old55

It takes some good fortune to win the flag. We have a competitive team, but things need to line up and it's possible from year to year that this doesn't happen. I think we are well placed at this time, this year. There's every chance we finish 4th and get an early crack at Collingwood in the QF, a win would clear a path to the flag, all at the MCG. If we can avoid further injuries to star players and get Oliver and Fritsch back before finals, then our squad will be in good shape with a lot of depth and flexibility across all lines - forced by the injuries that we have had. I think we've got at least 30 players who would not be out of place on the premiership dais and that is a big number. I think the opportunity is aligning, whether we are good enough to seize it will be the question. We're up against some formidable opponents in Collingwood, Port, Brisbane and Geelong who all have strong claims.

One possible differentiator for him is that he is left-sided, but on the other hand he looks very left-sided ...

They should have the Brownlow in the bye week they could do it on Friday night.

Speculation or source? He's contracted for 2024 so needs a trade.

A lot of alpha-male sports media jocks projecting their views onto Brodie - I don't think he's like them.

Wait - what? Make up your mind ...

That seals it then, Brodie back for the remainder of the season and will see out his contract at MFC!

5 finals wins in a row for a flag from 7th to 10th - why even bother? 4 wins is next to impossible now.

So umpiring positioning and decision making is not a skill? What is it then? If you want to try to split hairs and say that decision making is different from a physical skill, then I respond with it's clear that players regularly make decisions making errors too. "Why didn't he kick it to Kossie open at the top of the square?" "Why did Fritsch take the shot instead of handball?" We've all heard it a million times here. Players and umpires make some errors under pressure.

We were lucky to beat them on ANZAC eve - straight kicking won that night. Lynch out is a big help.

Yes Brisbane to win and so a crack at the Pies in the QF giving us the opportunity to play the PF at the MCG too.

I think having Adelaide straight after Brisbane is good, two of the highest scoring, attacking teams. Hopefully we can take "learnings" from Q2 & 3 vs Brisbane.

Sydney's song is great "bring down the thunder ..." North's is very ordinary, especially the "out they come" prelude.

I think there was a instance of an umpire leaking Brownlow info Macca. But they're only human and mistakes will happen.

How about players' inconsistencies? Missing set shots from 25m out, dropped marks, fumbles, missed tackles? Umpiring errors do happen but they can't be perfect either.

I agree, AFL umpiring is very difficult and the umpires generally do a good job. They make some inevitable errors but much less than players do.

I can't see a premiership where Max has to shoulder primary ruck duties for 9-10 more games. Sure he was great on Friday night but that's because he's been rested. Brodie will be back.

The AFL have said the Tasmanian team must be competitive year one, they'll make sure they go back to Tassie year one 2028, year 5 with us, just when we've done all the development.

I think we're not in an ideal situation, we need Brodie for a proper chop out for Max so he can deliver excellence, but it's true that as @rpfc says, forward craft is an art and Brodie (or Max) is not going to learn what BBB knows about it in 3 weeks. The fact that BBB is past his prime and TMac is injured, closes the difference between them and Brodie forward. It's a compromise either way, but I think we're better with a firing Maxy at the pointy end. Having Brodie will also help JVR because he won't have to ruck and therefore can be fresher and add more forward.

I think with where our list is at and the likely early picks we get from Freo this year it would NOT be a good idea to target the Tasmanians, however talented. We'll need already established young stars to replace Petracca (who will be 32) and Oliver (who will turn 31) in 2028, not more fresh draftees in the 2027 crop. It'd be like 2019 draftees, like Serong, Anderson, Tom Green or Kossie, leaving at the end of this year just when they're really reaching their potential. We'll need players like that already primed to take over from Trac and Oliver if we want to continue at the top.

I love it!

Yes great in theory, but the big problem is that Max himself has declared that the Gawndy project has to work. He said exactly that in his post match with Abbie Holmes. He was a key driver of Brodie's acquisition. Max can't shoulder primary ruck duties week in - week out any more. The reason he was able to dominate against Brisbane is because Brodie has been giving him relief over the season. There's 9 or 10 more games to go, Max needs Brodie to play. I think the FD probably think that the Max, BBB and Brodie combination too easily exposed at ground level defensively, especially with Melky in Fritsch's role and Kossie playing higher, which he did effectively against Brisbane. The probable preferred solution is Brodie for BBB while retaining JVR. Brodie needs to be able to provide what BBB currently does in the air, he'll be better than BBB at ground level.

"12 goal loss"?

Melksham plays a very difficult role. If he didn't go missing occasionally he'd be Toby Greene and lauded for his incredible skills.

Expected Score @WheeloRatings or have I missed it embedded in there again? I suspect we lost on that?