Lord Ivanhoe

Yeh, tough match to watch. Even though our depth has improved relative to past years when best 22 players such Brayshaw, Salem & Lumumba (+ Melksham) are unavailable our depth is tested. On a positive note, Spencer stood out today and didn't give up

These are the guys that I believe will be part of the back end of the season. As the youth get tired, these 6/7 are there to steady the ship and brand. At least we have got game time into many. They will also bring an interesting complexity and different mix into this current game style and hence give the coaching crew new options for our real tilt at the finals in 2017.

So true. Now that others have latched onto to the fact that tagging Viney greatly reduces our output around the stoppages Quality ready made mids such as Prestia are crucial especially whilst the young brigade are is learning, developing, growing.

Spot on. That's 3 of 3 games we have lost there. Time to reduce the NT deal to maybe just one game in Darwin. it would have have been a different result at our home ground. Is the Alice Spring ground dimensions similar to Etihad? As supporters it challenging, this Developing and Learning year. The young team is still light on for size & weight (and of course experience) hence bigger bodied teams can wear us down especially if we don't take our chances (so many missed goals). Sydney this week was a great example of the defensive pressure at Every contest without which we have to be accurate in front of the sticks to stay in the game. It will be interesting to see if bigger & experienced types such as Dawes, Trengove, Dunn are selected against the Hawks this week

Brilliant positive stats to start the day, thanks! Exciting future whilst enjoying the moment,

Solid team. ANB & Newton add to the midfield depth. Saints & Bulldogs beat us in the in n under and the backline suffered as a consequence. Our best Backman comes in, together with a quality mid. The team is evolving in a positive direction, heaps of ball winners and with the leading spread of goal kickers in the AFL we are a massive chance. This team is eons ahead of the same team we took to the Alice last year both in class, structure, game style, confidence and attitude.

Amazing what 4 weeks with Brendan McCartney will do!

All the other players walked taller that year knowing they had there backs covered. This year is the first time since that there is that similar feeling out there

Fantastic. The depth is coming through. Could we have imagined winning a game with Viney, Jones & Gawn not having much influence? Instead the 'Team' delivered a 10 goal win

Love it! Great story LFS

I agree. In addition the disallowed Petracca goal robbed momentum both from the Dees and the game, from which the Lions benefited. It took us at least 5 mins to get back into it but we still won the quarter!

Sounds like a fresh rejuvenated Dawes. The depth keeps coming!

Not sure why so much pessimism. I like the changes. In fact I believe not enough changes have been made in past games. ANB gives us another ball getter/winner. Kent gives us more speed/pressure/goal scoring. OMac is the future and has to be given game time at the highest level and is less raw than his first AFL experience. We are still learning and developing. That is what this year is about. Next year we demand finals. Tomorrow I trust our structures will deliver a comfortable win. Go Dees!

The reason we are learning to play to specific structures and roles and NOT deviate from instructions is so that the 'on' week and 'off' week stuff becomes minimalised. We have been playing in this current particular way/set up for barely 11weeks. seeing who is the best fit in this new style/game plan, team selection/form (still sorting the chess pieces), and tweeking/adapting the game style based on the continual learning from week to week. IMHO, The losses have stemmed from more the experimenting & learning rather than the above the shoulders stuff of the past. We will win on Sunday because the systems we have in place have statistically are better chance of success than Brisbane's.

Off the MFC website titled, "No Time frame for Lumumba" In better news for Melbourne, utility Aaron vandenBerg is set to play this weekend for Casey, after missing the past five rounds with an ankle injury. “Vanders is going to play VFL this week against Box Hill. He’s trained really well the past few weeks and he’s rehabbed that ankle really well and he’s looking forward to playing,” Misson said.

Surely ANB must be in. Even though it has been said here that he was competing for the in/under roles (Viney, Jones, Tyson, Oliver) I felt that he was a must in last week against the doggies.

Give Brayshaw 4-6 weeks off. If he returns this year, give him some headgear to play with.

I agree. The look on Simon Goodwin's face was one of frustration at not being the man making the moves. Saints have been playing this similar game style for at least a year longer than ours and it showed. Also they had bigger bodies. Today was a learning day. Our least experienced players were shown up hence opportunities for Casey players. I can understand not including Oliver but he provides an xfactor to the midfield especially his 360degree awareness.

Kennedy was tagged against Tigers hence allowed our other mids space. He and Bugg have bought some of the mongrel to our team that we have lacked since the Todd Viney/ Grinter days. Just like the Dees walked taller the year when Bryon Pickett came across, 'competitors' like Kennedy & Bugg add more than just stats alone

Firstly, thank you Paul Roos and Peter Jackson for getting this club, the list and all associated to this point and further. As if, in the initial discussions to get Paul Roos to the MFC, he wasn't offerred a long term view. Yeh we'll pay $x,xxx,xxx dollars over 3 years and after that you can sit back and be say Director of Coaching for the next umpteen years whilst the well off MFC Coterie members will have you complimentary helicopter skiing in the French Alps every Aussie summer! Jackson & Roos have earned the right to decide their future.

Exactly!

Yeh, Bugg's last 2 weeks have been up there. A few weeks to settle in, adapting to the game style/plan, getting to know his team mates playing habits and feeling part of the place. He is clearly enjoying himself and us supporters love his cheek and mongrel. Loved it when he gave it to the Richmond cheer squad after his great mark and goal.

I so appreciated Roos saying something about the deliberate out of bounds calls made tonight. As a member & suporter at the ground it was just so frustrating and Roos has officially put it out there for all to see. Thanks Roosy

Yeh, loved the kick from Wagner to Hunt on the members wing. Fourth gamer to second gamer, The Future is here