JimmyGadson

Ridiculous call. It's up to our mids to use the ball with care going inside 50 and it's up to the forwards we have in there to compete much better.

Not sure many would agree with you on that. Gus has been a natural moving into the backline and Jordan has simply seen more ball due to more game time. But I'd hardly say he's been killing it. He certainly doesn't damage opposition with his run or disposal. He's been okay. Gus has been solid, still makes mistakes but has had some really strong defensive games. However, I don't think his move back there has helped with cohesion. We seem all over the joint back there and I prefer Gus working back as a wingman and having some better users/runners on the flank. Salem and Hibberd/Rivers need to get back to their best. Asap. Jordan full time on the wing doesn't excite me.

Put Gus back on a wing please and get Jordon off the wing and back into a rotation.

We've always lacked finesse and skill as a side when an oppo bring heat. And I'd say in general our midfield don't have a great blend and balance of attributes. Our forwardline is a shamozzel at the moment too. But jesus it'd be nice to possess some players who can consistently kick to the space of a leading player. Mitch Brown's kick was the perfect example of how we should be entering when our pocket kicks aren't working. I get we have a system and kicking to pockets is part of that. But when our key forwards aren't marking and we're having enormous trouble keeping the ball inside 50 then there needs to be a shift and for two weeks now we haven't done that. And oppo teams will be more and more confident coming up against us if we continue to be rolled in the manner we are. If supporters believe Steven May not playing is the reason for our problems then they're delusional. We have a few more pressing issues.

Need an enormous response. Players again going into their shell. Second to contests and fumbling. And the desperation acts aren't helping because we're getting sucked in to the contest again like last week and Sydney have better shape around the ball. Trac and Clarry need to stand up as does Ben Brown, Salem, Tomo, Mitch Brown, Hunt. Not good enough.

Tomlinson is lost at sea. Looks nowhere near it.

Yeh, you're probably correct. He looked like a deer in the headlights with ball in hand sometimes though Hunty. He has been good defensively most of the time this year. Bowey was down. I just thought their small forwards generally were afforded too much space.

Langdon, Harmes, Salem and T Mac should all come in. Salem to come in and play a role on limited minutes. He is needed. His ball use and the energy he brings is needed. We need to get back to playing our system and that requires players playing their best positions. Gusand Langdon back to a wing, Salem on a flank, Spargo to half forward. I expect a big response from Max and Luke this week. They were embarrassed on the weekend and that's two down weeks in a row for Max. Stand up, it's a Saturday night game and I want a response.

He's 194 cm, not 197. Against Sydney, it'll be the smalls we need to worry about again rather than the talls. Hunt and Rivers have been really underwhelming recently and it's been the reason we're leaking goals. The lack of midfield pressure allowed for Freos talls to get a hold of us a bit on the weekend but that was heavily influenced by Petracca's non-competitiveness. I get he was crook. But at times it actually cost us that he was lining up in the middle. It was a mistake to play him and hopefully we learn from that. Our mids need to be at their ferocious best on the weekend.

In the lever mould, hard to play them both but definitely looks like he could develop into an AFL level intercept defender. I like him.

We're a weird lot I reckon. Seriously, the biggest contributing factor imo is that we have an ageing supporter base, the majority of whom either can't be bothered booking online or it's too much 'effort'. Melbourne supporters are so weird, I was sitting MCC yesterday and the lack of energy, excitement and support from start to finish was just bizarre. I don't know if it's because we've been waiting for a challenge or that it was against a side everyone was assuming we'd beat but I'm sure it had some effect on the psyche of our players. Poor crowd and poor vibe. Let's hope when they open back up to walk ins from round 12 we start seeing more oldies get to games and it bumps up the numbers.

Fremantle came with a point to prove and with May down and out early, Petty with a knee troubling him, Trac clearly crook, Langdon, T Mac, Salem and Harmes out and a number of our best players having poor games it was the perfect storm for a comfortable loss. What was most disappointing was the number of our players who were just down and making errors constantly. Our shape around contest looked all over the place and after half time it just didn't look like the team we've come to know. The only worry going into next week is injury to some of our key personnel. I've been a big wrap for Sam over Tom this year but last night was possibly the final straw for me. We weren't making it easy for our tall forwards with our entries but what's completely inexcusable is the amount of times Sam failed at making a contest and allowing his opponent to out-body him and mark the ball. It happened way too many times. Brown was also down and looked proppy I thought when coming off at one stage. Looks like we're a bit banged up but next week I expect a strong response and solid win providing we get some personnel back. We need Salem's ball use and composure desperately. Rivers and Hunt have been a bit wobbly for a few weeks now imo. Can't keep carrying underperforming players or we'll continue to leak easy goals.

