binman

17 minutes ago, Fork 'em said:

Tell me ... Who shut down Charlie Cameron?
That guy needs some extra recognition.
Was near unsighted.

Mcvee

2 hours ago, Red But Mostly Blue said:

True. We have this year and that's it I reckon. Beyond that he should be part of the coaching group - to help create/encourage more of his type of play. Lowering the eyes. Goalkicking practice. Simple things, really. But he can influence. And we should still be on the lookout for more forwards.

I'd be shocked if melk doesn't go around next year.

He looks as fit as ive ever seen him, he us driven and he plays a role that doesn't involve the sort of running other foreards might have to do.

8 minutes ago, Colm said:

Thought Melksham had a great game. The commentators on fox said we were using an extra forward which meant Brisbane didn’t have a spare interceptor.

For those who are more across the tactical side of things than me( probably most), it’s this a new tactic and if so how did we manage to do it while still winning the clearances?

Not an extra forward, we just kept all our forwards forward instead of bringing say a half forward flank up to stoppages.

At least we were in the first 3 quarters - they mentioned we brought extras to tge stoppages in the last, perhaps to take advantage of maxy's dominance, which we hadn't for the first 3 quarters.

By the by I'm just going off a couple of random comments from thecommentary team. Irs all but impossible to work that stuff out watching on TV.

It infuriates me how ridiculously basic the coverage of the game is. I mean they have a special comments person, a boundary rider and access to al thr data and vision they could possibly need and they can't do things like:

• show the set ups at each centre bounces (eg a box in the corner with visuals and names the way they do in cricket to show the field),

• analyse the stoppages and use vision to explain things like what bringing an extra to a stoppage look like and why clubs might do so

• Show vision of individual players and their running patterns

• Use drone shots to show how zones are set up structurally and maintained, and how they work (or not as the case may be)

• Provide analysis, with accompanying vision, to explain things like how pressure impacts thegame, what transtion football involves, key stats coaches would be focused ok in game (eg post clearance possessions), provide vision to explain how individual stats are defined (eg what a contested possession is - it's flat out ridiculous how even commentators confuse disposals and possessions - what hipe do fans have) etc etc etc

• Unpack the tactics of each side

• Use the down the ground, behind the goals shot more often to show running patterns and structures

• Anything else that helps fans understand the game, one of the most complex elite sports in the world

Its ridiculous the coverage of the game on TV has basically been unchanged for 30 years.

Compare the coverage to test match cricket, NFL, NBL and MBL. Chalk and cheese.

Tame cricket- I consider myself very knowledgeable about test cricket, behind footy irs my great sporting passion. But every time I watch it I learn something new. And the use of stats really adds value - particularly the granular stats like say a player's average against a particular bowler or bowling type (wg left hand wrist spinners).

15 minutes ago, Nietaphart said:

Thanks Wheelo.

But, what happened to the old Kicks, Handball, Total Disposal, Goals, Points etc stats?

Kinda suits my ADHD aging brain 🤓🥹

For ultra old school, it's still 2004 go to afl.com:

1 hour ago, Nasher said:

So, was the Melksham over the shoulder kick that went to Langdon an intentional pass, or a shanked shot at goal? I reckon it happened as intended.

Melk 100% meant it.

It was brilliant- he knew he just had to get into space and was able to execute.

Bybthe by, the dart he kicked on his left to Sparrow in the corridor was a thing of beauty.

I thought Melksham gave Andrews a bath. Andrew showed him no respect playing so aggressively in front.

That contest was a big factor in the result.

5 minutes ago, adonski said:

Some heroic X Lindsay moments

Kid is a total gun.

And in 2-3 years time he'll be a pretty big unit whi I can def see going thru the middle.

13 minutes ago, junk said:

Dees by 10 pts.Players to wash in nappy sand at 3/4 time because it prevents 'fade'.

Oh, I assumed it was to clean the players shorts after [censored] ting themselves in front of goal again

25 minutes ago, Demonland said:

WASTED by KC from Casey

The Southport Sharks came to Casey. They saw and they conquered a team with 16 AFL-listed players who, for the most part, wasted their time on the ground and failed to earn their keep.

For the first half, the Sharks were kept in the game by the Demons’ poor use of the football, it’s disposal getting worse the closer the team got to its own goal and moreover, it got worse as the game progressed.

Make no mistake, Casey was far and away the better team in the first half, it was winning the ruck duels through Tom Campbell’s solid performance but it was the scoreboard that told the story.

Even in the first quarter, it was 3 goals 5 behinds to 3 goals 2 with Southport’s last goal coming at siren time to give them a sniff. By half time, it was a wasteful 13 scoring shots to 8 for a five point lead.

Things only worsened in what they call the premiership quarter which opened with three consecutive behinds to the home side in the first two minutes before the visitors took the lead with two quick goals and the rest is history. At three quarter time, the score was Casey 4.17.41 to 9.7.61, a lead of 20 points to Southport despite having far less scoring chances.

