Deefiant

They didnt put out a press release (why would you) but a few players have mentioned it in interviews

Too many what ifs. I don't we were anywhere near a perfect season. In my mind winning the middle patch against the contenders meant we were in good shape this year and I confidence we'd be a serious contender. I also thought that the wb loss was just two teams cautiously watching each other. I only took the fact that we matched up to them well without dominating. The had a patch in the middle that I was a real kick in the guts where the team needed to lose a few games. I think that we were took more learnings in what to do tough games than the doggies did in winning big against the lower ranked teams. I think this really showed in the grand final where the doggies challeneged us but we were able to dry up scoring, absorb their pressure and swing it the other way. The doggies just kinda gave up. Remember collingwood went 20-2 and still didn't win a flag.

I was going through my old stuff and looked at my membership and the number of consecutive years: 7. Probably a lot less than the majority of you guys but in total I've been a member for around 13 years. One of the reasons for my break was the disillusion of where the club was heading after the Neeld years (being a broke uni student probably tipped me over the edge) even though I had stuck through the tanking saga. As a Melbourne supporter, my childhood has been littered for being picked on for being one of the few Melbourne supporters. I remember seeing all the kids with Hawks colours and at auskick games hardly anyone would wear Melbourne colours. I remember being worried about if there was really going to be a future for this club. I realised that my seven years started the second year after Roos and Jackson came in. I presume that at this point I could see where the club was going and it wouldn't be barron land forever. Even if the club might not win a premiership, we would make finals. Today, after an unbelievable year the summit has been reached. I see so many young kids wearing their Melbourne colours proudly. I am no longer worried about the future of this club. The work that Roos, Bartlett and Jackson have done have been the foundation for our success this year. They turned us around from a rabble. I think there should be plaudits for a number of others who believed in cause and helped transform us but haven't made it to the final day: Shannon Byrnes, Daniel Cross, Bernie Vince and Jordan Lewis for teaching this young team strong habits Neville Jetta and Nathan Jones for being champion players and making us competitive I'm sure there are many others that have contributed heavily to the success but won't get any plaudits. To all of you, thank you for making me proud to wear the Melbourne brand.

I think you guys are looking at it the wrong way. Yes Hunt can play in more roles, but JJ can come in and play midfield and push other players to cover the roles Hunt can play (probably better than him). If a midfielder goes down, then Hunt would struggle in there and the heart of our engine room would struggle. I personally think they might give Smith the sub role, as there is a definite injury risk to May and we would struggle more trying to cover him than another position.

To be fair it is a pretty shonky rule. First brought in to appease Eddie and the northern states getting access to kids. I doubt very much of it since he was rated 40-rookie early on this year but has shot up the rankings this year.

Delete

Did you get an email about the code for last week's game. It'll be the same codes.

Right in the feels. The pictures of Tomlinsom, Jetta and Jones after the game. I'm glad they could see the team they help make.

The afl have uploaded highlights from the finals series from 2000 onwards. I was looking at the 2000 run (even if i dont remember much of it) and it was a trip down memory lane about the players that made me a dees supporter. Haven't put the grand final highlights on yet, might skip to 2002. https://www.afl.com.au/ondemand/highlights/673395/every-final-this-century?episode=4#2000

Seems right to me. I downgraded to an interstate membership in 2018 and was disappointed to find out that it was only priority 3. 20+ years automatically gives you priority 2 if you have a 3 game.

Yep. This double standards is [censored]. Neal Bulleen got 4 weeks for a sling tackle that he pleaded guilty to and showed remorse. Not directly comparable but one is a worse look on the afl.

Kinda [censored] of the AFL to put an umpire in that situation. He would be facing trolls on the internet if he said differently.

Not sure if you are joking here or not but just in case you aren't. I would hate to see on the front page of a newspaper that a selfish MFC fan has tried to break 2 states health directives to watch a football game. While it will be disappointing to not see our finals run live, you could be risking the lives, incomes of people who are unaffected.

He's always been a good kick. I think for him, Brown and Weids it's all in the head. Once the confidence drops/it's a tight game the goal kicking is less reliable. Even the relatively easy shots are missed.

Don't think you can say under 40's have had plenty opportunity to get it. ScoMo only announced that under 40's could get it on June 28, night https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-01/atagi-co-chair-pours-cold-water-on-morrison-az-comments/100257392. Give another week for GP's to get processes in place so it could go ahead. So realistically it was only available from July 5. Considering the 12 week gap between injections, that realistically only gives under 40's a 3 week gap to get it before the grand final. This also meant that people are going ATAGI's advice of waiting to get Pfizer.

