Adam The God

Look at you sticking up for Ben Brown, mate. After all those years haha. FWIW, I completely agree with you.

Agreed, although this presents a really good opportunity for Harmes to step up. When Viney was out in 2018, Harmes played the lockdown midfield role beautifully and hit the scoreboard too. He wasn't great for Casey, but we know what he's capable of. I'd get him into that midfield. There's room for Sparrow too. Disagree with you on Carlton. Their spine is enviable, plus they have Cripps and Walsh in the middle. It's their effort and system that's nonsense. They'll go close to beating us in a fortnight. Reckon he had a quiet week or two and was on the cusp of the 22 going in to today, but today's game was excellent. Was in our top 5 easily. Uses the ball well and love his tackling.

You might want to watch the game mate. We were off by a lot more than 2% in that first half. Try 50% or so.

Let's hope it's not as bad as it appears. He will.

I'm glad we got it done. The first half was very very Melbourne of old. I thought we were past getting ahead of ourselves, but clearly we still have a lot of work to do above the shoulders. Still, we would have lost it completely in the past, so at least we got the chocolates. Easily Gawn's worst match for the season. Thank goodness for Jackson in the ruck and around the ground. This kid is going to be a star of the competition. Having him in centre bounces made us far more dangerous. Goldstein regularly kills Max, but Max just didn't get it done around the ground today either. Needs to lift big time for next week, because he's got another opponent who has owned him historically in Hickey. Tomlinson going down is a massive blow, but I think the coaches were very smart sending Tom back to try it out. I wouldn't have, but Tom showed he could get it done. That said, I think we should bring Petty in and keep McDonald forward, but I wonder if the coaching panel will decide to bring Weideman in and send Tom back. Problem with Tom is he's not a lock down defender like Tomlinson. Our lack of forward pressure and midfield pressure showed that even our defensive system won't stand up to even the worst side in the competition if our mids and forwards don't work hard enough to apply pressure. Kozzie however was a great spark, Fritsch kicked straight, we weren't too Brown focused and he'll be better for the run, and JJ brought great pressure, used the ball well and kicked an important goal when it mattered. I know Baker had 15 touches, but I wouldn't have him in my team. He's incredibly soft and doesn't hurt on the outside. At least 3 half hearted efforts to tackle cost us. Throw Brayshaw back to the wing and bring in Harmes or Swallow to the midfield rotation. I'm very glad we got over the line, but we'll have to reset psychologically and structurally/personnel wise with Tomlinson out next week and potentially Fritsch. 7 zip is brilliant though, but we've got an emerging Swans to take care of next week. Step up, boys.

Our midfield didn't turn up until the second half. It was obvious we weren't switched on and Viney does probably change that dynamic further by being out, but it's not good enough from Petracca (had a stinker) and Oliver (was very ordinary early on). These two guys are our elite mids. If they don't turn up, already missing Viney, we look ordinary. I'd bring in Harmes to play the Viney role and providing Fritsch doesn't get rubbed out, I'd bring in Sparrow for Melksham. The latter uses the ball well usually, but today he made so many mistakes over and over again. He was already on the fringe, I think he has to go and earn a recall. He's lucky and keeps his place in Fritsch's role, if Fritsch gets rubbed out.

6 seconds. It's likely he wouldn't have kicked it in time. That might have been even funnier.

24k at the MCG in perfect weather on a Saturday. I know they're at the bottom, but their fans really have dropped off something shocking. In the same position, it's roughly what we'd get to a game like that. They have maby more fans than us though. [censored] poor from them.

Yes, that's the spirit. I hope that's how the media portray their lack of system and willingness to bring adequate workrate. It might just get Buckley another contract. Collingwood were decimated with injuries for much of 2018 and because their system was working, they made a GF. Buckley will be gone by 2022.

Funnily enough, Mitchell was also very lippy and a bit hated by opposition fans. He used to kill us and I wished that he played for us. A few years later we got Oliver and he almost immediately started winning clearances like Mitchell.

Sam Mitchell was similarly underrated until Hawthorn won a flag and then multiple flags, and that completely changed the conversation around him.

Surely broadcasters would much prefer this too. I'd be writing this into the next TV deal if I were a broadcaster.

