PaulR

I’m not sure I like the idea of any of those three (Oliver, Viney and Bradshaw) cooling their jets in another part of the ground. Will be interesting which one adapts best to their “second” (non-mid) role on the field.

We should belt Freo, they appear to deficient (going forward and defending rebounds) just where we are strong (defending into aggressive rebounds). with their injuries... as well. Bring on Round 1.

Our back lines are looking strong and so attacking, with Hunt Rivers and Lever across the half back line... I love it. Mid field depth and new talent on display Viney, Brayshaw and Oliver all out but immanent. Vanders is back and playing for his spot, he needs to be on, brutal and effective if he wants to play Round 1. Jones another playing for his next gig... it’s a great across the middle,, and Maxy, Our captain, just signed for another four and looks to be in imposing form... is good. And then we have our forward line... ok. right. should be an interesting game, and I actually don’t mind it if our mids have learnt to better connect. I imagine Maxy will spend bigger chunks up forward if Luke can hold his own in the ruck. Should be a cracking game, and I’m liking what we’ve got once Ben Brown and Weid return. The pieces are all there.

Well done club and Max. A great result, we nail down our Champion ruck and captain in his prime to our club for life, with respect and minimal fuss. Proud Demons fan today, and now to focus on the season at hand. Maxy lifting the cup has such poetic beauty... please.. ??

What is there to argue? Fixture is out. We're playing on the G that Saturday. Oh and the primary assumption of your "argument" is flawed as MFC should be able to get close to 50% of MCG capacity for Rd 1. Aaaannnd putting the nosed of Hawks and Dons fans out of joint... is a bonus.

Hey 58er, again don't disagree, IF older players are cooked, then lets move on and not gift games on reputation. But theres a tendency to characterise form fluctuations of senior players as terminal and never to be regained, rather than simply a phase they're capable of working through. I find the talk of Rossman, Bowrey etc... being in for Round 1 is fanciful and laced with the allure of the new and shiny that denys the reality that the AFL is a football competition for men, not boys, and our fortunes this season will rely on the men standing up while we continue to develop our boys into men. In that context I' more excited about Chandler and Sparrow as likely starts than Bowery and co. Also, as a VDB fan and with a soft spot for a good come back story, i object to the writing him, Jones, Melksham, Hibberd off... and if those players find form and get a game it will be because they've earnt it now, like every player should.

Don't disagree, but both were capable of finals breaking burst just two years ago. Much as a I love the new kids, the season is long, finals hard and old campaigners are worth their salt. Also, forgot Hibberd on that list...

Great result, especially as I’d be looking for the following players to improve our 22 when they return... viney Brayshaw Ben Brown Weid Kozzie Melky VDB All of which can play when injury free and in form.

This. Best two game sequence in last ten years. Hate both teams, and their smarmy fans, was a pleasure to be at, and a pleasure to relive... more please..! ??

Built a reputation on grandstanding and facilitating bullies while dancing along the fine line. Made beating Collingwood that little bit more enjoyable (remember the “red button” Pie commentary on the QB game they then lost- so fun). thanks Eddie, all the best on you next adventure..,

Totally disagree, reducing the penalty makes infringing worth doing... as you’d stymie a fluid 75 m thrust into a relatively under siege open forward line, for the cost of slowing game down, getting numbers back and bottling up the forward line... curoous to see how it plays out, and reckon our team and style could really benefit from it and the return to full length quarters...

so Magpies paying 1.5 million for Treloar to play for Doggies..! fantastic.

Reckon the whole exercise is an example of when to turn the box off and go for walk, come back when the results are in... they'd have us tuning in to the grass growing on the G it they could... Fight the power!!

Reminded me of a young Fraser Gehrig...

Another aspect of Williams wanting to, and now joining the MFC is that he’s an astute gauge of football talent and potential, and saw he could not only add value, but that there was sufficient talent there to go all the way. augers well

Salem is the current player who most reminds me of Adem Yze... so maybe the new midfield coach can get the best out of him.

No point now that Hogan’s gone...

And yet we played in the GF in 2000...

Given we have three picks in this draft that all occur before we took Rivers last year, and the gun Rivers appears to be... I’m confident JT will find us some real value in this draft.

He's a player who has a great boot, and whose delivery into our F50 will benefit massively from the addition of Ben Brown. I'd see him rotating with Trac and Melksham from Forward flank into middle, next year and beyond.

Listening to Yze comments on our list, it was the lines a good collection of individual talents yet to gell as a system or team (paraphrased), that caught my attention. I think we have assembled the pieces/players, from which to construct a top 4 team, we now need to do it. Yze's role (and Goodwin's) seems to now be focused on bringing it all together into a team... team rules, game plan, culture, leadership, coaching all combining to delive a team. That Goodwin wanted Yze last year, shows he's been aware of the issue and challenge that he's looking for Adem to assist with. Really positive development.

No its not burst, and it is a worry. On freedom of movement, if I don't like my employer I can leave and find another employer. I don't see how we can deny professional footballers the same freedom. Player freedom mean clubs compete to offer the best program, facilities, support and culture to the player marketplace and they can pick. The period before the players become Free Agents, means clubs can reasonably reap their investment in the players they develop. The salary cap (and soft cap) are essential in restricting the few rich clubs from dominating the competition. I actually think the AFL have got the balance and limits in this space pretty right, for the benefit of the competition, and rights of the players. I know if I was drafted to play footy for the Pies, and they were doing things I found uncomfortable, I'd appreciate my right to leave them and decide where next i'd like to work. Unfortunately for us emotional supporters, it can be a bit heart breaking when one of your guns leaves... but we're used to heartbreak at Melbourne, and bounce back. :)

Maybe its how we see things, I don't see an economy growing its employment (lowering the unemployment rate) by 2% over two years as a "stagnant" nor "inefficient". Its not running at full capacity, and there is an ongoing human cost which is unacceptable so we agree on that. Housing is a worry i agree, as soon as we closed the borders to new arrivals and foreign students we killed the golden goose of an ever expanding housing market (the bubble burst). So the question is when will a vaccine allow mass migration to recommence and foreign student to return..? my guess would be late 2021, so the bubble will start to reinflate then... I'm sure the Banks will be ok.

Hard to get a clear read on the media marketplace, as the past year has seen the emergence of more aggregation streaming platforms (Netflix, Stan, Apple, etc...) all looking to competing with Foxtel for subscribers, and Aussie Rules demands a premium in this context as it brings with it a very large and dedicated subscriber base. I.e. it's bankable.

Rarely disagree with you AF on footy, but on the economy I think you're wrong. The Australian economy is well placed and will improve from here through 2021, and be back where we would have been in 2-3 years (i.e. forecast GDP, unemployment, trade, etc...). Data - https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/smp/2020/nov/economic-outlook.html