Pates

Jones has been absolutely terrible tonight. Should seriously consider dropping him.

We’ve lost our constested ball dominance from last year, that was the main area that we were able to win games. So far this year we’ve been terrible, I don’t know if it’s teams being able to better read Max or our contested ball winners have dropped off the pace but we need to get that back. Also during the period in that quarter where we were in somewhat control we have reverted back to our long kick and hope into the forward line. A) it’s a slick night so we need to be smarter than that and B) lower the bloody eyes. May must be shaking his head thinking he’d gone to a team where there wouldn’t be the ball down his area for most of the game. Bloody terrible second half of the quarter, I hope Goodwin’s able to work some magic because right now we are bereft of it.

I stopped reading at the suggestion of dropping TMac. I think serious questions need to be asked about certain players (you named a few) but dropping a bloke that kicked 50 goals in just over half a season of footy last year? Based on one H&A game in which the midfield was soundly beaten? That said I do have this bad feeling in my gut that this year might not be all it’s cracked up to be. One of the reasons is one that you pointed to: we’ve been traveling in an upward trend for so long, most history has shown that it doesn’t keep going that way forever and most teams have a drop before they head towards a peak. I have a bad feeling that might be us this year. I feel hopeful that when we hit our straps it’ll be enough to make finals but we may find ourselves around the 6-8th mark by the end of the year with a quick exit. The main reason I feel this will happen is that we’ve had a very interrupted preseason for key players. A common comment being said during the game was that we had the most amount of off season surgeries of any of the clubs, that has to take its toll. Oliver had serious surgery done on both of his shoulders for example! Jones and Viney looked way underdone and were mostly unseen, although he contributed Melksham didn’t seem right passing the ball when in very clear shooting positions. We don’t have Lever (who will take time to find himself again), AvB is injured again, Lewis pulled out late, while we also got injuries to fringe players like Garlett and JKH. If we had an injury run that Richmond experienced in their premiership year we’d be in good shape, but so far luck is not on our side. We need May to be the dominant defensive force next week or we could find ourselves chasing the 8 for a while.

One thing I learned watching our dismal round one performance is that I have a new found respect the the Lions, Hawks, Cats, and Swans teams that were so dominant for so long. It’s a credit to their list, and fitness staff that they were able to hit the ground running every year. Now that I’ve swallowed that little bit of vomit that came up from praising the Hawks here’s my two cents. We are clearly suffering from having one of the most interrupted preseasons of any of the so called contenders. We looked off our feet walking into the rooms at half time and while we had that burst in the 3rd quarter it didn’t last very long. Ultimately it showed that most key players were underdone, particularly our captains who were terrible. Jones’s drop at the start of the third quarter was the game, it was inexcusable and the team looked shot from there. Salem is the only player who can hold his head up that he gave a complete performance. The good news, it’s only round one and there’s next week for redemption with May coming in.

May comes in for Frost and I hope that’s the last we see of him getting a game for the seniors. Lewis for Hore I think Pruest might get a game on the back of Gawn getting roughed up, it won’t surprise me if that becomes a theme for poor Maxy this year. Maybe Sparrow for Pruest? Salem is the only one I could honestly say played a complete game, his class was a cut above. Everyone else should be given a swift kick up the bum starting with Petracca, it’s time he delivered.

What was de goey thinking!?

He’s a fantastic player but the way the he plays for free kicks is disgusting. The only thing that makes it worse is the umpires pay them. That was a good tackle from Varcoe.

It was a strange cheap shot from Niall, given the club has been nothing but supportive over his time at Melbourne and there have been few incidents that have been picked up by the media to the negative of him as a Demon you would very easily argue that we had in fact been the ones helping him keep some of his demons at bay. Poor editorial comment and based on nothing.

I'm picturing this being a scrappy game that should we win (and I'm confident of that) it won't be the prettiest win. A good start in front of the game crowd will do us a world of good, hopefully they can get that form we had vs GWS in the final H&A match last year. I don't think I've seen us that clinical against a top 8 team for a long time.

I think you might be misunderstanding what some of the posters on here are saying, the mental health side of him would've been well known to them and it must have been a factor in making the decision to move him on/let him go. They may have weighed up the facts that the increasing scrutiny around him factored with his mental health would contribute to negative or distracting media attention that could bring additional issues on the club. They would also have weighed up the belief that getting him back to Perth would be the best thing for him and allow us to facilitate a trade. To think that we would dismiss it entirely is ridiculous. For Jesse I hope he's able to work through his issues, it's hard to think of another young player that's gone through so much emotional upheaval at such a young age, and at some stage that rollercoaster was always going to take its toll.

