Dr. Gonzo

Melksham and VDB need to be our links across half forward. They are both marking targets that help with the "connection" between midfield and forwardline and we missed them both last year.

But then we'd still be playing OMac and/or Frost so it's understandable why they did it. Not the right move long term but they obviously thought we were close to a flag after finishing top 4. We got Jackson the year after though so hopefully it all works out.... King looks like a star though (the gold coast one) Throw the chequebook at Cameron. I don't know who else is available but we need someone.

Yes

TMac and Weid MIA

Where is the leadership of the club on this? It's all well and good for Max to give a couple of words after the scratch match but I think it's time we started hearing from Bartlett/Pert more than once every 3 months.

It's like carpet out there. Surely we could train on it one day a week with one session at Casey and our lighter session at Gosch's.

I'm generally pretty optimistic I think, or at least willing to give the team time to prove themselves before writing them off. But if TMac doesnt find some form soon we are rooted. You can talk about gameplans and plan B's all you want but if you don't have a key forward you're going nowhere.

1916 Fitzroy won the spoon and the flag in a 4 team competition.

Bartel wasn't it?

Their blatant bias in decision making makes them seem like such a provincial backwater league. Absolute Farce League.

Play him out of the goal square this week with Fritsch and Melksham pushing up to half forward and Kozzie and Hunt buzzing around his feet and Hannan as a second target. If he can't hit the scoreboard or create opportunities for the other guys I'd be considering giving him a stint on the sidelines.

It's not just Jackson - if TMac doesn't perform this week he will be well and truly in the gun too.

Gifting games to kids sets a terrible culture and is exactly the kind of thing we have said we are moving away from over the last 6 or 7 years.

Disappointed he isn't getting a game. He needs to step up this year but pretty hard to do that watching on the sidelines. It's not like we have an abundance of key fwds, put him in and let him show it. If not he'll be gone but I'd rather he was given the chance first. In also worried about chucking Jackson in too early. It's not like he's out there with a seasoned veteran who can help him hone his craft, TMac has no idea.

They should be able to wear the prison bars for all home games. Eddie is just a sook, they won't be calling themselves the Magpies - the contract they signed 25 years ago can be reviewed enough time has past now. You would think with Collingwood in the position they are now compared to the mid-90s they wouldn't be so insecure about this kind of stuff anymore

Elliot? Bond at Richmond? McAlister (probably 90s)? but yeah point taken

exactly

I'm surprised they're not more confident. They killed us with run on the G last year and I can see the same thing happening again.

Jesus its gonna be really disappointing if we can't even crack 40k

He's underrated because lots of his work is done in packs where it's not clear to see what is going on. I wouldn't call him a superstar yet. He's a consistently good player but he needs to go up a level or two to be great. Still young so has time on his side but I want to see him go forward more and hit the scoreboard. That's the main thing lacking from our midfield, scoring power. The best teams all have goalkicking mids, we rely too heavily on our key and mid size forwards (TMac, Melksham, ANB, Hunt etc)

If you have to ask you're in the 97%

There is a mob who have developed some metrics around this (anyone who is triggered by stats and metrics look away now) Gain Line Analytics http://www.gainline.biz/ I heard about them when one of the guys was a guest on Mark McGowans "Trends" podcast https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=399765

I'm the opposite, I would play him deep forward - out of the goal square leading up to his teammates in a classic spearhead role. I think he gets lost around half forward playing too high up and we invariably kick it on top of his head making it easy for his opponent to spoil/work him under the footy due to his lack of footy IQ.

I don't put it on Goodwin, and the Blues definitely lifted. The problem was our intensity (or lack thereof) after quarter time and the inability of us to wrest back momentum. For me that is on the players/senior leaders and not the coach but I still think it was a concern. Happy to see how they go over the next few weeks though - if we have 3 more 1 pt wins in a similar manner I won't be too upset!

I don't put myself in the "doom brigade" but the game on Saturday was pretty concerning. Will wait and see how the next few weeks play out but I am not confident of beating the Bombers on Sunday, in fact I would bet against it. The difference between us and other clubs is that MFC regularly have these mental lapses in quarters/games/seasons that mean we rarely take advantage and go for the jugular when the opportunity arises. Every Melbourne supporter would have been thinking the same thing at quarter time; great to be up but I bet we let them back in. Until we develop the killer instinct and prove it over multiple seasons supporters will rightfully be dismayed with those kinds of performances. I've been following the Demons since I was 5 years old in 1987 - I am yet to see us put a complete season together where we grind out the season getting results and providing consistent performances. We have had the odd game where we steamroll teams but for the most part we have never been known to put the foot down - and we certainly haven't maintained that edge over the course of a season.