The heart beats true

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.

JJ to Saints makes sense for both parties I reckon.

Good luck trying to get that spare ticket now!

Weren’t you just looking for a spare ticket to this game in another thread? Why bother?

I have absolutely no doubt he will be part of the class action, and I suspect the AFL knows it too.

The AFL will appeal. There's only 2 ways to look at it: This whole thing is just a ratings exercise. The appeal extends it. Or, this whole thing is about creating the facade that they are taking concussion seriously. They appeal.