Maldonboy38

Guaranteed the Lions will smash into Gawn. It has been a constant tactic over the last y times we have met. Port do it as well. Melksham has to be the sub, he is the perfect footballer for it. He comes on when everyone else is exhausted, and uses his wonderful kicking skills and goal sense. Harmes to Rich. Spargo, Chandler and Fritta to cause the Loins a massive headache. Dees by 25

Personally, seeing Bombers and Blues struggling and failing for more than a decade is sweet, sweet bliss. Even if the Dees struggle, this gives me as much joy as my first coffee of the day, or sneaking a custard tart when no one is looking. But the Hawks struggling is very close for satisfaction. Listening to Brereton, Hodge etc.. have to find ways to offer the "condemnation of faint praise" makes me feel warm and gooey inside. Long may it continue.

Does anyone else often recall the first bounce of the 2021 Grand Final? Viney absolutely hammered into Jack McCrae and set a standard for the entire team for the rest of the day. Brayshaw is my favourite Dees player, but the mix of Gawn hitting it to a combination of Petracca, Oliver and Viney covers every possibility, and has excellence in every department. The fact that we can rotate Brayshaw, Kozzie, Harmes, Sparrow etc... through there as second-tier options is mind blowing.

From the seventies through to the nineties, all we ever heard on tv and radio were Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond and Hawthorn with only occasional mentions of others like North and the Bombers. In these dark days of the MFC, Brian Wilson steps forward and shows a type of excellence we hadn't seen since Wells and Alves. Natural footballer, really evasive and elusive, loved a goal, and had presence. It always feels like he is the forgotten man of the MFC and not given enough air time. For me, it was a great opportunity to gloat and puff up amid all my intolerable Richmond and Carlton friends. Loved it. And he looks genuinely thrilled about being back in touch at the MFC.

I love the way we do stuff like this these days. A great connection to the past reminds players and fans of everything that has built the foundations and layers of success. It was great to see Travis Johnstone. The best kick I have ever seen in a Melbourne jumper. He could see a space or a line and hit a target that no one else would dare attempt.

Kozzie will miss - no way should any footballer not miss at least 2 weeks for that. Salem back via Casey May & Fritsch unlikely. Viney will come in for Kozzie.

Finally get to sit at my computer. Got home at 1.15am thanks to horrendous eternal city roadworks, and a totally dysfunctional VLine that has been a staple diet of Bendigo travellers for a decade now. Impressive win on many fronts, much as been commented on by most. Our ball use at times was brilliant - simply brilliant. Kozzie, Bowey, Laurie, Rivers, Petracca all were very clean by foot at times. Having said that, a fair few of our 45 degree kicks into the middle of the ground got cut off due to poor kicking which got under my skin a bit. I couldn't for the life of me understand why the Dogs allowed BBB to be unmanned so often. My daughter and I looked at each other about 10 times and said "he's on his own again!!". Chandler and Spargo - wow! McVee too. Our defence - right across the ground - was epic. Noticeable and powerful. But our back 6 worked like a machine, showed immense courage and effort, and made the Dogs attack look feeble. But it was attacking flair and risk-taking that was the wow factor. We haven't played like that for a long time. Unfortunately, it has to be said, that as good as we were, the Dogs were appalling. Bontempelli aside who was exceptional for most of the night, their skill level was sub-standard and they gave their 4 talls no chance. And a special mention to Brayshaw. Not our best player, but there was a 5 minute patch where his gut running and hard work saved 5 forward entries. probably sums up our 4 quarter team effort.

6. Gawn 5. Petracca 4. Kozzie 3. lever 2. Brown 1. Tomlinson

I watched a fair bit of Casey last year, and thought that Baker was serviceable, but that his game wouldn't transfer to VFL level. Taking the extra step, kicking into F50 but the forwards having to stop under the ball, little impact around contested ball etc... Having said that, I thought the same about McVee. I am really glad Laurie got a game, even if he hasn't show the goods very often yet. If he can't get past Spargo and Chandler for a spot in the 22, I reckon we lose him at season's end to a team that needs a small forward with his skill set. Too good to flounder in the VFL.

