praha

Actually it is. The players being dropped generally fall into the Kent-ANN-Bugg-Harmes-Stretch group. Our midfield is settled. We have 5-6 guys fighting for those 2 additional flank/wing positions. It seems like we're "shuffling deck chairs" as they say but it's clear that Goodwin is trying to get consistentcy with this group. Kent needs a solid 10 weeks at Casey. Not as punishment. He needs to work his way in now. I assume the reason Stretch is having a, ahem, Stretched out time in the VFL is for this reason. We won't see Kent for a while. Whoever is in the side when Gawn and Hogan come back I assume will be there for a while.

Don't do it, Rod. Can't trust a man dressed like that!

Bruce needs to stfu and calm down. Every shot at goal!

I thought Adelaide was our statement win?

IMO I think this will be our first "big" loss of the year. GC can be quite good as we've seen this year and they'll have had a nice break. I predict 3-4 changes on our end. Not just saying this because "it's Melbourne", rather just because I think GC will be due for a big win. I've actually tipped them by 43 points.

So when he went down it was an 8-12 week injury. He said he could be back by the QB match (round 12), which would actually be a 9-week layover. On the website, however, it has him at 4-6 weeks, which has him returning by round 14-16.

We're a better team than most here dare admit.

I just threw up in my mouth.

It's a legitimate question. How do you win one of the toughest assignments in football, then come home with a full week's break, on your home turf, against a team that hasn't played at the MCG in a year, and lose?

Really though we've been pretty good this year. Been in a winnable position in every game, but ultimately lost it in the air. The North game was hardly insipid. Our game against Geelong last year was insipid. Sunday was a tough game, we faltered, but calling it insipid is hyperbolic.

He wins the unwinnable ball. Watch Oliver's goal from last week. Mitch had 2, 3, 4 efforts in the contest, didn't get a clear possession but kept the ball alive. He did a lot against the Crows without doing much, if that makes sense, whereas against North he stood up when it was obvious that Garlett, Kent and Bugg weren't doing enough.

Yes.

We've got ANB, Hannan, Harmes and Kent all vying for two spots. IMO, Hannan has nailed down one spot. Harmes is more adaptable of the bunch and can go into the middle. ANB seems to find more of the ball but is rather one dimensional. But he tackles more than the others. Hannan doesn't tackle but he's very smart and silky smooth. Kent doesn't tackle but has "x factor". IMO we should settle on Hannan and ANB. Go with the two best thinkers of the bunch. We also need more forward pressure and imo ANB brings that. Kent doesn't have it.

IMO it's actually a struggle to utilise the space. Not sure that playing in NT this week helps. We need consecutive games there and haven't since the Freo-Richmond double. More than ever, we needed this upcoming week's game to be at the MCG. We have two consecutive strings there, one two weeks in a row, and three to end the year.

Yas. Like I mentioned in another thread, might work out better in the long run but atm it's costing us games. I can't fathom why a player looking straight towards our goal, with a direct line to kick forward, stops to handball sideways. It must be a directive.

We're still battling with the concept of two-way running. Works better on smaller grounds because there's less space to cover. Watching yesterday's game, North seemed to always have 2-3 more players in their forward line because their mids and flankers just appeared to be everywhere. Despite playing all of their games better at Etihad, they ran harder and utilised space superbly compared to Melbourne, who plays half of their games on the MCG. IMO it's as much a reflection of experience (or lack thereof) is you'll find. Sometimes the players just seem run out on their feet. Maybe it's for the best in the long run. Or maybe we're still behind the 8-ball when it comes to training practices. I'll tell you something, leaving the MCG and having North supporters laugh us out of our home ground, jeering "10 YEARS!" is something that almost pushed me over the edge.

Just watched the replay. Their last three goals are infuriating. Outnumbered us around the ball, handballed it around 3, 4, 5 times to North players just lingering around. The North, Hawks, and Freo games have been almost identical in how we've lost them.

OUT: Bugg, Omac, Kent IN: Stretch, Melksham, Harmes

He won't play at Casey.

Watts is stuffed. It's definitely an excuse. His body is just clearly not made for that sort of play. We're throwing a gazelle to the wolves. He could barely keep pace after half time yesterday. We badly need Spencer back. And when he comes back, if Goodwin drops Pederson, then the coach can head back to the VFL with him.

Just as with 2014, 2015, 2016, we have a good win and appear set to "turn the corner", but then the ball drops and that important win is found out for what it really is: an anomaly. Still think we're in a good position considering out personalle issues but these losses are really hurting.

Stop with this "please explain" BS. It was a bad umpiring performance but making a song and dance about it deflects attention away from the real issue and dilutes actual player performance. I'll be disappointed if the club said anything. We didn't lose because of the umpiring. Get over it.

Let's think about this rationally. We're 4-5 and *should* hit the halfway point at 6-5. That'll be a good record having played without a ruckman or KPF. We have a tougher second half of the year and it'll test us but our percentage will help us. Our wins haven't been "ugly", they've been tough hard fought games where our deficiency has been exploited well by the opposition. Today was always going to be a tough game. There is a consistent theme in our Roos, Freo and Hawks losses, and that's that their talls absolutely destroyed our lack of aerial ability. We have been fighting an uphill battle since round 3 and to still be in the finals hunt halfway through is encouraging. Drop the next two, however, and it's lights out. That said, we have been in winnable positions in every game, and in every loss, our leaders have been majorly disappointing. Jones plays like a perennial loser. Lewis sometimes seem to be checking his retirement pay. Vince is close to pushing daisies. We're not "weak" anymore. We battled so hard. These losses hurt because they mean so much. Today [censored] me off because Norf is a nothing club and I just want to pound them for once. Will we turn the corner this year? We still have a lot of time to.

I never really buy "tired". Mentally, sure, but physically, they're pro athletes and should have no issue getting up. Imo, today was just a mammoth mental effort, come in as favourites again, primed to cement a place in the top 8, mate is fighting the battle of his life and the limelight is now on you. We battled hard but still lost it. Credit to North, that was a very hard fought win. We'll be okay.