HOME TRUTHS by the Oracle

The word from within the Melbourne camp throughout the first half of season 2010 has been all about a young emerging team full of exciting talent with a great future. While this may well be the case, there comes a time when home truths must be told and the first is that the mantra about this group's bright future will rapidly dissolve if it continues to be as inept, insipid and lazy as it was in the opening stanza of its game on the MCG against Carlton.

Although the first quarter saw the best conditions of a wet day, the sloppy way in which the Demons approached the early part of what was such a vital game for the club was totally unacceptable. The very opening passage of play set the scene with a free kick conceded to the

Blues who exploited the loose checking defence that was missing its star defender in James Frawley, out with last minute back spasms. In the blink of an eye, Carlton had its first goal and then a second thanks to some strong tackling, heavy pressure, solid teamwork and superior teamwork. The hard early work paid off with easy goals, particularly to Ryan Houlahan who seemingly could not miss with his snap shots.

It's amazing how easy it looks when one team is working hard, making position and getting away from the opposition while the other is so switched off that it constantly fails to hit any targets but the opposition players. That's what was happening at the MCG where, before the dust (and there wasn't much of it around) was allowed to settle, Carlton had the first six inside fifties with five goals on the board before Melbourne's Brad Green managed his team's first. Before the initial onslaught was over, the quarter time score of 7.4.46 to 2.2.14 with rain and bad weather threatening was enough to snuff out any chance that the game might turn out an even contest.

Unfortunately for the Demons, the poor start is becoming an all too familiar phenomenon which means that they are becoming very good at playing catch up football but that pursuit is one that very rarely reaps rewards in terms of victories compared with defeats. Melbourne did regroup as the weather worsened and it did start applying more pressure and playing more direct football but the task of redeeming itself had become too daunting. Green kicked his second goal of the game to start proceedings in the second quarter, James McDonald took a grip on Chris Judd and the team should have outscored Carlton for the term but from a bad miss in front from a dazed Matthew Bate after receiving a 50 metre penalty for a late hit and to make matters worse, Jarrad Waite who had been the transgressor against Bate kicked a goal when the Blues rebounded after the point. And as if that wasn't enough, the normally reliable Green who missed an easy set shot. The shining light for the Demons was ball magnet Jordan Gysberts who racked up 15 first half possessions on his way to an equal game high tally of 27 and surely a rising star nomination!

Bate was having a shocker at this stage. He had spilled a simple chest mark that led to an early goal and then misjudged the flight of the ball for what should have been an easy mark in front of goal. He recovered to make a small contribution which is more than can be said of the rest of his team's ineffectual forward line. Brad Miller was hopelessly out of touch and Jack Watts was outmuscled. The loss of Liam Jurrah and later to Ricky Petterd has left the club with a dysfunctional forward line. It has no potency, lacks a dangerous crumber and the best the selectors can do is to reprise Lynden Dunn, who kicked eight goals at Casey Fields, as a forward rather than a stopper or a second string ruckman.

After conceding the first goal of the second half to stretch Carlton's lead to 45 points, Melbourne initiated a rear guard action that yielded five of the next six goals in atrocious conditions with the rain bucketing down. Mark Jamar was in total dominance in the ruck and the Demons belted the ball forward from the stoppages. Suddenly, they were going more direct and finding their targets in the dreadful conditions. The highlight was Nathan Jones' goal from outside fifty metres. The onslaught could have produced even more but for the fact that the Russian is a mere mortal and must rest from time to time. The sight of Colin Sylvia jumping up in the ruck against Carlton's

behemoths was more than a little comical. Sadly for his team, its inability to snaffle a goal or two late in the third quarter prevented what could have been an exciting fight to the death at the finish.

The Blues effectively ended the contest with the opening goal of the final term. Judd was off the leash and dominated with telling early possessions and the Demon comeback petered out.

Although one rookie player is hardly likely to make the difference, it's time for the selectors to restore Jordie McKenzie for the team to take on Collingwood. Whatever caused his demise from the team, it's clear that it is missing his tackling and the pressure it put on the opposition earlier this season. Melbourne showed that, when it applies that pressure and works the corridor as it did for most of the third quarter, it can test the best of them as it did earlier on in the season. It needs to do that from the very start next week against the Magpies if it is to revert to that early season form that excited its supporters and the football world.

