Nasher

It’s a bit of a stretch to describe Oscar McInerney as a player we lost; he was never Melbourne listed and he spent most of his time at Casey kicking around in the twos.

There’s no way any ruckman with designs on being first ruck - and has the capability - is coming to us now after how the Grundy thing has played out. If that was me I’d be saying Brodie effing Grundy couldn’t get a game, what hope have I got? We need to develop some young rucks. We can start thinking of high profile rucks again when Max is closer or at the end.

Serious but with about 3 seconds of thought given to it bub. TMac is more likely, in any case I think a role shuffle is inevitable with a hybrid going out and the best remaining options being talls.

Out: Melk In: Grundy

I’m absolutely gutted for Melky. In career best form so late in his career and a real shot at some glory gone, for what was essentially a glorified practice match in terms of importance. I’m struggling to take away anything but that tbh.

Stoppages and clearances aren’t the only time midfielders touch the ball. Just sayin…

Tools at your disposal has to be part of it too. Mitchell doesn’t have the luxury of a starting midfield of Oliver, Petracca and Viney that Goody has. It would be obviously wasteful if we played a completely negative player in our midfield. Hawthorn just did what they needed to have the best shot at winning. I don’t mind it, but I’d definitely prefer to be in our position than theirs.

Satisfying win. Hawthorn have improved heaps on their early season form, and that was a legitimate arm wrestle for three quarters.

That goal will be burned in to my memory forever. The moment where I finally allowed myself to believe we might win the game and the emotional release of about 10 years that followed. Actually feel the tears again just thinking about it and I haven’t even watched the clip yet!

I often wonder if it’s a psychological thing that some people are just unable to enjoy anything after they get put under stress. I seethed and swore my way through the first quarter and a bit, but after we regained control in the second, we never looked like losing. The play that got the van Rooyen goal on half time was pure bliss, and the third quarter was dominance. The cue went in the rack in the last. Don’t forget that the two top teams failed this week, for the second week in a row. This competition is so tight that the bottom teams CAN beat the top teams. Hawthorn proved that last night. We got the job done, comfortably in the end. I’m content.

3 weeks ago, second place seemed out of reach. Now it’s very much in play. Jeez this feels a lot like 2021 with everything starting to fall in place at the right time. Stoked to be at Blundstone tomorrow now. There’s a lot at stake!

How is that different to the impact to the soft cap being "suspended"? I introduced the word in this case, but what you've just described is exactly what happens when something is suspended. They have to pay $100k in cash regardless, the "suspended" part only refers to how much gets included in the soft cap.

I interpret to mean another breach will activate the $50k "suspended" soft cap, in addition to whatever the penalty is for the new breach.

Shaun Burgoyne was the last player my age. At 37 I pulled my hamstring getting out of bed and it was sore for weeks. Seeing him running around at peak AFL condition at the same age and never getting injured was one of the most irreconcilable things I’ve ever seen in my life.

Everyone aged between 32 and 40 just went “oof”. 39 represent ;)

No resting players. Viney, Max etc can rest in the week off. Right now it’s full steam ahead, I don’t want us to get cute and compromise the momentum we are building. Strongest available team against North and kick them while they’re down, please.

In reality this probably just happens for boring administrative reasons, but I like to think these signings that happen a year earlier than they need to do so as a sign of faith in the young players, to take the pressure off somewhat. I like it.

I think it’s okay not to rate Brown or think he’s going any good. I think it’s pretty clear to everyone he’s not moving as well as he used to. I have him as an out in the pregame thread. It’s when you start being all keyboard warrior about it that people will rightfully start jumping down your throat. As a career AFL full forward, Ben Brown would have been scragged, scruffed, punched in the guts, arms and head (half the time on purpose) more than most of the rest of us put together. Soft. Please. Anyway I would have hoped our premiership full forward would have earned a bit more respect from Melbourne fans than that.

How much has Goodwin contributed to the strength of the list? Many key members of our side, such as May and Lever, are imports. How many of them would say, if asked, I was convinced after I got Goody’s presentation? I recall May saying something like that. On top of that, in the last few years in particular we’ve hardly lost a player we’d prefer to have kept other than Jackson, and all our best players have signed long term deals. It’s hard to know what’s cause and what’s effect, but the coach surely gets some slice of the credit for the fact that we’ve been able to attract and retain a talented list.

Isn’t it? Given how harshly you’ve just judged him. I don’t think it’s true that he can’t defend 1:1, although hopefully with a solid team defence there should be little need to do that, and for someone who is constantly run down, zero occasions of that happening stick out in my mind. Everyone thinks they’re objective and unbiased, but we all make up our minds on a player and confirmation bias does the rest.

Easily, hands down the most successful coach we’ve had since the golden era of the 60s. One injury decimated year of being non-competitive in 7 is outstanding. I’ve seen posters that still prefer Northey or Daniher and it makes my head spin. It really amazes me how little recognition he gets.

In: Hibberd, Smith Out: Bowey, Brown

Looks like North going to go down. So disappointed for them. To be honest I was mostly in it for the lols at the Saints, but I feel bad now.

Trying to look through the stress a bit, I actually thought that was a high standard game. Would have been really good to watch as a neutral. Most heart warming moment for me was Woey Jr kicking it down ANB’s throat in the third.

How much does it warm your heart to see young Woey kicking it down the throat of his teammate ANB?