The thing I want to bring up is how poorly we seem to play Etihad stadium. We really struggle without the wide open wings and flanks of the MCG !!

I think other teams are well aware of this and choke the corridor intentionally . . . . when this happens we turn the ball over so often. North did exactly the same thing to us last year . . . Just a thought, interested to hear others thouhgts on the matter.

We need to work out a way to play this ground period !

When we get done this is usually exactly what happens and we go back into our shells pinned to the half back line playing stagnent football . Clubs like North see us coming and rub their hands together .

Do you think that Jack Watts has had three full years of development at the MFC?

no I can read a calendar

3 preaseasons, which is 3 more than Jack Viney smartalec

Mark Jamar worked Hard.

Aaron Davey is still a major worry when tagged.

Jamar is the most overrated player on our list. He's vitally important as the only decent ruckman on our list and had a great year in 2010. However, he is not suddenly a "star" that can be relied on week in, week out, to put in top level performances, and I doubt he ever will be. That's fine and I have no problem with the guy. In fact I really respect him for how he has improved his game and lifted himself to the level he is currently at. Doesn't make him a star like some seem to think he is.

Davey gets 'tagged' almost every week, you just worry about it when he has a bad game or he gives a silly free-kick away (and probably otherwise has a good game).

On Jack Watts, if I were an opposition fan I'd be giving it to him every time we played Melbourne, but I'm not in the business of doing the job of opposition fans. Hate to say it, but at Melbourne games we seem to be out numbered in more ways than one.

On Jack Watts, if I were an opposition fan I'd be giving it to him every time we played Melbourne, but I'm not in the business of doing the job of opposition fans. Hate to say it, but at Melbourne games we seem to be out numbered in more ways than one.

this is demonland's 'vent your spleen' thread, not the MCG

...However, he is not suddenly a "star" that can be relied on week in, week out, to put in top level performances, and I doubt he ever will be. That's fine and I have no problem with the guy. In fact I really respect him for how he has improved his game and lifted himself to the level he is currently at. Doesn't make him a star like some seem to think he is.

Yes, I suppose they are handing out All Australian status like candy these days. The guy had a very good 2009 season and he then backed that up and took it to a new level in 2010... I see no reason to believe anything other than he could do equally well in 2011 (whether he can move it up another notch is probably less certain, as where do you go after reaching All Australian status?).

this is demonland's 'vent your spleen' thread, not the MCG

I though I was doing what everyone else was doing?

3 years is the same as zero is it, moronic comment

most of you lot hold your criticisms (under the guise of 'support') until about year 7 then you are standing around wondering why Brad Miller never made it

the bar has to be raised higher at this club or we will continue to not produce stars and not win premierships

blokes taken at #1 in particular need to start acting like it

He is starting to act like it, but he couldn't in the past as he didn't have the body to play Key Forward,,, He almost, has now, so he can start to pinch hit, against the big boys,,, But Not full time!

He has the body, only now,, to start playing AFL footy. He needs to now start playing, like the posting on the Melbourne website states, on the flanks, wing, or a stint down back where he can be the hunter. This is his year, to start developing some belief in his ability, against the stronger bodies of more mature AFL players. http://www.melbourne...27/default.aspx

Sorry that he hasn't fitted your timeframe, but this is the reality. His time is coming, just as everything happens in it's own time.

Yes, I suppose they are handing out All Australian status like candy these days. The guy had a very good 2009 season and he then backed that up and took it to a new level in 2010... I see no reason to believe anything other than he could do equally well in 2011 (whether he can move it up another notch is probably less certain, as where do you go after reaching All Australian status?).

So you agree with me?

The fact that a panel of ex players decided picked Jamar in the All-Australian team last season (read: "they decided Jamar was the second best ruckman last season") doesn't change my view.

Ignoring the All-Australian team and looking at what actually matters, namely Jamar's performances in a Melbourne jumper, do you disagree with me? If so, why?

So you agree with me?

The fact that a panel of ex players decided picked Jamar in the All-Australian team last season (read: "they decided Jamar was the second best ruckman last season") doesn't change my view.

Ignoring the All-Australian team and looking at what actually matters, namely Jamar's performances in a Melbourne jumper, do you disagree with me? If so, why?

I do disagree with you. In as far as a ruckman can be a star, I believe Jamar is.

While someone like Sandilands is a star, he has a significant advantage when his height is taken into consideration. Jamar however, punches well above his weight and to lift himself to the level where he attracted the attention of the AA selection panel while playing for a team that won the spoon the previous year was, for want of a better expression, a "star turn".

If he maintains that level of performance this year and proves it was not a spike, then yes, I would continue to be happy to label him a star.

Edited February 28, 201114 yr by hardtack

So you agree with me?

The fact that a panel of ex players decided picked Jamar in the All-Australian team last season (read: "they decided Jamar was the second best ruckman last season") doesn't change my view.

Ignoring the All-Australian team and looking at what actually matters, namely Jamar's performances in a Melbourne jumper, do you disagree with me? If so, why?

Just quietly, have a look at the stats comparing Sandilands, Jolly, Mumford and Jamar for 2010. You may wish to reassess your view on Jamar and if not...well no offence, but you obviously have no idea.

http://finalsiren.com/PlayerCompare.asp?SeasonID=2010&Compare=Go&PlayerName1=Mark+Jamar&PlayerName2=Darren+Jolly&PlayerName3=Aaron+Sandilands&PlayerName4=Shane+Mumford&SelectedPlayers=

Edited February 28, 201114 yr by Mallee Bull

The thing for me is that the club came out and said we were serious and wanted to win it.

