deelusions from afar

From memory Melksham played the Hawthorn game early last year and was looking very dangerous

I thought it was reported that all 22 players made the captains run today?? Was ANB there?

Hawks are actually missing a lot of good players as well so surely shouldn't pose much of a threat. They have started their last 2 games putting 5-6 goals on early so we will have to watch for that. Interestingly on SEN Mitchell was asked about tagging and he said they normally look for the players with the most score involvements. For us it's Petracca but he also mentioned ANB who isn't far behind.

Depending on how many miss, this is a great opportunity for players at VFL level to have a crack. A win or two with 5+ players out due to Covid will have the whole comp fearing us even more than they already do. Get it done dees!

We're one year off being the hardest team to play against!

Agree - I think that's why match committee also like Smith. Will be interesting this week to see if TMac stays out and Smith is dropped for Lever. I have a suspicion that despite his good form, it could be Hunt that goes out instead.

I'm stoked that Weid is being given a run at it as I do think he has more to offer than what he has shown so far. However, some of the calls about him being ahead of of Brown are ridiculous. Brown's height alone (and the fact that he takes the ball at its highest point) worries anyone he goes against and he is the most reliable set shot. Weid has a good kicking action so with confidence could end up the best but hasn't done it consistently. With the fitness of our key forwards and ruckman, I'm loving that we can isolate whichever forward is going to cause headaches for the opposition - whether it be Brown, Weid, Tmac, Gawn, Jacko, Fritsch, Trac, Pickett - it really is an embarrassment of riches!

Fair enough. It is a tough one... I would have said that too until finals last year. Now I think Sparrow has gone past Jordon and potentially Harmes. Agree Jordon offers a point of difference though once Salem is back and Brayshaw goes back to the wing maybe this is less important. Wish we could place them all - would hate to see them leave for opportunities elsewhere. Though its great cover for injuries if and when they arise.

We'll agree to disagree. I think people forget how disrupted the VFL has been through covid. Has been hard to get continuity for a lot of players. I also think that they are not primarily played as midfielders as Casey as they would never be asked to do that at Senior level - Sparrow, Jordon, Harmes and Dunstan are the ones next in line for midfield minutes. The small forward position is arguably the hardest position to play as you are dependent on the rest of the team doing well to get a look in. The main thing we would need from them is to chase, tackle, harass and then when the opportunity arises, snag a goal or two. But that role isn't going to see them dominate very often. The fact that Chandler last year and Bedford this year have usually been the sub shows that the match committee rate them. Having said that I agree that if there were injuries in the forward line to bring them in, then they would likely play minimal minutes as Jordon and Sparrow have done for their senior careers so far (and Sparrow / Jordon would likely get increased game time). Yeah me too - I guess he felt that all year he was the next in line for a small forward position and that ANB, Kozzie and Spargo are unlikely to be injury free all year again. But right now, looks like it would have been a better move career wise. I'm happy to keep them on the list atm - I remember the tigers used to have so many small forwards and after a few have left they don't seem to have the same competition for spots in that area anymore.

I also wonder had there been an injury to ANB, Kozzie or Spargo whether we'd be having a similar dilemma with our small forwards. Sometimes hard to tell in the VFL matches at Casey when it's blowing a gale but Bedford and Chandler would get a game in most AFL sides.

Still think Smith is also in calculations. When he is fit, he is generally in the team - largely for his flexibility with speed and ability to play tall and small. Thinking of our GF side, I think he would be replacing Hibbo. Then it is a matter of Hunt and Jordon trying to squeeze someone out. Would love to see them in the team but no one deserves to go out (and Salem is an automatic in). Obviously part of this is once Salem is back does Brayshaw stay in defence or go back to the wing. I would think he'll go back to the wing but who knows? It's an absolute luxury - but more likely than not we will sustain a long term injury or two and so it won't be as much of a dilemma.

Is there any chance Petty would play forward in place of the Weid?

It is isn't it! Remember when we released the strategic plan for 2020-2023? I remember thinking the mens premiership and 75k members was pie in the sky stuff... but we are currently on track. Others will know better than me how we are doing on the financials and re our facilities. So this is what is in our strategic plan: OUR AMBITIONS FOR 2020-2023 1. ON-FIELD PERFORMANCE • Play in AFL and AFLW Finals each year • Win at least 1 AFL and 1 AFLW Premiership 2. FINANCIAL • Deliver a combined $4m profit over 4 years • Eliminate debt • $30m + of income producing assets 3. OUR PEOPLE • To have a culture that inspires excellence and attracts new talent 4. OUR FANS • Grow to 75k members • MCG home game average crowds of 50k + 5. OUR FACILITIES • Finish construction of high-performance facility at Casey Fields • Start construction of new Melbourne home base facility https://resources.melbournefc.com.au/aflc-melb/document/2022/03/01/1eca15e8-6169-401d-85cd-2b0b036e5fb9/MFC_Strategic-Plan_Web_V2.pdf

Wow didn't think he was capable of that. Given its late in the game and they had been at him all night, I reckon other teams will find this useful that you can get to him.

