Jump to content


Recommended Posts

Posted

DARKNESS COMES EARLY by Mean Gene

Earth Hour came early for Demon fans on Saturday when the club was plunged into darkness a good 5½ hours earlier than the official time planned for the environmentally symbolic annual event.

It all happened within minutes of the start of the third quarter that the Melbourne Football Club simply switched off against the Brisbane Lions after an even first half in which the game ebbed and flowed until the visitors grabbed a four point lead at the main break.

When the lights went off at the MCG for the Demons there was nothing they could do to save themselves. There was no emotion in the way they played despite the fact that they should have been celebrating a lost comrade's departure from the earth. Indeed, it seemed that Brisbane's Irishman Pierce Hanley seemed more emotionally attached to the day than any Melbourne player after he pumped his fists towards the heavens when he booted a long goal from outside fifty.

To be sure, the Demons are employing a new and different game plan but the result was no different to some of the worst rubbish they served up last year. It was hard to work out just how the plan was supposed to operate especially when the team was beaten comprehensively in the ruck by Ben Hudson and mauled by the likes of Black, Rich, Adcock and co at stoppages. When they got the ball the gist of it was that you bombed the ball long and high into the forward line hoping someone would take a mark (but it hardly ever happened) or that someone would crumb the ball (but it never happened). Brisbane was able to run and run without much challenge and with far more desperation and determination, greater skills and with purpose.

Melbourne looked slow because it was slow. It was an indictment on the team that only first gamer James Magner could hold his head up high after the rest of his teammates produced such an insipid performance. That standard was matched by a coach's box that seemed to have no answers and didn't appear to be interested in cutting off the opposition strengths such as veteran midfielder Simon Black who dominated around the packs. His younger opponents looked so tired and jaded that they didn't even have the strength to blow out a candle.

Melbourne 3.3.21 7.4.46 8.8.56 11.12.78

Brisbane Lions 1.4.10 7.8.50 13.13.91 17.17.119

Goals

Melbourne Clark Howe Magner 2 Davey Green Martin Trengove Watts

Brisbane Lions Banfield Polkinghorne Rockliff 3 Hanley Merrett 2 Adock Leuenberger McGrath Sheldon

Best

MelbourneMagner, Trengove, Watts, Frawley, Howe, Jones

Brisbane Lions Black Rich Hanley Rockliff Adcock McGrath

Substitutes

Melbourne Sam Blease replaced by Matthew Bate at three-quarter time

Brisbane Lions Rohan Bewick replaced by Sam Sheldon at three-quarter time

Injuries

Melbourne Magner (ankle)

Brisbane Lions Nil

Reports

Melbourne Clint Bartram for executing a completely innocuous sling tackle (please don't get me started).

Brisbane Lions Nil

Umpires Dalgleish, Leppard, Grun

Official crowd 33,473 at MCG

  • Like 2

Guest DeesPower
Posted

For all the hype about the new regime, frankly it has shown nothing. At least under Bailey there were flashes of briiliant play with some brilliant wins. With this lot, there are no flashes, not event evidence thatvthiscteam is going to be in any way competitive. The whipping boy has been Jack Watts but he wasconevof the few who played alright today.

There has to be serious questions asked about so called established (or potentially established) players. The one I think need serious looking at are: Bartrem, Bleese, even mcKenzie. The established players who are seriously under performing are: Maloney, Green, Rivers, Davey, Frawley.

So what if anything can be done about it? Sadly I think very little. The recruiting overvtheclastvfive years has left us with an uncompetitive side, and with an out of date gameplan aping Collingwood of three years ago, we can be expected to be over-run in most weeks.

My prediction for this year has been revised downward from 11 to 3. We will finish 16th.

Unfortunately, that is the way of the world.

  • Like 2


Posted

Very rarely post, but feel the absolute need to do so. Today was the most insipid displays of football that I have watched in some 40 years of supporting this side.

We have heard all pre season that the focus was on stoppages and clearance work. We have heard that this side would be hard at the contest and competitive. Today we lost shamefully not because our game plan broke down but simply because we could not get our hands on the footy.

