The heart beats true

Yet somehow I would have found a way to love it.

Security at the AFL is, on the whole, really nonsensical. There’s always tons around us, and Police standing at the end of the aisle - where it’s all Melbourne supporters with reserved seats. We all furiously agree with each other, so they serve no purpose - which I suspect they know and why they stand there. All cheer squads should have allocated security guards at each ground. It’s not hard to put people in to support them. It should be a prerequisite. @WalkingCivilWar this is a club matter. If they want our people to travel and support, they need to make their safety a priority.

Which station? Who said it?

I watched The Round So Far on the AFL site. It’s always got some really meaningful analysis and vision, and it’s quick so they don’t drag it out with ladsy BS. Friday night was our lowest mark count under Goodwin by some measure, and the other low marking games were 2018-19. So that looks to me like we couldn’t win the ball back in the air, and then control. You can’t control it if you don’t win it back, so that makes sense. So we clearly didn’t create anywhere near enough pressure on the ball carriers and at clearance to create rushed kicks that we could win back. Turnovers are clearly the new backbone of our game plan. I’d imagine it’s a nervous week for our Half Forwards and second tier Mids. They didn’t bring anywhere near enough defensive intensity. If they do we win.

The AFL has to be the only sport in the world where a player gets a penalty awarded to them on field, and then gets suspended for the same action after the game is over. Don’t ask why you get so much umpire abuse AFL. You undermine them publicly every week.

It’s been 24 hours, so just for a laugh go and watch the last 2 minutes on the AFL site. The final throw in literally goes 15 metres away from Melbournes goal. It has to be the worst throw in in AFL history. All the players stopped assuming it would be recalled. It’s nuts how bad it is. Didn’t affect outcome. Just seemed highly unusual.

It’s a Saturday night. I bet Wattsy has better things to do.

He has the audacity to call the game, and applaud the gameplay. It’s so novel!

Gees Dogga looks good.

Footage of this anywhere?

I’m not doubting the free kick - but the delivery system for that from a gamesmanship perspective is horrific. ’Hi, I’m a voice from above that no one can hear but you. Yeah, that team wins. Cheers’

Yet when players on the ACTUAL FIELD don’t line up in THE CORRECT PLACES THAT COULD DIRECTLY IMPACT THE GAME, everyone gets a warning???? That makes no sense.

Wow. I can’t believe that ending. Doesn’t do much for the conspiracy theorists when a voice in the umpires ears decides the game.

Maybe Bowey comes out injured, Disco in, Lever freed up. Salem and McVee can play the Bowey role. We were playing 3 talls with Petty, and Lever looked better as the third tall. It's worth a look.

Turner has legitimately said 'I deserve a regular go at AFL level'. Good on him.

Disco too good for this level.

Just watched May’s interview postgame. Certainly implies they got a spray at half time.

Bowey?

What? And get a fine, and put a target on us? He knows how the bigger game is played.

I have been very optimistic about this side. For me it’s not the losses now, it’s the trend. We have less than a 30% win rate against top 8 sides over the last 12 months (and we’ve played a lot of games against them, so there is good data). Losses are understandable, but that stat says we can’t currently compete with the best. As a result my optimism has turned into pragmatism. The numbers tell the truth.

Is he our most improved player this year? I reckon he’s been fantastic.

Statistically it’s hard to argue with. It appears our best keeps us in most games, but it’s not enough to get us over the line in more than a third of games against top teams. The issue, at least partly, appears to be improvement in players. None of our tall forwards have improved over the last 18 months, and our midfield mix is stagnant. Grundy has replaced Jackson, and that’s the only difference. Our defence is as reliable as ever in my opinion, but in reality look to have too much asked of them. It’s a game of inches at the top, and staying still is actually going backwards. I love how consistent we are as a club, but unfortunately that consistency looks to have hit its ceiling.

I reckon Woewodin will play his first game next week if Hunter is rubbed out. I think we need some fresh energy.

All valid points Titan. I think for me the genuine concern now comes from our record against good sides. We don’t seem to be able to get the job done in 70% of those games. JVR and Tom looked ordinary all night, but it’s very hard to judge tall forwards in those conditions.

I don’t get why people keep asking what Nick Daicos will do to us based on Butters game? Daicos might have struggled tonight. It wasn’t a game for hand offs and elite kicking. It was a ‘go and get your own ball night’. They are both great players, but very, very different.