DEE fence

@Redleg 'So despite a report on the ground by an umpire, close to the incident and the fact that a player had been knocked out for 2 minutes, with his career and health impacted, Christian attempted to whitewash the whole incident and not even have it tested by the Tribunal.' Spiking the umpires report is the deal breaker for me, the MRO is supposed to be for incidents caught on telly. An immediate direct report by the umpire carries serious weight, the fact that the media was overlooking this with all the commentary from former 'thugs hard men', goes to some serious jury tampering. The umpire being close and with a good view is highly relevant. Have seen some media is starting to pick up on the shoulder as a separate action to the smother. So seriously, MC can really GAGF, don't want to hear from him again, and the MRO needs to be rejigged. And serious props to Laura Kane, past her 1st test in the big chair, stone killer to face down the pressure around this.

I don't get the talk about connection, it was the execution, and this becomes a feedback loop, you hit the early ones, the others go through easier. when they keep missing then everything becomes manic. I don't believe it is the system. I would have liked to see more use of the corridor though, thought First Crack was right about that, we went cautious. Also re Goodwin and coaching and forward line, Tmac fell off a cliff quicker than anticipated, BBB too, if we had Petty and Melk in the team I think we would have been just fine. We didn't have the best fwd line but we had enough of a forward line and we know it works, this is just one of those years we're we get unlucky with injuries, not the coach was blind to the forward line. If there was a spare FF going free for a price we could afford that was better than what we had in 22, I don't know about it. Grundy may not have worked, but it was worth a punt, Goodwin has the credits in the bank. I also don't think a week off for JvR is the end of the world, he needs a reset, has some work to do for the prelim. Wasn't happy with his game at all.

I have to say the comments by Gawn and Trac worry me greatly, he was so close a few years ago to being done. Evidence suggests that these concussions are cumulative, and I can't help thinking about Paddy. I have been guilty of taking Gus for granted, we'll really miss him on several levels. Really hope to be wrong.

If he said ‘inflicting damage’ someone please find it and post it to every twitter account there is. I have been replying to ads many tweets as possible, not much to do here.

I initially thought Rivers forward might be the go, but in the last quarter of the H&A season I have seen Rivers forward 3 times and he's never seemed likely when kicking for goal. Love him to bits but he needs alot of work to be a goal kicker. FWIW Harmes would get eaten by Cripps, I think Viney needs the job.

Am sure we are in furious agreement, I don't disagree with anything you've said. My point about time goes towards intent, and that the 'footy action' taken, the smother, doesn't minimise the fact that Maynard hit AB as part of a plan. This incident started from the time Maynard started running at Gus, his intent is very bloody close to intentional.

You're a brave bloke arguing a POV and I get your points, I just don't agree for the following reasons: 'Fractions of seconds' is all it took for Maynard to make choices to roll his shoulder, he already knew where AB was and was going. AB was predictable, Maynard had ~2+ seconds to make a plan, which he executed. AB didn't unexpectedly change direction. There were two actions. The smother yeah that's fine. The shoulder to the face, not so much, the second action is not automatic to the smother attempt, i.e. like punching a ball and your momentum and the other players brings his head into your elbow. Maynard completed a second action that sees him miss the GF. Fractions of a second is not relevant here, he had time to consider and execute two different actions.

Looks good for a week. Really helps with Brayshaw gone. Do we have any news on the St Kilda scratch match? Tmac no, Grundy for Tmac, for JvR keep Laurie. Spargo and Harmes no thanks, would rather have Jordan. Salem has dropped but it doesn't mean others have gone past him. Thommo as sub. Carlton riding their luck, I have to believe we won't murder the bed sheets like Thursday.

I think 3 weeks is soft, in finals, defenceless player, double it, 6 weeks. And while I realise I'm preaching to the converted, but I still want to say, kicking in danger has always been a thing, the fundamental 'footy act', spare the excuses about the smother, that was just cover to put a hit on. I don't care if Maynard meant to knock him out or not his intent was to hit. By the way, Laura Kane getting involved is huge news. Expect to see more about this.

6 months ago I was leading into an end zone against a younger opponent (side by side/same direction) going at maximum speed, competing for a high disc, had launched to catch, with feet off ground (maybe 50-60cm off) when another team mate (small/brave & new) ran straight in front of me with <2-3m space. I was still able to tuck up so I didn't collect them in the head and get my arm out of way so I took the impact on the chest. Maynard had choices, his head was turned tracking where Gus was, and lined him up, don't tell me this incredibly fit athlete, whose reactions I couldn't have touched even 20 years ago didn't have time. That aside anyone notice Cox's dog act, trying to twist Trac's leg in the 4th, really needs to be called out was deliberate.

