Chook

Jeez. Perfect quarter basically except for Max letting that centre clearance be taken away by his opposing ruck for a clean entry to de Koning. Spargo really lively.

Disappointing to allow a quick entry out of the centre after Carlton score a goal. Gawn has to lock that in there.

Interesting strategy to give Max a rest - no ruck at all.

Just as good as last week imo, but it's the ball movement getting it in there quicker that is creating these scoring opportunities. Tomlinson huge defensively covering for the aggressive ball movement.

Is there any doubt anymore that Tomlinson is in our best defensive setup? Hope Goody can see it.

That Tomlinson kick to the pack would 100% have been marked by Moore last week. Instead they spoiled each other. Carlton's ability to handle our forward dominance will be heavily tested. 2 goals up early. The start we would have dreamed of.

Ball movement is so so so much better this week.

Salem starting well.

Kosi you [censored]...

This is positive. Viney, Langdon, Lever all involved early. Tomlinson providing a lot of stability. Good start Dees.

I would actually be tickled pink to see the Maynard incident repeat tonight or tomorrow night and see the AFL squirm in the bed they've made. I don't wish injury on anyone but I do wish great misfortune on the AFL.

Can't we take Curnow out? Why do other clubs get to smash our players but we can't "smother" or "knee" theirs?

Where else would you expect a sub to come from? Williamstown?

Makes sense. He's our most versatile remaining player. Better sub than Laurie honestly.

It certainly would be embarrassing, even with the injury reasons. You can smell the whole AFL world wants it to happen as well. The days of pity for the MFC are long gone. We are now hated, and they want us to fail. I suppose that's progress?

He looks like one of those stink flowers that start off pleasant enough only to "blossom" 7 years later into a horrible visage of rotting cow meat and carrion fowl.

Weird they couldn't get Gary Lyon and Daisy Pearce.

Is your kid aware of the infinitely better sequel? I just about died of laughter as a young fella watching the trap scenes in that one.

What a blessed life - green grass to eat, strong legs to stride upon, and no idea about the MFC.

I'm at home tonight as I've come down with a cold and my voice is shot unfortunately. With nothing better to do I've looked at last week's performance from every player and put a rough percentage of improvement we can expect from each (and in a few cases lower performance), and it looks pretty positive. Given we dominated much of the game but couldn't get over the line, the amount of growth in the group looks like we should be able to get the job done. From my very unscientific analysis, the players we're most dependent on improving their performance from last week are Viney, Langdon, Pickett, Lever, and Fritsch. I've got Gawn and Spargo as downgrades from last week's performance (Spargo for van Rooyen, and although I don't rate van Rooyen's game from last week at least he has some height). Will be nice to have James Jordon for the full game as well, a massive improvement on Angus Brayshaw who decided to take a nap after the first ten minutes and gave us nothing (sorry, bad joke).

Um…please win?

This. Hibberd is incredibly close to the end and simply can't back up multiple weeks in a row even though he is still good enough when he can get up for the game.

I think supporters are tired. We want to win so bad and it hasn't gone to plan so far. It didn't go to plan last year either. It went to plan the year before that but I for one sort of feel like the AFL world doesn't care because it was a COVID year. In times like these we look to the club itself to see how to act and feel as supporters, because the club drives the culture of the supporter base and the onfield results are the impetus for everything else that happens. Let me bring up what Simon Goodwin has said just yesterday in his press conference. It's the best answer we can get prior to Friday night: "Now there's a vibrancy that's really permeating through our building about what's in front of us and the opportunity that sits there. So I know there's a lot of noise on the outside about incidents and performance and anxiety and you know the what ifs. We're not in that space we're in the space of positivity, opportunity and looking about what's possible and that's exciting for us internally." It remains to be seen what happens on Friday night but excitement and positivity is something that has been missing from Melbourne hearts for a long time. We captured that feeling briefly and are losing it now after some challenges. It happens and we're very used to it. So let's recapture it. The players will help. They're really the only ones who matter here. Imagine 20 points up in the 3rd quarter on Friday. I'll be excited as I'm sure you will too. Only the players can bring us that feeling, and we'll need to ride the wave again when it comes.

I can see that perspective but I'm not buying into it. It's a weak loser mentality and I've got no interest in it.

This isn't about MFC. Aside from weakening Collingwood this means nothing to Melbourne directly. All it does is bare the AFL's priorities for those who were still unsure. This case will come back to bite the league though I think in coming years.