Bring-Back-Powell

Yeah fair enough. I guess I expected too much from a former highly touted pick number 2 that has a chance to revitalise his career and cement a spot in the seniors with Petty and BBB always injured and Grundy gone.

Good point.

He was one of my disappointments from yesterday. We're screaming out for a forward with Petty, BBB, Kozzie and McAdam out for round 0, but unfortunately he did very little aside from a nice set shot goal and attended a few centre ruck bounces. Contested marking is definitely not a strength of his, instead he requires silver service on the lead.

Happy to let today slide. It looked as though we were playing a (similarly depleted) team that is rejuvenated and clearly relished playing under a highly promising and anticipated coach after 8+ years of the same voice. I don’t expect Richmond to make the 8 but they have enough talent and premiership veterans to win 9-12 games. However, if we let through an obscene amount of consecutive goals next week and have 70 points kicked on us again by half time, then I think members of this forum are entitled to be concerned. I don’t have the stats to back it up but it looked as though their pressure was miles ahead of ours. We were easy to play against today. Defensive pressure and low scores are the hallmark of a Goodwin coached Melbourne. If we lose that strength, then we’re a bottom 6 side. Lastly, some of the dropped marks and failed 15 metre passes to a target suggested to me that their heads weren’t in it today.

And just kicked a lovely goal 👍

He was in everything that day and I finally could see why Taylor spent a first rounder on him. His disposal was outstanding and nailed 2 classy goals. Looked like a genuine AFL player (albeit not against a proper opponent) I know he’s clearly not going to win the rising star or make the All Australian but he’s my prediction for our most improved player.

He played most if not the entire game up forward against Sydney in round 3 and Richmond in round 6.

In wondered that too but I assume it’s round 2 v Hawks.

If the Australian day intra club game was any indication, Laurie’s not only wining the Rising star but he’s also making the All Australian 40 squad. I was blown away by the improvement from last year (aside from a promising rd 24 game Vs Sydney) to that January morning.

I don't think you could call him a champion forward in the slightest. He played 5 games as a forward last year in a very small sample space. When Goodwin threw him forward for the early Sydney and Richmond games last year he improved our forward structure and allowed JVR to hit the scoreboard. However he hardly dominated. He played a very good first half vs Hawthorn taking 6 marks and kicking 2 goals but as usual went off injured and missed a month. Undoubtedly he starred in the second Richmond game with 6.0 and then was busy the following week in Hobart before once against getting injured. Five games is a very small sample space to call him a champion forward, and Adelaide were understood to have been interested in recruiting him as a key back. Did we get excited after a couple of games, or does he have genuine 'key forward' star written over him?

Carlton beat us in the 2023 semi. North beat in the 1998 prelim. Hawthorn beat us in the 1988 GF. But we beat them all when it counted in this monumental 2018 tournament.

Any intel whether he'll be getting minutes in either the Richmond or Carlton praccy matches? Our round 0 side is lacking spark and potency without Petty and Kozzie so I'm hoping McAdam will be in the side.

Yes and Hunter too. I'd suggest the journo go back to his desk and re-submit a more realistic 22.

I watched last year's Port game the other day and it was the most obvious hammy strain that you'd see. How he received the green light to play out the game is just beyond me. Anyway the original diagnosis was 6-8 weeks for Fullarton which would have him available for the weekend we play the Dogs as a worst case/most conservative scenario.. Presumably he'd need 2 to 3 games at Casey from that weekend onwards, which would see a round 4 or 5 potential MFC debut if his form warrants it.

Optimistic having Petty, McAdam and Oliver in the side.

Foxtel's telecast is scheduled to finish at 1pm (3 hours in total). Doesn't mean they won't go over time.

I think they'll be conservative with Oliver and not rush him. I can see him returning in the seniors from round 2 (Hawks game) to round 4 if all goes well. However if they were to rush him back for Sydney, it would allow Trac to spend more time up forward and we need all we can get down there with Kozzie and co missing. I'd also want to see Sparrow increase his 'time on ground' from 65% - 75% to 80-90% to supplement Clarry's lower minutes in the initial few games. (I'm expecting a big year from Sparrow as he enters his 6th season)

I bet they're happy. We have helped Sydney become a far more improved side in exchange for a couple of mediocre draft picks (unless Sydney flop this year and the second round pick becomes interesting). I get that we had no leg to stand on in terms of bargaining power, but at the same time, we were under absolutely no obligation to trade him.

A poster last week suggested Disco Turner may miss the first half of the season through injury on the back of being in rehab last week. "Can't catch a break" was his quote about Turner. Hope he's wrong.

This is really pleasing news after a lousy couple of weeks of injury developments. 4 weeks of full training, then 2 weeks of VFL practice matches should have him good to go for the Hawks round 2 game - theoretically anyway...

That was one of our great wins of recent memory given Sydney had a home final at stake and we had 4th place locked up and therefore had nothing to play for. Not to mention the venue was jam packed with Sydney supporters celebrating Buddy's farewell. I left the ground thinking we were in the premiership hunt as much as Collingwood and Brisbane.

I would take it in an absolute heart break. Reckon we could even sneak 4-2 if our fwd line isn’t a complete disaster. Win over the Dogs, Hawks. Tigers and a possible win in SA.

I appreciate that the table is likely to do with top 4 finishes after the home and away season, not after finals. However essentially one, two or three sets of supporters of Collingwood, Brisbane, Carlton or GWS are going to be in for a rude shock this year. Only once has the 4 teams that made the prelim weekend one year all made the prelims the following year and that was 2009-2010. This was since the two prelims were introduced in 1994.

Someone on Bigfooty went to training and said it was a full match sim. Gawn was BOG by that far it wasn't funny. Sparrow, Viney, Spargo, Bowey and Brayshaw were reportedly good. May went off injured with a groin to continue our best pre season since 2018/2019 but he said it wasn't serious.

Excellent analysis. We'll never truly know how much of an impact that pathetic 10 day mid season break had on our 2022 and 2023 seasons but it could not have helped. The last time we went from a Kings/Queens B'day Monday to the next Saturday week (which is what's happening this year) was 2021 and that worked out quite well. Meanwhile I would hope we'll stay in Adelaide during our 5 day break and be as comfortable and rested as possible, compared to last year's Gather round travel schedule.