Richmond player a part of that pub walk...

Never looks good when you pull the arm up

Not sure I like Kossie and Spargo milking free kicks Selwood style.

It's an interesting comparison here between Weideman and Petty that I haven't thought about until this comment. I think he has come along in leaps and bounds since his first game this year. You can tell his confidence has improved and with it his actual games. I think a large part of that is due to the fact there is close to 0 pressure on his position after the Tomlinson injury. In watching Weideman's games this year. He looked like a player who was scared to lose his spot in the team and player that was down on confidence. Early on he had so many nearly moments, where he was close to taking good contested marks. After a few poor performances it felt like his mindset went to I'm going to be dropped. I can understand what Goody was trying to do in giving him a block of games despite performance but I don't think that worked when he knew his position was on the chopping block and the external criticism. Although BB was good last night, I think that he too seems not 100% confident with his place. Conversely, TMac mindset and form seems to have improved dramatically since the last couple of years where he is not worried about being dropped either after he was guaranteed a run of 6-7 games. I guess this is what happens when you are fringe player on an AFL list. It be interesting to see how we manage this, as I think Weideman is so close to being a good player. I wonder how BB and Weideman's form would have been if they didn't go down with injury.

I think Weid would be worth a 3rd rounder at most, Wright went for a 4th round. At this stage, he's probably worth more to us than anyone else (kinda like TMac last year). Packaging him up role players doesn't get to pick 3 let alone another pick. Only way I can see it happening is if Weid is being added as steaknives. Or those suggestions, Weid + Brayshaw might get us a late first rounder.

I can't see GC taking this on with pick 3 even in the conversation. They recently got rid of Peter Wright for close to nothing. I would say that Wright was shown more than Weid's during his career. For pick 3 they would want someone mid 20's who has shown more maybe a Harry McKay or Naughton (they'll probably have to sweeten the deal). What will probably happen is they over offer a declining power forward and get them in under FA (Tmac might actually be a target, Tex, Kennedy, Riewoldt, Hawkins type).

Not sure how you can say no one here has any idea and that our tightness is a fantasy. I read the extending of contracts differently to you. Collingwood recently had cap troubles because they were extending contracts (Treloar) and signing players to long contracts (Grundy). We all know how that ended up. Not saying this is what is happening here but I think posters have a right to be weary.

Wow, you are over analysing everything. Not everyone has a vendetta against you. Feel free to post your opinion, but people have a right to disagree. From your posts, i have seen more atracks on people's character than posts. I chose to not respond to your attacks on my character, as is my right.

Haha wasn't meant to be an attack more of a light hearted look at how down melbourne supporters can get. I'm pretty sure i'm scarred in expecting melbourne to lose in any position. I'm struggling to believe that we are genuine premiership contenders. Look I haven't checked this thread since before your comments. Feel free to make assumptions about me but I will not be engaging in a [censored] slinging match. Didn't know by starting a thread meant I had an obligation to say anything else.

MFCSS is still alive and well. Based on the evidence on the first half of the season I don't think we should be losing faith in the boys. Here are some handpicked selection of the worst. "Can we do "changes next week" already?" "We're not winning this. Brisbane is leagues ahead of the rest of the league atm." "Sportsbet paying 3.50 on lions 40+" "We just have too many ordinary footballers. No way we are winning a flag this year. Typical Melbourne, pump up your tyres, then deflate you when the crunch comes. So disappointing." "Time to give pickett a rest , keeps going to ground softly and it’s starting to become costly " "And sorry to say but a decades long Achilles heel has been brought to the fore tonight. We lack the mongrel to deal with a pack of dirty bastards like the Lions. " "We can't win this" "The challenge is to keep it as a "close loss"" "Fu***** disgrace Melbourne. You should be ashamed of yourselves. [censored] weak all round" While I agree Weideman did not have a great game I feel these comments are over the top: "(Weideman) Should never play another game for MFC again. Find another club son" "Absolute disgrace. I'm off Weideman. He's [censored] useless" Finally, a few snippets of the positivity coming through: "Wrist slashing time from all the posters above. god help us. What will you all say if we get up ?" "QB moved. I hate this state right now. I'll apologise for saying that later "