DV8

Rubbish. DeGoey was there they knew Petracca didn't have a tank. Bad selection the worst selection we have ever done. The draft isn't a lottery the best players get picked first. It's criminal to stuff up early picks and we always do it with the exception of Oliver and Brayshaw. Who funnily enough have tanks. Petracca is a bust a poor man's Sylvia. At that time we were looking for big bodied Mids. We were too blinkered IMO, in that approach. I've been wanting us to recruit rover types, and centreline types with speed and some 'GO' in them. Truth is teams need versatility, in all shapes and sizes of players... and foot speed is always of value. As long as it's accompanied with courage and a brain.

We've got a strong list, by no means a great list. Leigh Matthews Lions list, 2000 - 2004 was a Great List. That Lions team would castrate us, and ship us off home... wrapped with a bow.

Petracca was the same last year. He was just in slightly better form because he was playing in a better team, than this season. He was lazy last year as well. It just didn't stand out so much, because people were watching the whole side performing well. Petracca has been like the boy next door. just popular for the sake of it... the truck... truck indeed, he's currently more like a street sweeper. He has been spoilt so far, at Mfc.

They moved us on because of the original Merri-Creek mud cricket wicket... it was getting torn up. so they roped off the centre wicket area, for our training sessions. Which was very Un-Satisfactory. Barassi was trying to get a larger Gymnasium for better facilities, and we needed better social rooms for players, etc, and IMO for supporters. It ended up the Mcc sent us to Siberia. (Junction Oval )

we are in trouble as a club. imo, we have a sound list, but definately not better than most. We have about 6 or 8 good pieces of the puzzle, but all are a little 'nqr'. Except maybe Jetta, but he's injured. Oli, Brayshaw, Gawn all have a ways to improve. They all waste the ball far too often. A mental and discipline thing imv. So I class them as B+ grade. They aren't the fully Professionals we'd like them to be, YET.

Irrespective of tracca... IF we had Patton in, with Weide, then TMc plays high... or could even be a luxury on a wing. IF he was fully functioning, fully fit, with his feet and body. If Patton was on this years list.... > FF/ Preuss/Patton, Weide, Garlett/Hunt HF/ Hannan, TMc, AVB CL/ Lockhart, Brayshaw, Melksham HB/ Hibberd, Lever, Salem FB/ Hore, May, Jetta Fll/ Gawn, Olive, Harmes Viney, Fritsch, Stretch, Sparrow,

Well last year we got the supporters fired up early season, and the Mcc supporters as well... we got them all roaring early season, with some choice stirring of the flock, to stop being so proper, and so conservative, and so polite... OUR crowd fired up, in a firey support of the team, long before the team found it's MOJO.

bugga, I chose the Crows on the ladder predictor last night... but I didn't think to go to our tipping comp. I forgotten all about it. What a terrible season so far, for us.

Maybe Petty is just still thinking his way thru footy... and not yet playing on instinct. Lets give him time. Oscar is the one who needs his finger surgically removed from an orifice... someone give him a rattle, so he can move along to its beat. 2nd year blues. 19 yrs of age.

Just because our list is out of balance for '666', does not mean we are worse than the GCS's of the AFL... It just means we're out of balance in the list Re run and pace. Reasonably easily sorted, but not for this season. And we are a young list... other than 3 or 4 older players. Its imperative that we get the likes of Viney And TMc fit and healthy for 2020. treat them with kid gloves this year and get them Rehabbed... and same with Lever as well. Get him right 125%... before taking any risks with him.May can get fit and play out the 2nd jhalf of the season. IF we are without Viney and TMc playing, in the above scenario, then Jones and Lewis will be critical On-Field, to make sure May and others are on the best behaviour on-field & around the club, Regarding culture, etc.

We should have fought for Rockliffe, a hard headed goal kicking inside mid. He was the perfect foil for Jonesy, for when he's done. He would be very handy right now, Rocky.

Tracca does have good hands... when he's on. Inside the midfield, where he should be playing. The guy is nowhere near aerobically fit enough, for AFL.