Melbourne 2.2.14 3.4.22 8.6.54 9.6. 60

Carlton 7.4.46 9.6.60 11.7.73 15.11. 101

Goals

Melbourne Green 3 Bate Jetta Jones Moloney Sylvia Watts

Carlton Houlihan 4 Waite 3 Betts Thornton 2 Carrazzo Judd Robinson Simpson

Best

Melbourne Gysberts McDonald Jamar Grimes Bruce Moloney

Carlton Walker Waite Robinson Houlihan Simpson Carrazzo

Injuries

Melbourne Jones (hamstring) McDonald (hamstring tightness)

Carlton Nil

Changes

Melbourne James Frawley (back spasms) replaced by Matthew Warnock

Carlton Nil

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Carlton Jarrad Waite by field umpire Vozzo for high contact on Matthew Bate in the second quarter

Umpires Vozzo Armstrong Pannell

Crowd 49,745 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

What's wrong with them (our starts)? Is it so hard to get this group to run out fired up? It's usually pointless discovering intensity and tackling pressure later in the game (like, the 3rd qtr) when you've already conceded 5 goals at the start.

So frustrating, especially as you sense it's happening (once again) after the first couple of moments, then you've just got to sit there and endure falling further and further behind while the obnoxious Carlton supporters behind sing the praises of their miserable team and bag us and Jack Watts in particular as a dud. Grrrrrrr.......

HOME TRUTHS by the Oracle

The word from within the Melbourne camp throughout the first half of season 2010 has been all about a young emerging team full of exciting talent with a great future. While this may well be the case, there comes a time when home truths must be told and the first is that the mantra about this group's bright future will rapidly dissolve if it continues to be as inept, insipid and lazy as it was in the opening stanza of its game on the MCG against Carlton.

Although the first quarter saw the best conditions of a wet day, the sloppy way in which the Demons approached the early part of what was such a vital game for the club was totally unacceptable.

Our Starts are Woeful & other teams know it.

Bailey & FD's biggest challenge.

The few times we have started well this year we have gone on to win or lose (Filth, Dogs)

The few times we have started well this year we have gone on to win or lose.

Thanks, Captain Obvious.

Thanks, Captain Obvious.

Yes it is obvious but we don't do it enough.

That's more obvious.

Disappointing today with plenty on the line

At least will be a massive focus for Pies

Game was over in 15 minutes. There are no words to describe how much I hate that.

That's about as much as I feel like talking about this game. That was a bitterly disappointing effort, third quarter notwithstanding.

We were pathetic. Improvement? Potential? Skills ? Desparation?? Playing in front???? Finals????? Finals in foreseeable future?????????

I'm going away for the long weekend.

Yes it is obvious but we don't do it enough.

That's more obvious.

Don't do what enough? In your statement, you said we go on to "win or lose". We do that every game (provided we don't draw)

I'm going away for the long weekend.

That's being a bit silly really. This week != next week.

That's being a bit silly really. This week != next week.

Well if I go next week I'll be crying amoung my own kind rather than listening to loud mouth poohs supporters

Don't do what enough? In your statement, you said we go on to "win or lose". We do that every game (provided we don't draw)

Lol who cares?

We were pathetic. Improvement? Potential? Skills ? Desparation?? Playing in front???? Finals????? Finals in foreseeable future?????????

I'm going away for the long weekend.

3rd Qtr showed lots of potential.

I never expected finals this year and anyone who did was really getting a bit ahead of themselves.

Finals in the foreseeable future - definitely; as sure as these kids will grow into men.

I didn't want to post to this effect before the game, but the general expectation amongst the threads seemed to be that MFC would win this game.

I tried not to be too pessimistic but, after all, CFC should be ahead of us.

AS much as today sucked, our future is no less bright IMO.

A soogy Oracle is preparing his report.

Soggy or sooky

Game was over in 15 minutes. There are no words to describe how much I hate that.

That's about as much as I feel like talking about this game.

Me too. Filthy day.

As Aristotle said, one quarter does not a football match make.

3rd Qtr showed lots of potential.

I never expected finals this year and anyone who did was really getting a bit ahead of themselves.

Finals in the foreseeable future - definitely; as sure as these kids will grow into men.

I didn't want to post to this effect before the game, but the general expectation amongst the threads seemed to be that MFC would win this game.

I tried not to be too pessimistic but, after all, CFC should be ahead of us.

AS much as today sucked, our future is no less bright IMO.

The problem with finals in the foreseeable future is that we have no forwards. Yes Brad Green is a Trojan and maybe Jurrah will become what we all hope. Today Watts looked looked Newton on a bad day and worried me. Pettard?