At best Brisbane is a middle of the road midfield, so heaven forbid the thumpings we will get from the better sides.

For mine 16th on the proviso GC suffers the second year blues.

Shattering..,

  • Like 1
Posted

Not good enough...

I can take losing but not like that to an ordinary team

Second half not a shot was fired.

They let themselves down, the let us as supporters down and worst of all they let jimmy down today..

  • Like 1

Posted

Overreaction.

You don't change a culture that permitted a 186 point loss overnight.

Assess after 10 rounds, not 1.

That has been my refrain for the past 5 years, but this start today seems somehow vastly different. I said after the hawthorn pre-season game that we are the lowest skilled team in the AFL. This is unequivocal I believe. When you couple poor skills with a resolutely predictable game plan that relies on winning contested ball, or maintaining possession around the boundary to eventually create scoring opportunities, this is the result you get. If Mark Neeld is going to stick to this method, we will get split wide open week after week after week. I have great fears now for our football club, because this will be beyond damaging.
  • Like 1
Posted

That has been my refrain for the past 5 years, but this start today seems somehow vastly different. I said after the hawthorn pre-season game that we are the lowest skilled team in the AFL. This is unequivocal I believe. When you couple poor skills with a resolutely predictable game plan that relies on winning contested ball, or maintaining possession around the boundary to eventually create scoring opportunities, this is the result you get. If Mark Neeld is going to stick to this method, we will get split wide open week after week after week. I have great fears now for our football club, because this will be beyond damaging.

The game plan can't be blamed for what happened today. Nor can the coaches be blamed. If the plan was any more than "predictable" I doubt this group could have even followed such a simple concept. It makes you wonder if perhaps Bailey did try to teach them a plan, but they were not capable of following it.

  • Like 1
Posted

The game plan can't be blamed for what happened today. Nor can the coaches be blamed. If the plan was any more than "predictable" I doubt this group could have even followed such a simple concept. It makes you wonder if perhaps Bailey did try to teach them a plan, but they were not capable of following it.

The game plan can absolutely be blamed, because the Brisbane players knew exactly what was going to happen.......so they set up numbers for the contested spill from the long bomb, or the boundary line hug, shot the ball out to space, connected possessions and goal after goal resulted. Watch a replay if you can bear it, because it became woefully hilarious how obviously they were able to do that every time.
  • Like 5

Posted

Overreaction.

You don't change a culture that permitted a 186 point loss overnight.

Assess after 10 rounds, not 1.

These kinds of reactions are usually welcome after losses. But not today's loss.

In Round 1 of a new year, with a new coach and coaching team, new captains, up against a side who wasn't very good last year and who cannot claim to be any better than us, at home, with great home crowd support, and with as much motivation as you can ask for, we played as badly as we have in our entire period of mediocrity.

In context, this is inexcusable, and it's not an appropriate response for us, nor for the club, to simply say 'let's wait and play some more matches before we criticise'. Supporters are perfectly entitled to feel like we are utter rubbish after today.

  • Like 7

Posted

Today we lost to a bottom 4 side that was missing their captain and one of the best players in the comp.

The players didnt bother turning up today. Not for Jimmy, Not for eachother. Not for themselves and not for the club.

We are a joke of a club and are being laughed at by everyone else.

YOU ARE PATHETIC MELBOURNE!!!!!

Posted

Three things I learned.

1/ Magner is a magnet

2/ We were second to the ball the whole game

3/ Lions were prepared to run and spread - we werent.

4/ The long bombing or 2012 is the chipping the ball backwards of 2011. If we are not prepared to work hard and present options you only have two choices - bomb long or chip backwards. Until we are prepared to gut run and keep presenting and giving options, we will continue to disappoint

5/ I cant count.

