DeeSpencer

I don’t feel good about Chandler out but I’m not sure we can carry 3 specialist small forwards plus Nibbler, plus Fritsch, plus the talls. Maybe he stays in and we do stick with Pickett taking stints on ball and ANB as a wing rotation. I just think we need a heap of midfield rotations to replace Oliver.

Rarely, but we have 2 forced, maybe 3 with Bowey. And Hunter and Oliver require a rejig with an extra mid coming in (unless Pickett and ANB are use more). We can’t expect their replacements on ball and in the middle to play as many minutes.

Wait and see on Bowser, was it a strain or just a cork? Out: Oliver, Hunter, McDonald, Chandler In: Sparrow, Turner, J. Smith, JJ FB: Turner May Hibberd HB: Salem Lever Bowey C; Brayshaw Petracca Langdon HF: Spargo J. Smith ANB FF: Pickett JVR Fritsch Foll: Gawn Rivers Viney Int: Grundy Sparrow McVee JJ s: Chandler

Turning side on and keeping your head up is what the AFL ask in winning ground balls. As is slowing up and not rushing head first in to a dangerous situation. Rozee did everything wrong and had Hunter stayed fully up right he could’ve done the fake trip and taken the slide rule free. The only question is did Hunter brace for contact or was his late moment dipping the hips some form of bump. If Hunter not making the distance from 35 hasn’t convinced people then surely his effort on the back flank when he tried to turn his man out the back rather than open his body, just and wear a spoil should’ve. This is a player without any power in the legs or strength in the contest.

Our lawyers should attempt to negotiate a life time ban

I’d like Tracc to be more consistent, stop fumbling and chase harder but Oliver is the one whose game is really out of shape. He’s our best player but also a problem when it goes badly wrong.

They put work in to Viney who has been our most consistent mid. Tracc nearly won the game playing a quarter on a bad ankle. Defensive intensity and set shot kicking aside I’m not too worried about his game. Sparrow was badly missed. Pickett isn’t a midfielder, maybe not now, maybe not ever. And we desperately need his pressure forward. The biggest worry is Oliver who now yo-yos between the games best and worst player like he did in 2020. His added fitness is fantastic and he never stops trying but he hasn’t made any progress with his kicking or his decision making. Is he too thin now? Where’s the power to ride a tackle? Where’s the long clearing handballs that really open up space?

Honestly happy we didn’t steal it. The quicker we reassess this side and attempt to fix the flaws with lack of run, poor balance around the contest. ordinary forward pressure and way way too much boundary play the better. 2021 isn’t coming back guys. We need to evolve and get better rather than fall back in to bad habits.

Starting to wonder if we’d be better off with McDonald or JVR in the centre bounces than Maximum fumbles

Grundy didn’t get in to the field of play. McDonald didn’t get off the ground and who knows where Lever was for that. Not a great effort for a ball that probably could’ve been touched with the perfect run and jump

Any chance Pickett can attempt a front and centre not a back and wide.

His IQ can’t compete with his legs and courage both being finished. I’ve never seen a regular 22 midfielder with so little power in the legs

Anyone else starting to see it with Hunter yet or will you all continue to abuse me? He’s shot

Yep Gawn is sooking it up and Grundy is a liability all over the ground. Doesn’t hold the ball in a contest and is so lazy defensively. Midfield Brayshaw is gross. Just so slow. Pickett’s not up for it as a mid. Honestly might be worth giving Chandler a go

Is there a Melbourne player over 27 who has any strength in their legs? May, Hunter, Grundy, Gawn, McDonald and Brown all completely shot in the legs

And never ever handball

Nice to have Tom McDonald back in to spoil his team mates

Pre grand final Goody in the wet ball. Too much mucking around and not enough flow. When you constantly try to spin around and u turn you’re going to slip and slide and lose numbers. You can use the ball in the wet but it has to be quick hands to players in motion.

Port completely out working us. We’ve been completely wide and unable to lock it forward.

Start patting blokes in the back of the head after soft goals and no surprise you’ll start shipping goals from nowhere right after.

Best thing he’s done at the Dees. Not sure why he was fined for being clever. That’s on the AFL to set rules on where players can and can’t be during their time on the bench.

Laurie and Woey are definitely mids, not sure if they are long term AFL players yet. I’d imagine it would be Rivers, Brayshaw, Pickett, ANB in to the midfield with youth in to the flanks before playing those young guys as pure on ballers even next year. I’d be expecting all 3 of those guys to push hard for selection next year though.

‘Could’ based on reports he had a look around last year. The way I see it is we won’t keep both JJ and Harmes. But I’d also be surprised if both go unless we line up a replacement. Harmes is contracted but depending on loading we’d possibly even have to eat a bit of it, JJ isn’t and is a free agent.

Absolutely. And we aren’t going to be at our best every week. I just think we should toss out the 3 junk games. 4-2 is a strong record against some pretty good sides. Sydney and Richmond on the MCG and up and about for big games were pretty solid and spirited contests

Take away the 3 easy beats and we’re 4-2 with a couple of nice wins and a couple of less impressive ones. 2 ordinary losses where we looked slow in the midfield, shaky down back and iffy going forward (and as importantly keeping it there). The next month will show a lot more if we are contenders or pretenders. Drawing conclusions about our ‘explosive’ style of play from smashing the Hawks or any other battling side isn’t wise.