GAME DAY (NIGHT)

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,159]

I dont see what all the wrist slitting is about. It is usual when implementing a new style to take it to the extreme. We played half a side against the Suns and lost because our defence got sucked up the ground and left men behind on three occasions. The Brisbane game we would have lost last year by 4-5 goals but defended well and ground out a win. Have not seen the numbers but would expect we won the contested possession count in both games which is probably two more times than we did last year. Those long kicks forward will look alot better when the game is not in a monsoon and when you dont get penalised for putting them out.

Bate was exceptional winning the ball but coughed it up too often. Magner is clearly the round 1 rookie. Nicholson did not put in a great showing and Couch looks extremely slow. Some good signs from Mitch Clark on occasion and Davey's involvement at the fall of the ball showed some promising signs. We lacked a bit of polish in the midfield but that will be helped with the addition of Trengove.

No major injuries.Some good signs from Magner, Clark and Tynan. A victory against the odds. I dont understand the fuss.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

The SEN folks were wondering about that too. I'd love to hear it addressed by someone official. Are they doing the "explain away bad calls" segment again this year?

[Tatu 416]

Pretty sure collingwood won both there games?

[hardtack 10,126]

Well, I believe we won the night on percentages :-)

[ucanchoose 1,803]

Well............ Nothing there to sign up 5,000 members............yet..............

My family included.

[Damo 2,988]

Those who did the training reports really need to look at themselves...

[Sir Why You Little 34,430]

Well............ Nothing there to sign up 5,000 members............yet..............

My family included.

You're a bit slow....i signed up last August.

[hardtack 10,126]

You're a bit slow....i signed up last August.

Yes, I'm on auto renew... membership shouldn't be dependent purely on performance... it is supporting the club through thick and thin.

[McQueen 17,862]

Those who did the training reports really need to look at themselves...

Is was either raining heavily or very slippery. There was opposition that were pretty desperate given the level of competition.

Are you really wanting to draw a comparison between the two?

Please...

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

Those who did the training reports really need to look at themselves...

No, those that did need to be congratulated. You, on the other hand have based some meaningless judgement on a NAB Game, where we achieved a par score, in the worst conditions so far in this very ordinary comp

[Biffen 12,323]

Just went to my lifeless suburban Tavern and found another Demon who didn't have Foxtel sitting up close to the flickering TV .

We had a few ales and watched the scrappy game/s and found out we were cricket rivals in our comp .

Anyway ,this guy ,who goes under the name of Stinga in 'ology is a fan of our site here and will join up soon .We might go to a few games together this year .

His observation was that some of the Moderaters are immoderate and that there should be a little more freedom of expression here .I explained to him that we are not living in a democracy and that some opinions are more freely expressable than others .He lived near the Mortons in Richmond and said the Dad has some muscles .So there is hope in that dept .

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

Hey, have a look at This Article. In the picture, isn't that a free kick to Jamar? You'd think they wouldn't want to put something like that on their website.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

'Mitsubishi' Magner has earned himself a spot in my Supercoach team.

Change that for ultimate footy and I'll be impressed...

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

It's the Bank Cup FCS.

In wet tropical conditions.

You're talking to a board of Melbourne fans, 90% don't understand this.

Some of us do. And we still are hugely displeased with what we saw. I don't think you'd see any of Geelong, Collingwood, Hawthorn, West Coast, Carlton... and even a few other sides (including Brisbane who WERE playing in those conditions) bomb every single time they got the ball with enough time to put their foot on it. ONe of two things happened. Either they were under instructions NOT to find a target (which i find hard to believe going by the first 10 minutes of the GC game in which we were pretty damn good)... which is just dumb... or they were under instructions to find a target, but disobeyed the order. Either way, it was comical watching us cough it up over and over, just like last year, to a beow par team who weren't even trying that hard.

It has nothing to do with how good the players are, the ONLY thing we have ot go on is how we applied structure... and that was pretty much the most appalling part. I loved the kids, the new young and middle-age mids were fantastic, tall forwards did some things... and the effort overall was superb... It's our choices, and structure. The glass-half-full types will look to our defensive effort. Good luck to them. I want to see how we'll WIN games. Not how we'll keep from losing them.

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.

I think by all reports that's going to be our tactic for the year. Guts is no-man's land these days.

