The heart beats true

Good analysis of what went wrong…. https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/09/16/finals-fix-how-melbourne-killed-their-season-with-the-butcher-job-to-end-all-butcher-jobs/

I think it’s fair to highlight that our forward line was decimated by injuries. But I also think it highlights our list inadequacies when the 2 most important injuries to our forwards were to a guy who played most of the season in the back pocket, and another bloke whose 32. We simply need to get 2 more forwards in, and one of them needs to be a marking target. Good luck with that task. 10 other clubs need the same thing.

Will he be available at our current (Freo) pick?

You didn’t sit where I sat. I sat with the most passionate, vocal, unrelenting Melbourne supporters I’ve ever seen. This narrative about our supporters is hot garbage. We were outnumbered, but we gave everything we could for our team. On the siren that was the most gutted I’ve ever seen our supporter base. You can be disappointed in the loss, but it’s simply untrue to say our supporters are ‘shocking’.

I think Goodwin coached quite well tonight. He got the game on our terms for large parts of each quarter. The reality is that we didn’t take our chances as a team with the ball in hand. There’s not much a coach can do in that circumstance. Simon can take accountability for the game style, and movement of the ball to an extent, but those final shots at goal aren’t on him. Max just needed to stand up and kick one of his 2 shots. Fritsch the same.

We need to find a way to add more skill in the middle and forward half. We can’t have a centre line and midfielders without one elite kick, and 80% of them with very little penetration in their kicking. I’m of the opinion that the only upside of this horror show is that it’s unavoidable. All levels of the club will have to stare it down and come up with solutions. I also think we need to tinker with the game plan so that not every game has to be a smash in contest. We have to find more ways to win with skill. I think our players are exhausted by our game style by September.

Expected Scores: MELB 69 from expected 81.3 (+2 rushed) CARL 73 from expected 63.5 (+0 rushed)

Oh, tell Tobes I said hi back! Always liked him.

Wow. Well if that’s the case I’d love a couple more of those ‘flash in the pan’ premierships.

The only upside of this horror show of a finals series is that it’s an unavoidable problem now. Something has to be done.

https://www.afl.com.au/video/1032553/woozy-weitering-spotted-stumbling-in-defence?videoId=1032553&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1694780100001 This should, and probably will, be a massive story. Didn’t Port get a 100k fine for this?

Jimmy, you’re better than this garbage. Baiting people into an argument post loss is a losers game. You add heaps here, but this isn’t helpful mate.

I was at both those games. We were terrible in 2013, and something culture shifting happened behind closed doors in 2011. This is different, but if you can’t understand that I’m not going to argue with you. Enjoy your night.

That’s the worse Melbourne loss since the ‘87 Prelim. Im absolutely gutted.

Ok cool. Great thread. Don’t have an opinion. Gotcha.

Sorry, which one is it?

Don’t be sucked into this conversation. This is the argument being made by people drawing parallels between things that don’t exist. It’s not logical to assume that if the AFL suspended Maynard they would have to suspend anyone attempting a mark. The ball in dispute, in the air, is significantly different to a player moving passed the ball and cannoning into a player.

Lower the eyes, speed.

Given the events of the week I’m surprised the AFL isn’t conceding the entire competition is heavily orchestrated, and welcoming chairs…

Surely, in terms of accessibility, the club legally has to provide seating for people who can’t stand?

Jesse Hogan will be happy. He kicked 9 on Zerk-Thatcher 3 weeks ago.

That’s rough. Hope everyone is getting the required assistance.

I think the club would like to see Howes continue to develop and get a chance at senior footy. I know we were very happy with him before he got injured this season. He’s my smokey for round 1 2024.

I’ve been hearing a lot of Smith plays forward. But did he not play forward all of last week, or am I remembering that wrong? I reckon we’ll bring a midfielder (JJ) in, because we need Tracc forward. After the GWS game we played the Saints at Marvel and Tracc was the difference in the game. I think that was the plan against Collingwood too, before the ‘human frisbee’ bended space and time and forced him onto the ball.

I disagree with this. Marchbank’s ‘touch’ being disallowed means we finish top 2. Every single AFL ready key forward we have on our list has been injured for massive chunks of the season. Every time we find a solution it got taken away. We’ve had back to back finals against the only 2 teams still in the race that could drown us out at the G. One of our favourite sons gets knocked out in a thug move and everyone pretends it’s not, purely for their job security and ratings. Yet still Friday night, undermanned and exhausted by all of this we will be there in droves to support our team. Our supporters are so much more resilient than we get credit for, and the crowd numbers this year prove it. Go Dees. Make some [censored] noise. The whole worlds against us, but that can’t stop us.