Lucifers Hero

Does anyone know what Weideman's 'soreness' (after last week's Casey game) is? Didn't see him on the injury report.

Agreed, rest him this week. Especially as we play WCE at Optus Oval after GCS, on a 6 day break. Apparently, WCE have stopped training there because of the surface and potential for injury. The surface will not help Viney's ankle, TMac's toe, Garlett's hamstring soreness or any player that has had leg/foot issues recently. To me the season is done re finals so lets not put players at risk of aggravating any 'niggles'. Rest Viney this week and manage others as best we can in the next few weeks. Last week showed we can win if we field 22 fit players.

A problem with Jack's game time being managed in many games this year is that other players stay out longer than they should. Last week we played the game out to the last second and won it because we were fit enough and strong enough to see it out. I wonder if the key players in the last 30 seconds could have done it if they had played an extra 5 minutes each to compensate for Jack being on the bench (had he played) for 25-35% of the game? A rhetorical question I know. If he plays this week I hope he is on the park for about 80% game time otherwise it just hurts the rest of the team. He just can't be selfish. We have won many games without him. Team first, co-captain!

The table below was posted on bigfooty by 'Djcjdees'. I like the table as it shows how the no of weeks has changed for the last month. Some times have improved and some have worsened, in particular Joel Smith (subject of another thread) and Jetta (who also should not have played out the game after being injured early in the game). Also, that KK is continually listed as TBC and AVB has now been TBC for a few weeks is worrying. Player April 9 April 16 April 29 May 1 May 7 Hannan 6-8 (was 6-12 March 20) 6 4-6 3-4 2-3 JKH 10-12 8-10 8 3-4 3 Lever 6-8 (was 6-12 March 20) 6 4-6 3-4 3-4 KK - - TBC TBC TBC May 2-3 2-4 TBC 3-4 3-4 Joel Smith TBC (was 5 March 20) 4-6 4-5 6-8 6-8 AVB 4-6 4-6 4-5 TBC TBC Viney - - - 2 Test* Maynard - - - 3-4 3 Preuss - - - (left off weirdly but was 2) 1 Test Nev - - 8-10 10-12 10-12

Thanks. I heard some of them say you can't drink while in rehab. Mahoney on the other hand said we didn't have strict rules, we trust players so there is some inconsistency there. But did anyone say the club told "an employee that he can't have a legal and responsible outlet to his clearly stressful life" which is the basis of Barrett's claim that mfc 'stance on May is 'control gone mad'. I just didn't see anything wrong with how the club has responded to the original story.

Barrett writes: "In the club's eyes, May drinking at a Richmond bar was a bad look given his poor start to life as a Demon after eight years with Gold Coast". I found where Mahoney said the first part but not the second part. 'Poetic' licence by Barrett? "I didn’t view it that way. In my eyes, the Demons' stance on May is control gone mad". The bad look in my eyes was a football club telling an employee that he can't have a legal and responsible outlet to his clearly stressful life I can't find anywhere where the club said that to May or any other player. Is that 2+2+x=55! According to Mahoney: “Our overall approach is we treat our players like adults and the only question we ask them if they’re doing everything possible to maximise their abilities and be the best versions of themselves...“We don’t set a lot of rules because we think bad clubs and bad organisations set a lot of rules, so we just go about asking those questions and trusting our players.” What did the club do/say that was controlling? As Goodwin said: the issue 'had been blown out of proportion'. imv that applies to Barrett's angle that mfc's stance is 'control gone mad'. Good click bait but not a lot of substance.

Goodwin: Jack Viney hasn’t been ruled out yet. He will have an important training session today + he will make a call on his fitness - he knows his body well. — Melbourne FC (@melbournefc) May 7, 2019 Jack has a poor record of judging when fit to play. By his own admission he returned early from his foot injury in 2017 and has had long periods on the sidelines and/or managed game time since. His game time was managed in games early in the season. Ditto vs Hawks - he played about 2 of the first 3 qtrs (prior to the shoulder injury). This suggests something other than the shoulder injury is causing the managed game times. Have someone else make the decision!

The gloss of the rnd 7 win has been overshadowed by negative stories about May and fitness staff (Shaun Smith story). The club will want some good news out there rather pronto so wouldn't be surprised to see it announced ASAP maybe even tomorrow.

Re Sydney 'bottoming out'. On OTC last night Roos said he was aware there were 2 outstanding players in the draft. It made me think Sydney is positioning to get them: one with a very early pic and the other with an upgrade of a low 20's pic. It may be a race to the bottom between them and Carlton. Didn't WCE and Colllingwood do something similar at one stage?

Post #106 indicates someone giving Morris info is an mfc issue. Post #107 shows what Morris didn't say as well as what he did say that imv makes his reporting slanted to reflect poorly on May.

If you are referring to my posts, the issues I have are: that someone from the club is giving him info. his reporting was slanted to reflect poorly on May, leaving no room for possible extenuating circumstances and he was quite smug in the process. I have never met him so don't like or dislike him. But I certainly do not like how he goes about his work.

He was dropped because May came in. Has done a terrific job since coming back in. Deserves to stay when other defenders return.

Morris writing this really annoys me: "When contacted, Melbourne could not rule out either a player-led or club enforced punishment for the former Gold Coast captain". More likely: TM: Will May be sanctioned? MFC: No comment Suddenly he has an angle about possible club sanctions! And, if as noted in an earlier post, people in the media know that May is going thru a torrid personal time and not acknowledging that in the article is really low. He has dredged up all his recent past with us, made a big story out of it without regard for May's welfare. And, I wish someone would wipe the smug look he had on OTC while reporting this off his face. All in all, he gives 'gutter journalism' a new low.

