Pates

Thinking the exact same thing, I can't help but feel that the game in hand could end up being both clubs chances to scrape into finals.

Wouldn't rule it out Pickett, we have the worst history when it comes to converting talent and potential into a top grade AFL player. Even Petracca has taken longer than what we would've hope for, albeit he is at least showing what he can do on a very regular basis. I feel like Oliver has drunk his own bathwater a little, and might be coming crashing down to earth a little. He's still got attributes that COULD put him up there in the top echelon of the competition but now comes the moment where he has to cop the criticism, and absorb the information that will improve his game.

Anyone with a subscription that can give us a little rundown or a good quote?

I notice this as well, It's intriguing to see that technique. Works well to get the ball where you want quicker but I don't think he's got the efficiency to do that yet.

I will be physically ill if Essendon get the win over Brisbane tonight.

We need clean ball users, who is out there we could potentially trade for? I'd still be on the fence about trading Gus, but I think he struggles to know his place in a midfield featuring Viney, Oliver, Harmes, and Petracca.

I live in the UK so this sometimes does get lost to me but I forgot that this was our rare shot at a prime time slot and we embarrassed ourselves. Back to Fox Footy for us for the rest of the year I'd say.

Wow that is up there with the dumbest thing I've heard, why would you want to trade high in such a compromised draft year? Clarry is still relatively young and we should be seeing the best of him in the next 2-3 seasons. He needs someone to work with him on his disposal (particularly his kicking), but he's not even close to his ceiling yet.

Fat lady is warming up her voice but if we win the next couple of games that we would be expected to win then we are back in the hunt with a game in hand. At best we can scrape into the finals, but we're not in the premiership conversation until we sort out basic issues within the team which include attitude, disposal, and a total lack of composure. I'm not upset that we tried the 3 tall forward line but Tom's mobility has dropped to nothing and we can't play him on the back of "I remember when he was good in 2018". He's now depth behind Weid and Jackson, and if we're to persist with the 3 tall model I'd be keener to give Brown a go over him. There's still plenty of games to be played, last thing we want to do is pack it in and gift North a top pick.

I just had a listen to May's post-match interview, he wasn't talking in cliche's or anything, I'm glad to see he's p-ssed and hopefully that will get a better effort next match. They all need rocket's up their bums leading up to Adelaide, we're going to have a longer break than them and there is no reason at all why we shouldn't be smashing them. They should all be utterly ashamed by what they put up, that's worse than what we saw in 2019.

Less about Lockhart playing a bad game (although his disposal is pretty bad right now), more about management and bringing in Rivers as a good ball user.

Looking at how much time will have passed between the Hawks game and the Adelaide game I'm really hoping that at least Bennell will be ok to return. If he is then I think Jones comes out, sad to say but he just doesn't seem to add anything. The experiment of 3 talls may have worked with different players, if they are keen to try it again don't do it with TMac. He may be dropped for Brown, or perhaps Tomlinson to take us back down to 2 talls and Tomlinson brings back some outside run. Tomlinson could also potentially even fit into a 3 tall system with him being more mobile. If AvB is ok to play, perhaps give Kozzie a spell for both management and a poor game. But he was not alone in the last part. I'd look at dropping one of Sparrow or Lockhart for Rivers as well. So my changes would look something like: Out: Jones, Kozzie, Lockhart, TMac In: Bennell, AvB, Rivers, Tomlinson/Brown EDIT// If AvB still needs time to recover then I say give Nibbler a chance.

I'd say the man in you avatar had at least as bad if not worse not than OMac, the defence was under siege from the opening bounce had very little back up from the midfield. Our defence has looked better since Oscar's return, tonight was an across the board horrible effort from the whole team.

Without any experience but just watching him (and I feel like this reminds me of what Petracca used to do) he seems to rush everything. When he takes a mark he either takes off straight away without looking or tries to do everything off one step rather than getting separation from the player on the mark. Even when he does get the separation the motion all looks rushed, total opposite of Bennell where he seems to glide with everything he does (forgetting that awful miss last week! ?). Petracca hasn't 100% fixed his issues but he has improved, Oliver is still young but has to want to change his attitude on disposal. Even his hands (something that used to be incredible) seem to have gotten worse.

I don't think I've seen a Melbourne player butcher the ball like that since Godfrey. I remember a game he got 35+ possessions and turned it over almost every time, the opposition actually wanted him to get the ball!

But he plays for Melbourne, so two matches ?

Is Bennell going to be able to come back against Adelaide? Is Vanders? Those would be the two that standout. Also do we think is Oliver going to be suspended?

Sad to say it but I think you can stick a fork in him and say he's done, he looked incredibly slow tonight. That pass from Salem still should've hit him but those first few steps were snail pace and he just seemed to have to ability to get to contests. Our forward line has functioned better without him the last two weeks, I think that's a bad sign for him.

Stopped watching after the Jackson miss and they went up the other end of the ground, I didn't watch the kick but my brother told me they scored a goal. Only just checked the final score then. What stood out early and killed the contest for us what the return of our diabolical disposal, when you can't execute the basics your going to be beaten most days no matter what the team. Today we played a team that is top of the ladder so say what you like about them but they know how to beat the teams below us. In the first quarter we had several inside 50s that were just awful kicks giving our forwards no chance, then at the fall of the ball there wasn't any interest from the small/mid forwards to put pressure on. From that point onward we just had nothing to give, perhaps the 4 day break is a bridge too far for footballers, we're going to find out over the next two weeks. Two games in a row we have ruck dominance but the other team just wants the ball more, this surely has to be a gameplan issue because good opposition teams seem to have worked out how to play Max Gawn and beat our inside mids. I have to say Tom McDonald is on thin ice with his place a the club let alone the team. I'm not blaming him for the poor inside 50s but is there a correlation that when we returns the disconnect with the midfield returns? Putting that aside he looks really really slow, in body and mind. Of the three talls he'd be my first pick to be dropped.

Awful kick from Hannan.

Yep there needs to be some variety, we actually slow things down to allow him to get into position. By that stage Port are set up to block and spoil him. I don't mind it being a plan A but have some other tricks up your sleeve, we are one of the few clubs that gets no return for the other team missing opportunities.

We have been absolutely shocking, but the umpires have shown us zero love. Tackles unrewarded, holding the man ignored, clear sliding in on legs given as high tackle, soft 50 penalty gifting them a goal (while Gawns gets ignored). I have to get that frustration out of the way. But we look flat as a tack, no one moving, when we get the ball in space we are slow to move it on. Our kicking efficiency must be about 30%, absolutely pathetic. Our overall disposal efficiency must be barely 50%, basic handballs are being missed, players slipping over. I just can't believe how bad we are playing. Lions was the game we needed to win to stay in the hunt, facing Port off a short break seems like too much.

We are getting nothing from the umps, our players getting clearly held onto but it gets completely ignored, they get a shot on goal from it.

Oh thank F for that.

McDonald is slower than a turtle.