RalphiusMaximus

I'm happy with this call. He has experience with a genuine powerhouse in Collingwood. With luck he'll have a good idea of hw to help Melbourne expand.

His problem isn't lack of opportunity. When he's fit he plays. The problem is that he's constantly injured. That's not going to change with another club and I doubt that other teams are going to want to take the chance given his history. Best he can hope for is Fremantle I would think.

I was thinking about him too. He's not a popular man at GCS right now, wasting his time in the reserves. I don't think Dew really rates him or possibly just doesn't like him. Either way, if he can't get back into the firsts I think he could be very gettable and he certainly has talent. Also of note is that he was said to be very good friends with a certain defender who recently moved back to Melbourne. Pretty sure he'd like to move back to Melbourne and hang with Jake again.

I'm stunned at the lack of love for Gawn on here, especially given how insipid most of the team were.

Cox mugged Harry Potter at some point. He was clearly using an invisibility cloak today, given how often he popped up standing on his own right in front of the goals while his man was off chasing midfielders.

So, that was fun. I don't know what the TV showed, but at the ground it looked very much like the majority of the side just weren't putting in the effort. We saw it time and time again, they were able to get multiple players free in wide open spaces while our midfield were clustered back where the ball used to be. That's straight up poor work-rate. I know we've had some road games and short breaks here and there, but there's no excuse for such a lazy performance. The Umpires set the tone at the opening bounce when they paid a free to Collingwood for a general stacks-on in the square. They followed through on that promise with a 9-3 free kick count in the first quarter, including four goal assists. It did improve slightly once the damage was done, but the Pies still got by far the best of it. Special note to J. Smith who had his head taken off with a closthline in full view of the umpire for a call of play on and a Collingwood goal. Gawn was mighty today. In the first half in particular he smashed Grundy. Grundy managed to even up his stats by rucking against Pedo later in the game, but Gawn taught him a lesson today. Also a victim of the umps, in particular a contest where Grundy wrapped both arms around him, bullrushed him under the ball and was rewarded with a free kick. TMac was likewise awesome. I think this was his biggest bag. One of the few who can be proud of their performance today. Hogan looked off when he was practicing his goal kicking before the game, and that how he played. Still racked up some disposals up the ground, but had very little impact. Pedersen was a liability. He gave us nothing in the ruck, he constantly missed targets by foot and he didn't hit the scoreboard. I haven't seen a worse game by Jones in a long time.

6. Tommy. Six goals, fought hard and tried to give us a sniff. 5. Gawn. Even the Collingwood fans sitting near me thought he was smashing Grundy. 4. Jetta. The only defender who put in today. 3. Oliver. Just keeps getting the ball. Should have had three goals. If he had kicked them he would be higher. 2. Brayshaw. Some classy touches while holding a pretty solid tag. 1. Fritsch. Really, he tried, he worked hard, and nobody else deserves a vote.

Very harsh on Gawn. He smashed Grundy for most of the match, to the point that they stopped letting him take centre bounces and put Cox in there instead. Grundy racked up some cheap numbers rucking against Pedersen which makes his stats look more respectable, but the only thing he had over Gawn today was his tackle count.

Quick note here on Bert. He felt that he didn't have time to work up a relationship with the existing set of assistant coaches and support staff in the Australian camp, so he's paying the wages of his own team of assistants, analysts and scouts out of his own pocket. I'm really hoping that the support team in the Football Australia had in place are still hanging around and learning from these guys. That experience will be priceless when Arnold takes over after the World Cup. Article.

Very surprised to see them rating Rance 1-1. He's been smashed this year when he was isolated and forced to man up. Jenkins and Melksham smashed him.

I don't mind the notion of alternating home games for the QB match. We're not the basket case we were, so it's not as vital to the clubs finances as it once was. The only rider is that it would need to alternate with the Anzac eve game, so we got one of them each year as a home game. That's one big marquee pay-day each year. Obviously, we'd need the AFL to get their act together and give us a home Friday fixture or two as well, but every side should have one of those each season, so no big deal.

Nope.

I've just had a look at the e-mail the club sent out asking us to buy a guaranteed seat for the Queens Birthday game. It appears that they want us to pay an extra $44.00 for this. What I want to know is, what does this get us? They wanted an extra $10.00 for the Richmond game, which I paid only to find that there was heaps of room in the members' area anyway. If I show up at the ground next week with only my membership, will they tell me I can't sit with the other members behind the goals? I'm terribly confused.

All of which came after he walked. If we could have kept him here, helped him keep his [censored] together, he could have been anything.

Think he might suggest Dec gets a game? Just a thought. Seriously though, I think it's going to be a showdown between Frost and Keilty. Whoever shows the most tomorrow may well be the one to get the prize. Given current form and game-style, I lean towards Keilty getting his debut. He mau not have the pace of Frost, but he's more reliable by foot which is going to be a big factor. There is an off-chance that Melksham won't get up. Normally I would say Garlett would be the one to come in for him, but I don't think he's been doing that well at Casey has he? Do we have someone down there who can play the role better?

This is a tough ask. That ground tends to have a shocking wind blowing and we rarely play well up there. Big challenge for the lads.

Something the TV commentary came out with. The last time the MFC won five games on the trot was two weeks before Nathan Jones played his first game. Think about that. He has stuck with the MFC for all this time and this is the first time he's seen this sort of success. They had better do it again next week for his 250th.

The only change I'd consider assuming everyone pulls up sound is Spargo. That's not a comment on his form which has been fine, but simply that he's young and might need rest now that he's had a few games at the top level. Realistically, you'd think a team that's juts won by those margins in the last two rounds would be untouchable though. Clearly the mix is right at the moment.

So we are currently the highest scoring team in the league. We are also the #1 team for marks inside 50. I think I might have to stop complaining about the poor delivery to our forwards. Also on the forwards today: Hogan - 20 disposals, 11 marks, 5 goals. TMac - 18 Disposals, 7 marks, 2 goals T Smith - 19 Disposals, 6 marks, 2 goals That's a hell of an output from the tall forwards today.

It's Carlton. They get special rules just for them. Bonus Friday night games, priority picks, immunity from investigation even when one of their coaches comes out and says they tanked to get Kreuzer... I wouldn't be surprised if they wound up with the top three picks this year.

Toby McLean shouldn't be playing AFL. He's an out and out cheat. If there's one positive from this game it's that the media are catching on and highlighting his BS.

Seventeen years old and half a head shorter than his Father. Can we expect a late growth spurt from him? Not that he really needs it, but it would be an added bonus if he wound up his Dad's size and build.

Best part of this is that he was being chased by a number of clubs and chose to come to the MFC.

Plus one of the best in the league at forcing turnovers. HiS defensive work is first class.

But then, the only sides to have beaten us are three of the past four teams to win flags. I think that is just as valid a point.