Binmans PA

JVR is too good 1v1 for middle of the road defenders like Kemp. As he gets stronger, he'll become more of a handful for the likes of Weitering.

If you'll remember back to last year, McVee had very low stats as a small back, but basically everything he touched was an intercept possession. That was Howes' game yesterday. 6 disposals, 4 of them intercepts, two of them intercept marks and 1 score involvement. That's about what we got out of McVee all last year. (And I love Judd, so this is not a criticism, just a realistic expectation for a young small back making his way) You have to let him build a bit. And playing him allows McVee more offensive space and Salem midfield minutes. It's a win win if he plays like he did yesterday.

Dunstall's commentary was appalling. He has absolutely no idea about Melbourne or its players. Deadset numbnuts. That's all from me.

For me in Round 1 (not Round 0): McVee May Bowey Salem Lever Howes Windsor Oliver Langdon Petracca Petty McAdam Fritsch JVR Kozzy Max Viney Sparrow Rivers Billings ANB Chandler Laurie / Spargo

Mate, we have three starting mids in the top 20 players of the competition. Max, Clarry and Trac. Then we have Viney, who would walk up to any midfield in the league behind them. And although I agree Sparrow needs to get involved more, he's a handy support player, while Kozzy has shown he adds more pace and x factor to our midfield. There's enough evidence on Kozzy that if he played 5-10 mins a quarter (with another pre season now under his belt), he'd be a solid option in there. Salem and Rivers haven't had enough exposed form in there to know yet, but both have played the inside slider role to elite levels across the last few years, so IMV there's enough for Mini and Goody to work with.

May, Lever, Bowey, McVee, Rivers, Salem and Howes would be my 7 defenders, with Max floating back. But adding Tomlinson or McDonald would be 8. We haven't done this before, so it would be a departure. I'd basically have Howes (if he can do it) as a Murphy type (Howes is 1cm shorter). As a rule, we play 7 forwards, 7 defenders and 8 mids/wingers.

I agree it didn't work last year and when we've looked our best 2021-2023, it's been with three defensive talls. But the game has changed. We need to be ahead of the curve, and if we can't slow ball movement enough, we need to open up offence a little more. We shouldn't throw the baby out, so we need to manufacture a defensive set up that enables Lever to intercept. Whether that's Max behind the ball or another mid sized player (think Howes), we need speed, composure and ball use behind the ball. Bowey and McVee certainly offer this. May is the best lockdown player in the comp, although maybe we need to be flexible week to week with that. I agree losing Disco was a blow, but without him, I think it gives us an opportunity to test the two talls again. And potentially rest Max by sitting him behind the ball and getting JVR up the ground to ruck more.

Viney, Trac, Salem, Clarry, Rivers, Sparrow, Kozzy is a bloody good midfield. JJ is meat and potatoes and Harmes was fringe the last two years. We have arguably the best midfield and defence in the comp. We need to improve forward of the ball, which may mean we need to give up a little bit of defensive stability to attack more from the back. We've got a new brains trust in the midfield with 3 premierships of IP. The lack of continuity across pre season hasn't been ideal, nor has the cultural and political noise, but we have the cattle if we get some luck with injury and some more dare with ball movement. As I've mentioned previously, I would be trying only two defensive talls in May and Lever, and prior to his retirement I would have played Gus as the intercepting mud sized player releasing Bowey, McVee, Rivers and possibly Howes. With no Gus now, I think our midfield will be fine, but our defensive set up will need some different ideas. I don't see Tomlinson or Tom McDonald as answers. Hore was a turnover merchant in his past MFC life, whilst a good interceptor, Tom McDonaldesque with ball in hand. So midfield problems are being greatly exaggerated. It's defensively and offensively we have work to do.

Yep, @Pennant St Dee. I reckon a few need to perhaps disengage from the mainstream media and AFL media. I personally don't have the headspace atm, which is handy, because until the season starts and we get a few rounds in, we really won't get a good read on things. Intangibles like culture are bandied around all the time. Collingwood had seemingly huge issues, even as late as last year, their premiership year. The perception can turn like that. I don't personally believe off field issues play a great role in a team's ultimate success. But I do think luck and injury play a huge role. If we're to do well this year, we need our best players on the park at the right time. If we get that, have some luck go our way as well, we can win the flag. Let's leave the self pity until we've at least got a read on the season. And even then, things can turn. Think Carlton last year and Collingwood the year before. We still have the best midfield, one of the best interceptors of the modern game in Lever, one of the best full backs and Fritta and Kozzy. If Petty gets on the park consistently with JVR, that'll make a huge difference. Let's hope backs to the wall suits us.

