Pates

I remember Daniher’s last game as coach for us, the players looked completely off the boil and distracted. They came good but we had to play catch up. I also remember the Bombers getting some horrendous decisions go their way that won the game for them. Neitz looked completely gutted at the end of the game, I was genuinely shedding a tear as they walked off.

I understand Clarko being in the conversation but it just seems like a strange move to go fro one club where you’re 2 years into your own rebuild to go to a club where you’d be at the very start of the clean out/rebuild. I’m sure the pies would throw the $$$ at him but for Clarko, does he need that in his life? I genuinely think Yze should be a front runner, I’ll be absolutely gutted if he goes though. He has the pedigree though having done his apprenticeship under Clarko and would be hungry for it. By the by, any senior pies players that we might look at if they’re keen to be in a premiership window?

Wow, that’s absolutely disgraceful from Daniher. Some of the weakest efforts you could possibly imagine. Also great goal from TMac, Trac wasn’t is a much better position and Tommy’s in form. Let it ride!

Jim Stynes

If ever there was a match I want a 4 quarter match from it would be this week. They will no doubt be up for it early but emotion can drain you quite quickly, I would love to see him sent off in the same way Roos was sent off from us.

He’s definitely returned to the Hibberd of old lately, cool as a cucumber when he has the ball.

It’s intriguing to think that pre-season had our forward line based around the tandem of Sam and BBB but now they are competing for that final forward spot in the team and neither seems able to demand it as their own.

Salem doesn’t look quite right since he’s come back, I’d be keen to give him an extended break. Would Bowey in for Salem he worth a go? Every week we keep expecting Melksham to be dropped, and every week he seems to survive. I would really like to hear from the coaches on what KPI’s he’s hitting that’s keeping him in the side. I mean he has to be doing something right to maintain his spot, right? I think Weid gets another chance at it, I feel like I’m saying the things I used to say about Watts but I really want him to succeed!

I was really impressed he was able to nail that goal after fumbling twice, could easily understand a young player losing confidence to back himself after the taking a couple of bites. He was also able to sum the situation up really well, he the quick look for others but saw the square vacant. I really hope he’s given another crack this week against the pies.

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.