Pates

The quarantine hotels have been far from a joke, they’ve been the envy of most of the world. They haven’t been 100% full proof largely because they hotels (particularly in Melbourne I suspect) haven’t been built to act in this capacity. Because Australia has been the quarantine capitol of the world it’s meant the vaccination program hasn’t needed to be expedited unlike the UK and US where the virus is so prominent in the community the only way to fight back was to get a successful vaccine program rolled out quickly. Now that people realise a return to proper normal life won’t happen without vaccines the government is (rightfully) copping it for their lethargic approach to promoting vaccinations and also making sure enough doses exist.

But that’s the thing Picket, BBB isn’t a 60+ goal kicker right now. He may have done those things in the past but he doesn’t have that in him right now. I’m not necessarily defending Weids for that matter as I think he has to do more than just be a competing forward, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to be expecting someone in his position to be averaging about a goal a game. I would also actually consider Mitch Brown over Weids but the question is what does that achieve? Will we definitely get more output from Mitch over Sam, and is that the best thing not only short term but long term? It has to be crunch time for Sam, he’s had his weeks to get his eye in and feel like he’s a part of the team. Time to start repaying the faith.

I really try to see what Melksham brings every week but I can never see it, he continues to get games so you can only take it at face value that he’s doing his job but I just don’t know what that job is!

I agree there is time but he has to get match fitness. Feels like a similar situation to Bennell last year where he couldn’t get an opportunity at consistency. He’s signed for a few years with us so he might not be what we need this year but given some time could come good.

Ross Lyon really should have won the premiership with the Saints but I agree, his legacy at both clubs seem to be long lasting in a bad way. I’d gladly see him go to the Pies as I think he’d be an awful fit from a Collingwood success perspective.

Inspirational and absolutely heartbreaking. I saw this post come up and was about to click on the video but hesitated because I knew it was going to be tough to watch. What an amazing man, transcends club rivalries and everything that goes with what happens on the park. Hats off to Bec as well, she’s clearly carrying a lot of the responsibility as the illness has progress, must be so incredibly tough to watch her father go through this but she still maintains the trademark Daniher humour. You can see in his eyes, there’s genuine love for the Dees.

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.