Pates

Amen brother, but the media don't want it to stop. Every time this story gets a whiff of being snuffed out or moved on, they find a new way to add fuel to it. At this point the media and AFLPA are playing the role of Captain Hindsight. Despite actual experts in the field agreeing with the assessments and our doctors even requested the opinion of the AFL employed doctor, they know that if the decision was in their hands they would make 100% the right call. I do think there could be something to be said of reviewing the way assessments are made, but you can't walk back on the current processes and blame the medical staff for following the protocols that had been put in place. Also it's worth noting that the moment the doctors pass Christian over the the ambulance workers he was in their care. So all decisions made following that is not on Melbourne, and even then I would argue they weren't abject failures!

There should only be the one change, someone in for Sparrow (I'd go AMW personally). BBB can have a lap of honour before the game or at half time.

I'm going against the grain on what people have said about Petty this season. Now, when he first came in he WAS pretty much useless. He was simply a tall target to act as a foil for JVR, and to be frank he was next to useless when it came to him. When he did get chances, he fluffed them. BUT I genuinely feel that the second half of the year hasn't been as bad as what people have said. He's been getting his contested marking much better, and his follow up work has actually been very good for a big man. Kicking for goals has still been a big problem and has cost us, there can't be ay doubt about it. But he's been close and he has actually been a solid contributor, dare I say it I think he's been working well with JVR and Disco. I think we need a new forward line coach, and I'll be filthy if Stafford remains. But if we're able to get a good forward line coach, I don't think he's got nothing to work with. Quite the opposite. That all said, I see Petty going back to defence once TMac and/or May retires.

We need to fight this game hard, play it like it's a final. Hell is this "our Grand Final"? I want to see us attack this game the way we should've on QB. Give them no quarter and be hard at the footy all day. There's no next week. God I want us to beat them and put the official nail in the coffin of their season.

Absolutely should be asking the question.

That we couldn't manage a single point which could ultimately have given us the draw to get us in a better position drives me so nuts.

You're far more confident than I am Lucifer, which is great. I think we're a young team, I feel like we will lose 3 games with us possibly missing out on percentage. I just want us to end the season well to set us up for 2025.

The way I see it because Draper essentially initiated the contact it's not a free kick against Disco, Turner did everything reasonable in his power to avoid the contact in a similar way to players lowering their legs to get taken high don't get the high tackle free kick.

I feel like we're getting the mix right, before when we were running with the usual suspects of Billings, Hunter & co it just seemed that our older players were going through the motions. With youth and excitement, certain older players are getting the spark back. Petracca getting injured, while obviously not good for the severity and because he's an amazing player, could be one of the things that propels RIvers into being a top line midfielder. JVR also looks to be stepping out from being the number 2 in the forward line (though Gawn's absence is halting that for a bit).

I find it incredible that after years as a defender Disco is not only proving to be a valuable forward, but a super reliable kick! He hits the ball so sweetly, if he's got it I feel so comfortable. As a side note, I saw a potential later in the season for him to be a super sub if we find ourselves a little too unsure about how to run with him, JVR, Petty, and Melk. I would say he's cemented his spot but if players start becoming available, he might be the one to make way.

Like almost every rule in the AFL it's all about how it's applied. It's not wrong to deter players sliding in hard to try to win the ball in a dangerous way, but in this case I did feel that Draper did it in a way to win the ball as the first player to the contest and didn't leave DIsco open for serious injury. Play on would've been the correct call as Draper left himself prone for head high contact. But that's just my opinion.

I was definitely one that had raised eyebrows at no recognised ruckman being picked, but it was definitely the right call given the weather. What I do want to know is where the club is going from here with the ruck situation into the future. We can't run JVR in the ruck on a regular basis, it robs us of his forward abilities. We don't need to get the worlds greatest ruckman next trade period but we need someone who is a solid body and can at least compete. Ideally would be in the 22-24 range. I was glad that Goody switched it up to have JVR do primary rucking duties over Petty. Gotta feel sorry for Harry, he's a top level defender being forced to play forward, then play ruck. He is so much better than what we're getting from him.

