Wunders

FYI Nathan Jones is coming onto SEN at apparently 4:40 pm today

Fyfe on AFL Game Day this morning - "i love Freo". Sounds like it may just be his manager trying to get more money from freo than him ever really contemplating leaving.. WHo knows what will happen, but this to me makes it seem more than likely he isn't going anywhere. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-06-15/i-love-freo

Thanks for all the updates I guess the next question is whether or not a player or two actually put their hands up to be played in the seniors if a spot is available? Any thoughts KC?

What i can remember: Agrees with Roosy about Zoneball Believes its starting to come together Wants to continue that growth and development Seeing consistent performances Plenty of areas to improve. Few questions asked: Roosy's influence? His response included - Way he has been able to galvanise everyone. Everyone looked up to him. Brings everyone together (coaches and players). Team is first etc. Focus on defence? how do you explain it (looking magnificent)? Not a fitness issue in the past, Early rounds turned the ball over more often than not so defending more than should be, other teams more efficient with ball use (retention - geelong etc). Excited about monday? exciting for US, another great challenge for us with where we are at as a group. We are really clear on where we are heading.. Looking forward to it. Dunn turnaround (since moustache)? Very happy he signed on. Cam pederson? Simplified the whole thing, went back to basics, doing the real team thing.. Finished on: Still got a long way to go but its really exciting!

I love how its all we & us.. Fantastic to hear.. No hesitation!

Hey Everyone, Just listening to SEN and Jonesy is about to be on now on the run home (4:30pm ish). Hopefully they put the audio up on their website or MelbourneFC get it! Cheers http://www.sen.com.au/mediaplayer

Yep, but we have to delist him and re draft him in the rookie draft (aka Jetta), but if another club likes him can pick him up as a delisted free agent (i think - aka Riley to us) or pick him ahead of us in the draft (whichever one).

I don't see why any of our rookies would be upgraded when they dont need to be (e.g. Clisby last year). Keep them there and that free's up more spots on the actual list etc. Only real certanties are: Clark Byrnes Nicholson My guess is that we will want 5'ish spots on the list so two more to be traded/delisted.

North Melbourne has reached 37095 - quite impressive, wonder if they normally have more than us..

I'll look at this another way.. Dawes is injury prone (or has been to date), maybe it's a little blessing in that he gets two weeks off from game day loads (although i guess it could be argued the Bye does the same thing). Medium impact is the interesting call - richmond must have put in a great medical report for it to be termed that..

One thing melbourne needs to work on is sheparding and learning to hang back a little or draw a second player away from a contest.. several times we won/would've won the 1v1 but a second player came in and drew a second opponent.. E.g. Bail (i think) on win, wins ball and has an opponent on his tail, Riley was one meter away running in same direction - almost blocking his path and calling for ball. I'd like to see Riley cut off/block bails opponent, instead he got the ball and i think it turned into a tackle/ball up situation. in another situation, Dawes was on the boundry just outside 50, ball on ground bodying his opponent out, about to pick up and viney runs in and they both go for it (either dawes should block for viney or viney wait for daws and stay away for handball recieve), in the end viney picks up and handballs to opposition while being tackled. I think as we get better this will happen less, but frustrating at the time to see. Anyway loving how we are playing Go dees!

I think we will only need to be worried if Gawn and Dawes keep moving to the same areas (i.e., both drag their defenders to the same contest) and allow their opponent to come second man up. I have 100% faith in Gawn being able to out mark his opponent, but if they keep getting an extra man up & Gawn has to chase 2 players out of defence he wont have a good game.. Gawn 1v1 is pretty good, and he can actually tackle for a big man, but to use him like this we need 1v1 contests in the forward line - a rarity so far this season for us i would suggest (if the other forwards body out their defenders though he should get a 1v1 contest, which all comes down to team work again).

If burns was to be dropped i just had a random thought that Tapscott could be a chance, depending on Roosey's view of his match fitness and role etc. E.g. From Brett allison's VFL review: "Luke played half-forward and on ball. He had 20 possessions. Luke looked really strong around the stoppages and won plenty of contested possessions. He ran in straight lines at the footy and if he didn’t win it, he often caused the ball to spill for other teammates to win as well. So it was a good, strong hit out from Luke. He’s getting back to full fitness now and he can start pressing for senior selection." From the development side of things, i almost feel that Blease, Tapscott, Strauss, Toumpass should keep getting played at VFL level until they play 5-10 strong games then they may be a chance for AFL level. In the past we have had too much "in for one game out the next.." I'd like to see kent back and Gawn in for his first hit out if Frawley is to be rested (depending on his endurance - i.e., ability to make and recover from repeated leads). Go dees

Could you or anyone else attach the link for this? I can only find the $90 memberships and I was thinking of buying my girlfriend a membership for the sake of it

It's a weird feeling going to games and actually thinking: "we could actually win if things go well".. Even with the lack of class, when the team clicks, they can be more than competitive Really looking forward to the rest of the season!

I read that the ressies have a bye this week

I think he meant Trengrove Go dees - we have a chance!

I like what you are trying to imply. Two things: Maybe it would be relevant to re-visit at the end of this season (If Jack maintains his form from round one i think we would all be very happy supporters). Compare him against an elite midfielder? its hard to compare his midfield stats against a forward and a ruckman (although relevant for 'who should have gone first debate'). Feeling positive about Jack though - would love to see his no of tackles rise too.

I love the Dees and will be there next week and by round 10 hopefully we have some forwards on the park. Until then we will be limited in some aspects. Go Dees! P.s. it can't/shouldn't get any worse than last year, so i'm choosing to enjoy each game and look for positives instead.

I worked at the Eastern Ranges back in his day and Blease can kick very well.. i remember him and our coach (ex Collingwood player Shane Watson) having a kick to kick and Blease was kicking bullets left or right foot to him (Bucks esk flat hard things) and Watto was no slouch and knew he was something special then. I have been disappointed with his disposal in game as i know he can do so much better. I think it's more to do with him running too fast when he tries to dispose of the ball. I'm sure he and the coaches know this and are working on it though. Arguments could be made about our ball movement in regards to him finding the footy in the forward line and his injuries pre-season most years really hampering his ability to perform all game (endurance). keep him injury free is the simple answer. I would love to see him get a full pre-season and season in without getting injured and see how he goes. He hasn't had one yet. As for playing Nicho in the forward line, i think we would all prefer JKH

Just reading up on: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-01-13/clubs-early-talent-test Would be great to get some early comparisons of Billy to see where he is at compared to the rest of the squad when or if he trains with us this week Keep up the great work guys and gals!

The girlfriend haha - her family is st kilda and collingwood and i've put it simply, its melbourne or im gone (not really gone, but there is no way she is going for anyone else)!! Go Dees!

Draft night Roos was pretty strong on no first year player getting a game (may have been just Salem).. But clearly he is standing out and i would love to see him playing round one (maybe as Neade did for port), but manage his load well and rest him regularly so he doesn't burn out.

I would suggest that Michie should be in the same category as Tyson - both a similar age and a more mature body size (so i would place as inside), whereas Salem and Harmes being first year players and smaller would classify for outside roles if they played a game in their first seasons.. as they get bigger and better they may then swap into an inside mid role. Good job all round

Really like what you have done here. Michie was recruited as an inside clearance player wasn't he? This would only highlight your point more in regards to what ROOS targeted!