old55

Is that you Donald?

Cats are looking good on the field and in the stats. They were still a hard-to-believe $11 for the flag after smashing the Saints, they've come in from that after bashing PA. I'd like to get them in a final though, I think we scare them.

OK, I think you're ready to take off the training wheels now Ethan and make a try at conditional logic. If Nathan Jones is in MFC best 22 And MFC Best 22 is playing against Footscray this week Then Nathan Jones is playing against Footscray this week Give it a try

Quotes please.

All the finals would need to be there then. As I think you mentioned - they'd need the pre-finals bye to overcome 2 week quarantine and then play 4 finals at Optus Stadiums in the first week, that would be very tight to schedule. They couldn't play those finals without crowds so that probably means all the finalists would need to fly out on Sunday of Round 18. I can't see it happening.

Absolutely no-one has said that.

I think the Prelims are likely to be at the higher finishing sides home ground if that's Brisbane and Port. I don't think the AFL will get to go back to WA after the Swans episode and McGowan's reaction. The Eagles are nowhere near as good away from there.

Sweet, on debut and from the SANFL - might be indeed I hope English is out and we don't take any risks with Max.

It's easier said than done but if we beat the Dogs and GWS in 8 point games then we will probably only need one more win to make it. Huge game this week - win and the road gets clearer.

Look we played down on their fortunes Adelaide, North and Collingwood in the last 3 weeks but Nathan would have lost to them all plenty in his career so there would be some sweetness.

Or 300 on the Premiership dais. Imagine if we made this year's GF in Nathan Jones 300th game and won - there would be some poetic justice there. I think that would cure MFCSS forever

Apart from one handball direct to the opposition on the back 50 at the end of the game he played well against Collingwood. Laid a couple of bone crunching tackles too which hasn't been his forte. I thought he was fine against North too. Definitely earning his spot for me.

If English doesn't get up they'd have to ruck 22yo Jordan Sweet on debut unless they went with Jackson Trengove who is not playing and is not injured AFAIK.

@Engorged Onion provided great insights to why Bennell is struggling to play an inside game. He has come back from a super long out and he realises his football and family future depend on him staying healthy and making it. I hope our team psychologist is working with him to help him get over that enormous step - he needs to come to understand that won't make it until he can commit his body to the line of the ball. It's not going to be easy for him. I hope it's soon, like I posted in the post-game thread - Kossie is running around like a 6yo with too much red cordial on board.

It's definitely in our hands.

You would have been at the head of the list whingeing that "in typical MFC style we're gifting games to players who don't deserve them". Weid is hitting the contest hard and yes he needed to demonstrate that at training to be selected. AVB sets the standard for the contest, playing on twice with a fractured face, courageously going for the high ball in the Mihocek incident and the back with the flight into Weid and Moore coming at 100mph. You'd also be at the head of the whingeing about MFC players not putting their bodies on the line. As @Whispering_Jack posted - we are 5 from 5 with AVB in the side. I realise you seriously think we are only winning now because Goodwin has finally taken your sage advice ...

It's not easy to create these metrics but there's a problem with your scoring when Weid scores so low. He was instrumental in that big win, taking big marks and kicking important goals early and flying courageously in the pack to even the contest against multiple opponents all night. It's very difficult to score those moments but they are absolutely critical. Similarly with VDB, it's impossible to empirically value his pack crashing defensive effort that knocked out Mihocek or when he went back with the flight into Weid and Moore, but they are inspirational and set the standard.

He's being paid handsomely to be an expert commentator and you're OK that he carries on like the biggest nuff-nuffs in the "is Goodwin the right guy" thread?

No he should back us instead of doubting us. He's a total pain.

I love him but Pickett ran around like a 6yo who had too much red cordial.

Goodwin!

I thought Jones was OK against North. Used it well and a couple of goal assists.

I expect us to win and will be disappointed if we don't. Surprising that the bookies have the Pies as clear favourites. Gawn is a very big out and add to that Jackson, but we've got solid depth with Preuss and TMac. Apart from that we're best 22. Collingwood have some very good ins but they overall have bigger outs IMO - Howe, Treloar and JDG are guns, and Stephenson, Roughead, Mayne and Sier are decent outs too, even if some are dropped, they can play in good form. Off 4 days break too. Collingwood play a strong system similar to ours and the bigger Gabba ground suits us less. Nevertheless, I think we win.

It's Lulie Street - know the enemy and get it right.

Great to see the AFL has scheduled the QBW match up at 5:10pm on Saturday while the blockbuster Freo vs Carlton game follows in prime time of 8:10!