Nasher

Loved that photo when the club posted it on Facebook. Love those players.

This forum is moderated?

I agree. Don't care if he still loves Adelaide either, if he does, so long as he busts a gut when wearing a Melbourne jumper, and he does. I'd be staggered if blokes like he and Cross didn't still have their hearts at their old clubs to some degree.

I may be alone, but I thought a reprimand was appropriate. I know it was unintentional and I agree Franklin's reaction was pathetic, none the less he made forceful contact with another player's head. I expect he'll be a little more careful where he swings his fist next time, and he learns the lesson without having to miss any games. Anyway it would seem he has accepted the reprimand.

Agreed.

But mostly coin.

And therein lies the problem. People want Watts out, but the bottom line is that Watts and Howe going at 50% are probably still better and contribute more to the side than Bail or Byrnes going at full tilt and not getting near it, and you can't swap them all. Goes back to there just not being enough good players on our list; Evans and Nicholson are currently our 23rd and 24th players. Thanks for the commentary on Harmes in particular, by the way. It's great to have some insight in to how a player is going when I'd never have any exposure to them otherwise.

For some reason I thought he would be smaller than he is, and that reason is probably Demonland brainwashing. I agree that he did not look at all like a skinny outside kid. It's the usual mind set of "the kid has good skills, he must be skinny/outside".

Really? Maybe I've just forgotten, but I don't recall having seen a thread about this before.

They might as well write in to the rules that if a player gets tackled, they must immediately start convulsing as if they are having a seizure. That seems to be umpires' requirement for making a "genuine attempt".

Looked like he belonged immediately. Super promising. How good was it to see the whole team get around him after his first goal?

Agreed. Love Jake's effort, but with Jamar having hardly played in the last couple of years, I'd forgotten how much better he was.

How about the chain of holding the balls in the second quarter? After the two were paid against Neville Jetta and Dom Tyson, I laughed like an absolute madman when one was paid in our favour (to Nathan Jones). What a joke.

This was the first time I'd seen our opposition miss a lot of very easy shots. Some of their set shot misses were unforgiveable. Against Gold Coast I thought their high behind to goal ratio was due to having a lot of low percentage shots on goal (i.e. snaps in play, set shots from pockets, shots from too far out etc). The latter would say to me that we're defending okay inside defensive 50, but it's still getting in there too much. Today I thought we looked worse in that regard. Thought the final score line was reflective of the difference in class.

As I said in the game day thread - it's easy to see where we're going. I also made the comment that we're almost a bone-fide middle of the road side - but there were times where we showed why we're still a bottom four side. We still have too many crap players in our side, and one or two non-crap players who are only half going. I walk away disappointed but heartened. Salem wore the green vest for the first and last time I'd say. Kid looks a gun.

In a touch of irony, we are becoming a hard team to play against. We are not far off being a bona-fide middle of the road side. I know not too many other footy fans other than Melbourne would celebrate that, but I am. It's very easy to see where Roos is trying to take us.

Don't see how that one is any worse than any of the many first rounders who didn't manage a single game.

"Serious doubt over when he'll play again" does NOT mean the same thing as "serious doubt over if he'll play again". If Barrett said the former, he's hardly telling us anything we didn't already know. If he said the latter, he's surely full of it.

Hammy in the warmup, was it not?

His time to learn it is nearly up.

Overall I'm not too unhappy. This side is incrementally stronger than last week's.

Judging by the VFL report, Byrnes was the other shining light along with Salem. Clisby is hardly in competition with either for a spot.I don't particularly rate Byrnes, but right now he appears to be a long way ahead of Blease. That has to be a big worry for anyone that hasn't already given up on Blease.

Well done on the achievement. I'm a fan of him at his best; he offers run and intent that others in our side could learn from. If he can develop some consistency and gain a little polish, his next 50 may come a little quicker. It does feel like he's been around a long time.

Has anyone asked Dunn?

Epic logic jump. I didn't propose grovelling, I'm just suggesting not shoving it in his face.