Lucifers Hero

The key players injured last year were 'rushed back' in the sense none of them had a VFL game prior to coming back to AFL. The players were: Gawn, Viney, Jones, Salem, Hogan, Watts, Garlett, Tyson and (except Hogan and Viney) they were mainly soft tissue injuries and IIRC all had at least 2/3 weeks out. I don't profess to know when a player should come back via VFL after an injury stint out. But it seemed to me these players while declared 'fit to play' lacked match fitness. With the exception of Hogan they all struggled to impact games or get back to pre injury form or any really decent form. So I would say some were 'rushed back' ie lacked match practice but which ones I have no idea. As to Viney, he is quoted as saying something like: 'yeah, I probably came back early but I would do the same thing again'. Just the way he is wired, I guess. But he has learnt to listen to his body and is doing it right this time. All sorts of lessons were learnt by the club last year and managing the return of injured players would be one of them.

Tonight the Bulldogs delivered a very decent score by any standard: 12.14.86. In the process they destroyed Carlton whose season is over and booked themselves a GF berth. Cartlton were woeful - I even started to feel a bit sorry for the players (but not the club or the jumper). If the AFL wants to complain about low scoring they should go knocking on Carlton's door. They are the culprit, week after week after week.

Great to hear that Jeffy and Nev took Aleisha under their wing. You could really see Jeff's influence when she took 3 bounces, ran the boundary and kicked the goal of the year, a few weeks ago. Loved her description of Jeffy's reaction to that goal: "Apparently, he was walking around the club telling people he taught me everything I know," Newman said with a laugh". Its great that the club involved Aleisha in the design of the indigenous jumper. Nev and Jeffy will be like really proud dad's on Saturday night.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-02-22/cordner-among-two-changes-for-round-four Melbourne AFLW team: round four B: Harriet Cordner, Laura Duryea, Katherine Smith HB: Ashleigh Guest, Bianca Jackobsson, Elise O’Dea C: Jasmine Grierson HF: Kate Hore, Shelley Scott, Aliesha Newman F: Richelle Cranston, Tegan Cunningham, Lily Mithen Foll: Erin Hoare, Karen Paxman, Daisy Pearce I/C: Alyssa Mifsud, Cat Phillips, Brooke Patterson, Meg Downie, Melissa Hickey Emg: Anna Teague, Emma Humphries In: Alyssa Mifsud, Harriet Cordner Out: Lauren Pearce, Emma Humphries By leaving out Pearce we are going in a bit shorter - probably a good idea given the weather forecast is for the high 30's. Good to see Mifsud back!

This is a must, must win game as the last 3 are against teams sitting 1st (Lions), 3rd (Bulldogs) and 4th (Carlton) so will all be 8-point games. (Next week the Lions will be a really tough game after 2 weeks on the road and 3 games in 13 days. At this stage I'm not counting it as a Win. Bulldogs and Carlton are ravaged by injuries but they know how to win and last week showed no team can be taken for granted...The Crows might make a late run for the GF as they have their high scoring captain back and have a very easy run in the last 4 games so can pile on the %). So we must beat the Pies on Saturday and hopefully beat them by a decent margin as we are on roughly the same % as Lions and Bulldogs. If we don't we will be sweating on other teams to lose for us to end up top 2 and earn a GF berth. In this game in 2017 Sophie Casey received a two week ban for striking Meg Downie. Last week she received a weeks ban for striking (read punching in the head) so won't play on Saturday. But I'm sure their other players will step up (eg the two returning from suspensions) and get stuck into our players and umpires are giving little protection (to any team). Hopefully, Bugg has given our girls some hints on how to be a pest and give the Pies a bit of their own medicine Edit: Channel 7 will broadcast the match live nationally from 5.30pm CST per mfc website.

Full story: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-02-20/leaders-named-for-2018-season The surprise is no Tom Mc. Could understand if he is disappointed about being left out (or feels demoted). Hopefully, Goodwin told Tom in private rather than on the golf course where he told Jones last year he would have a co-captain and subsequently said he felt demoted (ironically, I think Tom Mc was playing with them). Really pleased for Max. Maybe Tom will likely get another gig in the Leadership group once Jones and Lewis take a step back (assuming he renews his contract).

A lot of rough stuff was dished out by Freo in this game and 4 Freo players have been given reprimands http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-19/aflw-bans-for-star-blue-crow-and-magpie Freo targetted us after quarter time to upset our rhythm and it worked. At the weekend I noticed that Carlton and especially Collingwood also played rough. They will follow Freo's example and come after us in the coming weeks. Umpires need to start paying frees for all the head strikes, jumping on top of players on the ground and other acts designed to injure. But we also need to return fire when roughed up. We can't continue to 'play nice'. vs Freo we tried to keep up our fast, skillful game and it didn't work against a fairly constant physical barrage. They knocked us around then ran off with the ball.