Parkrun. Check Home brewed coffee and fruit sourdough. Check. Mow lawns. Starting soon. Shower and nap. Then into the car for a 3 hour drive to watch the boys tonight, with my Dees-mad daughter. I am not sure what to expect with 4 of our best out with injury/illness, and the surface is a disgrace. But I think our better players are a cut above theirs (Bont aside) so am hoping for a 10 point win. Then the horrible 3 hour drive home. Will be a late one.

As much as Selwood's ducking and looking for free kicks annoyed me, Geelong are showing what his absence means: lack of leadership. He would be doing something right now and not accepting the run of play.

Hawthorn gave up Tom Mitchell for peanuts. Could be one of the most stupid trade moves in history. And well done Pies for swooping.

Chalk and cheese between last night's game and this. Skills, vision, pace and pressure are all top notch. As much as I can't stand the Cats, their ground level ball handling has been outstanding. Their defence on the other hand has been patchy at best.

How could the Carlton defence allow Lynch to run and jump at the ball? What about a bit of body contact?

20 metres out, dead in front, kick around the corner. Mind-numbing stupidity. Then a comedy of errors tying to bring it out of the Blues defence. Tired players, and no game breaker to bring a team home.

He gets it time and time again, and totally butchers it.

Prestia is killing it. Unfortunately he us dishing it off to Taranto who can't kick.

Go back 3 years and Dusty would have torn this game to shreds. He is starting to warm up, but looks 4 or 5 games away from doing what he can do. Both midfields look so pedestrian and workman like, but with no excellence, or burst away player. I am a huge fan of Charlie Curnow, but he is playing a very Sam Weideman ish game - getting to everything but not completing a mark, or a play. Cotchin is shot. Shai Bolton - yes please.

There is a LOT of "kick long and hope" into both forward lines going on. Atrocious forward play. Brainless. And boring.

First 10 minutes of madness followed by really average footy. Lots of pressure, dropped marks. But great to have footy back.

I am unsure how much effort the Tiges are potting up at times, but our system between wing and inside F50 is looking as good as it has ever in Goodwin's time as coach. Nibbler, Sparrow, Harmes and Spargo are all showing serious gut running. Surely the Tiges are not this rubbish? Our backline is epic.

Never said he was knocked aside, but I did say that many players were holding back from full physical contact due to preseason. Agree he is finely skilled, likes his evasive movements, and his kicking was great. I stand by my uncertainty about how he would go 1 on 1 against biger bodied forwards and mids.

As bad as the Saints were, and I can't see them doing too much this year, Ross Lyon is too good a coach to tolerate mediocrity. Also, he comes out of the Paul Roos camp, where pre season games are for practicing and trying things, not winning. Unfortunately, I think Spargo and Chandler might be fighting for the same spot. As good as Chandler was, some of Spargo's field kicking and tackling was off-the-charts brilliant. His goal assist work is vital to our attack so would still give him the nod. Sparrow and Harmes look to also be fighting for the same spot. At this stage, Sparrow looks the goods but Harmes can also play the lock down role, and when if he finds his best, his work rate and kicking help us arrest momentum from opposition. He often helps win those 50/50 balls around the ground. I can't wait for JVR to debut, but seeing TMac and BBB fit and firing was great to witness. Put Fritsch in there with all three of them fully fit, our forward line looks strong, multi-faceted and dangerous. I reckon next week against the Tigers will clarify so much more.

Agree with much others have written. McVee looked good, but the Saints were horrible, and it looked like he was playing on skinny kids most of the time. I think he is still a bit light and will be shown up badly by mature players with more size. As good as he played, not sure he is a lock for round 1. More reasons not to read too much generally into result today It was a preseason game It was very, very hot and very, very windy. Lots of balls going inside F50 dropping short, going over heads, and hooking left and right. You could see players from both sides holding back on pressure at times to save from injury Generally speaking we looked strong and able.

A few real howlers in the past 3 mins going into half forward from people like Kozzie, Chandler and others.