest during those games like Duursma was. (or even Bont in his metro days). Cale was always wining ball in space and he came flying in to contention during the under 18 champs because of his numbers. Didn't have the same body of work and was a completely different player. Exciting to see how it unfolds in any case, but there's something about Zane that is just different. And it's not only his onfield performance.

I hear you. But here's what I'd say. Harley is further ahead physically and clearly better prepared to impact at VFL level at this stage. Which evidently is what happened. Secondly, VFL is played at a slower pace, skills are worse and games are played on smaller grounds. This gives Reid an advantage because the ball is in congestion more often and Reid has the frame to compete. However, I completely disagree regarding your comments about Duursma doing nothing impressive with the ball. Have a look how effective and efficient Duursma was in tight with his handballing to release a player, and the fact that he didn't shirk contests despite his lighter frame. That is a hugely positive sign for a player of his size at this stage. His speed and the ease at which he moved was super impressive and he flew for a few marks which again is a sign of not being afraid of body contact. Really promising. He also showed a great appetite for tackling and putting pressure on. I'd say if anything, he wasn't as efficient or deadly by foot as he usually is which in my eyes is least concerning as we know that's where he excels. I reckon you should go and have a look at some of Fyfe's under 18's year and watch the way he plays for a player who doesn't have the body to match the attributes/temperament. Reid will be a dead set gun, make no mistake. Duursma has the potential and capacity to be a Bont/Fyfe type of prototype champion player. And if you listen to the guy, he is as driven and competitive as they come and incredibly mature. We'll be right in the mix for him and I imagine we'll be doing anything we can to land him. I can't wait.

I'm talking footskills and composure with ball in hand. I don't know who is, but I'd say off the top of my head that Brisbane, Essendon, Collingwood, Dogs are ahead of us in that area. Now before anyone jumps the gun to defend, I clearly understand that our one wood is our ability to win contest after contest at the coal face and our mids excel in that area. I made the comment in regard to our entries going forward from stoppages and how we can improve in that area this year whilst we have the personnel we do.

Top post, agree with this.

Gritty win. Yes we're playing well below our best which is strange given our pre-season and pre-season form. At least it's now however instead of leading into finals. Need to click eventually and a few individuals are well down. Steven May. What's going on? Looks old, slow and as if he has zero confidence. Oliver and petracca. If you want to claim best midfield duo mantle, you simply need to settle your heads before you dispose of the pill. Take more care. Do that and our forwardline will have a better chance of putting scoreboard pressure on.

Clayton Oliver. Unbelievable ability to win the ball. Unbelievable inability to stay composed often enough.

Surely not!

I might be out of line here, but I can see us landing a pick as high as 5 from Freo this year. Which would just be ludicrous.

Anyone know the crowd estimate for Monday night? They used to have it up on the MCC page, not sure why they don't display it anymore..

I think it's you with the short memory. Already dropped once this season and has played one good game and three completely underwhelming games. Would have to be up there with on of the most wildly inconsistent performers in the AFL at his age and games experience. If you can't see that or note the difference in expectation between he and a youngster player on our list then I'm not sure what to say. People see what they want to see I guess.

I think it's clear they'll try and stretch Richmond's lack of notable rucks and injury hit back line by including Gawn over Brown. I imagine Gawn will play more forward and Grundy majority ruck given Gawn's lay-off. I'm still worried that we're bringing him back too soon and I'm not sure we just wouldn't wait another week. Richmond are without Tarrant, Gibcus and Broad. Gawn's height will be a nightmare if he plays. We better bring heat and intensity all game otherwise Richmond will hang around and their crowd will help keep them in it. Ruthless Melbourne. Let's show it eh?

Best available is always how they go with club's putting a premium on certain attributes over others. I'm sure we'll see a mix of players given how well positioned we'll be at the draft. I'm just excited about the potential of having two picks inside 10 given the depth of high end talent there is this year and I can't see us going wrong whichever way we go. Our program is humming, so whoever we bring in will be given every chance to reach their potential. And the higher the talent, the higher the potential. I like Watson because what he brings is multifaceted. I think our club needs more excitement factor both in the way we play but also personality. Watson is like Papley. He will bring supporters and kids along for the ride just like Pickett and the MFC need a couple more of those players. Last year our crowds were so quiet it was baffling. Part of that was our boring predictable game style, but another part of it is personnel. We need players who will bring excitement and an edge to our crowds. Collingwood have several of those etypes, Carlton the same, Brisbane etc. Excitable small forwards can do wonders for a club and because we aren't the most polished midfield unit going around, I think we need another highly skilled and polished small forward who brings an edge. Spargo, ANB and Chandler play a role. But this guy will create opportunities where there are none. Like Pickett. I want him.

Duursma and Watson thanks FD. Free Pickett up to play a more permanent mid role. Watson just looks dynamite. Reminds me of some of Adelaide's smalls, just so much energy with and without the ball and another cult figure who will brings crowds through the gates. Duursma just looks like silk and has that class we lack for our forward connection. And another who can roll through the midfield and be a point of difference. Our midfield needs a bit more variety through it.

