Dee*ceiving

Changing topic slightly. It is my understanding that Angus will be fine to play on and we've commenced tabling some alernate playing helmet designs for him. They are currently being considered by the AFL. This is the leading design, the working name is 'Maynard Mauler'...stay tuned

No chance Oliver goes, he just signed on for like 42 years

You have to give something to get something but I can't see Harry Petty leaving. He is just feels 'so Melbourne'

The club's trading & drafting strategy has been really clearly communicated over the last 4-5 years. They will assess the chips they have to play with and then work on scenarios that make us better overall than what we were on the first of October. Draft picks: 4, 15, 23, 34 Players seeking a move (as reported): Grundy, Harmes, Jordan If the Blues are happy to offload Harry I can see a deal where a pick from Sydney and one of ours facilitates an outcome. I'd have thought Grundy and a first round pick for a 200cm 25 year old key forward who averages 2 goals a game makes us better?

I get the concern/interest in planning for life without Gawn and May in 2-3 years time but that has to be a distant second to winning premierships in the next 2-3 years. Maximise outcomes now, draft sensibly and remain an attractive club for free agents and we can stay in the top third for a long time just like Geelong, Sydney and others.

Money aside we'd be mad not to get Harry McKay if it can be faciliated. attracts the number 1 defender gets up the ground and attracts the footy provides a target & straightens up our entries averages 2 goals and 6 marks per game had a poor goalkicking year in 23 but is more than acceptable across his career

33 games, 10 goals. Feels like more hopium or legitimate Max ruck back up as opposed to ruck/forward solution?

I tend to agree re: Max though I think we need to find a decent forward / ruck foil or else we'll burn him ou sooner than we'd like. May on the other hand, he's worth 5 - 6 goals every week. Rarely, if ever, get's beaten even against the absolute best forwards and he captains the backline equal to anyone else I've seen. Maybe Glen Jakovich was the last one to do it as well as he does?

+ under instruction from the coach who accepted the forward line was pieced together, lacked cohesion and didn't feature a credible tall target who could clunk a mark or kick straight. Mind you Joel Smith more than did his part in the two finals!

I am sure the highlights would present well

Tomlinson looking a chance to go as well. Maybe 1 of Brown or TMac will call it a day with some negotiation?

Hahaha...that's a lot harder mate. I (like many others) could suggest 20 or more names currently on lists but have no clue on their contractual status', expectations and interest. Not sure how much that helps. Perhaps we go aphabetically, I'll start with A A; Amartey, Joel (Sydney) 😛 p.s. jesting only...

100%. Our 2021 game style and success points to this exactly. Brown and TMac were not superstars but they were smart (generally more smart than their opponents), knew their limitations and took their chance when they came

Feels like we're all agreeing here but not in exactly the same ways. Facts: we have contested midfield bulls that win their own ball and fall into the trap of bombing the ball forward Goody places the highest value on contest, defence and time in forward half in 2021 we had two experienced, smart big forwards who were mobile enough, drew serious defenders and took their chances when kicking for goal (McDonald 33 goals, 22 behinds, Brown 25 goals, 13 behinds) This year we started and ended the season with zero big targets forward for the ball capable of holding the fort for a whole season Facts: Brown started well but was troubled with injury after only a few rounds and barely fired a shot after (for MFC or Casey) McDonald never got going and unfortunatley it seems the game has gone past him we lucked in with Petty being more than capable only to be struck down by injury we found JVR to be suitable, a real competitor but he is 19, doesn't have the experience and was always going to fatigue Gawn and Grundy just aren't forwards Without those targets (& Fritsch) Goody had no choice but to try and piece a forward line together and win games with 10 - 12 goals, and the players executed that goal. No doubt we have ordinary kicks in our midfield but they were being instructed to kick the ball to a pack inside 50 so it can be brought to ground and held in our forward line. Even if they were better kicks they would have fallen into this team rule (which they no doubt found comfort in). In reality only Melkshams stellar form kept us winning games in the back half of the season. Take him out and we don't finish top 4. My take; this year every game, bar 1, that we lost we could've won with minutes remaining on the clock largely, the game plan suits our strengths and keeps us in games, no need for whoesale change fix the glaring gaps; find a forward target or 2 who can draw defenders and hit the scoreboard with 6s, not 1s use point 1 to give Gawn a rest and keep him outside F50 (better for his mental health) once we have point 1 instruct players to be smarter going inside F50. Real forward targets will create chances for the others and take their own when they come Re: point 1, we actually have 2 already who are pretty good kicks at goal (Petty & JVR), we just need another that can ruck

Further anamolies but did both Chris Grant (CHF) & Corey McKernan (F/R) get the most votes but miss out due to suspension?