The bombers had a half strength side in, and we picked our best available.

The beat us comprehensively and we looked like weve gone backwards.

We looked slow, and very poorly skilled in execution and decision making.

Why on earth do we turn back into traffic when we are clear and should just kick the thing, only to get caught and turn it over.

I fear the worst for this year and say we will not make the eight,and that teams like Carlton and Essendon will finish ahead of us easily.

A long long way to go yet.

Yep exactly. Also our kick ins from the opposition scores a point. We take to long and dont go to the first option so we just end up booting into a pack. Not high percentage foorball.

The bombers had a half strength side in, and we picked our best available.

i am filthy on the performance but i don't know why you are pointing that out. 'Best available' in this case constituted a side missing Scully, Frawley, McKenzie, Wonaeamirri, Petterd and Morton all of whom are in my best 22

we were shizen but to say they were at signifigantly less strength than us is garbage

Dude... it's the damn NAB Cup.

- Collingwood lost in week 1 last season.

- Carlton have owon the whole thing and then were wooden-spooners in that same year.

- West Coast defeated Freo in this year's NAB Cup.....

In terms of the final result, take it with a grain of the proverbial salt (ha, that sounds funny).

Rather then focus on the team as a whole so much, look at players INDIVIDUALLY... especially those who can't crack the regular 22 --> Maric is shining very bright. Martin and Spencer are having a crack at ruckwork. Strauss can see first-hand how our backline is gelling. Cook, Howe, Evans and Nicholson are getting a run. Blease has been able to test his leg out. And also, guys have been playing in positions they are not so acquainted to - I spied Dunn in defence, Bartram and Jurrah in the centre square etc.

Exposure is critical and it is those "irregular faces" that will cherish the NAB Cup whilst guys like Rivers, Moloney, Green, Jamar and Davey will more or less "watch over" and take a bit of a backward step - not applying themselves in excess to save themselves for the real season.

Come on... I think some of us need to relax a tad. Take a backward step and think about things a bit more.

Everyone says its the NAB cup but how do you put on the red and blue run out on the field and only go half arsed and save yourself for round 1. If that is hows it gonna be they shouldn't play. I know all teams dont put the best players into to play. But actually playing a game which is on tv and played in front of thousands is ridiculous

i am filthy on the performance but i don't know why you are pointing that out. 'Best available' in this case constituted a side missing Scully, Frawley, McKenzie, Wonaeamirri, Petterd and Morton all of whom are in my best 22

we were shizen but to say they were at signifigantly less strength than us is garbage

You can say that again ! You've not only vented your spleen, but you've also given your pancreas, liver and tonsils a good cleansing. Love the passion, but...

You've almost single handedly eclipsed the fallout from the NAB Cup game last year against Fremantle.

Given the players mentioned above who were missing and in your best 22...put them back in and you shouldn't have too much more to worry about !

You can say that again ! You've not only vented your spleen, but you've also given your pancreas, liver and tonsils a good cleansing. Love the passion, but...

You've almost single handedly eclipsed the fallout from the NAB Cup game last year against Fremantle.

Given the players mentioned above who were missing and in your best 22...put them back in and you shouldn't have too much more to worry about !

well they had plenty out too but it was about even in terms of 'fullstrengthyness'

so it's still not great because they are nothing special

I watched the replay last night, and feel Yokozunas post says it best:

I have been away all week and just watched the replay.

Let it be said I would prefer to have won, but having read some of the posts prior to watching the game I was expecting to be belted or to watch the worst display ever.

The negatives I saw were our long bombing into the forward line, often when we did not need too.

Also our reliance on not only swithing the play, but kicking backwards 20 metres and putting someone under more pressure.

We also needed to improve our pressure on the ball carrier.

That being said, people were going on about how bad some players were, and how we were smashed in certain areas, but I think there was an overreaction.

We got beaten easily in the last quarter, other than that it was a pretty good game, if you listen to the commentators they loved the game.

Positives IMO were Maric (but still needs to get more touches), Sylvia in the clearances, Grimes and MacDonald (who should not get suspended), Jurrah and Trengove. Others like Bail were OK, I love his run and attack, just needs to work on his disposal (as do a few others). Not sure about the Bate hating, I think he battled well, especially against 2/3 opponents and bad delivery.

I am just hoping the players listen to Bailey, cos at 3/4 time he said we were bombing it too much and not delivering it well.

I have faith they are doing the right thing, we just need a little patience and a little reality check. We are not there yet, as a matter of fact we have a hell of a way to go, so hopefully this game puts it in perspective for the supporters and club. We showed both opur best and worse the other night, obviously we need more consistent efforts of our best, AND it is still pre season, hopefully we dont lose like that in the last quarter when the real stuff comes around.

i dont like losing anything, but its a loss im glad we had.

Id rather go into round 1 with slighly less expectations we are a young team after all.

thought we played ok at times but looked very sloppy in defense.

Mark williams stiff i think, heard he got like 75 demerit points wasnt alot in it.

Edited February 28, 201114 yr by DaveyJones'sLocker