Skuit

Another question: At half-time against Port, the commentators were banging on about how the Port players were up and about in the change-rooms and brimming with confidence - even though they had absolutely no right to be. Throw back to 2016 vs. Port: Melbourne go 43 points up near the 18-minute mark of the second quarter, while Port have managed only the single goal, the first of the game. Are teams aware of our inability to put the contest beyond reach?

I was thinking at least 80 points, but I assume you've factored Watts being able to hold onto a mark into your final equation.

Jeepers. Half you folk are in need of some counseling or a quiet session with Tammy Roos. Developing maturity, building tanks, our manic game-plan, and, left-field - a high level of discipline - are all interesting responses to what wasn't a complaint but an examination of where we might still be lacking. From my perspective, we tend to get out to a big lead quite often and then start fiddling around with it a bit, which allows the opposition an opportunity to put pressure back in our direction and brings them into the game. I don't know why this is. Maybe we run out of legs a fraction from the manic approach and don't spread as well? Or perhaps we just don't know what to do when the opposition gives up and allows us so many free options?

MFCSSFCS

There are of course fluctuations in games, and ‘putting the cue in the rack’ to conserve energy or guard against injuries, but we just can’t seem to put our foot on the throat of the opposition when they’re down – a mark of a ruthless, champion team, and so important as to % with the competition evening out. And junk-time goals against are a serious %-killer. We also seem to have some strange 40-point barrier, and I know this well, as the only time I ever really have a flutter is when I have a sense we might unexpectedly dominate and take the big-odds 39+ option (it’s been killing me, although we got across the magical line against Adelaide with a last-minute goal to Kent). The past two seasons; lead progression points and final margins (I’ve left out 2015 but it’s a similar pattern in our wins). Outside of these matches, we only capitalised against GC and Brisbane to record larger winning margins, while the Bulldogs this season was a reasonable example of cue in the rack. 2017 Port 20.46 2nd – 43 / Final – 23 Western 25.24 2nd – 40 / 32.29 3rd – 50 / Final – 57 Gold Coast 18.37 4th – 34 / 25.22 4th – 41 / Final – 35 Adelaide 6.56 4th – 39 / Final – 41 Essendon 3.59 4th – 45 / Final – 38 Saints 8.33 3rd – 34 / 8.08 4th – 42 / Final – 30 2016 Port 17.53 2nd – 43 / Final – 40 Freo 16.20 2nd – 43 / 12.47 3rd – 50 / Final – 32 Collingwood 20.55 4th – 55 / Final – 46 Richmond 30.34 4th – 39 / Final – 33 Collingwood 10.26 2nd – 42 / 18.22 3rd – 39 / Final – 35

Excuse my language, but that umpire Nicholls is a [censored] [censored] camel [censored] [censored] stain

Maybe he and Watts snuck in a few celebratory tequilas before the game? Jack certainly played as if he were drunk.

Thought that was a big ol' blunt in the birthday-boy's hand there for a brief second.

That's a rather bleak prognostic. First Elimination Final 2017 Richmond 4,000,000 8 24,000,008 Melbourne 26 12 168

Yes, because I'm sure if I don't put 'Tram 74' in quote marks people with will think I'm responding to Saty.

rjay - your use of quotation marks for usernames read like scare-quotes and blanket everything in a strange suspicious tone, like you don't trust that ignition's name is really ignition and you want to convey that you're not fooled by the deception.

He is the white stick.

I'm certain it's to do with his vision and depth perception. Needs corrective lenses. OPSMac.

And Omac is a phonic crumbler. Footsteps and his composure goes to pieces.

Same as Oscar, right? Edit: I'm still in your camp re. Oscar.

And still trying to work out in what possible professional capacity you could be attending TAC matches and still be free to criticise MFC players online and share your insights on potential recruitees. Whatever it is, godspeed, and I think I want that job . . .

I had to double-check you hadn't misspelled Petracca on this description. Could ex-ball players Petrucelle and Petracca come together to perfect the 'petra-dish' (TM) in the MFC forward line? Need to get Bugg in that mix as well. Apologies - I'm avoiding a work assignment. Please carry on with your adult discussions.

I'm a fan but seriously, talking of trading a player is not highly disrespectful. Indeed, his name was raised as having some genuine trade value - i.e. he was respected as a player. Todd Viney and Jason Taylor must be some nasty pieces of work.

Jake's girlfriend is a private-school teacher, right? Surely the esteemed MFC is far better placed to cough cough help her with potential employment opportunities than those ferals out West?

We need to retain ANB to satisfy the Bulldogs in a trade for Bontempelli next year.

Packaging up Stretch, Kent and JKH of course.

After doing this armchair-expert caper for while you begin to get a pretty good sense of who is leaving and staying through the media comments. This is a tough one, but I think there are some hints he's on the move. My guess; Adelaide are trying to sweet-talk him for taking unders or current market, 'we will negotiate the appropriate deal', to reserve some cash for a potential post-season midfield splash if something pops up. My opinion: forget the sweet-talk, and send Jake King 'round to get him to the Dees on the coin he deserves. Strategically, my tune is also changing, and I would be prepared for us now to sell a chunk of the farm for a couple of key acquisitions, namely Lever and Kelly (the latter with a sub-committee set-up to attract him for slight unders against success , camaraderie and culture as to what's been reported offered from North et al.). We need to guarantee tangible success now (as best we can) for the general sustained-success group-wage-reduction plan to come to fruition, and we only have a short window before GWS own the comp - to first achieve success, and to construct an actively competitive list thereafter. I now don't think that a couple of wage outliers will spoil the broth if signed to four/five year big-bucks contracts now, (with a lot of our key keys not coming up again until 2019/20). And if we lose some decent talent looking for dollars along the way, we will be duly compensated, and still better off to cover it with KPs Lever and Kelly in place.

Is it wrong to 'like' this? Just a little bit? What the heck.

The take-home message - we're ahead of where we were at at the same stage in 1998 & 2000. My favourite seasons. Started our run a little earlier this year though - but not too early a la our fizzle-outs in the mid-naughties.

Port at the G' before our top of the table clash with GWS