La Dee-vina Comedia

1 minute ago, roy11 said:

Harsh on Tommy Mac.

But guess they liked what AJ brought to the table squad wise, So it was either T-Mac or Turner and they went with omitting the older option? From a long term perspective it makes some sense, but Tom has been in red hot form.

I'm as surprised as anyone that McDonald is the one to miss out. But the red-hot form he started the season with has tapered significantly in the last couple of weeks. I still think he's been playing better than May who looks to me like he's struggling to bend over. Nevertheless, I suspect there's more method than madness in this selection shock.

18 hours ago, Demonstone said:

My Captain sent me to see Private Parts who referred me up the chain to Corporal Punishment and I eventually ended up with a Major Headache.

Where's General Soreness? Gone AWOL?

If McDonald, May and Turner are all fit when Lever is ready to return, I could see one of May and McDonald being "managed" for one week each. Then, if after that all four key defenders are fit and firing, a tough decision will have to be made (unless one of them needs to play forward to plug a hole there). I cannot see any way against any opponent we should play 4 KPDs.

All the discussion about the relative size of the SCG and MCG confused me. I had assumed that because this was the second week of the Doug Nicholls Round, our game would be held in Alice Springs. It seems a no-brainer to me that a game should be played in Alice Springs during the Doug Nicholls round as it provides the AFL with incredible opportunities to promote positive stories about indigenous players and communities. Isn't that why the Doug Nicholls round exists?

11 minutes ago, Disco InTurno said:

From a PR/media standpoint it feels like we are on the front foot for the first time in a long time. I’ve been frustrated with the club for some time over this as some of their behaviour in the recent past has been flat out weird and not at all best practices.

At some level PR is made easier through winning, but also:

-Goody has done a really good job steadying the ship in recent pressers and media appearances by providing a good level of transparency into what’s happening while also ensuring they keep closed ranks.

-We seem to be sending a clear message that we won’t be screwed with by teams like Freo anymore by floating our own rumours right back at them (come on back Luke).

-We’ve actively got our players beyond Max doing relatively polished appearances—Trac’s presser, Koz’s interview with his dad, Langford’s appearance on Demonland pod and XL on the other podcast. There seems to be a really authentic love of the club conveyed in many of these appearances too.

It’s not all perfect and we will never be a media juggernaut club who can keep themselves out of the spotlight regardless of the size or scope of a scandal, but this is a helluva lot better than the silence or the “nothing to see here!” we got when everything was so chaotic late last year.

Kudos to the PR/Media staff.

Are we really doing anything different? Isn't it just that when you're winning, it looks and sounds better? (No disrespect intended to your post, Disco)

Take it easy, Chelly

Sharp was replaced quite early by Fritsch which suggests Goodwin was more displeased than usual to make that tactical move when he did. However, if the Match Committee want to pick Viney and play Fritsch from the outset rather than as sub, I would swap Viney for Spargo. I think Sharp makes a better sub option than Spargo. (I wouldn't be averse to both Sharp and Spargo being dropped, but only if there is someone worth the opportunity).

6. Gawn 5. Petracca 4. Melksham 3. Rivers 2. Bowey 1. Lindsay

I'm always amazed at this time of year when discussing player trades, we fall into the trap of only looking at player and draft pick swaps between the two clubs in discussion. If we want Jackson, I'd expect a more complex trade with, for example, two of our fringe players ending up at two other clubs for a couple of second round draft picks which we then on-trade to another club with another of our fringe players for their first round draft pick. Then we have something we can go to Freo with.

25 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

Losing Jackson arguably cost us the 2023 flag.

You might as well argue that our inability to clone Robert Flower cost us premierships from 1988 onwards.

Caro has really let loose...but her scattergun approach weakens the story. The stuff about Tanya Hosch is all over the shop, but Caro is on stronger ground when she moves on to writing about the apparent inadequacies of the three most senior people at the AFL (Goyder, Dillon and Kane).

1 hour ago, Demonstone said:

Disraeli? Tom Fullarton is on record mentioning his gears.

Ten internet points if you get that obscure reference!

This would be a lot more fun if that ginger Baker was still on our list.

12 hours ago, Tarax Club said:

Was it Mark Twain who penned "Lies, Dammed Lies and Statistics"? Had the distinct impression Bayley Fritsch tackled James Sicily, received a free kick for holding the ball and missed a very gettable goal after the half-time siren. In the corresponding game last season Fritta pantsed Sicily, this time around he's doing it to himself.

No. It was British Prime Minister, Benjamin D'Isreali.

16 hours ago, Swooper1987 said:

As a commentator on 10 he was incredibly thoughtful and thought provoking and his work on panel shows, especially Talking Footy was always entertaining. As a print journalist, I always felt he was the best columnist of his time.

