Lucifers Hero

Now he has two dodgy feet! We will just have to nurse him to the end of the season and the finals, like we did in 2018.

Here is a thought: 17/4 against on Saturday but is it an outlier? From the article about Viney (new thread): "(Goodwin) was concerned by the 17-4 crunching his side took at centre-bounce clearances, but a deeper analysis shows this has not been an ongoing issue. The Demons were beaten in this key area four previous times, but only by three clearances at the most. Conversely, they have also outscored their opponents by 3.5 points per game from centre clearances, ranked fourth". So, we are much more effective with our CBC than the opps. Ranked 4th is pretty good for scoring. Not saying CBC's aren't an issue just that it isn't costing us games. Yet. Imagine how awesome we will be when we dominate the clearances especially vs the good teams or those that usually beat us in that regard.

Agreed, they do. And I don't have an answer. CBC have been a problem for us since 6-6-6 was introduced at the start of 2019. We 've had plenty of experience since then on what individual teams and the comp as a whole are doing to win the clearances, regardless of whether we dominate the hitouts. Yet the fix eludes us. It makes no sense to me that we have the best ruckman and 2 of the best midfielders and we can't dominate the clearances. Teams have often said: "Let Melb win on the inside and we will beat them on the outside" so we are first to the ball but they run off with it. We should now be able to stop this as we an elite and a very good wingmen in Langdon and Brayshaw. So I wonder if we are making the most of them at CB. I haven't paid too much attention to them at CB but I think they move 'in their lane' rather head to the middle to stop the exit. Just a random thought... And I think our midfielders are still being sucked into the contest a bit ('old habits die hard' when under pressure). A few times Parker held back and just waited for the ball to exit and moved it forward. Now over to Max and the brainstrust to fix!

My two pence worth: For the last two years we had many games where opps were happy to cede hitouts but win the clearances: Bulldogs, Geelong, Lions, Cats and sometimes Hawthorn or even Eagles when Nick Nat was out. We would often get first hands to the ball but the opps would get the clearance. iirc having Viney in there in those years didn't make a difference. On Max, until this week he has played no less than 90% game time, sometimes as high as 97%. He looked beaten up vs north after all the clips across the back of the head from Richmond but and I couldn't tell if he was carrying an injury but thought he needed more bench time to rest. He was given this vs Swans. As @Pollyannamentioned he played 'just' 84%. Interestingly, Jackson's game time (usually 70-80%) didn't go up to compensate Max's time on the bench; in fact it went down: 79% to 70% this week. It looks to me we are 'managing' Jackson's game time rather than rest him for a whole game. How many times do we see Max drag himself up off the ground. They must be heavy knocks to fell a 204cm giant. He is getting no protection from the umpires and I'm glad the club saw fit to increase his bench time this week. I don't think Max should be given a week off. He is our captain, a proud man and incredibly courageous. Give him more bench time if necessary but he has to play, unless he is injured. I truly don't think Max or his hitouts are the problem. I think the opps develop effective strategies against us, strategies we are yet to counter in games or at training. I would like us to try different centre bounce setups during the next few games if we get an unassailable lead. I read somewhere that this is what Clarkson does. We can practice at training but there is nothing like game conditions.

Anyone else thinking Buddy may not play? Could they bring in Blakey, listed as an emergency, instead? Or bring in their master tagger, George Hewitt, who seems to be a late inclusion on their list of emergencies.

I like the changes. In the interest of consistency and maintaining the chemistry a 'like-for-like' player is the best way to go especially as we are still needing to assimilate Brown into the team and structures. Right now Harmes offers more options than Sparrow so I'm ok having the more experienced guy in the team. He will be raring to go to make this work and keep his position in the team. I'll back him in. Plenty of time for Sparrow.

AFL website also says Baker omitted. Will be interesting to see who the emergencies are as the medi sub will be one of them. Edit: just saw the emergencies. would expect Chandler or Sparrow to get that gig.

Jake Niall is Collingwood. I think Michael Gleeson is also. Not sure I can find any other 'real' journalists. The non-ex player 'pretend' journos: Purple is North Mark Stevens is North (I think) Sam McClure is Carlton John Ralph is Richmond Tom Morris is Melbourne Robbo is Essendon

Jungle Game tonight: Cats vs Tigers. Can't bear to pick a winner. Can only hope the Tigers lose simply because the more losses they have the harder their finals run will be. They are more threatening in finals than the Cats.

From the article: "Forget about Rioli's own sophomore campaign in 2009, it's more illustrative to compare Pickett's first seven games of this season to Rioli's best seasons – his All-Australian years of 2015 and 2016. That's where a picture of Pickett's true impact can best be painted. The beauty of Rioli was that he sustained such a level of greatness over a longer period than just these two years. Even still, the two years is a significantly larger sample size than Pickett's first seven games of this season. But for the 19-year-old Pickett to already be reaching such a gifted standard over a sizeable period, even if that period is barely two months of footy, still bears highlighting and exemplifies exactly the sort of talent Melbourne has at its disposal". Awesome comparison and stats. He does all the hard defensive stuff and not just the flashy stuff. I believe he lives with Petracca and Spargo so I doubt articles like this will go to his head. No better role model than Petracca to learn professionalism and the hard work required. And while late to humbleness, Petracca has a lot to offer Kozzie (and Charlie) in that regard.

Talking of Melbourne footy commentators/fans, haven't heard from Schwartz lately. He would be rapt about our 2021.

