Wunders

I normally just go by the AFL app and who scores more AF points as per who gets it and it seems to be fairly accurate in the past. But hogan had 103, and McCarthy had 80, which was quite a discrepancy this time. I sort of hope hogan doesn't get nominated but to clearly be the best player ever to not get nominated in there first year !

I've heard Stuart Dews Name mentioned and even put forward by Sydney (players or coach - may have been a player interview)..

On his skill level, i actually think it's better than most give him credit for (or its his decision making under pressure is. Sure he might not be able to lace out hit someone with a bullet, but he gathers the ball, pushes off a would be tackler, gets a meters space with another tackler coming at him and just holds the ball long enough to hit up a target (really well weighted and to advantage in front). Numerous times ive seen him do that and its something i hardly see from most of our other midfielders (except jones) when under pressure/about to be tackled (e.g. Dom tyson). Its wonderful to see. I think normally the moto would be to bomb it forward and he just knows what to do and does it.

They will review it and then say insufficient force . Needs to be careful though.

Also on Bail, one poster praised his efforts keeping the ball in our forward line (which i acknowledge we have been poor at), but i think i noticed 2 incidents where we out numbered the opposition and all he had to do was tap or get the ball to the goal side melbourne player and instead he held it in and created a ball up. E.g. just before halftime or 3Qtr time (i think it was) the ball was kicked over his and someone elses head, the ball bounced up (instead of rolling on) and in my head i was like jump up and tap it forward to the melbourne player around 10-15m out from goal by himself, instead he grabbed it, tackled immediately, ball up siren. It's an easy goal that was lost that we can't afford at this stage not to take. Anyway very happy with the win, keep the confidence up boys! Go Dees!

Is vandenburg in trouble? I'm pretty sure he kicked goodes' hand/arm as goods was trying to pick up the ball which probably broke it. I'm probably more happy about the injury, he was a little pr ick all day to Melbourne players including hogan, extremely fiery and confrontational, was just trying to start trouble (e.g. after how mark having a go at Hogan) & the shephard was of an aggressive player wanting to hurt, rather than wanting to protect his ball carrier.

I believe Casey have a bye. I'd be happy with an unchanged side, or viney in for bail, and jetta in for jones. I dont want tyson back yet (its not like 1 week off will fix and MCL strain [even though its minor]), i'd give him a few weeks to ensure he is feeling a lot better on it. Few changes = happy!

Gawny playing like he should every week! 20 disposals is more than most of our midfield gets in the ones lol. Ps ceglar beat pike by using his height. If we play Sydney again if copy and bring Gawn in to play on him. Consistency from white, NB, Gawn is the key going forward. Like the idea of them all but let's see how they go over the next few weeks! Go dees!

Fitzpatrick = interesting (he would be a good fit for Boyd - both should nullify each other).

Yep, i almost posted that his endurance was poor (his inability at times to use his weight and height also is worrying). Since then he has been played in the VFL as a forward, or AFL as a forward. How is he going to improve his conditioning for the ruck if hes sitting in the goal square for big parts of the game (that's what frustrates me, he showed he could match minson for three quarters when minson was very good, but since we have chosen to play spencer and Jamar in that main role at VFL/AFL level). He can do extra conditioning etc.. but thats not match conditioning (which is a big step up on pre season training and VFL matches in general). Oh well, at least our forward line looks good with hogan back - just need to get it there now!

On this, almost every game Gawn has played has been with Jamar as No.1 ruck that i can recall (or Gawn and Spencer), so he has never? rucked an entire match as the No.1 Ruck alone. I would love Gawn to get a solid 10 game stint as the only ruckman in the team.. Similar to what Spencer got at the start of last year (or year b4), before he got injured & got that contract extension. I'm not saying Gawn will be amazing, but i think he has the talent to be better than all the ruckman on our list, and like a new high draft pick who was recruited for talent, i'd like him to get games so we can see this. Just give him a chance Roos please! Go Dees

After listening to barret and lyon talk about the bulldogs and their happyness not to play a ruckman in the ruck, i think we need to think of who has the most skill in the ruck to advantage our midfield.. so its either GAWN or JAmar in for Spencer. I am yet to see a hit out to advantage from spencer, i think hes great for a body to throw around, but that's about it. if rumors are true viney isnt playing, jetta could miss another, brayshaw has a corkie.. we are looking poor still.

