TGR

Hey SK, Most of us here thin we are going to rebound into finals in 2020. Most, apart from Lyon, think this fall is an aberration. Most, think that the club know where we are at.

Harmes is close to A grade if he can work on a couple of things. I like his hands despite busting a finger on the verge of the season starting. Oscar is D. Sorry mate. Track needs to close the gap between swagger and sulk. He is slow by foot, but could have Dusty’s strength to break a tackle which is rare. Lever the 3rd up tall intercept defender was always a crazy get at 2 first rounders. I said it before but Jason Cloke played his role well and we sold the farm for him. 850k? Madness. Give me 2 Frosts if his C. Bucky ain’t 100% right but I agree that it is rebuild time.

There’s a reason why 17 clubs fancy themselves against Melbourne. ’”Put speed on the game” is the mantra in every oppo huddle. Nothing to do with our ball movement!!!!! You don’t think foot speed is important on defensive transition? And you reckon you understand footy. You MFC supporters are ATAR smart because your folks and more likely grandparents sponsored your private school education and weekly tutoring. We’re not street smart. We’re not smart where it counts. We’re comfortable with excusing failure, because anything contrary to it is counter to our DNA. Bit like the libs with climate change: deny the undeniable because at the end of the day, the islanders will be under water and the rich white man will be able to afford 3 phase aircon. Understand footy? Pfft.

Is not a modern forward. Remember at Geelong, ultra low tackle counts. Also remember Geelong's forward pressure and rebuild up the ladder (gee Geelong's rebuilds are a bit different to ours), when they cut Menzel and put in youth/pace/forward-pressure (Myers etc...). Madness to get him, but we have made some mad, dumb, D-grade decisions over the past 3-4 years, and will keep doing so; at least this trade period.

How old are Henderson and Smith. Clarko has a history of clearing out dead wood just before their use-by date. Frost is a much more viable 2nd ruck than Brayden Preuss, that is the irony here; apart from the fact the the MFC are the slowest team in the comp, yet clearing their one of their quickest players that had a break-out year. Ironic that you mention Impey, who along with Saad and other quick players, Melbourne just overlooked or didn't really have a solid go at. I think before I think before I think before I post....contrary to you lot, who have been applauding the road to failure for decades.

Don’t doubt you, but there is the concept of over-supply (one paced mids) and need (speed speed (Frost), ability to break a tackle (Kent), ability to hurt with defensive intent...etc) He is captaincy material and good stock so that is the big negative.

Me too. That’ll be a Melbourne game I actually see.

His dad Shaun is apparent screening him from our medical department. If the latter stay away, he's a chance.

Will be interesting when Clarko tries Frosty on the wing too....and 2nd ruck pinch hit.

This guy is too slow for the wing. Hang on, Goody thought he could get away with Lewis and Jones on the G versus the tigers for memory. He is perfect. Richmond have been going all out for fast and tough. Melbourne have continually been attracted to one-paced and/or non-physical. Do the maths. One is headed for a dynasty; the other for another rebuild on rebuild on rebuild. Lucky for the club that our supporters tolerate the slow and steady path to chronic failure. Our appetite for snake oil is unsurpassed. At best, Tomlinson is a good 2nd ruck, 3rd tall forward or back. Preuss is now very much water in Goody’s snake oil.

Richmond won a flag in 17 with the worst kicking efficiency in the comp

Another play with outside speed that we may overlook.

Where did Frawley play?

You make me feel so much better. Club apologists are worth their weight in gold leaf rust.

Terry got Jack Riewoldt after splitting a pick. On the other hand we missed out on Kelly.

Gr8 post. Roos and a few others are concerned that another one paced player comes in. This surely means Preuss gone.

Many bridesmaids never get a gig. As Rossy says, the ride is worth the fall. We are a nervous lot, more concerned about what may happen after sticking your neck out. My advice. Take the crows job if it comes. TiGeR

No.

You guys have too much time over-analysing and 2nd guessing motivation underlying opinion. I was an MFC supporter before we got rid of Frost. Do I love the club? No I don't. Do I hate it? No I don't. Does it and its supporters provide comic relief occasionally? Yes it does. When (and it is a big if) the MFC ever win a premiership, I have no right to celebrate it. But I guarantee you that it will never win one unless it starts taking balsier, radical decisions that are brave and lead the competition; rather than the safe, follow-the-premiership-leader, conservative, private-school-boy, we-know-what-we-are-doing rubbish that I have been accustomed to in the prolonged era of mediocrity. "Lets follow flag winning Hawthorn" in 2015, when the smart people (Hardwick and TGR) thought that Bevo's bulldogs had the answer with a new handball mantra. Richmond used the bulldogs to model their current game-style. They just superimposed it with bulk, toughness and forward transition and territory. Meanwhile, Melbourne continued with one-gear plodders (most of the team), lightweights (Spargo, Wagner, Stretch), and wonder why we are 4-5 years away, again.

Tom Scully

So Clarko has no say at all? Our footy IQ is lower than I thought. Wholesale interest rates.

We are the masters of getting screwed. Lever = 2 first rounders. Hoges. Freo played us beautifully with the theatre of walking away. Clarko is a genius though. Gets rid of the trash that others think are treasure.

RDS can be a good thing depending on the IQ of the audience. TiGeR

So Gawn and Oliver "tie" on 464 votes. What are the odds of that? We hardly get brownlow ties in a 1-2-3 system of voting, which is akin to a sprint. Yet we are supposed to believe that there was a dead-heat in this marathon? Rigged. They didn't tie, but the club thought it was convenient that they did. Frost 9th. What a joke. Probably had 464.1 votes until Goody came in with his eraser. Might have been a triple dead-heat? An absolute rort.

Our culture is play it safe. Our culture is pick the young liberal private schoolboy because he is a solid chap. Watts over Nicnat. Scullgrove over Martin. We keep risk low but so is reward unfortunately. It suits our supporter base who are ultra conservative, laud brief success, and tolerate mediocrity. We think we don’t, but we do. Can’t think of a grass roots revolution; even the merger result was decided by Hawthorn supporters. Getting back to the topic, we pick guys you want your daughter to marry, over the guy who you want to go to war with. It is entrenched. The safe option. Trying to think of one bold decision that lead the competition in my lifetime. Conversely, we are great at following a well worn path. Uninspiring. I don’t mind failure, but have the balls to put yourself out there. This club has failed chronically in a meek manner. That is unpalatable...unfortunately for only a few.