Stiff Arm

Umpires explain the nature of the free kick first because few people have any idea what it is for. Justifying the decision straight off the mark is better than trying to explain it after play has moved on. Otherwise they just look ridiculous I have found umpiring this year inconsistent, with many obvious frees not paid. I think the AFL have put too much onus on umpires to adjudicate using nuance and fine interpretation that (of course) changes during the season. Hardest job in the game by far. FMD, how many professional sports require the umpire/ref to have a skill with the ball (ie. bounce)?

I certainly hope not. Big spender, big debtor. Couldn't hold onto the Golden Ticket seat. Won't stand up to big boys around him. Not a footy person Just give it to Brendon Gale and save the money earmarked for employment consultants

A few interesting points from that... Oliver and Tracc have had only 2 marks from their last 52 inside 50s. They both get a ton of the clearances, but long bomb it in without much vision. Pointed out that oppo defenders no longer follow their opponents when they peel off because they know its unlikely the lead will be honoured. Numerous clips showed our forwards in good position leading from i50 to no avail FMD!

Looks like Watts is trying to take the ex-MFC player Luna Park Mouth award off Brock McLean

I'd rather Spencil

He's quite the sniper. Swinging round arm fist to chin, eyes on Kelly not the ball, and the kick had well and truly been completed. No chance he was doing anything but trying to hit Kelly 3 week min

My sources say he's part komodo dragon

Goody does a presser every Friday to talk about the upcoming game, selection, injuries, etc. Whilst MND big freeze fundraising would've been one of the topics asked about, its not necessarily what the presser was for

"The Melbourne Football Club. The only thing not surprising about this is that it happened at a French restaurant..."

Max has had a rep in his youth for drinking, but he's cleaned up his act

What cloud of excessive drinking is that? Apart from this incident I've not heard of our players going over the top the last 18 months. Unless you are referring to GF celebrations, which were in good spirits. May was caught having a few (literally a few he said) beers when he joined the club 5 years ago. Max had a couple of "quiet frothies" with Goody at the Sorrento pub over summer. Neither constitutes a cloud of excessive drinking hanging over the club I disagree that Goody should've done a presser before Friday. Richo is head of FD, his was enough. The media are looking for blood, they hijacked the Big Freeze presser, Goody will have his soon enough. Its not like they haven't heard from us.

To be clear, Max was booked to be at this presser long ago to promote the Big Freeze game. But unfortunately the Big Fight overtook the questioning. Goodwin has his weekly presser booked for Friday. No guesses needed on which topic will dominate that. We've already had Richo do a presser this week on the fight. Would you prefer everyone at the club do a presser and blow it up even further?

Sounds like it might have been more than one punch, according to the restaurant. No doubt there will be some vision and more detail coming out when the press dig deeper into their pockets. If May said what has been reported, it was cheap and about as low as you can go with a team mate. That he was drinking when he should not have been speaks volumes. However, posters saying a punch by Melk was justified should spend a Sat night in a hospital ER. A single punch can kill. A punch delivered by a once talented amo boxer with a few drinks under his belt even more so. Not to mention May's concussion Its dumb all round

Would love for May to come out and declare that he's off the booze until the end of the season.

Telling that for the last 5 mins when the game was there to be won, BBB was on the bench

Our forward line

I hope the umpires sing the Swans song in the rooms with gusto Those last two goals were a dodgey gift

Rigged

Umps finding a way for swans to win

Petty has been huge, given his knee and shoulder issues

We have been remarkably unclean and fumbly tonight

WTF was Hunt thinking?

Max might be the answer to our KPF issues!

Clearances, clearances, clearances!!!!