Older demon

Don't expect the ruck bloodbath predicted. I expect Stanley to contest the bounce and throw ins and jump into Max constantly and Blicavs to hadow Max wherever he goes around the ground. Henderson, Kolodjasnij and Stewart will take on Tommy and Jess. All coaches agree that Scott is the hardest tactcian to take on. I hope Jennings and Goody have plotted a surprise for him as he set the win up in round 1 with their first half tactics that blew our defence away. Bernie named as rover suggests he will be tagging someone and I hope it is Danger and he gets right in his face, legally of course.

I hope they return Bernie to a run with role. Either Danger or Selwood with Bernie in their back pocket all day. He did get under the skin of a few last year. I still like Wagner in for Hibberd despite misgivings he may not have Hibberds skill but he knows the role he has to play and causes minimal disruption. 2 years ago the Dogs ket replacing their gun payers with role players who performed their job and got them to a G.F. This is as much about replacing like with like in a role and team structure and game plan. Sydney do it better than anyone. Someone gets injured and the replacement may not star but know and fill their role. Hanneberry, Jack, McVeigh & Grundy all missed last week but who would know. They stuck to their game plan and the ins played their role.

Aaron Hall of Gold Coast, quick outside mide who will be a lot cheaper. Weideman is being groomed as the 2nd ruck. Dalhaus doesn't impress and I think Gaff and McGovern will be too expensive. The loss of Naitanui complicates things as now they need Lycett more than Gaff or McGovern. They may be less inclined to stick with Gaff

1. Max Gawn 2. Angus Brayshaw dead heat Clayton Oliver 4. Jesse Hogan 2. Jake Melksham 1. Christian Salem

There is a lot that can happen in the next 7 weeks but a quick look at the ladder predictor makes me believe it will com down (like last year) to the last game against GWS. The draw they had gives them 2 points we tend to overlook when the wins column shows up. I suspect it will be the same scenariuo as last year, must win last game at the G to sneak into the 8 and rely on other teams to win. I don't feel confident against the Cats at GMBH, I cannot remember the last time we beat the Swans and Eagles at home with all their forwards back. No easy and maybe 9th again

6. Oliver 5. Brayshaw 4. Gawn 3. Salem 2. Fritch 1. Petracca Apologies to Viney, Harmes & Stretch

A week earlier Bevo gave the dogs the mother of all sprays after their loss to the Kangas while everyone canned Goody for accepting Melbourne's loss to Port and his content with how we played. This week Goody gives it to them big time post match roast and everyone thinks, so what! It is all talk. He cannot win. Most agree that roasting post match only has an impact maybe once a season and constantly doing it loses the players and its effect. I am not defending Goodwin as this game was also lost at the selection table and picking Petty was in hindsight an error as he wasn't ready From a source who was present post match, Goodwin certainly did give it to them and no one was spared with the exception of Max. Last night Lewis accepted he didn't have his best game Sunday but finished stating that on a day when they played badly theyb lost by 2 points. He also let us know the harshest critics were from within at the review which was equally as brutal and honest on Monday morning Face it since Lever go injured we have not sorted out the defence both in personell and game play. I hope they find a solution and soon

6. Gawn - by the length of the MCG 5. Fritsch - our only forward today 4. Harmes - gut busting running 3. Viney - should never be wasted tagging someone 2. Hibberd 1. Oliver

As well as Fyfe doing his hammy, Sandilands pulled out just before the start of the game with a calf injury he did in the warm-up. Out Sandilands, Fyfe

Petty should not have been played. To watch him after the siren trudge on the ground with his head down was miserable. He was thrown to the wolves and his confidence will be shot. Harmes was patting him on the back but Petty knew he had had a mare. Joel Smith wasn't much better and mad too many mistakes and was continually outmarked. Dec or Frost should have been the option. Weid stays as he rucked ok and is the best 2nd ruck option relieving Max. His game wasn't as bad as ssome state here. Lewis is too slow for the backline unless he is an extra. The wing is as far back as he should go. Spargo must return

The proposed parkland is where the club held its family day this season. It is a great location and much better suited to being an open park and oval. The only drawback is it is on quite a slope so no jokes about downhill skiers plaease.

