Little Goffy

The tackling is definitely an issue and more generally we make quite a few mistakes or ineffectual efforts when we are in that close physical zone as defenders. Throwing ourselves at players we should be impeding, over-committing to tackles, or simply chasing to where the opponent is instead of moving to intercept. This is definitely something that can be coached, so, add to the shopping list 'tackling and pressure coach'. On the principle of send a thief to catch a thief, someone like Sam Mitchell might be an interesting person to approach as a specialist consultant.

Brayshaw's mother needed hypnotherapy to coke with the anxiety about him back playing after his concussion run. McCartin's mother would have to be given opium every quarter time break if he was back on the field. I like the club taking risks on players who may or may not succeed, but I can't embrace being responsible for that level of genuine risk at the more human level.

No, no, it is all perfectly Netflixable! It's a series, not a movie. Season One just ended on a cliffhanger. Will he? Won't he? What really happened? Will a tentacle monster explode out his head? Stay tuned!

I think the lack of playing time in the 2s has bern especially difficult for Hannan as the main thing he seems to lack is the sustained concentration/awareness of the state of play and where to be to get involved or force opponents to cover him while other gaps open up. He's not stupid, and he's had some magnificent moments of making the most of being in the right place at the right time. We've currently got a traffic jam of mid sized forwards who are inconsistent but not write-offs and their shared weakness is lack of defensive effort, whether hunting inside 50 or pushing back to interrupt rebounds. Whichever of that group does that best will find themselves a lock in the best 22 and will, by necessity, find themselves drifting up the wing defensively as well as ready for counterattacks. To the extent that means 'Hannan on a wing' I agree with the OP, because I think he's got all the 'tools' to really capitalize if he can gain the wisdom and fitness to push hard to the right places.

I guess the issue with Preuss is that he is only a ruckman and isn't going to be able to contribute much or get a lot of games as a forward target. Jackson looks like a credible future option, with chop out support available even if Gawn needs weeks off while Jackson is still young. Given how much we need a big body up forward it would be a perfect result for all involved if Preuss moved to somewhere that needs a ruckman only, and in the backswing Melbourne can find a physical forward/ruck who absolutely does not need to be a star, just has to fill the role. A ruckman who isn't a star can't afford to be sentimental and we need to be able to offer maximum opportunity to any forward/ruck who can deliver what we need.

Most ironic post 2020.

A: Part one: Who are the best midfield stoppage coaches in the AFL system? Part two: What does it take to get them to MFC?

First rule of MFCSS... wait three to six weeks... The shock would be someone actually finding a usable toilet at Manuka. Also... I just can't get past the story being 'deliberately leaked'. I mean, really.

There will be quite a few they are holding onto just to have some options around trade time. -Some- of those may be of interest to fill our 18th to 25th spots, so to speak. But no, they will not trade the younger Curnow or Mr McKay. I don't think they'd even do it for another Judd, after seeing Josh Kennedy personally outscore them so many times in the last ten years!

It's a pretty rubbish effort from him, but on the other hand the club has played him out for hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of marketing content, free publicity and so forth, so he's probably still in credit on the whole 'look at us, we're turning around the life of a troubled kid' story. Imagine how many times we would've had to sack Garry Lyon and the players of his time, or Jack Watts, or... or... or... and so forth.

Alex Neal-Bullen might disagree. But, seriously, very little information around on what actually happened, but it would NOT appear to be some kind of boozy kebab-and-strip adventure so maybe we should pause a moment. From The Australian (first time I've quoted them as a source on anything for a while!) "It is understood he had made arrangements to organise a bigger car for his young family as the Demons prepared for their last game of the home and away season against Essendon. Bennell, 27, ran out of petrol on the trip and was found by police, who drove Bennell to the petrol station to fill up. He was breath-tested by police when he was found on Saturday and is understood to have had some drinks at the hotel on the previous night" Being breath tested, you'd think if he was particularly boozy the drink-driving would be part of the story, so he must have blown under .05.

Anyone else keeping count of the number of times we go in or out of finals? I think that goal to English makes three changes.

