Lucifers Hero

I didn't say anything about them drinking alcohol - you made that up. Nor anything about being 'really' late. So you are the one alluding to rumours. Take a look at your own thought processes.

Off the top of my head: Geelong * 2 Saints North Richmond Can't be bothered looking for others but I'm sure there are.

Maybe he was tired from attending Jake Lever's engagement party the night before... ...which is weird by Lever as he proposed to his bride to be on his O/S trip after last year's GF. He could have chosen a better day to involve his teammates.

Thanks guys. You've given me a much needed laugh. I'll settle for a well tuned car with no passengers!

Gee, 'suspect when pressured' is really tough on Salem. He had 22 possessions @ 95.5%. 5 marks. 6 R50's. 4 Tackles. He ran and he bounced and he kicked true. Am genuinely curious as to what you saw to think he was suspect.

WOW....Granted he has a right to have his engagement when it suits but the night before a critical game. I wonder would he have chosen last night if he was playing today?

You just don't get it!! That is an oversimplification that ignores all the things I mentioned in my post and ignores how the game was played. We didn't compete enough, we didn't tackle enough, we didn't control the ball hardly at all. Our structures broke down badly. But sure if you want to keep pushing kick straight and we win, good on you. I know you like to always have the last word so go it, this is the last from me.

Poor kicking for goal is not why we lost! Thinking like that is an easy out for those who want to play ostrich or just make excuses. We lost the game in the 2nd quarter. Early in they kicked 3 or 4 goals because we had no-one guarding the goal square and the ball just bounced through. Don't know leaving the goal square open was a coaching decision or poor on field leadership but it cost us big time. They should not have got such easy goals. Those easy goals got their tails up and they started to play 'tempo' football brilliantly controlling the ball. Time and Time again they would get the ball in their back 50 and with precision short kicks they had uncontested marks all they way to goal. We didn't even touch it or get close to laying a tackle. They got a few more goals that way. Before we knew it they had 7 unanswered goals. Note the # of marks: Syd: 120. Melb: 82. I can't find how many were uncontested but it would be a large percentage for them. They laid 77 tackles to our 69. Poor kicking has little to do with those stats and a lot to do with work rate, game sense and back up plans. We were comprehensively outplayed in the 2nd and 3rd quarter when our structures broke down. Our forward structures broke down as badly as our defensive structures. The big issue for me was that we were not even come close to countering their 'tempo' game. They wouldn't let us play 'our way' and we were lost and flat footed. That is why they won.

Glad that even tho AVB wasn't seen at training yesterday he is playing. We need him bullocking his way around the forward line - help keep the likes of McVeigh honest. Also, rapt that Hunt is back. Can't wait to see him do his 'road-runner' routine out of the backline. Now that Bernie is out for the season the defence role is Hunt's to own.

Barracking for the Bulldogs today and hope the umpires continue to treat them as their favourites! Double barrel benefit if doggies win. Knocks one Scott bro out of finals and improves our chances of staying in the 8!!

Whichever has us by-passing the Hawks in subsequent games which of course we have no way of knowing in advance. They are our nemesis. Anything to avoid them until the last Saturday of September.

After the game Pyke said: "...he hadn't thought about...how to handle the next fortnight..." They play North and Pies. Will Crows put the cue in the rack and consolidate their spot for a better draft pick for those talented SA draftees or will they play for pride. That can have a massive impact on the final 8, including our chances, if it comes down to the wire. With Tex likely to be out I reckon they will shut up shop.?

Is it bye-bye Tex for this season? He must get a few weeks for that half-sling/half-driving tackle on Kelly. Commentators were quick to play it down (as they do with better known player) arguing that Tex couldn't know the ball had fallen free. Dangerfield got a week last year even tho he couldn't have known the ball had fallen free. His tackle was far less malicious than Tex's. Likes being the tough guy but nothing tough about that tackle.

They Who Shall Not Be Named. In this case refers to the 3 amigos: My Egotist, Mr Ducker and Mr Sook that make up the 'elite' midfield at Geelong. Occasionally modified to HWSNBN ie He Who Shall Not Be Named. When used on DL it is exclusively for the No 1 p_ick who took his 30 pieces of silver and went to GWS. Edit: Just saw Dalenska's reply - for got about the drug cheats!

To put those scores in context (our score in brackets): 2017: 11.19.85 (7.8.50) 2016: 12.14.86 (4.7.31) 2015: 12.16.88 (7.8.58) 2014: 9.15.69 (5.8.38) Only their inaccuracy has stopped the result being a complete bloodbath. Last year it was embarrassing - our only Friday night at the G. 30 scoring shots to 15. It was like watching a training drill. Sydney are a notoriously low scoring side (not often more than 90pts and rarely over 100) relying on their defence to keep opp to a lower score. We are a vastly better side than in the past four years but we are still 'the easiest team to score against' so I'm not pinning my hopes on keeping them to a low score to get us over the line, especially if they have their straight kicking boots on. And, lets not underestimate Longmire - he is right up there with Clarkson as a smart coach.

