buck_nekkid

Wow. Massively impactful. It is hard to see how the season will recommence - teams will need a ‘pre-season’ run in, probably at least a month on top of maintained base fitness. Look to AFLx style matches to rush through games if needed. Although I doubt that the AFL will run this year at all.

May had a really good game. So good when he has ball in hand, some of his passes were excellent. Holding nuffy mcbeardo to 4 touches all day (and no impact) is a win for him.

Funny game (season) that. Better intensity at times, but we didn’t apply any pressure to stop easy transitions, didnt two way run, and didnt spread. We had a few players who were really good (Viney), Max who worked his way into it after being well beaten, and a great start in Kozzy. Glad to see his family there. late in the game, it seemed that the care had completely gone. Hardly a tackle and circle work for the most part after half time. I cannot comprehend the entry into 50. The Weagles just set up to intercept our long bombs, as they have for the last 3 years. They flooded back much better, and we rarely had a spare inside 50. We should have instructed the guys to run it over the 50, rather than kick it. Much to work with (and on). 3 months may not be long enough.

I would love to see more GWS and less Suns in our game... good luck Dees. I hope the preseason shows out in high pressure, high quality footy. Weagles are a tough first up opponent.

Have just seen that Red Bull have joined the MFC as a ‘partner’ (sponsor?). Great match for the colours, and hopefully we can be as exciting and successful as their other partners! Welcome! Red Bull gives Melbourne wings

Change Melk and Viney on the team sheet. Bench of Bedford, Pickett, Lockhart and Sparrow.

I wanted us to win AFL x, (which we DID!). So there is no other answer than YES. I will still be [censored] for a week, behave unsociably for an extended period and rub every Richmond and Collingwood fan’s nose in it. Expect the same from most here.

AFL will have to pony up for clubs shortfall in gate receipts (they have been doing this in their rescue payments each year for St Kilda etc)- I suspect ANZAC day will be lost to us (if the season has not been cancelled), but things should be good for QB. If not, there are much bigger fish in the pan than AFL games (the economy will be stuffed, unemployment will be through the roof, businesses will be bankrupt...) MCG should use canned cheering for goals to us, and silence for the opposition.

How awesome when Weid and LJ both play at their best?

How good is the centre line of Langdon - Petracca/Oliver - Tomlinson? This could be the fulcrum of the rise up the ladder. Certainly as good as any centreline in the league.

They would have been told before, and asked if they wanted the jobs, surely? The reveal was for everyone else.

A much more ‘mature’ gameplan. The number of contested and uncontested marks shows how different we are moving the ball, looking for our new wingers and switching to them when we can. Defensive setup and zoning looked good, and contested ball was also a positive area for us. Entry inside 50 and our out of touch talls is perhaps the only real concern. Dorks marked the incoming balls too easily. Need to at least halve every entry. good signs, but we are not quite there yet. More to work on, and I think lots of upside in the squad.

Just because he plays off HB doesn’t mean he also doesn’t rotate through the middle. The way they push the defence so high means he will also find himself on the ball many times. His ability to hit a contest and deliver well to a team mate is exactly what we need and spreads our midfield wider and deeper. I like Lockhart back there, too. Our back six will be a formidable unit: Jetta, May, Lockhart, Lever, Harmes, Oscar (or other, don’t hate me ). Hibberd has some work to do, but at his best also makes this a better group. Having Harmes own a resting midfielder from the opposition (ie Dusty) is a good move.

Target market of the toilet paper with ink is essentially Pies/Bombers/Blues and then Toigs supporters. Anything on these teams will sell papers or get them read in the tea rooms. Any chance they can get to pump up tyres or make excuses for them is taken. It also trains the less thoughtful what to think and say about their clubs. Not enough people in the demographic care about the demons so we get relegated to the ‘kick em whilst they are down’ or news tid bit. We need no excuses this year. We used the surgeries excuse last year, but that is all worn out. Bombers may need a whole truckload of excuses. Lets see.

Frost? The over concussed defender who was bog average for the hawks last week? surplus to needs. We got May, Petty, Oscar, Smith and Hore as clear choices for taller defenders. Lockhart as distributor looks far better than Frost. i think this is the wrong way to look at it.

Some things to like: We did well in the clearances, without a dominant ruckman. Weids and Jackson battled well and it will be a good learning exercise for the two of them to carry the ruck for the day. Jackson’s athleticism and follow up were on display, and although Weids dropped some marks, he stayed involved and executed some really valuable clearance handballs etc. I liked the fact that we seemed to keep a few bodies on the outsides of contests this game, instead of every man piling in. some of the moves past the contest were excellent (most to used, but still there). The high zone to keep the ball inside 50 and the high pressure defence was a treat to watch. We had a couple of brain fades right down back, where the ‘zone’ didnt go as planned. May will make a big difference here. Lockhart was an excellent addition to the back 6. The width held by Tomlinson and Langdon gave us additional options, and they both played valuable wing roles that were sorely missed last year. Petracca. Enough said. Wow. Spargo: lots of negative comments here, but he was involved in many scoring chains, and his efforts to get the ball out the contest to a player were significant contributors to several scores. Pickett: Always moving, always dangerous. Certainly has the x-factor, and if we can bring him into the game more, I dont think we will regret it for a minute. Sparrow - looked completely at home at this level. Burgo: We seemed to play out the match without dropping off in intensity as we did in previous seasons. I would say the day was a big success - got to enforce some new structures and play an updated style, got to get some match kms into many legs, got to give a few new kids a sniff, and walked away without too many injuries. And (for us poor suffering supporters) we got the chocolates.

No such thing as a 50/50. Saints getting all sorts of frees that better umpires wouldn’t even consider. Not doing ourselves any favours, and their goal keeper is getting lots of touches.

Yep. Clicked through and nothin’!

‘In the area, late back to office‘ is different from ‘drove to other side of city for 3/4 day’....

My appt cancelled and I really cant justify driving over 60km to watch the Resies in a scratch match. Shame, was looking forward to it.

All selected on name value and last years form. No current form line to judge the current ‘best players’. Not having the 3 max per club rule means many will be disinterested, as their teams are poorly represented and swamped by the usual suspects and commentator favourites. A massively pointless time waster. Less value than the Mrs Marsh Colgate Cup, or scratch matches where the teams can work on playing game style and co-ordinated footy together.

Thanks Joshua, 21st (I stand corrected) at 2. Will see about attending...

So I read there is a Scratch match against Essendon at Casey Fields on Friday. i May find myself in the area, does anyone know what time the game would start?

It may be also that the pre-season is harder than they have ever done, and a few niggles have emerged. This time leading into the giggles games is a perfect time to ease people back /modify programs to aid recovery, get players over niggles and set them up for the season proper. We have being going hard at it, so if we have a few contact and soft tissue injuries and can ease players through, they will have done the hard kms and training, and can now do modified and maintenance work so they can be as near to cherry ripe as possible. There are some concerns with that list, but not as many as the ‘total number’ suggests. IF we can get through the piracy games without adding any to the lower end of this list, think I think we will be in a good spot for the season proper.

Where is this game going to be located, please?