Its Time for Another

Would love to know what they know that we don't. Goodwin said weeks ago they could see improvement in "meetings". Wonder what that means. Whatever it all is they all seem to be seeing it. I suspect its that we are coming from such a low base, they are finally seeing players who are discussing the game plan in a way that indicates that they actually understand it for the first time since that Freo final in '06 ended any semblance of understanding the game plan.

Truly Ethan Tremblay worthy comment.

The answer is Injuries Injuries and Injuries. There are real positive signs already from NAB games that there is definite improvement in ball movement and game plan knowledge and execution. Our best 22 could do some real damage this year. However, the list is still clearly very light on for depth with talent and experience. We have very few players who can step in and not cause a weakness when anyone in the top 22 drops out. We've already got Petracca affected by injury and not likely to make a debut till probably 6 or so weeks into the season. Dawes, love him or hate him, is still very important to our structure and unfortunately is still evidently our second best tall forward and will be missing for at least the first month. Pedersen is showing in NAB that he goes missing too easily for periods in every game. Frost clearly isn't up to the forward line yet. Brayshaw will be touch and go for round one and will take some time to get back to where he would have been if he hadn't missed a month or more with his knee injury. HL hasn't played yet and will clearly be effected by his late recovery from injury. At his best and injury free I expect him to be top 22. Frost might be fit now but is clearly missing match practice after last year's injury and on basis of NAB performances should probably do at least a month at Casey and hopefully will pick up how to play the game. Trengove is obviously still coming back from injury so anything up to first 6-10 weeks are probably unlikely. But jeez what a lift to the collective MFC psychy of players, staff and supporters if he makes it back to his best in the course of the rest of the season. So I'm not expecting our best 22 to be out there enough this season to give us a Bulldogs surge up the ladder but I am expecting us to play a hell of a lot better footy most of the time. What that means I'm really not sure. We beat Cats at Skilled, Pies Toigs & GWS last year. They will all be better this year. We'll have our work cut out to repeat those wins. I won't be hysterical if we lose to GWS round 1. I expect it and don't think it will be a sign we haven't improved and are going to have a terrible year again. I still think they are ahead of us. If we do beat them, for me, it will be a sign we are ahead of where I thought we might be and will be deliriously happy and believe anything is possible.

Like your work. Have just a couple differences of opinion.

I mad this mistake as well. If you scroll down you will see the 8 on the bench. Alex Neal BullenAaron vandenBerg Jefferey Garlett Jack Grimes Neville Jetta Tomas Bugg Ben Kennedy Matt Jones Dean Terlich James Harmes Josh Wagner

Just look at the photos and the size of their upper bodies. What's your theory? Mine is that the Weid must have very heavy feet cause you sure can't see any weight anywhere else. He's going to be a big boy when/if he fills out. I'm going with "when".

Don't really understand people boycotting this game because of Essendon. If I was in Melbourne I would be making a point of going so I could very loudly let them know what I think of that Club. I would also really really enjoy seeing 1) them getting smashed by us; 2) our boys getting their first back to back wins in quite a few years; 3) the transformed execution of the new game plan; 4) Hoges kicking a big bag. Why wouldn't you go to see that.

Can't help but think that come the end of the year he will be ahead of Dawes and behind Pedersen as a forward, assuming Frosty ends up in the backline. Would have thought Dawesy's got to be looking down the barrel at the end of the year. Would love to be proved wrong and see him have the year we've all been waiting for but I suspect times up.

I thought it was just "The Greatest"

3/3/16 - 30,160 4/3/15 - 27,619 4/3/14 - 28,582 5/3/13- 24,801 WE continue to track about 2,500 ahead of last season. If it stays like that we'll be around 38,500 for the year. Only got about 600 after the great win on Saturday and the fan day straight after on Sunday. I'm guessing a lot of them had already signed up. With a few more good showings pre season and maybe the first two rounds I would expect a bigger increase at the end than just 2,500 more than last year. Be interesting to know how many of the 30,000 are renewals, how many are new and how many haven't renewed yet.

