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I disagree. A lot of teams have one key player that makes the difference when competing against other top clubs. If you were to name a player from Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City that was critical to their success against other top clubs you would most likely come up with one name. For Melb City it is Leckie. We need another Leckie in the back six.

I’m fine with that considering JMAC was the benchmark marquee.

IMO that's an excuse and not a reason. If it was indeed the overwhelming reason, then the club is in an even worse state than we thought.

Well all the supporters who claimed that it was FA holding the A-League back and that the clubs would be better at running the competition better grab extra helpings of humble pie.

One man team?

Well, that's one bed occupied at the new Germano Treatment Centre.

The biggest impact of our season was leckie being injured for the majority of it. It's no coincidence that when he was healthy, the team started rolling again.

Leckie 2 year deal as marquee

That is really down and out.

I don't think that our bench has been as strong; this gives the coach fewer options, and, of course, they have less impact. We've probably had fewer injuries overall, but all have been to key players, and they've missed many games. It wasn't until the third last round that we were able to field our first-choice eleven

He's on a Scholarship. Strongly agree. But they won't get the minutes if we keep the under-performers.

Mehmet's son, ex soccer oops, he's playing in the NPL 2 team. Midfielder played last game but subbed off at 45

Absolutely on board with both @MHFC-FAN and @Le Hack here. I'm excited about the opportunities tighter budgets give to our best youngsters. I want to see the kids play and thrive. Necovski sounds like a gun and I've managed to see Sulemani play for less than 20 minutes so far in an NPL game at Ballarat. But he's also had great props. Caputo we've seen and I rate him, and Mazzeo looks up to it.

Durakovic?

Also Politidis, Durakovic, Nieuwenhulzen and Shillington. And big wraps on Necovski the under 17s Joey's captain who's just signed

We've lost a whole generation of young players who couldn't get into the senior team and whose careers stalled. In a way that's an inevitable consequence of success, but team selection should always balance present needs with future success.

Hopefully Sulemani, Mazzeo and Caputo all get plenty of game time next season! With a bit of luck become proper first 11 players and take the league by the scruff of it's neck!

Agree with the above and you can also include the following: Behich leaving less than half way through leading to signing Fernandez who whilst I don't mind did cause two penalties Talbot's drop off in form this year compared yo last year when he was half decent Galloway injured so couldn't be that replacement on either full back position. He's also pretty good for 2-3 goals a season which I can't recall we got any from the FBs

It's going to be financially tight next season. We could do with a couple of young guns really coming through next season. He's one of my big hopes. I suspect we've missed him this season.

If money to the clubs has gone from $3.5M to $1M, I wonder if they have reduced the salary cap floor?

Mostly agree. I don't think our use of subs has been as poor as in previous years. We've been more willing to use those subs earlier, they have sometimes changed the game (particularly Antonis, but sometimes others) or have at least shored up tiring legs. Another factor this season has been injuries (but see also ageing squad). We've so often been without key players including the better game changers to come off the bench. Look at who was missing for the game on Sunday, and wonder what a fit Tilio, Mazzeo, Nabbout, Reis or Sulemani might have contributed. Finally, player departures or impending departures. Curtis Good was the consummate professional to the last, but we can only wonder where Maclaren's head was. And Hamza Sakhi's departure was a real loss, just when he'd settled in and found form. But having said that, yes, a grim season leavened with the occasional outstanding performance. Too often and a familiar story, we've not turned periods of dominance into goals. Albeit three more points would have put us ahead of Victory and if we believe the breathless commentariat, they are a wonderful side who have had a decent season. Only two really good sides this year, both well clear of the pack on top, and we deservedly beat one of them in the run in... The elephant in the room has been our woeful and often inexplicable inconsistency.

I think regarding tactics we are in the same trap as Sydney found itself in, Arnie was successful with it, so it got passed on. Different players and coaches come and go and it stops working. Ulfie has done a brilliant job revitalising them. CB has caused a lot of our problems as you point out. I have been a bit disappointed with Jeggo as well, especially when compared to O'Neil, he doesn't even fit the brief of what's needed. As I have said, I would have preferred Lopane or Antonis who did well there instead. Agree our wingers were very hot and cold and that's generous. Agree. Our recruitment and identifying academy talent was pretty bad this season, Aslan and Souprayen were the only bright spots, the latter also contributing to our slow problems though. I do wonder how much leeway the staff had, Vidmar came across that he had very little wiggle room or say. Is it him taking jabs at the management above him, or was it excuses? But it's pretty poor there was no cohesion until very late and there was only brief signs of it.

This is correct, and people easily forgot that this was an important pillar of our succes. No magical recruitment and signings by Petrillo, no ground breaking coaching by PK - we just kept a good squad together because we could afford to do so. Nabbout and Atkinson actually signed with Perth at one stage and for various Covid reason including financials we managed to keep and or sign them. We actually let Atkinson go…..

Townsend spent money like we were the EPL

I understood that contact was to the chest rather than the head? If it was the head his response was justified. Certainly no intent to justify or downplay what Machach did, or the penalty applied.