praha

OK so that's based on a very simple statistic (points against: only Sydney and St. Kilda have less), but it does help prove a point I've been saying for a while now - our backline is probably the only 100% settled part of our team, in that we've got all the pieces for it to be a successful formula in our plan. And I think it will only improve, especially with Garland now back. Throw in Rivers also. I think Frawley only had 4 possessions on him for the whole day today. I'd be curious to see how many possessions, shots on goal and marks inside 50 our backline players have had kicked on them, and also how effective their own possessions have been, as well as clearance out of the back 50.

Fremantle have had about 100 promising youngsters in their 15 years (much like us in our last 15 years) but haven't capitalised. I think they are due to start playing consistent, good football. Remember, it took Brisbane 8 years to make the finals, and I think 10 years to win their first finals game, and 14 years to win a flag. They are due to start playing good football, and based on the game against Geelong today, their fans are really itching for it. If they get on a role, they will be unstoppable at Subi; that place was looked like a cauldron today.

We can't finish top 4 without suitable replacements for Travis Johnstone and Broke McLean, which we clearly do not have.

We were making that fossil look good in the first half.

Hmm, I don't think that was Bailey's doing. Adelaide insist on playing a terrible brand of football when they come to the MCG. It's not just against us. They always have 1-2 extra players down back, and the Melbourne players that are on those players don't want to enter the 50 so as not to flood our own forward line. It's pretty simple and a tactic Sydney used in 05-06. So suddenly, whenever they get the ball out they stream forward, bringing our players with them. When/if we rebound from our defensive 50, we have no one up forward. That changed quite obviously in the second half, as we played an extra man down back and our forwards played far more aggressively and concise to the forward 50, not allowing or following their men down back when Adelaide went forward.

lmao Newton - played important role? He struggled in against a backline that is hampered by injury. Can't believe this guy still gets a game.

Hopefully Michael Newton.

I despise it when a player is pinged for being over the ball. What exactly is a player supposed to do when the ball is on the ground? If they try and pick it up and stand up, they get tackled and lose it. If they jump on it and try and knock it out but get it caught underneath, it's holding the ball. The rule should have stayed the way it was. Watching the 93 Grand Final between Essendon and Carlton on Fox Sports on Tuesday night made me realise how much the game has changed for the worst.

I think Malthouse is a great coach who has done superbly considering the list he has had to work with. In saying that, he is an arrogant arse that thinks he is gods gift to the world.

He played OK. Made a few ugly mistake in the first two rounds that kind of justified Brisbane delisting him. I guess it's good that we have an experienced played in the side, but I can't imagine him being part of our long term plans to be honest. He's another Craig Ellis at best.

I haven't finished watching it in about 3 years. For whatever reason, I always start watching it, but then stop at about 10:15-10:30. Not sure why I even start.

*facepalm*

Pie fans allegedly bash Demon's father lol OK Eddie.

Fixed.

And here I was thinking Michael Newton had disappeared off the face off the Earth. Thanks for getting my hopes up

He has a great football brain, but is a "give it to me" player with poor kicking skills. Once he's inside the forward 50 he is far too one dimensional, and hasn't been influential on a game in over 3 years. The game has passed him by.

If by top 4 you mean top 15, then yeah, we can finish top 4.

Newton was at his absolute worst that day. Missed two or three absolute sitters. I remember going on my own and laughing to myself that, even though at half-time we were goalless, we were still in with a chance. And with 5 minutes remaining, we still could have won. Joke of a game. Hopefully this Sundays game won't be as bad.

Outscore them. /thread

Brock Mclean is the most respected player in the AFL. He WILL captain us, He WILL lead us to a premiership, and he WILL play his entire career at the Melbourne Football Club. No but on a serious note, I have no respect for a player who simply wants out of a club. I could handle Scotty Thompson, and he handled it like a true gentleman. He wanted to go home, but made it quite clear that if we couldn't get a reasonable trade going, he'd be happy to stay. Farmer I could also handle, because he stuck with us for so long, despite so many issues off-field and back at home in WA. At first I thought there must have been something behind the scenes, but after hearing what Moloney said about him at a presentation during the pre-season, I think it was just a matter of him not getting what he wanted, having a sissy fit and walking out. Screw him.

I've always liked him, as a bloke and a player. But he's a player I hate to love because he's a Magpie.

Not bad. Bailey speaks well, but we all already knew that. Garry tried very hard to cover up the lack of goal posts farce, but Caro wrapped it up nicely. "It's been a year and a half of Jim Stynes and however many years...the Melbourne Football Club should be training on a ground with goal posts." Also, Watts will need to play 4-5 great games of footy at Casey before breaking through to the seniors. Says he is frustrated, but his determination and maturity is fantastic.

"Jack Green" A "Melbourne" name if I've ever seen one

I'm not putting anything down to loyalty or how we've treated him over the years. Players have left teams in the past even after being treated by royalty. As long as the $$$ are right, he will go. But I doubt the GC will offer him much more than we do. They'll be throwing their money at Ablett and saving for the likes of Riewoldt (however you spell it). We must sign him up!

There was a good ratio in round 1, but we had nothing to cheer for. Hawthorn is one of the teams I'm never worried about in regards to supporter numbers. They don't have THAT many fans. Don't be fooled by their 50,000 members: many are 1 game memberships, and they have 10,000+ that are in Tassie. I'd say they have a 25,000-35,000 strong membership of committed members in Melbourne that go to every game. Had we actually been given something to cheer for, you'd have noticed that the crowd wasn't as one sided as it looked. But, based on the TV showing, Melb v Collingwood sounded like 10-1. But we always seem to come out for interstate games, even when we get only 16k to the ground. As long as we create a cauldron (which we normally do. Those two games against Freo and Brisbane in 2008 are two of my most memorable as a supporter), we can make a lot of noise. See of red and blue people! Wear your team colours!