PaulRB

Goal sneak ready to go for Demons Goody: "It's a big day for our footy club from an indigenous perspective. It's the first time we'll wear our indigenous jumper at the MCG, so for Jeff to be a part of that is just terrific."

Its pretty wild that there are only 2 wins separating 2nd place from 9th place!!! Amazing season.

Reconciliation started with Aboriginal folk being granted the vote after a referendum. Some of the landmark achievements include Royal Commisions into deaths in custody, the Stolen generation, the apology, etc... To claim the Reconciliation process should be abandoned because there is still issues to overcome or that the Reconciliation process has failed is ignorant twaddle to be generous, racist dog whistling to be less so. You should stick to footy discussions Pro, as talking on behalf of the Indigenous people is really not your thing.

So Pro, as some random white dude, you think you know better than the entire indigenous crew who've recently played for our club and have spent months putting the RAP together...? Ok. Maybe we we could all "abandon reconciliation" and move to your as yet defined progressive fantasy land. "Offering" a contrarian "progressive" view that allows you to denigrate the work done to progress the reconciliation agenda at the club and broader community says more about your need for attention than it does about the flaws in reconciliation. It's not about you. Try this... http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/reconciliation

If Liam didn't go off the rails, he'd be a champion of the competition by now, Rockliff'd be luck to carry his bags...

You're p1ssing into the wind if you think that who ever runs AFL, MRP etc... will ever become more lenient of on-field actions that if they occurred in the street would be rightfully called "assault". Sniping off play on opposition players who are unprepared and unable to defend themselves is a cowardly act. Bugg, Vince, Salem and Lewis have all done it this year and it's cost us wins, which may yet have consequences.

I was watching the last five min of the Westcoast game, Viney on 37 possessions (see below), if he's back, thats big in itself. With Watts, Tyson and Salem... huge. Reckon the team has continued to grow and develop in their absence and we should be a good go for Port. I reckon the MFC boys will be focused on winning our spot in the 8 asap, and off our own boot rather than weakly hoping others fail for us to slink in... And while unlikely, not implausible, if we win them all we're a shot at a Qualifying final at the G.

Be easier to tell Bernie to stop elbowing opposition players in the head, then to get the MRP to "think twice". I'm glad the club is staying focused on next weeks game, educating their players on playing within the rules and playing as hard as is possible within the rules. I thought Bernies bump was a good example of pushing the physicallity of the team while staying (just) within the rules. The elbow to Betts was just stupid undisciplined play.

Given our brutal game style and the injury toll to date this year, if he can find form, an opportunity will most likely present itself. Best wishes Gus.

Is Jack back yet..? Love the boy!

Ok OCD... Melbourne injury (suspension)list: round 18 Angus Brayshaw (concussion) – available Christian Salem (hamstring) – test Dom Tyson (knee) – test Jack Viney (plantar fascia) – test Jack Watts (hamstring) – test Lochie Filipovic (hip flexor) – 1-2 weeks Nathan Jones (quadriceps) – 1-2 weeks Bernie Vince (suspended) - 2 weeks Thomas Bug (suspended) - 4 weeks Dean Kent (shoulder) – indefinite Pat McKenna (hamstring) – season Colin Garland (knee) – season Tim Smith (navicular bone) – season Aaron vandenBerg (heel) – season

Agree, his lack of intensity when the ball is in his space is worrisome and reminds me of Kent at his worst. Hopefully he'll get his skates on, take the cue from Garlett and TMac both of whom apply relentless forward line pressure.

another aspect of the "Darwin question" is do we have an advantage in playing teams there? and if we do, does it cancel out the potential physical toll the following week? would a win vs Adelaide indicate an advantage? i don't know, given we beat them at their home a couple of months ago...

How will it give a "pretty clear picture"? Given injuries, home ground advantage, matchups, emotional state of teams, gamestyles, individual player performances, coaching moves, etc... you're going to use the results next week as a comment on playing in Darwin!?! There's a delusion on this board that results can "prove" some theory/position... why did Dons spank Saints last night? Who knows? Does Darwin sap teams and have them lose, who knows? But rolling out the results without including all the other factors (ie we were crap everywhere) is simplistic.

