spalding

Careful deestinga2 - some of us are still in our 50’s ?

jeez - now on this site as well as the arguments between the eternal optimists and the debbie downers with severe MFCSS re the Melbourne list and contracts, we're on to the equivalent discussion about the economy! If history is any guide you should bet against MFC and go long on the housing market.

If LJ believes in himself he would have been nuts to extend beyond 2022 - as he could be worth so much more than he is now (either to us or to another club). Its when the player is seeking the long term deal that you need to be wary, as it suggests that they themselves (or their manager) is seeking to maximise a good run of form, or see their football mortality coming either due to age or injury. Jack Viney and Tmac are good examples of this. Problem is that someone else will often be prepared to pay what they are asking at the time so more often than not they get it.

I get tired with this "it is really on the club to make finals" commentary that seems to completely over look that at least some of the onus is on the players. As bad as many seem to think Goodwin is at coaching, 2018 would seem to suggest that if they don't make it in 2021 it can't be 100% his fault

i think with a more predictable forward line structure, which BB will hopefully provide, we may see a more consistent and valuable player. He does show glimpses of good roving traits (ie Vs the Pies and in 2018) and usually uses it well (more so in the forward 50, than further up the ground as his turnovers on the wing/centre in the Round 1 game in 2020 vs the Eagles still haunt me!). I would like more work with him and Kozzi as a duet, where Kozzi uses his pace to get the ball and then gives it to Spargs to use it inside 50.

Totally agree - would be surprised if there isn't a few interested teams and he is at least taken on as a rookie.

With reduced interchange and longer quarters I could see him becoming a true utility who could come off the bench and play 10-15 minutes a quarter to give a rest to key forwards, key backs, max and possibly on the wing - assuming he recaptures his endurance and at least some of his mobility - and also be a backup to any in-game injury. if he mastered this he could from being one of the most overpaid players in the league (relative to value) to being a very valuable point of difference for us

in my 45+ years of tough Demon love, Schwarz in '94 was the only MFC player (including the likes of Flower, Lyon, Neitz etc) that I thought could be so much better than anyone else that he could drag our battling club to multiple premierships - like Carey did for North a few years later. As per Dusty, you don't often win premierships without these sorts of players. Not sure CP on his own can be this player, but if LJ could be something near the Ox at his peak, the two of them could get us there by the time CP is the age that Dusty hit his peak.

Think this has been really well handled by the club (in comparison to others with the same problem). Tmac now knows he won’t get a similar contract elsewhere. I reckon he will bust a gut to stay relevant and compete for a spot on the team. Think his time trials will be very interesting this year. if he does play meaningful minutes well (perhaps as a backup), I wouldn’t be surprised if he and club renegotiate at the end of next year - perhaps replacing the final year of this contract with a new longer deal (2 years) at much lower coin per year - or he finds a new home where we wont have to pay so much of his current contract. It will come down to whether his body is shot. I have no doubt he will give his all to get try and get back to somewhere near 2018 - and at a minimum will be a good citizen and influence on our culture.

I think the twitter responses to Kane are more on the money, BUT, I would expect significant improvement from Fritsch, Weideman, Kozi and Jacko in 2021 versus 2020 and Brown would be an upgrade on 2020 Tmac. Just hoping for Tracc to maintain 2020 form. If these things happen we are progressing significantly from this year - and with the exception of Port, we were pretty competitive with all those above us.

I saw this topic was “hot” and thought something of note may have been said, but now realise that hot relates to air.

As an ex player, captain, and assistant coach a two other football clubs and a cricket club, he is reasonably placed to provide a view on football matters.

Stage fright?

if he thought he should have finished higher than any of May, Langdon and Petracca he is kidding himself.

I should have said that I did this last Friday with a really helpful MFC membership officer

We have a couple of MFC memberships and 3 MFC/MCC memberships in my household that I manage. Over the past few years three of my kids have transitioned from being part of an MFC family membership to individual MCC/MFC members The best way to manage is to call MFC and have them manage the MCC/MFC memberships - this way you keep the years of membership, that will be useful for future finals tickets (particularly with my kids who have been MFC members since birth).

