spalding

Watched the replay last night. when clarry gave away a stupid free kick near our goal square the the second quarter I was really disappointed. within a minute or so there was a cut away of goody having just spoken to clarry who had been immediately benched, with the sort of expression you have when you have just questioned someone about something and searching for an honest answer. I’m sure it was a conversation about team versus self. Clarry responded by tapping goody on the body - I expect along the lines of yep “I’m good coach”. 50 years of disappointment means I’m trying to keep a lid on it, but I’m very excited. im seeing a connected team - both with themselves and the coach im seeing a team that is maturing enough to change things on the field. im seeing a team, that once it gets a couple of key forwards back doesn’t really have a major identifiable weakness (unlike even the best Melbourne teams I’ve seen) im seeing a coaching group that seems to identified their own strengths and weaknesses - ie goody on the bench to engage the players, and yze in the box helping to identify the trends of the game and adjusting on the run. im big Kev right now and it feels very unnatural, and as a lifelong tragic it doesn’t sit comfortably I’m waiting for the disappointment to come. but I really think all the reasons to be positive are true!

Pies on the wrong end of Bears karma from last week. Geelong deserve to lose a seasons worth of games that way.

I think they're a bit like FIIG - they cut and dice bonds/hybrids etc that are usually minimum parcel size of at least $500k so to create a market for retail investors, who are looking for something better than cash rates. Problem is when there is a market shock (ie GFC, Covid in March 2020), values tumble like shares. LH is bang on re DD.

Looking forward to seeing how he goes when Ben Brown is leading out of the square. I think with his smarts, and with more focus on BB and Kozi, he will really come into his own.

Been great - and sticks his tackles, which I think has been a midfield weakness for us. Tom Sparrow also should be getting some love. I didn’t notice him as much as Jordan on the first watch of the game last night, but watching the replay he seemed to get a lot of quick short handballs from congested play to guys on the outside that set us off and running. I didn’t think there was a role for him with all our inside mids, but with Gus playing wing, and Harmes injured, this allowed Clarry and Trac to run from congestion rather than get caught up in chains of 1 meter handballs.

watching the game last night - and particularly the first half where the ball movement and scoring was ballistic from 2 teams not particularly noted for it, made me think that the recruitment of May, Lever, Brown and Choco could be inspired (or the sort of dumb luck that we haven't had for about 50 years!). This followed on from the 3 week suspension of Danger, which I was 90% sure would be 2 weeks. Either at first, or then on appeal. Did someone leave an offering at Norm Smith's statue last Saturday?

thanks The Fork - that made perfect sense and solved my problem. Cheers

did anyone else have problems with it recognising the discount code we were sent by the club? mine didn't work

You are on the wrong forum for posts such as this. The thread should be titled "Are May and Level a waste of high draft picks and front-running pea-hearts like the rest of the team", and then you would have got a lot more readers on board. To be honest though - unless Neitz was at CHB there isn't much competition. When I saw the post of of our 2000 GF team, I didn't think any of those (perhaps with the exception of Ingerson and Febey) would make the current team - and no-one between 2000 and 2020 stands out in my mind. So the answer, particularly for May, is probably "yes". Jury still out on Lever atm.

I get all the usual comments about the club from the usual suspects - yes we're crap etc etc, and since Monday afternoon Melbourne are in the media spotlight. I'm sure this has also rubbed off on the Captains and their selections, and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't spend time thinking too much about it. I'm sure this is why (after one practice game with extremely limited opposition) that the Bont is now a raging brownlow favourite in the minds of the Captains. What the next 2 weeks will show though, is whether there is MFC player determination to change the narrative. Have a decent win vs Freo and the media will go feast on someone else (I hope the Tigers or Dogs win by 10+goals!) - if we loose then watch out. I think 0-4 is on the cards, and the media will be feeding on our carcass.

That was obviously the line was club was spinning (not just SG) - as Stevo on C7 said categorically on the news on Monday after the game that he would not be subject to concussion protocols. More fool me for believing he knew what he was talking about. Going out to buy a Herald Sun now just to make sure I remain well informed

You can argue whether we target the right player, but given our recent targets in the last 3 years have been Lever, Langdon, Tomlinson, May and Brown we have a pretty good track record of getting our targets.

the comment about holding the ball was very valid - and I know it was only a practice game (for all concerned including the umps), but geez it was frustrating that the Dogs seem allowed to drop the ball in the tackle (or at least the few that did stick) but we got pinged every time

I hope Bowey plays round 1. Besides that kick you mentioned he had a couple of very good quick hand passes in close under pressure, and also a couple of times he guided the ball to advantage without taking possession because he was under serious pressure and would have been caught if he did. He’s got footy smarts and probably already the best option we have now as a small defender.

Nope - it was reported that he would not be subject to the protocols

Reported on 7 news that it was head and neck and will not be subject to concussion protocols

Just said on 7 news that it was head-neck and not, repeat not, a concussion issue. that said, still said that he will be tested before round 1 (or words to that effect), but not subject to concussion protocol

At half time I thought they had more to worry about than us - a forward line that was being beaten by our backs, and a backline that wasn’t great against our forwards. in the second half as I watched us fall off tackles and miss targets I’ve changed my mind. not slitting wrists given so many players out, but god I hope May is ok for round 1, the guys who were out can come back in (only chandler and Bowery worth a second thought for round 1 IMO), and hope we do much much better at stoppages so we can get the opportunities to try a kick a winning score. can’t really understand our odds for round 1 - although Walters being out evens things up a bit (assuming May can play)

I’m less bullish on Geelong after last night. Will still get enough freebies at pork barrel park to make finals , but I think the new rules might catch out their slow ball movement game style. They looked slow last night.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/gawn-in-new-demon-deal-as-players-commit-to-selfless-drive-to-top-20210304-p577x2.html love you Max. good that they are identifying the same underperformance relative to “potential” and talent that we all talk about . Hopefully petracca and Oliver really believe in what Max says.

My first thought was what a load of bs - as we always seem to get the best teams (conferences or not) - but the only way we get to finals is for teams above us to lose, so may as well be us who beats them.

Play him - I don’t care who misses as a result. So much time and skill. Most exciting thing about the day IMO.

goody will be one or the other!

I really hope that Goody ends up being successful with Melbourne, but he seems to have the same bemused expression I have when I am being sold something that I'm not sure I really want.

Sorry for the bum stead. when I questioned my mate about an exact time, he says it was “delayed” - whatever that means (maybe it still is the 25th). apologies again - I hope no-one had already made plans.