old55

Agree Gawn changes the whole set-up. I agree and am on record that my biggest concern this year is Brayshaw - we really need another class mid and him therefore to realise his potential, we don't want another Trengove. As you say Weed and Stretch will make it. Kent needs to play team rules. Joel Smith is very exciting. If AVB can get his body right he's a big in. I think Hannan and Wagner can both play and just need more time. It would be handy if Dec Kielty can come on. Players like Harmes, Melksham, ANB, Kennedy, Bugg, Trengove can come in and play a role - with salary cap and list management you can't have 30 champs.

Very disappointing effort early and resulting outcome. But I'm not discouraged in the big picture, we could hardly have played worse and they couldn't have played better and we lost by a kick.

I think Goodwin and the FD are doing a tremendous job and we are clearly improved from last year. We are playing with intensity and attacking, and contrary to popular wisdom, attack wins flags. Selection has favoured the future when there's a choice and if players follow team rules they'll be given an extended opportunity. If not, they're out.

Like VP says. Please tell us the specific KPIs he's been meeting so we can watch for them on Sunday.

They're not playing much youth

Don't over sell it, we're persevering with him to give him a decent run at getting it right. It's true they rate him but he needs to do more.

Changes make sense. Wagner for Melksham. Hogan for ANB. Vince mid-fwd. Same ruck Pedersen/Watts/TMac and defensive set up as last week.

Indeed, "continue to have performances like that then " that's why this is Custer's last stand for this group. Expect a response.

Yes

multi-dimensional?

Melksham is out and Bernie is named in the midfield - I know that doesn't mean he'll play there but he did well there last week. That's 2 out of last week's back 7. Hawks have Roughy, Gunston and O'Brien as tall forwards and Sicily on the extended bench. I think the ruck set-up with TMac in the back half worked well last week, I'll be surprised to see OMac come out. I won't be surprised if it's just In: Hogan Out: Melksham

That Hawthorn side is very strong on paper - I know they are aging but they are very capable of putting together a complete performance - see the West Coast game. After Clarkson talking about 'catastrophic changes" and then not making any this is just about Custer's last stand for this Hawthorn group - they'll be fired up with Cyril and Birchall back and it's the best 22 they can put out there. Plus they will be fired up v Lewis and they will still believe we are brittle. We need to start well and not give them a sniff, once they've been a few goals down their spirit has dissolved, but if they get ahead early - look out. This is a very tough game for us and any type of win will be a great result.

If Tyson is left out of the 22 I'll 100% accept your explanation and eat big humble pie. But I think he will be in and rotate through the midfield.

Rubbish, see above.

Tyson is in the midfield rotation. By definition they can't all be on the ground at once. The named starters are Vince, Viney and Oliver - I'm fine with him not being named ahead of them. What position do you expect to see him named in - fullback?

You mean as used at the Dogs/Beveridge, Hawthorn/Clarkson, Sydney/Roos-Longmire, Geelong/Thompson-Scott, Collingwood/Malthouse, West Coast/Worsfold, Brisbane/Matthews, Essendon/Sheedy, North/Pagan, Adelaide/Blight in every premiership for the last 20+ years? The Head Coach doesn't make selection decisions alone - there IS a selection committee. But the coach is head of that committee. He has to be if he is going to be held accountable.

OMac out means changing the ruck structure that worked so well last week - brave!

Everyone including the coaches will agree that it would be great if TMac could kick more reliably. But people miss the key point - he's doing what the coaches want - playing "fearless footy". Clarkson at Hawthorn is on record saying he wanted players to try to execute difficult kicks and not to worry when they missed, but keep trying. TMac is following team rules. There's a reason Billy Stretch was dropped and he's a much better kick.

Yes agreed he was very good. Two points assisted him there though: using TMac as ruck in the back 50 enabled this Bellchambers is the least fit opponent he'll come up against

Pretty sure he's thinking of Ben Kennedy

Pedersen was tremendous, but it was Bellchambers 1st game for 18+ months - he will be the easiest opponent we see over this next period.

From an purely MFC 2017 perspective - the Suns have the early bye after their China game and then play us coming off a 6 day break in Alice Springs.

Yes two players got 5+1 and one got 3+3 - some combo of Hurley, Watts, Oliver. McDonald and Petracca both 4+0, Tyson and Viney both 2+0.

The AFLCA votes are the most authoritative assessment of who played well. ESSENDON v MELBOURNE 6 Michael Hurley (Ess)6 Clayton Oliver (Melb)6 Jack Watts (Melb)4 Tom McDonald (Melb)4 Christian Petracca (Melb)2 Dom Tyson (Melb)2 Jack Viney (Melb)

That's not what you originally said.