pitmaster

Weather was grim for Freo too.

I am old school. And possibly out of date, or maybe it's that kanga brand that fooled me. But it's not bloody pig skin. I'll cop Mason Cox but not Americanisms.

Already answered that, but if the mods want to merge sure, but this is news not speculation. It explains why he hasn't been seen at any level recently. The body building part of your question is resolved in the full article.

From The Age "Melbourne has put young defender Oscar McDonald through a mid-year mini pre-season to try to unlock his struggling form by helping him build his light body to compete with the big power forwards. The Demons pulled McDonald out of all playing for three weeks and put him through an intensive three-week weights and agility program to build his body and confidence. The coaches, including senior coach Simon Goodwin, have joined him in doing extra weights sessions. The mini pre-season has been structured to be timed around the bye to limit the games missed as the club sought a way to lift his form. "In the first part of the season Oscar was not able to do what he wanted to do and we had to find a way to help him get back to playing the footy he knows he can play," Melbourne football manager Josh Mahoney said. "In the end it got to a stage where something had to be done to get him back playing the footy we know he can play. He did a mini pre-season for three weeks tying it into the bye round. "The role he plays he is on the biggest strongest forwards in the competition so a lot of it was around strength and weights. We have done similar programs with Sam Weideman earlier in the year when he missed a few weeks. [Rookie tall player] Austin Bradtke as well." https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/demon-does-mini-pre-season-to-find-form-20190624-p520tw.html

Pigskin? Really? No man, it's f@#$#%@ kangaroo hide. And give Hannan more time to run into form. It's not like Melkie is anywhere near ready.

That was a mark. And called so on the teeve.

Excellent observation. That passage drove me nuts.

Now if in previous weeks, say post the West Coast and Adelaide games, you'd made the observation that we played well and did everything but win, and that things aren't as bad as they seem since we were competitive and late in the game in winning positions against two of the competition leaders, I'd grant you this point. But since I don't remember any such level headed contributions (although you may have made them I just don't have the time to confirm my suspicion that no such offerings exist) I am going to grade your post as churlish and unworthy. This was a creditable win with two novices in Hore and Lockhart shining, TMac starting to resemble form, and the Weid continuing to develop. May was terrific, Frost apart from early game disposal errors linked up well with his fellow defenders and Petty gave us a bit. And we won despite Freo making up for their injuries with a couple of extras in yellow. You really did miss the point of it.

Well, you can't spell 'Biffin' and you can't spell 'maggot' so, while this might seem harsh, I am going to dismiss your conspiracy theorising until you can tidy up the basics. Somewhat like Melbourne's forwards: won't deliver until they can correct the follow through.

Some skilled coherent football from the mids, a backline that plays as a unit, forward half accuracy with no half-witted attempts to pass when kicking from within 35 meters, and more wins than losses in the last ten rounds, including reversing the EAGLES, PIES and SAINTS results.

My concern on May early in the game was that the was leaving his man to attack aerial contests but attempting to mark instead of spoil with the result that his man was free. He seemed more effective after quarter time and commentators on The Age podcast complimented his work in repeatedly bodying Cox out of position. They were critical of the fact that Cox had been played at all and said he was outplayed by May.

In a word, yes. And a Carey/Lloyd goal kicking coach too, please.

Some literary types believe Orwell arrived at the title by a small shift for the year in which he was writing (1948) to suggest England was already on that path. As for the substance of the topic: it's time umpires became professionals. Maybe then the standard of their work will improve, but for now they leave themselves open to criticism with their constantly shifting decisions.

Sorry to be a dog in the manger but Robbie and Stan played in many more losing sides than winning ones. For many years Stan was the main reason to go see Melbourne; and for many years after he left Robbie was the main reason to go see Melbourne. We didn't see a lot of wins. Stan never played finals with us. Robbie waited until the end of his career to play three finals matches. Now a pair like them would be gold right now but let's not overstate their impact on the G or anywhere else. And on related matters I agree TMac should be rested. Preuss may not be the answer long term but he is mobile and he is fearsome and able to break up aerial packs. He also has goal sense. Give him a run until TMac can return to his best. I agree with others who don't see Spargo's value. He provides a contest is all. He is not a penetrating kick; rarely hits the scoreboard and buggers up other's work. He is unable to break free of the opposition and lacks the small man's best attribute which is pace. What they see in him is a mystery. Hopefully we'll all be proved fools when he becomes a star (unlikely).

I thought everyone knew it was OP...at least that's what Joel told a premium member's pre-game function before the Hawthorn game. He said "I am in quite a bit of pain" and used the term "osteitis pubis". So the post 427 pages ago seems to have been on the money. And as for the article that accompanied the chart above, it seemed to significantly understate the impact of Melbourne's injuries by suggesting Collingwood had coped better because of their greater depth. It shows Melbourne's best-22 missed games are 89% greater than Collingwood's and 63% higher than Richmond's!

You've a snakey edge to you Elegt that does not warrant encouragement but I must agree with this comment. Preuss would have been much greater value given how tall and mature-bodied the Giants were. We had no target forward other than Hunt who had a kind of decoy role. Preuss would have been a destination for those long bombs and could at least have made a contest.

It's less and less likely that Spargo is going to make it. He has no penetration with his kicking, is not particularly quick and does not win much of the ball. It is inexplicable how often players kick to him when he is always going to be out-sized once the ball is overhead. That said, he is a second year player and the Second Year Blues used to be a thing. Maybe it still is.

Late in the GWS game cops evicted several Giants supporters from the northern stand...anyone here know anything?

Matthew Lloyd...Wayne Carey...unlike Yze they are available, and they'd have plenty to teach about positioning and general forward play.

Ling says he will cop one week. And it was a two goal turnaround! I think Margetts was the fraud who called it...anyone confirm?

The ugliest win I can remember. Brayshaw terrible, Trac continues to disappoint...our skills have vanished but we are alive and have another week to find our touch (although Lewis I fear has lost his for all time).

Virtue signalling is the new "fake news". Using it you say more about yourself than anyone you tag with it. Burnside happens to be entirely genuine. I had dealings with him many years ago and saw him at first hand. He is entirely authentic regardless of who he does or doesn't support in football. I'd expect he'd resist any entreaties to attach himself to any club he didn't already follow.

Correct. It's very exploitative of Benny. I suspect HawkFan TV is using B's disability as cover for having him say things others only dare think.

Having listened to this foul mouthed fool, egged on by a smirking creep - the one holding the mike - I can only say that I would be deeply ashamed of myself if I was provoked into doing something that had me charged with assault by either of these two. I have no doubt that in an earlier era Benny, the 'victim' of the affair, would have earned himself some corrective attention. He is an unfiltered vulgarian. But to get into strife on his account...dumb. As much as Melbourne has to condemn what our bloke did, Hawthorn need to reign in this garbage . The guy with the mike encourages violence and anger and offers nothing useful.

Yze reportedly very happy at Hawthorn. Bugger.