Look we need versatility for our forwardline, and for 2nd rucks. Weide is too small to be a genuine, 2nd ruck. He also needs a foil up forward, and one who is Taller and mobile. Preuss'y is more a backup 1st ruck, for when Gawn is hurt, or tired Preuss can pinch-hit as a forward... but his fitness imv, is always going to be an issue for him. After Preuss, we have little to share ruck or forward play. We are too thin in this regard. What IF Weide was injured... we would be a shizen creek. We see what happens when one gets hurt, in TMc, who is well off the pace. This impacts our whole forwardline function and confidence.

There isn't any. And when he decides to go after a contest, he goes to ground too easily. It's a bit like an immature, spoilt AFL attitude... and that is the Mfc's fault..... all of US... for spoiling those kids whom we adore.

We don't make them do their time, and earn their reward the hard way. We spoil our high-hope picks... and we are doing it all over again, now with May... in little ways, by fawning over him prior to him showing what he's got. What did we do with Watts. What have we done with Tracca. What did we do with Toump. IMV, we are doing the right thing, so far with Stretch. Whether he'll be good enough or not, will be seen... but he will Respect with high regard, playing in the Demons jumper in the AFL.. Gawn played plenty in the ressies. OMc has not. Tracca, how many VFL games has he played ??? Can anyone tell me?

What concerns me is that we were happy to give away Two 1st Rnd picks, for a player who already had a knee Reco as a kid. We payed too highly imv,... The thinking must have been our list is very close to finished... it was not. The over-optimism with regard to "the state of the list"... This misjudgement is what concerns me the most. This is a perrenial Melbourne problem, of overestimating the worth. It even afflicts outside coaches, once they have been under our Umbrella, for a little while. We get too Optimistic too quickly, which impacts the perception of footy dept people... and we also get too Pessimistic too quickly... which makes personnel switch us off, and disregard us all. So then our thoughts and feelings are lost on the club. The Disconnect arrives. .

TMc, Hannan, Spargo in his first year as an 18Yr old. Pederson, Jetta, Salem, Gawn, It seems to me that the players who have come on, are the ones who have done their time in the reserves, first. Those who have done SFA in the 2nds, seems to get stale.

I would go after Patton... but not with Tracca, I think a better deal is required. Maybe a 2nd Rnd pick for Patton. I'd want something more for Tracca. Play him on the wing in the reserves and get him working harder... more urgency required, and to go on a diet. Lose 5 Kgs. He should be around 92 Kgs, imv. Get him running around the field instead, of loping about. If he loses 5Kgs and doesn't shine, at least there will be more interest from outside the club for him.

your right, 'ript'. Melbourne were right in not going after the Olympic Swimming Centre... Dylan Shiel, De Goey, Martin, Sheedy, et al, etc.

And goes to ground too often in the forwardline. He is slow to get back up. He fades away off the back of contests, and then walks watching it. He's a lazy player, who gets his thrills from just being in the seniors. No ambition, other than being in the limelight.

Some solid analysis there cheers. Pure sweet arrogance. Don't you love it.

We just drafted mostly players with pace last November. Apart from our trades. I think Goody knows our weaknesses, exposed in the Prelim... but we have been caught out Re list & game plan. So this year seems to sticking with close to the defensive game plan as a best option for 2019. And injuries have gotten in the way early this year. I reckon he'll sort it, when we have good players who can play with run and dash.

Please, can someone update this team that took the field, in positions?

Coniglio no problem offer him plenty. We need top-flite class to aid our coalface players.

Being Melbourne supporters of the past 5 decades, in a sense, might be just a little like how some prisoners of war might have felt ? In that the strong sense of hopelessness , in that there seems nothing that we all can do and that we're at the mercy of our tormentors, and others not in contact, who hold our destiny's in they're hands. Now I now footy is nowhere near being held captive tortured and at high risk of having your life taken from you. But this helplessness is a lot of how I've felt over the decades, as a Demons supporter. It has been, very despairing. And as an 8Yr old kid, I was ambushed in the dark of my driveway, and assaulted by an Ex Prisoner of War. I know what PTSD looks like in its horrible form. So did this mans family, and after them, so did his dog, years howling in pain and grief.