Straight Sets Simon

6. Davey 5. Moloney 4. Whelan 3. Bruce 2. Jones 1. Morton EDITED

I laughed.

I'm excited about Valenti playing.

Buckley won't go. He has elite speed, can break a game open and despite popular opinion is a lovely long kick of the ball.

The AFL are extremely sensitive about any clashes with teams. The problem is that the AFL have allowed teams like Adelaide, West Coast and Fremantle to bring in or change their jumper designs which clearly clash with other teams such as Melbourne. The AFL created the problem and now the clubs are paying for it.

Beat me to it Nasher.

Thanks for that, it's a very interesting situation.

Can anyone tell me what the exact agreement is with no new stadiums being used for 25 years?

See round 1, 2007. EDIT: The part in bold is the key issue. Some disposal mistakes were just awful and under no pressure (McLean had a few and Grimes had one or so), but the lack of options and lack of run by players to make an option was damaging.

OUT: Frawley (inj), Rivers (inj), Dunn IN: Cheney, McNamara, Whelan

That's why they brought the rule in. Even if he didn't push as such, his hands aren't even allowed to rest gently on the opponent's back. It was silly by McLean who didn't need to do it as he was already in best position.

Bartram - Did pretty good on an injured Kerr Bate - Rubbish below his knees and kicking action still a concern Bennell - Makes things happen Bruce - Undoes good work with terrible disposal Davey - His stocks just keep rising and makes things happen Dunn - Needs to be played forward and didn't do a lot Frawley - Good until injured Grimes - Disposal a worry (his kicking action should be addressed before we have another Bate/Frawley situation) Johnson - Good effort on Cox Jones - One of the best on ground Maric - Some classy touches Martin - Quiet game with occasional moments of class McDonald - Nothing game McLean - Very poor disposal Miller - Provided a much needed target Moloney - Continues good form Morton - Quantity, not quality Petterd - Quiet until the last quarter Rivers - Easily one of the best defenders in the league Robertson - Was good when he had options Sylvia - Doesn't impose self on game Warnock - Steady down back

Grimes butchered a few kicks today but I had to keep reminding myself that it is only his second game. I just love the look of Bennell, he really takes the game on. When Buckley is fit these two will be am explosive combination.

A few points of interest (some may have been mentioned already). - Melbourne kicked more goals that West Coast which isn't a bad thing (despite the team still losing) but showed that the forward line still weren't seeing enough of the ball. - Robertson is still a very good footballer - Why late in the last quarter when Cox threw the ball back to Dunn when a free kick was paid was there not a 50 metre penalty as Cox deliberately threw it high in the air and it fell short of the Dunn? The penalty would have put the ball on Melbourne's HFF and Melbourne would have had a chance to score with the game in the balance. - Bate really is rubbish below his knees.

Morton's disposal was poor. His kicking still lacks much needed penetration.

6. Davey 5. Jones 4. Bennell 3. Johnson 2. Miller 1. Morton

Great news if true. Valenti is a very good user of the ball, and often makes good decisions with it. Something that Melbourne is desperately lacking at the moment.

Casey Fields would be a better option IMO.

Bring on a boutique stadium at Casey Fields. EDIT: As well as a better stadium deal at the MCG.

If I had the patience I would of happily watched the replay on Foxtel that night, but I don't have the patience.

I wasn't able to make it to the game today so I had to watch the Channel Seven coverage and to my amazement, Channel Seven did something that made it possible to hate them even more. They went to an ad break after a behind was kicked, not a goal. I've never seen this before and it was disgusting. They are the most pathetic organisation who really could not care less about the quality of coverage they provide. Surely there must be guidelines that the AFL has in place that state that while the game is still in play the networks cannot cut to an ad break?

Almost twelve months out of the game, returns against the best full-back in the land and destroys him. He showed good speed, provided a much needed target up forward and could have easily kicked five for the day. Welcome back Robbo.

I agree with who will come out (Bartram was earned himself another game) but Aussie did not look fit yesterday and Bell wasn't great. Cheney will most likely look to come in as will Whelan. I wouldn't be surprised if Newton gets called back in.

Brodie Holland is on fire at the moment.

I was disappointed in McLean and I think there is a parallel between he and Joel Selwood. Both aren't quick (especially McLean), both tend to run the lines and Selwood's disposal is a little better but the big difference is that Selwood has smarts and awareness that McLean doesn't. Selwood seems to create space by doing very little, but McLean (along with Jones) tends to get caught too often or makes dumb decisions.