His contribution to the game overall is probably as good as anyone ever. RIP - a true great.

I think it's worth adding that he wrote every word in his articles. I can't recall the backstory, but about 10-15 years ago there was some suggestion that various opinion writers were claiming works as their own when, in fact, they had been ghostwritten. Walls was quite indignant and wanted everyone to know that he wrote every single word of his own pieces.

8 minutes ago, old dee said:

10/10 LDC . There is nothing on AFL website.

Or, as Robert Walls might have said "8, 9, 10 out of 10"

There's no direct Melbourne connection that I am aware of, but Robert Walls was a seminal influence on the game for many years.

Robert Walls death: Carlton AFL great dies, aged 74, using Victoria’s voluntary assisted dying laws to end cancer suffering

On 14/05/2025 at 11:14, Jjrogan said:

Its happened 12 times in the past month. Grok is cooked.

Having access to the data set is a pretty important part of AI analysis! 😛

Could have been worse...

4 hours ago, bing181 said:

If we're talking about other clubs, Jack Gunston. Only lasted one miserable season with Brisbane.

There have been a few at other clubs, including Gunston and Ablett Jr. Trent Croad and Paul Salmon come quickly to mind.

The only players I'm aware of that left Melbourne and subsequently returned after a stint at another VFL/AFL club are Carl Ditterich and Crackers Keenan. I'm keen to know if there were any others, though.

I know playing a game of soccer is not the same as kicking a soccer ball, but can anyone tell me whether there is a benefit to kicking a soccer ball for the purpose of looking at a player's kicking technique? Given we have persistently poor goal kicking accuracy, would kicking a round ball in practice help identify flaws in the biomechanical process which may not be seen when kicking an oval ball? Of course, this would mean holding the soccer ball and dropping it as if it were an Australian football and not just kicking it off the ground.

Good to see the future well represented in the votes with players such as Langford, Windsor, Lindsay and McVee being mentioned.

1 hour ago, Roost it far said:

He’s clearly the best ruckman that has ever played the game. He’s on track for his 8th AA which will end the argument for good.

Arguable. Simon Madden was not only a great ruckman, but he also kicked 575 goals. Nevertheless, Gawn is definitely in the top few.

3 hours ago, Trident22 said:

When will the media go hard on Tanner Bruhn...why wasn't the AFL media interested in Stengle and his 'missteps' (only not calling it what it was as I don't wish to land this platform in strife) at a Geelong nightclub. Why is Bailey Smith, a man caught doing coke, championed as an AFL poster boy and allowed to flip the bird and carry on as he wishes with only applause from the media, whilst Clarry is constantly targeted. It's about time clubs stood up. I like the response from both North and Melbourne. Fans have had a gutful. Always a good news story for Collingwood. The media after the Maynard hit were quick to defend him...we had media looking to hang Melksham for taking a mark last week. Kozzie is a sniper...Dangerfield is just clumsy. It has reached the point where you just have to turn off 90% of AFL media programs. Craig Hutchison has a lot to answer for...he has driven the soap opera style of AFL journalism.

As a matter of interest, does anyone believe flipping the bird is offensive? If not, why are players being fined for doing it?

4 minutes ago, DeelightfulPlay said:

Jay Clark's paltry attempt at a Yoda impression...!

Did he write the article on Star Wars Day (ie, May the 4th?)

10 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

So that makes the charges he’s facing not a story? Seriously?!

And don’t give me this BS about the contract. McKay is on equally big money. Allen is the captain of his club.

Clarry can be on 10 million a year, and not get a touch, and it still doesn’t give any journalist the right to hound him relentlessly, when the club has made it abundantly clear that he’s dealing with some personal issues and they asked for his privacy to be respected.

Clarry is a human being before he is a football player that you feel owes you to be fitter or better.

If he was your son or your friend, I’m sure his paycheck would be of no concern to you if he told you he’s struggling.

I suspect Oliver gets more media coverage for the simple reason that he is, and has been for a long time, a much better player than McKay, Allan and all the others.

As to the idea that Oliver might be upset at playing less game time, I wonder if the journos writing these stories have heard of the concept that correlation doesn't necessarily reflect causation? None of us know why Oliver is being given less game time, but just maybe it relates to Goodwin's tinkering with the gameplan with Goodwin wanting Oliver to play in shorter but more intense bursts.

7 minutes ago, AzzKikA said:

It is as simple as this, ex players should not commentate on games their ex team is playing.

Clearly you don't work at Channel 7. They take the opposite view.

I'm not fussed - good commentators will always be good; poor commentators will always be poor. It doesn't matter which games they call.