Others have noticed that Carlton is getting all the love and FTA exposure: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-questioned-over-carltons-prime-time-fixtures-again-this-time-over-aflw-side-having-three-of-four-friday-night-games/news-story/9ed73dbc5185b062fa104ce21140c0e3 Quite rightly they argue that FTA telecast on Friday nights of Carlton's dour game style sets the tone for media coverage all weekend. This does not do justice to the very good games that follow. I'm baffled as to why Carlton get such benefits: They are not a big club. They are not successful. Both their teams play a rubbish brand of football. Baffling.

There is nothing new in the article - just the HS re-hashing old news. Now, if he had re-signed that would be 'Great news!!!!' I do think it is only a matter of time before he does re-sign. If I recall correctly his manager, Paul Connors was quoted as saying he is going to make us pay top dollar for Christian's signature so it may take a while. But hopefully, it is sorted sooner rather than later - really don't want it to drag out.

We only have ourselves to blame. In the first quarter we had 15 inside 50's to their zero. Our conversion of those i50's was abysmal. We should have put them away in the first quarter when we had 6 shots at goal for 1.5. Freo had 6 shots for goal for the whole game and kicked 6.0. Our final tally of 4.7 isn't good enough. On the ladder, we are now 2nd, back with the pack on 2 wins and a %age roughly equal to Bulldogs and Lions. Last year we missed the GF by % after a horror game vs GWS when we kicked 1.9 to their 3.2. Let's hope the terrible kicking today does not cost a top two spot and a GF berth again.

Correction to my earlier post re tonight's game being on 7Mate. That is only for Perth

Sorry, I didn't mean to correct your post. Yes, agreed lets hope its not poor form. On a different note and confirming @Dees_In_Octoberposting that the team is staying in Perth. On Wednesday they fly to Alice to do some community work leading up to the Friday game. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-18/aflw-melbournes-massive-road-trip Its an all round really good move by the club to freshen the players and repay the faith and commitment to our club sponsor NT. Plus a rare chance for the team to get away for some bonding.

She played an excellent game last week after being omitted in week 1. Can be real weapon and too good to just leave out. At a guess - Mifsud is omitted due to match-ups or to keep her fresh for the Alice game vs Pies 6 days and a long flight there. Player management will be really important for the next 3 games (Freo, Pies, Lions) over 13 days to ensure we are fresh for the run home (Carlton, Bulldogs). Lions, Carlton and Bulldogs will be 8 point games so no chance to 'rest' players then.

Oscar got the standard 2 year contract renewal which is the minimum all new draftees get (unless they are total duds). Oscar played a bit of senior footy so showed he had something and deserved the standard two year contract renewal and I see no evidence that he was riding on his brother's coattails. They have the same manager so it made sense that the club negotiate with that manager for both players. I would suggest that when the club meets with Paul Connors for player progress/contracts they would talk about Petracca, Hibberd etc etc. simultaneously. It doesn't make sense to hold separate meetings for each player. Ditto for the McDonalds. I have no inside info, just working with the known facts.

Great news as it cuts out one long haul flight at a critical time of 3 games in 13 days. The Perth weather today isn't too bad with the temp being in the high 20's for the game. So by staying in Perth we should be quite fresh for the Alice game next Saturday. Unfortunately, the weather there will be in the very high 30's. Win today and we will a game and decent percentage clear on top of the ladder For those interested in seeing today's game it is on 7Mate

I am more than bemused - I am seriously peeved. All the AFL love seems to be going to Carlton. They get the opening marquis game each year and have more FTA telecasts than any other team ie 4 - more than half their season. And 5 of their 7 games are in the cool of night. To top it off they have been gifted another marquis game: The 'Pride' game to be played vs Bulldogs. Atm it isn't a FTA game but I wouldn't be surprised if that changes in the next few weeks. You can bet it will be a marquis FTA game on the fixture next year. To be fair the Bulldogs approached the Blues. (To me it is a joke Carlton play in the 'Pride' game when they wouldn't even endorse the 'Yes' vote to change marriage laws). What really irks me is that Carlton have done absolutely nothing to earn those privileges. These privileges are on top of the equally irksome 6/7 FTA Friday night games their AFL team gets in the men's season. I'm pleased the Bulldogs get the 'Pride' game but for Carlton to get the best of fixtures is just plain wrong - I mean they don't even have that many members! Meanwhile we play on Feb 18 in Perth at 3.35 pm, then a 6 day break to play in NT at 5.40pm, then another 6 day break to play at home. That is 3 games in 13 days in scorching heat, criss crossing the country with 4 long-haul flights!! Did no-one tell the AFL how hot it is in WA and NT during the day!! Without checking all the clubs, I reckon we get the wooden spoon of the fixture. 3 games in 13 days could easily bring our season undone. I sincerely hope not. As a founding team and having played very well last year we deserve a bit more respect. ...Rant over

