poita

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1348312/vfl-six-changes-for-trip-up-north

The backline looks better balanced this weekend, and the midfield slightly stronger as well. But imagine being an AFL coach and thinking that you can challenge for a premiership with a forward line consisting of Gawn, Van Rooyen and Smith as the marking targets. The lack of forward craft in those three is astounding, although clearly Van Rooyen will be a good player in time with more strength and experience. And then you have Chandler and Spargo contributing stuff all between them at the moment.

Re Jefferson, I've said it previously, but we are not helping him by having Brown, Schache, Smith, Sestan & Melksham playing ahead of him in the forward line. I still think Brown can offer something this year, and Sestan is a work in progress, but the others are clearly impeding Jefferson's development. That said, Jefferson looks a million miles off at the moment and that is a concern. Van Rooyen had an impact at Casey last year, and is still getting pushed around at AFL level. How is Jefferson going to make the leap when he can't get involved in the VFL?

I simply don't understand the logic of using our last list spot on Kye Turner instead of holding it over to the MSD. He's not filling an area of great need, he was never going to push for senior selection this year, and it has taken away the opportunity for us to have a look at some decent prospects over the past three months. As an aside, I'd love to see Oscar get another chance, whether it be in Sydney or elsewhere.

No thanks to Himmelberg. It would take a 5 year contract on big money to get him, and he's just not that good a player. The last thing we need is more players heading well into their 30s with a big fat contract in their back pocket.

Too many NQR small forwards on the list, not enough midfield depth. Too many long term contracts for blokes in their thirties. We already have four blokes in their thirties in the VFL, three of whom have contracts for next year, and who are already impeding the development of our younger players. I have grave doubts about the ability of three others currently in the senior team to see out their current deals. We don't turn the list over enough - there are blokes in the VFL who are simply aren't good enough who are just taking up spots on the list. And where, aside from Van Rooyen, are the promising kids? Our last three drafts have just been plain ordinary.

I certainly wouldn't bank on 12 wins being enough for finals given the extra game. I reckon you'll definitely need 13 and possibly even 14 if some of the sides 11-16 fall away towards the end of the season. That said, we're just making up the numbers if we can't finish top 4, which probably requires 16 wins and a decent percentage.

I can't be bothered reading this entire thread, but it's clear to me that there are two types of Melbourne supporters. One who were calling for change 10 games into Mark Neeld's coaching career when it was clear that we were going rapidly backwards, and two who would still be preaching patience and positivity after five years of watching him destroy the club. I know which attitude is more likely to lead to success.

Gawn and Grundy in a battle to see who can be the most useless ruck. Teams just drag May away from the ball and play through Lever, but Goodwin can't counteract this. We play 4 small forwards each week, 3 of whom get in every one's way and don't kick goals. McVee and Van Rooyen should have been given a rest 3 weeks ago. I have no idea why Salem is in the team with no match practice. The sooner we freshen up the coaching panel and the playing list, the better.

We need to add multiple quality players, particularly through the midfield, in this year's draft. Taking any less than 3 top 40 picks would be negligent on our part. I can't see any circumstance where we should be considering parting with multiple picks and players to take one player, no matter how good he may end up being.

I get that we want big, experienced bodies for Jefferson (and Sestan) to learn from, but it can't be good for Jefferson's development that he is effectively playing fourth tall forward (or shunted to the backline) at present. How much game time is he actually getting in the key forward posts? Same goes for Woewodin, Howes and Laurie being forced on to the wings and flanks, instead of playing quality midfield time.

What a boring, predictable and underwhelming side. 20 months on from the 2021 grand final and Goodwin is still nursing that group of players. 18 premiership players named, plus the GF sub is likely to be sub again on Saturday. Of the four missing premiership players: Oliver and Petty would clearly be playing if fit, and Jackson obviously plays if he was still at the club. That means one player (Brown) has lost his spot in the team in 20 months. No wonder we look tired and stale, and every other team has worked us out. What it will take for Goodwin to try something different?

What if we provide facilities for drag queen story time events as part of the masterplan? Or headquarters for a certain someone's union mates?

Too much is left to too few. Other teams are rotating 7 to 8 players through, we're scraping the bottom of the barrel by the time we're up to our first rotation. I'll excuse Oliver and Petracca some errors when they're carrying the entire team each week. We need to find multiple midfielders in this draft.

Viney's effort was one of the most dangerous things I've seen in an AFL game for a long time. That could easily have resulted in a broken leg.

Terrible performance, maybe 5 blokes tried for the majority of the night. Lever, Gawn, Pickett, Viney, Van Rooyen, Neal-Bullen, Langdon all horrible. We can't keep playing Spargo and Chandler in the same side. Goodwin and Yze need to start earning their pay packets. Umpiring horrific, but we got what we deserved.

What is Van Rooyen thinking?

These umpires are pathetic

Gawn has been absolutely pizzweak tonight. He needs to put on his big boy pants.

I don't mind it, and you know the AFL will love it because it is another event for them to monetise.

Given that Dunstan is our only genuine midfielder at Casey, losing Harmes would have a significant impact on our midfield depth. I'm yet to be convinced that Laurie is going to be a long term AFL player, and neither Howes or Woewodin is beating down the door, but none of these are onballers anyway. We need to be heavily investing in the midfield in this year's draft.

Eddie now having a sook about those mean old Swans picking on little Nicky Daicos. I can't imagine those saintly Collingwood players ever doing the wrong thing on the football field, even when somebody chooses their words poorly in an interview prior to the game. https://au.yahoo.com/sports/afl-eddie-mcguire-called-out-amid-disgusting-nick-daicos-collingwood-uproar-023300018.html

I don't see how Turner can replace anyone other than Lever in our preferred backline - perhaps Hibberd against the right opposition. Tomlinson should be the replacement if May or Petty are missing and the opposition has two genuine giant forwards. A May, Tomlinson, Lever combination would have been a much better fit for Gold Coast.

Casey's VFLW side finished 3rd last year, this year we are languishing in 10th. Is it just a matter of losing decent players to the expansion sides (eg the Wales sisters) and an improvement from other teams, or is there another issue? Obviously we aren't seeing many AFLW listed players in action - are other teams putting out stronger lists?