Jane02 wont kiss and tell but I will. Same source close to the Gaff family. If he returns to Melbourne MFC is preferred location. As RFA the Eagles can match whatever he is offered but historically very few if any clubs match offers made to RFA's. Sorry Jane

If Gaff returns to Melbourne it will only to play with MFC despite what others offer atm.

The throw away line in the news articles is that this has the approval of the AFL. Last week on radio one pundit stated that PJ favoured a succession plan as did some at MFC but the AFL did not like this idea, for whatever reason. Maybe they thought Mahoney was a risk or lacked experience. Pert's credentials are impeccable and far more advanced than any of the internal candidates. In some ways the AFL still owns MFC and dictates our fixture, where we play and who we appoint to senior positions. There is still a little way to go before we start dictating who we play and when and where. This has AFL all over it

You didn't mention Balic! I thought he was on a 1 year contract for this year. Agree McKenna if he cannot get on the park and similarly Vandenberg and when Gaff nominates MFC I suspect JHKH will be surplus too. Mitch King is a ruckman and they need time so doubt they would discard. Bernie and Pedo might get another year. Then there might be a left field decision like Jack Watts last year which no-one saw coming

Since it was asked, I will put my hand up as a Watts fan and constant defender of the critisicm against him. I commented to my son after watching last weeks Port game how little Jack contributed and while I am sorry to see him dropped I am not surprised based on the way he is playing. While Jack was at Melbourne I was happy to defend him and look at the positives and answer some of the vitriol this ssite can pour on our players, especially one who loved the club as much as he did. Players usually don't go out with the intent to play bad games but they may fall short of our lofty expectations. Jack may have gone at pick 1 but he hasn't been able to fullfill the promise we wanted. He is not alone there though as many other number 1 picks have fallen short of expectation. I am delighted that his departure allowed Bailey Fritch to join the club and as Jack is no longer a demon he isn't on my radar. It does at this stage validate Goodwin's assessment of where Jack is at with his footy though. Move on and note that 2 of the emergencies are Jack Trengove and Jimmy Toumpas

Too early to call who is more polished. When recruited together all they wanted to do was play in the same team. Trac does a knee in year 1 and is a season behind. Gus has a great first year, gets knocked out and basically loses a season and a bit. I would be interested to see how many games they have played tgether. On the weekend, don't forget Trac spent 4 days in hospital prior to playing and was a little sluggish. That was the best game I have seen from Gus since his first year so it is a bit early to call who is better. I seem them as 2 different styles of footballer who will compliment each other and form a very formidable team with Oliver and Viney in the midfield. I like that each brings something different to the mid field and hope Angus signs up soon.

At last a rover who kicks goals, crumbs packs and has attitude. Go Charlie

Well done Charlie congratulations. My son will be spewing as he is a Kangas supporter and rates Charlie highly and cannot belive the Roos didn't pick him. They couldn't get him as a father son as his old man played 81 games with North. Charlie has followed the path of his father, Paul (North Melbourne and Brisbane), grandfather, Bob (Footscray), and great grandfather, Bob snr (Footscray and Melbourne), in making the big-time.

Just posted in the Goodwin forum the same thing. Things notgood in the box for the first 4 rounds and macca will sit on the boundary line. Mentioned elsewhere that there may have been a clash of egos. When asked to elaborate the reporter stated that Macca wants to be in the boc so I am not sure who he has upset but clearly not a happy camp

I like the look of his play and it was Buckenara who suggested we got a bargain as he rated him at 22 in the drafte and the best key position player available.

Not sure why he was cut from brisbane Academy but he looks well balanced, has some pace and hits targets. Clearly the FD have kept an eye on him

And now pick 28 has been used by carlton to get their GWS player. Just got a bit easier if we want Fritsch

Bulldogs have traded picks 28 and 30 for pick 16 to Carlton. MFC have shown that they are prepared to list or rookie Casey players

Note the rumour came from a Kane Cornes tweet. This year Kane has been incorrect, rude and insulting with his tweets. I still think Lever is worth 1 first round pick only but they sound like the new Essendon