Silly act for JLT but soft decision when you look at others. That has to hold up for the rest of the year now as the standard. Is what it is.

This is the first I’ve visited D-Land for a while and it’s fascinating to see that there’s still so much interest in Jesse. I had a couple of days feeling a bit unsure of whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, good trade vs bad trade, but now he’s just another opposition player now.

I think that sums it up, our success towards the end of year means we have a tougher draw, it means we are now judged against the best. Making the G a fortress is critical, we have to make teams fear playing us at home, we also can't allow anymore slip ups against lower teams. Target top 4 to get the double chance and go from there.

I’ll admit I was initially a little underwhelmed by his acquisition essentially for Jesse but the more I hear from him and see him in action I realise we are probably better off. We’re a high scoring but have shown a vulnerability to the larger forwards of the comp. Really looking forward to seeing him in Red and Blue next year.

In: Gus, Harmes, TMac Out: Hoges, Hunt, Daisy I’d day add Goody I’m there as well but I don’t know if there’s much of an iconic look he has that could be turned into a caricature. I reckon Gawny gets a shift closer to the middle as well! ?

This would have to go down as one of the strangest trades that has ever happened. There has been more drama and twists and turns than your average Neighbours story line.

We have rolled the dice on Weiderman becoming a player. Signs were there vs Geelong, 2019 we find out if he can do it week in and week out.

With Jesse gone I think the idea is to make our forward line more flexible and unpredictable. TMac (if able to stay on the park) has proven himself to be a very good marking forward, he is the key. If he stays fit I’m not worried. Weiderman still has a lot of development in him but with Jesse moved on games will come more frequently. The end to the year will surely give him confidence, he just needs to bulk up. As many have also pointed to we have recruited Preuss and I feel like this is what the club earmarked him for, allowing he and Maxy resting time in the forward line. I expect Max to kick more goals next year as a result, and who knows Preuss come become a cheeky valuable forward/ruck for us.

Welcome to the MFC May! Sures up our defence (which was a definite weakness last year) and creates a massive competition for the third tall spot in the 22. Defensively I think Oscar is better than Frost, but Frost offers run out and an extra dynamic. Just as another side thought to all this, with Hogan moved on I have constantly heard that in his youth days Oscar was a forward. Could we see him become a swing man? Anyway best of luck to you May, try not to get suspended too much. You’ve got something to play for now!

KK is the wildcard in this trade, has had similar problems to concussions as Gus, but I was always sure Gus would pull through them. Hopefully coming to our club can help bring his raw talent to the surface. Good luck Kade!

We wanted May, it made our trade position weaker. We accepted unders for him to secure a deal with GC. I’m sad for a number of reasons. We supported Jesse through a lot of difficult things, being away from family at a young age, a terrible back injury in his first year (available), the passing of his father, the testicular cancer scare, and all through that we helped him develop into easily the best young KP forward coming up. What we’ve received for him in under what he’s valued, that’s my opinion but it’s not just what he’s doing now that matters it’s what he’ll be able to do. We invested a lot into him and it’s felt like following the very original trade to get him to the club we have downgraded. That all said, it’s done and we can move on. He clearly always wanted to go home, so the club has moved to address a need at the other end of the ground. If May turns out to be the defender everyone thinks he’ll be, and Weiderman is able to continue his development then the premiership is a big chance.

Yeah I’m gonna steer well away from them. ☹️

I would’ve like him to follow through on his statement and be prepared to walk away. I feel like our club has got the big bold statements thing down, but in many aspects we still lack follow through. May being available and his desired club has definitely made things awkward, it tipped our hand and Freo have been able to exploit it. Fair play to them. I guess I am in the unconvinced corner on the May trade. I get the results based idea of it all, that if it completes the team that’s all that matters, but I hate giving other teams a leg up at the same time. I think it’s also frustrating because Freo have been sniffing around Hogan for years, they have wanted him desperately but now when they will get him they won’t have to sell the farm for him.

If we take that club it will be on the club to spin it in the way you have there. At the end of the period every club will be saying they are happy because they have filled need X and managed to trade into/remain in position Y in the draft. We will definitely be getting unders for Hogan and Mahoney’s bold statement of a trade for hogan being up there as one of the highest of all time will look like a complete joke.

I’m hoping we’re pushing for one more pick from Freo. I don’t know if they have it available but I would be asking for next years second rounder as well.