So the coaches did a wonderful job on petracca - but obviously they can only fix one player per year.

So if Oliver is [censored] of about not playing in finals why would he go to Carlton? money maybe, but I’m happy to argue with anyone that they are no closer to success than us. their midfield is no stronger (would be with Oliver), they have a lesser ruck, no better keys backs, no small forward (after Eddie), average disposal, and young and flaky (and injury prone) key forwards who probably all can’t play in the same team.

The next stage of our journey needs to be player driven. It felt like May took On the challenge to be a leader this year, and I think Gawn, Viney and Lever can continue to build here. it is then up to the likes of Oliver, Petracca etc to take on the onus of leading this team as well. I think petracca took ownership of his own game this year and perhaps now can widen his focus to drive the team. Oliver took steps with his own game during the year (more run etc) bottom line for me, is if these sorts of guys want to take the easy option to go somewhere else rather than take on the challenge to drive this group to a flag, and we can’t persuade them that they can get us to this level, we should be letting them go for the players and personalities who do have this commitment.

I am really encouraged that our Board and Management are doing everything in their power to give our playing group and coaching group all they can to achieve ultimate success. Its time that they now return the favour by addressing the areas that they need to improve in to be a consistent top team. I personally feel that the youth and inexperience of our forward line is the remaining weakness in our playing list, but Weideman, Fritsche, Kozi and Dogga is a lot of talent to build around, and the rest is pretty much mental (ie Swans. Freo etc). I know a lot of posters think goody can't coach, doesn't listen, can't deligate, has no match day awareness etc etc, (all the similar traits that apparently Hardwick, had etc), but I like that our Board seem to be following the Richmond model to make sure the support network is there and then give the incumbent time to execute. If Goody can't deliver in 2021 with the tools he has been given, then at least it seems that there is a decent plan B (who will have already had a year's experience with the playing list).

I personally think everyone is missing the biggest issue with this interview. Pert and the rest of Board/Management believe enough in this this list/football programme that they have gone totally"chips in" on the next 3 years (given this was year 1 of a 4 year plan to achieve a premiership). We are "using our balance sheet" despite a "lack of cash-flow" to bet that the team will be successful enough in the next couple of years to cover this years covid hit with bigger membership and gate receipts in the next couple of years. So much so that we are taking the path of avoiding AFL financial assistance (and the restrictions that will come from this regarding footy departments), unlike most of the other clubs. No-one asked on the interview, but I don't quite know how we do this unless we selling or borrowing against the "strong balance sheet". The money from our latest fundraising campaign will help a little, but no-where near what we have lost this year. What happens if we have the same cash-flow issues in the next couple of years - either due to Covid (no crowds/reduced members) or if we perform below the expectations of Management/Board? Our financial position could become very weak very quickly, and this Balance Sheet will be quickly eroded. Even if we do meet our cashflow targets, it seems that some of this Balance Sheet will already be needed for any training/social club development. Therefore, if there are some misgivings about the Coach be able to get this team to deliver on the forecast path, they either have to act now. They are already taking a massive risk that has a high probability of putting the club in serious financial trouble. I think we are 1 year into a high risk/ high reward strategy, where we have effectively bet the longer term viability of our club on the next 3-4 years.

The one kick he did short across his body in the first quarter to hit up melksham on the inside in between 3 saints was sublime. He had nothing on down the wing and it resulted direct in a Weideman goal rather than a turnover

Thought today was Tomlinson’s best game for us too. There’s still a few holes to fill, but our recruiting and drafting over the past couple of is going to give us a good chance of a crack at winning it in the next few years I believe.

Big step - when was the last time we reversed the momentum and got the game back on our terms and won an arm wrestle? Probably 15 years. i thought we were going lose by 5 goals about 5 minutes into the 3rd quarter.

Don’t slam the AFL - will just make us feel better and cost money that we don’t want to spend I think the club should make a formal and public apology to ANB for not contesting his suspension, and supporting him in a manner that we should have. this will have the same effect in the media , possibly avoid the fine (maybe) , and hopefully send a message of support to the rest of the playing group - that MFC admin let down one of its own and it won’t happen again.