Lord Travis

Oliver is a great midfielder, but he's not a superstar yet. There are two key parts of his game he needs to improve to become a superstar. First, he needs to stand up and have an impact when the team needs it. Superstars drag their team along with them. Think Michael Voss bulldozing someone and kicking a goal when scores are tied. Think Dusty shoving aside multiple people and snapping his third goal of a quarter when scores are tied. The superstars have the ability to stand up when it's required. Oliver as yet doesn't do this. He consistently wins ball across games, but he doesn't have bursts of impact or stand up in big moments. Second, he needs to hit the scoreboard. The difference between the superstars (Dusty, Fyfe, Dangerfield) and the next level down (T. Mitchell, Kelly, Oliver) is the superstars all hit the scoreboard. They do it consistently and sometimes in a big way. Dusty, Fyfe and Danger all rest forward and kick bags. the best players in the league are mid-forwards. Oliver showed glimpses of this in 2018, but as yet hasn't developed the forward part of his game. I believe he can become a superstar. He has shown he has the ability and physical attributes, he just needs to develop them. At this stage, he came in a ball winning gun, and he's still a ball winning gun. He hasn't really developed much at all, but he is young and has plenty of time.

Inclined to say Smith botched this, as he did multiple other contests. His defensive work on the weekend was absolutely abysmal, directly costing us 3 goals from 8. Barely touched the ball either, registering his first disposal in the 3rd quarter. He wasn't alone as a poor performer on the weekend, but his errors were the most glaring and showed a lack of football IQ. He really is an athlete, not a footballer. He should be played forward or not at all.

That would be Brad. He was asking for a million per year from Gold Coast, but ended up staying at Crows for 800k to try and move to another club end of this season. Essendon and North appear most interested. He's worth nowhere near what he's being paid and is asking for IMO. If Brayshaw is going to leave it will be to go home to WA. We should've traded with Freo last year when we had the chance. They had two top 10 picks and enough points for a third top 10 pick, and we could've pried one from them.

Didn't know he missed training due to niggle, so that makes more sense. On form, he would've been a lock for round 1. His ball use, pace, defensive zoning, and aggression with tackling make him a key part of our backline going forward IMO. I'd bring him straight in if he's fit. Think we might struggle to contain Essendons small running brigade without a bit of a rejig to our structure. Lockhart and Pickett should come in.

Lockhart should be straight in. Essendon rely on set of small/mid sized forwards. We need good small defenders to aid in shutting down their forward line. Jetta is the only one we have who can lock down, and he's not in good form as it is. Lockhart should be first player into the team and should've played round 1.

Gus has the talent, he needs to be played in a role he can excel at. He played his best footy when Viney was out for an extended period of time. Coincidentally we also played our best footy with Gus on ball and Viney out. With Oliver, Viney, Brayshaw, Petracca, Harmes all playing inside, it's the old adage too many cooks spoil the broth. We've just got too many inside midfielders and need to offload one for team balance. Personally, I'd keep Oliver and Petracca. Oliver is the best, and Petracca is the most dynamic and versatile. I'd keep Gus ahead of Viney, but one of those two are tradable to improve our team IMO. I'll get shot down for suggesting it, but it's hard to ignore the facts of our performance since 2018.

Weids drop in form has coincided with a lack of stability in his assigned role. He was drafted young and is still only 22 years old. He was on a clearly upward trajectory and was regularly kicking goals in the VFL when not playing at AFL. His last two months in 2018 at AFL level were very good and showed he has the tools to be a damaging forward. Fast forward to 2020 and he keeps getting thrown around, not being given a stable role up forward that he suits. His development has been poor, and I have no doubt if he leaves the club he will excel at another club. He's just another example of a talented youngster going backwards over time due to poor development. Look at Brayshaw - pick 3 and seven years on he's barely contributing. Petracca has taken forever to "shows signs" he could be a great player. Oliver stagnated years ago and is less damaging now than he was two years ago. And they're the more successful high draft picks. Look at others before them and it's embaressing. Until our club gets better at development, we will not be a competitor. Weid needs to come in for Jackson this week, and needs to play as a tall forward for a block of games, not thrown around the ground in a hybrid ruck role.

IN: Weideman, Pickett, Lockhart OUT: Jackson, Smith, Jones TMac and Melksham on very thin ice and need to lift. If ANB is dropped, it shows clear favouritism by the coaches. He was far from our worst player on the weekend. Off the top of my head ANB was performed better than Smith, Jones, Melksham, TMac, Jackson, Jetta, Lever. On form, Melksham, TMac, Smith, Jackson and Jones don't deserve a game next week. They were all non-contributors. Smith was actually more damaging to us than he was to them, and we would've been better off playing a man down. He was Isaac Weetra level bad on the weekend.

6 - Petracca 5 - Gawn 4 - Oliver 3 - Langdon 2 - Rivers 1 - Hunt Apologies to Salem and Tomlinson.

