JUST ANOTHER PRACTICE MATCH

[Demonland 72,216]

JUST ANOTHER PRACTICE MATCH by Whispering Jack

Another practice match; another narrow loss in a low scoring game against one of 2008's leading AFL clubs.

I did say a "practice match" didn't I?

Right ... in a game whose result was meaningless, the Demons showed a fair bit against a pretty strong Sydney combination but we need to forget the scoreboard and look purely at the performance of the team and how it's shaping up in comparison with last year.

The narrative is starting to take on a familiar look. The defence continues to step up in leaps and bounds, the midfield is showing small signs of improvement after attracting the tag "third world" but still struggles to win enough clearances and lacks a bit of toe and a forward line that's ... well, um ... basically inept.

There will be much debate as to where this will lead us to in 2009 and a great deal will depend on whether the list stays healthy. It's a list that's young and promising but those players need games in their legs before they can make a difference.

Despite some promising signs, the midfield needs a lot more strengthening. There are plenty of hard nuts there but they were overwhelmed by Sydney's determination, pace and superior ball movement. That said, it appeared as though Brock McLean, Brent Moloney and James McDonald weren't being pushed hard in this game. Nathan Jones was disappointing, looked slow and was caught a bit too often. Cale Morton continued to kick on picking up a swag of possessions and Cameron Bruce was good outside but what Melbourne really needed was someone like Simon Buckley (inexplicably missing recently) who can take on the opposition and run through the lines. In the end, there was nobody there who could put his hand up high and say, "I'm taking this game on!"

But if we can be critical of the midfield, what can be said of the attack? Brad Miller was the only tall forward of any note; Paul Johnson has a fair way to go either as a forward or a ruckman and Michael Newton simply isn't up to it. Matthew Bate who booted four goals last week was sorely missed. Aaron Davey had his moments, Brad Green was used sparingly and Neville Jetta added some excitement but the forwards didn't do enough to keep the ball in the team's attacking half.

On what's been on display over the past fortnight, there might be some improvement in the side in 2009 but, even so, that might not translate into many more wins than last year. You don't win too many games when you average 8 or 9 goals a match.

Still there was evidence of advancement – mainly in the fact that the team is not as much out of touch with the game is being played these days as it was last year and in the way the back half is developing. I won't dwell too much on the defenders other than to say that they not only performed but they also stood out. Garland, Grimes, Warnock, Martin, Frawley and Cheney - all of them look to be long term members of what could become one of the competition's leading back lines in the not too distant future. Ricky Petterd and Jamie Bennell both showed that they would challenge for places in the strongest area of the Demon armoury. And Jared Rivers and Matty Whelan are due to come back in the next week or so.

The ungainly Jake Spencer again showed promise in the ruck and held his own against Darren Jolly but whether Melbourne can find a way to promote him off the rookie list is another matter. Regardless of that, the Demons might have uncovered the next big thing in the 200cm plus category and that will certainly diminish the pain of being gazumped by Carlton who paid $400k for an injury prone Docker beanpole with barely 20 games in three years to his name. It's unfortunate however, that the Blues weren't as keen on beating us to John Meesen a year earlier. Meesen just went against the Swans but he was contending against a Canadian rugby player for part of the game.

Bunbury pair Jetta and Bennell and former Scotch College on baller James Strauss were used sparingly. However, despite their cameo roles they all did enough to suggest that we are going to see a lot more of them in the future. Rohan Bail got a lot of the ball when substituted on in the last half but wasted a few of his kicks by being perhaps a bit eager to impress.

After a poor NAB Cup performance last week and a quiet start to this game, Colin Sylvia sparked up the team and answered his critics with a near match winning effort in the final three terms and that was despite getting some close and heavy treatment in the latter stages of the third quarter. Daniel Bell was warming up to be playing one of his better games when he hobbled off with injury in the third quarter.

They're still making mistakes but thankfully, it's nothing like this time last year with its Keystone Cops clangers, the hand wringing and the grief. What the Demons need most right now is a more potent combination up forward and until that happens, they are placed in a position where they will always wonder where the next goal is coming from and therefore will continue to lag behind the procession of finals contenders.

