GAME DAY (NIGHT)

[Face Your Demons 175]

Forget these two games, take the one win and move on.

[wattsup 470]

lol we probably should have won the 1st game and should have lost the 2nd game funny stuff

[Samsara 65]

Really Impressed with Bate tonight

[Sir Why You Little 35,170]

what!! we won the second game....You Beauty...all the doom talk on here we were beaten by 7 goals.

Never expected to win the second....First game we should have...

cool...lot's to work on at training...

[Chook 14,620]

Bate kicking down the boundary line gives me nightmares.

Hilariously, he's probably doing exactly what he's told. The conditions and rules for this game totally destroy any tactical advantage that sort of playing style might provide. I really wouldn't draw anything much from these games if "long down the boundary line" is going to be a major part of our game plan.

[Nasher 33,187]

It's gunna be a long 2012 .

Yeah, season's definitely over after a scratch match a month before the competition starts.

[Juicebox 628]

HaHa! it's February and look at what is written on here....

It's the Bank Cup FCS.

In wet tropical conditions.

I can remember, similar 'look on the bright side' posts after we go pumped in all of our praccy matches last year.

I agree, wait til the real thing gets going before we start calling for lynchings, but that was ordinary and boring football we just played.

[Face Your Demons 175]

Bring on the NICHOLLS CUP next week

[Buzzy 954]

HAHAHAHA I can't believe we won that game. Frawley you are so lucky - that was a dodgy move at the end there...even if he got a boot on it would have gone out of bounds and back to them.

Much better second half. Hit some targets. Are we the first team this year to win our 2nd game against the fresh team?

3 things I learned tonight:

1. Sellar has courage

2. Bate can play a role this year

3. Watts is still feeble. Can he ever out-body anyone?

[Yossarian 1,808]

And life goes on.

[darkhorse72 1,765]

gee....what a terrible result..oh we won!! Only listened on the radio and their were generally pretty happy with the dees effort.

Next two games with more normal rules will be a better judge and both at Ethiad so a decent ground 9as far as the place goes), and should set us up better for round one than in previous years.

Though I'm surprised we didn't push for a casey game in one of the two following rounds as a promotion.

Magner and seller sounded like good additions on top of clarke.

[Wiseblood 24,636]

I can remember, similar 'look on the bright side' posts after we go pumped in all of our praccy matches last year.

I agree, wait til the real thing gets going before we start calling for lynchings, but that was ordinary and boring football we just played.

I think you'll find that most are simply saying that it's not worth going ape over practice matches. Plus we won both of these games last year in Adelaide, where we never win. And again I'll say it meant nothing after you look at the year we had.

I'll be worrying if we look like that in the first few rounds.

[Nasher 33,187]

I can remember, similar 'look on the bright side' posts after we go pumped in all of our praccy matches last year.

I agree, wait til the real thing gets going before we start calling for lynchings, but that was ordinary and boring football we just played.

It's miles in the legs, and a chance to look at players we haven't seen before.

[The Lobster Effect 845]

If we get up here it will give new meaning to "Winning ugly"

spot on!

[Jaded No More 59,538]

Aren't we the first team to back up with a win? Pretty good conditioning if you ask me.

The thing that frightens me is how panicked and unsettled we looked for most of those two games. Clearly that has a lot to do with trying to implement a new game plan, plus having nowhere near our regular side. Jamar played a half, Garland was taken off with a back injury (doesn't sound too serious thankfully), Sylvia only played one game, as did Green, as did Grimes, and Clark was taken off in the last half.

More importantly, in the season proper, great tactical kicks that bring the ball inside our forward 50, are not going to be deemed a free kick to the opposition for going out of bounds. This is a completely different set of rules.

What was good is the tackling and pressure on the opposition, right up until the last second. To come up against a fresh team and be completely outplayed, only to scrap out a win, was very good.

Grimes was sensational when the game was there to be won, and that is why he is captain. A year out of the game, and his defensive punch then run on to help us get the ball forward to Sellar, was absolutely brilliant. So good to see him out there again.

Howe and Bail who barely played were also very good, and will be a big part of season 2012 and beyond.

All in all, heaps for us to work on, but also some positives.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,994]

OK, so having listened to the SEN coverage, I can draw the following conclusions from tonight:

Sellar is worth what we paid and will be a useful addition to the team.

Magner is a machine and aill probably play most games this season.

Bate is going to be much better this year and looks like being our new midfield workhorse.

Clark presents well but may need to work on his kicking.

We need to be willing to use the corridor when we have the advantage rather than squandering said advantage by continuing to work the boundary.

Our mids need to spot up leading forwards rather than bombing to the hot spot every time.

Our forwards need to create space and lead so the mids can spot them up rather than bombing to the hot spot every time.

Bennell can't be trusted in the backline.

Grimes is going to be fine once he gets his confidence back.

If Watts contines to play like this he's going to be traded.

Have I missed anything?

[Sir Why You Little 35,170]

I can remember, similar 'look on the bright side' posts after we go pumped in all of our praccy matches last year.

I agree, wait til the real thing gets going before we start calling for lynchings, but that was ordinary and boring football we just played.

First Hit out with a heap of new players and others in new positions....i will take that...Matty Bate will gain confidence

Magner will play...Sellar was good...

As i said much to work on....i would be more worried if i was Michael Voss!!!

[jabberwocky 2,301]

That was painful, let us hope that Melbourne don't play in the rain all year.

In all seriousness, the obsession with kicking around the boundary is frightening, let's hope that can be rectified.

NAB cup really does not suit that game style with the basketball out of bounds rule.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,994]

Funny thing. This is my wishlist from the five things thread;

1 - Our tall forwards to play crash'n'bash to get the ball on the ground and into the hands of crumbers.

2 - Someone to stand up and play as a crumbing forward.

3 - Serious contested ball.

4 - No injuries.

5 - One win.

I got 4 of those. I think I should be pretty happy all things considered. I don't know if Lawrence played at all tonight, but Blease didn't so the crumbing forward one is still a bit open ended.

[Jaded No More 59,538]

If Watts contines to play like this he's going to be traded.

LOL!

Did about as much as Jonathan Brown.

Conditions were shite for a big man pushing up the ground.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

NAB cup really does not suit that game style with the basketball out of bounds rule.

Yes, but I just hope the balance between going wide and using the corridor is improved.

[Flemo56 389]

practice match, wet condition's, 1st hit out for year…….there was a fair bit too like, the boundary line rule didn't suit around the boundary play so cannot really gauge if we play the line well or not……loved JackG's last 5 min

[Sir Why You Little 35,170]

7 weeks for Brown on Rivers!!! High contact, behind the ball...

what happened with this? i couldn't listen to the second game

[Chook 14,620]

Jack Watts was pretty disappointing, and I really don't want to see Jamie Bennell in the side until he learns how to either get more possessions or become significantly more accountable.

[wattsup 470]

what happened with this? i couldn't listen to the second game

nothing at all just had him in a half headlock behind play