Ouch!

Lets not forget that Max is still the premier ruck in the comp and should largely ruck all day against Pittonet? LJ has been a luxury than many clubs don't have where putting him into the ruck doesn't actually weaken our clearance power, and in some ways given his skills at ground level often actually enhances it. Also LJ coming into the ruck allows Max to go forward or back as to fill a whole or to create a mismatch given his size & marking strength, something that LJ hasn't got just yet due to age. Am thinking there will be minimal changes again this week, and excited to see Weid come in as the logical replacement for LJ. Doubt there will be any other changes. Our defence has conceded the least amount of points this year, I think the most any side has kicked against us is 73 points (Nth and the Saints) Carlton can score big, but they leak big points as well, I think they will struggle against us this week and our structure. I am actually for the first time this year expecting a win, and a good one at that, I think we can cover Harry McKay with our talls, Hibberd and or Rivers should be able to cover Betts, and whilst Weitering and Jones are solid defenders their structures down back are horrible, and we are playing 3 talls with Fritsch as a 4th marking option as well. Possibly have Harmes play a defensive game on Walsh perhaps and we should be seeing an 8 goal or more win.

MFCSS Melbourne Football Club Supporter Syndrome. Just on the players and their 'scarring' from losing so much over their careers, ... Dustin Martin started his career losing a lot of games, he has had a similar experience to Brayshaw, Oliver and Petracca, the team did change and turn it around. I'd also argue that players like Jones and co who have a lot of games in the L column are 'enjoying' the winning feeling even more and as such now have a taste, and the team itself knows what it takes, how to respond, I think losing those games has built resilience into the team ... but that is only evident when you start winning. Look at the kangas, they have no idea how to win as a group, but when they snag one, they'll understand why it was a different performance to a losing one.

TMac also has to be considered in this, he probably feels he could give another 2 good years at AFL level at another club, why would he be content playing in the reserves as a back up.

then we get good currency for a trade rather than getting nothing

He must have found what he was looking for though.... wasn't the last shop a butcher ?

Given the way TMac is playing, could Carlton see him as an upgrade in their forward line? it would extend his career further than might be possible with the Dees. He's definitely a better player than Casboult and McGovern, and would provide McKay the support he is sadly lacking at the moment.

I suspect TMac will be the most vulnerable based on BBB having a 4 year contract, and Weid and Jackson being the future of the club. Or we have to be prepared to trial having the three of them playing tall, and sacrificing the Gawn/Jackson experiment which isn't going to happen either, unless we think Jackson could cover Viney's absence ?

That they have salary space? They would have freed up a lot with the debacle of last year (even though they still are copping A big chunk of Treloar's salary) Pretty sure that they will be free of Beams contract payments at the end of this year too, and I can't see how they will not offload at least one more of Sidebottom, Pendles or DeGoey this year, not to mention a few players like Cox, Mayne, Greenwood & Hoskin Elliot. Weid won't be a huge salary, but they are better placed to throw 500-600k or whatever it might take to keep him than we are with our recent signings. If we can sell Weideman on premierships and success then Nth and Collingwood won't have a shot, but if he chases games and money then we are not as strongly placed.

I reckon Nth and Collingwood would definitely be two of the four clubs, thinking Geelong and Gold Coast could be the other two. He's out of contract and Nth and Collingwood are not going to rise too much further up the ladder this season. I'm as scared about him walking to the pies through the PSD on a big salary as anything here. People should not kid themselves that it might not happen, they have the space, and I suspect that they will offload a few more poorly thought out contracts (De Goey, Sidebotton) and this might be Pendles last year as well. Aiden Corr and Jack martin both went through via the PSD I think, and Collingwood have stuff all to 'trade' with picks or players. As much as Goodwin is trying to say he's not going anywhere, the media will whip this up as a frenzy until he gets into the team. Great to see TMac for playing well at the moment, but he wouldn't have even been in the side at the start of the year if Brown and Weid were not injured. Why else did the club look to recruit Majak Daw as coverage? I suspect they were pretty nervous about TMac holding up the forward line. But we managed very well without BBB and Weid. Gut feel here is.... which of the 3 tall forwards in TMac, BBB and Weid have consistently shown that they are capable of kicking large bags of goals in a match. To me BBB and the Weid have shown themselves as being more likely to do that. TMac's strength and value at the moment is that he is very good structurally for us up forward, but at best he's good for maybe 3 goals. I don't think that value is there with him on a wing... especially when we will favor run off Langdon ad Hunts side of the ground where possible.

which is a hard one to claim as a priority when we can't even get him into the senior team. But I agree I see him as a priority signing for the club's future. Would be nice to sign at least one of Bedford or Chandler by the end of the year too. I think both have a future at the club, and will play a role this year given the chance!

