Lucifers Hero

Tempting fate in writing this: Buddy injured so will miss our game in 3 weeks. We have been very lucky so far with our opps 'outs' - it has to run out sometime... Edit and, Hickey out for a month or two.

I prefer N tier to P tier. See all the oval and closer to the play.

It looks like 'everything is booked' because sales haven't opened yet. Melbourne members get first choice. From club website: https://www.melbournefc.com.au/member-ticketing/r6 Tickets will be available for redemption to member categories at the below times on Tuesday, 20 April: Priority 1 – Level 2 Premium Reserved Seat Members – from 1pm Priority 2 – Level 1 Reserved Seat Members – from 3pm Priority 3 – General Admission Members – from 5pm Ticket redemptions will close from 9am-1pm Wednesday 21 April before re-opening to all members and public. Also option to buy 3 game Blockbuster Membership which may enable a Priority 1 booking. Check the club. NOT A MEMBER? SIGN UP NOW FOR A BLOCKBUSTER MEMBERSHIP AND BE THERE FOR ANZAC DAY EVE - PLUS OUR HUGE CLASHES WITH CARLTON AND COLLINGWOOD. Cost of this membership is somewhat more than a ticket/reserved seat for ANZAC Eve game but might still be worth it.

The risk with Weideman or B. Brown is that neither have played AFL for nearly a year which can be easily exploited on the MCG by a fit and fresh Richmond. For mine neither did enough defensively yesterday and this year has shown if we don't bring the fwd pressure we get opened up. I'm really reluctant to change what is working. It is far too important a game to take risks with. Changes: One of Fritsch/B.Brown/Weideman in for Brown. May to replace Petty if fit. Swap Sparrow and Jordon from/to the medisub. It is Dusty's 250th and he will be up for a big game. We need to minimise his impact: if such a thing is doable: Tag him when in the middle eg Viney, Melksham (or even Sparrow if selected but he may be too inexperienced) and run with him when he goes forward eg Hibberd. Nail biting game coming up!

This article the-key-shift-that-turned-melbourne-from-pretenders-to-contenders identifies improvement in our 'front half' game as the reason for our success and Tom is integral to this: "Last year...Melbourne...ranked ninth for forward 50 tackles without a single Demon inside the top 30 for players in the stat in the competition. This year there's three in the top 10 with Tom McDonald (2.5 forward 50 tackles per game), Kozzy Pickett (2) and Charlie Spargo (1.8) leading the charge for a team average of 15.5 per game". Yesterday, he was on the ground 98% of the time showing his stamina and fitness. He had 11 score involvements (2nd highest), 10 marks, 421 meters gained (4th highest), 14 Uncontested possessions (2nd highest) etc. He is outstanding in his role and regardless of whether we bring in Weideman or B. Brown I would be really reluctant to change his role. Putting him on the wing means changing Brayshaw's role who has been very good on the wing.. We are reaching the point where players are settled in their roles and when changes are made a player slots into the vacated role rather than move players around. Players are becoming predictable to one another. I wouldn't mess with this synergy. imv, Tom stays in and stays in his current role.

I'm all for Jones getting his 300 game milestone . Then I really hope we move on and not refer to his past to justify games. Otherwise where does the nostalgia stop? Will we/he want to break MFC (Neitz's) games record:another 7 games. Will we/he want to play finals? The GF? It is really important he gets the 300 but for mine, future games are on performance (and who he is keeping out of the side) and fan nostalgia needs to focus on team success and the future.

Nice percentage boost!

Yesterday, I jokingly said that if we make the GF we should wrap od in bubble wrap so he can go to the game and not worry about contracting covid which I know for him would be extremely dangerous. I didn't mean it to say I thought we would make the finals. Right now I'm just going to enjoy the ride.

Two of those teams are out of the 8 only on %. If we lost those 4 games those teams would be 7th, 8th, 9th and 11th. They are where they are on the ladder because we beat them and in doing so we hurt their %. It is worth noting that two of the teams we have beaten played in 2020 finals and one in the GF. I guess if we lose on Sunday and go 5-0 we can add 17th to that list and you will say we still haven't beaten any decent teams! I fully understand your reticence but maybe its time to give credit to where credit is due.

