Bring-Back-Powell

GC (for 18 hours only) are selling 3 game GA memberships for only $18 for those that are going on Saturday and want to save a buck.

Dogs won 4 finals in 2016 and 3 finals in 2021 for a total of 7 under Beveridge. We won 2 finals in 2018 and 3 finals in 2021 for a total of 5 under Goodwin.

I think this is starting to happen. Against the Pies, he was subbed into the game and played wing in the last quarter. Against Port, 5 of his 10 disposals were inside 50 entries which suggests that he played further up the field. He also needs to increase his disposal count per game. 10 touches (V Port) in 80% TOG isn't great at all. And in 5 of 12 games this year he's failed to tally 15 touches.

That's the ultimate salt in the wounds. One of our best mid season injury lists we've had in decades and we'll probably be 5-11 after the Adelaide game. What a waste. This factor should be strongly considered when important decisions are made later in the year.

Given Sam Taylor was out last week, it was the perfect opportunity for Derksen to get a senior debut last week, but not to be. Either GWS were being stubborn in holding him to his contract or he hasn’t come on enough for a game.

Yep, due back in 3-5 weeks. Probably our game knowing our luck.

Yeah I think you've nailed it. We'll kick 7.13 and they won't miss with 14.5. We'll dominate either the second or third quarter but kick an atrocious 3.7. We'll then give an undisciplined free kick goal with 5 minutes left in the quarter and they'll kick another quick 2 to put the game to bed. You can already write the script.

I think the club's going to have to be aggressive and over pay for a McKay type, with respect to key forwards. We're not going to shoot up the ladder with Petty, JVR and Jefferson as out key forwards for 2026. I'm blaming the last 3 weeks primarily on our forward line's lack of conversion. How do you possibly kick 26.46 and not lay most of the blame on the forwards? Earlier in the season we were losing games due to less scoring shots which could indicate that we were simply the inferior side on the day aside from the GWS game. However recently, we've dominated key stats including scoring shots, and that's on the forwards. You'll probably wonder how McKay would address our conversion woes? 58-33, 45-31 and 49.21 in 3 of his last 4 seasons is how he'll address our woes.

Nathan Buckley described Gold Coast as a side made for summer football. So I think the only way we're a chance on Saturday is if the conditions are damp at a minimum, and it doesn't look like much rain (if any) is forecast on Saturday afternoon.

Next year, there is an increase of the coaching soft cap by $750,000, and 20% of the coach's salary is outside of the cap. That might make it easier to move on the likes of Voss and Goodwin at the end of 2025.

Unlike our prior 3 weeks, there was nothing woulda, coulda, shoulda about that game. -25 for inside 50's and -8 scoring shots was very un Melbourne 2025 like.

The latter is happening. We have less members than St Kilda and Western Bulldogs. Both North Melbourne and Melbourne have the same amount of members at 55,000. This would have been unfathomable in 2022. We are declining before our very eyes.

Yep. This is the one year where late season wins don't affect our drafting position. So we should be going full bore for wins with no consequence of drafting order, where as wins for Essendon and St Kilda are kind of detrimental to them. Whether the players will be fully motivated by round 20-22 is another story. I don't expect to win many games at all unless we fix up our accuracy and the oppo stop kicking with unsustainable accuracy. Even the West Coast game is no certainty due it being at Marvel rather than the G.

He have the players a bit of a cook at qtr time of Gather Round V Essendon. It was very mild but still animated by Goodwin’s standards.

Yeah as others have said we’ll never get a mid season injury list this healthy again and we’ll probably be 5-11 to show for it after the Adelaide away game. Not acceptable.

I’ve noticed you have a fascinating interest with umpiring in each postgame thread. I can assure you 10,000% that the umpiring department do not get together on a Tuesday night to formulate a strategy on how to rob Melbourne of the 4 points.

North Melbourne: 13.6.84 If they kick a little less accurate today they lose to Carlton. One game where they’ve kicked more behinds than goals for their first 15 games. ACCURACY is everything, Melbourne.

Isn't getting anywhere near enough of the pill of late. 6, 9, 6, 10 although he did have a good 25 possession game against Sydney. Is perfectly suited to the modern game with the pace and metres gained he could offer us going forward, so it's up to the coaching staff to get the best out of him and play him in a position where he can flourish. Watching an 'over the hill' Dan Butler kicking goals on him isn't doing anyone any favours. I'm pleased he's spending more time further up the field in the last 2 games.

More horrifying facts: Since the Brisbane game: FOR - 59.78 AGAINST - 64.38 35 more scoring shots than the opposition. How we came out with a 2-3 record instead of a 4-1 record is an indictment on all parties. We've thrown our season into the bin in two tranches: 1) Incompetent football between rounds 2-5. 2) Gross inaccuracy between rounds 10-14. Heads need to roll inaccuracy if we're being honest.

0% chance I see him coming to us. Fremantle are that talented I honestly I don't think JVR and Rivers would be in their best 22 by both of their 2025 standards. McVee probably would be in their best 22. We'd have to trade Clarry and Trac in exchange for a first rounder per player. Say mid first rounder for Trac and very late first rounder for Oliver. So then you'd have 4 first rounders (2 of them being our 2026 and 2027 first rounders) spread over 3 years plus McVee to even have Freo's attention. Based on last night that's probably not enough.

Yep, I think you're correct.

Jeffo was drafted at the end of 2022. What I’m not sure of is whether we used Freo’s future first rounder on Kolt or Leb?

Did we get Jefferson and Tholstrupp with the picks received for Luke Jackson?

Given we have one of the worst forward lines in the league on paper and we have a bunch of midfielders in Trac, Viney and Oliver (although in fairness the latter two are decent set shots for goal) that slaughter the ball, should we be surprised that our conversion is beyond disgraceful. What intrigues me is why the opposition are also supremely accurate week after week. Our combined “against” score is the most accurate in the comp. So therefore on a given day we’ll be terribly inaccurate while the oppo will be the complete opposite. It’s killing us. The only solace I’ll take is that you can’t argue with law of averages, which means that we’ll start having games where we kick more goals than behinds and vice verca our opponents…well at least I hope so!

Since the Brisbane game we’ve generated 26 scoring shots (including rushes) per game which is more than what Collingwood are managing on the season. I’d love to know what would happen if we kick a scoreline of 14.12.96 against GC. I’d suggest we’re winning that game. Last year the bye rejuvenated us as we went 3-1 the next month and the loss was a terrific performance against Brisbane at the GABBA. Hopefully we see a similar effect this year.