Bring-Back-Powell

On a side note, tickets for Geelong V Melbourne were just released an hour ago. I just got a General admin for a bargain steal of $50.....

Dees V Pies is on Friday night Dees V Blues is on Saturday night

I hope you're right but they don't appear to schedule the big games in the 1:45pm Saturday timeslot as it's a Foxtel game. I think both our Carlton and Collingwood games end up being Saturday night with a 3:20pm outside chance for the Pies game for Sunday FTA exposure.

If we lose, I reckon it will be the way we lose that will be a factor in assessing our flag hopes. If we once again collapse in the second half and Brisbane run all over us, then serious questions aside from loading will need to be asked of this group. Do the players have it in them to climb Everest 2 years in a row? The defensive indicators are suggesting not, if you believe we're 17th for pressure. If we have a red hot crack for 4 quarters and lose a thriller on the bell, then I think we'll have taken a step in the right direction.

Is that the same “very sensible” Jamie Elliott who’s been previously arrested for public drunkenness?

Yes correct. Melbourne get Freo's first rounder and future first rounder. Fremantle get Luke Jackson, the compensation pick we get for losing Angus Brayshaw and a seconder rounder. This is fair and reasonable recompense according to Freo supporters on Bigfooty. (The LJ for Bailey Banfield and Ethan Hughes took the cake though)

Really hope you’re correct there (with the stepping into his place not the going bit) and Weid goes on and has just as good a remainder of his career as Jackson.

Freo supporters suggesting their current and future first rounder for Jackson for the free agency compensation pick we get for Brayshaw (assume he leaves) and our second rounder. Or Bailey Banfield and Ethan Hughes for Luke Jackson. No draft picks involved. Meanwhile our supporters want two first rounders AND a Caleb Serong, Hayden Young or Andrew Brayshaw. Going to be a long second half of the year and trade week....

Pretty sure it’s back to the pre finals bye. (which I wish they’d get rid of) That pre GF bye was a COVID once off, thankfully.

Not a truer word spoken. No top 4, no flag. For us or any club for that matter.

Teams for Thursday night games are typically announced at 6:20 on Wednesday nights.

It’s understood Freo V Melbourne in round 20 will be on a Friday night but our games against Collingwood and Carlton won’t be. Brisbane V Carlton is favoured to be Friday night in round 21 and Saints V Brisbane should be Friday night in round 22. The AFL tossing up whether to put Brisbane V Melbourne or Carlton V Collingwood on Friday night for round 23. With how well Collingwood are going, it will likely be the latter. The latest fixture instalment will be released this week so the above isn’t confirmed as yet.

Looks as though the weather’s coming to the party on Thursday night. 17 degrees during the day and a mild 11 overnight. No rain at this stage.

Preuss had a massive opportunity against the Dogs in 2020 when Max was injured and failed (as did we that day) on that occasion against the likes of Josh Dunkley or whichever other midget they put in the ruck. Dogs made finals by a game with a worse percentage than us.

I hope Collingwood miss the 8 purely and simply because West Coast’s WAFL side beat them in round 4.

Fair call. I acknowledge that. It would just be disappointing to lose a pick 3 after only 3 years.

What’s an acceptable crowd for this week’s game against the Lions to get the likes of Caro off our backs? We average 24,000 against Brisbane Lions at the G, and they only got 21,000 to Richmond V Port the other Thursday? Our record high is 36,000 on a Saturday night in early 2010 when Brisbane (4-0) were flying at the time as we were 2-2 and starting to make progress under Bailey. I would say the club will be looking at the high 20’s for a reasonable result. This year has emphasised the lack of crowds for Thursday nights during Melbourne’s winter.

And we have the best player in the AFL on our list, who becomes a restricted free agent at the end of next year, to focus on.

Agree 100%. There’s also the matter of spots available down back with Hibberd and Salem’s return and the club’s reluctance to move Brayshaw out of defence. Rivers is a good young player who by all reports has responded well to his omission. Perhaps they do a straight swap. Rivers in for Bowey who could do with a refresh at Casey.

In - Weid, Rivers, May Out - Gawn, M Brown, Turner, Chandler Bedford as sub. Rivers is a good young player that shouldn’t be spending more than 2 weeks at Casey. Weid needs to stay in for the entire time Max is out as our back up ruck. I really hope his form makes it impossible for him to be dropped as we have T Mac out long term. I’m sure they’ll acknowledge that they got the M Brown selection wrong. I wonder if Bowey is at any selection risk?? His form and influence has dropped off.

It was a bit of a joke mate. I’m sure momentum will change and we’ll string a bunch of wins at the back end. And we’ll play teams that aren’t at their best, in contrast to Freo, Sydney and Collingwood who probably each played their best games of the year so far against us.

In the words of legendary NFL coach Jim Mora: ”Don’t talk to me about playoffs. I just hope we can win a game”

Pretty sure his brother in law/player agent wrote the statement.

He was directly involved in just one of our seven goals in the third quarter of the GF.

And we throw in our first rounder and Trent Rivers to somewhat balance the ledger that you’ve proposed. Freo will not be giving up any of their high end talent for Jackson. Particularly with Peter Bell at the table. It will more likely be Freo’s 2022 and 2023 first round draft picks for Jackson and Melbourne’s 2022 second round draft pick assuming both clubs still have their future draft picks.