Melbourne v Sydney - unofficial match report

[grazman 7,432]

I Just got back from the game, and If I had to write an article about it, I'd label it "Horror Movie" not because our forward line has as much life as the former frontman of Skyhooks, but because like most Hollywood schlock that is passed off as horror, it was just oh so predictable.

The first quarter was pretty much what we've come to expect of the side lately. MIA for 20 minutes... game over. I was bemoaning the fact that PJ would never ever take another mark above his head and we just generally butcher the ball running out of defence. Hall was monstering poor Warnock and Colin had his hands full with Micky O. That was the story of the afternoon. They had two marking forwards, with over 1000 goals and 500 games between them and we had a makeshift forward come ruckman as our one genuine marking option inside the forward fifty while Bate and Miller had to push hard up the ground in search of kicks because our midfield were given a lesson about intensity and taking front position.

The second quarter while not reflected on the scoreboard showed a marked increase in workrate and effort. Matthew Bate and Lynden Dunn were the standouts, these kids are going to be good. Bate was in everything, and while Goodes looked set to have another typical outing for him at Manuka as he got off to a flyer courtesy of some dumb free kicks and umpiring generosity, Dunn did well to negate his effect. CJ was doing a job on O'Keefe as he did all day and while Warnock and Garland were clearly not strong enough to compete in one on ones with the Swans forwards, they showed some real poise coming out of defence, and the most surprising thing for me was that PJ actually started to take some marks in front of his face and was presenting really well. In general I'd say he had the best of Leo Barry who found him just to tall too spoil.

The third quarter was easily our best with the boys actually moving to make space and leading their opponents to the ball. The midfield started to break even and the Swans looked a little lack lustre when it was their turn to chase, the fourth was a continuance, but the wind was taken out of the sails by some unlucky breaks and some poor umpiring .

In general it was a day where the midfield was well beaten, but it's clear where the team is heading and how Bailey wants them to play and there's some very encouraging signs. The best from my vantage point in what was pretty much a blanket field were.

6. Bate

5. Dunn

4. Garland

3. CJ

2. PJ

1. Warnock

Apologies to Brad Green who was also good... and Brad Miller.

[Doggo 32]

Sorry if this thread has already been started elsewhere.

Gutsy effort today by the boys, but a bit of inconsistent umpiring and our own inability to play 4 quarters hurt us in the end. We played one fantastic quarter of footy (the 3rd), and i'm sure DB and the boys will take a lot from todays games against a tough, dicsiplined Sydney unit.

My Votes:

6 - Brad Green

5 - Paul Johnson

4 - Matty Bate

3 - Chris Johnson

2 - Col Garland

1 - Paul Wheatley

[godees 861]

Funny you didn't include Green in your top 6. I thought he was our best. Showed some of his teammates a thing or two about hitting a target (including inside 50). Closely followed by Bate and CJ. I wasn't at the game though.

My votes

6 - Green

5 - Bate

4 - CJ

3 - Dunn

2 - PJ

1 - Garland

[Dannyz 2,744]

6 - Matthew Bate

5 - Paul Johnson

4 - Chris Johnson

3 - Brad Green

2 - Lynden Dunn

1 - Colin Sylvia (Although I want to see more)

Wheatley, Garland & Davey were unlucky.

[Demons 32 235]

6 - Bate - actually kicked some goals which ive been wanting to see.

5 - Green - a touch of class.

4 - CJ - Loving CJ

3 - PJ - Great 2nd half

2 - Dunn - Did hios job and got some ball

1 - Wheatley - Another strong performance

[w00dy 146]

6. Bate

5. Green

4. C. Johnson

3. P. Johnson

2. L. Dunn

1. A Davey

[Neita3000 37]

6: Wheatley

5: Miller

4: Chris Johnson

3: Bate

2: Garland

1: Dunn

Jeff White should not play another game for the MFC

[Doggo 32]

Lynden Dunn had a strange game for me. IMO, I saw all of the best and worst of what Dunn has shown us in his career, in the one game. Much like Melbourne weather, he had 'four seasons in a day' today.

He did an outstanding job in containing Adam Goodes to just 12 disposals and a goal- showing himself to be a more than capable stopping midfielder against elite competition.

His run and 4 bounces thru the centre was very dashing and would have been one hell of a goal had he dobbed it- showing that he has the pace and ability to carry the footy and be a penetrating runner.

Overall, his ball use was pretty tidy and in the 3rd quarter he found a bit of footy when we started getting on top.

But...