Not sure why you wouldn't list all our players as there's a couple I'd add as "locks" that aren't listed... I.e. Nibbler and Harmes will pass Vince and Lewis by mid 2018. Also liking Joel Smith, amazing mover.

Hardly spin. More stating the obvious, but if that doesn't fit in your own personal view of the world... that's your prerogative.

Goodwin right behind NT partnership. "“We understand the facilities, we understand the oval and the conditions and we think it’s a really good advantage for us. “When you’re building a club and becoming a better team, the results turn with it. For the first time we won in Alice, earlier in the season, and we won up in Darwin last year, so we’re starting to get some momentum when we’re playing in the Northern Territory. “That comes with building a strong footy club and a better footy team.”"

There are several upside possibilities from our Darwin game: 1. Another aspect of the Darwin deal is that in addition to being part of the 1 million two game NT deal, it also enabled us to claim a Saturday night TV game, which, especially during our lean decade, the AFL were loath to give us. http://m.afl.com.au/news/2017-07-13/sellout-likely-as-big-time-footy-hits-top-end 2. We're experienced at playing in (and recovering from) the Darwin heat and humidity, the opposition are not. In 2016 we beat Freo by 32 points in Darwin. Maybe we can make the Sauna a mini-fortress that teams will learn to fear. "The Adelaide Crows have never played in NT." 3. NT footy deserves AFL level games and I like our club for acknowledging this part of Australia. It's cool, and I believe it will pay off in connections and contacts being made that will make us a better club and team in the future.

Old Dee nailed it... but by way of illustration... I checked the results for the game we played BEFORE the Darwin game,... and... WE LOST THEM ALL!!!! OMG the Darwin kills us works before we play there too!!! Let's take a look at the results the week BEFORE and (after) all our Darwin trips: 2010 - BEFORE Darwin West Coast 29 point loss (Carlton 41 points loss - actually it was a 54 point loss to Geelong) 2011 - BEFORE Darwin Western Bulldogs 64 point loss (Hawthorn 54 point loss) 2012 - BEFORE Darwin Fremantle 34 point loss (North 54 point loss) 2013 - BEFORE Darwin Geelong 68 point loss (North 122 point loss (LOL!)) 2014 - BEFORE Darwin Western Bulldogs 6 point loss (Geelong 66 point loss) 2015 - BEFORE Darwin Geelong 24 point loss (Essendon 9 point loss (after Essendon copped a 110 point loss the week before amidst the Hird crisis)) 2016 - BEFORE Darwin Adelaide 22 point loss (St Kilda 36 point loss (completely ran out of gas in the last qtr))... PS the fact we played Geelong during their golden era three times after Darwin hurt as well...

Highly selective stats used there, as you'd get a similar picture listing games played after playing out West, in Adelaide, in Geelong,... well anywhere in fact. Good teams win on the road, and win after they've been on the road... whining about the NT windfall, a windfall that has basically generated our entire profit for the past three years is not only defeatist, but ungracious.

The upside of having Viney, Jones, Tyson, Watts and Salem out is that Trac, Nibbler, Stretch, Kent etc are having to step up and learn new roles in the middle. Like when Hogan and Maxy were out, if these boys grab the opportunity with both hands, we'll only be a better team for it.

Burgo needs to do a mini-course in usability... Melbourne injury list: round 17 Dom Tyson (knee) – test Jack Watts (hamstring) – test Angus Brayshaw (concussion) – 2-3 weeks Christian Salem (hamstring) – 2-3 weeks Jack Viney (plantar fascia) – 2-3 weeks Lochie Filipovic (hip flexor) – 3-4 weeks Nathan Jones (quadriceps) – 3-4 weeks Pat McKenna (hamstring) – 4-6 weeks .......................................................... Colin Garland (knee) – season Tim Smith (navicular bone) – season Aaron vandenBerg (heel) – season

Although if they drop those two 50/50 they will be on 11 wins and unlikely to be in the 8... and the Saints win is very debatable.

Swans run home Giants in Syd Saints in Syd Hawks at G Cats at Skilled Freo in Syd Crows in Adelaide Carlton in Syd

Gold Coast - big deal Melbourne - wounded and weary Dons - by a point after siren Tigers - by 9 Doggies - by 44 (Dogs a shadow of 2016) That's their glorious run... good draw and some luck.