deelusions from afar

Given Goldy is struggling and off a short break, I wonder whether they're putting this out there to tempt the Roos to rest him this week as well.

Don't know what games you're watching but Oscar has been good this year. No defender is going to look good with the way the team played v Port. Oscar is never going to be a star - all he has to do is his role. We have May, Lever, Hibberd, Salem and co to do the attacking things.

I think it's also about there being more ball ups and throw ins so other teams that base their game around the stoppages also like the grounds that will maximise the chances of this occurring.

There's obviously other factors at play... but our win-loss record since I first posted this continues to fit the pattern. I.e. the grounds with a width of less than 135m we play well at (eg Metricon and Adelaide) whereas the grounds with a width greater than 135m eg The Gabba we play poorly at. Clearly this was not the reason we lost to port - we were smashed everywhere - and we weren't convincing against Adelaide in the 1st half. But based on how we've gone while Goody has been coaching, I expect our game will suit the narrower grounds such as Adelaide and Metricon more than say the Gabba or Optus in WA. Looking ahead, we play: - North @ Adelaide. Since Goody has been coaching we have an 80% record there from 5 matches. North have lost the 3 games they have played there - Collingwood at the Gabba. In Goody's time we have won 2 of the 4 games at the Gabba. In the same time, Collingwood has won both their matches at the gabba. - Western Bulldogs at Metricon. In Goody's time we have won 1 of two games at Metricon. In the same time the Bullies have won two and lost two. Small sample sizes and lots of other variables but will be interesting to keep an eye on.

Interesting - I think TMac might need to put the que in the rack for 2020. His endurance for his size is his biggest weapon - but as you say this is less important in the 2020 game. Maybe he should spend the next 6-9 months working on his agility / acceleration as that has fallen away for him - most likely due to injuries.

King went on and on about it last night - accelerating away from the contests. I hope it is a mindset thing that Clarry can continue to do. But I suspect it's got more to do with playing against the bottom side who didn't know how to stop him getting off the chain.

On what we've seen he has better skills than I thought too. Very exciting to see what he can do

You might be right... but I was under the impression that he played there as Oscar was being managed. Despite his critics, Oscar has been solid this year and I suspect against the bottom side would have looked just as good as Tomlinson. In the same way that Oliver burst away from packs, I loved seeing Tomlinson doing this in the backline last night - but then you realise he's crashing through 1st and 2nd year players of the bottom side. If he does it against good sides I'll be converted.

I thought Morris said (or maybe I read elsewhere) that Melbourne had been told that paying out Goodwin's wage (if it came to that) would not be considered inside the footy department cap - which has angered other clubs.

Nailed it - Bernie doesn't come across as the smartest tool in the shed. Clearly there are issues but I wouldn't be looking to Bernie to be able to identify them.

Interesting to have a quick peek at the Port board selection discussion. You would not think they are the top team based on that! They also want to get rid of their coach (that's probably common among about 14 teams) and are wanting them to dump their stars at selection. It's a bonus to us that Port's next game after us is v the Doggies Monday night so they have 2 days less break after the game to factor in. A week is a long time in football - especially in current times where you play more than once in a week!

I'm probably in the minority here but if he is probably our second best field kick after Salem (and he's missing so many of his set shots) isn't it a waste to have him playing so deep forward? I loved what he could do when he played wing / HFF previously - where he could use his kicking skills to deliver the final kick inside 50 which we all know is a weakness. Having said that, he has previously been a reliable set shot so if he'd kicked straighter this year we might've had an extra win or two.

I think the reality is we're playing 2 inside mids out of position (Brayshaw and Harmes). Love them both but can't see them both staying in the side unless some of the first choice (i.e. Oliver and Petracca) spend some time forward. Has Harmes had much of a go on the wing?

I feel like some people are jumping the gun on a few to be dropped - e.g. Hannan who was instrumental in our previous two wins. I felt like we played well but didn't play the conditions overly well especially in the centre square. How many times did max tap it to one of our players who then fumbled (or the ball slipped out) and then the Lions swooped in on the loose ball? I think we need to improve our centre square work but feel like the conditions cost us (and well done to the Lions for being able to adjust in this area of the game). Also think that the Weid is normally a pretty reliable kick. Going up against the form backman in the comp, he took a number of marks and showed a desperation to make a contest which is exactly what we want. Let's see how his kicking goes in less slippery conditions. I'd make no changes other than anyone who needs to be rested due to fitness / soreness. Would love to see Rivers again but query whether he is suited to a lock down role - we already have Lever, Salem and Hibberd that play as attacking defenders. For that reason I think Smith would be more of a chance to come in if Jetta was dropped. Also think Brayshaw should be given a bit more time in the centre square over the next month by rotating Oliver and Petracca forward.