I couldn't find any comment from Cornes about Ollie's contract extension. A relevant aspect is that Olllie will be 32 when his contract expires and Petracca 33. Not a lot of difference regarding longevity. I may be wrong but Cornes has a habit of being selective. I actually feel a bit bad saying he is a 'dope'. It is very rare for me to make a personal criticism but he is one commentator I cannot abide and it got the better of me.

If the media come out with that line they don't understand adversity: it isn't 3 coaches working remotely. If Rampie and Buddy play they will be at almost full strength so in a better injury position than us. So, agree we really need to take care of business. I'm half expecting us to lose. Their book ends are back, Parker and Kennedy are very strong in the middle, Hickey is in fine form and their small/medium players (Heeney, Papley, Florient) are extremely dangerous around goals. We can match those strengths but Sydney have a well drilled game style that regularly beats us; beats us on the inside and beats us on the outside. It will be interesting to see how our system stands up. Should be a very good game. May go down to the wire.

Worth starting a new thread on this as folks have been keen to hear from roffey. I'm relieved to hear we are unlikely to end up with a back-ended contract/sal cap problem like the Pies.

ollie-wines-contract "Foxfooty.com.au can exclusively reveal that Wines has inked a new deal that ties him to the club until the end of 2026. He will be 32 by the time the contract expires". At the time, (Nov 2020) Wines had 2 years left on his contract which they extended by 4 years, to 2026 ie a 6 year contract until age 32.

Coll also traded out their second round pick - currently pick 21. So picks 2 and 21 have gone down the gurgler for 5 -6 picks in 2020 that were in the mid teens to mid 30's range. All to protect their Daicos position this year. Huge own goal. Double own goal if they have to go into points deficit this year and chew up part of their 2022 first round pick. They will probably trade it out but it just prolongs the pain. Their first pick this year is the Bulldogs second - currently pick 35. Add in any F/S, Academy picks and that goes out to mid 40's. World of pain for years.

Not sure if it is spin. The Age gives a different angle: list-manager-ned-guy-quits "Guy arrived at the end of 2017 and inherited a salary cap that had for years back-ended and extended contracts to push problems down the road with large, long-term deals. That (2 first round draft picks for Beams) deal was done on the basis that Beams was a top-10 midfield talent in the league coming into a side that was a kick off a premiership, but also with significant pressure from the board to bring the former Magpies premiership player back to the club from Brisbane. He also signed Brodie Grundy to a seven-year deal worth about $925,000 a year amid strong pressure from the board to retain the ruckman and in a climate of a hemorrhaging salary cap where the only way to retain Grundy was to commit to a long-term deal." The article goes on and it sounds to me they really wanted to keep him. I'm guessing the mess he inherited, the Board interference in Beams/Grundy and maybe other list management, being made to trade 3 required players and its spin going terribly wrong, through no fault of his made him realise what a mess he was in. Also the realisation that it would take years to repair the list and before it started to perform again. I would walk to.

Did he carry on when Port gave Ollie a 6 year contract until he is 32? No! And I bet if Port had secured Petracca's signature on a 7 year contract until he is 33 he would say it was a great coup. Cornes is a dope.

I doubt the 3 assistants not being at the ground will make much difference. They will get all the usual vision and instant stats on whatever digital device they use, as if they were in the box. They will relay/talk with Longmire, as if they were in the box. The only difference is personally addressing players and lines at the breaks. As someone else mentioned addresses in the rooms can be done by zoom. Not ideal. Just a hiccup I suggest and they have 3 days to set up whatever is needed. If we win we win on our merits.

Doubt he was pushed as he resigned at the end of last year but was asked to stay on and they tried to talk him out of leaving. list-manager-ned-guy-quits It reads more like he got a bit fed up with the board making key list decisions, in particular Board pressure for Beams' return and pressure to give 7 years to Grundy, two of the main reasons they got into the sal cap mess.

Yes, Viney is inspirational. Max took over the captaincy because he was he could be everybody's mate, with a serious side and a light side. And Max presented very well for sponsors and the club in the media. I would have thought that someone with the best quality of Viney and the best of Gawn would be an ideal captain. Petracca has all their qualities covered, plus he can and has won games off his own boot. The ideal might be Petracca (c). Lever (vc). Anyway it is a bit academic as I expect Max and Jack to keep their roles for a few years yet. We may add another vc at some stage but that is about it as I see it.

The problem would be if Victoria declares Sydney a 'red zone' and anyone who has been there since (insert a date) goes into quarantine if they come to Victoria. The AFL has been pretty good at negotiating exceptions with the Vic government eg allowing North back from WA. So I don't think it is up to them. The Vic government is the key.

Watched his interview on AFL360. Very impressed. A far cry from the joker and pest of his early days. Captain material. Wouldn't be surprised if he succeeds Max.

I'm guessing the round 1 - 7 is based on 2020 ladder position of the opp, maybe the 2021 ladder position of opp and possibly travel. Looking at us and Bulldogs I just can't see 18th and 14th given the minimal travel and the very few top teams the bulldogs have played. I can see how we would have the hardest fixture going forward as we play Port, Bulldogs twice, Eagles at Optus, Cats again, Lions (all 2020 finalists) and we have lots of interstate travel. But who knows. Could well be HS don't know how it was compiled...

Of the Vic teams Cats and Rich would be interested to replace Hawkins and Riewoldt resepectively, Ess, Pies and Hawks to fill a current void and North because they chase everyone. I think he will stay.