Ron Burgundy

To quell the nerves about tonight's MUST WIN game, I started thinking about the Lamborghini Huracan that we've still got in the garage that is yet to be unleashed. Yep, Christian Petracca - possibly the most exciting talent on our list. In my view, the club has always had next week's game pencilled as Petracca's debut. It's 6 weeks in - enough time to get his fitness level and match conditioning to the right level. It's also a game against the club that should absolutely have picked him with their first draft pick yet, for needs-based reasons, they went for some other dude. We got lucky. Thanks Saints. Nice narrative for his debut. I reckon the club put him into the selection mix this week against Richmond to get him pumped up, knowing full well that Jeffy would play. They did it, not for media reasons, but to get Petracca even more pumped up - he's ready, and everyone knows it, but one week more and he'll be beyond ready. Hence, I suspect they'll unleash the Panther next week against the Saints. Hope they put him on McCartin at the opening bounce. And I hope it'll be on the back of a massive win tonight. Footy's back for this club and its supporters. Finally. It feels good.

Some here have been far more 'patient' with Jack than others. I reckon we got the right bloke at pick 1. Always have. Pity many supporters and the media reached their verdict 1/3 the way into his career. If, and when, I find the link, I'll read what Slobbo has to say on the subject.

I feel nervous. But bloody excited. This game is massive for us. For so many reasons. Dees. Just.

This is a massive game. Feel like I'm watching footy again circa 2000. I. Am. Pumped. As an aside, I hope the Tiges play an underdone Deledio, and Vince and Bugg work him over all night. Relentlessly. He finishes the game with 3 touches, no effective disposals and sits the entire last quarter on the bench because he's sick to death of being tackled as soon as the ball comes within 15 metres of him. Petracca will debut against the Saints. That Panther will likely kick 5 goals and finish the game with 30 disposals, following which he'll give Roos and Goodwin the bird in the box and mouth the words, 'told you so!'. Roos and Goodwin will however just smile, and wink at one another in a way that acknowledges that they've handled this kid perfectly. He'll then go on to win the Rising Star. This club is now a professional outfit.

We need Garlett. He'll give us at least 2 goals for free (i.e. he'll pull them out of thin air, possibly against the run of play, when we most need them). As to Petracca, Roos seems to like naming players from Casey on the extended bench to say, 'you're close'. Another good game from Petracca this week in the VFL and he'll debut against the Saints - probably the game they actually had pencilled in for his debut at the start of the season proper. He'll be raring to go. Might even eat a Saints' midfielder's head on the field before the opening bounce.

And, to think, the NRL Footy Show makes the AFL Footy Show look positively high brow.

It's weird - Garlett is one of my very favourite players, and I had the same thought.

The name Dwayne speaks for itself. Quite frankly, who cares what he thinks. Sorry to all those cool Dwayne's out there by the way, but this particular Dwayne is a [censored]. I don't really care if Jack Watts is best 18 at the Hawks, or even good enough to make their list. Why? Because Jack Watts is a Demon, he's a club man, he's super talented, he's definitely in OUR best 18, and, relevantly, this club is on the right trajectory. It's absolutely on the way up, and Jack will be an integral part of the journey. Keep it up Jack. Eat a bag Dwayne.

I get that. The issue is not whether we make the finals or not - it was Whately's patent condescension of the club in circumstances where any other club having displayed equivalent performances throughout the NAB Challenge and the season proper would simply not have attracted anything like that annoying response (i.e. his response was not linked to performance, it merely illustrated his patronising view of the MFC). And it [censored] me off. For what it's worth, the better view is that we will probably miss the 8 this year. But such a question need not be met with such derision in light of our performances thus far in 2016, especially given that these bozos were talking up the Roos and GWS as potential premiership contenders in the same episode, two clubs that on any construction we've held our own against this year.

And the Kangaroos were bloody lucky to beat us. Yet they're top 4 bound and no one questions that. The Roos kicked 6 goals from free kicks, surrendered a 42 point lead on their home ground (a ground we'd never played on), and they narrowly missed losing the game on the siren by the size of Boomer Harvey's underpants. We did in fact beat GWS. And the scoreboard following the game and the table reflect this. Adopting a substance over form methodology however, I'm prepared to concede 4 points to GWS, if we get 4 points credit for the game against the Roos.

Don't disagree with this but, relevantly, they also posed the question as to whether GWS could WIN the flag. This year. Hardly weak opposition. They've rolled Geelong and Port this year. And yep - we beat them. Fair and square.

These jokers tonight posed the question: "Can Melbourne make the 8 - real or overreaction?" Gerard Whately laughed his head off at the mere suggestion - "steady on! Just steady on!". I normally rate the guy but this really annoyed me. His reaction is plainly based on historical bias rather than a proper assessment of where this club is at and its performances thus far this season. This club has been ahead in every final quarter it has played this year. And in respect of the two games it has lost: - we absolutely deserved to win the game against the Roos, but umpiring, inexperience and bad luck cruelled the end result, and we lost by less than a kick after being 42 points down - both bozos rate the Roos highly, which has to be a relevant consideration as to our performance in that game; and - we did not deserve to beat Essendon, but we should have beaten them despite being pathetic for the entire game and still nearly jagging it. In short, we've not been that far off winning 4 from 4 - that means top of the table. Early days, but yes - top of the table. So why the comedic reaction to the mere suggestion that we COULD POSSIBLY make the 8 based on our performances thus far this season? We've shown a lot more than many better fancied teams to date. Really hope we pump Richmond and the Saints in the next fortnight. Win these games and it simply can't be such a stupid suggestion that we might be in the mix for the 8. C'mon Demons - it's time to prove these journos with their cliched and highly patronising opinions about the club wrong.

About time. Draws suck.

I got it right. Very proud of Jack. And myself.

Don't know who to drop. But Vince and Garlett are automatic ins.

Can't see him leaving. Too many mates, we have the dough and the future looks very bright.

Garlett out absolutely sucks.

I'd love to see Viney crunch that show pony, Jeremy Howe.

In fact, only 2 weeks ago against GWS. The opening round for that club, and ours admittedly, is always a 'statement' game for an emerging list after a long pre-season.

Richmond last year - ANZAC weekend. Massive game, and build up to it, for that club.

Vince out and Sidebottom and Varcoe in ain't great. Feel nervous too.

I love Max.

Mellksham will be a great pick up for us in due course. I'm absolutely certain of it.

Absolutely my favourite non-Demon. And by the length of the straight at Flemington. Hope he makes it back.

Whilst I absolutely hate to see Bernie rubbed, Brayshaw and Garlett are also pretty handy 'ins' for us.