wisedog

Misguided endeavour with Grundy and bad luck with injuries to Brown, McDonald, and Smith. I wonder if we’ve done enough to search the state leagues? Someone to do what Podsiadly did for Geelong in their era of success. I think we look the most balanced and potent with Petty and JVR forward. Seems to bring Chandler more into the game too. Incredibly unfortunate to lose Petty and Melksham late last year. Smith was commendable in the finals and so it’s a great shame that’s he’s probably played his last game for us.

But it was also obvious that Gawn and Jackson were never a ruck/forward powerhouse. I think they kicked only 6 goals collectively in the latter half of 2022. I just don’t understand why we thought Grundy could be an improvement on that or why we were hellbent on replicating that dynamic. As we all know, we were actually crying out for a competent key forward. But they don’t grow on trees, and who knows, if we had got one, we may not have had the opportunity to see what Petty was capable of.

And if 400 milliseconds is enough to create plausible deniability, then how many other suspensions fall over?

What is this evidence from the biomechanist? The game is played in milliseconds. Players turn opponents in tackles, dodge opponents when their head is down. They’ve even learnt to drop their shoulders when anticipating contact. I’m sure lots of elbows have been raised within 400 milliseconds as well. But no, the players are seemingly not conscious of their decision making?

Probably the last comment I make because I’ve spent too long lurking in this thread expending emotional energy. I just don’t understand why THIS is the flashpoint that emboldened so many past players to speak out… as if the soul of the game is at stake. Unlike other decisions and rule changes that have forced players to adapt their games - the decision to suspend Maynard will have virtually no affect on how the game should be played. To me, it is so clearly an act of thuggery, that reading the weight of opinions to the contrary has been sickening. It all reeks of a boys club mentality between the 2000s era past players in the media and obsequious journos. So far the only past player I’ve heard in support of a suspension is Leigh Matthews. Although his own career was at times marred by accusation of thuggery he’s old enough and strong enough to not be affected by the likes of Kornes and Lloydo, Barrett and their Justice for Bruzz crusade.

I wasn’t sharing it, I was quoting a poster, but I don’t understand your point. I went back and watched it after your reply, and Kozzie is approaching on his exact line? That is to say, he had much the same opportunity to inflict damage on Hoskin-Elliot as Maynard did on Brayshaw. Either way, it’s far more helpful than those comparisons posted by journalists and past players attempting to downplay the significance of Maynard’s hit.

I think that sums it up. If this was an innocent “footy act”, we would be seeing it a dozen times a game and multiple players concussed every week. The vision of Kozzie show how players attempting to smother normally approach the kicker - that is to say - how players respond when they haven’t already decided to hit the kicker as hard as they can.

I don't know how the AFL can allow the precedent to stand. It essentially demonstrates a way to legally injure an opposition player without consequence, and this could be weaponised by every thug in the game. If the AFL are consistent and serious about protecting the head, then Maynard must go. Unlike rule changes that have fundamentally altered the way players attack the ball and tackle, the changes that will come about as a result of a suspension here are negligible. Simply, if you are going to collide with a player who has no ability to protect himself, perhaps don't try to hit them as hard as you possibly can? Give that a go next time.

In my mind he absolutely deserves to be suspended, and for weeks - and if he isn’t, the next player who does this will be. If he isn’t suspended, it becomes entirely plausible that any player could launch themselves at the kicker, make a feeble attempt to smother, and then lay them out. No case to answer. The AFL cannot allow that precedent. For what it’s worth, I feel the natural movement to protect yourself and the other player would be to press off them with your arms. If what Maynard did was merely a footy act we would see players getting knocked out cold this way every other game.

Incredibly frustrating to enter another final series with a forward line in shambles. One of Smith or McDonald need to go and Petracca needs to spend some serious minutes in the forward line. I know he will be missed in the midfield but I feel it’s the only card we have left to play.

Max Michalanney. Strangely, McVee didn't actually show up on their weekly top 8 rookie rankings until Round 17. I dare say they realised the oversight and went back through his performances over the entire season. Shows just how much he flew under the radar in wider footy circles.

Nothing all that exciting from the forwards so far but seeing McDonald moving well is encouraging. I look at Tomlinson’s frame and agility and I’m curious to see what he could do forward: he’s kicked goals in the past but there’s no indication we have any interest in trying him. Good to see Brown, Petty, and Jordan watching in the stands. Obviously Brown and Petty are injured but Jordan would know he’ll likely lose his spot next round. Full credit to those three for showing up.

