Dr. Gonzo

Oliver's value is in freeing up cap space. Even if we move him on as a salary dump that gives us cash to look at luring a free agent over at the end of next year. We also rid ourselves of some of the off field baggage that comes with Oliver and the unreliability of not knowing whether he'll go off the rails again. Viney may be retiring but not too soon. He has another 3 years on his contract. The club blinked offering him that contract, should have been a year by year extension and put the ball in his court. Hopefully he can continue delivering.

Trac can go forward though, Oliver is midfield or bust. I think we keep Trac and move on Oliver. For me it's either Oliver or Viney and the club does not seem willing to move on from Viney despite being older and more injury prone.

At first I rolled my eyes - I was never a huge fan of Joe, way too goofy for my liking. But if he didn't cost much (picks wise), despite being a year retired and one of the more unreliable players even at his best he would still be better than what we have now. If it meant JVR could stay forward while Daniher pinch hits in the ruck and he takes the oppositions best defender while playing forward leaving JVR, Fritsch, Melksham (?) space to work it would be worth a stab. We don't need a superstar KPF, we need a solid, big body that can take a mark and play backup to Gawn. If Daniher could be got for basically nothing then it's worth a shot, not like our list is bursting at the seams. There's about a quarter of the list we could cut tomorrow to free up a spot and no-one would notice.

Sounds like Demonland after we beat North last week 😉

Agreed, didn't we used to have a policy of only offering one year extensions to those aged 30+ or did I imagine it?

When will the pressure come on Goodwin? He's been trending downward for a long time now and seems incapable of arresting the decline. Had a great run for about 5 or 6 years and is forever etched in MFC history as a legend of the club but his time is up. Along with Craig Macrae he is the only premiership coach not to play in at least one other Grand Final since 1980 and Macrae looks like he will achieve that this year. Yes we have deficiencies in the list but a coach coaches to minimise those deficiencies and create an opportunity to win. We have a healthy list and this is the best we've got? 7-17 over the last 24 games. If we don't make change now/this offseason, 2026 will be another wasted year as I cannot imagine a world where he is offered a new contract. As the saying goes more is lost by indecision than wrong decision.

Which part of our game is in good order? Not being able to score is generally considered a pretty big issue in pro sports.

He kicked one a minute earlier

Roos and Jackson set us up to be a serious club that has the respect of the competition and competes each season. With typical Melbourne hubris we have [censored] it up against the wall, that's what angers me.

I thought he took a couple of marks that exposed himself to hits from behind last night which is a step in the right direction. He needs to win that mental battle as otherwise he will never return to his prior form. Another one who went back courageously last night was Fritsch, it was in front of the MCC so opposite side to me but was something we don't see from him often. Was great to see.

We have no first round pick this year We are not a destination club so luting players who can have an impact will be difficult We have minimal currency to entice players here anyway with limited draft picks and players on big long term deals Given the above we must turn over our list to free up cap space and get some currency to bring in better ball users and even up the demographic of the list. We are in very poor shape and are looking down the barrel of a long time in the wilderness (again). Our recent draftees are hit and miss and we have no KP depth to take over from our older players when they retire in the next year or two. The worst thing we could do is let the current group continue and trade out future draft picks trying to top up the current list. Thank God we missed out on Houston last year, that's the kind of bone headed recruiting that will set us back long term.

Who? From your list above only Fritsch, Bowey and maybe Rivers.

Goodwin and Macrae are the only premiership coaches since 1980 that haven't played in at least one other Grand Final. If Collingwood make the GF this year this leaves Goodwin as the only premiership coach since Tony Jewell not to make another Grand Final.

Yes, his time is up. The point of that post was to demonstrate its nothing personal and to recognise his obvious strengths. It's not just a pile on because people have some vendetta against him. He is bereft of ideas and the club needs some clear air. Hopefully they realise it sooner rather than later because going into 2026 with more of the same will be diabolical.

So more of the same next year. Do you think Goodwin is extended to continue into 2027 if we dish up more of the same next year with the same group of players (we aren't attracting any big names, have no 1st round pick and Goodwin/Lamb et al refuse to trade out underperforming players on big coin so list changes will be minimal)? Goodwin's career at MFC is over, it's just that he and the club don't know it yet.

Goodwin took over a list ready to challenge for finals, Clarkson took over a list starting from the absolute bottom. Goodwin has won finals in two seasons out of nine since 2017. If we had the same season in 2021 but didn't roll on and win the flag - say we never turned it on in the 3rd of the GF and lost to the Dogs - would Goodwin be given so much leeway? It's a joke, he's had years to sort this out now - YEARS!! And the exact same problems persist. Nothing changes, watching MFC games is the literal equivalent of running into a brick wall over and over expecting that this time you'll somehow bash through it. Who the hell wants to watch this garbage week in, week out? We have no method to our ball movement, our once stellar defence is a shadow of itself, our forward line has no structure or movement and when the forwards do lead up the ball is kicked on top of/over their heads. We have butchers in the midfield who keep getting games despite their poor disposal and then get told we can't blame that on the coach. And all this with a healthy list! Spare me.

It was us or Freo. I don't think success entered the equation.

He should've had another shot straight after, was tripped in a tangle of legs but unsurprisingly the call was play on. I agree he has to keep playing, the worst thing for his co fidence now would be to drop him. And what would be the point anyway? He needs to build synergy with JVR if anything is to come of them, we must bring in another ruck so JVR doesn't have to go into the middle and can focus on his forward craft. He's also the only forward that knows how to lead, not that it does him much good in our forward line.

Except it's not the Casey team is it? It's a pretty much full strength squad that can't even defeat a beat-up Carlton side. Blind Freddy can see the inadequacies of the coaching, yes our players make skill errors and poor decisions; they are also coached to play a certain way which does nothing to mitigate their negatives and accentuate their positives. Do you think we will be clearing out senior players this offseason? Do you think if we just keep persevering the wheel will turn in 2026?

Thank God for Kozzie 😍

Yes the umpiring was bad. The only thing worse was our ball movement and structural positioning. We didn't lose because of the umpires, we lost because we are a rudderless club. Starts with the coach.

Infuriating seeing this happen again and again. Kick it in front of the player you morons not on top of his head, how bloody hard is it? Unacceptable and you're right on your next point, it is coaching allowing it to happen again and again.

Funny how Lever is dropped and TMac retains his position

Percentage booster

Agree to disagree 😊