Before we jump on the players for losing a key match, let's compare the result to round 21 last year when we were beaten by the Blues at Etihad stadium. From memory the difference in that match was 49 points compared to 41 today, so initially it looks like we haven't made much progress.

We were never in the hunt in that match last year. Today, we got back to within 19 points after stupidly giving up a 5 goal start. Ratten read the riot act to Carlton at 3/4 time and they went flat out to finish us off in the last quarter.

We ARE getting better, despite playing a bunch of 1st and 2nd year players who will get pushed out of the contest and make the usual mistakes that L plate players make. Carlton are about 2-3 years ahead of us at the moment, and it showed today.

Game was over in 15 minutes. There are no words to describe how much I hate that.

That's about as much as I feel like talking about this game. That was a bitterly disappointing effort, third quarter notwithstanding.

I spent the entire game with my heart feeling like Barry Hall just punched it.

Don't think I've ever been that gutted or disgusted with our team in the Bailey era, and I've seen every single game we've played since 2007.

It was inexcusable, and not just because we played the one team in the AFL who I would honestly be happy to see disappear from the competition.

I think the hardest part of this entire re-establishment exercise is enjoying the journey.

For some reason I just expect us to be there competitive taking it to the opposition. Frequently I get ahead

of myself I know 3 straight wins had me dreaming big but on 3 occassions now we have been out muscled and

timid in the contest. Hawthorn, Geelong and Carlton have all made us look inept. I understand now the distance

we have to go on this journey is very very hard one and I think it's 2-3 years before we are as likely to win as we

are to lose. I'm going to try harder to enjoy the ride.

Our Starts are Woeful & other teams know it.

Bailey & FD's biggest challenge.

The few times we have started well this year we have gone on to win or lose (Filth, Dogs)

I think you mean "The few times we have started well this year we have gone on to DO WELL, win or lose ..."

And you're right. If we start badly, we continue badly - once we've lost our mojo we don't seem to be able to get it back. We can tell after 10 minutes whether we're "on song" or not.

Surely this implies something seriously wrong with the preparation. No other team gets so regularly (and predictably) jumped at the start like we do.

Surely this implies something seriously wrong with the preparation.

There's nothing wrong with the preparation that experience won't fix. Young players, working out what to do each week. Sometimes they get it wrong.

there comes a time when home truths must be told and the first is that the mantra about this group's bright future will rapidly dissolve if it continues to be as inept, insipid and lazy as it was in the opening stanza of its game on the MCG against Carlton.

^This. The "inept, lazy starts" this year, still tells me the players aren't switched on entirely. It also tells me, the amount of planning and preparation before a game, can be much better. The fact that it hasn't been to the level required to enable us to start well enough to compete throughout the game (ie. keep us in the game at quarter time), is totally unacceptable !

There's nothing wrong with the preparation that experience won't fix.

The experience doesn't seem to be working now, does it ?

HOME TRUTHS by the Oracle

The word from within the Melbourne camp throughout the first half of season 2010 has been all about a young emerging team full of exciting talent with a great future. While this may well be the case, there comes a time when home truths must be told and the first is that the mantra about this group's bright future will rapidly dissolve if it continues to be as inept, insipid and lazy as it was in the opening stanza of its game on the MCG against Carlton.

Although the first quarter saw the best conditions of a wet day, the sloppy way in which the Demons approached the early part of what was such a vital game for the club was totally unacceptable. The very opening passage of play set the scene with a free kick conceded to the

Blues who exploited the loose checking defence that was missing its star defender in James Frawley, out with last minute back spasms. In the blink of an eye, Carlton had its first goal and then a second thanks to some strong tackling, heavy pressure, solid teamwork and superior teamwork. The hard early work paid off with easy goals, particularly to Ryan Houlahan who seemingly could not miss with his snap shots.

It's amazing how easy it looks when one team is working hard, making position and getting away from the opposition while the other is so switched off that it constantly fails to hit any targets but the opposition players. That's what was happening at the MCG where, before the dust (and there wasn't much of it around) was allowed to settle, Carlton had the first six inside fifties with five goals on the board before Melbourne's Brad Green managed his team's first. Before the initial onslaught was over, the quarter time score of 7.4.46 to 2.2.14 with rain and bad weather threatening was enough to snuff out any chance that the game might turn out an even contest.