On more than one occasion he looked like he squibed the contest. Especially in the air. I know he has never been considered a strong-mark or particularly good overhead, but today he just looked hopeless. Like PJ did 3 years ago. His inability to help Warnock spoil against Hall in one marking situation late in the game, where he had the run at the ball but opted to wait for it to land in his lap, rather than attacking the footy and putting some body in, really highlighted it for me.

Also a couple of times when he had the footy in space, he seemed to hear footsteps, and rushed his disposal under pressure.

Generally today he struck me as a guy who didnt really have the commitment to put his body on the line for the team. Something that i've seen on more occasions than i'd hope for.

He was very good at his role today on Goodes, and seemed extremely task-minded and disciplined in that regard. But there was more than a few occasions where i was bemoaning his lack of physicality in helping out his teammates, and not leaving Goodes at appropriate times to attack and defend for teammates. His inability to win his own footy is also of some concern.

Good game purely because of his job on Goodes, but i'm still waiting/hoping for Dunn to come good. Didnt deserves votes from me today. Anyone agree?

[w00dy 146]

Lynden Dunn had a strange game for me. IMO, I saw all of the best and worst of what Dunn has shown us in his career, in the one game. Much like Melbourne weather, he had 'four seasons in a day' today.

He did an outstanding job in containing Adam Goodes to just 12 disposals and a goal- showing himself to be a more than capable stopping midfielder against elite competition.

His run and 4 bounces thru the centre was very dashing and would have been one hell of a goal had he dobbed it- showing that he has the pace and ability to carry the footy and be a penetrating runner.

Overall, his ball use was pretty tidy and in the 3rd quarter he found a bit of footy when we started getting on top.

But...

On more than one occasion he looked like he squibed the contest. Especially in the air. I know he has never been considered a strong-mark or particularly good overhead, but today he just looked hopeless. Like PJ did 3 years ago. His inability to help Warnock spoil against Hall in one marking situation late in the game, where he had the run at the ball but opted to wait for it to land in his lap, rather than attacking the footy and putting some body in, really highlighted it for me.

Also a couple of times when he had the footy in space, he seemed to hear footsteps.

Generally today he struck me as a guy who didnt really have the commitment to put his body on the line for the team. Something that i've seen on more occasions than i'd hope for.

He was very good at his role today on Goodes, and seemed extremely task-minded and disciplined in that regard. But there was more than a few occasions where i was bemoaning his lack of physicality in helping out his teammates, and not leaving Goodes at appropriate times to attack and defend for teammates.

Good game purely because of his job on Goodes, but i'm still waiting/hoping for Dunn to come good. Didnt deserves votes from me today. Anyone agree?

pretty good assessment of his game there today... i think for Lynden it is another thing he will learn... he has spent most of his footballing life playing as a forward, a leading forward... backing back into contests and things like that is something he won't be used to...

the coaches will identify this and get him to work on it... but a very impressive game from Dunn today...

[Little Goffy 14,528]

Well, I got to the game, and enjoyed it, despite the result.

Umpiring was just plain old weak and did work against us, but meh, as the saying goes.

6 -Green - A few more courageous pack mark efforts, a few more quality inside 50s, that'd be Greeny.

5 -Bate - Noice. Roight.

4 -PJ - Got right into it. Good game.

3 -Miller - Very hard work all day, sometimes effective, always there.

2 -CJ - I repeatedly saw him do those good-decisions with quality execution that the rumours had suggested way back... nice.

1 -Garland - Still a trooper. Also was quite badly winded for a while, was taken down to the rooms for a check for anything more serious, then came back a little later.

Our midfield did get beaten a lot. It doesn't make sense to me that players like Mclean, Jones, Syvlia, Bruce, McDonald and (in other games) Moloney can't put together an effective midfield operation. Personally, I blame Paul Williams, who I've never quite liked, because he's never been Todd Viney (who I hope will be the next of the 'Melbourne's Mates' crowd to come home, as midfield assitant coach. I'm SURE Connolly is working on that one.

Wheatley was solid again, and Whelan had a pretty good, Whelan-like return.

Dunn did the job he was given effectively. Shame that glorious 80m run through the midfield didn't end in a goal.

Also, anyone know why Holland was up there? He wasn't named as an emergency, could it be that he just made a point of travelling with the team anyway? I'd believe it - huge respect for the guy.

[grazman 7,432]

Funny you didn't include Green in your top 6. I thought he was our best. Showed some of his teammates a thing or two about hitting a target (including inside 50). Closely followed by Bate and CJ. I wasn't at the game though.

