Straight Sets Simon

Like I said it's just for a laugh and it's only a passing thought as it would be funny to see a whole lot of people wearing the shirts. If there is money to be made I'm always keen, just haven't considered it with this.

I wouldn't sell them, just give them out.

I wouldn't sell them, just give them out.

I've thought about getting them made and just leaving a whole box of them outside a gate at the MCG on game day for any one to take for free. If nothing else for a laugh.

Less confident in Melbourne now and no doubt my prediction will change by tomorrow but here goes: 1. Hawthorn 2. Collingwood 3. Western Bulldogs 4. Adelaide 5. Fremantle 6. St Kilda 7. Geelong 8. Carlton 9. Essendon 10. Melbourne 11. Sydney 12. Gold Coast 13. North Melbourne 14. West Coast 15. Port Adelaide 16. Brisbane 17. Richmond

Positives: Jetta, Maric, Tapscott's right foot, Howe's hanger and Petterd. Negatives: No one in the forward line too often, Bate, Watts not going hard enough, lack of quality second ruck options (Martin is ahead of Spencer), inability to tackle and too much hand passing to stationary players.

Agree with everything in the report. Well done.

No they aren't. The result isn't a problem, however the lack of structure and intensity is. I really hope Melbourne choose a full strength team next week.

He should be known as Murali because he can't straighten his arms.

Hard to have forward pressure when there is no forward line. Countless times Melbourne players looked up to no options up forward of the centre. Jetta was easily Melbourne's best. Bate should be playing a lot at Casey this year. His awkardness is painful to watch. Watts was soft. Scully did nothing. Tappscott's foot is a weapon. Umpiring was dreadful. Sylvia did nothing. I really hope next week Melbourne pick the best team possible and don't rest anyone.

Yes.

Yes, but there is a difference. Someone has started a thread suggesting Frawley should be played forward, is that "manipulating results" too?

I did notice he left that part out.

I don't like the line: Two points: 1) There is a difference between trying to lose and not having winning as your top priority. Melbourne were the latter. 2) I would accept that Melbourne "manipulated results" if Jordan McMahon was paid to miss after the siren or if the players were told to lose, but he wasn't and they weren't.

I think they peaked at the right time, if they left it later they would have missed out. In 2008 they had Franklin winning the Coleman, Crawford was on his last legs as were Croad and Dew. I think they are a chance again this year but it has taken them a while to recover from the loss of the senior players.

The issue with Bate is that is awkwardness (always hunched over and can't seem to straighten his arms, especially with kicking and marking) is catching up with him. In the past he could get away with it, but like a golfer with a flawed golf swing you can only play so well without having to change your whole swing or technique.

No one knows.

I still would have kept Valenti over Jones.

No, I mean he will kick ten goals one day if he puts in a four quarter effort.

And a cheat, I can't believe he claimed that mark and the umpire paid it.

There was too much fiddling around with the ball tonight, kicking backwards and sideways. If under pressure kick the ball long, don't handpass sideways. Melbourne just always looked second to the ball. Trengove has painfully slow acceleration. I can't wait for the day that Jurrah puts in a four quarter effort.

1) Collingwood 2) Hawthorn 3) Geelong 4) Western Bulldogs 5) St Kilda 6) Melbourne 7) Fremantle 8) Adelaide I am feeling surprisingly optimistic.

We are not talking about a handful, we are talking about one and Joel Macdonald is above those players anyway.

Steven Armstrong is a Premiership player, so is Mark Blake. That argument means very little.

There is more than one spot in the backline. I see the backline looking something like this for much of the season: FB: Garland Frawley Bartram/Jetta HB: Grimes Rivers/Warnock Macdonald Macdonald is tough, hard and breaks tackles just about better than anyone else on the list. Morton and Bennell are more suited to a wing or a HFF, both are nowhere near as tough as Macdonald and not as effective in defence. Those kids will get a game when they deserve it, this year is about making the finals, development will still be there but not at the expense of winning games.