If only Trac could lift his goal kicking accuracry above 50% we'd almost not lose any games...and he'd win the brownlow! BTW, great effort for Trac and JV to combine for 50 votes, did a pair from any other club accomplish that? Best count for some time but it's a disgrace that it's so midfielder centric. May saves us 5 goals every game and got a pitiful handful of votes.

Love them both but hopefully arrangements can be made for both Tom and Ben to finish up. Perhaps not looking that way though with neither making an announcement post the SF loss. Contracts with Casey plus part time MFC coaching and commitments for sponsored learning/qualifications?

We must go all in. We need players that can make an impact right away, whether that's through the draft, traiding or free agency. Flags are on offer in 24 and 25, if we make good decisions and are afforded a touch of good luck. This season we were a chance to win every game with minutes remaining, bar one (Essendon) Richmond recruited Tom Lynch in 2018 and went on to win the next two flags. I can't see our salary cap being a burden considering the known/expected departures will all be on good money (Grundy, Hibberd, Harmes, Jordan and potential retirements of Brown, McDonald and Melksham). 1. A forward who can ruck (not the other way around) 2. Midfielders who can kick (either recruit them or find ways to get the blokes who can kick up the ground, Bowey, Rivers, Salem) 3. A standalone forward coach who can improve our goal kicking accuracy

For mine, The forward line should be: Fritsch, Petty, Pickett ANB, JVR, Spargo With support from: to be acquired forward/ruck, Chandler, Smith, Petracca, Woewodin Brayshaw should move back into defense to cover the loss of Hibberd and to allow Bowey to move up the ground. We should retain the three tall defender model but it doesn't have to be Tomlinson, we should be able to attract a player from another club or have a young one on the list to mould into it. They really only have to have some ability and fall into the system that's run by a very experienced backline.

Agree 100 on Bowey. Bowey and Taj sharing a wing with Bowey spending some time on ball and Taj as a high half forward will improve our I50 delivery, if they can get the pill. I love Lachie Hunter but his kicking is a major impediment & Ed just wasn't himself most of this season unfortunately

BBB had lost more than a yard of pace once he arrived at Melbourne. Though I do agree that to suit our gamestyle we did change his role to be more focussed on creating a contest and bringing the ball to ground. It became a little bit evident last year and moreso this year that even bringing the ball to ground was becoming a struggle for Ben. Which is a real shame because he was moving well and showed good form in the first few rounds this year. Eventually age and injury get's them all.

Petty can play a role very similar to Hogan, Big H was effective as a leading forward when available this year. We'd still need to find a big forward/back up ruck though. There are enough around to suggest we'll land one this year, the question is how much of an influence they can have on our outcomes in 2024.

Goody definitely made some mistakes, non-selection of Grundy would be number 1 for me. Grundy should have been in for Mc Donald and a runner or Hibberd in as sub. It feels like they put a line through him once he was meeting with other clubs. I hope not because professionals should be able ot see past that and trust that the focus remains on getting the job done while still present.

We all know flags are incredibly hard to win. We were the hardest team to beat all year, evidenced by our losses all being 10 points or less (bar 1). Agree with posters sentiments about our more daring ball movement in 2021 compared to now. The fact is we had proper forward targets in 21 that we don't have now. TMac and Brown were serious footballers, but it was their last hurrah. We also mustn't underestimate the loss of Jackson. His size, speed and agility was the perfect foil for Max. He was a tall target all around the ground, competitive in the ruck and effective at ground level. He also gave Max plenty of rest time during the game so when he snagged a shot at goal he wasn't completely nackered. Goody tightened up ball movement to keep games close knowing we were unlikely to kick 15+ goals against the better teams. But while that kept us safe at times it also leave the door ajar for teams when we are inaccurate.

It hurts because we came so close It hurts because we tried so hard but failed From hurt comes resilience We will fight again