Adam The God

Thanks mate. Any idea of around the ground stoppages? I presume they're the centre clearances?

Completely agree. If we play finals this year it'll be because Gus is given more midfield time. We look a completely different team when he's going. Unless there's a significant drop in form or injury from Weideman and Jackson, I wouldn't play Tom again.

The only bit of the in-game commentary I liked was Dermie banging on about their understanding together. He seemed big wraps for them. Could yet be two guys to build a forwardline around. Hats off to Jason Taylor again, hey?

He can't really do it if he's not given enough midfield minutes. I think he still needs to be stronger in the air, but he's getting much stronger in the contest, which is a good step forward. The thing is really does well is he straightens up our forward set up and he's just now, starting to draw the ball, which good KPFs do. Encouraging signs. Could someone with the AFL Pro ap please post how many first half stoppages Gus attended? I don't think it was many. I didn't think he'd started in the middle at all in the first half, but if others remember it, I stand corrected.

That's big. His pressure is what makes our forwardline work. I hope he makes it up for the North game, but it doesn't sound likely.

Thought it was a very good analysis actually from David King, who flip flops from one week to the next in terms of how he rates Clarry. At least he recognises he's had a very good season and that he's capable of beautiful kicking, which is absolutely true. I liked the comparison between Oliver and Dangerfield, and where Clarry can take his game to the next level and add scoring to his armoury. For the benefit of those who didn't see the piece of footage, it showed Oliver winning the clearance in the middle and bursting goal-ward, but instead of either sprinting towards 50 and kicking for goal like Dangerfield would or drawing the nearest man and handballing to his opponent, Clarry kicked inside 50 (and not very well). If he'd nailed the pass it would have been alright, but I think King is right in this instance. Clarry needs to trust his kicking more and shoot at goal. Adding goals from the midfield to his game will make him a frightening prospect and put him up there with the likes of Dangerfield and Judd.

With all their changes and with one man down early, we were always going to be safe going into the last quarter, but there's one thing we got right in the last quarter in particular. We got the midfield set up right. Instead of having Viney run into Petracca every second stoppage, we had the right mix of Oliver, Gus and Petracca in the middle for most of the last quarter. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Gus played a single minute in the midfield in the first half. As soon as Viney went into stoppages in the final quarter, our set up was decidedly less effectively than having Oliver as the first ball stoppage winner. Jack had a good first half, but his goal in the final quarter is what he'll need to do IMO. He needs to spend significant time forward, with occasional midfield bursts. That was not Oliver's best game, but he was best afield by quite some stretch. It was against very ordinary opposition, but he can do that against the best too. Posters calling for him to play forward are totally misguided IMV. The most talented player we've had at the club in my 33 years. People expect the world from him, when he's already won 2 BnFs and AA rep at the age of 23. The guy is a star and elite most weeks. The other guy I wanted to talk about is Jackson. Really excited by his nous. I liked the idea of throwing him into the ruck in the second quarter and it worked to throw out O'Brien's dominance of Gawn. He's also a smart player around stoppages, when the ball is on the deck and positionally in the forward half. I really liked the interplay between Weideman and Jackson tonight and our forwardline looks immediately less congested without McDonald. I thought AVB and ANB's pressure was good tonight, because Bennell looks like he's trying to get through games and avoid contact, and Fritsch looks to avoid contact where possible too. Against good sides we would have struggled tonight, but hopefully that last quarter restores a bit of the confidence we seemed to have built going into the Brisbane game.

He didn't play a minute in the midfield in the first half. Was very good as soon as he went into the middle. It's no coincidence that we wiped the floor with them when we played Oliver, Gus and Petracca from stoppages in the last quarter.

Seriously, if you can't hit targets Salem, you offer us nothing.

Gee, we're pathetically sloppy.

Jesus, Petracca's kicking has been ordinary the last few weeks.

Soft as butter too. Dumb free kick to give up.

Adelaide are utterly pathetic. We should win this by 10 goals now.

This group wanted to prove themselves. That was bloody ordinary. Max shouldn't have played either. Poor leadership. He's getting pantsed and should have sat this one out. It's like when Viney and Jones played as captains when they weren't fit. Leadership is recognising when you're not fit to play. Let's hope he can turn it around, because if our blueprint is contested footy, we can't win contested footy if Gawn doesn't touch it and O'Brien gives them first use the whole time and then smashes Max once it hits the ground. I'd be tempted to try Jackson for a spurt.

And one of the only teams who almost won on the tank. ?

They're on the tank. Look out for some strange moves.

Exactly. I enjoy the videos, but they're not going to encourage me to buy a membership. I'll buy a membership because it's in my DNA haha.

I think he does his research and I'm sure he has to clear it with the media team in line with a prearranged strategy.

Lol, well there we go. It didn't take much did it. Perty's done the job.

Of course it's come from above. ? We don't have a maverick media guy haha. The website is for supporters, they're giving us what we want. It's good.

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/789774/rd-10-before-the-bounce?videoId=789774&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1596611756001 Well done, Benny.

Reckon we'll definitely win tonight. But then, I was confident last week as well...

If it's implementable sustainably, show us for the rest of the year, please.

Yep. And now we allegedly have top fitness, so the only possible deflection that could be made is onto the players. Now, don't get me wrong, the players were horrendous the other night, but the coaching has seen a yo-yoing of certain players, systems and structures from week to week. Just this year: First it was the forward set up. Completely illogical selections that were proved to be wrong. Then it was the backline set up and personnel. Last year: The mids were clearly told to bomb long from stoppages. Get it in quick, without any sort of system other than bring forward pressure, but without the required personnel to play the system. Where were the essential crumbers in this set up? This has lead to a decline in Oliver's disposal and the overall midfield's quality of disposal IMO. An inability to get bang for buck from stoppage and Gawn's dominance (see 2020 as well). I'd place far greater emphasis on coaching flaws TBH.

I'm still convinced the game style that we want to play, even when implemented correctly is unsustainable over 22 games.