Bring-Back-Powell

Port are top 3 in both clearances and goals from clearances in the last 6 weeks, and top 3 in points against. Certainly been a brutal 4 weeks in terms of playing teams in form.

Dan Houston is top 5 in the league at the moment in damaging use of the footy. Hayden Young is #1. Any wonder we're interested in him given the slop we've been dishing in week in week out. Giving up a top 10 pick and potentially more is a valid argument against trading for Houston, but it doesn't take away the fact that he'd be instantly our best user of the footy, and easily top 10 in the league. Better than peak Salem.

I was all for the wild card weekend until this idea came up. Perth will probably get it.

I guess the big question on everyone’s mind is can Petty crack the 10 goal milestone as a permanent key forward by season end?

On Saturday night we need to be on our best behaviour and avoid this game being a complete mess if he's seriously considering the Dees. I can't imagine the impression we're going to leave him if we get tonked. And why is he considering leaving Port? Homesick?

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1621609/goodwin-talks-forward-six-media-conference-focuses “We want to be playing finals footy and right now we're still a chance,” Goodwin said.

If they're not playing Jefferson this week, then give BBB a game. He played his one of his best games for the MFC in the 'business trip' and Bulldogs supporter were actually relieved that he wasn't playing last week, such is the trouble BB has caused them since 2021. Port have an undersized defence now that Ratugulea has moved forward, so maybe his height could cause them an issue.

You’d probably look at Tomlinson back for this one as a like for like for May. He seems to play well on his return game from the VFL, but struggles the game after and then finds himself back to square one. I also think T Mac might be dropped for this one. Somehow scored a player rating score below 0 and has really struggled in our last 3 losses.

Round 21, 2022

Jay Clark on Fox Footy’s “The Tackle” made another mention tonight that he thinks we’ll get Houston. He’d CLEARLY be our best acquisition since May in late 2018.

Really hope we put in a decent performance if we’re the Friday night game and everyone’s watching. Also hope the Pies are mathematically out of it which may make the former more likely.

11,000.

This now places a premium on finishing top 6. And given we're trending towards mediocrity (unless we can turn things around over summer), the wild card weekend will probably suits clubs like ours. Who knows, we might finish 10th next year and finally win a final at the G?

Do you really think the AFL are going to pass up two potential 90,000 crowds at the MCG if Collingwood and Carlton finished 7th and 8th respectively? If we're hanging around 9-12th next year in July and August I bet posters won't be complaining about this. And surely Thursday night games will be all year round from next year.

Last week heading into the Dogs game we had Petrcca, a first year winger and an underperforming Salem unavailable. If that’s not enough available players to launch an assault on the finals then we’re not the team I was hoping we were. With respect to Brayshaw, we’ve had 20 weeks to find a way to cover him. Coleman went down for Brisbane and yet they’re flag favourites. Last year we had injuries, this year we’re having injuries and next year we’ll get injuries. A good team will find a way to cover them.

Excellent re-signing on the back of a rebound to form season. Would’ve been shocked had he looked elsewhere given we let him go to his sisters’s wedding overseas (which was the right to do by the way)

Thats certainly my concern. There’s a stench of 2021 about our 2024 season. West Coast started that season extremely well and had a watershed win over Richmond mid season to put themselves into top 4 contention. However they totally fell off the wagon and lost 6 of their last 8, even losing to North at home. This year we had our watershed win over Geelong and the sky was supposedly the limit for the MFC. We’ve since also had a collapse of epic proportions.

My ladder predictor has literally 0 finals in VIC for week 1.

He's expensive, but he's exactly what we need. Someone that can thread the needle into our forward 50. And kick effortless goals from outside 50

I reckon our game will be Saturday night or Sunday 3:20pm. Brisbane V Essendon is my tip for the Friday night and Freo V Port to finish up on Sunday night.

Lowest Melbourne V Port game at the MCG was 12,000 on Mother's day 2003 after the club had a crisis meeting due to poor form. We're beating that crowd on Saturday night right? Right? (if nothing else the weather's looking half ok on Saturday)

Shout out to GWS for saving their inaccuracy for this week as opposed to last week. Accuracy and efficiency is GWS’s one wood. If they don’t have that then they’re not much of a team.

The club needs do to some emergency marketing/advertising for this Port game on Saturday night: - free entry for kids - two for the price of one adults - free hot dogs - half price beer - discounted stock at the Demon shop. The attendance is going to be a disaster given the product we dished this weekend.

Langdon cleared by the MRO.

What did McVee do to get suspended? Langdon is a fair chance to get a week with his tackle on English.