We have our own game plan and I love it when it works!

[Watt and Howe? 16]

Melbourne's Ricky Petterd records most forward tackles

[Kento80 83]

Love that last line "They are on to something down at Demonland". I'm not gonna get too over the top with enthusiasm yet, but I am starting to gain confidence, as the players must be too.

[Eth 4]

What the fu...

I heard about his 14 tackles and thought that was awesome, but this...

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

When it works it looks great! When it doesn't it looks atrocious.

[Adam The God 30,603]

Go you demons.

[Deestroy All 14,266]

When I gave Ricky votes on 'ology I said his defensive pressure was Collingwood like. I didn't mean like the whole team!

I knew there was something crazy about that effort.

[H_T 3,049]

How important is the midfield....

[Adam The God 30,603]

I think so, HT. Gysberts, Trengove, McKenzie, Moloney, Scully all seemed to lay numerous tackles just outside our forward 50 too (and indeed in our defensive 50). It shows you what great midfield pressure can do. There's a flow on to the rest of the team. The midfield obviously dictates so much of the play...

[rpfc 28,906]

It's amazing what happens when your senior players act like it...

[Akum 2,660]

The thing about our game-plan is that it can totally unravel if enough pressure is applied. We need to get it to the stage where it stands up under the extreme sort of pressure applied by the top teams. That's a huge challenge, but games like the last two give me much more hope.

[Guest Artie Bucco]

The thing about our game-plan is that it can totally unravel if enough pressure is applied. We need to get it to the stage where it stands up under the extreme sort of pressure applied by the top teams. That's a huge challenge, but games like the last two give me much more hope.

Wow, really?

Pretty sure that applies to any gameplan.

[BLWNBA 1,444]

Wow, really?

Pretty sure that applies to any gameplan.

Wow cool story, Hansel.

Another amazing post from the master.

[H_T 3,049]

There is significant improvement when many players display and apply themselves and "lead by example"...collectively, young or old. The midfield is a good place to light the fire.....

....improves structure, demands excellence...

[Akum 2,660]

Wow, really?

Pretty sure that applies to any gameplan.

Not to the same degree. Our style of play seems to rely more on quick & precise ball use than other teams, and maintaining it under pressure seems to have been much more of a problem for us.

Remember the comments of one or two North players, that even though we killed them in the 1st Q, they had complete confidence that if they just applied a bit more pressure our game would fall apart at the seams, and that's exactly what happened. Clearly, most other teams have much less trouble than we do with the sort of pressure that North applies. North aren't great, they're just well-drilled and disciplined, and that's the problem.

This year, our game hasn't just wilted under pressure; it's completely collapsed. Hence the roller-coaster - under no pressure we're millionaires, under pressure we're paupers. It means very little if we smash teams who put us under no pressure, like Adelaide or a depleted Freo or a Gazza-less GC17. My point is that if a well-drilled side puts us under pressure and our game doesn't collapse, that's a real yardstick of improvement.

We're not there yet. But there were some good signs against the Toigs, and maybe it's just a matter of the bodies getting big enough, or enough confidence in each other, or getting injured players back. The rest of the season will be interesting.

[JACKATTACK 17]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/melbournes-ricky-petterd-records-most-forward-tackles/story-fn7si05c-1226082393958

Media saying nice things about us; we're in trouble this weekend.

[Dinosaur Rover 197]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/melbournes-ricky-petterd-records-most-forward-tackles/story-fn7si05c-1226082393958

Listening to Mark McLure on the ABC on Sunday you wouldnt think we have our own game plan. His observation was that Melbourne should just copy Collingwood and Richmond and Melb were two pretty ordinary teams. No mention of the emergence of Watts, the control of D Martin, etc or the forward tackling pressure highlighted as comparable to the pies in the article. Very ordinary journalism from the former Blue.

[Tony Tea 2,814]

We've ALWAYS had this game plan.

[Tony Tea 2,814]

Listening to Mark McLure on the ABC on Sunday you wouldnt think we have our own game plan. His observation was that Melbourne should just copy Collingwood and Richmond and Melb were two pretty ordinary teams. No mention of the emergence of Watts, the control of D Martin, etc or the forward tackling pressure highlighted as comparable to the pies in the article. Very ordinary journalism from the former Blue.

