bing181

I'd be inclined to leave Dunstan in for a game or three just to see what happens and see if we can't "Melbournise" him. Can't be easy stepping up to AFL level. Not saying he's going to really make it either, but I'd give him a bit more of a run before we write him off as nothing more than good depth.

I disagree, but it's an interesting discussion. I feel that what we're doing, the way we grind teams down and suffocate them, is just as ruthless as winning every game by 10 goals.

Great news, but pity we're not playing Sunday. That extra day would have come in handy. Fingers crossed in any case.

Langdon a possibility: https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1134212/round-11-injury-report-langdon-results-are-in

Krakouer's character is irrelevant. As is Lumumba's.

Here's how they define the two: Careless conduct A Player’s conduct will be regarded as Careless where his conduct is not intentional, but constitutes a breach of the duty of care owed by the Player to all other Players. Intentional conduct A Player intentionally commits a Classifiable Offence if the Player engages in the conduct constituting the Reportable Offence with the intention of committing that offence.

I think we underestimate what's going on behind the scenes with some of the players and injury restrictions. Great to see Jack getting some recognition on here, was going to add something to the post-game thread. Making a real difference on-field.

I'll have a crack: it comes down to intent. Careless is just that, but reckless implies that you knew the action could cause damage but you went ahead anyway.

Tried to, but it's unwatchable. North are just so far off the pace. Takes me back to the dark Neeldian days.

Surely the situation is that no offer has been made. Isn't that what "defers contract talks" means?

Presumably Bedford out so he can actually play a match, albeit in the VFL. Otherwise, presumably no change and Chandler and Mitch Brown being rewarded for decent performances in the VFL and being take across as insurance. Interesting that Daw isn't an emergency, either Max is a certainty or Daw is injured (though not listed anywhere).

Whether Lumumba is or isn't an "extremist", mentally ill, a shot-stirrer, an attention-seeker or whatever else is irrelevant. Racist abuse is racist abuse whether or not the recipient is a nice bloke.

Shame that Moniz-Wakefield will miss. Starting to show something.

Yes, suspect I’m wrong. Was the impression I had, not sure where it came from.

Because he was emergency at the MCG and Casey game was on at the same time. Same with Laurie.

Angus Brayshaw keeps getting better. Hope the contract gets sorted out.

If Lever can play, even if he's a bit sore, he should. We need him to get back in the groove and get some continuity, he's had a real in/out season so far.

One of the joys of being a top-of-the-table team is that we no longer get shunted off to the graveyard time slots and the consequences that has on those of us in far-flung time zones. After years of getting up at ungodly hours to watch our beloved Dees, we European-dwellers have been able to enjoy our wins at quite civilised hours. Until today. Setting the alarm for 4.45 a.m. brings back memories of the bad old days. Go Dees, he says through half-opened eyes.

Only bummer in all this is that the players that came in as cover are now all straight back out again. In spite of all the noises from the FD about "knocking the door down", there's still a gap between the chosen 22 and the rest - or most of them.

Me neither, but they're different types of players, not really like-for-like. So would depend on who's available/out.

Doing well it seems, close to best on last week. Though playing mainly as a forward, so lots of competition for a spot.

There's a difference between exercising and training, and the players who are housebound will have missed a week of training. Some will respond better than others coming out the other side, but I wouldn't assume that they'd all be walk-up starts just because they're available: ANB in particular and Petty possibly. Hopefully the other 3 will be OK, we really missed Sparrow for mine.

Yes, great. And all from close to the goals, which is where he rules.

Random thoughts on what the in/outs showed. - Sparrow brings more than Dunstan, and probably more than Jordan (though a different kind of player). Most important mid behind the big 3 for mine, and we missed him tonight. - Ditto ANB. Missed his run and all-over-the-ground presence. - Interesting Bedford vs Kozzi. Kozzi has that bee-in-a-bottle business, but Belford is more of a traditional small forward. I just wonder if Kozzi would have been in position for that mark that Bedford took (Petracca kick I think). - Weideman looks better when he's up and around the ground, gets him more involved. He doesn't have Jackson's mobility, but is more useful than McDonald around the packs. - Playing Ben Brown up the ground was a kind of smart move as it cleared out the forward line. Unfortunately he's a real liability in general play, slow and fumbly. - Lever still rusty. - Also not sure what's going on with Rivers, not as self-assured and solid as last year. If it's possible, I don't know that I'd be playing Rivers and Hunt together. - We still don't have a real lock down, one-on-one stopper, and that's been the case since Jetta left. - Back line looks better with Petty in it. Not sure why, but they seem to work better together.

At least we got a look at what the team would look like without Jackson. We have Van Royen in the wings, but Weideman isn't Jackson (though I thought he did OK).