Great Northern Summer

Only if our defence has a shocker like against the Bulldogs. It shouldn’t be close at all. If we played the way we did last week without improvement we still win tonight comfortably.

Given the very sad news of the Queen’s passing, sporting events in the UK are being called off this weekend. England v South Africa at The Oval has been called off tomorrow (day 2). Today was washed out anyway. As part of the Commonweath, will this affect sport in Australia this weekend? I understand there is a 9-10 day mourning period too.

Don’t know how to break it to you, but our fixture won’t be any different should we win or lose tonight. When they design the fixture, they break teams into groups of six - 1 to 6, 7 to 12, 13 to 18. The general theory goes you play three return games against teams in your group, and one each against teams in each of the others. Given we can’t drop out of the top 6 now win or lose, it doesn’t make a difference. We have been super unlucky that the team from 7 to 12 we got twice this year was Fremantle (big improver) and from 13 to 18 was Collingwood (also big improver). That sort of luck, added to the fact all of those games against Fremantle and Collingwood were after round 10, as well as both Brisbane games (and one game each against Port and Bulldogs), meant coincidently we ended up with an enormously difficult fixture after round 10. Far more difficult than any other team, by some way.

Well we can play against Collingwood and Sydney. We would win that last Collingwood game 19 times out of 20 if it was played again. They relied on very low % shots at goal all going through, particularly in the first half, and us missing sitters, to still be in the game at half time. That score line should have been akin to our round 23 game against Brisbane at half time and there would have been no coming back. I don’t read too much into the mid-year slump either. We were 10-0. We should have beaten Sydney if it wasn’t for a few things going against us in the final 10 mins and we could have even beaten Collingwood too.

Don't forget Trent Ormond-Allen - he only missed the 1997 GF due to glandular fever!

All good and well, but we should be winning multiple premierships with the list we currently have

Good news because it means less Geelong supporters from Geelong will attend, and should hopefully mean we have the majority of crowd support. That will be crucial, like 2018.

So basically you had to pay $550 just for a dinner (getting a basic average seat thrown in for good measure)? I hope it was a good meal at least! Sounds a rip off

Same! Got three seats directly on wing on level 1 for that game. Not luck getting multiples anywhere other than level 4 for our game.

Seriously? Highly doubt any of this. We hid May’s injury going into the GF last year. The full extent of the injury wasn’t revealed until after the GF. The place was not going to implode if we lost the GF as a result of this. It totally worked to our advantage. The club wants to maximise chances of winning, not being open and frank in weekly communication with members and Demonland followers to ultimately, potentially, inhibit the team’s performance by putting the opposition on notice.

If we roll the dice with Petracca, guarantee there is no chance we would also roll the dice with McDonald. In fact, even if we rested Petracca, I doubt we would bring McDonald in, because Goodwin would want to minimise changes. This might infuriate most of us here, but it’s the truth.

Not sure why we made his actual injury public, because he'll only be targeted if he now plays.. Dr Peter Larkins said in today's paper many players have played with this injury before and not been targeted because nobody knew about it.

He had three clear chances to kick goals. Chances that were all far above 50/50 chances. If he nailed all of them, which he should have, we’d be praising his game. He’s putting himself in the right spot to get shots on goal, he’s just got to finish well. This is more than we can say about others, who’ve been in worse form and been liabilities for a lot longer (namely Neal-Bullen)

Jackson has played two good games this season that I can remember - both the Brisbane games - so he is a must this week. I’m sure he’s played another few satisfactory games but out of 22 or so he’s played, he’s been borderline pathetic. He’s only been getting a game really because lack of alternative options, and also to ensure his trade value remains high (I.e. hard to justify maximum compensation for someone leaving when they’re not getting a game).

Best outcome for us, but can't see Freo beating Swans at the SCG. I think we are on the better side of the draw now and probably prefer a PF against Geelong rather than Collingwood anyway. Geelong are relatively predictable, not overly quick, nor is their pressure any better than ours. Collingwood have everything Geelong don't, which is hit or miss, but we've noticed it's been a hit against us recently

Still picking a Swans v Demons GF. Said it before the game yesterday regardless of the result. Today just reaffirmed this - Geelong aren't that good. Also think Freo could genuinely knock off Collingwood next week, albeit it only extends either's season by a week

Bowey for Salem (gone completely backwards from last year and only getting a game on name only) and someone/anyone for Neal-Bullen (been a liability for months now). Maybe Chandler/Bedford/Dunstan? We really need another tall though but who do we have? Very tempting to go with TMac, maybe we have to give the Weid one final opportunity? Melksham’s game was just about a career worst if that is possible, but he’s been relatively good over the past month, so can’t just drop him.

Reckon Hibberd and Melksham will be keen to sign one year extensions. Both clearly can go around again, even if not in our best line up next season. Good to have around given we are in the window and need proven depth.

The only debate now is who will be our medi-sub for the Sydney game (and probably the rest of the finals), as Salem will replace Bowey, otherwise we will be unchanged. Unless there are injuries, there won’t be any changes, as Goodwin has never changed anything that doesn’t need to be changed. He’s spoken about continuity as a reason for improvement and success. I doubt one game would necessarily dent anyone’s spot in the side for the Prelim/Semi anyway. He won’t drop Neal-Bullen for the first time in two years in the finals if he hasn’t already. Bearing injuries, the only player I can see making way for anyone is Spargo, given his low numbers, but his use of the ball is first class and I can’t see Goodwin axing him either to be fair. Maybe TMac as medi-sub, as he can play anywhere really? His return probably dents any prospect for Joel Smith too. I’d be happy to go this way, orherwise Bowey, pending the situation and opposition.

Nah, let’s hope Collingwood lose this week and then to Freo the week after! I actually think that will happen too. They can’t ride this luck for much longer - not looking at all 9 of their 11 wins by under 10 points, but just 3 of the most recent - Essendon, us and Carlton - they only won those games because of idiotic mistakes from the other sides and being super lucky that everything fell their way. Take those three wins away and they’re barely a top 8 side. Freo will knock them off here just you wait and see!

I watched Collingwood in Lagos (Portugal), Carlton in Agadir (Morocco) until I literally had to leave four minutes before the end to get a 1pm pre-arranged taxi to the airport (where I was reconciling myself with a loss) and Brisbane in London, all through the Watch AFL app. Fortunately (from a watching perspective, not a lifestyle one), I’ll be back in Melbourne for the Sydney final.

After entering the MFC barcode it then prompts you to say whether you’re a Melbourne or Sydney member. You can actually click Sydney and all of a sudden you get access to far more and better seats that haven’t been taken, and buy them. Only issue is you’ll be stuck sitting with Sydney supporters (could be a lot worse of course).

Are you presuming we would lose to Sydney and win the semi then?

Would rather the inverse because that way, this will be the most likely Preliminary Final scenario - a more desired outcome

If we win against Sydney in the first week of the finals (most likely match) and Carlton win’s tomorrow, we will most likely be playing Freo or Brisbane at the MCG in a preliminary final. This is an ideal outcome. Winning that first final is ever so important.