Melbourne, North Melbourne. Port Adelaide and the AFL match review panel dominated Monday night TV

FROM Melbourne’s capitulation and the need for list changes to North’s spluttering forwards and MRP lotto — and Lenny Hayes pops by.

AFL Rd 19 - Melbourne v Brisbane

AFL 360 on Fox Footy

THE match review panel’s decisions on Reece Conca, Steve Johnson and Daniel Merrett dominated the first segment of AFL 360.

Anthony Hudson, sitting in for Gerard Whateley who is currently in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games, described it as a “mixed bag” of results.

Conca was suspended for two games for his grubby hit on GWS midfielder Devon Smith, a ruling deemed about right by Hudson and Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson.

“The (Tyrone) Vickery incident (striking Dean Cox to the head) deserved to go to the tribunal, my gut feel [on this one] says no, it wasn’t as bad as the Vickery one,” Robbo said.

Reece Conca floored Giant Devon Smith with this hit. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Media

“What annoys me is it’s the same as Nathan Fyfe. Nathan Fyfe went for two weeks earlier in the year, one was an accident, this was intentional, it was weak.”

Somewhat flippantly, but with an element of seriousness, Robbo suggested the MRP implement an “idiot level” to its grading of incidents.

“Was it cowardly, manly, acceptable and judge it on that,” he said.

Meanwhile, Robbo slammed the MRP for handing Steve Johnson a one-match ban which he expects Geelong to challenge at the AFL Tribunal.

“There wasn’t enough force to crush a lettuce,” he said.

But the panel was united in its condemnation of Brisbane utility Daniel Merrett getting off for striking Melbourne forward Cameron Pedersen with an elbow to the head in the act of spoiling the ball.

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“I’ve got no faith in him because I see him using his forearms too much,” Robbo said.

Merrett was suspended for striking David Swallow earlier in the season in a similar incident.

“That’s clumsy at least, that is dangerous and he’s got to do better.

“How come not many other players in the competition get caught getting people with their forearms to their faces?”

Laughter erupted on the panel later in the program when coaches Paul Roos and Mark Thompson joined the program.

They were shown the Merrett incident only to burst out laughing when told informed the Lion avoided suspension.

PAUL Roos pulled no punches when quizzed about Melbourne “bitterly disappointing” loss to Brisbane.

He said it was “extraordinary” to watch both teams make so many errors in the first three quarters in otherwise “perfect conditions”.

“You can’t kick goals if you can’t hit a target,” he said.

Roos even agreed with Robbo likened Melbourne’s last quarter capitulation to tanking.

“I can’t disagree with you,” Roos said.

MARK Thompson was asked to explain Essendon’s loss to Sydney.

His message was a simple one.

“It was OK when we got going, we didn’t play our best footy early and they just killed us, they just mauled us.”

Thompson said the Bombers burned their inside-50 entries.

“We need to do better,” he said.

With the discussion shifting to the need for Essendon to maybe bolster its forward line with an experienced crumber, Roos said smart midfields were equally as important.

“It’s your ability to make decisions in the midfield, I think you can manufacture goals with not a super forward line because your midfield dictates,” Roos said.

“If you’ve got a good midfield they make good decisions they’ll find targets.”

Port Adelaide skipper Travis Boak among those who needs to lift. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

QUICK HANDS

PORT ADELAIDE: Robbo and Huddo said the Power slump could not only be attributed to one or two players dropping off. “It’s not just Chad Wingard,” they said before highlighting the likes of Jared Polec, it’s Jasper Pittard, it’s Travis Boak and Matthew Lobbe.

RICHMOND: “I hope they keep charging,” Robbo said of the Tigers’ surge up the AFL table. “I really hope they do. They could finish ninth, that would be fantastic.”

STEVE JOHNSON: Bomber Thompson provided his insight on Stevie J. “You love what he does and you’ve got to take the good with the bad. He’s very entertaining to watch play football.”

LINDSAY THOMAS: Huddo was adamant the Kangaroo should have been fined or suspended for staging. Robbo had a different view, putting staging to one side, instead laying blame on Thomas for being hungry. “The real issue with Lindsay is handball to your teammates who are in the better position to kick the goal,” Robbo said. “He’s got courage Lindsay, he’s got it all, he dives, he ducks, he whinges ... but he can play the game and he makes bad errors.”

ON THE COUCH on Fox Footy

LIST changes at Melbourne was high on the agenda with Mike Sheahan and Jason Dunstall running a rule over several Demons who should be on the trade table.

Sheahan said he would put the likes of Jack Watts, Jimmy Toumpas, Jack Trengove and James Frawley up for trade in a bid to rebuild the club.

Meanwhile, Chris Dawes, Nathan Jones, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Jeremy Howe and Jesse Hogan were among the “non-negotiable” players on the list. They have to stay for the club to move up the ladder.

“I think one thing that Melbourne’s got to do, and (coach Paul Roos) Roosy is best-placed to do this, is make some tough decisions. Tough list management decisions,” Dunstall said.

Healy joined in the debate putting Jack Grimes and Toumpas under the microscope.

“I don’t think Jack Grimes has done enough ... Jimmy Toumpas, send him home (South Australia) if he’s not firing. He’s a pick no. 3 there’s got to be something much more there than we’ve seen.”

