old55

The last two weeks we have scored 16.27 to 17.19 from 112 to 105 i50s - we have got to get better in this area and B.Brown can make a difference there. The major change we need to make is improve centre clearance - whether this is personnel or set-up or both, I'm not sure. But we won't win the flag if the ball starts in our D50 after a majority of centre bounces. We should be better with Gawn, Oliver, Petracca, Viney, Harmes etc available. The challenge is there for Goodwin and Yze ...

No. West Coast and Richmond on the other hand ...

It was a very disappointing loss and we've burnt any buffer we had for top 2 and even top 4. We definitely stepped up in the second half - we were down 60-69 in contested at half time and finished 138-131 so went 78-62 in the second half and were down something like 24-31 inside 50s at half time and finished 56-55 so went 32-24 in the second half. But the real problem is we were under water in clearances at half-time and went further south finishing 24-39 and 6-11 for centre clearances. We burnt a lot of opportunities in the last quarter and a tall marking target in BB would definitely have helped. TMac got up the ground and marked well and Fritsch was great in the aerial contest forward, but Max and LJ didn't really offer anything when down there. But I never thought we would win because even if we converted one of those relatively straightforward chances in the last quarter, the ball was going back to the middle and 2 times out of 3 it was going straight into the Giants forward 50. I've heard some arguments about quality of our clearance vs poor quality opposition clearances - but for a team that plays "territory football" we just cannot afford to be smashed in the centre clearance like that with 6-6-6. Sure GWS have a strong midfield but so do Port and the Dogs coming up. Seriously - the back 7 should sue the midfield for the pressure they put on them - Captain and VC in there.

Only Gold Coast and Adelaide are putting out younger teams than us this round.

Agree - absolutely love the GWS song.

Cmon Suns - one goal

Dropping Fritsch is a long bow - but he's not in your best forward line set-up. OK ...

I hardly ever bet but I do keep an eye out for enticing odds. I got LJ at $26 at the start of the year when Rowell was at some stupid short price and it was daylight to the next batch. Early payout @ $7.50 now - I'm going to hang in. I think Luke's best is yet to come. Should have eaten my own Pollyanna dog food and gone LJ into Demon's flag at something like $600 if it was allowed ...

I think Fritsch is like Melksham and he's playing the medium deep-forward role Melksham played late in 2018 with TMac and Weid as key forwards. But I think we changed our structure to be more defensively oriented now. We played Melksham in a forward-mid role rather than deep forward earlier in the year, but he and Jones have been essentially been replaced by Harmes and Sparrow. I think it's possible the FD might rate Fritsch for this role up the ground, particularly like Melksham - the strength of their delivery inside 50. I could see a scenario where it's BB directly for Fritsch but it would also be possible that it's BB for Fritsch who moves upfield and one of Harmes or Sparrow goes out. What I don't see its BB, TMac, Fritsch in his current role and one less mid-forward. Or maybe they'll give the current personnel another week - but Fritsch would need to deliver. Interesting times ...

It's not dislike of Fritsch at all, he's a talented player who has been important in wins this year. But if you want Brown in someone has to give and I think Brown for Fritsch and retain Sparrow is the preferable outcome. It's really Fritsch vs Sparrow. I think we need the midfield and forward pressure.

But that hurts our ability to run to defend and hurts our defensive abilty inside 50. Brown for Fritsch increases our contested marking capability inside 50 (Fritsch has 6 total for the season) and doesn't reduce our defensive capability. Sparrow was good against Essendon.

Is that similar to your predictions that Goodwin will be sacked by round 8 and Essendon will beat us by 37 points?

Sounds a bit like B.Brown's first year with us is a bit like S.May's

Brisbane and the Dogs just had glamour wins against apparent contenders - it's no surprise they're flavour of the month.

The weather looks poor on Saturday. Definitely not time for a tall in for a small out. Could well be no change.

Essendon - roadkill in the MFC 2021 rear vision mirror now.

How about Nev's goal and the players getting around him!

Look I wouldn't be pumping that up too much - it was against us and 8th vs 5th

Agree and we've effectively got an 9 week finals campaign starting with the R20 clash vs the Dogs (Dogs, Eagles, Crows, Cats, bye, finals) so we've got just 4 weeks to get set.

The stoner is right - $2 is even money

Titus https://www.titusoreily.com/afl/the-monday-knee-jerk-reaction-afl-round-fifteen2021 Essendon (57) v Umpires (68) The Bombers were cruising towards an enormous victory in this one, until the AFL hierarchy, who have been long involved in a conspiracy to destroy the Essendon Football Club, told the umpires to make sure Melbourne won.

Jones was great in that game but he's not going to play that role of #1 on-baller for MFC

It's B.Brown for Fritsch for me. I think Fritsch is a dangerous player who uses his smarts to get free, I also think he can play a negating role on medium intercept marking backs which is very valuable. He's a good player who has been key in some of our wins this year. But I think we need a contested marking target in our forward structure and something has to give. I don't want to go with one less mid to accommodate an extra tall. In the last quarter whenever Essendon had the ball on the back 50 I saw 4 MFC jumpers along the line of the centre square guarding the corridor and forcing them down the line. I think in the end that's why we won. That takes discipline and great running and I think we need the critical mass of mids to achieve it. Sparrow played limited minutes but had high impact for that time - he was involved in some great handball chains, tackles strongly and kicked a clutch goal - he stays in for me. Big finals are won in the contest - B.Brown offers more aerial contest deep inside 50 than Fritsch. They both have similar defensive profiles when the ball hits the ground and I think we can only afford one of that type. Fritsch would need to consistently kick more goals than B.Brown to make up for the lack of aerial contest and I don't think he can.

Did everything necessary today to keep his name in lights.

Well I think the player most likely to be out for a tall would have been Tom Sparrow and although he played limited 50% gametime I though he was very good and earned his keep. He seems to be getting up to the speed of the game and was very clean in some handball chains, laid 5 tackles and kicked an important goal.