At least, the comedy of errors in kicking for goals was over for the Demons but so was the game as they managed two straight meaningless goals in the final quarter with the game inevitably slipping further and further away. Imagine how the Southport coach laughed all the way to the airport as he banked his team’s 41 point victory.

The plus for the Demons was Jake Lever’s successful return from his ankle injury with 17 disposals and eight marks in managed time. Not surprisingly, when he was off the ground, the team literally fell apart. Whilst on the ground, he gave Jed Adams, Blake Howes, Luker Kentfield and Ollie Sestan the benefit of his experience in defence with Howes the best of that bunch with 30 touches and 13 marks. Sestan continues to improve.

Melbourne dropped three players from its loss last week to Hawthorn — Jacob van Rooyen, Matt Jefferson and Koltyn Tholstrup. They all disappointed with their poor disposal and effort. We can expect to see them back in the VFL next week.

Tom Campbell beat his opponent in the ruck with Will Verrall provided some solid support. Kynan Brown with his 19 disposals and seven tackles was a strong contributor along with Jack Billings (20 touches) and Taj Woewodin who worked hard for his 22 disposals.

Mitch Hardie and Riley Bonner with 28 and 26 possessions respectively were the best of the Casey listed players. Paddy Cross kicked two goals, one of them was a ripper.

The game however, was a calamity for the Casey Demons. While their VFL list is so much better this year, they are not getting enough from their Melbourne listers and it’s difficult to gauge performance on possessions won when so many of these are wasted through errant disposal and poor decision making.

CASEY DEMONS 3.5.23 4.9.33 4.17.41 6.17.53

SOUTHPORT 3.2.20 4.4.28 9.7.61 14.10.94

GOALS

CASEY DEMONS Cross 2 Hardie Jefferson Tholstrup van Rooyen

SOUTHPORT Dixon 3 Buzza Crossley Hayes 2 Foot Hay Rowe Sexton Woodcock

BEST

CASEY DEMONS Hardie Howes Billings Brown Smith Bonner

SOUTHPORT Foot Joyce Manteit Pescud Crossley Dawson

The Casey best tells a rather disappointing tail, wiry not one of the three players dropped featuring:

CASEY DEMONS Hardie Howes Billings Brown Smith Bonner

11 minutes ago, Deeoldfart said:

I’ve supported our mighty Dees for 70+ years, and even through our darkest of times, I’ve always been optimistic. That ain’t gonna change now! ❤️💙

Based on no logic at all, I’m going for us to keep a ‘flicker of hope alive in 25’.

Dees to fall over the line by 4 points.

Go redleggers!

One of the most ridiculous things I've heard this year is two Demons fans calling into senior after our win over the tigers furiously calling for goody to he immediately replaced as senior coach by choco Williams.

Blokes supposedly our kicking coach and in my 50 yearsof supporting the dees I don't think I can remember a list that accross the board is so woeful at kicking.

1 minute ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

Tholstrup playing like he thinks he should not be out there. His efforts today from my observation have been nothing short of pathetic.

I've wathed the last 25 mins and thought exactly the same thing.

I'm a big kolt fan but he's gone down in my estimation. i realise thats a big call given its only a quarter of footy, and he'll learn, but I put a huge stock in players who get dropped but don't drop their head.

Made worse by the fact that goody gave him mutiple games to prove himself and he gave goody nothing.

Wear the red and the blue and effort is 100% non negotiable.

11 hours ago, bluey said:

The kids a winner

Is he?

Came back from mid preseason break overweight, ruining his preseason.

Remains overweight and is a total head case that other teams are winding up for fun.

Doesn't sound much like a winner to me.

2 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Pracis?

23 hours ago, praha said:

Gold Coast has Melbourne 2021 vibes.

Agree.aq

2 hours ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Unless he is not the sub? Is there a slim chance that might end up being Fritta?

I don't think AJ will be sub.

Fritter wouldn't be a crazy choice. Ia also a bit inflexible position wise but not as bad as AJ.

And he could cover a tall or medium forward.

10 minutes ago, RedLegs23 said:

So obviously A. Johnson will be the sub.

Thoughts?

I can't see rhe logic in bringing in AJ and making him sub given they dropped JVR- who is going to bevtge second ruck?

Leaving that aside he can only really play forward or on the ruck, so doesn't offer much positional flexibility as a sub.

25 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

How many more years can we extend his career!

Maxy has said he I'd fitter now than he has ever been.

Goody should get some props for ensuring he gets way fewer big hits this season, which will help extend him.

Given those two factors, and maxy's incredible resilience, I could see him playing until he is 36, which would take him until the end of the 2027 season (he turns 36 Dec 2027).

Heartbreaking.

74? Too young

I loved Walls as a player, but even more so post playing and coaching media career.

Smart, erudite, a creative and deep thinker about the game, didn't suffer fools, had strong views without being didactic and/or controversial for controversy's sake and was a brilliant communicator. Exactly the sort of attributes that are so lacking in today's football media landscape.

Genuinely very sad to hear this news.

