Fat Tony

Stop selling home games up there. It’s not worth the money.

The club clearly wanted to make sue TMac played a game and he couldn’t be emergency and play this weekend given the schedule. Not being an emergency was no indication of where he stands in the pecking order.

Turner is now our best key position player at either end.

Rubbish. Walsh is a free agent next season and will get a monster deal if he leave Carlton.

Walsh is on $1m and I doubt we have that room in the cap and I am not sure he's worth it.

Taylor Walker would be a better option given the cost.

I would start Sharp and use Viney as the sub (if fit). The midfield is humming without Viney. I would like to see TMac replace Johnson. Daniel Hoyne from Champion Data just gave his analysis on SEN on the second ruck position and he said it’s not really important and that clubs would be better off just picking a better forward. Johnson lacks the skill required and his first step off the mark is too slow.

It will be interesting how they bring back Viney. Petracca, Kossie and Rivers have been playing more midfield minutes the last three weeks and I think we may look a better side without Viney.

Johnson had a game player rating of -2.5. He looks like he isn’t skilled enough for AFL.

Is TMac playing VFL?

I don’t love the decision but it’s a long year and I think Turner has shown he’s probably a better defender than forward.

I am thinking of heading over to Adelaide to watch the game against the Crows. I am a MFC member but there will be no allocation to away members (from Melbourne). Does anyone know how easy it will be to get tickets?

We would have to get used to listening to his squeaky voice again.

These crafts are not easily learned. The best forwards learn them themselves or grow up as natural forwards from a young age. JVR has no significant height/reach, strength or speed advantages over AFL key defenders and he would need to be smarter than defenders to win contests (like Melksham, Tex or Membrey). He just doesn't have that skill. These players kick a lot more ground goals than JVR.

JVR is a defender playing forward. He is just not the right mix of ingredients to be a good forward at AFL level where key forwards get very few one-on-one contests. He is not tall enough, quick enough and/or skilled enough at ground level. He is an excellent set shot kick for goal. Give him a go at full back in the VFL and he will be a gun defender.

Lever and Viney are clearly in our best side but it leads to some tricky decisions this week. Lever looked like Lever in the VFL and played well (admittedly a much slower game) and I think he will be right to come back. On finding a spot for Lever, Turner looks like he could be an elite AFL defender and he is probably the best match up for Heeney this week. I am not sure swinging forward and back every game is great for his development. May looks like he is almost finished, injured or a bit out of form but I don't think we will give up on him just yet (plus he is signed for another year). I thought TMac made a few errors but he has been very good this season. Maybe Plugger will make a comeback up forward. On Viney, I would probably push Rivers back to find the midfield minutes, but Rivers was our top rated player against the Lions and was very good. This means we need to reassign one of the small defenders (probably Windsor). The other option is Kossie/Petracca play more forward. I think Sharp or Spargo is most at risk. Fritsch can have another strong game as sub to earn his spot back in the 22. (I would like to see him nail his set shots again.) We are getting close to being able to field our best 23.

I was cautiously optimistic when we learned that McInerney was out because I felt Max would have Fort's measure and would be able to grab the ball in the clearances. Another Clarrie stat that was fantastic was his 36 pressure acts, which was equal 7th career high. We don't really want Clarrie getting 30+ possessions (we want that from Kossie, Lindsay, Chandler, Bowey and Langford) but we need him to be efficient with the ball and a maniac without it.

The best way to watch the game would be the current way they show it PLUS a second screen which shows vision from a camera behind the goals. I have two TVs in my living room for the cricket and its great (but my wife hates it)!

Oliver had a player rating of 20.5 (second behind Rivers). The last game he rated that well was the night he did his hamstring against Port in 2023.

This. Plus those arguing for a change are ignoring the implications to our soft cap. A new coach would not be cheap and would want to bring in their own people and this isn’t feasible if we are paying Goodwin $1m to not coach their own people club.

This game has reinforced a lot of my views. JVR is a defender playing forward (and is being played forward because he is a good set shot kick for goal). Jefferson is a bust. K Brown could make it. Sestan could make it. Howes is a good VFL player. Culley is way too slow. Campbell is a very good backup. Verrell is not strong enough or good enough at ground level. I don't think Adams is a good enough kick to make it. Overall, out list management decisions have been too conservative in turning the list over.

Howes has definitely struggled at AFL level this year and has made too many critical errors. In particular, fumbles and poor handballs. He needs to be ultra clean because he has no real penetration in his offence.

Dees are dominating but not on the scoreboard. Lever looks to be playing well. Howes is going well also. JVR has played well but has missed two long shots and is a very good VFL forward. (But I maintain he will be better as a defender in the AFL.) Jefferson has one goal (after nearly dropping the uncontested mark) and missed a earlier set shot and another one kicked into the man on the mark. He is a dopey footballer. Tholstrup just had his first kick and has been invisible. Casey 32 Southport 27

Losing Jackson arguably cost us the 2023 flag.

I don't think the 3.20pm slot on Sunday is a bad one to get. The Saturday night game is no longer as good as it was from a commercial perspective given the change in free to air games. Being sent to Tassie, Darwin, Alice or Ballarat for a foxtel game is what kills the club.