Pates

I’ve seen many talented players come through Melbourne, none have excited me more at such a young age than Jackson. The depth of his talent is incredible, his move into the ruck in the Grand Final helped change the the game and win it for us. How many 19yo players in the history of the AFL/VFL can say that? If he ends up being a one club player he could go down as one of our greatest of all time.

I cracked it a bit where I slammed my hand against the armrest sending the cat into a skittish run out the door but held myself down thinking the margin isn’t the worst we’ve had to come back from. When we hit to the front and were a goal up I thought “ok let’s hold this and regroup for a massive last quarter” so glad the the players got their killer instinct and powered on. I could not believe how quickly it changed!

I would say sorry to Spargo and ANB, Nibbler in particular. For Spargypants, I felt he had just about toasted his career with us with the 2019 round 1 game vs West Coast. He had an improved second half of the year which made me rethink his position at the club (and I knew the club rated him highly) but I had him as a player that fell into the best 25 category, and would be in and out of the team for most of this season. I was totally wrong about that, and I realised that in the early rounds. He's a total gem and crucial to our forward line, I was genuinely worried when I heard he'd hurt himself in the scratch match. So glad to say he's a premiership player. For Nibbler, where to begin. He's been a whipping boy in the past on D-Land, and I have joined in the chorus of people saying his NQR. He is the best example of how important your bottom 6 players are to a premiership team, he doesn't do anything flashy or super silky like the Petracca's of the world, but jeez you can never question his passion and his work ethic. I had thought 2018 was his ceiling and that he couldn't replicate it, but he's someone that just goes about his business and gets the reward through that effort. Felt he should've been trade bait this time last year, so happy he wasn't. Also a small apology to Fritta, only because I felt his inaccuracy (last season) would mean he would only become a decent bit part forward. FMD 6 goals in a Grand Final, couldn't be more wrong!

Great piece from the club, well cut. Would've loved the "It's Coming Home" line from Max in there though.

Very true, I’d be happy if he decided to stick around for another year. The more players that know the system and buy in the better we get, it’s a tough nut to crack the best 22 but Bowie showed that once you get that chance if you keep your form it’s your spot to lose.

Didn’t Majak just re-sign a 1 year contract with us? Hibberd will get another year if he wants it; Hore, Baker, Bedford I would offer two years, the others I’m not fussed about.

There are going to be some players that were on the border of selection that will have a fire burning under them to get involved. Melk, Hunt, Smith, Weid, and Tomlinson (missing because of injury) should all be backing themselves in to make a push for selection. Really happy Melksham is staying with us.

Wish it hadn’t been the pies he was going to but I wish him nothing but the best. Treat him well Collingwood, you couldn’t have landed a better person. Love you Nev.

It was a good thing he didn’t stick around in Victoria as some (including me) suggested we try to get him into Casey.

The only types that I see us picking up would be back up to KP forward and defenders. Tomlinson and Petty will have healthy competition with each other (throw in Smith as well) but one more level of depth would be good. TMac had a great start to the year but tapered after his back complaint. Hopefully he’ll get back to his early form but if not our current depth for that position would be Weiderman and maybe Majak Daw. Another level there would be good. Aside from that I think we’ll look to improve our draft position to look to the future. Who will be coming up behind the likes of JJ, Sparrow, LJ, Pickett, and Rivers? What will we need at that point?

His reaction was my favourite of the night, it meant so much to him.

Oliver’s goal at the end of the third quarter, it was the one the really broke the doggies back and it was a fantastic team goal with Viney scrubbing it forward, Jackson with the clean hands and perfect handball, Clarry with the finish. What a site to behold.

Yep same guy that said Jackson wouldn’t make it as a ruckman…🤣

If I were fans of the other clubs I would’ve taken note of our finals form, that is the closest to our best we’ve played and we never put in a 4 quarter performance. I wish we had Burgo for our off season recovery.

Our combined losing margin is outrageous, we went through period where losing by that much in a week would’ve been standard (and accepted). The Adelaide game was our “we was robbed” moment, a draw would’ve been fair that night. The Hawks game we should’ve found a way, but didn’t. GWS and Dogs we kicked ourselves out of it. The Pies game was for me our worst performance, we looked slow and disinterested. It was the only time that I was concerned the old Melbourne could return.

Good fun watching watching those highlights, that’s now almost the standard Max Gawn game he’s set the bar so high for himself. Of course something he has improved is his kicking for goal after the siren!

Funny you say that, does anyone do a “team of the finals”? Clearly it would be dominated by Dees players but would be interesting to see someone’s take on who the top performers were across the ground. I still pinch myself at how cool and clinical Fritta was with his set shots at pivotal moments in the game. Ice in his veins!

Definitely think there should be a multi-part documentary made. Perhaps history of until 2020 (large focus on the dark days), 2021 pre-season to 9-0, then round 10 to perhaps round 22, then round 23 and finals series. I hope they’ll at the very least be doing a season review DVD/downloadable content. But this story deserves so much more than just the usual effort.

Can you pick these up from the newsagent?

I don’t think I’ve seen a Melbourne team turn their kicking misfortunes around so drastically. After Fritta bagged those two quick ones we didn’t look like missing, Gus’s set shot was massive. So much of it can come down to confidence, one person kicks a pressure goal then the next person doesn’t feel as much of the weight of the world on his shoulders.

It’s time that the likes of us, the dogs, north, and the saints really kick up about this. It’s time EVERY Victorian club got a trip down there regardless of size of the club. No team should be spared that trip. Really pisses me off.

Definitely not going to do 2x NT games or at least not one in Darwin. Those days are over. But since you bring it up I would love us to bring the premiership cup to the NT when we play our game next year. Give fans up there an opportunity to have photos taken with it and have it on display while at the game. The big thing that the club has done so well at lately is making every component of our club be recognised as a part of the success. That should 100% include the Northern Territory and their long time sponsorship of us. I’d personally request we play Brisbane there, generate some genuine interest in the game.

Beautifully summed up, she is a great lover of opening up old wounds that have been closed long ago. As for the curfew, biggest non-story ever. Ask the players now if they could care less about being told to be professional for a 1 and half week period before the biggest game of their lives. She tries, I think, a little too hard to be the policewoman for the AFL’s morals. She gets some right, but when she gets them wrong she looks like a real goose (not unlike many others in her industry).

I’m sure he’s pretty happy with the call now but from pure money and contract certainty perspective she was probably right at the time. He might be worse off in a financial way but now he’s a premiership player I doubt he cares much!

We experienced this a little when we were 9-0 but we have officially now “the hunted”. I think this group of players is going relish this opportunity to make an even bigger statement. I just remember when we garbage and we’d come up against the top of the table and the various coaches would talk about the challenge the players had of going up against the best. We are now the best, we are the standard and everyone else is trailing behind. I love it!