Bring-Back-Powell

Show some on field leadership, convert regulation set shot goals when your team has just conceded 5 goals to the oppo, don't mess up a handball receive from a teammate that results in a turnover. I'm sure other senior players are on notice as well after last week....8...3... I'm not overly excited by the decision as he's a pretty decent player that could help us win but I get the process behind it.

And he also missed an elementary set shot in the first quarter after Freo kicked 5 straight goals. We needed a bit of leadership from a 7 year player to help stem the tide. A new game plan shouldn’t exonerate a player from fumbling a handball receive or missing a 40 metre set shot directly in front. He won’t be dropped this week, but I don’t think it’s that bizarre to expect more from players like Rivers. And I don’t overly agree that he’s been “excellent” at other times.

He’s probably on notice this weekend. I don’t think King would’ve been too impressed with him dropping a handball pass from Steele that resulted in a costly turnover on the wing.

This is the MFCSS talking here but Brad Scott will be fired after the Dogs thrash Essendon by 100 in round 4. The week after they'll play us in Gather Round with a caretaker coach and they'll play out of their skins as per the standard Essendon V Melbourne Gather round appointment.

Minor bullet dodged. I know Cerra isn't a world beater but he would've lengthened a midfield that is better than ours and usually bobs up for 23 odd disposals and a goal against us.

I expect Carlton to play 2 tall forwards at the one time if last match was any indication. McKay and either McGovern or O'Keefe. Carlton have a number of small mediums such as Haywood, Ainsworth, Williams and Evans. You might be able to get away with just Petty as a key defender but I doubt it. If we do not play T Mac, I reckon you can 100% bank on JVR being the second ruck which is not ideal given JVR was the match winner as full time forward in round 1. Last week he was forced into the second ruck role and it was back to the bad old JVR days of 2025. The reason why JVR would have to ruck again is that Petty can't possibly ruck without Turner or T Mac in defence. Playing T Mac makes sense in terms of our structure.

Carlton have won their past 4 games against us by very small margins, but it's been due to their accuracy more so than being the comprehensively better side on the night. Carlton - 44 goals 24 behinds. Melbourne - 38 goals 45 behinds

On The Couch. Fox Footy.

Reiwoldt was harsh but fair on Salem by saying we only play with 5 defenders when he's on the ground. He had video clips to back up some of Salem's very half hearted efforts. And I reckon Rivers needs to be challenged a little after his performance. Missed a regulation set shot that demoralises the team and I hated the handball he fumbled/dropped from Steele that resulted in a turnover the other way.

I agree with this. Potentially takes the shine off each player's milestone. But I can't see how T Mac doesn't play this week with Turner out. Petty needs another tall defender to support him down back. As we saw last week, Petty wasn't able to back Max up in the ruck and therefore JVR had to be the second ruck which disturbed his game. Plus Petty had a really rough game without a fellow key defender in the last 3 quarters. I don't consider Lever as a traditional key defender.

I think we will come out of the race we always used to come out of for the Carlton game and the Collingwood game only. We have apparently moved rooms as they are more spacious and better for advertising. I would give Latrelle another week, and if it doesn't work then he can spend at least a month in the VFL to gain confidence. No shame in that. He lacked serious composure on the weekend and made some terribly unforced errors. I want Melksham in the team, as early this week. Too classy a player to be wasting away in suburban footy.

Any news on Turner’s hand injury?

Sharp Kicked 2 not 3 goals. Chandler kicked 1 not 2 goals.

To the people that attended the game, I’m assuming there was a howling wind to the right of screen/Freo cheer squad end. 22 goals the right of screen. 5 goals to the left of screen.

Humphrey (GC Suns) a sniff to get a week suspension with a sling tackle and subsequently miss our game in round 4. So potentially Rowell, Trac and Humphrey, but they have absurd depth to cover those losses.

Hardwick wasn’t giving much away but it didn’t sound like it’s an overly serious hammy.

I don’t think I could wish McVee well under any circumstance.

Amazing what happens when you schedule 2 good teams on a prime time slot as opposed to having 1980’s “has beens” in Carlton and Essendon hogging the marquee slots.

I read somewhere (and heard on the deebrief podcast) that we'll be wearing a retro jumper. I don't think we'll be wearing royal blue on Saturday.

Are we wearing this jumper this weekend? I highly rate this clash jumper.

So at this time of year it looks as though we're 3,000 ahead of 2025 but 6,000 behind our peak year of 2023. I think we will max out at 60,000 however Paul wants us at 65,000. North - 46,000 Bulldogs - 54,000 St Kilda - 65,000 + I'm a firm believer that with all things being equal we should be above those three clubs and be mid tier VIC club in terms of membership. Not the second worst.

If we do end up losing, I'd imagine Luke Jackson would have had a large say on proceedings. He's played us 3 times for 3 Freo wins. One time (MCG) he got the 3 Br votes. Another time (Alice Springs) he kicked 3 goals /6 marks/16 touches. The one time he didn't play us we won. What a massive coincidence....right?

We have a sneaky bad 5-14 record against Freo in WA for a club that's had a pretty mediocre history. We went 17 seasons without a win there (2005-2021), albeit didn't play there every year.

Young’s a very handy out. He was under a cloud Vs Geelong and therefore clearly shouldn’t have played…much to our benefit.

James Hird mentioned on today's edition of Footy Furnace (channel 9 streaming show) the following: "Melbourne internally are quietly confident they're a top 8 team this year" Make of that what you will.