TGR

Unlike most here, you have returned serve with objectivity and reason. Well done. I expect Grundy to go to another level; therefore neither are A+ in my book. As for Winx and Black Caviar, maybe the Phar Laps of the 70’s in Thompson, Moore, Newman and Dempsey have them covered. If I was coaching against Melbourne, TMac would be the one keeping me awake at night. 2019 was an aberration for him. The last thing is that Bob Murphy actually thinks deeply before speaking. He ain’t afraid of walking against the herd too. Rare in the footy world of journalism and cyberspace.

I'm with Murphy, at the risk of being cute. TMac can play key defence, key forward, wing or ruck. Gawn? Ruck only. I stated here years ago that Gawn was no.2 ruckman in the comp behind Grundy. Time has and will prove me right. I think Gawn is overrated a tad by the media and MFC supporters. His kicking for goal is not brilliant. His marking seemed like it was going to be A+ grade, but is probably B+. He is slowish. I don't know if he is physical enough either, but expect a bit more grunt, and less indifference with the "C" next to his name. pTGR

Gee, imagine our culture if we got around Ivan Milat, Harvey Weinstein and Bojack Horseman.

No respect for him either on these cyber boards. I recall many here thinking he was absolutely dispensable. Jeremy Howe is a bone-fide All Australian key back. They don't grow on trees. We give it, but can't take it at all. Quick to highlight a negative prediction from a journo, but won't apologise when the journo is inevitably correct. I wonder if Demonland will give Jeremy a warning point for inciting negativity and rage.

Ross quoted in The Age saying the Bennell is currently reaching a level (sprinting) that he never reached at Freo. Also said something about the whole-of-club approach to recruiting Hogan.

We are v-switching thru the likes of May with his 50m low darts. Compare this to Anzac eve 2017 or 18 (forget which one was virtually nil, but one was) we couldn’t or weren’t capable of switching. We are picking and choosing when to go helter skelter. Playing precise slower footy is OK if the guy with ball in hand executes well and often. Let’s see it under pressure. Dumb basics though still obvious. Travel and Weed leading to same space when Fritsch almost u-turned and goaled. And as Garry Walls said a few times when kick-it-to-me Melksham and other forwards lead in the same direction toward goal rather than one providing a hit-up.

Mr. Speaker, I will refrain from commenting on the basis that there is little riding on practice games. Paul Roos has the worst practice match winning % of any coach in the history of the game for example. Tomlinson would probably be a fringe player if rotations weren’t capped. The tighter the cap, the greater his value. I saw Bambi play in the GF against a hungry intense TiGeR outfit. I don’t recall being overwhelmed. Our side now has a sprinkling of multidimensional mobile talls, so in the air on dry day we’ll be OK. But our speed will be tested and then we will see what team of 3rd gear players can do.

The concussion debate my friend, has not unearthed the culpable...yet. Let me educate you. 1. Footy is a contact sport and players have, are and will be concussed. 2. The real "crime' has been perpetrated by the medicos and the clubs; BOTH having a self interest that the woozy player sort of go back on. The club's self-interest (and I mean every club), was the scoreboard. The medico's self-interest was keeping his/her employer happy (first and foremost) and secondly, to ensure those lost-playing-time-to-injury stats remain 'better than the medico/physio you replaced'. Not every medico behaved this way, but I reckon a majority did easily; and as Paul J Keating once said, "In the race of liife, always back self-interest". If we are serious about concussion, take away the decision from the player (Jack Rievoldt/Viney), the club, and the medico. How the hell Jordan Lewis was allowed back on to the field after the hit against the bulldogs is a disgrace today, as it was then. Any medico since Hyppocrates knew it was dead wrong to send a concussed player back on the park. The "we didn't know then" is absolute bulltish, in the concussion debate, as it is the climate change one. How Melbourne and Viney let Viney back on the park after Stack smashed his AC was again nuts, when the game was dead. Don't lecture me about long-term concussion. Like most areas, I know stuff you don't even know you don't know. Keep listening to Robbo in your cave. pureTGR

Stack’s bump was absolutely brilliant, textbook, fair... Stack will be the pick of the bunch. Marlion Pickett will exist in his shadow. Stack is a combo of Cyril and Byron. He is Viney’s kryptonite. Big wrap. An MFC supporter who can’t genuinely praise the technique and effect of that bump is a one eyed subjective simpleton. TiGeR

If you are right.,.he does not trust his lateral movement then. Too much heading and trying to take on tackler...while having some upside for teammates, does get a tad predictable. Lateral movement dancing maestros like Sam Mitchell and Daniel Kerr and Robert A Flower and the like would get away with taking on the tackler

Nice if he can add lateral movement to his repertoire. Other than that, Goodwin needs to add a string to his bow. Forward half pressure forward etc.. TiGeR sticking fat with Viney...Frost...Kent...Stef Martin...Howe...Dunn...Watts and any other gold we have underrated as simpletons.