Melbourne 3.1 3.2 6.5 8.7 (55)

Sydney Swans 1.3 3.5 6.7 9.9 (63)

GOALS

Melbourne: Sylvia 2, Miller, Morton, McDonald, Newton, Davey, Jetta

Sydney Swans: Barlow, J. Bolton 2, O'Keefe, White, Moore, Pyke, Smith

BEST

Melbourne: Sylvia, Grimes, Martin, Warnock, Garland, Bruce

Sydney Swans: Goodes, McVeigh, Bird, Buchanan, Mattner

INJURIES

Melbourne: Bell (corked thigh)

Sydney Swans: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Vozzo, Statham, Gestier

[w00dy 146]

JUST ANOTHER PRACTICE MATCH by Whispering Jack

The narrative is starting to take on a familiar look. The defence continues to step up in leaps and bounds, the midfield is showing small signs of improvement after attracting the tag "third world" but still struggles to win enough clearances and lacks a bit of toe and a forward line that's ... well, um ... basically inept.

that pretty much sums it up Whispering Jack... backline looks very strong, midfield looks serviceable, forward line is non existant... we really missed matty bate up forward this week, without him there we looked extremely poor up forward, and he's yet to show us he can do the job week in week out...

rather than repeating what WJ has reported on, here are some moments for the game that stood out for me...

Neville Jetta - was in a one on one contest on the half forward flank... won the ball ahead of his opponent, side stepped him in slow motion, then speared a pass forward to a team mate... looked very composed and promising for the future... from memory also kicked a goal later in the game...

Daniel Bell - now playing as a half forward... still lacks awareness, even in this position... he was running forward from the wing, and there was an opponent running pretty much straight at him from the side, not from behind, but from the side... and Bell had no idea he was even coming... still lacks the awareness he desperately needs...

Jake Spencer - ran to a contest to spoil Adam Goodes on the half back flank. This young ruckman's massive frame spoiled the boil over the boundary, and knocked Goodes to the ground. Not overawed by the dual brownlow medalist, just as Goodes was getting up Spencer just shoved him back to the ground. Not hard enough to give away a free, but firm enough to assert some authority, it showed to me this kid has the right mindset to make it in this caper, and from what we've seen he has the ability.

Colin Sylvia - very quiet early... We did have an extended bench, perhaps he didn't play much in the first half. But was super in the 2nd half of the 3rd quarter and the last quarter. Very exciting stuff from Col.

Other comments from me, Bennell looked composed and very much like another Wheels in the making, perhaps with a little less grunt, but a little more polish... Strauss used the ball well as has been reported.... I think he had fresh legs in the 2nd half, but Bail really ran hard to the contest... There were a couple of times he got to contests where most players wouldn't... And Grimes showed us that our expectations of him are warranted...

But as WJ said, our non existant forward line is what hurt us... And until the messiah is ready, we're going to struggle to win games. From what I saw today, we'll win 5-7 this year, more if we somehow find a functioning forward line...

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,845]

The glowing reports about our defence are putting a smile on my face. Growing up as a Melbourne supporter in the 90's, defence was never our strength.

On a side note, what's the deal with kicking 3 or 4 quick goals in a row and then not troubling the scoreboard for an hour.

Would've liked a win yesterday. I know it's only a praccy match, but....

[rumpole 515]

On a side note, what's the deal with kicking 3 or 4 quick goals in a row and then not troubling the scoreboard for an hour.

What he said - forward line is inept.

The disappointing aspect to my mind was the fact that the numbers in attandeance were poor and there were almost as many Sydney fans there as there were Melbourne supporters.

No wonder the AFL shunts us off to far away places. This was our first competitive hit out for the year, albeit only a practice match. It was in a centrally located venue and our fans don't turn up to support their team. They couldn't even use the snow for an excuse. Pi$$ poor.

[52k2 0]

After watching the game yesterday and seeing what isnt there, a forward line. what in 2009 do we put together.

To go into the season proper we need to do something, and I am not talking about a few years in the future.

When you look at various teams in the future [ 5 years ] we arnt looking too bad. We will lose a few to age,

Junior, Bruce, Robbo and Wheels, get rid of a few, Newton, Meeson etc but still a pretty good team going forward.

But what to do about the forward NOW, we need a sort of forward to go forward as a team. No more winning the ball

in the back line get to around the wing and turn the ball over as our players look up and see nothing.

We need to do something now to perform and learn as a team.

I am open to any ideas as its a pretty sad state of affairs now.

[Chook 15,013]

Read my sig for my opinions on our forwardline. Let's just say "inept" is not the only word one could use to describe it.

[discworld demon 0]

JUST ANOTHER PRACTICE MATCH by Whispering Jack

The ungainly Jake Spencer again showed promise in the ruck and held his own against Darren Jolly but whether Melbourne can find a way to promote him off the rookie list is another matter.

They're still making mistakes but thankfully, it's nothing like this time last year with its Keystone Cops clangers, the hand wringing and the grief. What the Demons need most right now is a more potent combination up forward and until that happens, they are placed in a position where they will always wonder where the next goal is coming from and therefore will continue to lag behind the procession of finals contender

Thanks for the summary WJ.

