It's great when a team has success and stokes its burning embers to alight its self belief. I felt filled with optomism following the bombers clash - but more so for the future than the immediate future. Yes, dare we think of a repeat of last year's magic efforts against the maggies. What about the loss of a few of their stars, surely that should help. Maybe, but the problem is football is more about the system than the individuals. Our individuals might come close to matching their's but I no longer have the opinion that that is enough. Our system has been our weakness and the pies system has been their strength. They are far better and more disciplined than they were this time last year. Now they have enormous self belief, last year it was still growing. This will be an enormous test for us and I'm inclined it is a pity we play them just now. Am I throwing cold water over our hopes. Probably but I'm really interested in making a more accurate assesment of where we are at. I am trying to set a more realistic assesment because you build a more solid base on acurate progressive assessment that blind faith. I want to see how we are coping with a systems approach, if we can hold them with a sound defensive effort, and similarly pressure them with a systematic attack i'll be building on the hope generated last week. Without systems these days you can jump a team like the questionable bombers, but not the likes of the pies and cats.

It's great when a team has success and stokes its burning embers to alight its self belief. I felt filled with optomism following the bombers clash - but more so for the future than the immediate future. Yes, dare we think of a repeat of last year's magic efforts against the maggies. What about the loss of a few of their stars, surely that should help. Maybe, but the problem is football is more about the system than the individuals. Our individuals might come close to matching their's but I no longer have the opinion that that is enough. Our system has been our weakness and the pies system has been their strength. They are far better and more disciplined than they were this time last year. Now they have enormous self belief, last year it was still growing. This will be an enormous test for us and I'm inclined it is a pity we play them just now. Am I throwing cold water over our hopes. Probably but I'm really interested in making a more accurate assesment of where we are at. I am trying to set a more realistic assesment because you build a more solid base on acurate progressive assessment that blind faith. I want to see how we are coping with a systems approach, if we can hold them with a sound defensive effort, and similarly pressure them with a systematic attack i'll be building on the hope generated last week. Without systems these days you can jump a team like the questionable bombers, but not the likes of the pies and cats.

This game could be more a test of our coaching stocks....How Good is our structure when it is put under pressure? Real Pressure.

Was great listening to Chris Conolly on 774 ABC tonight during the game. He must have a lot to do with the coaching inhouse, Huge Knowledge.

Edited June 10, 201114 yr by why you little

I do think we can do it, IF we play at our limit. Kinda like watching Valentino Rossi racing. He rides so perfectly that he is on a knifesedge to falling off, but just doesn't. We need to play out of our skins and do it for 4 quarters. Play right on the limit. And so far this year we have not been able to do that. Last week was close, but we need to lift again. Myabe my thinking we can is blind hope, but I really do think we CAN. The thing that actually worries me the most is that I do believe the Pies have seemed a bit blase with how they have played this year. My fear is that without 3 of their mids they will come out breathing fire, trying to show the world (and themselves) that they can do it without the missing players.

All that said I will still put my neck out and say Dees by 5. Might be completely misguided, but hey, gotta have hope.

Oddly enough, a lot of the media this week have been commenting that 'of all the teams last year, the Dees were the best at unlocking the Pies' press'.

Admittedly, we are without two of our best in Rush and Davey, but...

- Davey would have been a liability assuming his form continued.

- Stef Martin, while still not as good as Big Rush, has been in great form nevertheless and can hold his own.

The key is around the contests. Now, honestly, I think we may have an ever-so-slight edge. Yes, there is the Pendles factor. But you look at the two midfields...

Melbourne: Sylvia, Moloney, Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, McKenzie, Jetta, Jones, Morton

Collingwood: Pendlebury, Ball, Sidebottom, Wellingham, Goldsack, Toovey, McCarthy, Krakouer, Young?

I would say that of these two groups...

- Pendlebury is the only outright A-grader there. Ball is somewhere between a B and an A.

- Melbourne's top tier of mids are as good as, if not better than, most of Collingwood's middle tier.

- Many of Collingwood's mids play better in other areas of the ground, while Melbourne have more out-and-out mids.

- Melbourne's #1 ruck in Stef Martin is almost certainly as good as Cam Wood, and that's without discussing what Martin offers around the contest.

The issue for me is how we match up against Collingwood's forwards, and how we go on our own I50 delivery. If we can hit our forward targets and win the clearances, we're in with a real crack.

Oddly enough, a lot of the media this week have been commenting that 'of all the teams last year, the Dees were the best at unlocking the Pies' press'.

Admittedly, we are without two of our best in Rush and Davey, but...

- Davey would have been a liability assuming his form continued.

- Stef Martin, while still not as good as Big Rush, has been in great form nevertheless and can hold his own.

The key is around the contests. Now, honestly, I think we may have an ever-so-slight edge. Yes, there is the Pendles factor. But you look at the two midfields...

Melbourne: Sylvia, Moloney, Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, McKenzie, Jetta, Jones, Morton

Collingwood: Pendlebury, Ball, Sidebottom, Wellingham, Goldsack, Toovey, McCarthy, Krakouer, Young?

