Vipercrunch

13 minutes ago, Demons11 said:

Langdon just lit a fire under this one 

Great promotional work by Lingers. 

2 minutes ago, Demonland said:

 

It's like they're preparing Melbourne supporters for his selection as a tall forward this week or next....

4 hours ago, von said:

I wonder if players truly understand what is happening with their training programs and why. Players don’t need to understand the science they just need to turn up and complete the prescribed program. The way some players in the media talk it seems as though they don’t. I think this is also a generational thing. Training has changed a lot over the years I assume. From a mental standpoint I can see how players may be coached to work on mental application and preparation with the coaches adjusting their expectations depending on where they are in their training schedules. If players knew they were expected to perform at a lower level would that affect them on game day?

I’ve been pondering exactly this. You’ve put it with much more clarity than I could have. 

Absolutely horrific while also being mind-numbingly stupid. The Australia Army walked away from this sort of nonsense decades ago for regulars. If I was a Adelaide supporter hearing this stuff, I would walk away from them forever. 

25 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I wonder if B Brown comes back in for someone other than Weideman? We won a Premiership with two KPFs plus two ruckmen and it may be that the Match Committee wants to get back to that structure again. For that to happen, though, a smaller forward needs to miss out and that might mean Melksham is omitted after having probably played his best game in a couple of seasons. 

It's a very interesting situation and without 2 fit and in-form big forwards, we may not find out what the coaches preferred forward balancee is.  I don't mind the current balance, but it certainly worked well with two talls last year.

1 hour ago, qazwsx said:

The extra preseason needed to win an AFL premiership: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/the-extra-preseason-needed-to-win-an-afl-premiership/news-story/387b8adb9ca703a89701cf7e0569994f

Some snippets:

• We were gluttons for punishment. We did an extra “pre-season” from Round 16 in 2007 - a preseason to get us ready for the finals.
• It was a pretty big ask when the idea was first raised. We had a new fitness and conditioning guy, and the idea was to split us up into three groups. Each group would rotate through a light week, medium week and heavy week...those in the light group needed to carry us on game day...
• They split it up so there were people from all different positions on the field in each group. We didn’t want to have all our forwards so tired they couldn’t sprint when it mattered.
• It was a big call to put us through that in the middle of the season, but in 2007 we were playing well, it gave us the confidence to do it. If we had lost a few of the games leading up to the finals we would still be at the top of the ladder, so there was less pressure.
• That extra preseason lasted only about six weeks...but the huge effort paid off. We were fitter than we had ever been come finals. And on that last Saturday in September we finally lifted the premiership cup.

- Cameron Mooney

I wonder if anyone in the media will make the link to the contents of this article and Melbourne's (and others) midseason form slumps in premiership years.  I won't be holding my breath.

Edit: Just saw the date of the article - 19/04/2022.  Obviously had very little traction or care factor in the wider AFL media.

2 minutes ago, kev martin said:

He also appears very much lighter. Whether it is muscle mass, or just an illusion I couldn't tell.

If he has dropped some weight, it could make it easier and perhaps quicker to rehab.

He is a focused individual and I wouldn't put it past him to have a chance at being ready. 

Very true. He’s made many of us eat our words before so could very well do it again. 

8 minutes ago, IRW said:

Past history tells us that TMac doesn't carry injuries well and takes multiples of games to hit his straps when he does come back. 

I am a fan but wouldn't expect to see him again this year

I’m of the same view unless he gets up for the VFL scratch game that Goodwin mentioned was going to occur the weekend before finals start and plays well. If not I think it’s too risky to bring him in for a PF or GF. 

41 minutes ago, speed demon said:

 

Alas, sophisticated analysis and interpretation would make for dry media content (though the Mongrel Punt shows it's possible) . So, content makers proceed with the maxim "enrage to engage"!    

I thought that was the case until I read in their article from Fridays game this beauty - "I'd argue that Melbourne simply wanted this one more."

3 hours ago, JimmyGadson said:

Man. 

The legs this tosh has been given is too much to bare. 

I listened to crunch time on Saturday where Leon Cameron was part of the panel. Not once was there mention of bouncing after going through a heavy loading period from him. 

And he spoke to why we were able to respond. 

What I can't understand is why not one ex-player or ex-coach ever talks about it. And the conclusion I've come to is because IT'S SIMPLY OVERBLOWN

Perhaps there are minimal gains. 

But the way posters are going on about it in this thread is face-palm worthy. 

As I've asked before, if you or others have a better explanation for the unique shape of Melbournes 2021 season (9W's followed by a 9 game stretch of 4W-1D-4L, then 7W straight), as well as how closely their 2022 season mirrors 2021 so far, than what loading provides, I and I'm sure others, are ready to consider it.  None of the other vocal doubters have so far even attempted an explanation.