Certainly young Spencer is an exciting prospect and at 19 can only get better and better. He's an aggressive lad isn't he! The way he put down Goodes was nice to see but his kicking into the man on the mark (twice I think) was not! Who knows maybe Mr Meeson will get a long term bout of flu thus elevating the lad to the senior list.

As for the forward line, well...Robo's to come back of course and maybe Bate can carry on from last week but is it worth giving Garland a go up front?

Yep, I know how good he is on the backline (and yesterday he was really very good indeed) but he was a forward in Tasmania and should Rivers return and with Martin , Frawley, Grimes (gee wasn't he something else) et al going well I think it's worth a try.

[sylvinator 96]

Our forward line is hopeless now... true...

but people can take solice that the answers to our forward line woes are actually already on our list!!!

in 2010 onwards our forward line will look like this:

Sylvia, Miller, Wonaemirri

Maric, Watts, Bate

Add: Jetta and Davey running through, PJ coming down as a resting ruck and perhaps Robbo making a return and that is a versatile and potentially powerful forward line.

Talls: Miller, Watts, PJ

Medium: Sylvia, Bate, Robbo

Smalls: Wonaemirri, Maric, Davey, Jetta

That's not bad. Obviously if Watts becomes a superstar it becomes a GREAT forward line.

IMO our main problem is our midfield, because except for Strauss and Blease, non of our midfield answers are on our list yet. we need to draft them in the future

[CHAMP 347]

On what's been on display over the past fortnight, there might be some improvement in the side in 2009 but, even so, that might not translate into many more wins than last year. You don't win too many games when you average 8 or 9 goals a match.

Actually the goals were scored in half-a-match. When I got there the 3 first quarter goals were already on the board and I saw a fair bit of the quarter, the second was goal-less and it was halfway into the third before another major score was added when McDonald took advantage of a reversed free kick close-in. Miller should have added 3 during the dry period and a number of other opportunities simply went begging. Notwithstanding the forward ineptitude the boys are a whole lot better to watch. The habit of winning will come soon.

[demon85 17]

Our forward line is hopeless now... true...

but people can take solice that the answers to our forward line woes are actually already on our list!!!

in 2010 onwards our forward line will look like this:

Sylvia, Miller, Wonaemirri

Maric, Watts, Bate

Add: Jetta and Davey running through, PJ coming down as a resting ruck and perhaps Robbo making a return and that is a versatile and potentially powerful forward line.

Talls: Miller, Watts, PJ

Medium: Sylvia, Bate, Robbo

Smalls: Wonaemirri, Maric, Davey, Jetta

That's not bad. Obviously if Watts becomes a superstar it becomes a GREAT forward line.

IMO our main problem is our midfield, because except for Strauss and Blease, non of our midfield answers are on our list yet. we need to draft them in the future

You're forgetting about Liam Jurrah. I've never seen him play, but by the sounds of it he has loads of potential and could be a gun.

[Hulett Packard III 166]

Actually the goals were scored in half-a-match.

And that's surely the problem. If you kick all your goals in half a match, then you're doing sfa the rest of the time.

We have to develop a forward line capable of kicking 15 goals and more even when the opposition plays a totally defensive style of game if we are to become regular winners.

[praha 11,240]

Just curious, what was the crowd like?

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,294]

I spoke to Bucks yesterday at half time. He said he`s "just been a bit sore" but he will be on the plane to Cairns this week and is a definite starter!!

Crowd by the way Calabrese I would say 2 to 2 and a half max. Sounded louder at times in the last quarter!

[45HG 1,539]

Calabrese, I'd say there were about 3000 in...though I'm not great with estimates

[Craig Drinker 179]

After watching the game yesterday and seeing what isnt there, a forward line. what in 2009 do we put together.

To go into the season proper we need to do something, and I am not talking about a few years in the future.

When you look at various teams in the future [ 5 years ] we arnt looking too bad. We will lose a few to age,

Junior, Bruce, Robbo and Wheels, get rid of a few, Newton, Meeson etc but still a pretty good team going forward.

But what to do about the forward NOW, we need a sort of forward to go forward as a team. No more winning the ball

in the back line get to around the wing and turn the ball over as our players look up and see nothing.

We need to do something now to perform and learn as a team.

I am open to any ideas as its a pretty sad state of affairs now.

How about playing Brad Green up forward.Possibly at Full Forward?

[beelzebub 23,378]

As Sylvinator alludes there IS actually a bit of fire power yet to return to the fold this year. I dont think we have seen our best avail 22 hit the grass this year in anger yet and until that happens we probably are premature in getting too maudlin just yet.

There were actual moments last year when we actually played decent footy..just was the exception rather than the rule. With better training and fitness comes better preparation , this leads to more occasions with the best avail taking the turf. This leads to greater competion and more cohesion.