I would say that of these two groups...

- Pendlebury is the only outright A-grader there. Ball is somewhere between a B and an A.

- Melbourne's top tier of mids are as good as, if not better than, most of Collingwood's middle tier.

- Many of Collingwood's mids play better in other areas of the ground, while Melbourne have more out-and-out mids.

- Melbourne's #1 ruck in Stef Martin is almost certainly as good as Cam Wood, and that's without discussing what Martin offers around the contest.

The issue for me is how we match up against Collingwood's forwards, and how we go on our own I50 delivery. If we can hit our forward targets and win the clearances, we're in with a real crack.

You wouldn't put Moloney (and borderline Sylvia) in between B and A??

Other than that I reckon you're on the money. I do think we will be ok against their forwards. Chip/Rivers have been in fantastic form lately, definitely good enough to make life difficult for Cloke/Dawes. The biggest worry for us IMO is our forwards providing leads. I think with the three younguns back in our mids we will stabilise enough to give good delivery, but our forwards seem to be 'on' or 'off', but maybe that is just due to shizen I50 delivery earlier in the season.

You wouldn't put Moloney (and borderline Sylvia) in between B and A??

Moloney is a high B. Col Sylvia can be anywhere from A to C- depending on how he's feeling on the day.

We don't have as good a 'system' as the reigning premier?

Ground-breaking thread.

Moloney is a high B. Col Sylvia can be anywhere from A to C- depending on how he's feeling on the day.

Aaaaahhhh, I get it, you meant in their mid. My bad, was a bit confused about that one

Players are irrelevant, all you need is the right system and 22 blokes off the street...

Right?

Players are irrelevant, all you need is the right system and 22 blokes off the street...

Right?

You need, players, balance of players, system, oval ball luck, etc. Sadly its not just players and instinct/motivation which once made the game so much more exciting.

Winner of the 'stating the f--king obvious thread'.

You need, players, balance of players, system, oval ball luck, etc. Sadly its not just players and instinct/motivation which once made the game so much more exciting.

He was being sarcastic.

I've got a feeling about this one that it may turn out a bit like the Bombers game. For a change, Collingwood this week do not seem to have paid the opposition any respect at all. Usually they are very careful (at least in public) about mouthing the usual cliches about how well their opponents are travelling, it will be a hard game etc etc etc. The Magpie supporters are even more cocky than usual. Malthouse almost went so far the other day as saying it does not really matter the result, they will still be there in September, which they will of course.

And of course they feel comfortable enough to have sent their best three players off to the US for amid season break ( the word hubris comes to mind)

All of this seems to add up to a huge free kick for the MFC and Dean Bailey. He has ammunition aplenty to wind up the troops prematch to match their commitment with their performance last week which IMO showed the greatest level of attack on the footy across the team from any side I have seen under Bailey. What it also demonstrates is that this very young, but brilliant set of players are capable of meshing together into a dynamic force in a way which will be irresistible in the future. Their challenge is consistency. Bailey now has, thanks to the Wood's arrogance and Malthouse complacency, the means to get them up for this one.

Demons by 45 points

You need, players, balance of players, system, oval ball luck, etc. Sadly its not just players and instinct/motivation which once made the game so much more exciting.

I gotta ask - you really think the game was more exciting without any tactics, when it was just an out & out sh!tfight between 22 blokes who wrestled for the ball then slammed it on their boot to get it forward?

I don't agree, and the tactics add a lot to the game.

I do think we can do it, IF we play at our limit. Kinda like watching Valentino Rossi racing. He rides so perfectly that he is on a knifesedge to falling off, but just doesn't. We need to play out of our skins and do it for 4 quarters. Play right on the limit. And so far this year we have not been able to do that. Last week was close, but we need to lift again. Myabe my thinking we can is blind hope, but I really do think we CAN. The thing that actually worries me the most is that I do believe the Pies have seemed a bit blase with how they have played this year. My fear is that without 3 of their mids they will come out breathing fire, trying to show the world (and themselves) that they can do it without the missing players.

All that said I will still put my neck out and say Dees by 5. Might be completely misguided, but hey, gotta have hope.

It is a simple equation and it has to be applied each week

Accountability: to themselves, their teammates, their coach and their supporters

Pride: In themselves and the club they represent

Skills: Use them

Pressure: Apply it

Teamwork: Make it happen

Belief: In themselves & their team mates. ( itself, a great motivator.)

If the Players apply all of the above then Melbourne will win, but due to where Collingwood is at, it will still most proberbly be a close one.

However if they dont apply all of the above I expect it to be Collingwood via 30+

As for this being " OUR" Grand Final? I believe the MFC should address every game till the end of the season with equal Importance

To get to a Grand Final you must not only win the games you are supposed to win but also the ones you arent.

Therefore each game is accordingly of equal importance.

The only difference between those games and a Grand Final is that a GF is the last Game of the season where if you win that one, you get the Holly Grail.

But it is necessary to win games to get that result and reap the rewards, thus, failure is not an option.

The sooner or players realise that, the better. They must develop that hunger for success only then will they achieve true greatness.