This article is a about Tom's new role as a forward http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-11/stressfree-dee-relishing-his-shot-up-forward But there is a tantalising line at the end (re contract): "I'd like to get something done soon," he said. The club hasn't come back to me with anything yet, but it'd be nice to have it done earlier rather than later." Last time he put off contract talks till the end of the season. Not so this time! Looks like he will be off the Free Agency list before too long.

Our skills were excellent today. Really liked how a player stayed back from the packs to take the exit pass and run forward. This game boosts our percentage a bit!

Newman's two goals have been Garlett like! Go Dees.

Even if they both lose to us they can still get thru with a higher %age than ours after rnd 7 ie if their only loss is to us and they end with 6 wins we need to win all 7 games to get spots 1 or 2. A big, big win over either team will be a boost up the ladder!! Of course, there is a lot to play out but I feel we need a few big % wins earlier than later to challenge for spots 1 or 2. A key factor will be how the 'better' sides go against the 'lesser' ones. eg Carlton got a huge % boost last night vs Giants but we just scraped thru with a win vs Giants last week. This jockeying for top position is one of the things that makes AFLW interesting - each week is almost like an elimination final.

Fair comments rjay. Perhaps it is the closeness of a game rather than the scoreline which creates the excitement eg Dees vs Giants last week. I was drawing attention to 'goals scored' seemingly being the sole measuring stick for the AFLW being enjoyable to watch (and a defacto measure of its success). Its a shame the focus is on 'low' scores for which there are many reasons: innate skill, short 'pre-season' inexperience playing as a team, low time the ball is 'in-play' (from short quarters and limited time-on), 16 players on full sized oval, Player related - experience, fitness, match practice, part-timers, non-football backgrounds etc. Yet Hocking puts the low scores down to 'congestion' and defensive coaching! Hocking hurt his own product this week by generating negative headlines and a negative narrative. Hocking needs to nurse this through because the scorelines won't get better in a hurry. Wonder what he will come up this week: last night's game scores were 3.12.30 to 1.3.9. A grand total of 4 goals!!

We need a few HUGE wins in the next few weeks. Carlton and Bulldogs are sitting up there with a % of over 200%. Carlton have almost guaranteed themselves a finals berth by winning big over the lesser teams. Sure its early days but sometimes big % leads are hard to peg back in a 7 game season. This is a cut-throat game. Each week is like sudden death - drop more than one game and no Grand Final. Have too many close games and no Grand Final. Only teams 1 and 2 on the ladder after round 7 play off in the Grand Final. Last year we missed it by %. We were playing the best footy of the comp so could easily have won had we go there. Winning isn't enough in AFLW - % is what really counts in this game.

The game of Soccer says hello... Supporters love watching the tactics and the contest and go ballistic when there is a goal. One could say that a low score enhances excitement for the crowd. The AFL is not giving supporters enough credit, to think they only want to see goals. People go and watch for lots of reasons: to share with their kids and their friends; to see their favourite players. I watch because I love the red and blue. The AFL is sabotaging their own product (in just its second fledgling season) by their knee jerk reaction to last week's Blues/Pies game. They further added to the sabotage by launching AFLX this week and next week will play AFLX and AFLW games head-to-head. I'm not sure where the 15 goals comes from? An AFL game is 120 minutes but an AFLW game is a little over half that at 68 minutes (with 16 relatively inexperienced players). If last week's scores are adjusted for time played they would be much more like an AFL game. I was rapt to see a few AFL greats like Roos, Matthews, Hodge come out and tell the AFL to 'pull its head in' and let the game evolve.

Some pics from club website: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-01-30/photo-gallery-monday-january-29 Love these two pics (with my imagined dialogue) Hogan tauntingly to Clarry: Come and get me! Clarrie has the last laugh, somewhat sheepishly: Take that!

We will find out shortly as Goodwin's 'List Updates' today should include Petty. I agree with D56 above. If gone it would be preferable for the club to communicate it directly to members/supporters. I don't need to know why exactly (could be personal) but some communication would be appreciated. But then again, it could just be a computer glitch.