My favourite player. He's getting close to A+ grade and has been A grade since his third season. Criminally underrated by the press and perhaps even more underrated by Melbourne supporters. The guy is a genuine star of the game. If he stays at Melbourne for his career, he'll be one of our greats. Glad he's finally getting some media kudos. He only managed an AA jacket in his third year. A Sam Mitchell clone, except explosive from the contest.

Just FYI, anyone know how many stoppages Jones attended last week? Is there somewhere we can find this stat?

I think Sparrow might come in for JJ, depending on how he pulls up this week. I've never seen Sparrow use the ball so beautifully as in the witches hat game on Thursday. But if Melksham struggles tomorrow, it could well be Sparrow for Melksham. I think what we have to balance up though is the experience in the forward half. We don't want to go too young. Taking Jones out lessens the experience, but if we're being honest Jones hasn't provided enough in his role. We can do better. So Brown, McDonald, Melksham are forward leaders for young players like Fritsch, Kozzie, Spargo, Jackson and say Jordon. IMO team balance/experience and selecting the strongest 22 should be our aim every week. This selection achieves this.

I'm no Melksham fan, but I'd have him in my side ahead of Chandler every day of the week. Chandler red hot? Missed some very easy opportunities against witches hats on Thursday.

I'm surprised anyone would want Mitch back. He's 27 and still just as inconsistent as his first season. At what point do people think he'll gain consistency within game, if he hasn't by that age?

I disagree with that analysis. The Bulldogs stopped running and working hard. It was very apparent that their workrate dropped significantly after half time. The handball game does not work without run and spread.

The Germans love the free market, as do the Americans. The Japanese are smarter. They have the old mixed economy.

The borrowing happens after the spending has created reserves. And it isn't really borrowing. Since the currency is no longer fixed, the central bank has no need to defend its exchange rate by issuing debt/bonds. Since 1983 and the floating of the dollar, Treasury has chosen to issue bonds (via the AOFM since 2002ish) after the spending has occurred. The banks then buy the bonds with these reserves. If they didn't the interest rate would fall to the floor. This bond issuance is an asset swap. Non interest bearing reserves (or at least as of November 2020) for interest bearing bonds. The Gov doesn't need the taxes. It spends via annual and special appropriations, which are passed through parliament, via Treasury, who then instructs its central bank to credit reserve accounts housed at the RBA. These are exchange settlement accounts. Taxation can be used to free up resources in the private sector for government use, but its main function is to place a demand on the currency. Without a tax liability, the currency has no value. So taxes drive demand for the currency. I think Frydenberg and co know this. Tax cuts add to the deficit, because the tax revenue is reduced, so the fiscal position automatically slides into deficit (the gov spending more than it taxes). So Frydenberg's tax cuts are classic neoliberalism, but the supposed pledge to target the unemployment rate is distinctly not neoliberal. Neoliberals have targeted the money supply (a complete failure) and since the late 80s/early 90s, have targeted inflation (a disaster). Now they've finally agreed to target the unemployment rate. This is effectively what Menzies/Holt did for years and it led to the golden age of capitalism. It'll be interesting to see how far they go.

Comparatively, I think this is where our outside pace really helped us against Richmond. Having Hunt and Langdon as outlets really changes our dynamic and gives us a point of difference. Outside of JJ, who doesn't seem to be the same player he was in 2016, who breaks the lines for the Bulldogs? It's mostly a transition thing by handball for them, whereas we've become a real run and carry team off half back.

One of their better midfielders in Dunkley was not available. Would he have made the difference? Probably not, but you went early on the Bulldogs are in real trouble and I don't think it's justified.

Their midfield was smashed in the second half. Struggled big time in clearances. Their pressure around the ball completely dropped off as well and they stopped flicking the handballs around, and instead kicked long to the Richmond defenders. It's clear the handball game with careful ball use by foot is how you beat Richmond. I thought the Bulldogs were close to terrible and certainly impotent after half time. It was a very Hannan game. Applied a bit of forward pressure in bursts, took a good pack mark, found the ball inside 50 a couple of times and that was it. He's still way too inconsistent for a 27 year old. I wouldn't have him in my team. Sorry, Mitch. I felt Richmond applied a lot more pressure pressure for longer against us.

What?

The US is authoritarian in its foreign policy but not domestically. It's an interesting point though. And not sure of you've heard Frydenberg's budget speech, but it appears the Libs are abandoning neoliberalism.