Chook

Longest trip to Perth ever? Miss the Prelim, show up 6 months later at a completely different game.

How's that gonna help the ump who woke up 20km from the ground and has an Eagles jumper in his closet?

Helluva quarter of footy. Blow full time after 3 more like this and I'll be happy, no matter the result. Let's win though hey.

Can we please play a sweeper out the back to capture the grubbers that West Coast are kicking from ruck contests?

Brayshaw is having a mare. Falls straight over trying to pick up the footy.

Clayton Oliver is amazing at delivery inside 50…as long as he handballs it 3 times in the process instead of kicking it.

Rioli runs through ANB's protected zone no worries.

That's how you kick a footy trac. Just do that when you're doing a set shot.

Well it was a nice 6-7 minutes of footy while it lasted… Too bad we forgot to score goals.

How was that. I reckon we had 9 players around the footy and couldn't lock it in. Eagles get it on the outside, kick to Kennedy, goal. Our season in a nutshell. We absolutely need to fix this, and it's a coaching issue.

All that stands between Simon Goodwin and a lot of pee'd off Melbourne fans (me included) is Max Gawn right now. If Max gets torched by the dual rucks of WCE (not for the first time), I'mma have some words let me tell you.

All week I've been reliving the torture that was spending 900 bucks to watch us be destroyed very very far away from home with glory and wonder on the line just a few months ago. And then I remember what this year has delivered and how far our expectations have fallen since then. And then I think to myself…this game is such a free hit. Take it dees, and make the pain go away. Come alive again.

I have a feeling in my bones as well. But you blokes (and my bones) won't fool me. Eagles by 60. Please let my bones (and you blokes) be right.

Unfortunately I predict absolute carnage. I hope we show something and make it close at least. I actually don't think I'm physically ready to see West Coast smash Melbourne again so soon after watching it in person with my hopes so high…

Awesome teams. When do we get to see them play? Oh, never? Guess I don't care then.

I applaud Goodwin for focussing on the things he can do. And right at the top of that list is "Refuse to learn from the biggest learning opportunity Melbourne has had in the past 20 years."

I suggest you move to an area with worse reception.Or better yet, get less friends.

If I recall my last visit to Optus Stadium, that was the only positive that came out of it. $900 to get drunk, get a Max Gawn cookie, and watch the end of what was really a very good thing while it lasted.

If we move Hunt to the backline, I will legit chuck a fit. He is our best forward this year by far.

Confession: I turned the game off in disgust after that last Gold Coast goal with 49 seconds left. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would come back to Demonland 30 minutes later and find out we won. Half an hour after we lost(!), I rewind the game and watch the miracle on grass. Unbelievable. We are fated to make the finals this year. Or not, but that was an incredible 60 seconds of footy to watch all the same.

I like them both. Hore seems like a good fit for our eventual best backline.

Hunt out of full forward looks very very good to me.

Just get good deliverers inside 50 and a proper forward coach to teach effective leading patterns and we'll be fine…well, fine enough to beat GCS.

King suggesting playing Salem in our half-forward line. FFS that is the first smart thing the bloke has ever said.

Structurally we're finally doing what we should be. Playing a bit more conservative because of our terrible defence. Melksham and Hibberd clear #1 and #2 for us so far today.