bing181

Surprise surprise.

Or were they? I would suggest that internally, we knew the risks that we were taking, but went ahead now anyway, on the assumption (correct in my view) that this was never going to be our year for a flag, but next year might be.

You wonder at what point you write off the season - though for me, we'd partly written it off before it started with so many players having compromised preseasons due to elective surgeries. Perhaps time to start investing in players like Sparrow and Petty, and seeing where we are with players like Keilty.

Story of the night in our I50 stats - we had 8 more than them, but couldn't turn those into goals. Melksham and Tom Mac - who has been one of the best KPF's in the league - both down on form, Hunt still finding his feet up forward (if he ever will), Spargo same, Petracca still getting going after not much of a preseason. The list goes on. This then creates issues elsewhere, especially that because we can't capitalise or keep the ball locked in, it provides a springboard for their attacks: 46 rebounds to our 32. Ironically enough, our attacks become the basis for theirs.

Yes. First couple of rounds where the breakdowns were happening further up the field leaving the backline under the pump the whole time couldn't have helped. He'll be back, just needs to find his mojo.

Or not.

Stretch wasn't that bad, I'd give him at least another match or two to find his feet (again?) at this level. It's a big step up from VFL. Re other changes, two factors that will probably come into play are: - we have a very short turnaround (as noted) - Casey have a bye next week

It's happening because players are playing as individuals, not as a team. At the very least, they're not trusting each other.

It's not just about a single season - this is a group that will be together for 5+ years (10 years for some). People should go back and look at what happened to Geelong after they got to the Prelim in 2004. They spent two years going "backwards". Then ... wham.

“Once everyone starts buying in and we start defending well we’ll start playing a lot better football” James Harmes. https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2019-04-09/we-can-turn-it-around-harmes

Speculation.

Predictable.

Of course it's not true. Fantasyland.

Would be great if he could get back to his 40-goals-a-year self.

The draw is a [censored]. Given our opponents, if we finish in the 8 we'll already have improved on this year. Let's not forget that in most of the home and away season this year, we'd hardly beaten anyone in the 8.

who currently has a serious foot injury, who didn't want to play for us anymore, and who's OOC next year.

Just made the mistake of watching some Hogan highlights. Weep.

Think that either Port or Adelaide will be tied up here, both have lower first round picks that they want to move higher.

10 and 14 to Adelaide for Lever plus a second round pick? A steal, and great work by Mahoney, Viney and co.

I just cannot see this happening without a lot of back-pedalling from all concerned: Freo by upping their Trade offer, us by conceding on what we want (5 + one or two second rounders?), and Hogan by reducing his 8/8 demand. Of course, if any one of those parties made serious concessions it could go through, but that looks increasingly unlikely. Welcome to Melbourne Football Club Jesse Hogan?

I think it’s a reference to some kind of biscuit.

Weep.

In terms of getting May, it would be better for us if they kept open the 11 offer, and upped the other part (future 1st round?).

Perhaps. It could also smack of Freo being not as into Hogan as everyone thinks they are ... could be the salary, could be concerns about the foot, could be ... well, anything. Perhaps from their side, they're just not that desperate.

Freo don't even have Pick 5 for the moment, and given how they're approaching negotiations with us, there's a decent chance that the Neale trade won't go through. In any case, there's no way we'd ever be getting 5 + 11, best we could manage given what's available would be 11 + next year's first - though is there some technical issue which means that Freo can't trade their next year's first round pick?