Bring-Back-Powell

I don’t think a loss is the end of the world. If we show dramatic improvement in all facets of last week and lose a close game, then hopefully we can build some momentum into 3 winnable games coming up.

$700,000K for a 20 goal per year key forward.

You don't hear many (if any) premiership sides say "we had a poor preseason that was interrupted by injuries and off season surgeries". That is why I won't be livid if we miss the finals. Our preparation has been seriously compromised and I can't see how it won't cost us.

Hopefully Petracca watched the game last night and realised that a player taken 3 picks after him in the draft has left him for dead in terms of career progression. I read somewhere that Roos was massive on De Goey prior to the draft, but Brayshaw and Petracca were no brainers for us at the time.

Can't disagree with that statement. He needs a rocket to kick start his season (like many others).

Serious lack of small forwards in that side.

Ever since quarter time of JLT 1 V's Richmond, it just seems like the club has been a non entity. I can't put my finger as to what's going on at the moment - aside from an interrupted pre-season. From poor performances in all 3 games, to poor discipline in JLT 2, to gross injury mis-management (Smith) to players and on-field leaders not sticking up for one another. The whole club needs a massive wake up and realise that the wholy grail was not beating an injury riddled Hawthorn in a semi final. And speaking of our leadership group, is it any wonder we fell apart last week when you've got: Gawn - playing his career worst game Jones - dropping and/or fumbling 3 basic marks/ground balls in the last qtr Viney - looking 30% fit T Mac - Has he even played a game this year? The remainder of the players aren't going to lift if their leaders are collectively having a pathetic performance

ANB would have to be a sniff to get the axe this week. He killed our momentum with 2 missed set shots int he first quarter. Nail both of those and we could've broken Port's spirits by qtr time with a 4 or 5 goal lead. In addition, his form in round 1 and JLT has mirrored the club's - very lackluster. Some tough calls may need to be made on him and others (*cough* Petracca *cough) shortly if things don't turn around.

My guess would be Corey Wagner.

It's also been about 55 years since another club other than Kane's went from 11-4 to missing the finals.

Anyone flying via Singapore to get cheaper flights?

Dear Geelong Cats, If you do beat us this week, can you please have the game wrapped up before the siren this time around. Best regards, MFC supporter.

Can't believe you'd play a player not 100% in the early rounds. Just baffling.

Burgan's gone?

high 20's/low 30's. Port aren't a good drawing side.

Finals are a pass mark for me. I'm more bullish about 2020 when Lever has a full season and Oliver, Brayshaw, Harmes and Petracca all would have cracked 100 games and Weideman's finally come off a full season of AFL. Compare that to West Coast with their GF midfield of Redden (188) (Shuey 177), Yeo (105), Hutchings (95) and Sheed (78). They had a midfield that was clearly ready and good enough to win a flag. We need to our address our small forward department. Is Spargo and an almost finished Garlett enough to go deep this year? Compare that to Collingwood and Richmond's dynamic small forwards. Furthermore, I think we'll have a slow start to the season (2-4 after Anzac Eve) due to our injury hampered pre-season. We'll be playing catch up from round 6 but should be good enough to win 12-13 games and sneak into 7th-8th.

But you can't deny the fact that all these injuries and surgeries will probably cost us in the long run. You don't hear of too many premiership winning teams that had seriously interrupted pre-seasons such as ours.

I'd take the punt with Preuss and play him, considering we got him over to assist Gawn when he's up against twin towers (ie- Ryder and Lycett)

Anyone who was at the game and saw him trying to do run throughs on the boundary line either before or after half time would've put Joel Smith's cue in the rack then and there considering it was a practice match. Play 1 man short if they must. Richmond did it in the JLT a couple of years ago. I couldn't believe it when I saw him hobbling to the goal square just before the start of the last qtr. It wasn't exactly a home and away game when you're down to 1 fit bloke on the bench and you have to trot the least injured player out there.

I sincerely hope the injury didn't become 6 weeks as a result of hobbling on one leg for 2 and a half quarters in a meaningless practice match. What a disastrous day that was - JLT 2.

Hard to fathom that they put his start to the season in jeopardy in a practice match. I know we were down on numbers but still...

Fair call with the Richmond game. Played very good footy in the first half and were missing half of our best 22. It was the ease of which Richmond cleared the ball out of our forward 50 in the second half that annoyed me about that game. If that's a feature of 2019, we're losing more games than we're winning. Sounds like we're in agreement with the Brisbane loss. Just a poor day overall in terms of performance, discipline, injuries and injury mangement (ie - Smith hobbling on one leg for most of a meaningless game) Lucky the game counted for nothing. Agree that we should be beating Port Adelaide by 30 points if all things are equal. However, given that we've had a heavily interrupted and later than normal pre-season, Port are a month ahead of us in preparation and round 1 always throws up upsets, i see this as a danger game.

Our JLT form or lack there of would suggest that the nervous nellies should be indeed nervous. And make no mistake our JLT form was near disgraceful with the lack of cohesiveness (hopefully can be fixed) and a lack of interest and desire (hopefully will be fixed) Throw in our absurd amount of surgeries, an un Melbourne like late start to pre season and the accumulation of injuries would suggest it’s a massive bannana skin game. Plus Port will have a massive chip on their shoulder and could be re-juvenated by their numerous debutants.

If last year's anything to go by, they better play without Daniher. Still, at least it's one monster forward we won't have to deal with.

I share your concerns. We've had a pre-season that is not conducive to a strong start with all our surgeries and JLT injuries. Reckon we'll be 2-4 to start the season (we have to play Geelong & Sydney away and Richmond) and playing catch up after that. Plus, in the JLT our impressive late 2018 brand of footy has been largely missing in the JLT. Can we just be expected to flick on the switch for round 1? Hope so. Hopefully we can be 3-3 and on the fringes of the 8, then make a charge up the ladder to top 4.