GAME DAY

[Red Sox 2]

14 shots to 22

Dean Bailey and the inside 50 for/against count is taking another hammering.

[stranga 328]

Geez there ate some real concerns with basic structures and endevour even for a practice game. Our skills are at 2008 levels at this stage.

[Red Sox 2]

Green, Davey, Jurrah, Frawley, Morton, Trengove, Grimes and McKenzie are to come back in ... Is Col Garland there?

That's a fair bit of talent missing but there is enough to be concerned with I would've thought.

[Pink Freud 370]

Hard trying to find positives as we're fading out for the second week in a row.

Problems in midfield and don't look fit.

Three quarter time Melb 9.5.59 Bris 13.9.87.

Goals: Watts 2, Dunn, Jamar, Jetta, Maric, Martin, Petterd & Sylvia

[Deemort 28]

Raines missed a goal ... from reasonably close. BL 88 M 59.

Ball rebounds quickly forward ... Maric kicks a much-needed goal

Understatement

Second goal to Maric

BL 88 Melb 65 - BL by 23 pts

[Red Sox 2]

Maric goal after Lions behind.

Maric will play rnd 1. Terrific pre-season

[Deemort 28]

Score: BL 100 Melb 65

[stranga 328]

I'll take Howe over Bate and anyone over jones and warnok in rd 1

[Red Sox 2]

Another lions goal. 100-65

[The Big Ticket 94]

Any updates on Gysberts and Tapscott? Cheers.

[Pink Freud 370]

Lot of players missing but you'd still want to see some commitment at the football. Six goals down and poor finishing.

[Pink Freud 370]

Bate at last ... 29 points down.

[Pink Freud 370]

Lions 16.11.107 Dees 11.6.72.

[Deemort 28]

Lot of players missing but you'd still want to see some commitment at the football. Six goals down and poor finishing.

Couldn't agree more, teams have been absolutely smashing this mob, I know they have power and black back, but even our depleted squad should have been competitive.

Bate just kicked a goal. BL 101 M 72

Clark kicks a goal. His second. BL 107 M 72 ... the game is almost over

[Red Sox 2]

Maric kicks his 3rd.

[Deemort 28]

Now in the hands of Maric, who lines up for goal - kicks his third.

One positive is his continued good form.

BL 107 Melb 78 - Melb trail by 29 pts.

[Pink Freud 370]

Maric gets his third. One of the few (along with Jetta) who have done their job on the day.

Anyway, it's all over red rover and we go down to the wooden spoon favorites by 29 points - 12.6.78 to 16.11.107.

Goals: Maric 3, Watts 2, Bate, Dunn, Jamar, Jetta, Martin, Petterd & Sylvia.

Likely opponent next week - Hawthorn with Bruce and Cheney in Tassie. Looking forward to it.

[Deemort 28]

The siren ends a disappointing match by Melbourne.

The Demons have lost by 29 pts.

The final score: BL 16.11.107 defeated Melb 12.6.78

[brendan 3,437]

i know its just pre season but i have seen nothing to suggest we will be playing finals this year would be stoked with a 10 or higher finish lot of tallent out today but still no excuse just goes to show if 1 or more of our backline is missing we are in serious trouble

[Red Sox 2]

Hawks next week (most likely).

With a few to return will be looking for some much better signs. Maric will play rnd 1 and Petterd made a nice comeback for another forward option.

Tapscott was great early. Had double figures in the first half and hardly wastes one. Interesting he played off half back.

[brendan 3,437]

will be good to hear from people that were there sounded like our forward pressure was poo they rebounded way 2 easy

[Juicebox 628]

Frustrating, but not a disaster.

We're playing essentially our 2nd's, and Brisbane have a lot more to prove at this stage than we do.

What is a worry is either:

a. the players inability to follow a the game plan

b. the coaching panels inability to enforce the game plan

c. both a and b

I'm not at the game, but would love to know where we are struggling

[sylvinator 96]

As long as we don't get any injuries, I couldn't care less about this praccy match.

Green, Davey, Jurrah, Trengove, Grimes, Garland and McKenzie will all definitely be in the round 1 team. Add Frawley, Morton and Wona who'll join them in round 2-3, that's arguably 10 of our best 18!

I'm not at the match, but sounds like there's plenty of positives to take out of the match:

- Tapscott had a successful debut

- Jetta and Maric continue to show they'll be improvers this year. Watts slowly but surely improving by the week

- Another invaluable taste of senior footy for some first year players- Cook, Howe, Nicholson, Tom McDonald, Evans

- Petterd, Scully, Gysberts got some match fitness

- Dunn, Sylvia and Jamar all appear to be in good form and ready for big years ahead to build on last season's efforts.

[Deeoldfart 8,066]

We were well down on our best 22, and had quite a few who definitely needed the run. However, BL also had some key players missing, and others who were having their first gallop for a while. From what I read here, we were very disappointing. Lots of work to do before we meet the Swans!

[DeezMan 4]

Guys... settle. The game was a joke in terms of the players we had missing. Don't be judging what lies ahead based on this NAB Challenge match against the Lions at Visy Park one Saturday afternoon in March.

We had lots of leaders out and the game predominantly provided those players who have just recovered from injury to gain some fitness and those players who won't get a regular game this season some exposure to AFL footy.

Green, Davey, Frawley Morton, Jurrah, Grimes, Trengove, McKeznie, Garland... c'mon peeps!! That makes for a MASSIVE difference!! Huge!

SETTLE!