3183 Dee

Possibly true re the Cats, but poor recruitment strategy on whose part? Surely not ours? Otherwise you would only recruit [censored] players from the inner suburbs for fear of losing them! (I’m aware of the irony in this last statement!) However, it’s concerning that, after wondering how to fit Brayshaw and Viney into the midfield at the same time, we very well may end up with neither at the club next year ?

Tough luck for Angus - foot injuries are a bit dicey, as we all know. Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery and back in the red and blue ASAP!

I really like the new look on the iPhone - much cleaner. Thanks for all the work you do @Demonland to keep the site up and running, as well as running the podcast. I’m not sure of the costs involved in doing all this, but is there a Donate button, so that those that wish to can chuck in a dollar or two from time to time?

Ha! My post was before the Freo game, so make that 4 putrid performances! If we won our last two and then beat the Eagles in an Elimination Final, I would buy 5 memberships myself!

I appreciate the guys getting Pert on to the podcast, which I've found to be a good listen. However, I think they let him get off reasonably unscathed. As others have said - when asked whether Goodwin would be at the club in Round 1 next year, he gave a good politician's answer.

Apologies if this has been mentioned before, but I don’t think MFC will be an easy sell to decent players, after these past two years. I get that money talks, but most players in their prime (whom you’d think we’d be chasing) are going after success.

I think Geelong are in the box seat.

Interesting website - as a comparison, Richmond have had 30 players at over 200 games, so not a huge disparity over 130 odd years. However 4 of those players are currently in the team: Edwards, Cotchin, Riewoldt and Martin.

Post of the year! P!ssed myself!

Yes - I’ve always found it hard to listen to Garry, as he always has such a downer on Melbourne. However, after last night, I see that he is right. He didn’t get carried away after our 3 wins against poorer/weakened teams, and he was right. This team makes things so hard for themselves - it is such a stressful slog, rather than fun.

And Cairns twice

He then put up another post saying ‘After the season’s finished.’

We have too many of those.

Correct - Hawthorn, Richmond and Sydney especially have/had a team system built so that players would know their roles and slot in - Clarkson said something along the lines of ‘when a soldier goes down, another takes his place’. Look at the Sydney game last week: several key players out, yet the younger guys coming in were able to play their role. It’s not rocket science, it just takes the guesswork away from the players. Of course, you do need the quality players in the side, but if it is running like a well-oiled machine, the lesser lights also play their role.

They’ve done it since the Sydney game - very little content on the official site. Even Ben Gibson said in Before The Bounce, something along the lines that everyone in the hub is working hard and putting in the effort. It sounded a bit forced from him, maybe he got told/asked to put that message across?

I have to say that I’ve always thought Lyon is constantly negative, but he has been proven right. Unfortunately 2018 was the aberration - we are nowhere near it - and, as he says, not playing as a team.

I would, but my wife would be furious.

I just don’t understand why they can’t get up for these massive crunch games! It surely has to be the coaching? How can you not get players motivated for it? There must be factions within the team - it’s the only reason I can think of as to why it’s so disjointed. Either way, the buck stops with the coach.

I was on L2, on the other side of the goals to Hannan - the noise when that went through, took the roof off! I can watch that over and over and never tire of it. The Melbourne support was sensational that night - it was like a long-lost family getting together after 20 years.

I was initially puzzled at the inclusion of Preuss, but looking at the other inclusions, it makes sense for a few reasons: - Provides a genuine, strong forward target, meaning it’s harder to double team Weideman. - The forward line is now packed with a mosquito fleet, which can feed off Preuss’s crumbs - Crucially, Preuss is a good tackler and puts a fair amount of pressure on for someone his size. - Obviously gives Max a chop out. Not sure how this is going to play out - Tomlinson will obviously play back with Baker on the wing. Brave selections, certainly won’t die wondering!

If the club is coached properly, it could be incredible!

It was, I’m afraid. I get that he, as captain, wants to defend his team but to retort that “They were sloppy as well” wasn’t a great look. Get Steve May on - he tells it like it is.

Just wanted to bump Gibbo up again, after his post-match interview with Max on Thursday. Mentioned to Max that a lot of our ball use was sloppy during the game, which looked to take Maxy off-guard a bit. I've noticed a few times that Ben is quite prepared to ask the hard questions and is certainly a refreshing change from the usual sycophantic approach that many in-house sports media have. Well done Ben, for keeping the barstewards honest!

In a nutshell.