19 minutes ago, rpfc said:

Don’t want to be too negative, Jaded. ANB has things to do to release Petracca. I would put Melksham on Daicos and as for Moore, can we just not kick it down his throat?

I 'd prefer to deliberately sit it on Moore's head and let Kozzy, Melksham and anyone else that wants a turn crash into his back and take a few screamers.

3 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

Interesting that you note that Joel Smith played as a forward rather than the usual back. Were you at the game @Vipercrunch? Overall how was Joel's impact?

I only watched the stream on the AFL site.  As far as I could tell he played forward all day.  A little rusty early but got involved well as it went on.  Flew for a few marks but I don't think he dragged any down.  He would be behind Tomlinson and Turner for a gig in the seniors down back, so playing him forward to see how he goes makes sense.  No VFL this week and I think needs another game there before being considered, but maybe he finds enough form at in the scratch matches.  Just an option right now.

I'm quite confident JVR will be our number 1 or 2 tall forward in 2023, but also believe he is a preseason away from being ready to regularly do the 2 things the MFC demand from our tall forwards at AFL level.  The MFC require them to have the aerobic fitness to get up to the wings and even half back to contest before rushing forward post turnover, and that they have the talent/technique/strength/competiveness to not be outmarked.  I don't think JVR yet has the fitness required to do the first, and although he has talent and competiveness in spades, he still doen't have the strength or technique for the second.  At least twice yesterday at VFL level, he gave away free kicks in marking contests and he was also outmarked a few times.

I think for those reasons, although he isn't pleasing anyone outside the four walls of the club, Weids is ahead of him and also why I think Joel Smith played forward for Casey yesterday.  Ideally we have a fit and in form BBB and TMac for the finals, but I think Weids and J Smith are the coaches preference ahead of JVR while those two are absent.

JVR will be a star for us, but I think we're going to have to be patient to see it in the seniors.

9 minutes ago, COOLX said:

Those who saw the match where did Joel Smith play ?  How did Howes go ?

Joel Smith played forward.  He didn’t especially stand out but after such a long lay off and playing forward for the first time since (as a guess) late 2018, I doubt much was expected of him.  Possibly the coaches are considering him as a forward option in the seniors if required.  Right now, he’d be behind Tomlinson and Turner for a big back position.

Didn’t see much of Howes unfortunately.

Unreal goal by Fogarty. He’s finally fulfilling his potential. 

10 hours ago, binman said:

They have been loading - as is clearly evident when you watch them.

You'd think they were fresh as possible last night though.perhaps they haven't quite got their the program right.

Or the fact they have such a young group makes it a challenge (our young players have really struggled this year and last year in this phase).

That said, we are way better than freo, who are realistically two years away from being a genuine contender.

Longmuire's presser was fascinating. Specifically mentioned the impact of fatigue on their performance in tbe last few weeks, noting other teams experience it, and tbey just have to get better at fighting through it. 

You don't have to be a rocket, or sports, scientist to understand what he was talking about.

His (JL’s) comment that his team had become unpredictable to each other was a wonderful argument for why we didn’t try anything drastic during our loading phase even when we are losing.  Allow the game plan to be instinctive and believe that when the fitness is there to execute it at a high enough level, it will be effective.

1 minute ago, At the break of Gawn said:

Out of the 3 tall forwards for both sides, he was the only one to kick a goal. I’m not saying he played a good game obviously, but I don’t think BB would have done much in those conditions.

Lots of room for Weids to improve obviously but his key role would for him not to be out marked and he ticked that box.  Similar story to ANB’s role which was to reduce the impact of Jordan Clark which he also achieved.  

It got messy after the rain and the ground went to crap. Would have been a 12 goal win if it stayed dry.  Hopefully Jackson is ok.  Not in the song for some reason.  Onwards to September we go.

1 minute ago, Roy Boy said:

ANB has had a shocker tonight

He’s done his primary job closing down Jordan Clark.  Has some things to tidy up but main job achieved.  

If LJ goes and we get Logue as part of the deal I’d be ok with that. Plays forward the way we like our big forwards to play. 

Booooo.   Booooooo.   Boooooo

Great start and great to see no strapping on Rivers knee. Nice new haircut also 😂😂

Did Gawn get a free when he got this shiner or did he duck?

No idea if he stays or goes but I just wanted to say he seems like an absolute jet of a person.  I loved his interview of the Gus n Gawn podcast.  Great sense of humour, respectful, hard working.  On that basis, I hope he plays his entire career with us.

6 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

My guess is longer terms is what other clubs are offering to lure them away so we need to meet it. 

Also, a longer term gives us a chance to spread their contract cost while they get security.  However, I would be quite surprised if there aren't caveats in the contracts for both parties.

Your last sentence is the key for me.  Get out clauses both ways if things go pear shaped somehow which drastically reduces the risk of the long term deal.