burnthefushias

Melbourne should have focused on young players with potential that were available later in the draft instead of thinking they could bring in guys who struggled to get a game in less talented teams and turn them into something when they were finished products. Especially key position players who sometimes take longer to develop. For example, Josh Treacy was selected in a rookie draft Melbourne passed on. We definitely have some very talented young players coming through, but there are glaring weaknesses in several positions and an overall lack of depth that could take some time to fix.

Thilthorpe is a good example of why some Melbourne fans need to lay off our own young full-forward. Van Rooyen had shown more than Thilthorpe prior to this season and now Thilthorpe has absolutely exploded. It helps being in a good team, and with Melbourne's almost historically bad inside forward 50 efficiency combined with the fact he doesn't have a Tex Walker to learn from or to take attention from defenders, his job isn't an easy one. Not saying there aren't areas he can't improve significantly but he's still only 21 and is being asked a lot of for someone in their 3rd season.

IN: Melbourne's first win of the season OUT: Essendon getting the first pick in the 2025 AFL draft

Those three should be in the centre bounce, Viney should be there for a lot less than half of them, if at all at this point. Oliver is there for his clearance work, Pickett has speed and X factor and Langford for his potential and ball use. Viney simply doesn't have any of those things going for him right now. He's a legend of the club but the coaches aren't doing his longevity any favours by persisting with him in that role.

The one player Goodwin won't give less midfield minutes to is Jack Viney, the guy who is struggling more than anyone else to have any real impact right now. Allowing Geelong to use the short kick from defensive 50, occasionally through the corridor and into the forward line while employing a flimsy zone defense was a baffling decision when that is exactly what they're hoping teams will do. Conversely, Melbourne still just kick it long down the line despite lacking the contested marking as well as the fact the game has completely moved away from that being a successful one wood. Something has to change.

6: Steven May 5: Tom McDonald - 4: Max Gawn 3; Clayton Oliver 2: Christian Petracca 1: Jake Bowey

It does suck to see the team struggling and seemingly unlikely to regain contender status after what many predicted would be a longer premiership window, but at least this team did win a flag. Easy to say it was "only one" but some Melbourne fans had to wait a very long time to see it. There's also quite a few highly regarded young players on the roster, more than you'd normally see for a team two years removed from three consecutive top four finishes, so there are some silver-linings in all of this.

Goodwin's clock is certainly ticking, but the club should be considering hiring a new strength and conditioning coach too. I get that the game is changing, but between the onslaught of injuries and the sharp decline in our contest numbers since 2021, it seems understated how much we miss Burgo.

The only person who thought Viney was going to win the B&F last year was Goodwin. It should have been Gawn by the length of the Flemington straight. Viney almost perfectly encapsulates Melbourne. Repeat contests, effort and emphasis on defense without a plan B, and plan A isn't going to plan right now. I'm not completely writing him off but I do think he should be spending much more time on HF, he's not as clean as he needs to be at ground level, is a liability by foot and is getting burned for speed by some of the younger midfielders in the competition.

My guess is it'll be something along the lines of "learnings, in that space, lost our shape, not where we want to be."

Very slim pickings 6: Langford 5: Bowey 4: Langdon 3: Rivers 2: Gawn 1: Sharp

Well done Langford, he can hold his head high👏

Why is May playing 10 metres ahead of the guy he's 10cm shorter than when he has a strength advantage

Miller having that much space on multiple occasions inside Gold Coasts forward 50 is damning for our midfielders. Zero effort defensively

McClure might be the least reliable source in footy media but it wouldn't surprise me if he's right on this occasion

Spargo is a smart kick and reliable decision maker when he can find space but ultimately, is slow, undersized and regularly seems to lose one on one contests quite convincingly. Pickett and Chandler are ahead of him at this stage and Henderson is giving it a really good shake and deserves to continue the momentum he's built in the last few weeks. Spargo back to Casey, he should have been given several weeks to build some fitness and form before being considered for selection. He was brought in underdone last year and all it did was aggravate his injury. I personally believe that at worst, he is a solid depth player and at best, should remain in the fringes of the best 22 unless he can add another trick to his bag.

Blaming Troy Chaplin for Melbourne's forward line woes when he's been in charge of the most reliable part of Melbourne's game up until this season is pretty harsh. He's the forward line coach this season because he's done a stellar job as a defensive coach in previous seasons. When the midfielders learn to lower their eyes and hit their targets, it'll make everybody else's job easier.

6: Chandler 5: Oliver 4: Salem 3: Lindsay 2: Petracca 1: Henderson