I think the next month will tell us a lot about Brayshaw. Petracca and Oliver have both shown they are able to play forward. If they are not going to rest players, you would think both should spend a bit of time for for the next 3 games. This should allow Brayshaw to actually play in the centre square - let's see what he can do. Because if Oliver, Viney and Brayshaw are all ahead of him, then we should be playing someone with more pace (and ideally skills) on the wing in his place. He seems like a ripping bloke and has all the attributes (kicking both feet, able to mark over head, courage etc) - I'd love to see him succeed - but it's not clicking for whatever reason. I think he's got the next month to show what he's got otherwise he won't be at the club next year - with the likes of Sparrow and Jordan nipping at his heels.

I think a lot of people just assume that small forwards / small defenders especially if they are indigenous are quick. Probably most of the time it is correct but in Nev's case it is his reading of the play, strength esp at his size, his ability to win one on ones and tidy (although usually conservative) disposal that has made him such a great defender

If Jones played every game from now on, would he / could he get to 300? Would love to see that but I think the game has passed him

Looks like we won't be playing at Blundstone afterall - which despite the dimensions is probably not a bad thing. North seem to play the windy conditions pretty well and we almost always lose in a close one. https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-fixture-thrown-into-more-chaos-after-tasmania-refuses-to-open-border-to-qld-c-1190794?fbclid=IwAR0yo-Hv7IBKzBUYX2f9TZbIJTNzxyFKg2muVQhQIcMeFtLk7FRsD3VbiQE Hopefully this is not transferred to Canberra!

I agree - would give us great flexibility. Fritsch has shown he has great foot skills when deliving the ball into the forward line, TMac's running capacity will trouble some opponents and both would give us an extra marking option further up the ground. It might not work but we have Vanders (and Tomlinson) in reserve if that is the case. Would love us to develop some more unique weapons that force the opposition to worry about us rather than the other way round.

That's true - he might have heard footsteps there or possibly it was just too much of a stretch. Given he hasn't played many games in defence at AFL level I think it's a possitive he was in the right spot - and you'd hope in future that he'll mark these sorts of entries. As you say - good luck to the bloke.

I watched last week's game again and couldn't see the turnovers from Lockhart that everyone talks about. I saw them in our match v Geelong (or maybe it was v the Tigers). He doesn't get a lot of the ball but has all the attributes to be a good small defender. I thought there was a couple of plays last week that he made the right gutsy calls to leave his opponent and impact the contest which lead to a score for us - I think he wouldn't have been credited with a possession though. With the setups of most forward lines, there's room for him and Jetta at the moment.

I think it's down to one of three options: 1. TMac comes in. As Brownie said he was definitely improving each week prior to getting injured. Wouldn't mind seeing Fritsch / Bennell / Melksham get some time on the wing if TMac is considered not agile enough for the role (clearly no doubt about his tank) and then TMac is another forward target. The downside for TMac is that weather reports indicate the extra height at the expense of a runner might not be preferable. 2. Tomlinson. Surely it's what he's recruited for? I thought he was decent in some of the matches he's played but certainly doesn't have the hurt factor that VDB has and for his size doesn't seem to make the most of it in marking contests. 3. Is Jones a chance? Unfortunately I think he's not in our best 22 (prob not even top 25) anymore - there is no clear position for him. However surely this is his week if there ever was one. Would love to see him get to 300 as he has carried and bled for us for so many years... but it appears they don't want to be carrying anyone any more. Would be a huge team lifter if he could come in and kick a few goals.

Agree - but don't most teams play a zone defence. Teams like Richmond and Collingwood and Hawthorn tend to play the G so much better than us. Is it all in leg speed? We're not as slow as we used to be.

Always thought Clayton Oliver looked like the identical twin of Brienne off Game of Thrones. Interesting insight into selection here: Melbourne do not intend to rest players during the compressed fixture period, having prepared their team for four-day breaks when the AFL was postponed in between April and June. The Demons' conditioning coach Darren Burgess used his experience with the English Premier League – where short breaks between games are common – to ready the players for the demands of playing games in shorter time frames. ... Goodwin said they were yet to determine whether they would play three tall forwards given that Sam Weideman and Luke Jackson played so well against Hawthorn, and revealed they were even considering using McDonald on the wing. https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/no-rest-for-demons-as-they-contemplate-playing-tom-mcdonald-on-a-wing-20200723-p55eog.html?fbclid=IwAR3LTx6WUzOv6KAOZfiMtM_VXRLr8usqBtFu_pt5KnR9A7ZOXecnkgdnYGk

Have heard some people suggest this year is the perfect year to push the draft age back by 12 months with many of the juniors not playing etc Does anyone know if this idea has gained any traction? Assuming there are no such changes, I think the lack of exposed form might make the draft more of a lottery which makes our trading of our first pick last year look even better. Hopefully Taylor and co can find a couple of bargains wherever our picks land.