Age

Confidence is an amazing thing. We have none at all at the moment, in 2021 we had it in spades. How we get it back, who knows, but I think gameplan contributes to it. Look at how we play now, defence/contested ball is everything and seemingly the sole focus. It is hard to gain confidence when our plan is to just grind out every game. Overwhelm the opposition with our contested ball and just try to beat a team into submission. This is not a 'fun' way to play. Any flair has been coached out of us as we are trying to exert full control over a game that cannot be controlled. We almost play the game with a rugby mentality, get it to position, get the scrum and go again. We do this to a point but as we have such a defensive mindset, when we go surge the ball into the forward line, we then sit back and get completely outnumbered and the ball comes straight back out unless there is some piece of brilliance to get us a goal. We kick to pockets so that if we are spoiled, it goes out of bounds to try and start the scrum again. The league is trying everything in their power to make the game offensive and high scoring. Clubs that embrace this attacking attitude are having fun, playing with confidence and winning. Look at pies and port as prime examples of this. When we won in 21, we didn't actually grind teams down in the finals and lock it down, we backed our defensive back 6 to stand up when mattered and attacked when we could and then blew the teams away in the last 2 finals. We also played Gawn a lot behind the ball so that when we did lose the ball, teams had to then go around him and we could set up for it. How do we fix it? We have a great back 6, stick Gawn in front of them and back that line's ability to stand up again. Move the ball quickly into the forward line, accept that we are not actually 'kicking to touch' and by moving it in quick, it gives space to the forwards to do their thing. Even if we turn it over at half forward, back our defenders to win it back. Our forward line doesn't need to be amazing, we are giving them ample opportunities to score and it will be easier chances to score if they have space. For what it is worth, I would have Smith and JVR as our taller forwards, both are mobile and can try to jump on players heads if it is bombed in (won't have to jump over 8 guys if moving it in their quicker). Have Kossi, Chandler, Spargo crumbing and ANB as a defensive forward if we need one. Let the players attack and play with a bit of flair, kick a few ar**y goals and watch them start having fun with it. I have jumped around a bit here as I am supposed to be working as I write this but those are just some of my thoughts. I haven't asked for Goodwin to be sacked either (even though I would like it!)

What? And have us not kick a single goal for the game???

Why suggest any changes? Goodwin will back the team in as they ‘did a lot of good things’ this week. No point in rewarding anyone who may be in any form in the 2s, that would make sense. Got to stick with the same group. Goodwin would probably pick fritsch this week if allowed

Stop with the negative thoughts. We will continue on with our learnings, work on our forward connection and finishing. There were plenty of positives etc etc etc. you want a reason why we still play games in the nt? This joke of a coach has made this team, the best Melbourne list I have seen us have, into an unwatchable rabble. Our support will be terrible for the rest of the season but so you blame the supporters from giving up? Usually teams that win a flag lose at least a few assistant coaches so that other teams can get some knowledge from the winning coach. We haven’t lost anyone and no one wants anyone of our team, the rest of the comp knows that our coach is no good. Shame our club doesn’t. We either have to now rebuild the list or get a new coach. the club has never had the balls to make a hard decision so we will let this joke continue

I don't think we have anything to worry about. Once we take the learnings from the Cats game and work on our forward connection, things will come together and we will get on a roll. After all, it has only been 5-6 years we have been working on our forward connection, everyone on here seems to think/hope it will be a quick fix but once we get that right in 2034 with our next batch of players, we should be right to go!

It’s good that they are being taught the Melbourne way down at Casey!!

Exactly this. We won a flag and still have no idea 2 years on what our forward line should be. They got so caught in defense that they were completely blindsided by the comp changing tact and becoming more offensive and we simply have no answer to it. Should have seen it as the afl were all talking about making the game more of a spectacle.

I still firmly believe we just got lucky and got hot in September 21. We are going to waste the talent that we have with what we have in charge.

It does seem funny this year. I know we started 10/0 last year but all the talk was that we were not actually at our best and would romp the year in. This year, we have lost a couple of games, sit probably second after round 9 with far and away the best percentage and no one seems to be saying a word about us at all. We probably had an easier start to last year so are really looking much the same as last year but it does feel like we are really going under the radar.

JVR is perfect for the MRO/AFL to say they are protecting the head at all costs. Send him straight to the tribunal to get 3-4 weeks. With us being a smaller club, they won't mind if there is any outrage as we generally just roll over and take what the AFL throws at us. On saying all of that though, they need to be leaning on Bounce and their golden fist award where they glorify spoils that belt people across the side or back of the head. Gawn by himself should have half the opposition team get a week for the amount of times he gets smacked in the back of the head in club's joke attempt at a spoil. I can take JVR being rubbed out if there is then consistency but the AFL and consistency simply doesnt exist.

Will not happen under Goodwin. His mantra is slow the ball so we can set up our defense behind the ball, moving it quick and attacking goes against all of this. He will actually be pretty annoyed with the last 12 minutes!

Looking at our draw and the way we are playing, we will scrape into 6/7 only to lose in the first week. I think we have to start looking at some of the kids we have to see if they are up to it as we are losing braysure and Jackson at the end of the year. Also need to look out fitness team as we have looked so tired all year, there is something not right there after losing burgess. only issue now is that with Carlton, pies, dockers and swans being younger and improving, I think we have missed our window for multiple flags. at least we got one, even though without actually being there to see it, still doesn’t reallly feel like a real premiership, which is so Melbourne!

Hearing that at least 6 other clubs will be doing this next year.

Ryan got 1

AFL like to make examples of lessor known players. I'm expecting 3 down to 2 - using the potential to cause injury reasoning. Unfortunately, potential to cause injury doesn't apply to 'name' players though.

There was an interesting stat on First Crack last week along the lines of a good majority of teams that lost the GF by over 50 points the year before either didn't make the 8 or win a final the next year. The dogs are looking good for that at the moment...

Don't have time to mention his points but he rates us number 1.

If he gets weeks, will it be VFL or AFL weeks? If VFL and he gets say two weeks, he could be out until the middle of next year!

Have been told that Hardwick has pretty much lost the players after his off field activities. Be interesting to see how long he lasts now they aren’t winning all the time.

This may have already been discussed earlier but it will be interesting to see which people are included in the crowd that is allowed at the GF. At best, it will be 50% capacity. We all know that corporates get the majority of GF tickets already. Will any club members get access to a ticket? Even those with a guaranteed ticket as part of their membership? I haven't read the membership fine print but I know the guarantee used to have a condition of ...if MFC gets access to tickets, or something like that. Does the AFL take the money from corporates to help their bottom line at the expense of public outcry?

How does this week go ahead? 5 games in Vic that surely can't go ahead and it's got to be too late to move everyone interstate

Loading happened around the bye weekend, we should be fully up and running now. Think instead of loading up it just finished us off!

Think we need to start playing some of the kids to see what they have. Season is cooked unfortunately. does anyone have the stats of how often it seems to be wet when play, feels like it always runs at our games.

If we keep winning, enter sandman will get as big this one. go to about 2:30 to not worry about some of the other pre game stuff

I've been told by someone at the AFL that it is all to do with the state government. Apparently, to be at 100%, they want the contact details of every single person that attends the game. Currently, the just get the details of the person that buys the ticket. QR code would have to be every single person that enters the ground, not just you doing it for your group etc. The AFL is trying to get around it but they aren't having much luck.