Buzzy

34 minutes ago, Rednblueriseing said:

It's so obvious to us his injured so why play him? Would have been the perfect time time I've him a extended break to get fit and firing...

Facts are without Oliver and Tracc fit and in form we are not a top 4 side

We have literally nobody else to bring in.  Our depth is woeful.

That was a very 'Melbourne Season 2023' type game.  

Bit of an ugly mess, but effective D all over the ground.

Billings will not want to watch that game again.  Snatching at chances is one thing, but that attempt at a tackle on Rankin was not our brand.

So glad I made the journey up for that.

It looked like half the team had never touched a footy before.  Can't blame the humidity when it was clear most of the fumbles were simply due to absolutely sh*#ng ourselves under pressure.

We are definitely carrying quite a few non-AFL standard players and our depth is horribly thin.  

Schache no.  Laurie no.  Stop forcing it, it's not going to happen.

FLAT. 

Absolutely dominant. 

But left a lot of chances out there, as per last year.

Praying for some forward half confidence & composure in Round O. 

On 22/02/2024 at 17:45, DistrACTION Jackson said:

End of the year we will have a serious war chest.

Gus - approx $600k pa

TMac - approx $400k pa

Brown - approx $300-$400k pa

Tomlinson - approx $300-$400k pa

We could have almost $2m in salary cap to play with, noting some of this will probably go to existing players.

 

Tomlinson got a 5 year deal on $500K a year.  Figure that one out.

1 hour ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Happy to let today slide. It looked as though we were playing a (similarly depleted) team that is rejuvenated and clearly relished playing under a highly promising and anticipated coach  after 8+ years of the same voice. I don’t expect Richmond to make the 8 but they have enough talent and premiership veterans to win 9-12 games.

However, if we let through an obscene amount of consecutive goals next week and have 70 points kicked on us again by half time, then I think members of this forum are entitled to be concerned.

I don’t have the stats to back it up but it looked as though their pressure was miles ahead of ours. We were easy to play against today.

Defensive pressure and low scores are the hallmark of a Goodwin coached Melbourne. If we lose that strength, then we’re a bottom 6 side.

Lastly, some of the dropped marks and failed 15 metre passes to a target suggested to me that their heads weren’t in it today.

 

Steven May played like it was the last 3 minutes of a close game.  Fumble-town.

Understand there are some ' cobwebs' to blow out, but let's be honest, the skills, decision making, and i50 combination was pretty poor, so I'm not sure what to take out of it - beside some fitness and Kynan Brown being refeshingly adept at the level.

What is Blake Howes supposed to be?  People keep talking him up and supposedly he's 'athletic' but didn't look like it at all today...   Who is he supposed to play like? 

Pretty disappointing if McAdam is the best new talent we can bring in to this forward line 😐

I think we're purely struggling under the weight of a having a hugely competitive ball winning midfield who unfortunately are just not great kicks.

Under pressure they just aren't lowering their eyes, as we all can see.  Not sure why it won't sink in, but it's going to keep costing us year after year with this midfield group.  

I know it's compounded by our lack of forward 50 ball winners but in reality this group are hamstrung by their skill limitations.

It's a real shame.  Imagine the Brownlows and GF's that we'd win if any of Trac, Viney & Clarry could kick like Hodge, Mitchell & Lewis...or Voss, Black & Lappin.  Ugh.

20 minutes ago, jayceebee31 said:

Totally agree, lost it at selection….Grundy should have played, also Jordon. Laurie and Chandler to be dropped

JVR will be suspended, Hibberd, Oliver, TMac better for the runBrayshaw out for at least a week.Many to select though

 

 

How would Grundy have helped?  Not a forward, it's been proven.

1 minute ago, Colm said:

You have got to be kidding me?!?! MRO have been about three things all season- the outcome ie what happen to the player he hit and whether he hit the head. Also how could he avoided the situation- he was front on and  decided to turn side on and collect Gus with his shoulder. Should get 4 weeks. 

There's no way he will get suspended for that, will be a joke if he does.

Wow, could never have guessed it would be wasted inside 50's and forward efficiency that would be our undoing, who could have seen that coming.

30 minutes ago, layzie said:

Lost at selection, lost in game, lost when it mattered.

Who would you have brought in.

Langdon got slaughtered by old man Sidebottom, let's not sugar coat it.

Good goal but bloody hell Brayshaw wastes some disposals.

Just weird stuff a lot of the time.

OMG STOP GIVING IT TO HARMES

The boy is having a MARE

1 minute ago, Vipercrunch said:

Umpiring is embarrassing.  I’ve watched more footy this weekend than I have for a while and I had actually begun to hope the umpiring had turned the corner.  That was an illusion obviously.

It's been shocking all weekend.  Someone got the ball blatantly knocked out of his hands yesterday too and again no 50 to be seen.  Really poor.

I believe our best strategy in the second half is to keep it away from Harmes at all costs. 

14 minutes ago, Gorgoroth said:

Sparrow, Clarrie and Fritta make that team better on paper, pig too. Going to have some selection headaches soon.

Easy one :

Sparrow for Harmes

Clarrie for JJ

Fritta for Wowoedin

Licking my lips. 😋

one of the key things I've learnt this year is that Steven May is a panic merchant in tight last quarters

May always get fumbley in last quarters.  What was that?

May as well bring Joel Smith on now, guarantee he'll give more than Ben Brown.

Why wait?

Damn, Tomlinson was never quick but he looks like he's lost another yard this year  🐢😅

2 minutes ago, DubDee said:

May just let Rankine through when he handballed to himself. 

terrible effort

not switched on at all.  JVR seems to be though!