Adam The God

It's a significant list / best 22 shift in 2 years isn't it? None played in the team that finished top 4 three years running. I think the first three will undoubtedly make us better when they get used to the level. And Sharp looks a good replacement for ANB, Brown looks likely IMO, and there's no doubting (although I'm not entirely sold on him) that Kolt brings great energy across half forward.

Carlton's problem is their list is ordinary after the top 5 or 6 stars, and their system under Voss is unimaginative.

I can only assume Kearon is basically playing CEO at the moment. He seems to be doing a good job... We still need a shorts sponsor don't we? That needs to happen pronto.

Was much easier to buy property prior to 87 and 99. Property was 3 times your income, now it's 8 times your income.

With us?

Lol, Kozzy is the best small forward in the comp, and if he spends an extended period in the midfield this year, he could become an A+er.

So that would be TPP.

The discussion shouldn't be we'll be right for KPFs vs we should go after him. As @MrFreeze says, it's the trade cost and do we have other TPP and list priorities. I think we'd be better chasing other mids and a gun small forward personally. But if Kozzy goes and we have the TPP and picks, he'd definitely be handy.

Jeepers. I'd be forgetting Salo 🤦 We have depth this year. 🙌

I'd go with May, Lever, Petty, Windsor, McVee, Bowey and Lindsay in defence. Opponent depending, Howes has the ability to replace Bowey or Lindsay. TMac will start alongside May and Petty I'd say, if Lever isn't up for it.

What I found odd is this was recorded in at least 2022, meaning so were the rest of the episodes. Why have these episodes sat dormant until 2025?

I really rate Chaplin as a coach and I reckon we're gonna explode next year as an offensive force. It'll be interesting to see if we get the balance between attack and defence right.

My team has changed and plans for Petty too. Love that Petty is training again with backs, but will likely swing.

I wouldn't be surprised if he'll prefer to play midfield. Ironically, even though it's more contested, you're less likely to get a defender jumping up into your back or crushing their knee into your head/neck.

Great interview. I find it pretty difficult to reconcile his (and Ridley's) views on the merger. Instead of building our own team better, the thinking was let's just take over Hawthorn. Lazy and extremely misguided IMV, but appreciate his great contribution to the club over many years. I remember vividly the NO MERGER signs in the MCC growing up.

I'd never wear a Hawks or Eagles jumper. Some things just aren't worth it.

Fritsch is a deadly snap on his right foot. Always easier to kick them around the body though.

Ethan's been using chatgpt 😉

On the safer side, yes.

I see Fritta's position coming under threat if Melksham is banging down the door and McAdam gets on the park and plays with intensity that Fritta sometimes lacks.

Tis, although I'd be setting the shot up not in front of a reflective surface. Small point though.

The Legacy Series | Episode 1 | Robert Flower This is bloody brilliant. Well done MFC. Being born in 1987 I was probably at a game as a baby in his final year, but whenever older Melbourne supporters talk about great Melbourne players, it's always Barrass and Robbie. I've always admired Robbie more for his loyalty. 59 is way too young. 😪

I'm not sure it's as clear cut as this. Fritta doesn't really bring much of any of those traits, but he is an instinctive goal scorer, and that's often all that matters. Sure, he can tackle at ground level, but he's often the cherry on top with others around him like Kozzy, Chandler and even JVR doing the brunt of that work. I'm not sold on Jefferson as he doesn't seem as instinctive as Fritta around goal, so he's going to have to, as you say, bring the intensity at most contests.

It's a re-set, because it involves, I would say, a reasonably significant shift in game style, but it will hopefully also be a progression on 2024's first half. An emphasis on faster attack and slingshot. I hope we look to move the ball inside 50 more centrally like we did in '18 too. Having said all this, you could make an argument that we're rebuilding on the run, but still relying on our mature stars to play important roles, whilst giving the merging group more responsibility. JVR, Jefferson, Turner, McVee, Bowey, AMW, Kolt, Howes, Windsor, Langford and Lindsay are all going to be important pieces of our 2025-2027 puzzle. Jefferson, Howes and AMW may not make it, but I'm hopeful they will, particularly the latter two. I'm quite happy for the football world to have little faith in Melbourne until the halfway mark of the season, just as was the case in 2021. Hopefully the players use this as fire to get themselves going next year and show everyone that we're still a serious football team and club.

Great post mate, which suggests that the retention issue stems from game style. That is not to say the game style was poor, it won is a flag and had us regularly in top 4, but it meant repeat entries and long kicks to contests, leading to loss of possession and into a contested situation. I'm glad we're implementing a more attacking game plan again (ala 2017-2018), but these stats will likely shift markedly again when a new game style is employed. Again, DE and kicking efficiency are junk stats.