As Roos says: ”I am a Leo Barry dropped mark away from being a nil flag coach; Rossy Lyon is a Milne bounce and Ablett toe-poke away from being dual premiership coach”. Trust a supporter of a club that has been failure personified to view Lyon as overrated and negative.

Spot on. The positivity will evaporate, Goody will get a bit nervous, and Ross will suddenly be thirsty for coffee. Who knows, the club might be turning another leaf. The ditching of the co-captaincy and leadership group pscyhobabble might be small signs that the club is finally doing things their way. Failing is OK, but be bold and do things our way. Get inspired by others, but don't go the easy copy cat. The well worn path doesn't last. In 2015, the smart folk (Hardwick & TiGeR) were watching how the bulldogs were going about things; while the simpletons were trying to photostat Hawthorn who had just three-peated. If Goodwin feels the pressure in 2020, like I think he will, instead of giving him the flick, just make him a long-term no.2; which means Richo or Ross get a 4 year gig as El Supremo.

No

Goody has come a long way since Lewis/Jones on the MCG wings. Good move Goodwin. Harmes' leap and hands are underrated. Will do well in the forward half.

The slowest U-turn in the history of the game. Imaging the ball falling to ground with Tex and Jordan Lewis crumbing? Wouldn't have surprised me one bit, if the club was for it.

If you are right....I might be battle-weary. I might have lost whatever tolerance I had for the club. I might just be Demonology's version of Sam Newman talking about his 3 kids (he has one of each apparently), and climate change. The banned button might be inevitable. If you aint...just getting in first to predict that Jetta will fall off-the-cliff faster than the consensus think; and Bennell's 2019 was on-par with Nev's 2019 in my mind. I will look closely at his free-kicks-against column in 2020...and his Casey tally. If 2020 is a horrible anus for Nev, then I'll beat my chest and PM you. Will you get my private message if I am on the banned list? pTGR

Patton = Coleman? Frost = Brownlow? God, I just want to see Liam Jones and Sam Frost play in the same backline.

Good call. Remember the night game at the G when Goodwin had Lewis and Jones on each wing. Dumbest move I can remember since Whitlam returned to the lodge to eat steak.

Bargain. Pretty sure your curiosity will turn into concern.

For Nick Riewoldt to say that he would rather line up on May or Lever, over Frost...confirmed everything for me. Hawthorn are coming. Clarko will enjoy the best 4 years of Frost's career, who is reaching a stage in his development whereby he will be able to break more tackles. Combine that with his speed and line-breaking ability, which we grossly lack and the wise pundits are shaking their heads. This is Darren Jolly and Stef Martin mark III and IV. BTW, the speed reason is why Paul Roos disagreed with the Tomlinson trade. Speed kills for us. At Melbourne, there is always the messiah that will save us, and the villain that is the overrated cause of our ills. It was Watts, then Frost, and inevitably Oscar. I can be positive about one thing: Richo saying "positive".

Even those that have just emerged from the forest can learn from those apparently without clue. 1. State of Origin selection is not usually based on form from the season before last. Indisputable. 2. Neville Jetta in 2019 averaged 2 free kicks against per game. In his entire career, he is 0.7 per game. 2016 - 0.5 per game. 2017 - 0.5 per game. 2018 - 0.75ish per game. Unquestionable. 2 per game since the grappling crackdown = red flag. Neville Jetta peaked unbelievably in 2018 and flat-lined in 2019. The enforcement of the grappling rule to increase scoring; and his age does not auger well for him. Is he lucky to get a gig in the state of origin? Absolutely. Might as well pick Weed for his 2018 final performance.

Lucky to get a gig. Gives away maximum frees since the grappling crackdown. Stellar 2018. Poor 2019. Who is emergency? Bennell?

No, not to his face.