The heart beats true

So… Norm‘s curse? I’m running out of ethereal concepts here.

Yep, mostly from me.

The consistency with which we kick it long to the forwards in the air is clearly the game plan. It’s in order for stoppages in the forward half (and set up behind the ball). If our big blokes don’t compete in the air the small guys have got no hope. Tom McDonald is a massive out for our crumbing players. The other issue is that, possibly because of training loads, it’s currently 95% of the way we move the ball forward. It’s way too predictable - meaning it’s easy for defenders to drop off and kill us in the air. What makes this more interesting is that Goodwin said Weid wasn’t in the team because he wasn’t playing a ‘big man’s game’. This very much suggests that the club wants competitive marking talls as the targets (not lead up forwards) and isn’t going to adjust that plan. So the small guys aren’t getting much of a look because of the way we play, and the lack of aerial competitiveness from their team mates.

Or we lose that game, find some form, bring it home at the end of the year and win the flag? Its never as bad, or as good, as you think it is.

I think during a 9 week period last year we won 4, last 4 and drew the Hawks game. Also, we had literally zero injuries during that period in game. I think that is impacting us badly on top of the training intensity - and when I say ‘think’ I mean ‘hope like hell’.

I feel like this makes a very good argument for training loads. I’m sure people will see it differently, but does that not prove we don’t have the legs during this period?

Well said

I don’t really understand why people come to this site and try and pick imaginary fights with other imaginary supporters, saying things like ‘anyone who thinks…’, or ‘I called this and was shouted down….’. If it makes you feel better knock yourself out, but it’s weird. I’m disappointed, but this team is owed some support by us. You can’t go taking pot shots at the players for not being hard enough if you’re going to fall apart as a supporter when the going gets tough. Show up after the bye, show the team you care. Stick with them. They’ve earned that.

I never truly understood the importance of Tom McDonald until that quarter of footy.

Our boys looked absolutely gassed when the siren went then. Every single one of them hands on knees bent over. 🤔

Clayton is the best Melbourne player in my lifetime.

I thought we weren’t at all clean enough with ball for the first 6-7 minutes of the game, and then tidied it up a bit and looked better.

I thought it was bizarre that Bevo said ‘…essentially any player with a clinically diagnosed mental health challenge will never be exposed to the policy anyway’ (from news.com.au) So now we have someone on record saying that he knows where the loophole exists in the policy. The same coach whose had how many players take ‘mental health’ breaks in the last 6 years? It’s about 7 isn’t it? Maybe a football journalist wants to report on this? Anyone?

I reckon JVR sniffs blood. I love that. Put your hand up young fella!

I've noticed Hunt's enthusiasm and energy. Those are the kinds of things that make us a good club, and make me still have a lot of faith in his future.

Joe Daniher is a certainty at Full Forward in my Players I Can’t Stand best 22. Its the forward pockets where it gets hard - Weightman, Ginnivan, Higgins. The competition is fierce.

100% I take medication to manage my mental health problem every day. Alongside lifestyle changes it’s made me a completely different person, and significantly happier, and healthier. Trust me - if you’ve truly experienced mental health problems you’re not going to take drugs that will completely mess with your psychological health. If he takes mental health meds then it’s the definition of insanity to mix them with street drugs. The blanket labelling of a host of behavioural issues under the guise of ‘mental health’ is an insult to all of us, and the fact we aren’t allowed to publicly call it out for what it is means that it will continue to be a problem. THIS is what journalism is supposed to be about. Uncovering the truth, not about a specific individual, but about a practice that reeks of insincerity.

In the third quarter they did what they needed to do to win the game, and they clearly had the legs to do it. Maybe I’ve been tainted by what we’ve dished up after half time the last few weeks, but they have a lot more energy to my eye than we currently do.

Freo looking fit and fast. Let’s hope they didn’t get the memo about Loading. It’ll be a tough game style to play for 26 weeks.

Freo getting a good crowd, in a state dealing with big Covid numbers. #Crowdmyths

Yeah now.

Why is this story not on the AFL website? 🤔

100%. Imagine if a journo said to Craig McRae ‘Public Holiday game on Monday. You’d expect a big crowd - but you’d get a big crowd every Monday considering 90% of your supporter base are unemployed’.

Hmmmm. I dunno. I feel like our backline players have taken a fair bit of blame over recent weeks for issues at stoppage and forward of the ball. To be fair it probably feels this way because we’ve got no forwards ready to go, as frustrating as that is.

On what basis? And how does he feel about De Goey then? He must want a Royal Commission on that.