beelzebub

Lurch would be impressed

We'd cruise past 70 I'm not against the notion 58 I just have my understanding of what it would require. We have a little momentum at present. If that falters 70...60...hell 50... becomes a pipe dream. Make at least the prelims this year. 50-55 possible in 2020 Money is hard come by . Too many pressing requirements grabbing it. The diehards are already members. It's the fence sitters who'll be the increase. They have real life demands.

70000 is exactly that, a dream. It would be fantastic. It would put us right up there but unlike the power clubs that practically start the year with enormous numbers and then build, we have had what is now an institutionalised smallish membership. To dramatically change that, to break the crippling chains and create inertia there is only one, I repeat ONE recipe. Sustained success. This needs a very steady climb with no faltering. Irrespective of what many here feel is deserved , in terms of numbers growth, it isn't. We don't deserve increases as such, you earn it. We haven't really earned anything yet.

Not so much wrist slashing...just dismay. A bit like burgers...what you're promised...what you get

And it was worth 4pts They ALL are

Reality check Coach going ok. Still surprises ( good and bad ) Selection. Bizarre. Leaders...saw something I didn't sat. We have much to commend . But that was insipid.. truly I'm not sure anyone is throwing towels in( yet ) but .... We're supposed to be far better than that.

Really ?! I didn't think there was ANY

Yep. A lot we aren't being told here. Not that I'd imagine we would anyway. Both way below par....both have a ....? ..a niggle ! These are both key pivotal players. Something ain't kosher

Is it though....an overreaction ? Before yesterday had you polled here and the general footy populus the result would have been: We're heading >>>>>>>>? like a steam train !! I reckon consensus just got a massive correction. I've seen nothing this year to date which really supports the original notion. Edit..had no idea what you had written @brendan (spooky )

@rjay Will we drop off this year ? Who would have even given an ounce of oxygen to that notion.... before yesterday ?? Such a thought has gone from a figment of imagination to pigment of apprehension !!

Gotta love the bulls.... In Hun today.p76..Sam Edmund story. Lead paragraph " Medical professionals have exposed Fremantle as having made up Jesse Hogan's diagnosis" Apparently Clinical Anxiety is not a diagnostic category these days... And the story goes on. Am ready hard copy...can't link behind paywall Yes Hogan has problems. Yes Freo are full of it....

I'm probably in the minority of maybe...one.. here If Hogan bombs out it will pretty much be on his own shoulders..

I seriously don't think he'll go far at all WB. I have a suspicion hell not only not see out his current Freo adventure but he'll end up out of AFL very early.

???

I don't think he is. I agree with Ron he has access to support and accommodating employment beyond the norm.

Can't write this stuff eh

Summed up. Couldn't organise the proverbial....???

I think we can disagree. No one gives a 100 each and every time,but the threshold for elite would be very, VERY high. If you can't...step aside. My concern for Hogan, his team mates and club is , to be frank, I just don't think his heart is in it. Not for AFL requirements. He's been quoted as enjoying the opportunity to return home and play footy with some mates etc. All well and good, and of course not the totality of his approach, but often actions speak volumes. This is my view and quite happy to own it.. and be different if need. In the end he's not a Melbourne player. Matters little to me . Go Dees

The 109 was a typo. .but irrelevant. If you're going to play elite team sports ,then I'm sure your employer and team mates would like to know your 'in the game" Otherwise your wasting yours and everyone else time and effort.

@hemingway re ...just wanting to play footy...maybe. Not sure he's really 109% commited to AFL though. He's good at sabotaging his efforts.

You mean...you don't ?

Ron ....can I like this twice. Excellent summary

You raise an interesting spectre...that Ralph would want to have proof. That it's damaging ( of course ) to do so frivolously without such. It kinda suggests to me he might. There is a lot of talk doing footy circles. There was quite a bit last year that mentioned players with involvement past and then current with Melbourne. Often what is seen by the public is very sanitized.The AFL 3 strike system is a joke...beyond a joke really. We've seen the lengths they'll go to to rewrite history and negate any naysayers. That any of these Vids get out is testament to both the underlying problems and the notion you can't hope to plug all holes nowadays. Ralph won't have gone with his story....if he couldn't back it. The world of elite sports ...not so sparkly in some areas. They're but humans...and we humans have lots of problems and vices.

Quite a bit known in the general AFL community. I can assure you the MFC knows it