Two points on beating Tigers: 1) From what I've read Sydney used the 'divide and conquer' strategy - they spread their defenders so that they could not get across to help each other out and intercept. We can copy that strategy 2) Last night Tigers appeared to not defend the mark or the free. I read somewhere their plan is to defend the 30m arc around the opp which forces a 'long bomb' kick over the arc allowing their defenders to intercept or their small players to activate their ground ball tactics. We need a plan to neutralise this tactic as defending the 'long bomb' has not been a strength of ours. Nonetheless, I think we are part of the way to doing so: Last week Jackson and McDonald would take the front position when fwd of center if they couldn't mark (or sometimes even when they could) and made two handed taps straight down into the waiting hands of a demon player, who was facing our goals. The two-handed tap down prevented interference from behind or the side and the ball falling to some random spot. I recall one time when McDonald was only a step in front of his opp and took a small leap and tapped down - didn't even try to mark. These looked like set plays and iirc worked every time in that we scored or the ball was delivered to a well placed fwd. For example we could have an arc about 15m behind their 30m arc and our fwds spread their defence across our fwd50. A combination which makes it very difficult for their players to get back or across. We will not play anything like the Saints who put up zero resistance. We have a steely resolve and am expecting a very different game when we play the tigers and hopefully a different result.

Not sure - Hawks have no decent defenders of note anyway.. Let Max follow McElvoy around if he goes down back to support them. Then again, a miracle might happen and Melksham steps up...

My optimism is still strong: 6/0 or 5/1 after the tigers game. Then who knows.

I was serious. After waiting and supporting with memberships for so long we would need to find a way to get you there.

If we make the grand final we may need to enclose @old deein bubble wrap? so he can come to the game - who knows when we might get to another one.

Let me guess - the initials of the obstacle are GB?

I meant FA as inferred by the description.

Congratulations on the little man's arrival, Adam. And good to see you managed to keep him away from supporting his Mum's Hawks

The stat would be more meaningful if it showed scores from kick ins. eg if it was '# of scoring shots/kick-in' I'm guessing we would rank quite highly. We have been very good at end to end movement but we often kick points so '# of scoring shots/kick ins' is a more meaningful stat.

Not many examples where a non RFA, out of contract player's club has forced a high trade price by playing hardball. Kelly to WCE is one of the few I can think of in recent times.

Initially I thought the pre GF bye was a good idea. Then I heard an interview where the comment 'there are always hard luck stories at GF' was made. And seeing this amazing position that Chelsea Randall has taken convinces me there should be no pre GF Bye. chelsea-randall-concussion-ruled-out-of-adelaide-crows-vs-brisbane-lions-clash Such a gracious, thoughtful person showing great leadership to the AFL community and trust and inspiration in her team. On the back of that the Crows will win the GF

Thank you. If Hibberd doesn't play much this year he may struggle to get a new contract. Agree with others but the club may want to keep options open and offer 1 year in some cases. I would probably put Jordon up there on priority signing especially as he is an RFA this year (due to being delisted then rookied last year) and depending on how he plays I would like to see Weideman continue with us but right now he wouldn't be a top priority.

Update for Oliver 2 year contract (and spelling of Smith's name) @GarboI update this table based on info in the media at the time a contract is signed. I notice footywire has Langdon's contract expiring this year which I highly doubt as he wouldn't have come on a two year contract. Let me know if you have seen other info on his contract and I will update accordingly. We may have a few extra players unsigned this year but I suggest not many are 'must keep'. Now for Salem's signature!

Awesome first post. Thanks for reassurance that Salem will sign.

Except that Dodoro does the wheeling and dealing as GM List Management. Mahoney is GM Football so I think they are peers. .

Oliver hasn't been with us for 8 years. He won't be an (R) FA until end of 2023, if he re-signs for two more years. If Oliver requests a trade we can ask a very high price but the player holds all the aces and once an OOC player nominates a club we have little choice but to get the best deal we can.