25 minutes ago, Jjrogan said:

The issue is not whether rucks are valuable or invaluable but are you (WE) willing to devote more percentage of your cap to a ruck. The output gap between 2nd best ruckman and 16tth best is actually really small. The wage gap is huge. Apart from flynn/williams who is the worst ruckman in the league. Couldnt tell you myself.

Without Max the gap will be even smaller. Taking Jackson would mean in a few years we will be paying our ruckman more as a percentage of cap than we do to Gawn. (He's criminally underpaid). Sure Jackson also doubles as a forward but id say the clubs that have enjoyed the most success over the past decade have underpaid their rucks for the output they get not overpaid (including us). Thats the way to do it.

He is a fine player, but Jackson is too expensive for what he procduces week in week out imo. However, it wouldnt be a list killing move like tdk at 1.6 would be.

Yep, that's reasonable argument (Jackso is too expensive for what he produces week in week out).

It points to the fact that whilst all clubs have a designated number one ruck few have a highly paid second ruck - Freo being one obviously (by the by i argued at the time Freo were crazy to go so hard for Jackson given their investment in Darcy).

However, i'd argue that getting Jackson in is worth the riskin of putting too many eggs in the ruck basket.

One, Maxy and Jacko clearly had a synergy as a ruck duo that makes them a very effective duo imo.

Two, we obviously need a better back up ruck than we currently have.

Three, it might actually extend Maxy's career as we would be much less reliant on him playing huge game time week in week out.

And four, it would represent the perfect succession plan in terms of replacing Maxy when he retires.

13 hours ago, ANG13 said:

Overall I think rucks are overrated and the last three premiers have all had below average rucks in the grand final. Not saying the clubs didn’t worry about rucks though

But I think rucks like LJ and TDK are incredibly important in the modern game. They are probably two of the most important players at their clubs and I would love either of them at Melbourne.

Whether rucks are overrated is another discussion, but the last three premiers having below average rucks in the grand final actually show how important they are.

Regardless of their level all three teams selected rucks rather than being prepared to 'break even'

Take the Lions.

The Lions have one of the best rucks in the AFL, crucial to their success and making 2 grand finals in a row. When the big O was injured, the lions had the option of using Daniher (a pretty handy back up in the last few seasons) in the ruck with Hipwood as back up.

What did they do?

Bring in Darcey Fort, the classic journeyman old school ruck who had played a grand total of 38 AFL games since his debut in 2019.

48 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

there's no reason to think that gawn won't play for as long as goldstein

they're both aerobic beasts, which is part of the reason that they're so, so good in their dotage

Goldstein being resurrected just proves the point about how critical rucks are in modern footy - and makes a complete nonsense of greenwaves assertion that 'Rucks are becoming less important in the modern game. Many coaches don't care too much about the ruck, they're happy to break even.'

I mean, the bombers lose their number one AND back up ruck and instead of doing what say the tigers did back in 2017 when they didn't have a number one ruck and use a medium tall to 'break even' they instead called up a bloke who is 36 and had likely resigned himself to not playing another game of AFL football.

8 hours ago, greenwaves said:

Rucks are becoming less important in the modern game. Many coaches don't care too much about the ruck, they're happy to break even. I don't read replies or reactions

Absolutely complete bollocks.

The last club that could remotely be said about is the tigers back in 2017 and the blues sround the same time.

Terrority is just too critical to not worry about the ruck.

7 hours ago, Pates said:

Here's a question; if the choice is between him and Koz who would you go with?

It could well end up a straight swap Koz/Jacko, and I'm not gonna lie that would still be difficult to swallow. Koz has the ability to be one of if not the best player in the comp, he has all the tricks and to see him do it for another club would hurt. But then Jacko could fill the void of what we're lacking right now, a quality tall. Not to mention it could work better with Max coming to the end of his career, LJ can step into his enormous shoes.

But this is actually insane that it could happen, who knows maybe a few years down the line Koz decides Perth isn't the place for him after all!

For me this is a total no brainer - I'd take koz all day every day.

Medium goal kicking small forwards who can run thru the middle, have serious wheels and tanks and can apply elite pressure are arguably the most important players in footy atm.

That said, a swap of Jackson and koz (with some extras to us) seems such an obvious elegant solution that I feel like it is a probable outcome.

And if it does, as much it would break my heart to lose koz (in much the same way as it was when the wiz went home), getting Jackson would be massive compensation as it immediately solves two key problems fie us - a quality second ruck (which frees up jvr) and a succession plan for maxy.

But, if we could somehow keep koz AND get Jacko that woyld be a huge game changer for us.

As nuts as the koz non call was, i reckon it pales against thefree paid to siath against fritter.

Perhaps The umpires could argue they didn't pay the trip because for some incredible coincidence all four umpires were unsighted.

But the siath howler was a concious decision to pay a free that was 100% not there.

In fact, more than not being there, Friitter should have got a free as siath dangerously jumped into the pack and got nowhere near the ball.

He did so in such an erratic way that I can only assume the umpire assumed siath must have been pushed. He wasn't.

It was 20 metres from goal and Luke the koz error cost us a certain goal.

THAT is where a umpire not in the immediate zone should come into play - it was clearly a howler, over rule it.