McLure is an imbecile. He gets something patently wrong every week. He is only there to play the role of the colourful grumpy-old-man.

[old55 23,833]

Wow, really?

Pretty sure that applies to any gameplan.

No, we play higher risk, higher reward than other teams.

[Akum 2,660]

No, we play higher risk, higher reward than other teams.

That's it in a nutshell.

[Maldonboy38 6,406]

Our game plan is functional - but it requires one golden ingredient that teams must work towards. Once you gain possession and begin the forward spread, the players must be at least 70 - 80% efficient when under extreme pressure. This requires bodies that are strong through the thighs, hips and torso and is the reason why we struggle against Geelong, Collingwood and Hawthorn. Once Gysberts, Scully, Trengove, Bail, Bennell, McKenzie develop this core strength our plan will be executed well. That is why Moloney, Sylvia and to a lesser extent Jones are so capable under pressure - they can take a tackle and dish it off with some efficiency.

Watts is bigger than MOrton through the core - and look at his development. Have a look at the bum and hips of Nicholson, Strauss, Petterd. They are already strong-ish through the core and that is why they are better under pressure (not there yet, but better than Jetta, Bartram etc...)

.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Our game plan is functional - but it requires one golden ingredient that teams must work towards. Once you gain possession and begin the forward spread, the players must be at least 70 - 80% efficient when under extreme pressure. This requires bodies that are strong through the thighs, hips and torso and is the reason why we struggle against Geelong, Collingwood and Hawthorn. Once Gysberts, Scully, Trengove, Bail, Bennell, McKenzie develop this core strength our plan will be executed well. That is why Moloney, Sylvia and to a lesser extent Jones are so capable under pressure - they can take a tackle and dish it off with some efficiency.

Watts is bigger than MOrton through the core - and look at his development. Have a look at the bum and hips of Nicholson, Strauss, Petterd. They are already strong-ish through the core and that is why they are better under pressure (not there yet, but better than Jetta, Bartram etc...)

.

Great post. Strength, skills and structure to break through the press.

And the game plan appears to have undergone tweaking, rather key deficiencies have been emphasised and have been/are being addressed.

[H_T 3,049]

Listening to Mark McLure on the ABC on Sunday you wouldnt think we have our own game plan. His observation was that Melbourne should just copy Collingwood and Richmond and Melb were two pretty ordinary teams. No mention of the emergence of Watts, the control of D Martin, etc or the forward tackling pressure highlighted as comparable to the pies in the article. Very ordinary journalism from the former Blue.

I'm looking forward to his opinion after the Round 20 "Bruise Free" footy affair.

[Tony Tea 2,814]

I'm looking forward to his opinion after the Round 20 "Bruise Free" footy affair.

I enjoyed watching Wet Toast bruise Carlsoft.

[Dinosaur Rover 197]

Our game plan is functional - but it requires one golden ingredient that teams must work towards. Once you gain possession and begin the forward spread, the players must be at least 70 - 80% efficient when under extreme pressure. This requires bodies that are strong through the thighs, hips and torso and is the reason why we struggle against Geelong, Collingwood and Hawthorn. Once Gysberts, Scully, Trengove, Bail, Bennell, McKenzie develop this core strength our plan will be executed well. That is why Moloney, Sylvia and to a lesser extent Jones are so capable under pressure - they can take a tackle and dish it off with some efficiency.

Watts is bigger than MOrton through the core - and look at his development. Have a look at the bum and hips of Nicholson, Strauss, Petterd. They are already strong-ish through the core and that is why they are better under pressure (not there yet, but better than Jetta, Bartram etc...)

.

Interesting point about strength. Three examples of strength from yesterday. Example 1 Stefan Matrin plants his feet in the last quarter and virtually throws off his defender - balls spins loose and gathered by other defence but the guy is powerful. Example 2 Frawley pushes Riewoldt out of the way at half back. Example 3 Watts end of 3Q (skinny Watts yes) tackles pushes off goals. Garland also for upper leg strength. How Gysberts and McKenzie do it is difficult to say as they arent strong physiques - cire strength maybe but a few years of pre seasons and quite a team.