Dee-tonator

Even Goodwin must surely see that TMac is currently an asset and Lever a liability.

Bowey – solid as usual. McDonald – fully justified selection. McVee – Struggled at times. Turner – becoming defensive kingpin. Lever – slow and ineffective. Langford – another classy display. Lindsay – some neat touches. Rivers – gained good ground. Salem – accurate with disposals. Langdon – did his job. Gawn – outgunned Xerri decisively. Viney – our midfield terrier. Sparrow – good work rate. Tholstrup – contributed very little. Oliver – looking hungry again. Petracca – superb final quarter. Melksham – matchwinning forward craft. Pickett – pace and style. Chandler – useful goal contributions. Fritsch – showed welcome accuracy. Van Rooyen - improved general play. Jefferson – impacted in contests. Windsor – had few opportunities.

6 Melksham – matchwinning forward craft. 5 Gawn – clearly superior to Xerri. 4 Petracca – superb second half. 3 Langford – cool and classy. 2 Pickett – mixed pace and skill. 1 Fritsch – some accurate kicking at last. Just missing out: Oliver and McDonald.

Both teams seem intent on making more mistakes than their opponents. Goal-kicking has, as usual, been atrocious.

Master of the one arm MISSED tackle.

AFL-listed players under-performing all season: Oliver, Petracca, Fritsch. AFL-listed players past their prime: May, Lever, McDonald, Salem, Viney. Younger players struggling at AFL level: Van Rooyen, Windsor, Jefferson, Tholstrup, Sharp. Casey players knocking hard on the selection door: None. In a nutshell, that's why defeat this week, coupled with a St Kilda win, would drop us into the bottom three. The Bombers must be looking forward to this year's draft.

There is a nasty personal edge to some of the attacks on Goodwin that I do not like. Some people are quick to forget that he is our only premiership coach in six decades. And since 2021 we have lost at least four key players who have not been adequately replaced ---- Jackson, Hibberd, ANB and Ben Brown ---- while for various reasons others such as Oliver, Petracca and Salem have declined from stardom to mediocrity. Also, May and Lever no longer form the formidable barrier they once did, with the last two years clearly showing the effects of advancing age. All in all, the list has clearly deteriorated, despite hope that the likes of JVR, Windsor, Lindsay and Langford have plenty of future upside. But with all that said, it may be time for Goodwin and the club to sort out an amicable parting of the ways if possible. All coaching stints eventually come to a natural end through factors such as burnout, lack of flexibility as game plans change, and the need for fresh ideas. So yes, there is a case for saying Goodwin has lost the plot this season and it's time to go. But whenever he does leave, he will go with my thanks and respect for some wonderful memories in 2021.

Our situation highlights the key problem with long-term mega-contracts. For reasons we all know, since 2021 the supercharged Ferrari version of Clarry has been replaced by a Holden Commodore with dodgy steering. He is still a reliable possession winner, but most of the time his aimless kicking hands the ball straight back to the opposition. Given his history of off-field issues, and the fact that he will turn 29 next year, it would be hard to find a club willing to risk a huge financial gamble on him. If it turns out that he does want to leave, the club should just play hardball and refuse to pay any part of a new contract elsewhere. With all that said, I hope he stays and puts in a real effort to regain the form which once earned him the admiration of every Demons supporter.

Umpires, like players, make mistakes. Fans always remember with anger the decisions that go against their team and conveniently forget those that favour their side. It's called human nature.

To sum up our dire selection situation: May on the decline, Lever poor since his return from injury, Fritsch fading fast, JVR and Jefferson below standard, Tholstrup struggling, Petracca and Oliver nowhere near their previous levels, Salem going through the motions, and TMac probably in his final year. And, worst of all, no youngsters at Casey knocking on the door for selection. Right now, who would even want to coach this lot?

Melksham - top class performance. Pickett - flashes of brilliance. The rest - poor and disjointed.

Yes, he accidentally kicked a goal.

I would love to be proved wrong, but it's nearly time to acknowledge that: Drafting Tholstrup was a mistake. Neither JVR nor Jefferson will ever become the dominant key forward we desperately need.

This must be the easiest game Gold Coast have ever had.

Can't blame the forward line today. The ball never even gets to them.

Even b y current Melbourne standards, this has been pathetic.

If we somehow get up and win, there will be some red faces on this thread.

Three things at least are indisputable. (1) Our midfield earns numerous inside-50 entries but many are without value, being aimless high bombs aimed at no one in particular. Chief culprits include Oliver and Viney. No wonder these entries lead to so few goals. (2) Our goalkicking is well below average. We just don't have a high-quality key forward. (3) Our forward line is the most static in the competition, with leads at a minimum. Whether any coach can fix these glaring weaknesses with the present squad is doubtful.

Well, if Max's kicking is truly "ikilling us", he should obviously be dropped. Who in our current squad would you think can do a better all-round job than Max?

"Dragging the anchor" of Max? Can't agree on that one. Any AFL club would be delighted to have Max in their ranks this season. The suggestion that Max "picks and chooses" his games is insulting.

Long bombs galore into a static forward line which has never heard of the word "lead". Petracca and Oliver mere shadows of once-great players. Lever heading downhill at express speed. May humiliated by Georgiades. Kozzy's brilliance negated by Butters cheap shot --- no doubt a sign of things to come. Van Rooyen dropping the simplest of marks in front of goal. Petty looking as dynamic as a sleeping tortoise. The only good news is that even the ultra-stubborn Goodwin must now see that the likes of Sestan, Jefferson and Laurie have to be given game time to see whether they can shape up at AFL level.

6 Gawn - despite his woeful goalkicking . 5 Turner - one of the few to hold his own. 4 Pickett - early flashes of brilliance. 3 Howes - surprisingly composed under pressure. Couldn't even find anyone worth 2 or 1.

May - smashed by Georgiades. Turner - solid under pressure. McVee - struggled to cope. Lever - going downhill fast. Bowey - sound but limited. Howes - not the worst. Rivers - seldom in game. Salem - steady as usual. Gawn - Goal-kicking astray again. Petracca - off the pace. Viney - woeful kicking accuracy. Oliver - effort without skill. Sparrow - outpaced all day. Langford - some good touches. Langton - wasted in role. Pickett - early brilliance faded. Chandler - hardly a sniff. Fritsch - had few chances. Melksham - carried little threat. Van Rooyen - not the answer. Petty - please trade him. Windsor - couldn't find space. Lindsay - little game time.

Not only dead but cremated.

Second best in every aspect of the game. The ease with which Port are attacking down their right flank is embarrassing. Petracca a mere shadow of the player he once was. Slow and ineffective. We have been smashed in marking contests, continually beaten for pace, and lacking any kind of forward craft. It's just about time to give our youngsters a good run and let Salem and a few other veterans head into the sunset.