Bring-Back-Powell

Good observation. I thought Bowey was going to be a massive loss in the early rounds but it turns out the only part of the season where we’ve been decent was in his absence. Not sure if it’s a coincidence or if he’s providing nothing to the side.

Lever definitely not a certainty this weekend according to his media interview today.

He's been one of the mysteries of 2024. After polling 25 odd brownlow votes from a superb 2023 season, and then starring in opening round, he's form has been nothing on last year. He's gone from 26 touches a game to 20, with an alarming amount of sub 20 possession games post Gather Round. I keep reading he's got an injury issue, but is it possible he's just out of form? Here's hoping he physically and mentally freshened up over the bye, and comes out firing with an inspirational 28 possession/1 goal game on Saturday night.

He's not wrong about Max having to carry the can every time something bad happens on or off the field. Which is ironic given he's the club's highest achiever week in week out.

Agreed in that opposition's accuracy is somewhat dependent on our defensive pressure. But still, for Carlton, Collingwood and Fremantle to all go over 70% in accuracy, which so far above league average it isn't funny, speaks to a bit of bad luck for us. For example in the Carlton game, if they went at a more expected 3-3 or 4-2 instead of 6-0 in the first quarter, we probably win that game.

The one thing that might see our fortunes change for the better is nothing to do with us. It's actually to do with the opposition's accuracy. From rounds 1 to 8 when we went 6-1, the opposition scored a combined 61.78 (43%). All but one team scored double digit behinds in our wins and teams like Adelaide and Richmond were absurdly inaccurate against us. However, from rounds 9 to 13 when our season has fallen off the rails, the opposition has kicked a combined 73.36 (67%). No team, that's right no team, scored double digit behinds in that run of games. That accuracy is just plain sick and unsustainable from the opposition. I realise Freo and Collingwood beat us fair and square but think about how many of their shots just snuck in the right side of the goal post. Once teams we play become more inaccurate, and they will, I expect us to win some games again. Clubs ain't going 71% against us every week like Freo and Collingwood did.

Jon Ralph had a red hot crack at her last week on Foxtel's mid week tackle. He said you never hear from her in the tough times.

Fair enough. I would be thinking the same if my team was in genuine flag contention, which sadly we're not (11th favourite to win it) I think we've seen enough evidence that Sydney are head and shoulders above the rest, and it would take a Geelong 2008 epic choke for them to drop a GF or prelim. That's not to say Carlton haven't been impressive lately, and are every chance to make a GF.

We’ll be doing super well to go 3-7 to close out the season. Aside from West Coast which I think we’ll knock over, every other side we play looks to have gone past us like an absolute freight train. That includes a North Melbourne who are clearly taking advantage of a horribly depleted Collingwood, something we should’ve precisely done this week. And despite Goodwin giving us a rave review post game last week, don’t underestimate how poor a loss it was to a team missing their entire premiership centre square. The last two weeks have been the worst under Goodwin.

It’s always great to see Collingwood lose, but at the same time I’m not sure I want to be playing a North Melbourne next week sky high on confidence with nothing to lose.

Today is the Collingwood I thought we’d get last week. Injury depleted, missing their three premiership midfield heroes and their best goal kicker, and understandably being no match for their opposition.

So should we cop it more for: 1) trading him into the club OR 2) for trading him to Sydney for a mediocre draft pick and at the same time making Sydney a dramatically improved side due to obtaining the recruit of the year.

Nar mate. They’ll have learned their lessons from 2022. I know you have massive skin in the game this year with the hope that Carlton will knock off Sydney in the grand final. But Sydney are on a different planet this year and will win the flag accordingly. If they don’t, then Longmire really needs to cop it from the media as that will be 1-4 in grand finals.