Laurie is going to make it - needs a clear run at it (no injuries and covid interruptions) and then with our senior side success will need to bang down the door. I actually rate Chandler highly - he's quick (not as quick as Bedford) and small but has very good disposal and is a tackling machine. I think he was unlucky not to get more of a chance last year.

Love seeing the name Woewodin in our lineups once again!

Over the last few years, when I get the chance I have had a look at opposition team's threads in the lead up to the game. Partly as you get an insight into tactics (where they think they have the edge), selection but probably mostly to temper my own expectations when relying on the echo chamber of demonland / dees fb pages. Often things I think are delusional from an opposition supporter are very similar to what we would write about our own players / team. Having said that, as everyone watched us dismantle the Dogs in the GF in minutes, we now have an aura among opposition supporters. In terms of this week's game, some of the things the Port fans have written are about their club and coach are about as dire as I've seen (and they've made preliminary finals the last few years!) e.g.: My head says lose. It's for the greater good of the club, to get this regime out. But my heart says win. It goes against everything I was brought up to believe in, it goes against everything I value and love about the club. I feel ashamed of myself to be doing it, but I want us to lose, to get these awful current custodians out. Least that's what I hope will happen, because hopes the only thing I got left. It’s a sad state of affairs when I’ll be more disappointed with a win. That's how I'm feeling.this morning. A sense of dread if we win. The only thing I can compare for us would be the end of Mark Neeld's tenure... but we hadn't made finals in years at that point. Having said that, I remember in 2020 when we started to find some form and came up against Port and got smashed. Despite being the top of the table, their supporters were equally pessimistic about their coach and team and expected us to smash them.

I remember Daniher saying when he coached us that Yze and Farmer had a "licence" to break team rules (or something equivalent) - i.e. they could have shots from the boundary or 50m out as they had the skills to pull it off. In today's footy, if you miss doing that (and even if you don't) the media will highlight you all week as a selfish player burning team mates up the field. While I get this in terms of playing the percentages and building team culture, it means players will rarely have a shot when there are players in front of them and you often see players doing the "team thing" and kick to a contest when they are actually within range. Shots from outside 50 on the run are also a good way of breaking down strong team defence / flood / zoning but we rarely see it from our team. I wonder what Yze makes of this - does Melbourne currently give out "licences" to any players in this way?

Is a hyphenated surname a criteria for our NGA?

I'd love to see this too. And just think of the headaches it will cause the opposition with matchups when we've got the ball. Their ruckman goes to Max and a midfielder goes to Jackson.

Each to their own... but I'm fairly sure that once Lever and Petty are back, Smith will still be in the team (unless he gets injured). Though you might not be a fan, clearly the coaches are. If not for his injury in the finals he would have stayed in the side for the grand final ahead of Hibbo. His form has been better so far this year. So it might be something you have to get your head around. As others have said, every player makes mistakes... the defender's ones are often more memorable as they are close to the opposition goals.

We have two of the best creative contested ball players in Trac and Clarry, the best ruck duo in the game in Gawn and Jackson plus a host of talented centre square mids eg Viney, Harmes, Sparrow. Why / How do we lose so many centre clearances? Is this down to the opposition researching what we do? Or is this not a problem provided we can put enough pressure on the opposition as they're leaving the clearance.

In fairness to him, we still don't have our first choice backline around him. I'm sure he (and others) would look better with the likes of Salem and Lever around them. He's still capable and probably will get better over the year (he's still coming back from a serious injury) but I think Petty has got him on almost every measure (except maybe endurance?) and Smith would be ahead due to the flexibility he offers (can play tall or small, has speed, strength etc)

Will be interesting to see how we go with selections. I'd love to see Weid get a decent run at it. But at the same time, I feel like he plays the BBB role of full forward whereas Mitch Brown is more the replacement for TMac. Would be interesting to see if its possible to play Weid and BBB in the same side - I feel like they won't want to do that until at least one of Lever / Petty are back which could be this week. I think Tomlinson is not inside our best 22 so will be the one to lose his spot for Lever. When Petty is ready it will probably be Hunt that loses his spot and Smith will be the 4th tall with Hibbo nipping at his heels if his form drops. If Smith continues to grow he will become undroppable because he offers flexibility to play tall / small and has the strength to go with the dangerous mids that go forward. If we keep winning there's going to be a number of unlucky players - I thought Hunt was very disciplined and careful with his disposal on Friday night. But unfortunately for him, unless Bowey's form drops / Salem doesn't make it back, he's outside best 22 as well.

I think it's more about lack of midfield pressure and lack of players coming back to fill Wright's leading areas. May had him if it wasn't on the lead. If Petty was in the side we would have been worth a shot with his extra height.