buck_nekkid

I had a look - it was cheaper to go via Singapore on Scoot than fly direct. I will be getting in the Furfys and setting up camp in front of the telly.

Looked like a strange yellow version of the abominable snowman!

They flopped from the opening bounce for frees. All game! if they look at the flops, they will book half the hawks team.

Wow, patches, that would throw a spanner or two.

Nah, I believe Trident is guaranteed access, not ballot.

What a win! A couple of observations: We didn’t actually play that well in the first quarter/half. To be beaten in the contested ball and clearances was really not a good sign. The strategy seemed to be ‘let them mark, but slow them down to about 80m out. Absolutely win the next contest. This is why they had more inside 50s, but our backline was awesome. That Frosty torpedo to TMac goal was an absolute gem. Have hawks ‘acquaintences’ that were as certain the umpiring favoured us as much as I thought it favoured them. Some shockers both ways. We absorbed their pressure in the last, and it is a real sign of maturity in the group that they keep at their system, absorbed the pressure and smashed it out of the park. Still left a bit in the tank I thought for most of the night, skill wise. We have improvement in us. And a note on barcodes: If I give someone a barcode, then there is nothing stopping them also having it for the following week (it is the same number) if they get on Ticketek before me (and stopping me going). I paid a bucketload over the past 20+ years to be a member of this club, and I am treating my barcodes like PIN numbers right now.

The umpiring was terrible. If selection for next week is performance based, then none of these clowns will get a look in

Boy, being in the finals - particularly after such a long absence- has led to more fluff and fugazi than I can remember. Any angle is a good angle for the journos. whilst I love reading about my club, most of it tells me nothing new, and is really just fluff. If we win, it will probably go up another notch. If we lose, the experts will tell us how they knew beforehand. Just hope it is fugazi for the players. my MFCSS struggles a bit in this new world....

Our only hope is their performance will be scrutinised for selection of umps for the semis and the The granny. If he is a biased cheating pr1ck then he might miss on the big game. Hopefully this is enough to smooth out his appalling bias (on the night), or hold it in check. we have to win regardless.

I would think the question is more :”Can Melbourne bring its best game consistently”? If the answer is yes, then look out. If it is no, then we will be in trouble. It is that simple.

From what you saw DD36, would you suggest any players as ins or outs, based upon where they trained or what they did?

Wow. wouldn't that be a long term comparison to love!

North might be clearing the decks for some big spending. Preuss May be squeezed out - a mid level player they can manage without, and making salary cap room on the way through. dont let the rookie list be a judge of where he is now. Rucks develop later, so rookie-ing them is actually good policy unless they are bone fide top shelf.

I think Neeld should have held on until he earned the 10 year badge. Going early was a sign of things to come. Understand the Gazza pin, but why leave the vintage scarf on the platform? Has his train (integrity or whatever) left on the midnight train?

Do we back our system or try to stop theirs - or a measure of both? I think the biggest risk is being cut up with legspeed from Impy and Smith, and not making contests. I beleive we match or better them in the midfield, and with Billy Ray Haircut out with a hammy, they are going to have to rejig to cover our forwards. Sicily should go to Milkshake, and Creepy Crawly Frawley to TMac. Leaving the Weed to worry about. I think we can cover Gunston and Roughy, and their other forwards are not 'talls' but play a bit that way. Big Boy Macavoy will need a bus pass to keep up with Max. I think we match up pretty well, and since the team did not play this weekend, the form line comes from previous games in the VFL. Has Smith done enough from his return to play a full game, under finals conditions? I think we play smashem-up derby footy in the first half, open the game up and control the contests from there. Expect them to come out hard in response to last week's (lack of) effort.

A canny VFL pick up. Mitch, Bayley and I wonder if we have one in mind this year....

I love the drool he knocked out of him!

Problems in El Rancho Nekkid.. Senorita Nekkid has us booked into a dinner and a show. Somehow it dropped out of my diary. Tickets to the footy secured, and one diablo senorita to make happy. Think, on balance, correct actions were taken....

I would be seeking clarification from the AFL. If he uses the leg, can you attack it? When is it a kick, and when is it a fend? If you grab it, is it a tripping offence? Can we now use this in ruck contests as well as marking contests? I see it as a weak dog act. Should be outlawed when the foot is intentionally raised to make contact with the opponent. Should use his body or his footy smarts, not be Mr Miagi.

Goodwin seems big on ‘systems’. He coaches primarily through setting systems and backing his players to deliver it. Seems like he holds his nerve and maintains a ‘system’ in each game. He will shuffled players around to maintain the system for that game. That’s my read, anyway. I wonder when he would throw a system out and in game (perhaps at a quarter or half time break) change up what we are doing?? So far, he has been relentless at hanging on to a system. I think the way we have based our game on contested ball and hard ball wins allows each game to have a ‘system’ of play based on this. Our fundamentals set the stage for the in game strategy. The EF seemed like the system worked, so no need to change. The real coaching masterstroke was the way we destroyed the 3 monkeys. We didn’t have a plan for Kelly, and he was perhaps the one that got away. Our defensive system and offensive system looked good, too (although inaccuracy was a sign of rushing and pressure, rather than system failure).

Just watched the replay. There was a lot to like, but I reckon that there is a lot of stuff that can be ‘cleaned up’ to make us even better. Absolutely loved the attack on the contest. When we were smashing in, and looking to move the ball with speed, we looked like world beaters. There were moments in the forward 50 where a fraction more composure would have translated into goals. The marking of TMac an Weids was a highlight, as was Max’s ability to get back or forward to impact contests. Special mention to Lewis and Salem. Critical in our win. Against Hawks we need to stop outside spread and uncontested marks. Do that, and I beleive they will have little answer to us. IF we allow them uncontested possessions we put ourselves at risk. The game style on Friday night will hold us in good stead. We need to take our chances and take the game on from first bounce to last siren.

Can this be merged with ‘the last time they met thread’?

Ok. Strong coffee and a few panadol to kick off the morning after. Flickering Awesome! Some observations: Dangerfield is a top footballer. He was dangerous all night, but I loved how he was smashed by Weids in the tackle on the wing, and when he went forward he was owned like a prison [censored] by Jetta. Brilliant. Not a backward step was taken. Rioli has on his wristband ‘run and chase’. Our boys dont need wristbands, ferocity and tackle was in their souls. Petracca very fumbly. However, when I watch the replay, I bet he did a bit of good, as well. Almost full time on ground for him, Frost and OMac. We may have played the ‘dream team’ midfield, but I reckon you just saw the changing of the guard. I hate Chris Scott. But I admire him a fraction more after that presser. I hate mid strength beer. So does the old duck in front of me who got a beer shower when Jones nailed that goal. Apologies were not gratefully accepted... I didn’t know that taking a slash on some random person’s rosebush at about 1:30 in the morning tunelessly whistling “it a grand old flag” for the thousandth time could bring a bloke such pleasure. I thought we would win by 25, we could have won by 60. Onward and upward, demons!

Not nervous, just freaking excited. Reckon the nerves will kick in as the team run to position. So hoping we can give a great account of ourselves. Dees by 26

He would have gone 7, but we father son bid. Best #26 evah!!!