Very enjoyable seeing him flat on his face, though I voted for Kozzie.

Definitely got some X-factor about him. Has a little bit of mongrel about him too.

Seeing him out there in 45, honestly I felt like I was seeing a reincarnation of Matty Whelan. Really like what I see from him.

Well I've been wanting to see Fullarton in for a while, guess it's happening then.

I bloody hope not, sadly there is no senior coach in the AFL worse at utilising the sub. Smith was the only time it ever looked like we might have an idea of how to use it, and giving Brown a total of 14min of match time across two matches is disgraceful. (Triggered me big time with that!)

I would be totally ok with us playing him this week potentially as a sub. I guess it depends on how they want to manage his return. If it's more valuable to get minutes into him under less pressure then he goes to Casey. But if he's put the body of work in and he's ready for it we all know we could use a forward target! Either way all the best to him!

Dumb question, what sort of a position would we expect AMW to take?

Jefferson and AMW any chance of getting debuts?

Don't mind him getting fined if they do it more. What I didn't like was that he was getting pinged the HTB initially before it got flipped. The ump got it all wrong, should've just been a ball up and moved on.

This was my take as well. I'm not saying he was incredible and showed he's the answer to our problems, but I thought he at least competed. I was so hoping kicking that early goal would give him some confidence. I'm not a footy expert by any stretch but this was what I saw of our forwards in the flesh (first time I've been able to get to the footy in along time). Neither JVR or Petty (or Disco and Fritta for that matter) seem to get much separation from their defenders, I don't know if that's fitness or physicality but the defenders were mostly wearing them like a glove. On the rare occasion there was a bit of separation more often than not the kicks to them were scrubbers or high and on their head. The other issue I noticed was that there was no coordination of a player putting blocks on for the other to have a one on one or better. Say what you like about TMac as a forward, but this was something he was actually really good at. This goes back to the issue that I have been saying to every Melbourne fan I know, Stafford is not a good forward coach. He is not teaching them good leading patterns and game awareness of when your teammate is in the better spot and how to draw defenders away from them. We will not get a functioning forward line while he is our coach, it's harsh and maybe a bit cruel but the proof is in the pudding.

For me the biggest question is why after 3-4 years of a forward line where we are constantly saying "we're still trying to find our mix" how is it that it firstly hasn't been fixed and worked out, and secondly why are we persiting with a forward coach that we have shown no improvement on that line. Our premiership year our forward mix came good at the right time, we got what we could out of BBB while Tmac had a good start to the season. Fritta was sensational, particularly in the back end, while Kozzie was more explosive and exciting than he is right now. Sadly that was simply a case of all the pieces falling into place just for the right moment. We haven't chased forwards, and we haven't looked like developing any genuine targets aside from JVR (who will fail under this currently group of coaches). I think all line coaches should be under the microscope.

I'm willing to give him his slow start off the back of an injury that can take a really long time to come back from. BUT he has to start taking his chances when they come, I can accept he's going to take time to get back to what he was but we need more from him. He's got the bye to get some time practicing his skills and kicking, but post bye he needs to be hitting the scoreboard.

I've kept away from looking and posting on D-land after Thursday night, it was as bad a performance as I've seen from us for a long time. Worse than the Swans gave of round 0 because at least in that game we gave a yelp before getting overrun. Smashed in every facet of the game, no winners on the night. TMac, Lever, and May gave as much as they could in the face of constant pressure and the balls going inside the Lion's forward 50 had absolutely no pressure on it. My biggest consolation is that I don't think we can play worse and it's insanely rare that every one of our prime movers in the middle have such terrible games. I think the players and coaching staff need to put a pen through it, obviously still review it properly but also regroup after the bye knowing that that isn't "us". I'll also add that we need to be manage BBB in blocks of 3 games, I don't know if that was the plan and injuries/the fixture prevented it, but he was not capable on impacting the play at all. Tough night but if you offer me 4-2 at the start of the season I'd be happy with that.