Bring-Back-Powell

(Is Tomlinson available?) So our key defenders will now be T Mac, Turner and Howes (assume he's in) which is the same set up as the Freo game which is fine. Petty will be the second ruck which leaves us with literally no tall targets inside 50 when he's rucking. I don't understand this strategy. The other option is to bring in JVR rather than Howes to give our forward line some height and hope that T Mac and Turner can handle their tall forward line. Waterman is capable of 6 and being chiefly responsible for a West Coast win tomorrow night, make no mistake. May's becoming rather unreliable from an injury perspective.

The selections make sense if Turner is played forward (even though he impressed as a defender V Freo) The selections don’t make sense if Turner is played down back.

How did he train? Is he in any doubt after his ankle roll last week? TIA.

As always, brilliant job lads. I just want to touch on something George mentioned about a possible advantage Richmond had over Gold Coast in round 6 which would subsequently put less stock in Richmond's win, and then devalue our win over Richmond. George correctly alluded to the fact that Gold Coast were coming off a 7 day break off stinking heat in the Barossa the week before, and that Richmond would reap the benefits because they would be fresher. However, Richmond also played in the Barossa off a 6 day break in ever more stinking heat. So if anything, it makes their win over GC even more meritorious and it reinforces that we didn't beat a mug team the other night.

After the unacceptable 0-5 start, I reckon we need to go at least 10-8 for Goodwin to keep his job next year. If you were told pre season that Melbourne would win less games than in 2024, which is what will happen even if we have a solid 10-8 finish, you'd say there's no way he'd keep his job for 2026. When it's all said and done, I think the 0-5 start will catch up to him when a decision is to be made at the end of the season.

Can't see him leaving unless the Lions are offering him an insulting contract. Interestingly, G Healy and B Johnson on SEN re-casted the 2023 draft order and had Morris at #1. Windsor was at about 4 or 5 and Kolt wasn't mentioned.

I'm actually with you on this one. And it's purely to do with the venue and long road trip ahead of them. Just not feeling it this week. I think the Eagles will go all out attack, kick some early goals, get the fans involved and I can see their maligned players in H Reid and O Allen having big ones. And being 0-7 their clearly one game closer to their first win. And we have a massive handicap that we have seemingly put on ourselves. We get outscored by an average of 20 points in 4th quarters which logic suggests we need to have a 3 goal lead at 3 qtr time to hang on. However If the game were at the G or at a neutral venue, I'd be in no doubt we'd be 3-5.

That's pretty fair to be honest.

Hopefully opinion. Teams that are 2-5 don't have the luxury of getting cute at selection.

Yeah I think he walked into the doors as an Essendon supporter and exited a Melbourne supporter. I don't know if we had good CEO's in the 80's and 90's but PJ was (surely) by far the best CEO we've ever had.

I agree with this and I don't know why clubs don't share the second ruck duties to multiple players to ease the burden and provide a bit of unpredictability. Whilst Petty is poor in the ruck it would give JVR a bit more relief. I doubt they do it, but give Petty and JVR 5 minutes each a quarter as the second ruck.

I mentioned in my post that they've been "alright" the last fortnight (not the entire season), but deplorable in their first five games. They're close to a win IMO based on their last 2 weeks (arguably could've beaten Essendon as they lead for 75% of the game) and as you said we need to be switched on if we're to get the 4 points.

A massive danger game this weekend. West Coast have been alright the last fortnight and lead Essendon by 5 goals at home at one stage. They showed in 3 games last year in Perth (Vs Freo, Melbourne and Richmond) that when they click they can be quite unstoppable with their attacking style of footy and Jake Waterman dominating up front. We essentially need to be 3 goals in front at 3 qtr time due to our inability to score in 4th quarters. We've kicked a total of 7 goals across all of our last quarters which is seriously concerning and the trend disappointingly continued last Thursday night when we had Richmond on toast early in the last quarter and looked to have killed their spirit. A loss would be disappointing but from from surprising.

Dearly needs to work on his set shots. I don’t think he’s nailed one set shot goal from the 35-40+ metre range this year which is a major function of being a permanent forward (maybe his set shot in round 2 V North was from 40??) He pleasingly can still instinctively snap those wonderful goals like the one in the third quarter on the weekend, and that reason alone makes it hard to drop him.

Charged yet again by the MRP. Third time in five games. Although it was only umpire contact it’s getting a bit silly now.

It’s a huge call to say Collingwood will miss finals. Probably too huge a call.

Problem is the Pies are so hard to beat at the MCG, particularly in finals. They truly have have the inside running to win the flag if they finish top 2, or play week 1 at the MCG as the ‘away’ team (by finishing 3rd or 4th).

Was it not Zerk-Thatcher (or however you spell his name)? Agreed he’s not a player that matches his high draft pick but he probably played a blinder at Gather Rd the other week.

I know a lot of Melbourne supporters like to downplay Collingwood’s prospects, probably because of recent history between the 2 teams. However, which team would you be confident of beating Collingwood on prelim or grand final day at MCG? Perhaps Geelong?

May’s problem is that he gets injured every second week and can’t get any continuity in his footy. Always looks like he’s hobbling on the filed. He may have got a coaches vote against Geelong so he can still play at the required level.

People are quick to write off JVR. It was only 15 games ago that he ripped a first half apart with 4 goals against quality opposition in McGovern and Barrass. And he was talked about within the AFL community as being one of the rising star key forwards of the league. I don’t subscribe to the theory they you can go from a rising star to a dud overnight, at aged 22. JVR clearly replaces Fullarton. Turner needs to come in to the defence and move Windsor further up the ground or even to Casey to work on his deplorable kicking which is resulting in turnovers. One of Sharp, Kolt or to a lesser extent Windsor to be omitted. Maybe Melksham for Fritta?? If we’re a bit off for this one, West Coast will roll us, irrespective of whatever they dish up tomorrow evening. It’s a tough road trip to Perth.

I haven't been a fan of Spargo this year (due to his return from a long lay off) but I thought he moved as well as he's had for a while and played a decent game last week. Given Sharp's been sub the last 2 weeks, I'd suggest he's on the border line and probably needs to play a really solid game sooner rather than later. Not convinced he'll be in the side in the back half of the year but I like his ability around goal. Haven't seen much of Culley in his West Coast days but did see him kick 4 goals against Port in 2023 which is nothing to sneeze at. If he can't break into the side this year it probably means we've (touch wood) had a good run with injuries to our mids and they're also performing.

I'm finding Richmond hard to read this year, but they're a lot better than first anticipated. They've had 2 stirring wins, 3 ten goal + losses and an honourable loss to Brisbane. All over the place and who knows which version we'll get tomorrow night. I do expect them to fall away in the second half of the season.

I don't think Balta's playing in the VFL tomorrow.

There's some expensive GA seats still available on the top deck of the Olympic and the bottom deck of the Southern if you don't have any luck here.