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Sad news for Trenners as well as whatever deal we were going to try and do. In terms of his injury I saw on his twitter feed people telling him to talk to Hird, suggesting he came back after 2 years out with same injury to play career best football? Dare to hope?

Demonlanders, This is very much an afterthought but I am in Adelaide on a bucks week/weekend until Sunday with a bunch of fellow Queenslanders, have realised I could have arranged footy tickets to the Power / Hawks if I had been prepared enough (I wasn't and public admission is sold out) and wondered if anyone would know of anyone or any way that I might be able to get my hands on 5 tickets for our party?! Understandably this is very last minute, but if anyone has any information or tickets and could help out please contact me, Tim, on 0427933993. Thanks everyone! TG

Was at the game today and to be fair I think the scoreline flattered us. We got absolutely towelled up in the midfield; it was easily the most frustrating thing to watch how easily Brisbane cleared it out at every centre bounce and even at stoppages around the ground. The main feeling I had all day was that there was so very little pressure on Brisbane when they had the ball, it went end to end easily, and most worrying was their ability to move the ball from the boundary on their HF to an unmaned player on the CHF. Down the end of the ground I was sitting it happened at least half a dozen times and I was ready to pull my hair out watching it happen over and over again. Yet in comparison when Melbourne had the ball we seemed to always be under pressure, rushed and indecisive. We kicked into the man on the mark or were spoiled a number of times because we hesitated in kicking the ball. At stoppages Brisbane were in a training drill, and no matter which direction the ball seemed to get tapped out they had the spare man with another player running off them perfectly where I didn't see more that 1 or 2 examples of that from us for the whole day where I was sitting. As my old man said watching "(Melbourne) really have nothing that gets me excited about the season ahead." As for the standout players I've seen a bit of critism for Terlich but if it weren't for his fists in contests all day long the score would have been so so much worse; he made ground to every contest and saved many sure set shot opportunities. It's hard to shake off or describe the ease with which Brisbane got the ball inside 50 (training drill?) but Garland and Terlich more than did their job given the speed that the ball was coming in at times, and despite some poor clearances from him the effort there in defence from what I saw was very commendable, even the Brisbane supporters around me were giving him raps. Tapscot was good, pushed hard to every contest, was a real terrier and competed well even when outnumber (which seemed to happen so often), laid on bumps and some crunching tackles but also looked dangerous at times in the forward line. Sylvia was exciting for most of the day and I just hope he can string together games were he honestly looks like he's trying as he did today. Busted through a number of tackles, took a couple of good grabs and on a day when disposal was a problem seemed created a lot of drive and opportunity, I was impressed where he usually leaves me questioning his desire. Gawn is a giant and when he was up forward looked dangerous and competed really well for the mark. I couldn't comment on the rucking because whether or not we won the taps we were quite embarrassingly walked over in the middle and at stoppages given no Black and no Rich. Byrnes got more footy than any other Melbourne player today and used it fairly well, except of course for that gift basket kicking into the man on the mark. I haven't taken a lot of notice of Byrnes so far but he seemed to play a solid roll and provided a constant target which not a lot of others did. Though Bail was really exciting and showed a lot in the first part of the game, was agile and hit contests well, winning his own ball and feeding off but I couldn't comment further on his game as most of his possession I think was picked up on the other side of the ground to where I was, as some have eluded to him burning team mates to have shots on goal that I didn't see. McDonald was giving away so much height today, that despite some of his woeful disposal its hard to blame the guy when that matchup was never going to work, he looked dwarfed. Had a few good runs along the defensive boundary when team mates shepparded Rodan had a fair bit of dash but didn't do too much else, though I did note for a 'seasoned' player under pressure he coughed the ball up a number of times, or didn't dispose of the ball to any postive effect to a team mate, giving off 1 complete hospital ball after he let himself get in a bad position that ended up in a turn over. Speaking of woeful disposal, he's a personal favourite as we share a last name but it was painful to see Grimes turn the ball over so often today in that crucial first or second kick out of defence. I see that reports have him down as one of Melbournes best and that I know he was fairly present all around the ground but myself and the family groaned more than a few times from his costly turnovers which resulted in goals and I found it hard to forgive him for those. The only thing I saw of Pederson all day was him running to and from the interchange. Same with Blease. He had an exciting run early, got done holding the ball not long after, and then I didn't see him again until the announcement he'd been subbed. Howe presented well all day but given how he loves to leap there were a few opportunities in the first quarter right beside my spot on the boundary when he was in good position to take a hanger from the back and chose instead to compete on the ground or not go in for the mark at all. Nate Jones was well held today and never really got into the game, though even A lister midfielders have days they can't shake a tag. When we rely so heavily on the guy in the middle I hoped he would fire or that someone else would stand up but it never really eventuated. Others have said it before, Jamar tapped out well today ... to Moloney. Didn't do much of anything when he went forward but did take a decent pack mark and goal, but he did add a bit of height and took his other good mark in defence that would have been a likely goal opportunity for Brisbane. Didn't see too much else from him other than that... Watts was a pleasure and a pain at different times of the day. In defence I honestly now agree with the perspective that he seems lazy at times. Twice while I watched his man made space on him while he seemed to be just ball watching in the middle of the defensive 50 and his direct opponent on both occasions marked inside 50 at CHF after recieving it from boundary when Brisbane were looking to centre it. That said when he went forward he took some fantastic grabs under a bit of pressure, and he held his man off really well to protect the space in front of him a number of times resulting in him being able to push off and get to the ball first. His goal from the boundary was sensational. Not sure what to grade his day at given the contrasting performances, would his enjoyment of his role be the reason for his lethargy? Davey didn't get much of a chance, tried to take a hanger but forgot to put his hands out instead of using them to climb onto 2 defenders shoulders. Had the chance to do one of his bread and butter chase down and tackles in the last as well but doesn't seem to have that extra gear he once did and couldn't catch his man. Thats all from me, there was a bit to like about the first quarter but from there on it just felt like we were "hanging in there", that Brisbane were having a training drill at times and not putting us away when they had the chance and most of all that we got completely torn up in the midfield!

Headed down to the Gabba next weekend with the old man and brother for the 1 and only game I'll be able to make this year. I don't hold out too much hope of a win after each of our performances but I'll take being competitive for 4 quarters just so the flights down and back were worth the money... I dunno about a genuine chance, but it was hard enough talking a family of usually blasé supporters into tripping down after the start we've had, if we get kicked out of the park I might be returning on my own next year...

belzebub59 as a long time reader, casual golfer, and avid MFC supporter, I just had to pipe up and say your analogy before was just about the greatest thing I've read on D'land for a long long time and everyone should take the time to read it, respect the many truths in it and try and take a little heart from it because I would completely agree and see this as where the club sits at the moment as well. Very well said mate.