Jaded No More

This. We lost Gus which meant Trac had to move into the middle. It threw everything off. He is an enormously versatile and important player who has been incredibly dominant in the midfield. His loss was costly and really hurt our plans.

He should have landed with his arms outstretched across Gus to protect his own fall. The minute he chose to get off the ground, he had to avoid turning his body and tucking in the elbow. If you choose to leave the ground, accept that if you collect someone high, you better not be doing it in a twisting motion.

Watch the MRO grade it as accidental, not high and medium impact and he gets a fine. Never mind that Gus has a black eye according to Goodwin and was knocked out.

Because it was their home game. There should be no home games in finals. You get the home ground advantage, but beyond that it should be neutral. I hate all this pre and during game entertainment anyway. It is loud, obnoxious and completely irritating. Please some music at a normal level, call out the players names pre-game (I do like that because it gets the crowd going), and just leave us in peace during breaks.

Of course he did. We are having a seriously good year on the injury front. No doubt Gawn, Trac and Clarry will somehow all fall into a well this week.

Well he's going to have to check himself back in. He can still win a flag, and he's getting a hell of a lot of money to perform.

Hard to cheer for Mason Cox when he's getting destroyed by a player he is trying to illegally hit. One of the worst blights on our game is Cox. Nice little forceful tug of Trac's leg and high hit on Clarry too. The sooner he departs back to the US the better.

Yep, but of course the same old posters who are the first to get stuck into any Melbourne player, are out here defending that piece of [censored] Maynard and the inbred club he plays for. Anyone who doesn't think McRae, who played under one of the dirtiest coaches in the history of AFL, did not give direction to his players to come out and hurt us, is as delusional as they are stupid. Players with form, a club with form, and supporters with form of being the lowest scum of the earth. Imagine chanting and cheering while a player is out cold, but having the audacity to cry because opposition fans boo Ginnivin for being a duck and a cheat. The mind [censored] boggles.

I fall out of love with football just a little more every season. Melbourne being a good side is keeping me going. But I am holding on for dear life.

We dominate territory for 3 quarters. We executed that dominance like a dog's breakfast. They got a couple of quick breaks and unlike us, actually converted their opportunities. We fought to constantly win the ball back, but could not do a single useful thing with it going into, or once inside 50. And still, that pathetic first quarter effort is why we lost the game. We came out flat, and timid and we were -10 at the contest at 1/4 time. That is inexcusable.

He knows he's our only forward. He tries too hard when he has no support around him. The pressure got to him IMO.

I hope we get an update from the club today about Gus. I know it’s early in the recovery process, but would be good to hear that he’s feeling ok and expected to make a full recovery. Really heartbreaking to see him on the ground for so long. He is such an important hard at it player, who always goes in hard no matter how dangerous it may be to his own health.

Agree with all that. I too have no idea who the sub should be. Woewodin? Maybe Spargo in for Chandler as sub as you say. Unfortunately the forwardline will remain an issue and without JVR it will lack even more pack splitting power.

Quite honestly anyone who thinks that Maynard didn’t see Gus running wide open and unable to protect himself and didn’t think “I’m gonna nail him here”, is delusional. Maynard has always been a dirty thug masquerading as a bog ordinary footballer. Did he think I’m gonna try and impact the kick? For sure. I have no doubt he did. Did he also think he can nail him at the same time? Absolutely. Did he try to knock him out? Probably not. Did he try to inflict pain? Yes he did. A player has never tried smothering a kick with the point of their shoulder. Never in the history of the AFL has a player gone from running with arms out to try and defend a kick to turning midway in the air with an arm tucked in “accidentally”. It’s not a natural movement or reaction of someone who thinks to himself “oh gees this has gone a bit wrong I better try to limit the damage here” The reality is that Maynard knew exactly what he was trying to achieve. It was a ridiculous attempt at a smother. I was very strong on Kosi getting suspended for a very similar action. It was poor and dangerous. Smith didn’t even get a graze tho. Gus was knocked out and is facing yet another career threatening concussion. If Maynard isn’t suspended then I’ll just about be done with this game. You cannot keep protecting your [censored] agenda.

It wasn’t even wet. It rained pre game and not a drop throughout. The ball and ground were only really soggy for maybe the first quarter. The wet is not why we lost. We lost because we can dominate time in half forward but we have absolutely nobody capable of scoring consistently. If Fritsch doesn’t kick a bag we are basically relying on random midfield goals to get us a score sufficient enough to win. We kept the Pies to 9 goals. That’s it. 9. And yet with 32 more entries we couldn’t manage 11 goals total.

Yep some very disappointing performances from some vital players. Viney with 0 clearances is unheard of. Salem again just did no damage. Trac too little too late and blew chances going for goal yet again. Langdon was horrible on Sidebottom. Hunter not enough involvement. Even Nibbler was not his usual brutal self. I don’t expect the likes of Roo and Chandler to stand up. They are kids. They have no experience. Chandler especially plays such a hard role when the ball is just being bombed to 90 Pies players inside 50. But I actually thought that Bowey, McVee and Sparrow were all just fantastic today. Which is great to see. Lever was only ok and again it’s because we didn’t have another tall there to help him peel off and intercept. May was so so good. His will to win is next level.

Once again our backline delivered. I swear they must pull their hair out. Kept Pies to 60 points and watch our forwards blow 30 chances to score two measly goals in the last quarter.

Max Gawn deserves to win another flag. He is arguably the best player I’ve ever seen play for Melbourne. A god amongst mere mortals. His [censored] plays better football than Mason “I’m a yank thug” Cox.

We have to play another tall defender next week. Both Carlton and Sydney have good key position talls. If anyone should be dropped out of the backline to make way it’s Salem. Completely ineffective again. Hibbo was very very good on Elliot. He gives you everything. JVR will probably go. That leaves Grundy or fresh air. Gus will need to be replaced by JJ as he’s the most like for like. Harmes is a big no for me. Laurie or Woewodin to sub. At this point it’s shuffling the deck chairs on our Titanic cursed forwardline.

I hope we send in a harsh medical report with a long history of Gus’ concussion injuries, which are very clear to everyone. That helmet is not a fashion statement. I hope Gus will be ok. He was previously one head knock away from retirement.

Never seen a player smother a ball with a shoulder. Power move that.

And you’ve obviously never known someone who has long term health impacts from repeated head injuries. I hope Gus makes a full recovery. Wonder how you’ll feel if he doesn’t play again.

Because a [censored] player with form took our a guy intentionally IN A HELMET. A concussion has far worse consequences than any knee injury. This is a guy with form. He’s done it before and he will do it again. Imagine being Gus’ poor mum!

This. He had no reason to leave the ground. None.

Because he lined Gawn up from literally the first bounce. He kneed him at every chance. He also kneed Trac. He is another hack thug who plays with one purpose and one purpose only, to injure his opponent. Our game is so much better than these truly awful footballers who run around like some pseudo thug heroes. I note Maynard didn’t line up Viney. Because he’s a coward. Likewise Cox. Go for players when they’re open and vulnerable. Gawn again proved that Cox is nothing but a hack. He destroyed him.