Unfortunately for the Demons, the poor start is becoming an all too familiar phenomenon which means that they are becoming very good at playing catch up football but that pursuit is one that very rarely reaps rewards in terms of victories compared with defeats. Melbourne did regroup as the weather worsened and it did start applying more pressure and playing more direct football but the task of redeeming itself had become too daunting. Green kicked his second goal of the game to start proceedings in the second quarter, James McDonald took a grip on Chris Judd and the team should have outscored Carlton for the term but from a bad miss in front from a dazed Matthew Bate after receiving a 50 metre penalty for a late hit and to make matters worse, Jarrad Waite who had been the transgressor against Bate kicked a goal when the Blues rebounded after the point. And as if that wasn't enough, the normally reliable Green who missed an easy set shot. The shining light for the Demons was ball magnet Jordan Gysberts who racked up 15 first half possessions on his way to an equal game high tally of 27 and surely a rising star nomination!

Bate was having a shocker at this stage. He had spilled a simple chest mark that led to an early goal and then misjudged the flight of the ball for what should have been an easy mark in front of goal. He recovered to make a small contribution which is more than can be said of the rest of his team's ineffectual forward line. Brad Miller was hopelessly out of touch and Jack Watts was outmuscled. The loss of Liam Jurrah and later to Ricky Petterd has left the club with a dysfunctional forward line. It has no potency, lacks a dangerous crumber and the best the selectors can do is to reprise Lynden Dunn, who kicked eight goals at Casey Fields, as a forward rather than a stopper or a second string ruckman.

After conceding the first goal of the second half to stretch Carlton's lead to 45 points, Melbourne initiated a rear guard action that yielded five of the next six goals in atrocious conditions with the rain bucketing down. Mark Jamar was in total dominance in the ruck and the Demons belted the ball forward from the stoppages. Suddenly, they were going more direct and finding their targets in the dreadful conditions. The highlight was Nathan Jones' goal from outside fifty metres. The onslaught could have produced even more but for the fact that the Russian is a mere mortal and must rest from time to time. The sight of Colin Sylvia jumping up in the ruck against Carlton's

behemoths was more than a little comical. Sadly for his team, its inability to snaffle a goal or two late in the third quarter prevented what could have been an exciting fight to the death at the finish.

The Blues effectively ended the contest with the opening goal of the final term. Judd was off the leash and dominated with telling early possessions and the Demon comeback petered out.

Although one rookie player is hardly likely to make the difference, it's time for the selectors to restore Jordie McKenzie for the team to take on Collingwood. Whatever caused his demise from the team, it's clear that it is missing his tackling and the pressure it put on the opposition earlier this season. Melbourne showed that, when it applies that pressure and works the corridor as it did for most of the third quarter, it can test the best of them as it did earlier on in the season. It needs to do that from the very start next week against the Magpies if it is to revert to that early season form that excited its supporters and the football world.

Melbourne 2.2.14 3.4.22 8.6.54 9.6. 60

Carlton 7.4.46 9.6.60 11.7.73 15.11. 101

Goals

Melbourne Green 3 Bate Jetta Jones Moloney Sylvia Watts

Carlton Houlihan 4 Waite 3 Betts Thornton 2 Carrazzo Judd Robinson Simpson

Best

Melbourne Gysberts McDonald Jamar Grimes Bruce Moloney

Carlton Walker Waite Robinson Houlihan Simpson Carrazzo

Injuries

Melbourne Jones (hamstring) McDonald (hamstring tightness)

Carlton Nil

Changes

Melbourne James Frawley (back spasms) replaced by Matthew Warnock

Carlton Nil

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Carlton Jarrad Waite by field umpire Vozzo for high contact on Matthew Bate in the second quarter

Umpires Vozzo Armstrong Pannell

Crowd 49,745 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

I think you have covered it well seems we went to the same game.

I would only add that with the exception of Green we had a very bad forward line ( not news I know ).

It cannot and will not be done but we should replace five of the six for Collingwood.

A performance like that on Monday will see a big thrashing, Collingwood is IMO a better side than Carlton.

We will need Dunn ( if he gets a game not sure what he did to be dropped )to kick 5 to have a chance IMO.

Not that it matters now but at the time it may have

When Bate recieved his 50 metre penalty he was well inside the 50 metre line yet kicked the ball 15 metres from goal and missed

Should have used some initiative in pointing out to the umpire that his kick should be on the goal line

No way any umpire can argue that one