  • Like 4

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    TRAINING: Friday 22nd November 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers were out in force on a scorching morning out at Gosch's Paddock for the final session before the whole squad reunites for the Preseason Training Camp. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS It’s going to be a scorcher today but I’m in the shade at Gosch’s Paddock ready to bring you some observations from the final session before the Preseason Training Camp next week.  Salem, Fritsch & Campbell are already on the track. Still no number on Campbell’s

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports 2

    UP IN LIGHTS by Whispering Jack

    Those who watched the 2024 Marsh AFL National Championships closely this year would not be particularly surprised that Melbourne selected Victoria Country pair Harvey Langford and Xavier Lindsay on the first night of the AFL National Draft. The two left-footed midfielders are as different as chalk and cheese but they had similar impacts in their Coates Talent League teams and in the National Championships in 2024. Their interstate side was edged out at the very end of the tournament for tea

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Special Features

    TRAINING: Wednesday 20th November 2024

    It’s a beautiful cool morning down at Gosch’s Paddock and I’ve arrived early to bring you my observations from today’s session. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Reigning Keith Bluey Truscott champion Jack Viney is the first one out on the track.  Jack’s wearing the red version of the new training guernsey which is the only version available for sale at the Demon Shop. TRAINING: Viney, Clarry, Lever, TMac, Rivers, Petty, McVee, Bowey, JVR, Hore, Tom Campbell (in tr

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Monday 18th November 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers ventured down to Gosch's Paddock for the final week of training for the 1st to 4th Years until they are joined by the rest of the senior squad for Preseason Training Camp in Mansfield next week. WAYNE RUSSELL'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS No Ollie, Chin, Riv today, but Rick & Spargs turned up and McDonald was there in casual attire. Seston, and Howes did a lot of boundary running, and Tom Campbell continued his work with individual trainer in non-MFC

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    2024 Player Reviews: #11 Max Gawn

    Champion ruckman and brilliant leader, Max Gawn earned his seventh All-Australian team blazer and constantly held the team up on his shoulders in what was truly a difficult season for the Demons. Date of Birth: 30 December 1991 Height: 209cm Games MFC 2024: 21 Career Total: 224 Goals MFC 2024: 11 Career Total: 109 Brownlow Medal Votes: 13 Melbourne Football Club: 2nd Best & Fairest: 405 votes

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 12

    2024 Player Reviews: #36 Kysaiah Pickett

    The Demons’ aggressive small forward who kicks goals and defends the Demons’ ball in the forward arc. When he’s on song, he’s unstoppable but he did blot his copybook with a three week suspension in the final round. Date of Birth: 2 June 2001 Height: 171cm Games MFC 2024: 21 Career Total: 106 Goals MFC 2024: 36 Career Total: 161 Brownlow Medal Votes: 3 Melbourne Football Club: 4th Best & Fairest: 369 votes

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 5

    TRAINING: Friday 15th November 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers took advantage of the beautiful sunshine to head down to Gosch's Paddock and witness the return of Clayton Oliver to club for his first session in the lead up to the 2025 season. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Clarry in the house!! Training: JVR, McVee, Windsor, Tholstrup, Woey, Brown, Petty, Adams, Chandler, Turner, Bowey, Seston, Kentfield, Laurie, Sparrow, Viney, Rivers, Jefferson, Hore, Howes, Verrall, AMW, Clarry Tom Campbell is here

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    2024 Player Reviews: #7 Jack Viney

    The tough on baller won his second Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy in a narrow battle with skipper Max Gawn and Alex Neal-Bullen and battled on manfully in the face of a number of injury niggles. Date of Birth: 13 April 1994 Height: 178cm Games MFC 2024: 23 Career Total: 219 Goals MFC 2024: 10 Career Total: 66 Brownlow Medal Votes: 8

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 3

    TRAINING: Wednesday 13th November 2024

    A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers braved the rain and headed down to Gosch's paddock to bring you their observations from the second day of Preseason training for the 1st to 4th Year players. DITCHA'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS I attended some of the training today. Richo spoke to me and said not to believe what is in the media, as we will good this year. Jefferson and Kentfield looked big and strong.  Petty was doing all the training. Adams looked like he was in rehab.  KE

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

×
×
  • Create New...