It's not that I thought he played a bad game, because he didn't. He started up forward and took a while to come into the game, but that's just my opinion and I haven't seen any stats, so I don't know what his first quarter was like. His disposal was excellent and he just goes everytime it's his turn. He's a very brave player. I should probably have squeezed him into the votes along with Brad Miller who despite his critics (who have gone strangely silent), just keeps presenting. I wanted to reward the backline players like Garland, CJ and Warnock because it wasn't their fault at all that Sydney kicked so many goals and they constantly worked to present options coming out of the back fifty. Col had a magnificent run, but couldn't goal unfortunately.

Personally I didn't think Aaron had a good day. He did a few flashy things (yes a deliberate pun) but in general you'd expect to get a bit more out of him .

[grazman 7,432]

On more than one occasion he looked like he squibed the contest. Especially in the air. I know he has never been considered a strong-mark or particularly good overhead, but today he just looked hopeless. Like PJ did 3 years ago. His inability to help Warnock spoil against Hall in one marking situation late in the game, where he had the run at the ball but opted to wait for it to land in his lap, rather than attacking the footy and putting some body in, really highlighted it for me.

Anyone agree?

It was Roberts-Thomson, and I turned to my mate next to me as soon as it happened and said "He should have put him in F***ing Hospital, you have to attack the ball!" It was a bad blue. It's easy to hang blokes on these sorts of errors, but it's a learning curve for them, as long as they don't keep repeating the same mistakes.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,175]

But...

On more than one occasion he looked like he squibed the contest. Especially in the air.

Well said I was amazed that no one else had mentioned this. He squibbed three contests and a fourth was line ball...

[Doggo 32]

It was Roberts-Thomson, and I turned to my mate next to me as soon as it happened and said "He should have put him in F***ing Hospital, you have to attack the ball!" It was a bad blue. It's easy to hang blokes on these sorts of errors, but it's a learning curve for them, as long as they don't keep repeating the same mistakes.

Yeah you're right, it was LRT not Hall, good call. I said (more like screamed) the exact same thing at the time... "why didnt he HIT HIM!?" Probably why i forgot who it was who he should've been hitting!

Problem is its not the first or second or third time we've seen this from Dunn. He has been a repeat offender in that regard.

[Doggo 32]

Just watched a bit of footage and saw there actually was another instance, where Dunn needed to commit to helping his teammate and didnt, that resulted in a Barry Hall mark and goal on Warnock (in the 2nd qtr maybe?).

It just wasnt a good strong-enough effort IMO. I hope he can improve in that regard because he could be a very good player if he were able to assert himself more physically on the game.

[Ewok 9]

A bit hard when you're not at the game, but here is my take:

6 - Green

5 - Bate

4 - Dunn

3 - CJ

2 - Garland

1- - Wheatley

Bruce was better than usual today. Davey and PJ OK also.

[titan_uranus 25,015]

How did Davey go? Didn't hear much of him on the radio.

Sounded like Bate, PJ and Dunn were our best.

[Ewok 9]

I thought Davey was OK. What he did was good. Just not quite enough of it. I'd rate his performance 6/10.

[titan_uranus 25,015]

I thought Davey was OK. What he did was good. Just not quite enough of it. I'd rate his performance 6/10.

I miss the days where he was feared by the opposition's defence.

[Little Goffy 14,528]

How did Davey go? Didn't hear much of him on the radio.

Sounded like Bate, PJ and Dunn were our best.

Davey did a few good things. Not among worst, for sure. But not a big game.

I feel he did enough to not deserve any criticism, but not so much that he'd get a lot of praise.

[Doggo 32]

I miss the days where he was feared by the opposition's defence.

I get the feeling that he's either carrying an injury, or has still not regained full match-fitness since he did that hamstring a few weeks ago.

He just didnt look quite as sharp as usual, even almost got ran down by Darren Jolly of all people!

[chapter 2 0]

wasnt our forward line good grazman because we had such a high efficiency!

[The Lobster Effect 891]

reply just starting now on channel 7 in vic....

[Whispering_Jack 30,053]

Votes have been collected and update of polling will be published tomorrow with our official match report from Scoop Junior.

Thanks Graz. Your votes are included in the chosen group of three.

This week's weighting = .6491.

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,658]

My Votes:

6 - Matthew Bate

5 - Paul Johnson

4 - Matthew Warnock

3 - Lynden Dunn

2 - Brad Green

1 - Chris Johnson