Bring-Back-Powell

Wow! You flew up to Sydney just to watch Freo lose a spot on the ladder. I admire your dedication👍

Reluctantly I’d have to say Essendon too. I feel as though Geelong are making a genuine charge for top 4 due to their many games at GMHBA, albeit they have Brisbane and Collingwood away. A loss here would snuff that out. Where as if Essendon somehow make the top 4 I don’t see them as any threat of doing anything nor are they probably ready to do anything. (hopefully we go 5-2 to finish the season and the result will be academic)

Yes a lot of Melbourne supporters allergies to Essendon started around September 2000.

Most of the games speak for themselves in terms of how it benefits us. I'm not sure if it's better if Geelong or Essendon win? A Geelong loss would bid farewell to their top 4 chances which is great, but an Essendon win means that they're well and truly in the hunt for a top 4 spot.

All but certain he isn't playing.

Someone on their Bigfooty forum reckons Dunkley is far more important to Brisbane than Oliver is to Melbourne. Whilst I think it’s a nonsense call, I hope it rings true tomorrow night assuming Dunkley misses.

Nothing less than a 60 point win by the Pies will be tolerated.

I would and that's probably as about as much as we can expect from these two given their inconsistent/interrupted seasons. Kozzie, Spargo and the mids needs to contribute on the scoreboard. Another 2 from Sparrow would be invaluable.

Geelong should play 1 home game year at the MCG. 10 at Geelong with their new capacity of 40K. The alternate year it's their turn to host Hawthorn on Easter Monday then that's their one home game at the MCG. If that means Collingwood have to go down the highway then so be it. The other year, I'm happy for Geelong to host a Richmond or Collingwood at the G.

Really hoping Dunkley misses this week who is currently listed as an outside chance. He's the ultimate two way player that has elevated their midfield this year. Oliver and Fritta will be clearly missed. However Oliver missed our benchmark win over Collingwood and hopefully BBB and Melksham can replace the 3 goals that Fritta kicked that day and more, while Kozzie could potentially go from 0 to 3 to get us to the 12-14 goal mark. 13 goals on Friday night footy in July should get the job done, and we managed 26 scoring shots on Kings BDAY.

100% yes.

And yet Jed Adams and Matt Jefferson are lower odds to win the Rising star award according to the TAB. Infact McVee isn’t even listed on the market. Even Corey Wagner was recently listed in the rising star market until someone had to point out to them that he was 6 years too old to win the award. Regardless, he’s having a sensational rookie AFL season.

Putting COVID aside, the last time the AFL moved a game was in 2000 and that was only because the Docklands turf was unplayable. Clubs are wasting their time in requesting venue changes.

That's true, and I thought you'd need more wins than 15 to make the top 4 with that extra game. 15 wins and 8 losses will likely see us make top 4 with our percentage. That's a lot of losses to qualify for top 4. More than any year since 2012.

Whilst I expect Pickett to remain in the side, I wouldn't be shocked if he's dropped on Thursday night as a mini wake up call and then start the game as sub. Might be the circuit breaker he needs, in terms of sitting out the first 2 or so quarters out and then come on fresh and do some damage in the last quarter against a tired Brisbane defence or midfield. But I assume he remains in the side for one more week.

Agree that if we win 5 of our last 7 then we will make top 4 (unless one of Bulldogs, Essendon or Geelong win out which they won't) Interestingly that since 2012 (when we first had an 18 team comp) no team has made the top 4 with 8 losses, and we'll have 8 losses assuming we go 5-2 and make the top 4. A good year for there to be a bunch of good-ordinary sides from 5th downwards.

Our three major threats for top 4 are Essendon, Bulldogs and Geelong. I have Essendon going 13-10 with losses to Geelong, Dogs and Collingwood. Therefore we need to go 3-4 to finish above them. Very achievable. I have Geelong going 14-8-1 and only losing to Brisbane, while beating Port at home and even beating Collingwood in a revenge game from round 1. Therefore we need to go 5-2 to finish above them. Tough proposition. (maybe I rate Geelong higher than others but they are the reigning premiers and should be respected as such) I have Bulldogs going 14-9 with losses only to Geelong in Geelong and a loss to one of Sydney away or Richmond at Marvel. They have a pretty soft draw. Therefore we need to go 4-3 to finish above them. Achievable. At the end of the day, we need to improve significantly in our front half if we end up finishing top 4 and are to beat Port or Collingwood in week 1. Therefore I don't see a massive difference at the moment in finishing 4th or 5th. Either scenario will most likely land us into a semi final IMO.

The one game he didn’t play we kicked 17 goals on the Dogs in round 1.

I mentioned this in another thread about the Giants. Their 7-8 record flatters them. Sydney, Geelong and us all kicked themselves out of the contest against them and they were supremely accurate in all those games. Not sure if that’s sustainable.

Was that Jayden Hunt’s first goal as a Budgie?

Lions 44-0 with 4 minutes left to qtr time. Hopefully this is West Coast’s best quarter of the day.

Trac to lead the minors with 5.

I’d be absolutely staggered if the Pies don’t make the GF. Would be one of the biggest chokes of all time, even by Collingwood standards.

BBB 18 goals in his last 5 Docklands assignments.

What part of their footballing are you not impressed with?