Back the OP’s question about change: I can see some parallels between Joe Maddon and Simon Goodwin. Joe Maddon was the manager (head coach) of the famous Chicago Cubs in the MLB from 2015-2019. Although the Cubs were one of the most popular sporting clubs in the world, they hadn’t won a World Series since 1908. Our drought was nothing on Chicago’s, but you get the point. Anyway, in 2016 the Cubs finally won the World Series beating the Cleveland Indians and Maddon was the king of Chicago, make no mistake. He was the man responsible for the Cubs finally tasting success and they were no longer the butt of all jokes from non Cubs fans. Sound familiar about our coach in 2021? In 2017 and 2018 the Cubs had very good regular seasons but bowed out in the second round and first round of the playoffs respectively in very disappointing fashion. In 2019 the Cubs had a good start to the season, but progressively got worse as the season unfolded. Despite their recent World Series win and subsequent strong regular seasons, the Cubs shockingly missed the playoffs in 2019. The club and Maddon mutually (although Maddon later claimed he was sacked) parted ways as it was understood that Maddon had lost the players and couldn’t take the group any further. Not agitating for change, but just an interesting parallel between the 3 years following the Chicago Cubs drought breaking World Series win and the 3 years following Melbourne’s flag.

The two low lights of the night were the soft 50 mtr penalty which thwarted St Kilda’s comeback and BT calling a Brisbane player “Ashcroft” despite aforementioned player recovering from a knee reco since July last year.

Yeah I know right. Playing Langdon in a position he almost won an all Australian in during 2021 - what an absurd idea to suggest. And is there any chance BBB could provide more than Petty and Turner up forward? Are the coaching staff waiting for him to kick 6 and take 18 marks in a VFL game prior to promotion. I bet BBB would play better in an MCG game rather than in front of 200 people at Casey.

If Goodwin can turn around our season and guide us to a 6-4 record post bye then I will have a new amount of respect for him. It would have showed that he can successfully coach against adversity with respect to losing his best player for the season as well as the confidence in the playing group being at its collectively lowest ebb, as well as its pressure and skill execution. As it stand right now, the club will struggle to win 2 more games if things don't turn around whatsoever.

Hawks are favourites to win by 15pts on the TAB.

The combination that suits Melbourne. St Kilda to beat Brisbane Dogs to beat Freo (you could also argue Freo winning is better as it keeps us a game clear of Dogs) Richmond to beat Hawthorn Sydney to beat Adelaide North to beat Collingwood Port to beat GWS Combo paying $704-1 Last week's combo that suited Melbourne of $349-1 amazingly saluted (Rich, Bris, Hawks, North, StK, Syd, Carlt)

I think he'd be a brilliant addition as the head assistant coach.

I recall we were injury depleted in those floggings. For example in the Saints loss we were missing Farmer, Schwarz and Neitz which all combined for 110 goals that year. I admire your optimism, and there are some clear parallels with respect to mid season slumps, however in 1998 we had a dynamic midfield and potent forward line, and won 8 of our last 9 games prior to the North prelim. It would be hard for history to repeat.

“You never hear anything from Kate Roffey in the tough times” Jon Ralph, tonight (13/6) on the Midweek tackle.

If North bring high end pressure and sustain it for 3 to 4 quarters like Collingwood, Brisbane and Fremantle, they WILL beat us. They’re gun players such as LDU, Simpkin and Larkey are in hot form and they have an unusually low injury list by their standards. Our game is in such poor order at the moment that the only way we can win a game of football at the moment is if the opposition provides low end pressure such as the St Kilda game. I question whether North can go the distance with their pressure though.

As others have mentioned, in 1998 we had a forward line. A damn potent forward line. In 2024 we don’t have a forward line.

He’s absolutely been a reflection of our season. He was horrid coming off the bench against Sydney. Played his best 2 games of the year against Dogs and Hawthorn, which incidentally were our 2 best wins of the year from a dominance and quality of opposition point of view. Was patchy in the Adelaide double, as were we. Both he and club have been inconsistent to poor ever since. Goodwin didn’t help his confidence by starting him as sub in opening round.