Bring-Back-Powell

Any weekends a good weekend when Geelong get done but at least we could go ahead of Sydney on the ladder if Geelong win, which the should given Sydney’s injuries list.

That was a mostly rushed post on my part to be fair. But I will say this: 1) Had we not sold a game this year and the AFL would stop their fascination with scheduling us down at Hobart every year aside from 2022, we’d have 6 games, which is the same as Collingwood, our direct competitor for this year’s flag. 8 interstate trips is too many IMO and the club needs to seriously look at this, if last weeks flat performance against Essendon is a portent of things to come. So I agree with you that the interstate teams have doubled since 1991 and we should be playing more interstate games, but why are we playing 8 interstate games as opposed to 6 like Collingwood? 2) where in my post did i say the heart and soul can ONLY attend games in Melbourne? I posted that there are less games for Victorian based MFC members to attend games in VIC. Whether they have the time and finances to go to 2-4 interstate games a year is their prerogative.

I’m sure the game goes ahead. Just a bit of hot air from the media.

If the MFC are even half serious about finishing top 4 and ultimately winning a flag this year, we as members should expect the club to decline the offer and associated money attached to a Darwin home game. We play a hard running and disciplined St Kilda at Marvel the following week, and playing in Darwin would be woeful preparation ahead of the game. With that being said, I’m sure this issue will get resolved and the Alice game goes ahead.

Our friends in the west are on track for an 8-15 season which should be around the 12th-14th mark on the ladder. I’ll take a late top 10 pick at worst (after father/sons, academy picks etc…)

They’re playing the worst contested mark in the league as a mainly stay at home forward. That is legit stupid by some highly paid Fremantle people.

So both us and the Dogs cop the Perth-Adelaide double on a 6 day break. One side comes out hungry, focused and wasn’t coming home without the 4 points. The other looked as flat as a pancake.

Freo have Brisbane next week at the Gabba and are staring at 2-5. Can anyone name a club to make the top 8 from 2-5 since 1994, apart from Sydney in 2017?

Freo have been so disappointing tonight. Definitely shades of MFC 2019 whereby they couldn’t handle expectations to back it up after breaking a finals drought.

The Dogs are showing why we should’ve hubbed in Adelaide last week, after round v West Coast. Focussed, determined, hungry, the want to apply defensive pressure. Everything we weren’t against Essendon. For those that don’t know, Dogs elected to fly direct to Perth from Gather round.

Did the Freo faithful just give Jackson the bronx cheers as he took his 11th mark in 6 games?

Good. Move it back to the MCG where we need as much opportunity to prefect our form and game plan prior to finals. We’ve gone from 3 interstate trips in the early 90’s to 8 this year. Our schedule has become way more taxing since we’ve sold home games and more interstate sides have come in, whilst less games to attend for the heart and soul of the membership.

There will be shocks and upsets this weekend. If there wasn't we'd all load up on the punt and get 8/9 winners every week. Wouldn't be shocked if Hawthorn knock off Adelaide. Hawks play their best footy in Launceston and Adelaide have been home for 4 games in a row so will need to adjust to foreign territory. Giants could also knock off Brisbane in Canberra if all goes right for them. North could lift for Goldy?? Not a chance West Coast could upset Port though with their glorified WAFL side.

I noticed Bowey is on the bench. Any chance to be dropped? Despite getting 22 touches, he didn't look invested from a defensive point of view and probably had his career worst performance last week.

Agreed. A good rock solid AFL player that does the fundamentals well. He'd be very frustrated rotating between Casey, starting AFL 22 and sub from week to week. Nailed a very nice sausage on the boundary line last week.

I see Luke Jackson had a good game last week in the the most 'off broadway' of games you could possibly get (GC Suns at Norwood during business hours) Let's see how the contested marking beast goes tonight on the biggest stage of all - Friday night footy!

Surprised if Gawn plays due to the 5 day break that follows. Can only assume they have supreme confidence he can play 2 games within a week.

That is very comforting indeed. Compare that to round 16 - round 23 last year. Travelled 4 times and also one in Geelong.

Merrett’s one week got upheld and will miss Anzac Day.

I thought that too but if St Kilda have a close loss to Carlton, we have a close win over Richmond and Sydney beat Geelong then we only jump to 5th.

That form line tells me that we as supporters have no idea on most occasions (aside from playing bottom 2 teams) which Melbourne FC will turn up on the day since the mid point of last season. Round 2 we were expecting a comprehensive win over Brisbane to avenge the final, only to put in a a shocker before someone turned off the lights. Round 3 the majority of posters here were expecting a loss to Sydney only to put in one of our better performances of the Goodwin era. Round 5 we were expecting a professional win over Essendon.... I hope we sort out our consistency and go on a 5 game professional winning streak including beating Port over there. We play three of the current bottom 4 as well as North over the next 5 weeks.

Maybe Adelaide and Port should both be sent to a non Adelaide Oval venue in the coming gather rounds to slightly mitigate the home ground advantage. I know they won’t do this because money and crowds talk, but it would be fairer for the other clubs.

That’s one way to get Tassie into the league but still retain 18 teams.

Collingwood look off tonight and are missing their ruckman, De Goey and McStay might be out for the game. The scary thing about St Kilda is that they’re not even close to full strength.

Adelaide and Port should be made to play each other from now on in Gather Round. They’re both essentially getting one more home game than the rest. Every game should be neutral.