Bring-Back-Powell

North Melbourne are doing a 9:30am intra club and family day today. That’s how you build fan engagement and membership in February. We on the other hand have an intra club and family day when 95% of the membership base are probably at work. Why would they do this? To give the boys the weekend off? We just continue to kick own goals - no matter how major or minor.

Would’ve been a fun day watching the Dees.

You wouldn't think he'll play in the seniors off just one week back in full training. More likely against Freo on 2 March.

An under utilised asset we have. Bowey nailing a frankfurt on the run from 50.

Meanwhile North are having their intra club and family day at this ludicrously stupid and un family friendly time of Saturday at 9:30am (tomorrow).

Was just reading an article (published pre McVee injury) from the Zero Hangar about the projected best 25 small-medium defenders for 2025 and McVee wasn't mentioned.

When's he due back to full contact training? Is the plan to take him over to Mandurah for the final praccy match? Assume he's on track for round 1 V GWS??

No worries. Easy to mix up those sub par years - 2020 and 2021.

Sadly it was 2020 at Arden Street. https://www.nmfc.com.au/news/558823/roos-schedule-practice-match In 2021 we beat Richmond in a match sim at Casey in front of closed doors and then lost to the Dogs at Marvel in the official AAMI practice match.

Yep, heading to the game. Need to ignore the scoreboard in these match sims and be rationale in the game threads, as Richmond touched us up and North walloped Collingwood in the corresponding games last year. Last time I went to Arden Street for a game, shortly after the world (or more specifically Melbourne) shut down for the next 18 months so let's hope history doesn't repeat. There were definitely park restrictions near the oval on that Friday afternoon, and I suspect Saturday parking won't be much better. You'd imagine out of our genuine best 23 Trac, Spargo, McVee and possibly Viney and Windsor (if the latter 2 haven't recovered) will miss this game. Tholstrupp as well but I'm not sure he's in our best team at the moment.

6-8 weeks is smack back in the middle of the of the good to bad news spectrum. He’ll probably back in the side around the round 6 game against Freo. AMW seems the logical replacement while Howes and Hore might be asked to play on smaller defenders if either of those guys has a good practice match series. Please no more injuries given Kozzie’s also out for a while.

And more importantly the side. 100% spot on. Well said.

Yes for sure. I’ve broken it into 3 categories given the hammy didn’t look like a micky mouse one. GOOD NEWS - 4 week and will miss just round 1. MEH/ MODERATE NEWS - 8-10 weeks and will be back about round 6 BAD NEWS - tore the string off the born. Surgery and won’t be seen until after the bye.

I admire your optimism. Judging by the footage on channel 7 news he’s going to need every one of those 5 weeks if he’s any chance for round 1.

That's both fantastic and annoying at the same time. Thoughts on how we structure up for round 1 without McVee, given Greene and Daniels are premier small-medium forwards.

How's Trac looking? Finally in full contact training? Thanks for the reports everyone.

True.

Pickett was rubbed out the minute Moore was subbed out.

Sliding doors moment: We choose Hogan oven BBB at the end of 2020. We miss Brown’s impact in late 2021 and either lose the GF in Perth or don’t make it at all. We win the flag at the G in 2023 over Collingwood or Brisbane with a functional forward line, namely a reliable J Hogan nailing the shots we collectively blew in both finals. We had most of the ingredients in 2023, but we just needed to duck down to Coles or Woolies to grab some icing on the cake in Hogan.

That was a genuinely pathetic performance by us that night and Collingwood actually had more players out than us. One team wanted to the end the season with some pride and dignity and the other was just happy for Mad Monday and the ensuing footy trip or overseas holiday to arrive. Yes, as fate would prove it was better to lose the game given we rose 2 spots up the draft, but the game itself was almost a microcosm of the season and most supporters left the MCG dejected from the game and season on a broader level. Expecting or at least hoping that the standards are much better this year and we have less of these Collingwood and Freo non competitive efforts.

I’m more than happy to watch 3 weeks of practice matches starting on Saturday. What other sport is there to watch at the moment?

A record’s a record mate.

I’d say it’s because he was a first rounder, and the fascination behind getting picked that high. I doubt Aidan Johnson, who was picked up in the late 60’s/early 70’s will get anything near 1000 posts around here.

I’d be happy with Culley.

Nothings been reported, but hopefully they’re just giving him a day off as I reckon he’s completed close to, or up to 100% of sessions. Or maybe a personal matter? Hopefully we don’t get an unpleasant surprise next week in one of Richo’s injury updates.