leucopogon

Kent is definitely one who has played that extra mid off the back of the square role this year along with Tracc, Hunt and others, Garlett? A pacy winger with a good tank like Isaac Smith would be good but I reckon a giant mid in the mold of Fyfe, Patrick Cripps, Bont could also be a good addition to capitalise on Gawns ruck dominance.

Amen to that Clint

The second half of the year fade out is telling for me. Suggests he's playing hurt, or mentally checked out of the club. I reckon it's the latter.

Wonder if he could do a run with role next year, he sure did a good job on Danger last year, but that's ancient history now. Wasn t very impressed with him in the backline in 2016, maybe play him half forward, he knows how to kick a goal.

If Lockett were around these days he wouldn't have even been drafted, isn't that a sad indictment on the way footy is evolving into a sport for athletes first and footballers second.

Besides the trio of Dunn, H, and Garland, this year's huge disappointments for me have been Bernie and Hogan. Two of my favourites from 2015 are now the two that probably cause me to lose my [censored] the most often (Harmes is pretty good at that too, but at least he hasn't gone backwards).

all this statistical analysis is a bunch of hooey, the guy doesn't lead up to the ball carrier. Have a look at the way he plays when we're bringing th ball inside forward 50 with speed, he's always calling for the ball out the back, demanding an unrealistic 60-80 m ball to the top of the square (or more typically the forward pocket). For a kpf that has such a big "tank", why isn't he running his opponents ragged with hard leads back to goal then doubling back to the ball carrier and splitting packs like he was in his first year? My gut feel is that he's mentally checked out of the club, and has been playing the last month of footy in self-preservation mode (a la J. Howe last year). I may well be wrong of course, and if so, I'll support him as a part of the MFC, but my admiration for the way he plays the game has dwindled considerably this year and he'd want to pull out something special next year to win me back over.

Hogan just looks like he's been playing self-preservation football the 2nd half of the year. Won't be surprised to see the headline on Tuesday or Wednesday next week "Hogan requests trade"

He's gone, and is playing to preserve his body for his future employer.

Reckon we've just seen Hogan's last Melbourne game. Team is slow, Hunt is the only player on the field that looks dangerous, the rest look like they're running on the spot. Vince is finished (Casey next year). No finals in 2017, still too young and no leaders.

I agree, he certainly isn't "bleeding red and blue" as the old saying goes

OP makes some valid points, but I disagree that it was a loss we had to have. I don't think it will help the team, only set them back further, knowing that with finals on the line they managed to not fight out a result against a bottom 4 side. Mind boggling really and will surely sap the confidence of the playing group. I thought this kind of crap was behind us, how wrong I was. A few comments about players: 1) Bernie - Holy Cow he's really dropped away hasn't he? If he continues on this trajectory, I predict he'll be wearing a Casey jumper with Colin and Dunny most of next season. 2) Pedo - should have been out there today. The Hogan and Weed show was a complete and utter fizzer. 3) Frost - I reckon he'll be okay, the flaws in his game can be fixed. One of the biggest of which is keeping his feet in a contest. Goes to ground willingly far too often and its just plain stupid, but surely that can be coached out of him. 4) Kent - I agree on this about it being make or break next year. He'll need to lift if he's going to keep the likes of Harmes (lets face it he's a forward not a back) and Ben Ken out of the side. 5) Hogan - I'm so underwhelmed by what I see from Hogan each week (I know he takes marks on the wing but so what, every time he marks the ball he takes his full 10 seconds to get it moving, slows us down incredibly, also has what can only be described as the ultra-yips with his set goal kicking). It really is infuriating watching him play. I know I'll cop flak for this, but I'd be entertaining trade offers.

Hogan not leading to the ball carrier when Vanders had broken the Simpson tackle was just the final straw for me. He's unbelievable. I'm lost for words at the laziness/lack of smarts.

rain isn't going to help us at all, Carlton are hunting in packs and tackling much more fiercely than us today. Rain will just exacerbate the enormous gap in effort.

can anybody explain to me why Hogan led to the point post instead of straight up the middle when he did convert that goal. Its like he's got an invisible rubber band attached to the point post whenever he's inside forward 50. Sick of it.

Strangely exciting isnt it? There's a sniff there for sure. Can't wait for next week.

Having another look at the Mitchell incident, I don't think it deserves a week, pretty minor. Rioli will also have no case to answer. Sicily however, probably deserves a week for his crude spoiling of Bernies good looks.

Garlett is badly out of form. Harmes stays in by the skin of his teeth, love his endeavour but God he butchers the ball more often than not.

that last quarter was manic, reminded me of some of the rolls we used to get on during the Danniher years. I think we finally saw our line in the sand moment!!! just brilliant.

6 - Watts 5 - Tyson 4 - Vanders 3 -Frost 2 - Stretch (very impressive game, wish he'd get it 25-30 times a game, we'd be a much better team) 1- OMac edit: forgot Vanders (votes adjusted)

Just having another watch of the last 1/4 and had a good look at the Watts taking out the legs of Darling free kick. The cheating Eagle has completely dived, a la Arjen Robben in the penalty area, to con the umpire into that free kick. It is comical. Watts slides to the side of Darling's legs and then a split second after, Darling has flung himself to the ground backwards in dramatic pose, arms outstretched appealing for the free kick. I can't believe what a bunch of duckers, divers and flat out cheats the Eagles are. Can't stand them. I'm glad that the Dees don't play that Cr@p.

I understand Pearce getting one of our spots, but a 31 year old as the other marquee signing??? Melbourne have missed the boat here while the other clubs have locked in the rest of the super talented and younger marquee players on their lists for the next 10 years, we'll be lucky to get more than about 3 or 4 out of Hickey. Would have gone for Sabrina Frederick-Traub the 20 year old key position player, personally.

On review I don't have a problem with the Gawn deliberate call. He's basically handballed it out on the full, they should make hand balling on the full the same as kicking out on the full, an automatic free kick. The Tyson one was dodgy, I don't agree with that one at all, especially as a numbe of very similar ones weren't paid to us earlier in the game.

It's simply an outlet for venting frustration, I find it therapeutic in a way. Saves me from muttering a stream of profanities under my breath out of earshot of the wife and kids, while I watch the games.

Oscar should be dropped, but none of the other players you listed deserve to miss, imo.