He rolled the right shoulder in, he had a choice, could have rolled left, guilty as don't care about post facto BS.

Richo is a dog and all the other [censored], clearly turns his shoulder into Brayshaws head. FAAAAAARKKKKEN CUUUUUNNNNNNTTTS

I feel like we picked our best team, Pies have reacted to us, not the other way around, but must admit the wet worries me. Cox selection is a hail mary, Viney needs to murder Cox early , preferably he gets sandwiched between Kozzie and Viney going full tilt.

Just tell them Pies are MAGA supporters

Work for the UN World Food Programme in Baidoa Somalia, Head of Office, 680,000 beneficiaries. Emergency Relief and Nutrition Programmes but trying to switch it up to resilience projects.

Kidney stones to justify the screaming…

Here in Somalia it’s midnight, game starts bang smack in the middle of the day, presenting a conundrum as have been trying to lead by example here, and the boss getting on the beers at lunch is not a good look. Fortunately DSTV (ZA cable channel) is showing the game live so I might have a stomach ailment and move to the guest house for a conference call.

Trust the club, but personally want Melksham to come back from his ACL, couldn't see McAdam being a 3year proposition, and he would have to buy into the defensive aspect of the role. Like others if he didn't get on with Burgess I'm wondering?

Not that you need to be a father to be a good bloke, (ANB is a stirling human in this space), but have often wondered, we seem to have a lot of young fathers amongst the playing group, and wondered if this is something that helps with the high emotional EQ the playing group seems to have. Anyway BBB is one of many 'good blokes' we have (and congratulations to him), but with the team it seems to go beyond the usual PR/media relations gimmicks. Now I know that their 'job' is to play football and not be social white knights. But jeez they make it very easy to be very proud of this club.

As Ross Lyon would say, 'fingernail deep' analysis by Hoyne, the effectiveness of Salem's tackles was much better, not that he is a slouch, but he really pressured the sydney players with the ball, and unlike a lot of games ,where he is a fraction late (and gives away frees) he was really motoring to ensure he effected his tackle legally (and with venom) I thought it was effective enough that it made uf for his kicking being a little more floaty, Salem will be just fine.

Lever is such a gun, loved Cross, Bernie, Hibbo, Melksham, Garlett and Jordon coming to the club, but when we got Lever in 2017 it was a marker that the club had turned a corner, we weren't getting a star on the wain or tainted, we were getting an up and coming player who was a hot property. It clearly meant the perception of Melbourne as a place to go had changed. Since then May, Langdon who are elite have joined, but 2017 and Lever arriving at the club really made me think the club's fortunes had changed.

KISS, bloody hell I was listening to them in the roller disco, Mornington in 1982, the world has turned. I am old, but it doesn't mean I need to see someone playing from my vintage. It needs to be Australian, however the best of our stadium rockers have gone past it, in terms of live performance (Oils try hard though). Midnight Oil, AC/DC, Barnes, Crowded House, Nick Cave, would hate to see them have a go and just reflect faded glory. So I reckon Hilltop hoods, while not rock, have a big sound and a couple of songs that would suit: (1955 is a favorite for a reason) but read to the lyrics from 'The Thirst'. We have the thirst We have the hunger We dive head first into the wonder We have the thirst We have the hunger We dive head first into the wonder

@Demonland Andy, please could we rename the thread, ‘Bailey is fine’, fair dinkum it ages me seeing it with new posts. When there is something to worry about, then adjust accordingly so that I can hyperventilate as required.

It's no disrespect to McVee, everyone loves him. Hibbo has serious credit and apart from being injured occasionally has shown no sign he is past it, i.e. the Richmond game. For sure he has been affected by injuries and this has impacted his stats, which are down about 20% on his averages for us. But his ability to shut down a good small forward is still elite. I am quite happy with McVee rebounding along with Rivers and Salem, as their disposal is better and Hibbo keeps being an excellent stopper a'la the mighty Nev Jetta.

@Engorged Onion love your post and agree with the sentiments. My knock on Schache is not that he does not have Aggression/Hunger etc, but two fold from watching his games for us, I have seen hesitation to commit to an action and to my eye at least, does not maintain the fwd 50 defensive structures, I think he is easy to play off/through. This used to be my complaint about Melksham and why I was floored when he came back into the team and absolutely played his role, it was a stunning transformation. I know Schache has the technical skills, but the hesitation in a high octane game plan is a killer. By way of example, I don’t think McVee comes across as aggressive but his sense of timing and ability to act instantly either creates time for us or shuts down an opponents options. But lastly, if he has been given another year, I have every reason to trust the match committee. I just worry that we have to have a minimum turnover and I’m not sure who goes, and i think all of the kids have looked promising.