pitmaster

Classic little bloke's goal

Yeah, how sloppy was that tackle (resulting in a free and another goal from a free)

Goal to them after a 50metre given away by Rivers. Disgraceful from a senior player when we've worked back into the game.

what on earth was that free to Duffield for? Copping a hip and shoulder?

Also, how many of the MCC members take out the discount option as opposed to the full $160 membership? Personally I take out (err pay for) one full MFC/MCC membership and two discounts.

Stephen Smith - a regular - in the MCC committee area. And Barass, of course.

Have heard a similar rumour but relating to a senior player, and absolutely not gysberts...but for two reasons I am not going to offer the name. The reasons? one is I'd like it to happen, and so would most who contribute to this site, so let's not spoil it. two is that the source, while connected, has sometimes seemed to me to be a source of deliberate misinformation. best take all rumours with a pinch (ps. It ain't Brad Miller.)

I rate us a chance, although we did not beat much yesterday. But we saw earlier this year what a difference a little confidence can do - and our games against the woods and saints were not bad. Freo have not in their history put a full season together and even the strongest sides usually have some sort of a lull, so yeh we could surprise. And if we are ever going to be as good as some on this site think we will be, then we must learn to win on the road. Maybe a 20 per cent chance. I believe.

It is a lousy timeslot - only 37,000 yesterday to two top eight teams at Etihad - so it might hurt our financial bottom line a bit, but it's more of a slap to Norf than us since they reckon they'e still a chance to make it. But seriously, none of the Fri and Sat games look to be a likely swap. Nothing to see here folks.

We often seem to get very inexperienced umpires. This week we had a novice umpiring his first game (no 36) and that is the third first gamer that has stood out to me. we got a [censored] first gamer called findlay last year who was an absolute shocker but he has continued. the umps selection panel tried to balance it with kennedy this week but the novice stood out. This is the price of being ordinary for three years.

Like to elaborate?

That's the last we need hear from you then.

I can't believe some of the whinging on the match day thread so here's a look at some positives out of this week. Watts produced his best effort yet - more intensity, strong hands for two contested marks, one goal and one goal assist with another laser like handpass under pressure, pushed hard into midfield and defence. Frawley - terrific defensive effort on Milne. Dunn - much improved and developing into a pressure forward - has excellent tactical awareness Grimes- gave us great drive while he lasted Trengove - terrific game And I reckon it was Garland's best game this year while Joel Mac gave us physical strength and steadiness in defence. There was real improvement evident across the field. Only problem - we don't bring that level of intensity every week. If we did we'd have two or three more wins. Bring that game next week - bring Sylvia and the skipper back and we're a real chance.

Agree re Molan and Rogers, but it's worth keeping in mind Armstrong was blown up in the first Bali bombing, copping penetrating shrapnel wounds to the back of one knee so that mitigates somewhat. As for Molan, supposedly it was Neale D over-riding Craig C and insisting on a big lump defender that decided that choice.

This was a real opportunity to show progress this year and to break a hoodoo. It is simply a disgrace. It destroys so much good work. Dunn Bate and Frawley have been ok. Watts not bad but needs to look upfield rather than sideways. And the FD might want to rethink the one ruck approach.

With the Crows and Port to come at AAMI this year is the year to break the hoodoo. Bails knows the ground and the SA clubs are as weak as they will ever be. This is the year to do it.

Hands up anyone else who thinks that the return of Jurrah is generating too much of a frenzy on this site. I revelled in his tricks last year and remember the game against the Saints especially fondly, but he is not what we really need: a key position forward. He is an x-factor who will be good for 2-3 goals a week, most weeks, IF he is able to adapt to and overcome the extra pressure that will be on him in future. There is far too much expectation on a bloke who struggled in the pre-season games to cope with the added attention, who is coming back from a serious injury and who last year caught the footy world by surprise. I really hope he kicks on. He has got cult following and crowd drawing appeal all over him but just tone it down a bit, eh?

The Ross Gregory Oval at Albert Park - just over the road from the Junction.

Those bagging Watts after the Collingwood game and saying he has NFI have, frankly, NFI themselves. Or they weren't there. The first half: one goal himself and one assist (the unerring pass to Dunn). The third quarter: his best yet even silenced the Pie-Watts-baggers around me. A handful of possessions pushing high forward, in traffic, and excellent use of the ball. He showed enough to justify his selection and to justify his drafting. Yeah, he got lost in traffic in the final quarter, running into Miller. And yes he lacks intensity or urgency or something like that - but I think that's a function of the fact that he has loads of ability which has got him through in junior footy. He needs to learn how much harder he has to work to unleash that ability at this level. But he clearly has some effin idea.

Exactly. To use an out of date expression: Green straightened us up. I think he just had an off day - although I recall he missed a gettable against the Blues along with several others that also worsened our result that day. Still, the key miss that could have clinched it was Greeny's and then there was Jones who ran through 50 metres and saw glory, got over-excited it and misskicked the ball, spewing it out to the boundary - THAT could have been the winner also. What impressed me though was how much better than the Pies was our ball movement with Bate, Dunn, Watts and Miller all pushing up and finding targets downfield.

Drafted No 13 in 2006. We took Frawley at 12: very happy with that but it says something about the need for patience.

It's used because it's a gag everyone recognises. They've been trained to laugh at it and they think repeating it makes it so. It's tired. It's recycled. Those so-called comedians have not generated original material in more than a decade. In fact this one goes back a quarter of a century! They are SOOOOO yesterday. I will go to the snow this year, for the first time in a long time, because I have a few spare bucks...but I'll do it when we are playing interstate.

That would be the Lone Ranger wouldn't it? Unless you're suggesting he's thinking of a move to mortgage broking if he can't find a spot up forward. Anyway, to the main point, he deserves a chance - mobile and better overhead than most of our prospects. He's had enough run-with roles to learn the defensive side of forward play, although as noted elsewhere, the former LyonHeart of Melbourne thinks that's gone too far. But let's cut down the hyperbole. Schwarter Mark 2 he ain't. I have never seen him levitate the way the pre-knee number 5 did. But he is worth a go and it's overdue.

Sorry I don't do links but take a look at Garry Lyon's column in The Age today. His message is that forwards have let the focus on defence overtake the principles of playing as a full time attacking forward. Not erough movement, too much zoning off by defenders because forwards have allowed themselves to be dictated to. He mentions Melbourne only in passing: one sentence in maybe 1000 words but I can't help think he is really having a go at how our forwards are set up (as well as most of the rest of the AFL forward lines with two notable exclusions being Cats and Pies). Can't help but think he would make a great part time forward coach.

I don't have the inside running like some here, but I think it is likely to include, or to be something like that 1933 Demon design, although there was a 1950s version around last year that might do it as well. I reckon there might be some moves to give the little fella some aminmation, too.