Backline seems to resolving itslef..and quite honestly this is what let us down for a long while. We couold kick a few goals...just gave away far too many easy ones. This wil dry up considerably as this back unit builds and plays together under pressure. We have some who can kicks snags...just no BIG star any longer.

I agree with many that the midfield really needs an overhaul. This is just not functioning properly. Still, with Spencer get a bit of the ball we might start looking more like an offensive team rather than a reactionary panicked mob.

One can only hope !!

[Guest petjud]

Hey guys ... all together now ... IT WAS A PRACTICE MATCH ... DB is tinkering with the forward line ... you have Miller at FF then PJ then Newton ... Sylvia spent half the game in the middle ... Bate, Robertson, Wonna, were missing ... we always have Green to play up front ... because we were getting flogged last year ... you seem to forget that Miller was kicking an average of three goals a game, and Wonna chipped in with quite a few ... some of the hand wringing amazes me ... Moloney is on his first game, McLean is easing his way back (let's peak in a practice match and be stuffed in Rd 1), you build a team bit by bit, I am sure DB is happy with the backline now, the middle just needs a bit of run (ie Buckley hasn't fired a shot in anger yet), and when he has all his troops fit the forward line will probably take shape ...

Thoughts from the game:

Grimes was outstanding,

Cheney, Frawley, Garland, Warnock and Grimes are going to be one great defensive unit, and you can add Strauss, Rivers, Bennell and Whelan,

Jetta, somebody wrote he didn't do much, he is a small forward, you take what chances you get which he did, try watching him covering ground and zoning, Sydney had a few instances where there forward movement was stalled coming out of the backline, and Jetta contributed to that by channelling back.

Also the senior guys such as Bruce, Green, McDonald know that it is a practice match, so they are pacing themselves, same as comment for middle above.

I have watched three games now and I am becoming more optimistic about the coming season and seeing the benefits of a proper coaching and fitness regime.

[Guest JACKtheRIPPER]

Miller didn't average 3 goals a game, that means he would have kicked 60 last year, it takes him a bit over two seasons to kick 60 goals.

[Demon16 69]

I'm not sure why i'm saying this because it won't happen.........but Garland should be played as a forward during some these practice games. If Frawley, Rivers, Warnock and Martin can all get on the park and hold down the backline, Garland should be the man to go forward.

[CHAMP 347]

miller didnt average 3goals a game, that means he wouldv kicked 60 last year, it takes him a bit over 2seasons to kick 60goals.

As co-incidence has it, Brad has exactly 60 career goals on the board. He's played 110 matches, mostly as a forward.

Co-incidentally, that's five seasons.

[Guest petjud]

I love the fact that if you are tired and trying to type something quickly to join in the 'vigorous' debate on Demonland, you get jumped all over for a slight factual error. OK the point I was trying to make was that even in a 'bad year', Miller was still kicking goals, I am just totally amazed by some of the naysayers on this board, if watching MFC play is causing so much mental anguish, there is a simple solution 'don't watch'.

I was also remiss not to mention Stef Martin in the defensive unit, he also had a fine game.

I for one have no concerns about who is going to kick goals for us, we have Sylvia, Bate, Miller, Green, Davey, Wonna, PJ, we may not have a 'power forward' who will kick a hatful, but I believe it is better to share the load around.

As stated in my original post, the forward line that DB thinks is the best for MFC (barring injuries) will be in place for RD1, whether it is the same as some of the posters on this board who seem to pick one player to hate (Newton excepted), I would like them to post how many goals they managed in the season in the AFL.

[Chook 15,013]

for about three weeks in a row last year, Miller kicked three goals per match. So that's a pretty good return for a roving, marking forward. If he can do that every game - which I think he can, we'll be a lot better off.

[CHAMP 347]

for about three weeks in a row last year, Miller kicked three goals per match. So that's a pretty good return for a roving, marking forward. If he can do that every game - which I think he can, we'll be a lot better off.

And this year in two matches he's kicked one IIRC which is about what you'd expect from a player with a career average of 0.5 per game.

[rpfc 28,469]

I reckon Miller and Bate are capable of kicking 70-80 goals between them. But that is with half decent service from midfield...

Bate out of the square and Miller creating havoc off the square.

Davey, Wonna, Sylvia, Johnson, Maric, Robertson (maybe??) and Bruce rotating through and it's not a half bad fwd line.

Newton should earn a spot through Casey.

[Guest JACKtheRIPPER]

And this year in two matches he's kicked one IIRC which is about what you'd expect from a player with a career average of 0.5 per game.

agreed, hes can lead and mark the ball no worries, but he is worst shot for goal in VFL AFL history,60 goals from 100 games is putrid.