Pates

Very glad to hear Jones and Vince are in the clear from the MRP, you just never know with them! On the back of this week the team should focused and busting to beat the Lions and GWS. I want those wins.

That goal he kicked was one of the best struck kicks I've ever seen him do. When he gets around goals he's starting to trust himself more which is very important, for too long he would look to give it off, that's great being a team player but at some point he actually needed to say to himself "I'm going to kick this goal". It's not breaking news but he is a hot and cold player, he'll go missing in games for periods and I don't think there's anything that'll change that. We need to just work on getting the hot to be more common than the cold, 1 out of 4 quarters isn't enough.

I was disappointed that he got subbed out but it's another example of the club managing players first and the result is second. He is still regaining his fitness so clearly it was pre-planned. He could end up being a great value pick up, and if he continues to build we could start getting some competition for spots next year with Trenners coming back and Michie/Salem on the improve.

The classic line from the journos is "at the time I was justified......." at the end of the day we know we've got a win here. Salem's got a huge upside and Tyson could be anything.

Actually I felt there were much worse decisions throughout the game, it was a 50/50 and as it always does in Adelaide it went to the home team. Watts did take his eyes off the footy, I did feel like he actually collected Wingard but more got his arm and the Chad slapped himself in the face but when I saw it I was expecting the Port fans to get the umpire over the line. Honestly I'm less worried about that decision and more interested in our decision making at the end. With a bit of poise we could've had 2-4 more wins this year, but hopefully that will come next year.

Totally agree, Ooze was one of my favourite players. I'm just saying there are certain players that lift when the team plays better, Yze was one of those.

This question used to be posed with Sylvia, and before that Yze. It's something that can never be answered, all we can say is that it correlates.

Positives first: - I marked this down as 40+ loss and all I wanted to see an effort that pushed port all the way. We more than did that. - Tyson got back to some great form and the rest of the competition should take note because this kid has something special about him. I have never been more impressed with a Melbourne player at his age. - The defence held strong for most of the day, but the same old story is that we lack polish back there. - Jamar played a really good game as a ruckman, I'm not sure if his contract is up but he's earned another trot around. - Effort was up for pretty much the entire game, except for when port were up by 30pts, but they came back and this is an important step again. Negatives - We should've won, I'm not going to dress it up any differently. There's only so many times that you can just be happy with the effort. We had 2 prime opportunities in our forward line where we could've a) pressed for another goal or b) hold it up and stop Ports run. - Dawes, I think he's struggling with being shouldered so much pressure. Either way he is not in good form, vs Brisbane he needs have a big game. Good game from us today, but I really hope we turn these close losses into wins next year.

We really should've had two more goals and as usual give up some easy ones to the opposition. Usual crappy umpiring isn't helping though.

Maybe todays game will go the way the round has gone, either upset or surprisingly good game. Not hopeful though. The boys have been really lacklustre ever since our win over the Bombers, it's time they stepped up again.

Well the major difference is that the incumbent coach is the one calling the shots on handing over the reigns whereas Eddies was so paranoid that his love child was going to coach somewhere else that he forced Malthouse into that scenario. I would love it if Roos had his own option for an extra year if he saw fit. I definitely see a minimum of two years after this year and Lingy meeting the leadership group does lead you to think he's almost across the line.

I must confess I don't see why we are going so hard after Ling. He is a great football mind and there have been many players from the Cats say that in his last few years he was like a playing coach, but he's gone straight into the media after football. There are several astute and highly rated assistants that have been in the system for a while. The idea of a short apprenticeship much like Buckley has me concerned, since taking over as senior coach after Malthouse the Pies have been steadily declining. It makes me think he still wasn't ready to take over at the time. The positive is that unlike the Malthouse/Buckley apprenticeship, Roos has stated that he wants to stay at Melbourne at the end of his coaching tenure which means he can continue to mentor Ling in a different role. Still, I'm not sure what has got Roos and the club so excited about Ling. I guess in Roos we trust.

I remember when it came out how bad his degenerative knee condition was that all the doctors and physios were talking about was quality of life after football. That's when it hit home that this wasn't just an injury, it was an issue that he would live with the rest of his life for a relatively short AFL career. I always admired they way he went about it and I reckon with a clean run he could've been quite a handy player for us. I remember there was a time that he was very rarely beaten by a small forward, I'd look at the opposition and think "we've got the small forward covered" all because of Barty.

Jonesy has always been uncomfortable on panel shows like that, he's much better at post game stuff (especially since he's consistently one of our best) but I remembered his first time on the footy show as a segment guest he looked like a deer in headlights. I'd put it down to nerves mainly.

Well deserved, he's essentially a coach out on the field and you know he's going to give everything he's got out there.