We need to find forwards, fast. Weideman is a definite in if fit. He would've given us more than both TMac and Jackson today. Stop throwing him around the ground in the ruck and give him a proper run up forward. Pickett is a definite in. We need his spark, dash, crumbing and goal scoring. Brown might be an in too if we're willing to swing the axe. Smith definite out. He played one of the worst games I've ever witnessed. Was on 0 disposals at half time, finished with 7, mostly ineffective. He directly cost us 3 of their 8 goals from poor defensive decisions. Definite out, and unless he can make it as a forward I'd delist him. He's a great athlete, but not a footballers @sshole. Tmac had a shocker, and realistically has played maybe 4-5 good quarters in 12 months now. He might be shot. Jones had a poor game, gave no leadership, ballwinning or drive. Melksham was ineffective. Jackson is obviously not ready for AFL level and shouldn't have played. Jetta was poor again. Harmes lacked impact. Fritsch needs to learn how to kick again. In his debut season he was a brilliant kick. Since then he's degenerated into statistically one of the worst converters in the entire league. Since 2018 his goal kicking accuracy is 52%, but set shots sit much lower at 34%, making him one of the worst converters in the league. We need it fixed, as he's one of the few forwards who actually generates shots at goal! Right enough rambling. IN: Pickett, Weideman, OMac, Lockhart OUT: Smith, Jackson, Jones, and whoever trains poorly this week

Didn't look like he got out of first gear, but he was very clean with his disposal and got through the match. Tick!

Was good to see a Rivers across half back again. And he does indeed have a neat kick. We’ve found a long term player here I reckon. Hibberd won’t be back in the side anytime soon if Rivers maintains form!

Smith was absolute rubbish today. One of the worst games by a player I can remember. The only decent football he’s played at AFL level was up forward in a preseason match. We lack forward targets. Try Smith up forward or drop him.

Two first round picks was overs. No one can argue that was a good trade at this point, even if he never got injured. Worrying that May looked shaky, Smith was absolute trash, and TMac is a witches hat. Our tall stocks are in the dumps!

Wait where has this stuff about Jackson playing in defense come from? We are crying out for quality tall forwards and avenues to goal. Why would you take a talented young tall who has trained ruck and forward and then stick him in the backline?! What a stupid decision that would be. Very Melbourne!

The OP explains the last few years ?

Viable option. Ruckman are a dying breed who have little influence on matches. Grundy is overhyped to the moon. Wouldn’t have been in the top 15 players on the ground last night playing against a plodder in Soldo. For Gawn to have an impact on games he needs to flunk marks around the ground either intercepting across halfback or contested as a bailout up the ground. We’ll likely see more makeshift ruckman used in future. If they nullify ruck contests then they’re an extra runner around the ground.

As if our forward line wasn’t [censored] enough! Now we lose Pickett... fmd. Reckon Carlton will win tomorrow. Just a feeling. Probably mfcss.

Lowest scoring game this century I believe. Rubbish game of football to watch. Pies lucky not to get overrun after not scoring a goal after the 6 minute mark of the second quarter. Pathetic. Hopefully our match on Saturday is more enjoyable to watch!

Disappointed to see Lockhart out, but exciting selections none the less. Best of luck to new demons Rivers, Jackson and Bennell!

He’s struggled with injury and been developed poorly, as is tradition at Melbourne. He needs a settled position and role, not being thrown around the ground and played in the ruck etc. Develop him as a stay at home tall forward, a lead up CHF or make him a defender. He’s got the athletic ability and intensity to be a good AFL player if he gets his body right and is developed properly. He’s still only 22 years old as he was a young draftee we drafted early to get time into him. Without injuries, he would’ve been a top 5 pick in his draft. You don’t lose natural talent. Develop him properly. You can just picture him getting traded to Collingwood for a pick in the 20s-30s, then developing and going close to winning a Coleman.

Rivers is an exciting prospect, good pace, good kick, good hardness. Reckon he takes Hibberds role on the half back flank. Bennell huge in. Hope his body holds up and he can build his way into being an explosive damaging player again. Jackson in is a shock as he doesn’t look up to AFL standard at this stage. He lacks physicality, his forward work and midfield work have been poor to date, while he’s shown he suits the ruck with his huge leap. He’s got potential to be great long term, but feel we’re perhaps pulling the trigger early!

Huge! Best of luck Harley!!

I'll be disappointed if Lockhart doesn't get a game. I like that he's being developed as a small defender and think he could be a good long term option for us in the backline. He offers good rebound run, tenacious tackling, decent kicking skills and is one of the few small defenders we have. With Jetta and Hibberd slowing down, Lockhart is the next in line but IMO is already superior to Hibberd. I'd be playing him and Jetta in the back pockets. In 12 months time I'd love our backline to look something like: Jetta May Lockhart Salem Petty Lever with Rivers on the interchange as the rotating option. That gives us two talls in May and Petty, a third tall type in Lever who can go intercept or lockdown, two medium with good rebound in Salem and Rivers, and two small to lockdown and rebound in Jetta and Lockhart.

His final against St Kilda in 2006 wasn’t his best, but yes Travis was probably the best big game Demon player in my lifetime. He always stood up in finals and the big matches. He’s very underrated on these forums from what I’ve read. Yes, he could’ve had a better career, but it was still a good one where he lead the league for kicks, inside 50s and score assists for years on end. He was class. Back on Bennell, he’s supremely talented and it’s exciting we might be seeing him in a red and blue so soon! He played part midfield and part forward in the practice match. Do we expect the same at AFL level or do we need to be cautious with midfield time?