The panel was united in its belief that break-even for Melbourne under Roos — three years — was mid-table and trending upwards.

LENNY Hayes was the special guest on the couch for his last time as a St Kilda player.

The Saints champion spoke on several topics including free agency, Grand Final losses and taggers.

“I think they’re (taggers) part of the game, but I think that you do need to protect the player,” Hayes said.

“The only thing I don’t like — when I did get tagged — when they turn their back on the play.”

Hayes referred judgment on free agency other than to say it gives players more power and freedom.

“I need a couple more years to see how it pans out ... we’ve lost a couple of players but we’ve also got a couple of players.”

Hawk Jarryd Roughead mauled the Bulldogs. Picture: Michael Klein

QUICK HANDS

JARRYD ROUGHEAD: Sheahan paid big Roughead the ultimate tribute during last night’s program. “I think he’s the most valuable player in the game,” he said highlighting the Hawk’s goalkicking, marking and ability to play on the ball.

NORTH MELBOURNE: Healy said the Kangaroos couldn’t cope with the challenge of playing an in-form Geelong. Sheahan suggested the Roos got the rough end of the stick on umpiring decisions. Dunstall was filthy Majak Daw was pinged for a high hit on Shane Kersten.

MATCH REVIEW PANEL: Sheahan slammed the decision not to penalise Lindsay Thomas for staging. “If that’s not staging I don’t know what is ...” he said. He would go on to include Daniel Merrett avoiding suspension (hit on Pedersen) and Marc Murphy getting off for elbowing Docker Ryan Crowley. “[Message from the AFL/umpires is] you get a free hit at Ryan Crowley,” Sheahan said. “That (Murphy) was a vigorous elbow to the stomach. The match review panel says it’s insufficient force. If Steve Johnson’s is a worse case then I’ll got he.”

ETIHAD ROOF: Gerard Healy left nothing in the tank on this ... just CLOSE the roof. Dunstall agreed, using vision of James Frawley unable to see the ball in flight as his example. “If the players can’t see the ball then you’ve got to close the roof.”

PORT ADELAIDE: “Their fall from grace has been quite extreme,” Healy said. “I don’t think they believe anymore,” was Dunstall’s take on the Power slump. “This is a side that’s a shadow of what we saw the first 10-12 weeks of the season.” Dunstall said Collingwood’s pressure forced Port Adelaide into making mistakes. “I have no doubt the confidence has waned.”

North Melbourne forwards put through their paces at training. Picture: Colleen Petch

TALKING FOOTY on 7 mate

WAYNE Carey came in off the long run to pot underperforming North Melbourne forwards Drew Petrie and Aaron Black.

While they’ve combined for 52 goals this season, Petrie and Black have been held to under 10 disposals in six games this season.

“Don’t worry about Majak Daw,” Carey said. “Worry about Drew Petrie and Aaron Black.

“These two guys have been pretty ordinary all year.”

Carey said both would come under selection scrutiny had Robbie Tarrant (leg) and Ben Brown (finger) been fit to play.

“With what Black has delivered this year, I’d have Brown in there, I think Brown’s attack on the ball is way better than Black’s at the moment,” he said.

“I think it’s time both Drew and Black to have a good look in the mirror and say you know what boys, if we’re going to go anywhere in the finals we have to stand up.”

Demons co-captain Nathan Jones was one of his side’s best. Picture: Getty

FOOTY CLASSIFIED on Channel Nine

FORMER Melbourne champion Garry Lyon unleashed fury on the Demons and the club making excuses for poor performances.

“They can’t get it done when the pressure is on,” Lyon said.

“At some stage this footy club and all involved have got to stop making excuses for this playing group.”

Lyon’s outburst follows Demons coach Paul Roos suggesting his players were feeling the effects of previous losses.

“I don’t want to hear about the culture five years ago,” Lyon said.

“These are highly paid professional players who go to work Monday-to-Friday who get all the resources in the world thrown at them, lets not make excuses.”

The program had a recorded interview with Melbourne co-captain Nathan Jones who back his coach.

“It’s definitely a mental thing,” he said.

“To be 13 points up in yesterday’s game and let it go ... obviously our skills were really deplorable and cost us.

“Our skills weren’t up to scratch for AFL standards, maybe even VFL standards.”

Panellist Matthew Lloyd said Melbourne must address the way it moves the ball forward.

Several clips were shown of Demons missing free players close to goal, instead taking shots themselves and missing.

CRAIG Hutchison cast doubt over North Melbourne’s credentials, labelling the Kangaroos a mid-tier competitor some 4-5 goals off “group one” teams.

Hutchison said the Kangaroos faced the prospect of peaking on their run similar to Richmond.

“The whole theory their best is good enough I don’t subscribe to,” Hutchison said.

“I don’t think they belong in the conversation they put themselves in.

“There’s just this whole theory they’re going to get better again next year ... I’m not sure they are.”

MATTHEW Lloyd waded in on the staging debate, urging Kangaroo Lindsay Thomas to stop playing for free kicks.

“It’s something you hate being maligned for,” he said.

Originally published as Melbourne, North Melbourne. Port Adelaide and the AFL match review panel dominated Monday night TV