Dr. Gonzo

Sidebottom always kills us, shut down him and Nick Daicos and they won't have much more firepower.

Why do they persist with Laurie? Billings not much better. I would like to see Petty and TMac swap ends, TMac has been in good form and gives us a marking target up forward. Petty in the backline might find it easier to get some touches and work his way into form. No statements at selection, the usual revolving door of NQRs. Tomlinson stiff again.

Darcy Cameron has learnt from him and leads into ruck contests with his knee.

Yep also a very good "backs against the wall" side

Rookie mistake, I organised to catch-up with my Collingwood relos tomorrow so I can ignore them on Monday if I need to 😂

It's probably both, he is lacking conditioning and doesn't have the body strength to compete in the contest so ends up giving it up.

Yes and no. Some clubs like Geelong, Sydney, Collingwood seem to be perennial challengers and when they do drop, it's not for long. I was thinking about Pendlebury's career, drafted in 2005, flag in 2010, runners up 2011 & 2018 and flag in 2023 with a couple of Prelims thrown in as well. (2007, 2012, 2022). Its not all peaches, they've been down some years but to contend regularly across his almost 20 year career is astounding. Geelong and Sydney the same since the early 2000s. Now consider Petracca, drafted in 2014, prelim in 2018, flag in 2021 - is it likely we can rebuild to have another crack before he retires let alone do it twice?

What makes it seem stranger is last year on Kings Bday we dismantled the Collingwood gameplan by applying pressure on the ball carrier and putting on frontal pressure across the midfield/owning the corridor. Now we seem to have (partially?) adopted a style we already curtailed ourselves last year. Collingwood got out the back far too easily and too often in the QF but had we kicked straight (nailing shots we usually kick) we would've had a home Prelim. We need a reset to focus on our pressure and contest around the ground, become the hunter again. It is our DNA.

Mentally soft, they talk a lot about respecting the opposition and the game but they don't, not judging by their actions. If they did they wouldn't consistently struggle to get past mid-lower table sides over the last 2.5 years and wouldn't get belted by a bottom 4 side and absolute hammered by a mid-table side. It's back to the same old Melbourne, I thought and hoped the club had exorcised that soft underbelly but it's still there.

And the win against the Saints was not exactly scintillating. A win is a win of course but the Saints were putrid and we struggled to get past them for 2.5 quarters.

Very generous putting Fritsch in that group.

It's only a top 4 finish if you make the Prelim. Straight sets exits are 5th/6th placed.

[censored] that, I've had enough of that - if that's where it's going then my interest will wane significantly (it already has to be honest)

From what?

He is one of the few I know will be bleeding about that performance, he has pride in his and the clubs performance, many don't.

Winning it is one thing, backing it up is another.

Hey Wheelo, when was the last time Geelong, Sydney or Collingwood lost by 90+?

You're in lala land if you think we have a chance against the Pies next week. Even with all their injuries they are a club with heart and pride, something sorely lacking at the MFC for 60 years.

There is something seriously wrong at the club when you get a performance like that. This isn't a squad deplete of talent like the Bailey/Neeld era, to lose by almost triple figures to a mid-table side after being made to look foolish only 2 weeks ago by a bottom 4 side is alarming. I thought the club had turned the corner in 2021 (not just winning the flag but the competitive nature of the team) but it's back to mediocrity which is an utter shame because the supporters deserve more.

Interesting to see how the happy clappers spin this one

Melbourne are pretenders, this is seriously pathetic. May struggle to make finals from here, 2021 was fun but this club just doesn't have the intestinal fortitude to dominate in this league

You can play tough without playing dirty though.

Anyone who believes in the integrity of the AFL may as well believe in the tooth fairy! Look at the way they manipulate outcomes and punish teams who don't toe the line. I'm not a fan of theirs but the way the AFL handed down a punitive trade ban on Sydney because they signed Buddy from under the nose of GWS was an absolute disgrace. Never mind the million other examples you could come up with of them manufacturing a desired outcome.

I've heard from someone who was at a function with Tim Lane late last year that Lane told them the AFL was clear Maynard would not be suspended. Lane said there were two times the AFL got heavy handed with him over a story, the Kieran Jack "lost draft papers" story and Maynard. They are a bunch of rank amateurs but they get away with it due to a compliant media and a parochial (and for the most part, relatively stupid) supporter base.

Yes and it would've been some mild karma had he missed next week. Alas....