He won goal of the year that year so I reckon they have it to Abraham because he couldn't get two cars! His goal was great but his mark was incredible. I've never been more shatters to lose a player since the Wizard went to Freo and screwed up his career.

That has got to be one of the most frustrating quarters of football I've watched from the dees, and that's saying something. We had the better of the play for 70% of the quarter and somehow we are 3 goals down. Disgusting kicking and decision making has cost us a few cost and hand them to the dogs on a platter. I'm in Brazil at the moment, it's late and I can't be stuffed watching this. Hope they can turn it around, I guess I'll find out when I wake up.

I was wondering the exact same thing. In a footy world where they force clubs to have clash strips how the hell does this happen?

Hopefully the woman's match is an omen, it worked last year! The boys win I say we get the girls singing it with them in the rooms!

Given Richmond is interested in Bootsma you never know! Juice has got to be one of the biggest disappointments, he looked like a he had all the attributes but when it came to taking the step promising young player to player he failed. Good on him for doing well in the SANFL, couldn't be doing him any harm.

I think the length of time is very dependent on their activity with getting/nominating a successor in during the off season. I see him doing the 3 years with a possibility of up to 5 but if they get a successor in place and tell him "you will be senior coach in 201_" and then go back on it I can't see that being great for coaching harmony. Also depends on whether they put a date on it, they could say "we're getting you as our coach in waiting but it will be up to Paul Roos when that happens". I would love him to thrust that premiership cup in the air in Dees colours!

I don't want it changed but that would be a possibility. I can guarantee though if Bartlett consults the supporters on this one it will be a resounding no from the majority of fans.

It's an interesting article and some very ambitious hopes from the president but I do question him even telling the world some of them. As someone said above if you're looking at changing or making changes to the emblem just do it. Consult the fans and make a decision, but I don't see the need to read about it first. The name 'Melbourne' in the song is interesting, personally I see no need for it. Arguably the most recognisable "football" song is You'll Never Walk Alone from Liverpool. Yes it was an actual song but it's the club song and it has no mention of Liverpool, it doesn't need to. Moving away from Casey is another interesting point. Again I don't see the worth of putting these opinions out into the world. At the time when the decision was made to expand to Casey it was identified that because we grew from the stadium rather a suburban location our fan base hasn't had the same growth, throw in the fact that we were tripe during the time that the AFL/VFL experience it's transition from local footy to professional sport it has meant we have no heartland where we draw our fans from. That hasn't changed. I totally agree that our presence in Melbourne city needs to be increased, I personally think that the location of the demons shop (while convenient for the footy) offers no presence and promotion. We need to get a deal or association with the city of Melbourne and get our merchandise being sold at information locations or at least displayed in areas that get exposure from tourists and walk ins. As for Casey, I see no reason to ditch them altogether. You can't argue with the fact that it's a growth corridor and the first step to capturing/converting the locals is to start winning. Imagine if Tyson, Salem, JKH, and Hogan become the equivalent of Hodge, Mitchell, Cyril, and Buddy with the team being successful. If they keep going out to school clinics in the area, presenting demons gear to kids and getting involved at their Auskick it won't take long to get those kids thinking we're a club they can support. I see no reason not to persist with it in some capacity, and I think to openly discuss it in the public could burn some bridges with the Casey connection. Still happy to see him thinking grand and long term. Let's just focus on winning games of footy, it's still the best marketing in the world. [EDIT] Wanted to add that although it's a relatively pointless aside, I'm pretty glad they got rid of the blazers. Made us look like toffs and IMO detracts from the brand.

Good work Dunny. Frankly would've been very surprised if he'd gone anywhere else, but it's good to see him signing now to get it out of the way. Has been a great turnaround to watch.

I actually agree with him (I feel sick saying that) that there has been a shift with the adjudication of certain incidents that for a while the players had known that they were off limits. The head over the ball incidents in the last few weeks have all been cleared, this definitely flies in the face of what the MRP/tribunal have been putting in place in the last 2-3 years. What I don't understand is why, and what I also don't understand is how he thinks Viney's collision is the same as these guys. The biggest difference is that Viney had no other choice but to brace for contact; Hannebury, Cooney, and Hocking did have time to choose to sit off from the ball and tackle when they picked it up. The MRP/tribunal have created confusion, but it is because they didn't throw it out in the first place that this has happened. I also want to make the point that the beginning of the article is lazy, pathetic, emotive journalism. By pointing to Lynch's recovery he's immediately trying to create sympathy for his argument and make Viney look like a thug who got away with it, and his constant reference to people "frothing at the mouth" is extremely disrespectful to the fans. He really fails to see what everybody else sees, Jack was acting bracing for unavoidable contact.