And not a single 4-day turnaround, either. I'm saving a proper chart for after the season so there's no sour grapes but I have a hunch that not many teams have won this year off 4-day breaks unless the opponent was also on 4 days. Nobody could look at our season and think 'oh, well, they had it soft so they don't really deserve where they finished'. Except possibly one of our throwing a sook-session.

Gee, Sydney upsetting Geelong would be handy, save us the trouble of travelling to Perth for the elimination final and we'd be hunting a Geelong that has shown it gets ahead of itself almost as much as we do. Could be fun. I'm just trying to distract myself from 'our' game today.

Geezus that is trivial.

I have to admit I'd completely forgotten just how much range he can cover with his set shots. Which is an odd thing to forget because he's delivered some true beauties. Still has a question mark on him but he's certainly a complex opponent for defenders to match up on. People seem obsessed by his half-back-flank 'destiny' but if that's the way we want things we would still have Frost.

I started a whole thread on 'Pickett's statless high light reel' but it is definitely an issue just how little he is getting the ball. He was pretty unlucky several times today with people kicking to him over, wide and short and when he was outnumbered by taller opponents. I feel a little bit like we've recruited a small forward and we're trying to fit them into a medium forward role. All that frantic energy is getting dissipated around the ground instead of being turned into that handful of moments of something from nothing that clearly Pickett is destined for. Five years from now, with experience and fitness, he can wander the ground with composure and poise, but it is mistake to expect him to be so much now when we actually have a real, current, need for him to be the kid he is.

Strange how the top quality intercept/rebounding opponents he keeps being matched up on keep having comparatively quiet games.

The main flaw in his game is that every time he gets the commentators have to stop everything to say 'who Melbourne love to have the ball in his hands' or 'and who is such a good user of the ball'. If he can get past that, he'll be a really top player. But, seriously, he's continued to improve his defensive nous and his physicality was never really lacking, and he's a good contributor whenever he is moved upfield or responds to circumstances. You wouldn't be upset to have a midfield of 9 Salems, or maybe 7 Salems, a Petracca and a Langdon. Leading tackler today, which is a good effort from him but also shouldn't be allowed to happen by the full-time mids who I think let us down a bit on that count. Our greatest list deficiency is in reliable 'better than average' players and in the most ruthless sense Salem is terrific value for money.

That was easily Brown's best game for his time with us and among his best of his career. He has had a scattering of very good games over the years and an interest patch of great form late in 2016. The main effect I think that effort will have is to increase the chances of McDonald being traded, but by the same token, Brown isn't about to become a standing heavy forward target for us, even short term. Preuss is a big body but doesn't seem to have the 'presence' we'd want. The problem is clearly real, but the solution isn't obvious. I wouldn't trust any of the potentially tradeable 'star' key forwards to fill the hardworking and strong bodied slot we need. Not Daniher, not Cameron, not Brown. Where are we going to get our Cameron Mooney? Meanwhile, just for a laugh at beautiful irony, we are very much hoping that Jesse Hogan kicks a bag to put as in finals.

We all know you just hate skinny dudes.

I think I'll leave it. 'Went missing except for a goal kicked thanks to good positioning and forward craft and another goal snapped around the body from a pack, which were the decisive moments winning the game for us and keeping out finals hopes alive.' Yep. We should be riding Fritsch's prospects of doing a full Petracca over the pre-season and into 2021, not making up feeble excuses to pick at him.

He plays his team role which pushes him out to boundary at fairly long range. It's annoying that he misses a lot of shots but it's not abnormal for kicks from such positions. He also is dragging defenders wide which is giving Weid and others some space and opportunities closer to goal. He's playing a tactically important role and without doubt sacrificing the 'appearances' of his own game. If you'd rather a bomb to nothing and instant rebound, instead of a mark and difficult shot on goal, sure, I see why you have a problem with Fritsch. Ffs why do we even bother responding to this drunk nuffy snarking?

I've been in a jag once. Property manager of the apartment gave me a lift back to the office to sign the lease. Good times.

A damaging enough failure for Worsfold's final game will mess with their heads just as much as a win. Meanwhile, I'll never let go of the ultimate prize - getting smacked by West Coast in Perth in a final. ?