Pates

Fact of the matter is every week is a danger game, it’s a danger for the “Melbourne of old” to return. We were off against Adelaide and they were up for a fight, that was all it took for us to lose. The beauty of it is that every week is a new challenge and I really feel that internally the club is keeping their focus on the immediate challenges week to week, there’s no looking ahead or mentioning the F word. No doubt the Pies will be up and about against us, they’re having a shocking year but off the back of a very spirited win I can see them being very keen to knock us down a peg. So the answer is simple, always be up for the fight, expect nothing but the best week in week out not only from the opposition but every picked Melbourne player. I really think that as annoying as the loss to Adelaide was, it could end up being one of the best things for the group.

If he’s fit, he’s a walk up start. He’s vice-captain FFS.

There can’t be any doubt that in the past we’ve over-celebrated certain wins, I think that was more of a reflection of where we were and where we’d been. Take 2018 for example there were critics out at us for celebrating big when we beat WC to (just about) cement our spot in the finals. What I really like at the moment is the enthusiasm that’s on the park between the start of the game and the final siren. When someone scores an important goal the players get around them, they pump each other up, and give the high 5 to the player that did the one-percenter that started the goal. It’s a cliche, but they really do seem to be playing for each other at the moment. It’s great it’s happening right now, let’s hope they can sustain it for the full season.

I saw it towards the end of last year he had something to contribute, and we constantly would hear that he was rated highly internally by the coaching staff. The contrast between who he is now compared to round one last season is t even in the same postcode. He’s become the player I want to have ball on the edge of 50.

I’m a Liverpool fan, when we went on our great run to win the title I remembered hearing Klopp (the manager) say every week is a new challenge, the weeks (and wins) that go before don’t mean anything it’s only that new 90min battle that they focus on. I feel like that’s the attitude the players and coaches are taking right now. Every the wins when they happen but every week is something new that they need to focus on. For that reason alone they are the best (and most professional) Melbourne team I have seen.

If it's one thing I've learned over here in the UK, much better to have short term pain in order to get a long term better result. But ultimately the biggest thing is that people need to get vaccinated. Yet again the UK are going to be the Guinea Pigs to test how strong the vaccines really are, reported cases are rising but importantly if hospitalisation stays steady (particularly in the vaccinated) then it's a positive for everyone. Really hoping the Vic government are able to get on top of this to allow finals to take place in Melbourne.

Also, watching the replay I think people may have judged Weid a little harshly. Much like the rest of the team (particularly the forward line) he was barely sighted in the first half, second half he was much more involved and took some good contested marks. His kicking wasn't great, but clunking some strong grabs might just give him a bit of a confidence boost. We can't wait for ever for everything to click, but maybe it isn't as far away as we might think.

Watching the replay, Petracca seemed pretty filthy with TMac for taking the goal in the final quarter. I'm not suggesting anything bad about it, TMac kicked a great goal, and I'm pretty sure Trac got over it pretty quickly. It was just funny seeing the look of Trac's face!

I will say that when the ball hits the ground Weid is more involved, BBB just looks like a spectator. If, and this is a big if, we are more interested in allowing TMac and Fritta to be the main goal contributors while that third tall just provides a contest than Weid can play that role. But jeez in the forward line of the best team in the competition you would surely expect Sam to be averaging a goal a game at least. I think we will see BBB back into the team in the next few matches, Sam has been given ample opportunity to get into form. To be honest, going on form, I would be looking at giving Mitch Brown a look in.

Finally just saw the Zorko one, I can't believe any reporter was downplaying it. It's very clearly a deliberate strike to the chin on Tommy, love the fact that TMac laid him out, gave him a gob full, and then helped him up.

It's funny you mention those two, they are clearly a part of the older crew of commentators/experts who are part of the "old boys" club. They all have the same outdated attitudes, not just towards the way they speak but also towards the game. They constantly talk about "in years gone by" and the way they used to play, they need to be reminded by younger commentators and former players that the game has changed. It's actually embarrassing at times to hear them speak.

The empathy should go both ways. Don’t get me wrong I know the treat of seeing a rare match as I haven’t seen a H&A match live since 2018 (of course it would be our losses to the Hawks and Tigers back to back ?‍♂️). My brother lives in Sydney so he’s in the same camp in that he looks at the fixture to work out which games he’ll come down for, and he’s really grateful for the additional chances he’s had to watch live footy. Clearly at the end of the day it should be played in front of a crowd wherever that may be. Seeing it from the Victorian fans perspective, who may well lose another MCG match because of a made up Alice Springs game, and didn’t see the team at all last year, I would be frustrated and angry if all avenues weren’t considered to have the game at the G the following week if fans could attend. We’re all Dees fans at the end of the day, I hope you and every northern state fan sees this rare chance as a gift not to be squandered and we get the SCG packed out.

Looking at the footage he’s be very lucky to go for that, it was more of a block than a bump and the impact is minimal at best. Rich seems to go down rather dramatically but he played the entire game. A fine at most.

