mpc
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Everything posted by mpc
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Usually at this time of year (the Narrm rounds) we seem to be very sluggish and play some of our worst football for the year. This year it seems to be the opposite. We have run out the game so strongly the past two weeks. Do you think the high performance team have changed the approach to when our loading phase is? Perhaps we loaded up earlier this year with a view to gradually gain momentum throughout the whole season? Similar to the Lions last year.
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The only thing that gives me the slightest bit of hope this season is that other teams have suffered disastrous losses during their premiership years and recovered, most recently Richmond 2017: "In Richmond’s drought-breaking 2017 premiership year, it was stunned by St Kilda in a Round 16 encounter at Marvel Stadium. The Tigers had one meagre goal on the board at half-time and trailed by a whopping 82 points – 1.4 (10) to 14.8 (92). They lost by 67 points – 10.11 (71) to 21.12 (138)." https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/966241/the-richmond-st-kilda-twilight-zone We can also look to last year after 12 rounds two preliminary finalist teams only had 4 wins, and were 14th and 15th on the ladder. https://footyforecaster.com/AFL/Ladder/2023_Round_12 Unfortunately I think we have bigger issues, but I still hold out hope we somehow recover from this. After all we are only a game outside the top 4 with 12 rounds to go.
I can only remember from the 90s onwards so my early favourites were Jakovic, Stynes and ... Darren Bennett. My earliest football memory from my first live game was him having a shot from 50 out and the ball landing/hitting on the top of the post. Then it was Neitz, Schwartz and Farmer for the Daniher era. Special mention to Matty Whelan. Watts and Jurrah during the dark years. So much potential just at the wrong time with no support or development pathway. More recently the obvious ones like Trac, Clarry and Max are going to obviously be in the ballpark of greatest ever. Fritta is also a favourite of this era. If I have to choose one, it's probably recency bias but Gawn for everything he has done in helping turn the club around both onfield and off, and the only (men's) demon to hold up the premiership cup in my lifetime, would have to be the greatest for me. Also special mention to Daisy Pearce - she is the clear leader for our women's team.
Came across this video randomly, thought others might enjoy it also:
As much as I despise Collingwood, they are a rung below my hatred for Essendon and Geelong. The smugness puts them on their own tier. Carlton are creeping into that bracket too
Please send Essendon up there next year
For a team that prides itself on "contest and defense" how come we seem to struggle in the rain? Also, something that caught my ear in the interview with Max on the club website he mentioned we have struggled the past few times against "big Melbourne clubs" (assuming Carlton and Collingwood). I find we play really well in interstate hostile environments, however when it's our home ground but we are outnumbered by the louder opposition crowd I wonder if it's a mental thing that plays on the players mind at all (like big club envy, even at a sub conscious level). Do you think there is anything to it?
How good was the crowd last night! I was actually shocked when it showed it was only 52k on the scoreboard. I sit in the level 2 members area on the Shane Warne stand and have a view of the packed Olympic and MCC areas which may skew my perception a bit, but it felt like 65k with the noise. Especially when Fritta kicked that last goal, people were going nuts. It was also the first time in years I've high fived random people around me (last time was after Jonesy's goal in the 2018 elimination final against the Cats). The atmosphere was great and felt like a 90% Melbourne crowd. As always, thanks for the podcast.
If you get bored of non MFC footy, here is something to watch instead: Melbourne's Eight Goal Comeback -Round 23, 2021
Yep. This is what caught my eye and triggered me to revive this thread. I'm curious why interstate clubs get to train on it, but not us. Would love to know the decision making process of deciding which clubs can use it and when.
Was going to ask in the podcast thread but thought I'd revive this one first. I noticed Brisbane got to do a training session (probably captains run) on the MCG before the match this week. I've seen other interstate teams in the past also training on there. How come they are allowed to do that but we don't ever seem to? I know the reverse applies when we travel interstate (for example I saw us having a run on the Adelaide oval before the matches over there). I've never understood why interstate teams get to use it, but never Melbourne when it's our home ground. I get that it can't be our full time training ground, but it would be good if we could do our captains run there every few weeks. It's weird that essentially the interstate teams get to train on the MCG more than we do. Does anyone know the reasoning of why this is?
I think for the first time in quite a few years we are seeing a lack of depth in our team. Losing Salem so early in the game disrupted our team defense, which was left to Woewodin to fill alongside Howes and McVee. Previous years we would have had Brayshaw to fold back or super sub Smith and adjust things around them. In the midfield Oliver looked injured, and I wonder if we played him because we don't have ready made replacements like Jordan or Dunstan this year. I also fear for Gawn as he is getting older and the seasons seem to be getting longer, we dont have a real backup (Roo is great, but still so young and is a forward, not a ruck, maybe Fullarton) - I miss Dogga. Up forward, Brown looks tired and my guess is the club would have planned a rest for him by now, but maybe we don't have anyone to replace him with (also maybe Fullarton? Jefferson?). For the smalls - Kolt debuted, and looked a bit out of his depth - in previous years I think he would not have got a run in his first year, and would have been developed at Casey. We would have had the likes of Bedford ready to go, or Spargo if he wasn't injured. After the bye it will be interesting to see what our team looks like without Salem, Bowey or Hore. Previous years we would have had Hibberd and Smith as an option or Brayshaw to move back. This year it seems a bit light on. Hopefully Disco gets a good run at it. And if a Oliver is still not quite right who do we replace him with? I like the idea of Kozzy, Rivers and Nibbler having stints in the midfield but they are different players to Oliver, and then that leaves gaps in other parts of the field. Will be a good test of our depth over the next month or so. Interested to get your thoughts on this. Thanks for the podcast, I enjoy it each week.