Personal issues aside, he is in the same basket as T-Mac imo. The difference between their best and worst is just too great at this point in their careers, (especially T Mac). Harmes doesn't need to do anything other than the basics at a high standard and he doesn't do that often enough which is why he is a 'maligned' player. I'd like him to play another week in the VFL and reward someone like Laurie who has played two great games in a row. Harmesy should be made to earn that spot back.

Super disappointing loss to Essendon. They had a plan and executed very well. Brought serious heat and intent and we were hit hard from the start and never recovered. Way too many good players down on form and our backline looked like a bottom 4's with how easily Essendon were able to score. I just hope there was something going on with May because the game from him was unbelievably bad. It's a long season etc but I'm getting a bit over our forwardline set-up. T Mac is so wildly inconsistent, it's hard to fathom. I'd just keep running with Brown, Van Rooyen and Fritsch until Max comes back. Maybe give a small forward from the VFL a run for this game to bring some energy and excitement. Laurie for Spargo. No doubt we'll respond hard as we inevitably do after a performance like that. We should easily account for the Tiges given their outs. I'm more interested in when we come up against North and Hawthorn over the next few weeks. We seem to have this arrogance/complacency against up and coming sides who spring us. Almost as if we just don't have the same motivation levels when coming up against those kinds of sides and the unfortunate thing about it is that Essendon have executed the perfect blueprint on how to play us. And they had some serious outs. We need to lose the arrogance, it kills us. Every game is hard these days and I think our players lack maturity in that regard. Trac and Clarry want to play in the big games, Gus regularly looks like he's having a casual kick in the park with how he treats his possessions. It's not good enough. Next month of footy is important for us to stamp our brand and be ruthless. They talked about that all summer. Show it.

Clayton having one of those games where he just doesn't gaf.

I think some* do think that it's magical pixie dust, you're correct!

Nice work @Lou C. Fur I think the point that I was trying to make is that we're seeing a spike atm due to our success which is no different to any other club going through a phase of success. The money ticket will be winning a couple more flags within the next 3-5 years. Similar to what Hawthorn or Richmond went through. If you look at the Dogs, they won a single flag and had a spike the following year and years but their membership since then hasn't jumped exponentially. Only multiple/several flags within a 5-8 year period will achieve that.

Genuinely concerned about being too tall at both ends in this weather. Especially so if the game isn't played predominantly in our forward half.

I've been keen on both Duursma and Reid for the last two years and Duursma is now a real possibility given Freo's fall. I genuinely can't see them bouncing back and I think they'll have a similar year to us post our 2018 Prelim exit. They simply lost too many solid contributors and have a much more difficult draw, (most of it coming in the second half of the year). So a top 6-7 pick is looking good for us with their second-rounder which will be low to mid 20's. Duursma trained with us last year so we've seen him up close and he's now in our range. Aside from that, I think his attributes compliment us wonderfully. Goal sense, unbelievable skills, overhead mark, quick for his height and can play on ball. I'd like to check his contested ball winning ability but I just think he'd be such a great addition. Reid unfortunately will be out of our reach and I can't imagine us trading three first rounders for pick 1. I think Jase and co will have a great plan in place to trade up again and aim for top 5 pick to land Duursma with a second pick inside the top 10 and a later second round pick. Definitely achievable given the hand we'll have which doesn't include the trading of our future first rounder. If that eventuates, we'll be the envy of the competition. Looking forward to following the draft closely as well as the Dees having a crack at flag number 2, how good is fooooooty!

The 6 day turnaround from Perth is nothing at this time of year. We're at peak fitness right now, all it means is that we'll have a more recovery focused week on the track. Posters put way too much emphasis on short turnarounds. And if we're at any disadvantage because of it, one could argue that we have a larger core group of 25-28 years who are in peak physical condition compared to the Bombers who are younger and less developed. Stop thinking so much about turnarounds, [censored]. We will win if we bring our game, rain, hail or shine.

What do you mean can't go back to the position he played most of the game in? That makes no sense. Rivers is still a defender who is being exposed to the midfield. It's as much about flexibility as anything else and what that positional flexibility means for our side. Essendon will be playing a shorter forward line this week and they already have a small defence. And I disagree about JJ. I like Laurie's points of difference more so than JJ's and he offers a wider range of attributes.

JJ is the most expendable of the three, clearly. He is a solid citizen but he doesn't have a point of difference whereas Sparrow is powerful and explosive, strong overhead and Rivers can play defence and is now running through the midfield and also possesses a strong overhead mark and penetrating kick. JJ is vanilla. And there are a thousand JJ's out there. Unfortunately for these guys, one or two may be squeezed out due to competition for spots and money. I hope it's not Rivers or Sparrow though, I'd rather it be JJ, Harmes, Dunstan etc. Also, JJ on a wing over Hunter is a massive lol. Riv is developing really nicely, hope he stays.