Wunders

I’ve never seen so many kicks to the opposition under no pressure to start a game. They just sit back and wait for us to turn it over and then run forward in a wave. Eisner and repeat. [censored] so obvious how to beat us. Can’t watch anymore. Sigh.

We are a dumb team who could be anything if we didn’t make such bad decisions at times. Fritsch [censored] me.

AFL Player Ratings @AFLPlayerRating Jul 22 Just saw on Twitter and thought it would be a good place to post here in this stats thread. Biggest relative rise in Overall Standing this season: https://twitter.com/AFLPlayerRating/status/1285778184928063488/photo/1 Viney in 2 and Petracca in 8

Cheekbone apparently, this is what Goodwindees said in the thread about AVB: "Guys, it hasn't been reported yet, but to show you how tough & committed to the cause that Aaron is, he suffered a triple fracture to his cheekbone early in the second quarter and despite blood trickling continually down the inside of his nose & throat he totally downplayed the knock and kept playing."

There was talk he broke his jaw vs Hawthorn, but no official anything since so unsure (had the injury report on the AFL website and on the Melbourne website and neither showed it).

Don't forget that Brisbane play 2 genuine Rucks. Stef Martin and Oscar McInerney. So if we go Tmac for Jackson we have Tmac rucking against a much taller opponent. I also think: Tmac was showing better signs against Gold coast before injured early (hes better used as the leading forward whose endurance can hurt the opposition (and it appears Weid is a lot better as the goal square quick lead out forward), I think Jackson will lose in the ruck against McInerney, but can negate that by being better after the ball hits the ground, I agree that Angus is hurting us playing on a wing and this week the coaches may tag Neale with Harmes. If they chose to do that, then that means that another mid has to move out of our normal rotation and i can't see Angus playing I also wondered if Melksham is injured/carrying something? he looks slow/unable to move like normal (he still did his bullet kick, but i wonder if something is up with his body - maybe just been quieter of late). I'd be happy with no changes, but could understand one change. I can't see Jones getting back in unless we get injuries.

Was Brown by chance one of the ones who didn't go up immediately? Might be a reason why (if not somewhat surprised, but as long as we win i'll be happy).

I also don't think smith on Sicily is a good idea, smith get's lost / suckered in, goes when he shouldn't and doesn't go when he should. I'd bring Brown in to man up on sicily if that's the way people want to play it. Plus brown can hurt sicily as a lead up forward and weid stays back. I also think people forget that Howe sucks as a forward. Whoever plays him just bodies him and doesn't let him jump. So Smith would have to be able to judge the flight of the ball better than his defender (doubtful) and be given a clear run up to jump (doubtful). The idea is a good one, but requires space otherwise it falls short (i.e. how often is a forward given space to position himself and then run and jump over a pack to mark? Never in the melbourne forward line.

It seemed very slippery last night on the tv, so even though I like the addition of two talls I sort of lol’d to myself that this could be perceived as the game you don’t want to bring in talls (it’s almost like he’s trying to select the wrong team ? - only at Melbourne)!! Looking forward to it anyway! Go dees!

I think lever needs to be the third tall. He would be a lot stronger if it was may, omac & him - that’s what he had at Adelaide. Instead it’s may and 191cm smith / lever playing on the second best forward 1v1, not playing him to his strengths. I think this is the problems with playing 100 midfielders in a team and not forwards/defenders. Oh well ?

I noticed a lot today that we were clear and would turn backwards and handball into trouble. Hadn’t noticed it as much in previous weeks. We had many times when we could’ve gained possession moved towards our goals and drawn a player for an easy handball over the top (making it 2v 1), but instead did a half turn and handballed backwards (giving the tigers time to flood back and get their defence set up). Only times we looked good was when we got possession and just went (I felt like the coaches had instructed our players not to play on (except for fritsch)). With no tall forwards we need to play on more and run more as we can’t slow the ball down and kick long down the line to smalls. At least we have the draft to look forward too... oh wait :p. Pickett does look good when he gets it!

Scott backing Esava Ratugolea to ruck against max. That may mean Geelong also go in with a short forward line (so won't need O mac in to combat Hawkins and Ratu in the forward line). So if this does transpire maybe no change.. https://www.afl.com.au/news/456918/sav-against-max-cats-coach-backs-youngster-no-1-ruckman-out

I am still bullish about him. I think when he gets back from his injury he may be quite useful!

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2020/06/19/essendon-skipper-set-for-stint-on-sidelines/ Broken bone in ankle being reported for Heppell ? - unlucky.

I wonder if Tmac's knee has killed his form - a physical limitation. For example, say he now has bone on bone in the knee, it's painful to run and jump (still possible, but it's there all the time)... then that would explain why: He isn't running opposition players off their feet anymore (remember he was pretty much our best endurance runner with Hogan and ANB almost always dominating our pre-season trails). Last 2 years he has been rehabbing and not doing these. He used to get out the back goals (because he ran them off their feet - haven't seen him get one in years). Hence, his reduced output on game day It may also be that opposition teams can now rotate defenders on him (if it's not his knee). So when one get's tired the next moves to him. When we had Hogan we had both talls running hard and they couldn't handle it. Or it may be that we don't want him running all over the ground as we want him as the Hogan/target big in the forward line.. Although clearly, with Fritsch and Hunt playing out of the square this probably isn't it. Just highlights to me how much Tom needs a 'Hogan' type to be the No1 key forward and we don't have it. Also doesn't help that we can't kick to advantage

Loved rivers game - all I want to think about really ???‍♂️

Outcome over action. Crazy really.

I just want him actually on the field all season. This is a positive step, hope he keeps moving forward

I mean sure give them an assistence package but if the same people are in charge of gold coast who did the awful deal with Brisbane and crap deal with Freo what can we expect except a stupid deal with geelong being the icing on the cake (Gold Coast is taking the theme 'Bottom Feeder' to a new level.. not just loosing good players a few years after drafting, loosing them before they have even drafted them for crap all return hahaha).

Nice vertical jump of 83cm :).

If we can split and get ports pick between the hawks and dogs i think we split (as picket or weightman will be there still). Otherwise go witht he flow.

I've always thought that the plank isn't that good of an exercise as the ability to consciously contract the muscles is poor after a short (20/30seconds). As a result the plank very quickly starts challenging tissues of the body it shouldn't be (ligaments etc) rather than the muscles of the core. I much prefer the idea of 10x 30sec planks with like a 3second down reset and up phase. Just my random thoughts

Or until the GF - aka richmond last year haha

I like the idea of him, but can he even run anymore? what's his base conditioning like (should we be treating him like a player out of the U18's and not plan to play him at all)? Happy to get as i don't think there is potential talent on list, expecting nothing, but if he manages to regain conditioning and can actually play well - well that's great (i.e. thinking trengrove at this stage and hope for pre injury Bennell).

We can live trade. so why don't we wait till the night, then when pick 7 goes and we see if the player we wanted at 8 is there. If he is then we don't swap, if he isn't then we consider the swap. But really it's not worth it relative to what we gave up to North to then swap with Gold coast. I.e. say we finish outside the 8 and get pick 9 next year. We traded 9, 26 and 50 for 8. To then give up 8 for 15 and 20 means we gave up 9, 26 and 50 for 15 and 20 ? (and if we actually finish worse it's an awful trade lol).