Tony Tea

Petrocelli?!? Sign him now. "I will now create the night of the crime." *fade to blue*

People think “first round pick” means “top ten pick”. Pick 10 and Pick Teen is what Melbourne gave up if the Dees improve in 2018. Bottom half of 1st round is not much better than the top half of 2nd round. Even if 2018 is a superdraft. ("Next year's draft" is always a superdraft.) Chuck in the pick flips and we have done well picking up a highly rated 21 year old with exposed form.

And in the same season Scotty Thompson retired.

http://m.afc.com.au/sites/AdelaideCrows/news/2017-10-03/statement-jake-lever

Adelaide are reported in the Herald Sun to be reluctant to take 10 and 27 for Lever. No doubt it is only a coincidence that Adelaide refused Carlton's demand for two first rounders for Gibbs last year. IS Jake Lever’s expected move to Melbourne on the rocks?

Collingwood is chasing hard for Lever.

That was to Lewis. Hannan absolutely drilled the ball over Lewis's head. I don't mind Hannan going the millionaire kick, but a little less oomph would have got the ball to Lewis, who was well clear, just as effectively. How often did the Hawks, when they were in premiership mode, find easy targets in the forward line? It wasn't just their kicking ability, it was their forwards' ability to find clear space. Part of that is quickly turning zone defence into a potent attack. It is all very well to get players behind the ball, but it is just as important not to rob yourself of attacking options. Clarko was a master at getting players free forward of the ball. That's why I'm wary of us starting 8 players in defence. Going forward short of options makes us bomb the ball too often. The more often you get extra players ahead of the ball, the less often you have to bomb it to a contest.

It's easier for backmen running out of defence to hit a target than it is for an onballer running into attack. There is more space around the defender, more space for the defender to kick into, and more space free for players up the ground. (The defender can also kick backwards and switch, which are both reasonably safe kicks.) Unless you more the ball really fast, the player running across the centre is operating in heavier traffic as the opposition concentrate back into defence, and less space available to pinpoint the ball into a zone defence. That's why we need a little more pace. When you have speedsters you can open up space ahead of the footy into the forward line.

The worst part was Neitz jumping into Farmer's back.

Never should have left Melbourne.

Daniher is not going to leave. Essendon are not going to rort the salary cap. Move along.

Higgins?

My mate Monty at Fan Footy reckons Oliver will cop Dumont, not Gibson. (Oliver is leading the Age footballer of the year.)

Mmmmmm... I'm having visions of Oliver squirting the ball out to Kelly.

Jezza is not Italian. Ian Stewart would be in my top 5 Italians players.

Another Italian, SEN's Andy "Radar" Mario, also went to Marcellin.

McCartin copped a bucketing at half time on the radio yesterday.

Do you mean hands as in handball, gathering the ball or marking? I actually think McCartin has better marking hands, he's definitely a cleaner mark. Hogan, on the other hand, is often a two-grab mark. Even last week - every time he had the sit and took a mark, it was via two or three or four grabs. However, Hogan puts a lot of body into a lot of his marks, which often leads to juggles, whereas most of McCartin's marks are via clear jumps at the ball.

Pass the helium balloon.

I was talking to a footy person today who said that, contrary to accepted wisdom, players are now being coached to tackle higher because it's all about pinning the arms to stop players unloading the ball under pressure. The margin for error is therefore less, and as a result high tackle numbers are up. That would also go some way to explaining why so many players are now adept at collapsing the knees to draw high contact frees.

Hogan and Harmes.

PS: Gimme grunt, power, size, strength.

PS: I think better development (and the club not being a basketcase) would have enabled us to do more with Gysberts, who despite having Grover arms, seemed to know how to get the footy in traffic.

It still tickles me that we would have drafted Melksham with Pick 11 in 2009 if he was available, but he went at pick 10 and we took Gysberts. (At least Melksham is still in the AFL.)