Adam The God

Very interesting @dazzledavey36 RE Sparrow...

Mentally choked. 😜

If we can get Houston for a first round pick (ideally next year's) and add Cumming via FA, and add a young mid from the draft, we could look a whole lot different next year. But, I think it will see us shift the game style again, probably double down on the transition game from the first half of the year. Hopefully a year of practicing the transition game in pressure games will hold us in good stead for 2025. Goody also has a history of being at the forefront of the shift in game styles and the general evolution of the game. The defensive diamond, the use of inside sliders, the emphasis on post clearance pressure etc, so I wonder if it'll have some new tweaks rather than an evolution of Collingwood's transition model.

What are you talking about? He's a gun. It's not like Max is an intellectual giant. If you're prepared to work hard and you have elite attributes, you'll be a star. (and your body doesn't let you down) Watching LJ pants us the other day was less painful because he helped us win a flag, and I don't believe Freo have a game style that will hold up in finals. They might be able to defend, but you can't rely on uncontested possessions to generate all your scores. Their midfield is quick, but small. If you bring pressure and physicality, you'll have a chance of beating them up around the ball. When you play like us the other day, listless, unaccountable, soft, you allow them to get out into space and carve you up, leaving your own defenders no chance. LJ will be a top 20 or 30 player IMO.

Yeah, I'm not convinced we [censored] the bed against either opponent, particularly Collingwood. Our goalkicking was terrible, but we were also down a rotation from very early in a huge final, which brought fatigue into the equation late. It was also raining, which reduced our skill execution. Fritta basically missed his boot from 30m out, you know, the guy that kicked 6 important goals in another Grand Final. Against Carlton, had Max kicked his 10m snap (Max is a horrible kick unless outside 50), we play in a prelim, and that's minus JVR who got suspended against Collingwood, but was an important part of our forwardline all year.

Thanks mate. Yep, if he has a goal sense and forward craft like his uncle he'll do alright.

I completely agree. We didn't lose our last four finals because we struggled with the pressure. We lost them because we failed to execute our goalkicking. I don't think there is a genuine monkey on the back, but when the media speak enough about it, it may start to influence the players.

@Pennant St Dee, is that Mark Lecras son?

Albo is a neolib, as is his Treasurer. They push this nonsense all the time. Neolibs on both sides of politics have spent years trashing our country. They can get in the bin. As you were...

This was my thinking a few weeks back, but given our turnaround in form (minus last week), I'm firmly in the makes finals and win a final camp.

And it's not black and white. I know @Engorged Onion was being facetious with the OP, but both are great re-signings.

It's funny how this shifts though, isn't it? I would have said that about Clarry 12 months ago too, but now that's all up in the air.

21 years for me as a full member now. My old man is a 50 year member. It used to be $50 for 50 year members, but that's gone up too. It's a disgrace.

It's going up too. MCC fees are absurd. Jumped by another $100 this year.

I think we'll finish in the 8. 😀

Which could make going after Cumming as well, a reality.

2021 is a bit of an outlier, because our system was set up for Salem. He was constantly our guy at the back of stoppage or loose ball situations that would get us out of trouble with short, precise kicks. 2022 saw some teams tagging him and 2023 saw us change the way we wanted to move the ball. These events have coincided with more fitness struggles that has meant continuity has been difficult. It's a tough one because I'm basically saying if he gets continuity, he'll have a role to play, but history also suggests this is unlikely over multiple years anyway.

This is fair. Agreed.

It might actually force Port to develop a defensive system. I think Hinkley is contracted for next year, but surely he's gone at the end of this year?

I don't recall Salo ever kicking much more than 45m. Most of his passes have always been in that 15-30m region. I think we'll see some more good footy from Salem. And for what we'd get ina trade and what he adds culturally, Ibe no idea what we'd be trying to do there.

It's not that he might not provide the MFC with good service going forward, but it's more that other clubs would rightly not trust his body. We've years of IP on how to handle his thyroid issue and we understand his body better than outsiders.

I hope we use the rest of this season as a platform for 2025. The one thing we've managed (except for 1 week when Petty was out) is to get continuity between JVR, Petty and Turner. Another 5 games together at least this year.

Yeah, I'm finding this woe is me MFCSS vis a vis Kalani really tedious. He's been around the club for years, is clearly a passionate Melbourne supporter, his father has played over 200+ games for us. Only a Melbourne supporter would worry he wouldn't commit to us.

Well, he's re-signed Petty and Windsor, so it's not all bad. Well done, TL. Link incoming. Source, MFC socials.

I thought he looked livid on the bench in the first half. Some of the younger players I know were scared of going back into the club after the West Coast performance. I reckon the players have had a few rockets this season. We need our onfield leaders to stand up. Missing Gus, Max and Trac has meant it's fallen all on Viney, May and Lever.