At this point last season, Goodwin locked in Jackson and Gawn alternating forward at the expense of a 2nd permanent key forward. It really never looked potent enough but Goodwin persisted with it until 5 minutes were left against Brisbane when he swung Petty forward. It was much the same last night with Grundy and Gawn. I don’t know where that leaves Grundy - whether Goodwin is bold enough to leave him out next week and whether we can afford to keep him in the same side with one of TMac or Brown. It’s a tough situation. Really, the only clear positive is that if Gawn goes down, we know we have top tier insurance.

Melksham was disappointing - he can have such an incredible impact on a game but is unreliable. He’s on the chopping block when Fritsch returns but hopefully he can hold a place as sub as I think he’s a good option in that role. Gawn and Grundy is such a dilemma: I did notice in an Instagram training clip, Tomlinson was with JVR and and Grundy doing ruck drills. Probably nothing but I don’t think we’ve ever played him forward and I would like to see if he can do anything (anything at all) there. Smith like Melksham has immediate impact when switched forward but consistency is a concern. Defensive efforts have been shown up a bit. He’ll lose his spot to Hibberd and it will be even harder for him when Fritsch returns. Best hope is probably sub. IN: Best performing key forward at Casey OUT: Smith I really don’t know what should be done with the Grundy situation. If he goes out, I’d probably bring in Tomlinson, which would obviously mean more reshuffling.

One would think if you have two angles available to you then you would be able to synchronise the footage as is done in the cricket: stop the front on angle at the point the ball appears to be touched, then go to the other footage to see where the ball is at that moment. Do they match? Or has the ball passed the player? It could have been done tonight but the reviewer rushed the decision and fell back on the soft call.

One of the cruelest injury blows I can remember. It honestly seemed like we had found the solution to a problem that has confounded us since McDonald was injured last year. However, we are in a stronger position that we were at this point last season. We now have JVR and Smith as regular and dynamic contributors and Petracca has shown himself to be a potent option when played forward. Things will look even better when Fritsch gets back. That’s as positive a spin as I can put on this one.

I think we also forget how young Petty is. He was only 19 in 2019 so his output was actually quite promising for a key position player of his age. Usually, we have patience with our key position players as we know they take time. We don’t really expect JVR to do any more than kick a goal a game because we’re aware he’s young and developing. If McDonald hadn’t been so dominant in those years or if Tomlinson hadn’t been injured in 2021, he may have developed as a forward. But who knows? Maybe the years spent as a defender have given him the insights to be a more complete player. Whether or not he can get back this year. He’ll still only be 24 next season and ready to tear it up for another 6 years at least.

Massively disappointed about this. However, if his injury is no worse than last time, one would assume it puts him in the frame for a Preliminary Final return? You would hope we have a forward structure settled before then and so the only thing that encourages me he will get back is the way we have played the tactical sub this season - particularly Joel Smith’s role. It’s a low risk way of bringing players into the game and Petty is really the perfect option. We may find ourselves lining up with Smith at FF and Petty on the bench as the ‘super sub’. That would seem the best case scenario - aside from a miracle return to the side.

Look Monoccular - clearly you’re a linguistic master and I would never bate a master. If anything it should be the other way around.

Of course! Although at this point we’re just determining how spectacularly wrong someone can be. I would also add that Tom McDonald has achieved it twice in his career. The fact I couldn’t remember that Pickett did it only two years ago is concerning. I think I might need a ct scan.

Well that turned out to be the worst post of my Demonland career. A disaster grammatically and factually. I fully deserved the Boromir meme. Apologies to TMac and Kozzy.

I would suggest that you are neither pompous nor pedantic but perfidious and pusillanimous. Can we meat half way?

I was curious as to the last time a Melbourne player actually kicked 6 goals in a match - obviously, before Bailey Fritsch in the Granny. Russell Robertson - Round 22 2006 Which means, in 17 seasons, only two Melbourne players have actually achieved this feet. I should also like to mention I posed this question to ChatGPT. It informed me that Brad Green kicked 6 goals in 2011 (he didn't) and Brad Miller kicked 9 goals in a match in both 2008 and 2009 (he definitely didn't). I don't think we need to worry about killer AI death squads for a little while yet.

I've been hoping to see Tomlinson in defence and Petty forward since last year. I know many already regard Petty forward as a fail but I'm very interested to see how it plays out. Out of all the KPFs we've tried over the past 2 years - the combinations of M Brown, Ben Brown, Wiedemann, McDonald, Gawn, Jackson, Grundy - very little seems to have worked but Petty and Van Rooyen gave me the most confidence and just seemed like a really exciting, young combination. Forward connection has improved in recent weeks with ANB, Pickett and Chandler all returning to some good form. Hopefully this is the week we solidify our forward structure moving into the finals.

Agreed, legend. Flawed in the sense that off-field indiscretions would often overshadow his performance. Ultimately that had little bearing on people’s affection for him. It probably enhanced it.