Diamond_Jim

Scott Thompson of the Crows 308 games.. 39 with Melbourne and as you mention Neitz. It's a very select list https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_VFL/AFL_players_to_have_played_300_games

the argument seems to be that the game is "overcoached" and players are not performing to their natural best

Strange article in the Age about the AFL considering: 1. Increasing the draft age by 6 months (sounds sensible I think) 2. Decreasing the number of coaches 3. Decreasing the number of players on a club's list. Why I say it is strange is that it reads like they want development to occur outside the AFL system and a natural affect of decreasing list size is that the clubs would not be able to field a reserves side. The concepts are muddled but need to be discussed. "The AFL is considering changes to the draft age and cutting the number of players and coaches at clubs as part of an overhaul of football departments. The number of coaches at clubs or the number permitted to work at games on match day could also be cut as part of the changes being discussed. The option to increase the draft age by six months and to trim the number of players on club lists to a number yet to be determined are among options being canvassed by the AFL as a way of overhauling club lists." "The argument for cutting lists sizes isthat with fewer players on a list you require fewer coaches at clubs and that it is the least talented players that take up most of the time of development coaches at AFL level." https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-considers-cutting-number-of-players-coaches-at-clubs-20180725-p4ztgg.html

Last year we had significant long term injuries and just missed the 8. This year Lever and Viney aside we have been relatively injury free to key players. For that reason alone standing still, let alone improving should have seen us make the 8 this year with relative ease.

okay not home grown but it is a real milestone and we should be proud that it is occurring while at our club. For those who question his worth my comment re Jordan and Vince all year has been that their spots are there for the taking by any member of the VFL side. Congratulations on joining a very exclusive club.

I think this needs to be posted in neon lights when assessing Goodwin and his team.

game plan perhaps?

The statistical odds of four games in Melbourne in the first week are extremely low. AFL now own Etihad and will want a return on their investment. Mind you the squeaky wheel syndrome etc has a lot going for it. MFC take note.

it's about money....the super box revenue alone would be very significant. Add in the signage and pouring rights that would either have a kicker clause in the contract or would then attract a premium next time round. The benefits are very substantial. Do you really think they worry about their "extra" low paying, lower tier members. If anything it will make those members upgrade next year.

perhaps we've turned and are going the wrong way.

no genuine mids though... Hannan ? Bugg? Kent? neither are midfielders Balic ... hasn't really kicked on AVB not ready

sad but almost true. Makes you wonder though in that roughly 12 players in the modern game are mid-fielders. Where did they go in our VFL team? Simplistic but you would think we would at least have 4-6 to pick from.

Looking at the frame posted by Dee Z I cannot see any alternative for Petracca other than going deep. It's a classic zone defence by Geelong. Not man to man but within striking distance of all the alternatives. Probably the only alternate play was for the MFC player at the centre circle to run into the vacant space on the HFF. A risky shot at that stage

MFC really never benefitted from an historic home support base a la Collingwood and for that matter every one of the VFL teams. If we had one I suppose it was along the train line to Caulfield, ie South Yarra, Prahran etc. Simplistic but they were never your traditional hotbed of passionate supporters. The league of supporters posted I think by yourself LDC a few weeks back shows how badly we fare in the sheer number of supporters. Not sure the Irish catholic anecdote quite holds up as I think that table showed Essendon at or near the top. Not sure of the traditional demographics of the Essendon area but it never struck me as being Catholic, Irish or otherwise

sorry... I have to laugh.... there are so may ways to inform players of the remaining time.... just by positioning an item on the bench differently for each of the last five minutes immediately springs to mind and there are so many others ways one could do it.

Sydney won't drop that far and if they do you have assumed they beat us but lose the rest.... strange permutations .. but then again... who knows

As I posted last night we need to think tactically with Hogan. We have Tom Mac, Hogan and Weideman. All three are unlikely to play together. At the beginning of the year I thought Hogan at CHF was what might take us all the way. Still possible but his consistency at CHF is not there. Two top ten draft picks in this years draft (Freo would pay it) with the added bonus that we free up salary cap for another player such as Gaff. It's a gamble I know but we need to break out of this mould of mediocrity that seems to surround the MFC.

Time to do some serious cost benefit analysis on Hoges... If a club offered two first rounders in the top 10 you'd have to think about it.

yep... I think many of us have come to realise that he is not much chop and that his inadequacy is being masked somewhat by the strength of the list. If we go anywhere it will be in spite of him not because of him. His match day skills are almost non existent.

bye to the season

yep.... it's the game plan

Lions v Crows shaping up as a season decider for the Crows. Not sure who I want to win between Port and GWS. Probably depends on how we go tonight.

Pies showing how it should be done so far. A big win today will really get the Magpie army on the move.

Listening last night to 3AW pregame show. They were discussing what the commentators generally agreed was the basket case known as the Gold Coast Suns. Not sure which of the commentators said that a number of their high draft picks would be leaving this year after failing to cut it at the senior level. It prompted the group of commentators to say that GCS had no structure for bringing in the young players and it was a death wish or similar to be drafted into such a club. So much was the same at MFC... no structure , no leadership etc etc. Would the various players have made it.. who knows but they had little chance in our system.

how do you determine who makes the conference. When determined is it immutable like the NFL? I can just imagine our conference... MFC, Dogs North and the Saints Conference B: Pies, Tigers, Bombers and Carlton