From the outside it appears to be a combination of complacency and apathy from the public, mixed with slow response from the government. @rpfc totally get what you’re saying, and good for the northern fans. But don’t forget the northern fans got pretty well looked after last season as well. Queens Birthday at the SCG will be a challenge to get over 20k I’d imagine, if the G and crowds are available for the following week I think Victorian members should rightfully feel frustrated.

That's one of the reason's why I think the time has passed. I feel like there have been opportunities in the past to do it, and Tomlinson getting hurt could have been one such moment, but I think with May, and Lever so settled back there and Petty is working his way into it nicely, this switch up isn't going to happen. Should (gulp) there be an injury to either of them I would look to Sam as the forward that's moved backward.

Langdon will come back in, he got a concussion and it seemed to be at the lower end so I think he'll have already benefitted from the break he's getting. Hard to know who will come out, from what little I've seen I thought Sparrow was good tonight so harsh to drop him. Could look to give Jordon a rest, Sparrow has already had a couple of "rest weeks" due to VFL scheduling and being a sub, so for a young body it might be worth it for JJ and we can give Sparrow a good opportunity. Salem has been very down on numbers since he returned so I do wonder if he's ok. Might be worth giving him the chance to have a couple of weeks of R&R. An Opportunity for Bowey to get a run, or perhaps Lockhart? Deakyn Smith is another thought, though I'm not sure where he's been sitting in the pecking order.

Just saw this on the Fox Sports website the call it a farce with the low crowd: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/melbourne-demons/afl-news-2021-melbourne-demons-vs-brisbane-lions-crowd-giants-stadium-why-was-game-moved-alice-springs/news-story/a0bca13a993a158ed7881f534de13004 The question mark being why wasn't the game moved to the GABBA where they would get a massive Lions crowd. This just shows how dumb Andy Maher is, why the bloody hell should the Lions get a free home game? They got a MASSIVE leg up last season and still couldn't get the job done, the game was in Sydney so hardly a huge trek for the Brisbane fans, and yet very clearly the Dees fans outnumbered the Lions fans. For once it was the right and fair call to have the game at a neutral venue, if anything it should have been at the SCG where I think there would've been more of a chance of people going. And well done to the Sydney based Dees-faithful, you did a cracking job of creating an atmosphere.

I would've preferred we pushed this game in the following week's bye round. I think there could be a real chance of thing be open enough by then and if so the club should be writing to the AFL indicating they owe us for lost revenue. Will be bizarre if there's a mass exodus of Melbourne fans going up to Sydney for the QB match which should be at the MCG.

There’s a great expectation by the football world and media for a team’s rise to be linear, 12th to 10th to 8th to top 4 to premiers. It rarely, in fact I don’t think it has ever happened that way.

I’d be very happy for us to wear it again next week v Pies.

It’s very possibly too late for this but I think Sam would really benefit from a stint in the backline. I really feel that it’s one of the things that makes Tommy so good as a forward, he understands the defenders mindset from having played there. I also think he’s never been given a single job, he’s always been pitching into different areas. As I’ve said, that time might’ve come and gone, but he just looks unsure of himself. Definitely doesn’t have the look of a guy that feels like he belongs in the 22 of the ladder leaders.

Start of the season he was easily one of the top coaches under pressure, I think a journalist has their big call as him sacked by about round 8 with Williams taking over. There were plenty on here that wanted him gone as well, absolutely credit to Goody in having belief in himself and more importantly the players. I keep saying it, there is plenty of footy to play in the year so I’m just enjoying the ride (as I’m sure Simon is as well!).

If the QB game is going to be at the SCG we need to get out there and pump the proverbial out of this. Make tickets half price or two for the price of one, send a whole bunch of leftover merchandise/members scarfs up to hand out to people (don’t care if they’re Sydney fans, get them cheering for us). Do whatever you can to get people through the gate. I also nominate Hamish Blake (who lives there now) to be sent down the slide and maybe throw in some NRL personalities as well. I’m resigned to the fact we’re going to lose out financially, let’s just make sure we make the day the best it can be.

Didn’t see much at all tonight, but I did see him compete to bring the ball to ground against one of the games best defenders. Maybe that was his role, I’m not sure, unfortunately when he finally did take a good reactionary forward contested mark it was touched and then took the late one but shanked the kick. Lucky for him Ben Brown has no VFL to get some form.

I know we’ve had a lot of wins so far (I feel weird saying that!) but for me that is season defining. It’s one thing to win when everything is working the way you want, it’s a totally other thing to flip the narrative of a match against really quality opposition. I haven’t been able to watch much of it due to poor internet over here but fair to say I’m really going to enjoy watching this replay. Looking purely at the numbers I love that we were able to flip the game in clearances and contested possessions. Given the year we’re having you almost could’ve forgiven the players at half time to say, “well this is just an off night” but they stuck their heads in and gave everything a red hot crack. There has been plenty of occasions we as Melbourne fans have been utterly ashamed and humiliated. Today I couldn’t be prouder.