Even if the pic was sent to Morris by a non-mfc person, he still has a person inside mfc who has told him about the apology meeting in advance and even before many/most players knew what the meeting was about. Whoever it is inside mfc that continues to feed this creep info so he can smear our name from pillar to post, needs to be brought in and read the riot act. We don't need people inside our club contributing to sensationalist reporting.

High praise from Hibberd: On Hore: "...He drops back in space, helps the other defenders in the air and he is a great teammate. I love playing with Marty.” On Lockhart: "You just know what you’re going to get with Jay. He is as hard as nails and probably one of the toughest players I’ve come across in footy,” Hore and Lockhart would love hearing that from an experienced and succesful teammate. Only last week some on here were lamenting all the VFL standard players in our side. Hore and Lockhart may just prove the doubters wrong (along with Fritsch, Hannan, AVB)

I don't think it is correct as Goodwin wasn't on the inside mfc podcast after round 1 last year. As I recall it Morris was solidly 'pushed' he didn't 'quit'. Either way he put his work brownie points before the privileged access position at a football club. Poor form to abuse a privilege like that. Deserved what he got.

fwiw, on Footy Classified last week Caroline Wilson mentioned in passing there was an issue between Macca and Jennings. She didn't elaborate but her tone suggested it wasn't serious or lasting. Suspect Morris made it a mountain out of a molehill. As Pert said, challenging dialogue in coaches meetings is healthy. Morris is probably bitter for being kicked off the mfc podcast last year after going to press with some selection changes ahead of official announcement.

Geelong and Ess were throwing it all day - sometimes quite blatantly. The same is happening with holding a player when not in possession. Usually the hold is for a second, let go for a fraction of a second then hold for a second. Much fewer frees paid this weekend than earlier rounds. Suspect the AFL has told umpires to ignore the abvove to keep the game flowing quickly ie the 'optics' of the game. Fine if umpires are consistent but they aren't. We benefited from one throw from Frosty but Hawks had a few just outside our square which weren't called.

After round 7 A very quirky year as only 3 of last year's finalists are in the top 8 sitting 1,2,3. Nearly every year 6 or 7 of the top 8 are virtual locks for the Finals after Round 7. How many are locks this year? 3 maybe 4? I can see Tigers and Eagles making it in and Freo and Saints out. Not at all sure about the SA teams either. In a year where 12 wins may get a team in, Brisbane is well placed with 5 wins. Last year's bottom teams have easy draws. Not the usual advantage for Freo, Lions and Saints as each of their games will shape the 8 whereas usually they are relatively inconsequential. Except for a few teams there has been a lot of rubbish football this year. So it may be a 'Bradbury' year. Those left standing will make the 8 but quite a few will be just making up the numbers. Other than hoping we make the finals (a slim chance), even if only for the experience it gives the team I fervently hope Essendon do not.

In the 2018 preseason and 2019 season he was an on-field tutor to Lever in defence structures, tactics etc. Had Lever not been injured there is every chance Lewis would be playing less games now. There is still some teaching to be done and Lewis is the only one that can do it. He will stay in the team (unless they manage him for the long-distance games). That Lewis is in the side for his leadership and ability to organise and marshall the troops is a real indictment on our on-field leaders. Even when all our co-caps and vice caps played lack of on-field leadership was deplorable before Lewis came back. Also, if folks criticise his disposal - look at Jones whose DE% was a mere 45%. Jones' DE% has been poor this year and hurts just as much as Lewis'.

DJ, I guess the two are GCS and Crows? I reckon Eagles are gettable. Vardy and Hickey are out of form. They are playing one ruckman atm and Vardy/Hickey aren't as good a combo as Vardy and Lycett. Whoever they choose there'll be no working Max over this time. He and the team will be ready. We won't be as exhausted as going into the prelim, having effectively played about 6 Elim finals beforehand. We started to click yesterday and will do moreso vs GCS next week. And, we will have something to prove.

49,636 1,000 more than on Wednesday! Good to see a lot of fans keeping the faith (they don't read or post on DL?) This is 8,000 up on similar time last year ie ~20%. Not bad for a team sitting 1-5 and on the bottom of the ladder as of Friday. If trend continues 54,000 is in sight.

Leading from the goal square to the dangerous 30-40m out was a very successful tactic. Separation for our forwards has been really difficult this year. Hunt has the speed to burn most defenders out of the goal square and it is a lot harder for another defender to intercept or have an outnumber. Would like to see him stay there. It let TMac roam up the ground a bit and get involved. As a result our fwd line was a lot less congested. Best forward structures we've had all year. As an aside, good to see us win on the G again. Back home where we belong!

I reckon it was the argy bargy between Hunt and Sicily and other skirmishes in the 3rd that got the adrenalin going. Players were getting aggro which was great to see. It was a far cry from the passiveness of the first game players let Max get mauled and gave not a whimper let alone some aggro. Early in the season Goodwin spoke of 'playing grumpy' and I suspect the second half is what he meant. People speak of our DNA being 'the contest' and look at contested possessions/tackles. I reckon our DNA is much more than that. It is the aggressive/vicious edge that we saw in the first two finals. That is when we play our best footy and the second half was a good example. We haven't quite reached the edge of the first two finals but it was a good sign. Lets keep it going!

Clarkson is showing signs of being a sore lose. Blunt Clarkson About the Dees: "They'll be dancing from the rooftops tonight – but they didn't play outstanding footy, either, today. "A really good side would have really hurt Melbourne with some of the opportunities we had today – and that's the disappointing part," he said. "We couldn't sit there and say, 'Melbourne's pressure was just enormous and that's what stopped us from dropping marks and missing kicks and that sort of stuff'. All that may be true but poor form from Clarkson.