Bring-Back-Powell

The stat is the stat. You can't argue with a fact. Only 1 premier since 1990 has gone an entire final series by kicking more behinds than goals in each final of that campaign. I'm not saying we can't win the flag if we're inaccurate in all 3 finals. But it would be rare.

Yes, since 1990. So 30/31. Should get the calculator out next time.

If Port have an emphatic prelim win and we fall over the line, I get the feeling Port will almost be favourites to beat us. They’d be on an 8 game winning streak including beating the Dogs at Marvel and are full strength and playing brilliant footy. Like us, I get the feeling Port are on a mission this year and have well and truly bought in after blowing it last year.

I agree with you. Would rather play Port than Dogs in the GF. I know you shouldn’t base everything on one game but the Dogs were too good for us in round 19 in all facets.

I'd be flabbergasted if Pert didn't make the cut. Having said that he's not the one kicking the footy or moving the magnets, so you can never be too sure. If the president of Melbourne didn't make the cut, there's absolutely no way that any other MFC member from Victoria will be able to get an exemption to isolate for 14 days.

Apparently Gaddy Lyon is quarantining as we speak. Essential media work apparently.

The point I'm making is that if you look at the scores of every finals series since 1990, only 1 side has got away with kicking more behinds than goals in every final of their premiership campaign, and that was West Coast. I see your point that there are way too many variables in a game of footy to just pin success down to accuracy. Nonetheless, it's an underrated and irrefutable historical stat that I've raised. Just like the fact that at least 2 teams will always drop out of the 8 despite the media cutting and pasting their top 8 from one year to the next.

Agreed. We can probably get away with having one more final where we kick more behinds than goals, but history might catch up with us if we go all 3 finals of inaccuracy (assuming we win the prelim). A crisp 14.10 against Geelong will be fantastic.

Excellent win on Saturday night with next nothing to concern ourselves with. However, it was another night of inaccuracy and history proves that 20 of the last 21 premiers go at least one final where they go 50/50 at worst eg -14 goals 14 behinds. We easily got away with it on Saturday night as we outscored them comprehensively and had complete control, but it's a stat we need to be slightly aware of.

Hats off to Kate and an absolute shambles that only 55 can attend. No doubt blokes like Eddie McGuire, Tom Browne and Damien Barrett (who's already quarantining) will somehow find their way over there.

Agree that Hunt has been clearly best 22 all year and has been a good contributor. I personally think he should be back in the side. The question is whether they want to make a change to a recent winning formula. I fear that Hunt has got injured at the wrong time and may have lost his spot for good this year. Who knows?

I wouldn't be surprised if there's no change for not only next week but for the remainder of the finals series. I can't recall too many premiership sides making involuntary changes throughout a final series, but happy to be proven wrong by posters who can recall examples. We certainly made an involuntary change in 2018 when we dropped a regular (Fritsch) for an irregular (J Smith)

Victorians can’t even quarantine in WA for 14 days unless they have a special exemption.

Because Mark McGowan.

I honestly don’t think you can even if you were willing to commit. I could be wrong but it looks as though people from medium risk states such as VIC must receive special permission just to enter the state prior to their 14 days quarantine. Victoria won’t be downgraded to low risk by 11 September.

I think WA will open the border to QLD once they go 28 days without community transmission. I think you’re every chance. At the moment you can at the very least do 14 days quarantine. VICs won’t even be afforded that luxury unless they have a special reason to enter the state.

Well done on the commitment. Was it hard to get the G2G pass? The below website says only those with special circumstances can get in to WA and then quarantine for 14 days. This is reference to medium risk states such as VIC. https://g2gpass.com.au/apply

Not sure about MFC membership but if you transfer your AFL membership ticket to someone you’ll likely have your membership torn up or at the very least be downgraded from full to restricted. I suspect the answer will be yes to your question given that the club will desperately want MFC supporters to attend the grand final this year when we make it.

I wouldn’t think so. How can they sell tickets to a large section of people that are ineligible to attend.

My memory tells me that he was captain of either his under 18’s or school side and was a very well liked and respected teammate. Given his shenanigans over the years, I’d tend to believe your colleague.

The weird thing about Stevenson is that when he was drafted the overwhelming theme was that Collingwood was getting a player with outstanding character.

I’ve convinced myself we’ll be playing Geelong.

Melbourne V Geelong - Friday 17 September. 8:10pm EST. Optus Stadium. No change.

I also thought Matt Jones was integral in our 2013 campaign to try and get a 3 win season. I think this is the best team I’ve seen since 1990 but it will be so Geelong to knock us out in the prelim.

I stand to be corrected but all I saw all night was Cameron kicking goals on Smith and Smith giving away free kicks to Cameron. I have no issue if Smith gets another game as he’s a good intercept marker and has terrific pace for his size. But he was pantsed tonight IMO.