Interesting that we are appealing, as I think there are a few here who think this warranted a 1 week ban, but because Dangerfield didn't get one why should we. Which I guess is a fair argument, however, technically the mistake was made not giving Danger the ban in the GF rather than the fact that Fritsch is up for a 1 week suspension, so it will be interesting whether the tribunal actually agrees with the precedent. I remember seeing that hit from Bonar on Fritsch at the game and thought it was a high hit off the ball, also saw Gawn copping a bit behind play too, but its a valid call that the media coverage of the hit seems to play more of a role in what Christian focuses on rather than reviewing all game footage.

What was scary was the bit before that as he was coming back into the dug out, he obviously still had his boots on, and looked like he skidded on the studs as he was walking on the concrete, almost looked like he was going to do his other knee the way he started to fall!

I didn’t think, appealing at the tribunal risks extra weeks any more does it?

Sad news for Tommo, has been a key part of the back 6 this year, and cannot be underestimated in allowing May and Lever to play the roles that we need of them. That said I think between Hibberd, Petty and TMac we have options for covering him.

Their next month sees them playing 17th, 16th, 15th and 14th on the ladder, so now is their best chance to snag a win, they barely have a list to chose from though...

I agree 100% he's played well this season, and I love his pressure up in the forward half, but competition for spots will and should put him on notice when he has an ordinary game like that. If our listed players in the VFL continue to play and train strongly, you don't get too many chances. ... unless you are Melky ?

Ins: Weideman, Sparrow and Harmes Out: Tomlinson, Baker and Jones. (Petty in if Fritsch is rubbed out) Baker and Jones didn't play badly, but I think Baker coming in for Viney affected our midfield, Sparrow & Harmes can play in that role. Jones was being dropped, and again didn't play badly but wasn't great. ANB on notice.... Chandler and Bedford looking ok in the VFL to put pressure on his place in the team.

I was at the game yesterday and Baker played a pretty serviceable game, wasn't out best, but was far from our worst. I was surprised at the calls in the post game thread calling for him to be dropped based on his performance yesterday. I suspect that is going to be dropped due to the team bringing in a player like Harmes or Sparrow to cover the role that Viney plays in the team which wasn't something that was possible with the emergencies we took to Hobart. The criticism of his game here is off base and feeks like it's based on 'Match Highlights' or the Kayo Mini rather than the actual game itself. He ran hard all game, doing so on the non preferred wing where we have Langdon tearing it up.

https://www.metrotas.com.au/alerts/travel-advice-for-afl-north-melbourne-v-melbourne-sunday-2-may/ This might help? Free bus service in and out of town for the game

Boon Bay 13 here Nasher, taking my daughter so nothing too rowdy if you don't mind? Mate @ work got offered some tickets via a local basketball club, they gave him the code and it was good for 20 tickets ? I suspect the basketball club was affiliated with North Melb!! hehe.

I am comfortable if he is being managed, but it feels like if we drop him after his 300th that he was 'gifted it' somewhat which isn't a great look. Just a simple comment that we might manage him through interstate games and it was all part of the plan should suffice as an answer if it comes to that. (but managed should be not playing @ Casey either)

Was impressed with what I saw by Deakin Smith too, very lively down back.

I have barely heard anything from training reports about Joel Smith, only thing I can say is that he's not on the injury list? Anyone able to say if he's been training back or forward? if he's training forward then he or Melk are the closest 'like for like' to cover Fritsch for the next week or so, Don't see us needing another tall to replace Fritsch, who is a strong marking creative medium forward that plays tall and small. Making him a hard match up for a defender ... or we change it up and bring in another small like Bedford or Chandler, who seem to be going ok at the moment from all reports.

Just cos this is the membership thread, Anyone know our current 2021 membership total? Surely after a 4-0 start we should be going ok, and we had over 40k before round 1 didn't we?

Ummm, not to derail this conversation, but no you are incorrect there is ‘more equity’ but there is not gender equality here or in most western societies, but don’t worry there are going to be several more people explain that to you in the next few posts I assure you ?