Great news. Coming from you, this fills me with a lot of confidence. Thank you.

It isn't just their well known players we have to watch out for. Last week George Hewett had 25 disposals @ 80%, 10 Clearances and they have a bunch of handy, young small forwards. Not sure we have a bunch of small defenders. We aren't good at wet weather football and Sydney have exploited that in the past so lets hope for a dry day. Not feeling confident. Edit: more confident now that Jane02 has reported Max a likely starter. Will help neutralise Syd midfield

Looks like Essendon has got in early for Good Friday Eve https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-proposes-good-friday-eve-blockbuster-against-carlton-for-2019-20180809-p4zwlb.html It gives Ess the maximum break to the ANZAC Day game and be fresher the week after which is against us. It will be interesting to see when we get fixtured over Easter? I suspect it won't be to our scheduling advantage with ANZAC Eve game and then a few days later Ess. We could easily end up playing 3 games in 10 days. That will be two Prime Time Thursday night games for Carlton in the first few weeks (they also have the opening round vs Richmond). "Both the MCC and Carlton support the Bombers' move with both clubs hoping their fortunes will change in the near future, leading to the clash becoming one of the most anticipated annual fixtures". The AFL make no secret of wanting Carlton to be 'great again'. Carlton have done nothing to deserve this favouritism either FTA TV or another stand alone 'blockbuster' game at the G vs a big drawing (ie big revenue club). Rant over! Edit: Ideally, we play Coll on Good Friday as it is still 6 weeks before the QB game so a reasonable gap. But I wouldn't be surprised to see Good Friday go to Richmond and Collingwood so they have a slightly longer break before ANZAC games.

Good summary by Roos. Always makes sense. The table showing top 8 vs top 8 wins/losses is enlightening. We are 0 wins.4 losses. The worst record is Collingwood: 6 losses 1 win. Sydney not much better with 5 losses and 2 wins. The media aren't talking of them as down hill skiers. Sydney I can understand as they have the runs on the board. But talking the Pies up when they have done worse than us. Sheesh!! Edit: Delete references to Sydney - thank you to 'General Malaise' post below

I thought the same when Clarrie took that kick. I think SEN may be referring to this photo of the Great Man. Camera at different angle but very similar action. Clarrie is a delight to watch as I'm sure RDB was.

MFC sponsor The Sporting Globe is supporting this event. http://www.sportingglobe.com.au/melbournefc "All profits from our new Pink Shimmer Mocktails and Cocktails will go towards the cause in the lead up to the Field of Women 20th Anniversary Game. Melbourne FC members are invited to our BCNA Matchday Brunch, Sun 12 Aug. Hosted by former Winter Olympian Stephanie Prem with guest appearance by a Melbourne Football Club player. Celebrating the culmination of our campaign and raising additional funds as we raffle a signed MFC 2018 Guernsey. Incl. complimentary drink on arrival and high tea canapés with free bus transfers to the MCG". TSG @ 288 Bridge Road Richmond On a related note, tickets for the Game Day events can be purchased @ https://www.bcna.org.au/news-events/events/field-of-women-2018/

This is where we differ. I think Mr and Mrs Brayshaw would be equally magnanimous if it was a player from a team that had no connection to any of their sons. Or heaven forbid, if anything happened to their eldest son, Will who is currently on active duty in Afghanistan representing our country. I truly don't think diplomacy has anything to do with thow they have conducted themselves in recent days (or ever). Just my thoughts.

The important people in this (the Brayshaw family) have forgiven. I found the conversation between Mark Brayshaw and Gaff's dad (who rang to apologise) quite moving. Both fathers and families have shown great understanding and are role models for others who find themselves in very difficult circumstances with their children. If the Brayshaws can move on surely the rest of us can be equally forgiving - even if some with elephant like memories never forget.

Very good point. I think the rules are that if an AFL listed player does not play seniors in rnd 23 theyare eligible to play the first VFL final. This is a shift from when a min no. of VFL games were needed to be eligibility. There may be others that miss rnd 23 but need a run and the first VFL final is very handy for us (and for other clubs.) That first VFL final is also a very good game for players in the running for a seniors berth to help cement a spot for the 1st round of AFL finals (IF we make them...)

Apparently no decision has been made about the length of the season! http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-08-08/aflw-longer-season-still-a-possibility Given the facts in the post above this one it seemed the AFL and Ms Livingstone were well on the way to implementing their earlier plan. Thankfully we have the respected and strong voices of Daisy and Susan Alberti to lobby for what makes sense.