His build and movement reminds me of Darren Jarman. Of course, given he hasn't played a game of Senior footy yet, I can't talk about how he plays, just who he looks like.

I'm calling it. That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever read on here. Read my lips "Will never happen."

Fair enough. And a win's not important in the scheme of things. However, in this case I beg to differ. For this group this win can't be underestimated. What value do you put on "belief". How could they not come away from that game and not be thinking, Jeez this stuff we've worked on for this entire bloody summer works.......and I/we can do it. When do you think the last time was that they came away from the start of the season thinking that. Key Factors for me :- 1. As many others have said "competitiveness". But most importantly competitiveness when they were blown out of the contest and used it to get back in. That's a step up. 2. Fitness = running capacity=running to space to create options. Was expecting to see this from what I'd read coaches etc saying in the pre season but jeez it's a pleasant surprise to have it confirmed. Saw more of this than I have in a very very long time. 3. Injuries. With our best 22 or close to it on the park (surely we area about due), we could do some real damage this season. Everyone else has covered anything I'd have to say about individual players.

29,450 today 26/2/15 - 27,066 26/2/14 - 27,736 So hovering around the same increase on last year. The rate of increase since 17 feb is actually up about 40% on last year which is only a couple of hundred more but still anything is good. Hopefully a big jump after the fan day on Sunday.

Lets see how that translates into action come round1. I'll never ever ever forget watching Neeld's first game against Port. Flew down from Sydney totally pumped under the new "hardest to play against" regime. You could literally see within 5 minutes the collective confidence disappearing like air out of a balloon. I don't trust in pre season anything anymore. Proof will be in the matches. I'm coming down for round 1 again. Hope its not an ongoing exercise in the definition of madness. I expect it not to be but I'm also not entirely mad.

Did Trenners do the full main group session?

What, for someone to climb on. Jeffy might agree with you.

There is a Misson video on the website updating injuries etc. Petracca rejoining main group next week but will need a few weeks of full training before playing. Didn't put a specific time on it. HL and Max King will be ready to play by the 3rd NAB game. Jones had a knock on his knee a few weeks ago but is pretty right now. Won't play this weekend. Trenners is going well. He did 2/3rds of last training session but will still need to build up to full sessions and then a month of full sessions before being ready to play. Didnt' put a time line on that but my guess given his rate of improvement is it looks like maybe 5-6 weeks. Dawes 4th calf in a year. Going to take much longer on this to try to make sure he is right for the full season. No time line.

The rate Cripps is growing he'll be playing ruck by then and Hoges can stay in the goal square.

Just smiled at the thought of Clarry deciding to get on here and have a quick look at what Demonlander's are saying about him and his response. WTF!!!!

I'm also in there when I get down there. Sense of humour?

AFL Tonight looks like it's got a good line up. Might finally get some decent footy news out of Fox Footy now.

Would have thought you'd need to add Hunt onto the at risk list. If he doesn't show he has what it takes this year I would have thought his papers will be stamped as well. I also would have thought Pedersen would have to be pretty bad this year not to get another contract. He was showing good form last year before he did his wrist and without him we'll be very bare for talls for the next few years.

I remember this well. Funnily enough if you watch it to the end you will see that in the same passage of play the player he rag dolls (no.56) gets up runs on and finishes off the play by kicking the goal.

It's hard to understand how this show is the premier AFL show for Fox Sports who have poured so much money into getting the tv rights. Don't mind Whateley although he has the personality of a wet rag. Robinson, seriously is just an idiot. I really have no interest in anything he has to say. Like others mind blown that out of 760 odd players you would pick a player who is serving a suspension for drug cheating. Pick a player, any player from 17 teams other than someone from that Club. Blows my mind. Doesn't really effect me as other than watching Roosy I don't watch that show anymore anyway. I'd rather read this site.