I've said this before, but: 1) I'd play three wingers and allow our running backs more freedom to get up the ground and attack, knowing cover is out the back in the form of the wingers. So I'd play one less forward, which should also open up space forward of centre to slingshot back into. The three wingers in question should come from Langdon, Gus, Hunter, ANB, Billings, Windsor, Spargo, Laurie and Howes. 2) I'd play Bowey and McVee through the midfield at times, I really think Bowser has extremely similar attributes to Butters, maybe not as good a side step. But I'd build his upper body a bit this off season. These two moves probably mean bringing in Howes. And this also means more midfield time for Rivers, who is absolutely ready now for more sustained midfield minutes. 3) The forward set up should be dynamic, fluid and unpredictable outside of some obvious personnel. Petty should be the key pillar. I'd play McAdam anywhere from the goal square to high half forward. Fritta will always be in that forward mix too, as will Kozzy. So given I'd play 6 forwards and not 7, that leaves two positions. JVR would be my second KPF and second ruck. And the 6th forward I'd have would be Billings. I'd play him almost strictly as an inside 50 player, but given the modern game, it's highly unlikely anyone would stay strictly inside 50. I'd then, depending on the game, float Trac forward. The team I'd go with in round 1 injury permitting would look something like this. McVee May Lever Rivers Turner Salem Langdon Oliver Gus Billings JVR McAdam Kozzy Petty Fritta Max Viney Trac Bowey Sparrow ANB Howes Of that team, I'd see 8 mids (non wingers): Rivers, McVee, Oliver, Kozzy, Viney, Trac, Bowey and Sparrow. I'd leave Gus on the wing, but he's another mid option. Rucks are the big problem here with any in game injury, otherwise it feels a little short, but dynamic and fresh.

They're not a waste of money, because they create jobs and create revenue for local businesses, but when governments are imposing austerity in most other sectors of the economy, spending on stadiums and infrastructure for the Olympics does feel like the wrong value proposition. But we lost our way on many of our values many decades ago, so this is merely a continuation of this.

The club media department really need to do some work on their interview questions. Great little video as both of them seem so happy, but as an interviewer you've got to ask some broader questions that aren't likely to elicit the same sort of responses.

I think the view that the AFL would take is they haven't had enough concessions until they're winning constant premierships.

I reckon Dogga Brown Jnr looks a beauty. More pace to add to Caleb Windsor too. I wonder what his tank and aerobic ceiling is. He's a fraction small perhaps for the wing, but probably no smaller than Hunter, and much quicker, with a strong ability to win the contest and release by hand, and neat by foot. Lots to work with. A bit of a steal as a rookie IMO.

Because we have an elite midfield and elite defence, and need a much better forward half cohort. We've gone about addressing that by giving ourselves options. Koltyn is explosive, McAdam has x factor, Billings has ball use, and Windsor has run, carry and ball use to keep Hunter and Langdon honest on the wing, or play half back and allow a Bowey or McVee to play higher up the field.

In October, I was asking what trading in pick 11 left us with picks wise...

Thanks mate. I like the idea of someone like him playing defensive forward and allowing a McAdam a bit more room to play as a flair player. That said, no idea how we fit everyone in that 7 string forward half when Koltyn is finally ready to play seniors for us.

He reminds me of Caddy when he's forward and Sparrow when he's in the midfield. It's that power type player that has the ability to win or halve big contests in the middle or in the forward half. He's a very 'Melbourne' pick. At least, a JT type. I'm intrigued what the wraps on him were at the end of last year to make him worthy of a top 5 selection, @Gator. Any insight there? Obviously, he's fallen down the order a bit due to injury, but to be worthy of top 5 talk, you'd have to have some elite attributes outside of mere power.

Apparently, every club in the top 10 needs to do a better job then, because it played out almost exactly like most phantoms. And why are you whinging? We got the two guys we wanted...

FWIW, his aunty and uncle are huge Melbourne fans.

I mean, I'm not convinced we'll take Caleb, so we'll see.

Daicos is pretty light. It's more about Caleb's aerobic ability to play wing at this stage. And giving us some competition for wing spots would be very welcome.

He wasn't picked by JT...

Agreed. I think the game has changed a bit again, to enable uncontested players to play a bigger role. My concern on that sort of player is that the game will invariably shift again to a greater need to win contests. That said, if JT and co pick him early, then I'll trust them.

I still really like O'Sullivan, but I'm warming to Curtin.