monoccular

Cannot afford underprepared players in a final (unless they are Steven May)

But whose contract? Demons? Free? WCE? Or maybe North if nothing can be settled and he chooses the d(r)aft? Do they still take a team bus or just turn up on their own transport?

".... I will be interested to see how the last couple of weeks without Max will effect the stoppage setup. Max was shown a number of time watching what was going on. No ruck this last round and, while we were beaten in the tap work we broke even in clearances. there has to be a few lessons learnt out of that experience..." Max is a smart footballer, and the coaching panel are too - hopefully they will have taken "learnings" out of this and will maybe adapt their plans accordingly.

That goes without saying .... and they will NOT be given the normal protection by the umpires that most other teams get ... especially Max and Clarrie which is a disgrace. Gill, Scott, Christian .. please explain?

Those 2020 breaks were as I recall something like 3 games (albeit shorter) in a week including a game in Cairns minutes after a 4 hour (bus and plane) journey. We need to get used to getting by without T Mac - IF he gets back, match fit and ready for September it will just be a bonus.

" .... the way Weideman was able to work with his midfield was everything that Melbourne could have wanted from him in terms of outcome....." Yes, I found that bit particularly interesting coming from Mongrel Punt, a good analyst of footy games and tactics. He has quick hands in terms of getting out a useful handball - just occasionally we have seen him take some great grabs, but unfortunately that is THE factor stopping him from becoming a regular. I have no idea if that is something that can be taught / learned but I guess if it were then someone would have tried it.

“…..Jackson will probably still be injured. ..” Just wondering on what basis do you say this? Knowledge or speculation or MFCSS?

Any observations re the potential upside of Ryan Valentine?

Tomlinson must be medical sub for when the inevitable stray Hawkins elbow "accidentally" KOs May or Petty

Change for the sake of change is definitely not what we are going to see from Goody, ever.

Tough, uncompromising in the JV sense, strongly built and a booming kick. What is there not to like about him? (Unless you are a Footscray fan and remember the last minute of the 3rd and the first minute of the 4th Q 2021 GF 🤗❤️💙❤️💙)

Similarly with politics, especially in the USA currently. Media generally do as they are told, at risk of being snubbed / cancelled. Hopefully …. it isn’t Broooooce commentating on Cyyyrrrrillll. Gil gets his priorities right. “Match day experience” is far more important than a good fair game of football. Christian will do as he is told.

…. as did Majak despite never playing in the AFL team. Depth helps the entire team develop.

Oliver Langdon Petracca Brayshaw Viney Lever Many more honourable mentions A very good even team performance

SWYL - my bringing Jackson into this thread really was related to how many more weeks Sam will need to be #2 to Max - the final word was meant to be tongue in cheek. 🙄.

I thought, considering he has not been a ruckman, he did a pretty good job against a much taller and heavier regular ruck. Got a few whiteouts, a few tackles. Sadly his marking still isn't up to scratch but he wasn't outworked, usually halving the aerial contests. Just wish we were given some idea about Jackson - ready, a few weeks, already moved to Perth???

OMG if Pickett gets offered a week we should fight it right up the Supreme Court. It was a football action. But then I guess it would only be an extension of the totally biased / inept (to be kind) adjudication of everything tonight. Michael Christian is as inept and as inconsistent as the umpiring department. Lets hope the new CEO has the guts to demand a full overhaul of the umpiring department and of the MRO / MRP (probably won't though, just continues to try to sanitise and Americanise our game to "enhance the match day experience" - at the expense of the game)

Sounds like Max is a certainty. If so I would bring him in for Mitch Brown despite his two goals. Still very little is known about Jackson's injury. Is there any inside information (as opposed to hopefully speculation) as to his injury and his prognosis? Obviously if he is ready he will come straight back in. Barring any unexpected injuries I would consider leaving out Ben Brown rather than Weed, who despite being outclassed by a superior experienced ruckman worked hard and applied pressure. Sounds as if Chandler had a great game at Casey - is Bedford in jeopardy?

And the clowns at HQ say that these incompetents should be respected! Gill and his acolytes are just full of spin. Do you mean so they will be above corruption?

Just cannot compete with this absolutely corrupt umpiring. Might as well go home now.

KKP - magic stuff !

It is not their eyesight. They know what is going in. They are downright cheats.

why do you say borderline???

and missing obvious ones against Crows

May dragged without the ball - goal Adelaide