Maldonboy38

He is a brilliant player whose flaws sometime outweigh his brilliance. Improve his tank and ball use and he slides straight into the A grade category. His turnovers kill me but I love watching him. One thing is for sure - he is one of a maybe 5 players who stood up in 2019. He is part of our solution, not part of the problem and I celebrate him for that.

I would be furious to lose Brayshaw. Yes, he had a poor season but he is the kind of player any club should fight to keep. Go hard for Langdon who has lots of qualities we need but let's not tangle Brayshaw in the trade.

In every sport, it is the goal-scorers, the finishers who are the hardest to find. In 2019, our goal scoring was one of our main issues. We were atrocious. Surely we would consider him. Our main needs are for a pacy small forward and for Weed to develop, but there can be no harm in adding Jenkins at the right price.

Going into 2019 season I actually felt optimistic and hopeful for the first time since Daniher left, only to have it violently deflated. Even by round 6 I was thinking "it will turn soon, it will turn soon", like some wearied battle cry from some arrogant military leader refusing to admit the truth. So I refuse to engage in hope across the summer break. Apart from hope, my thinking about 2020 is as follows: I will renew my membership as usual because that is not dependent on performance. The club is its people and I am one of these. I am red and blue for life. The Club is in very good shape. Members, finances, personnel, vision, sponsors etc... Our list is strong, but we need some outside pace, and some elite kicking skills. Leadership needs a slap across the face and a boot up the a**e, but I believe Viney should retain the sole captaincy. He does need media training I remain a fan of Goodwin. Apart from easy goals against us on turnovers, his gameplan works. Our skills inefficiency is what kills it and makes it look as though it is not working. Skills training and 4-quarter fitness have to be the empahses on the preseason. Really. really disappointing how atrocious these 2 things have been this year. Most importantly, the HEART of the playing group has to alter. A hunger, a fierceness, a drive of some other kind has to emerge. Think of Hodge, Selwood, Barassi, Whitten, Voss - the heart of a lion. Not sure where this comes from for the Dees but we will be Preliminary finalists at our best unless this quality overtakes all else in the playing list. So now I am saving for a nice bottle of 15yo The Dalmore Scotch, to watch some cricket sipping a wee dram or two, and watch another team (not and never mine!) win the AFL premiership. 2019 - you can bugger off.

Huge yes from me. One of my favourite ever players from opposition clubs. Because of all the Buddy, Lewis, Hodge, Mitchell conversations, Roughy's actual supreme football ability gets underscored. My question would be - can he communicate what he knows? Can he influence Petracca, Weideman, Hannan etc... in forward craft? Great players don't always perform in roles where character and communication are required, but if there is even a sniff of potential with Roughy, go get him.

70% Yes. He plays with intensity, he can evade a tackle, and more importantly can actually hit a target by hand and foot. And from all reports is a wonderful influence on younger players behind the scenes. He has his flaws - both football and personal - but he has qualities we need.

The Club is actually OK. Anyone who can read and understand business matters can see that since the PJ, Bartlett and Roos appointments the MFC has been on a gradual and steady increase, everywhere from Membership to Sponsorship. Like Geelong did in 2006 and Richmond repeatedly in 2012-2016, we have had an under-performing shocker of a season, but only in relation to the actual football being played. I am basically really pleased with the club. My seething disappointment and disillusionment is focused solely on the lack of game-day intensity from a very good senior list. Mahoney has been a very stable hub around which a lot of things have changed, and I give him and the club credit for that. But there is something not right within the Football Department, Coaching and Playing ranks. Is it confidence, is it a breakdown in internal relationships, is it poor leadership... what is it? A full review must take place, and again, from a business perspective, Mahoney cannot review his own department given the context of the 2019 season. But let's not highlight him within this football mess when the review hasn't got any legs yet.

I am usually not a fan of past players filling football department roles, and the MFC has an atrocious record as an "old boys club". But from everything we can glean from footy on TV and the broader media, Yze is simply very good at what he does. So let's go and get him.

Yes, but no problem if we let him slide by. In recent years we have recruited Daniel Cross and Jordan Lewis. Both of these have been very positive recruits, so another of the same quality might be required seeing that Lewis is retiring.

I am from a long line of Melbourne-loving ancestors, and grew up after Bluey was finishing his footy at the Dees. The collision was part of my family's folklore, with family members wincing when they recalled the actual sound of the collision between Healey and Bluey, but loving the fact that Tiger Ridley snuck a goal in all the confusion, that finished the game. 6 premierships. I am yet to see 1. Sympathy and respect to the extended Adams family.

We have to play Hore, Petty, Baker, Dunkley and Preuss. They will definitely be at the club next year and need a run of games. If Lever plays, May stays down back. These two plus Jetta and Hibberd need to play alongside each other to develop the connection that has been missing so much. Omac. I passionately defended him about 2 years ago here on DL, saying wait until he has developed to 70 games. I waited. His development has taken a massive step back this year. No more games but keep unless another tall back develops. Long term, I am not hugely impressed by the Wagner boys, so don't mind if they are dropped. And I actually think we a real good chance against the June premiers Collingwood.

Aaah Melbourne, your consistency is ... humiliating.

Sounds like a great appointment. But we have had a lot of "great appointments" - PJ, Glen Bartlett, Roos, Goodwin, Viney as captain, Lever, May ... the list continues. And yet, here we are, sitting 17th on the ladder. This year's pre-season was the big killer for me. Totally stuffed up our season. I know lots of players needed surgery, but to have 17 players not ready by the time the NAB cup (or whatever it was called this year) came around was a shipwreck. If this new fitness fella can be part of renewed matrix, whereby our fitness, medical, sport science, allied health and coaching staff can unite on a pre-season plan that prepares us well for season 2020 - then I might applaud.

