Dr. Gonzo

You're forgetting Chandler

Since our glorious drought breaking flag we have a less than stellar record against top 4/top 8 opposition. Have we been freed from desire? We seem to have lost the hunger and pressure that was a hallmark of our 2021 campaign (namely around stoppages and inside F50).

We didn't do that either. Our team lacks mongrel and it is infuriating. Look at how Collingwood went after Langdon last year. Look how they responded when Daicos was targeted. We could learn a thing or two from them about mongrel and desire.

He's had foot problems all year hasn't he? Seemed OK vs Port but I guess don't know how he's pulled up.

Yep, similar to Viney on Lynch all those years ago.

Rozee should've turned his body so that any collision was side on. Players these days just lead with their heads expecting the other player to move out of the way or at worse they get a free kick. No consideration for their own safety. Hunter was attacking the ball as he is entitled to do and upon realising he was going to get their second, turned to avoid a head on collision. You can say he should've stopped completely and waited for Rozee to collect the ball and tackle him but on a slippery night in bucketing rain stopping with that momentum would be impossible.

If he elected to bump he would've followed through - he stopped and turned, he wasn't moving at the moment of impact. What duty of care does Rozee have? He expects to just be able to collect the ball unchallenged? It's a contact sport FCS.

The game is cooked Hunter was running at the ball and turned his body, Rozee ran into him - what else do they expect him to do, not contest the ball? Meanwhile Jonas cops a suspension for something that earnt him a free kick when we were pushing forward with momentum - so either the suspension is wrong or the free kick was. Which is it? AFL has jumped the shark, if Melbourne weren't competing for flags I don't think I'd bother watching anymore and when our window closes that is probably me done as anything more than a casual supporter.

For some

I thought we missed Sparrow's physicality. I know many don't rate him but he adds that extra hard edge to our midfield which was missing last night. Jordon did not much when he came on again, I would give him a decent stint at Casey, it can't be good playing a quarter of a game most weeks. Our pressure and tackling was horrendous last night except for that patch in the 3rd. I don't know if that made it worse because they showed they could do it when they could be bothered. Umpiring was atrocious and not just in the last quarter. I hate whinging about the umpires but fair dinkum it is just so amateurish, it frustrates and aggravates you watching the game when ticky touchwood frees are going their way and blatant ones are missed the other way. It breaks momentum and I have no doubt it was a contributing factor to our inability to get going in the first half. When we did get that run on in the 3rd surprise surprise, some free kicks started going our way! It has far more of an impact on the flow of the game than many give credit for.

That was the biggest howler for mine! What the actual hell, how can that not be paid??? It was unfathomable, I was going berserk.

Yep they're paying frees against us every time we go near it anyway, may as well make them earn it! Our tackling and pressure has been putrid, same as last time we played at this ground.

True we couldn't play much worse and Port have been fantastic. Yet it's only 2 goals the difference.

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1333586/record-breaking-king-s-birthday-crowd-expected From the article "A limited number of general admission tickets have been pre-sold through Ticketek, these tickets will be able to access seats in the Olympic and Shane Warne Stands."

Yep Collingwood are looking good enough to choke in another GF. COLLLLLLIIIIIIIIWOBBLES

Crunchy? I don't know what that means but we are the highest scoring team in the comp

In 2012 this was a unanimous position on Demonland. I like RC, can tell he genuinely loves his footy. He reminds me of Robbo but with half a brain. Decent taste in music too.

Brilliant.

I hear ya mate, being stuck next to them in AFL members listening to their drivel makes me question my life choices. Last year a guy with a few kids tried to pick a fight with my brother for taking the lord's name in vain because he said something like "Jesus Christ Melbourne" 🙄

I'm excited to see how we perform over the next month. We've banked some key early wins and have set ourselves up for this middle portion of the season. You can say the Hawks are terrible, and they are, but the attitude and attack on the footy we brought to the first quarter (and the first quarter against North) was ruthless and exactly what I wanted to see. I think the first quarter against Hawthorn was even more impressive than the one against North only we failed to hit the scoreboard. It took them what over half a quarter to get an inside 50? And then their only goal came from a free kick (which was there). I think the team will relish having some real opposition on Friday and am eagerly anticipating a tough contest.

Think he meant Smith and I tend to agree. The only thing more surprising to me than Smith still being on the senior list is people thinking he can play key forward. TMac will come in and if not him, Brown.

His desperation is fantastic

And Max

Should crack 90k with Melbourne members filling MCC and Collingwood members filling AFL. Would be great to see, I don't think we have had a 90k+ H&A crowd since QB 1958

Its the opposite of what we usually get - often we get a glut of MCG games in the first half of the year followed by half a dozen road trips in the 2nd half of the year. After we play Port next week we have 10 Vic games (8 MCG, 1 Docklands, 1 Geelong) and 3 interstate games (1 NT, 1 Tas, 1 Syd) for the remainder of the year. I know what I'd rather have and I gather the FD would agree.