Nasher

Garlett Hogan 3 Hannan Petracca 2 Watts Weideman Stretch Vince Brayshaw Jones Neal-Bullen 1 Weideman struggled to get in the game early, worked in later. Showed some good use of the ball when he had it - gets in to position to mark, needs to start plucking them. Hannan was electric. Fantastic debut.

What was important for mine was that during the first quarter where we were struggling a bit, Vince, Lewis and especially Jones were still able to lead the way. It was the pups that lifted their game later during the 2nd and 3rd quarter blitz, but for mine that may not have happened if our top 3 senior players weren't leading the way. All three were outstanding for mine. Oliver though. Wow. That performance came as a surprise to exactly zero MFC supporters, of course, but gee it's good to see it starting to happen. The only players who spent less time on the ground than Oliver were Smith and Melksham, for the record.

I'll be up on the MFC website before too long, usually it's fairly timely / within a few hours of the end.

He was white hot during our run in the second and third and was involved in everything. I'd love to see a breakdown of when he got the majority of his disposals, because I'd guess it was through that period. I thought at selection that he was warming the seat for Kent, but has now added some serious competition for that part of the ground.

Just opened this thread for the first time since qtr time and this was the first post I saw. loooooooooooooool

"Blose"

Come on, the game has gone past him? He's a 27 year old who missed one year, and he was flying as a player before the suspension. You make him sound like he's a 35 year old who hasn't played in 5 years. I watched his "road to round one" interview and he's obviously a fairly flat and straight sort of bloke. Who cares if he's not bouncing around the boys like Melksham is. It amazes me the conclusions some will reach on such little information. How about we await his injury recovery before deciding he won't make it?

Yes for mine. Now competing with Pedersen who played 0 JLT games. Wouldn't put my house on it, but that's my reading of the tea leaves.

Clear indication of no Spencer.

The record books show it the case because until recently the sport has been full of nepotism and a long continuous boys club. Very few people from outside the system get a shot - you only have to look at the number of players who go immediately from playing in to AFL level coaching - there's a pretty huge queue of coaches they get the privilege of skipping. The reason you can't pinpoint the reason why AFL coaches must come from the pool of players is because just like with other elite sporting codes: there isn't a reason.

It's only time for Colin if he says so. It was the club that signed him for the period it did. Not honouring the contract or forcing an early termination - even if it is a settled outcome - is not a position I'd even contemplate if I were in charge. You look after your players and you honour your commitment, end of story. As for Col, I'm gutted for him. I've made no secret of having a soft spot for the guy, and this just seems like such a kick in the teeth when he was already coming from so far behind. That's footy though I guess.

What's he worth to the team - not much when he's not in it. Was available for 3/3 JLT games and played 0/3 when we were apparently having dress rehearsals. Anyone who has picked him for round 1 fancies themselves as a better coach than Goodwin.

Have a read of the article. His take on it is that when he was senior coach, he lost sight of the things that made him a good coach - the empathetic, personal side of coaching. Being the senior coach at AFL level is the pinnacle - not everyone is going to be cut out for it and in my view there's no shame in failing, and it doesn't diminish your value at the lower levels of coaching. It sounds to me as if Macca has been able to rediscover the traits that made him a sought-after assistant coach in the first place, which is fantastic for us and him.

How come?

Sure will, if there's not a current one running. I don't think 2000 page threads that run for 10 years are generally practical. Different story if there's already one active.

I thought the comment "I thought I'd come back in good nick, but that didn't really work out" was interesting. I wonder what the blocker was? It's probably unrealistic to expect a 19 year old to have the full discipline and thorough understanding of their own body to know how to return in peak shape. It's easy to get caught up in setting the bar unreasonably high when it comes to young talent like him, when we're all itching to see him at full flight.

I missed the last quarter but Oliver looked exceptional. When the main question over him has been ability to run out games and stay involved for the duration, this was an enormous step forward. The kick down Hogan's throat at the last second when he looked set to have a running shot on goal was fantastic. He can handball in traffic like nobody I've seen, but any question over his ball use by foot has surely been answered now - definitely better than average. On track to be our best player, and soon. No pressure though

I gather it's slippery - there has been a lot of handballs to feet by both teams.

Anyone else really having a battle to find this interesting?

I don't think the insinuation was "average" kick; the word used was "butcher". I'd just scroll past any post that said as much. Anyone who used such black and white terms doesn't understand nuances and isn't going to engage in any sort of interesting discussion.

A real Angus Brayshaw type.

Nervous anticipation upon seeing the thread title. Relief upon reading the news. Guilt upon feeling relief. Finally arrive at sympathy for the player involved.

I think in the era of GPS, heart rate monitors and so forth I hope there is more to the claim of lacking intensity than "looking nonchalant".

Do you hold every other player to the same standard? How many tackles and pressure acts have you counted from Hogan so far? If Watts is part of our best side in round 1 then he plays - and surely nobody is arguing that he isn't.

"Christian Slay 'em" has a certain ring to it.