Return to the Holding the Ball rule. If you are caught with it - free kick against you regardless of prior opportunity or any other bulldust open to interpretation. Yes, that means you can bounce it, drop it, tap it on in front of you, but not throw it. Most of us older blokes will think of Kevin Bartlett. This means you have to think before you tackle.

I was at the game but got home very late after V-Line decided to go 3kmh through Sunbury and Gisborne. As a supporter, there were very few moments when I was up out of my seat yelling and barracking. It wasn't a very appealing match, and Collingwood have n othing to cheer about. They won off our boot.. Three things dominated Melbourne's loss: Woeful kicking and handballing, often under no immediate pressure, often to stationary targets not expecting the ball. Case in point - late in the last quarter when the game was over, a free Dees player handballed to a free Jones on the far wing, both players 5-10 metres clear of any opponent, and the handball missed Jones by 5-7 metres. Very little movement forward of centre. If we did kick it well, it was to a stationary target, and the Pies backs just floated across to spoil or outmark. I will give some kudos to Weideman who moved well inside F50 after half time. Goal kicking. Not just set shots, but 25m out, roving packs and stoppages and constantly missing the target. I am not a fan of dropping people very week, but 3 clear outs after the QB clash. I hate to say it but Garlett was soft and didn't enter the fray on an umber of occasions when he should have. Spargo ( I have been a bit of a fan) was shown up as having limited impact in clinch moments around goal, and Wagner whose limitations were on show. Not sure how the injury situation is, but would love to have Preuss, Jetta and Lockhart come in.

Love him or hate him, Ablett junior is the best footballer I have seen. That was a roving masterclass last night. At 35, his positioning, pace around the packs and pure skill are simply a pleasure to watch. It's not a wonder that Miers is so good at "front-and-centre"; he only has to follow Ablett around and learn. Pity I loathe the team he plays for so much.

Three combined things; 1. Technique. A lot of players don't have great technique, but their natural eye-hand co-ordination covers for it. Think of James Hird's poor technique, yet he was a wonderful kick. Petracca in particular has a very high ball drop. TMac's is actually ok. Hunt's is poor etc... Whoever is our current goal kicking coach or adviser needs to be replaced because the message is not getting through. Some great explayers with great technique are Barry Hall, Jason Dunstall, Wayne Carey, Matty Lloyd. 2. Routine. Practice the goal kicking routine so much you don't have to think about it. Have a look at Jack Reiwoldt - 3 steps and kick while moving in a direct line to the target, every time. Great to watch. 3. Exhaustion. Our preseason of surgeries and late returns has cost us big time, as has a further poor injury record this year. Strange thing is though that we are missing easy set shots early in games when exhaustion is not yet a factor. If any one of the three above are missing, it is easy to overthink the kick and stuff it up. Welcome to MFC 2019.

I'm glad Ablett got off last week's. For mine it was a free kick and 50m penalty, a small fine at worst. But I have no idea how he got off this one. Atrocious.

I remember the lack of success, and the wooden spoons of the 70's and early 80's. I remember the horror of the Neeld era. We won. I am happy. Unwatchable football and no joy in watching the game, but a win.

Yes, when Trevor Marmalade left, the show changed direction. Talking about football decreased, the journalists began to gain profile and all those annoying political stories and Sam became the central focus. I have rarely watched it since.

It can't just be "this payer for that" because of one or two incidents or because we loathe certain players. Looking over the four quarters there were actually very few 4-quarter players, as each and every one had some very poor patches. Two main issues for me: 1. Our mental fragility. We have lost the chaotic, press forward, run your guts out, manic attack from the last half of 2019 which required a fairly arrogant sense of ability. The players simply BELIEVED. Apart from current and obvious fitness/surgery issues it is this underlying lack of mental confidence and freedom which makes us so wobbly. I see it returning a little more each week but I reckon Weideman was one of the leading sufferers. So who are the other players who are suffering this. Omac? Petracca (occasionally). TMac? Hibberd? Others? 2. The Suns are quick - very quick - and we have seen what speed does to us on the outside. Our main game is winning at the contest then spreading with precision, power and confidence. We might have 1 or 2 too many lumbering types whose lack of pace could be costly. Can we keep OMac, Lewis, Hibbo, ANB, Hore in the team while adding Preuss? Probably not. Not being fully up to date about injuries from the Hawks game, I reckon 2 of OMac, Lewis, Hibbo, ANB , Hore to be moved out. But then, looking through the available players there is a continuing lack of pace.

A pure natural footballer and leader. He was a ball player and a ball magnet. His skill and poise over the ball were only bettered by the great Robbie. It will always be his kicking that stands out most in my memory. Absolute gun of the highest order.

Good question - difficult to answer. You wouldn't pay him more than $500K now and that is not going to happen, unless the Swans paid him $2m in a single season which leaves less in the following years. Not sure if it is within current AFL Player's Association rules to change the contract like that mid-term. We won't end up with him, but he remains effective wherever he plays. Absolute gun.

Sydney have to reap what they have sown. A 10 year contract. No compassion from me there. But I would take a match-winning, 6 feet 5 inches, quick, goal-kicking, freakish super-star any time. Yes, there are times when he is unbelievably selfish and yet there are times when he is ruthlessly selfless. He draws attention to himself and is also able to bring team mates into the game. Is he past his best? Yes. But 85% of Buddy is still about 120% of other footballers. The only question for me would be cost.

A big yes from me.