Richmond never had a dominant ruckman through their years of winning flags so I'm not so sure your argument stacks up. If you have a quality ruckman, clearly it'll help your cause but it's obviously not the difference between winning a premiership and not.

Carlton will trouble us and may get us during the season. Their midfield bats deeper than ours and I reckon their balance is better at centre bounce and stoppage in regards to type of mids. It's their small forwards that I can see getting off the chain, especially if we're not 'on' through the midfield and the ball comes in quick. We haven't come up a side for a long time who are have a handful of really high energy and high pressure forwards and we've always leaked goals that way. They are definitely the team I'm most concerned about if they continue this wave of momentum and form.

Few things. He's never been a great kick for goal unless outside 50 where he's still not great but he's better. He gets in his head when he starts missing. He kicks the ball way too hard. In play and during set shots. Which is why he is so inconsistent.

Of course there's a comparison. People are scared of losing a player because nobody can see the potential that'll be born from it and the Frawley example is perfect. That's the comparison. I get the compensation won't be the same, but a list spot opens up, we'll have endless potential for trading, moving up the draft order with pick swapping, etc etc. We'll be fine. We're in safe hands.

All I'd say is that your fear is getting the better of you. - Draft picks are no guarantee of a gun player. But two top 10 picks, one in the top 5 is as close as you're going to get as a guaranteed gun player with our recruiting team. - Our windrow is right now. But I want our window to be there in 5 years too. And 10. That's how you build the opportunity for sustained-success through list management. I'd rather have a slight dip one year and then be back up for another few rather than have to completely bottom once our core get into their thirties. This is especially true if we're planning to compete with the biggest Melbourne clubs, largest membership bases, try and attract the biggest name sponsors, grow our training base etc etc. All of that will only come with staying ahead of the pack and consistently featuring in finals over a long period. Not just three-five years. We've got a lot of catching up to do as a club.

It's funny you know. I remember how many posters were up in arms on this forum nearly a decade ago about the potential of losing James Frawley (of all players) to Free Agency. Many didn't want to lose him. For the exact same fear that many hold for losing Brayshaw now. Who hilariously happens to be the compensation we received for losing James Frawley.

Don't let short-sightedness get in the way. Is our history of pick swapping alone not enough evidence to show the endless possibilities clubs have to move up the draft? If clubs want a player that badly, they'll do what's required. We are in prime position. And with Gus, it'll be up to him. Again, this is about sustained success. Not short-lived. It's about the possibilities and potential we'd have with the compensation received. Sustained success requires a different type of list management. Got to give up to gain. Even in your prime. Short term-pain for long term-gain. However in this instance, because we're such a system-based side, I would say losing Gus and Jackson at the same time wouldn't have as big an impact on the win/loss ledger as many think. And that's because nobody is looking at possibilities that would come from the compensation we'd receive.

I've said it before but if Luke Jackson leaves, it could work out better for us long term given the ridiculous offer we'll receive for him. Obviously the club will be considering all of these possibilities as well. He's a future star ruckman. But if we were to receive two top 10 picks with one inside the top 5 you'd have to seriously consider it given Taylor and co's history at the draft. We're also in this for sustained success over a period rather than being a flash in the pan great team so you've got to give up to get back. If we lost Brayshaw and Jackson in the next little period, it'd be scary to think what our draft haul could be over the next couple of seasons and that'd be another young core/crop that will grow and be the nucleus of the next wave once our current core push into their late 20's. Always looking ahead, but still in awe of our current side. Eyes on finishing top two for the perfect platform for another crack at it.

We're in a ridiculous position at 8 - 0. We're living in ridiculous times where West Coast have been decimated by injury and covid and North are a complete shambles. It'd be ridiculous if we didn't manage some players who would BENEFIT from the rest over the next two weeks given the longevity of the season and to reduce any risk of serious injury to players who are not at 100%. I would like to see Lever and Gawn rested this week and maybe Petracca the week afterwards.

Not sure 38 touches is a quiet game.. I guess people see what they see.

Our second quarter reminded me of September last year. That's what we're capable of and it's absolutely ridiculous given the pressure St Kilda were applying during that quarter. When we click in all phases, we are simply unbeatable.

Described what MFCSS feels like for me***

I can't believe how good we are. That's all.