The way we play we need an advantage, bring Gawn in for the rest of the year and leave him at FF. then tell our players to kick it long to him one out (they will have to play on and get it in quick to get a 1v1. Onus on the mids to play attackingly. I don't blink we will get much for Howe or garland if they both leave.. Maybe second round of we are lucky!

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-05-15/the-inquirer-the-inside-50-job Good article highlighting what we know, we are good once we get it in the 50. Interestingly Ben Newton was our best, and you could argue the high % scores per entry is due to good ball skills (which he contributes to - just doesnt get it enough). Im pretty sure Watts was our second best (again great user, but can't get it enough). So we replace 2 good kicks (Watts and Newton) with 2 who cant kick. I wonder how our scores per I50 will be this week? My guess is down, but if we get more I50's then thats good i guess!

That doesn't excite me at all oh god! We were hopeless in the vfl last week. And we make so many changes.. Dawes has an iffy calf yet we will use him as second ruck.. When hawthorn are playing 2 ruckman.. Oh well hope we are competitive at least!

If we did get yarran, then next year Salem to midfield, Yarran to his spot? Is Yarran any good 1v1?

SEN suggesting R. Sloane to stkilda at the end of the year (obviously just rumour & i missed the start of it), but if he was going id be very keen to get (even though we have bad blood over not drafting him originally and taking bennel).

i thought a rumour was out there that he wanted to come back to Victoria?

A quality ruckman who could win tap to advantage would be amazing!! Imagine playing proactively, like sandilands to fyfe.. Imagine the tactics you could use if you were confident your ruckman would win the hit out and not only win, hit it to an area you wouldnt have to break stride to get the ball??? E..g. sandi hit one about 10 m away to fyfe at a centre cilce stoppage who ran onto it nicely a week ago (thats what i want). Think Gawn to vince and goal last year.. that on a regular basis (Spencer, cant do that, Jamar might be able to, but Gawn is the only one who actually has done it).

In regards to Toumpas I'd love to give him a game for the rest of the year.. Just play him, don't drop him (I don't care if he has 5 disposals). Let's see what he can do. I think so far he tackles quite well and runs a lot. Let's see if we can get some high disposal games as a reward (with good efficiency too)!

Confirmed Viney out for 1-2 more:http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-05-12/viney-one-to-two-weeks-away Sam Frost (toe) – 4-6 weeks Dean Kent (hamstring) – 8 weeks Christian Petracca (knee) – season Jack Trengove (foot) – season Jack Viney (fibula) – 1-2 weeks No mention of jetta

Was just thinking that & mentioned it while talking to a hawks supporter mate. And how good would it be if we played on and attacked rather than holding up the play (really missing kents speed here i believe). When we actually tried to do it against sydney hogan had 3 shots on goal as a result in the second half.. Lets attack dees . This is how it will go: Salem to ___, handball to salem who kicks to ___, handball to salem who lace out hits Hogan who out muscles Frawley. Repeat * 27 times. Sounds pretty accurate.

I believe it was because we rated Jamar more. From my recollection when Jamar went down for most of the year a few years back, Martin absolutely played like he is right now at brisbane, but when jamar was fit the powers that be opted for Jamar being better than Martin (which i still question), hence Jamar came in for martin (whereas brisbane is keeping Leuenburger out and keeping Martin No. 1). I agree, and think that most supporters realise that we are in trouble with the rucks, so why not play Gawn in the AFL as we all acknowledge he has the most talent.. He needs to develop an AFL ruckmans tank and the best way to do that is to play in this role in the AFL. In the AFL we then get him to work on: His endurance (poor) His 1v1 body work His marking (stop going one handed/stop bending over to body up, use your hips). I thought he might have come in last week instead of spencer. I could also see him coming in this week instead of pederson.

Except that one where he handballed to jones and let the guy chasing jones run past him contributing to the resultant turnover. If only we worked as a team (hopefully gets better with more AFL experience).

I thought it was 100 games?