Bring-Back-Powell

Agree with this if we can't be there on GF day. The thought of GWS beating Carlton or Collingwood by 1 point on GF day is a bit good. The city will be a ghost town as it was after the 2018 GF.

Unfortunately we copped Brisbane on the one night they actually gave a toss this year. The pressure they put on us was unsustainable from a weekly perspective.

It’s not who you play it’s when you play them. We copped Brisbane at at the worst possible time and then we got a depleted Richmond at a fantastic time.

I think history might be repeating itself WCW (unfortunately)

The team that I’ve been banging on for months that will win this years flag, won the flag that year.

I’ve had a gut full of Brisbane and wish nothing but the worse for them. However a win tonight and we’ll somehow (probably) go ahead of GWS on the ladder. So, go Lions, I guess…..

Howe’s been a liability for Collingwood today. Disposal costly.

They relied on that method in 2022 and it ended up biting them on the backside in the prelim vs Sydney.

Pies are reverting back to their 2022 season - relying on ‘come from behind’ wins.

Must be a contract year for Stringer?

Yep, agree with this suggestion the most. I think we need more veteran presence against the Cats and happy to recall Hunter on the wing. Windsor was a bit of a liability with ball last night and Geelong would punish us harder than a depleted Richmond. Think it might be a good week to start him as sub, given we have a 5 day break into Carlton. One of Laurie or Woewodin to be dropped, but I’m keen to see if Laurie can carry his momentum into a starting role next week.

Lobb’s 20 times the player Schache is, and Lobb’s not particularly good.

All fair points, particular if the remainder of the ground is full. It’s just a bit annoying that pre COVID they always had someone at the gate checking to see that nobody from the public would be sneaking into the AFL reserve and you basically had to beg and steal for your MCC mate to come into the reserve with you. Now any old “Joe” can help themselves into the reserve. I’d also point out that guests are getting ripped off by paying double the price for a guest pass into the AFL reserve while some bloke who paid $28 GA is permitted cross over into the AFL and get prime seats on the wing, on level 1, 2A or 4. That’s a post COVID loophole that should be looked at IMO.

I get the need to maximise crowds but at the same time I’m not 100% onboard with the MCG opening up the AFL members to the public at GA prices, given AFL members pay for the privilege of prime seating. I can remember pre COVID they wouldn’t allow you to sneak a mate into the AFL reserve to some random Melbourne V Freo game. Now anyone can sit in the reserve.

We got smashed in the tackle count last week by a pathetic 29. As soon as Laurie got 20 tackles in the VFL (the seniors had just a combined 53) he was always going to be in the frame for selection. If was down to Tholstrupp or Laurie for the final spot, you’d probably be selecting the latter based on the former’s debut last week.

Would’ve had to have been dropped rather than injured or rested. I think he had about 50 metres gained in an entire game of footy last week which is deplorable. Mind you Petty is lucky we don’t have any decent key forwards putting pressure on him for selection as his game was actually worse than BBB’s. IMO our forward line is what’s going to stop us from getting to the promise land, or even prelim weekend.

Good effort by Trac and Max to be top 5 after the first quarter of the season. Heeney probably should be working on a Brownlow speech already, provided he can maintain his form for the majority of the season.

In 1988 we got knocked out by Fitzroy in our first pre season night fixture. I think that was in 1989 when we beat Geelong in the pre season Panasonic Cup. Hughes and Wight missed the first 2 and 6 games respectively that year. We ran out of steam in 1989 losing 5 of our last 6 home and away games, had a nice win over the Pies in the elimination final at Waverley but were badly beaten by Geelong in the semi when we had 10.10 put on us in the last quarter. Conversely in 1990 we ended the season in a blaze of glory, winning 8 games in a row heading into the semi final Vs West Coast. Not sure what happened that day but as you said we were right in the mix in 1990.

I’m confused about the positive press GC are getting. They’ll be 3-3 at the end of the round and their 3 wins have come at home against bottom 4 sides. I’m pretty sure they could’ve managed 3-3 under Dew.

North were a bit silly in beating GC in round 24 last year. They had Harley Reid secured after the Eagles gifted them 18th spot in round 23 with a Hail Mary win over the Dogs…. However, they (North) somehow put 20 goals on GC in front of a whopping 4,000 people down in Hobart in a game nobody will care to remember. Net result - 17th finish. No Harley Reid.

Are people on this forum still adamant Carlton aren’t the real deal and can’t win the flag? Just beat the league leaders with a ton of injuries and are flying at 5-1. Are the #1 seed thus far with players to return.

Pies won by 11 goals last year against Port. At this rate they’ll give that margin a nudge today. Very poor by Port not to stem the bleeding.

I'm off to the game too given we have a bye and I'm an AFL member. It's far too early to ladder watch so I reckon we go for Port and leave Collingwood reeling at 2-4. They'd have to then go 14-3 to make top 4. Have no interest in hearing that obnoxious Collingwood chant tomorrow. Hearing it at Gather Round after their poor win against Hawthorn was plenty enough.

Yep the Saints had 3 games in 11 days while we had 3 in 13. For Melbourne supporters solely or mostly blaming our recent schedule for our loss to Brisbane, then I think it’s more than fair that those same supporters absolutely excuse St Kilda’s performance last night.

After the Sydney loss I think we all agreed "never again" However, given we're struggling to kick a score at the moment he should be in consideration to at least keep BBB and Petty on their toes after a disappointing fortnight from the pair. Hopefully Turner could provide another option up forward. Sounds like Jefferson is miles away with a 2 kick/0 mark game.