Edited February 25, 2012 by Dappa Dan

[Hannibal 5,814]

Those who did the training reports really need to look at themselves...

Sarcasm is usually understood by a few, but not here on Demonland.

[Striker475 696]

I'll Judy point out that in the ten minutes or so before we left Metricon where we watched the third game, it was interesting to note in the last game that the umpiring was much fairer? Just an observation.

[McQueen 17,862]

Sarcasm is usually understood by a few, but not here on Demonland.

Perception is reality.

Mindset and a few bevvies can alter it..

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

we sucked

can anyone recall a single passage of play that impressed them? I can,t

business as usual down at the MFC

[Sir Why You Little 34,430]

I'll Judy point out that in the ten minutes or so before we left Metricon where we watched the third game, it was interesting to note in the last game that the umpiring was much fairer? Just an observation.

Could it be that because the MFC was not playing your brain was more rational and relaxed??

[Whispering_Jack 27,959]

There was plenty to be pleased about on an evening played under shocking conditions. I thought both results could have gone either way but in reality, the results were pretty meaningless.

I think the highlight for me was Aaron Davey in the first game showing that he isn't finished and that he hasn't lost his skills. He's still got a way to go but that was encouraging. Jack Grimes put in a few cameos that demonstrated how much we missed him after his injury last year. The class he showed at the end was worth hanging around a raindrenched Carrara for most of the day. The debutants all did well and one wonders how the Saints let James Magner slip under their noses. I like Tynan and Couch too but they could still be a way off and Clark is looking like a huge plus. Jack Fitzpatrick went fine in the ruck and given that Max Gawn and Jake Spencer are both on the LTI it's handy to know we have Jack on the list. Matthew Bate might well have reinvented himself as a midfielder.

We still lack a class gamebreaking midfielder but the conditions on the evening didn't help our quest to unearth one. Gary Ablett Junior was the one class midfielder to stand out on the night.

As AOB and others have stated, there's a new game plan at play here and it's going to take time for it to be perfected. Some might not be happy to have gone 1:1 with two of last year's lowly teams but that's not the point of these games. I think we're definitely moving in the right direction.

[bing181 8,163]

Have not seen the numbers but would expect we won the contested possession count in both games which is probably two more times than we did last year.

Also believe we won the clearances, especially out of the centre.

Messy, scrappy footy played in their backyard and their conditions. Liked the endeavor and attack on the ball. Especially liked the fact that in the second half against Brisbane we were able to turn the game around somewhat. Credits to the coaches and players, especially after that miserable first half.

As mentioned, Magner, Tynan, Seller, Clark all very useful additions. Nicholson ... disposal? Fitzpatrick wasn't disgraced for where he's at. A couple of the old dogs did OK - Green, a super courageous attempted mark, and from what I'd been expecting, Davey showed a bit.

Colin Sylvia - we're going to miss you round one. On the other hand, Jack Watts - don't like his chances if this was the audition.

Finally, anyone notice Trengove in the coaches' box? Good for the boy.

[Whispering_Jack 27,959]

Sarcasm is usually understood by a few, but not here on Demonland.

I got it.

[jayceebee31 666]

I think on tonight's effort we have shown that we are a very long way to the top.I thought overall we were disappointing.

[Striker475 696]

Could it be that because the MFC was not playing your brain was more rational and relaxed??

We did get killed by the OOB free kicks. In proper footy none of those would be paid, and that was a big chunk of our contest strategy.

But there were a lot of very awful umpiring decisions, compounded by the fact that it took the umpire forever to signal what the free kick was for. See the weird Bartram 50m penalty.

[dee-luded 2,958]

Losing to GC is pretty pathetic, but with such a weak team and weird rules, plus horrible rain, no point over analyzing this.

Some poor defensive pressure towards the end there which was disappointing.

Bennell was WOG for me. Fumbly and loose.

Clark BOG.

Those 2 teams train in the Humid greasy conditions often & learn to run hard & sdapt to these conditions.

Considering that & all the changes we 've done ok. for a first up hitout.

I'd like to see us play better teamwork daytime in Melbourne, to get a good handle on things.

[Hells Gates 505]

It seems Neeld is pleased with our effort....unlike some of the experts here...

http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2012/02/25/neeld-pleased-with-first-demons-hit-out/