praha

Lever's role vs Geelong 2021, Brisbane 2023 and Carlton 2022... all very close, important wins that he played a huge role in. We miss his leadership more than people realise. Definitely more than we miss May.

Imagine being a player or working at the club after that loss and then having to show up to work in... Cranbourne.

It happens though. You play in the moment. A draw is still better than a loss. Still hollow but at that moment scores were level. You never want to lose. My dad always says that a good team is one that still finds a way to win even when challenged, irrespective of how much of a lead they gave up. Yes we gave up 9 goals but really all we needed was 1 goal (or even a behind). I know it doesn't change anything but the final moment is symbolic of the entire disaster. It is a culmination of moments in the worst final quarter in AFL history.

It might have been the head of comms making a sudden decision to remove some posts. In my experience I don't think there is anything in that. It is just risk and brand mitigation 101. Do what you can to minimise damage as much as possible. No matter how small.

Wheatley's intro on SEN just then almost turned me into a Saints supporter. I am almost happy for them if not for the fact their joy comes at our misery. But he made a very good point. "That was the dumbest 8 seconds of football ever. Why were Melbourne's midfielders all at the centre circle? They just needed to be in the square. Why was Viney smack bang in the middle? He could have sat further down the line. How could WM start in the middle with 8 seconds left and then still kick the winning goal?" It is beyond comprehension. You cannot explain or coach that away. It is a career ending 8 seconds. I suspect Gawn, Viney, Petracca and Oliver, all of their days are club leaders are numbered.

I just played Red You're telling me the head coach has no say or input on the team he coaches?

We didn't lay a tackle in the first 20 minutes

That is depressing.

Honestly if it were 2 years ago I might have been angry. Now I am just fairly neutral. 2023 broke me. I am still just absolutely gobsmacked at how far this club has fallen in the space of 12 months. It must be studied.

Many have already said but the club should come to the table, ask for his resignation and find some sort of gentleman's agreement. You cannot go into next week with Goodwin still your coach. There is no coming back from this.

There's a sackable offence, and then there's a bannable offence...

Pickett and Melksham on the bench. Genius.

You know you're stuffed when Zac Jones is running rings around you and hitting open targets.

Gawn missing. Petracca missing. Oliver missing. Viney missing. Pickett missing.

Just quietly... the umpiring is horrid.

We looked similarly good for half a quarter in NT. We've been well on top of them but Saints have locked down games multiple times all year. They are a hardcore "margin minimisation" team. Give them a sniff and they score quickly.

Fritsch having a great month.

They have a much better list than we did back then. AA ruckman, a few good forwards, and some genuine close-to-A-grader midfielders. The problem is there is a huge gap after that filled with average VFL players. I think Clarkson might be done though. This has real "Pagan at Carlton" stench about it.

He made some disastrous mistakes last week and arguably kept halted our own momentum. BUT he got better as the game went on and credit to the kid he kept at it. I've no issue sending him back to VFL to perfect his craft but to do it for Spargo and Petty... it sends a shocking message. Honestly, and this isn't even MFCSS it's just my genuine opinion, but I think St Kilda will toy with us on Sunday. They have shown glimpses this year as have we but they'll be desperate for a win. Both teams have been ordinary since that NT encounter and St Kilda hasn't won since then. I reckon we'll be lucky to be within 3 goals.

I don't think I said "inside mid"?

We went in hot favourite against Freo and Sydney who were both very average in 2020. We lost to both and then had to rely on % to make finals. Again. Which we didn't. Again.

I was too invested in the game being tight on Saturday night to really focus on the fact we were somehow struggling against a team of potatoes. And even though I think we were the better team on the night, on reflection I am actually angry about the performance. But that's not uncommon. It was disappointing, we lost, and shouldn't have. But one moment in particular really struck me on Saturday night. I spit the dummy and walked out. After the missed Oliver HTB and Curnow's goal, there was still more than 2 minutes on the clock. More than enough time to win. McDonald gets the ball at half back. He has a completely empty corridor. He stops, scans, and holds the ball. He then kicks it to a contest on the wing, which Carlton wins. There was zero urgency, zero hunger. It really hit me, that moment. It reminded me of the Neeld years and early Roos years. Just a complete lack of confidence, hunger, urgency to win and take the game on. I haven't screamed out for them to "HURRY UP!" like that for more than a decade. It was a real wake up call for me. The game is there to be won and we are still stopping and propping, looking for the free teammate in the hope it'll open up and we can use the corridor. What sort of strategy is that with time winding down? It is no bloody wonder this team has struggled in close games under Goodwin. The semi final loss broke me. Footy and Melbourne hasn't been the same for me since. I don't barrack anymore. I just observe. People on this forum still talk about 2023 as if we were just "one kick away" and "inaccuracy cost us" but they were just soul and identity crushing loses for this club. We haven't been the same since. And something just clicked for me on Saturday. Just that one play. A complete lack of urgency everywhere. We just looked like a shadow of what we once witnessed. I am absolutely done for the year. We are staring down the barrel of a bottom 4 finish with a relatively healthy list. And that's with: The best ruckman ever, still at the top of his game. Two of the best midfielders of the past decade albeit badly down on form but still under 30 and should be at their peak. Two of the best defenders of the past decade albeit battling injuries. The best Indigenous midfielder-forward since Cyril. Four top 10 picks in your best 22. Multiple first round picks in your top 22 and on the fridge in the VFL. This is not a list or player issue. There sure is room to improve on an individual level but we should 100% be competing for a finals spot.

My inkling is that McVee's contract negotiations are going to force the hand of the club with regards to some more tenured favourites. Judd and others are very keen for more on-the-ball time, they're being kept at arm's length by an older brigade. Otherwise I think Judd won't have an issue walking. We are crazy if we leave this kid to rot in the backline given his footy IQ and skillset.

Tonight is going to be a wake up call for a few unreasonably optimistic supporters on this forum.

Ban upheld. 3 weeks.