Watching Eagles V Hawks, love the intensity. Few observations-

-Watts is a far better player than Nik Nat

-Darling is a gun and the Dees along with every other club bar Eagles missed out!

- Bruce's woeful disposal was not a problem that was Demon exclusive

- West Coast to win the flag this year.

Thank you

Yep - Watts is better

Darling is OK but still won't rave about him.

Cameron Bruce cannot play modern press footy. He was excellent at his best but is horrible under mordern pressure

I still reckon Hawks and Blues for the grand final.

Bruce could also do with a rug on his head! A bit light on up top!

Cheney was far better than Bruce tonight.

The Hawks really missed Luke Hodge tonight. His toughness and drive from half back might've proved the difference.

Fantastic game great to watch.

Yep - Watts is better

Darling is OK but still won't rave about him.

Cameron Bruce cannot play modern press footy. He was excellent at his best but is horrible under mordern pressure

I still reckon Hawks and Blues for the grand final.

It seems all the Melbourne players that came through the post 2000's, seemed to develop the nasty habit of slow minded football. Is this a product of our tempo footy + space... And this still even afflicts Morton. Green, Yze, Robbo, Bruce, all that I can remember seemed to learn to play without Ant Intensity.

The Hawks really missed Luke Hodge tonight. His toughness and drive from half back might've proved the difference.

If I had to say which side would be favored more by wet greasy surface I'd say West coast would be happier with a little slippery conditions.

And Hodge out as well & away,,, I'd say the Hawks are still around abouts, but I think they need more strength in they're defence.

Watts has so much more upside than Natanui its not funny (it's a given Watts will be alot more damaging than he is now once he puts 5-10 kgs on wheras NN will perhaps develop a better game sense but is hardly going to get more athletic)

Darling is a terrific competitor and will never lose that aspect. I wish he was a dee

Cameron Bruce looks funny bald

I reckon the Hawks will win the GF

Watts has so much more upside than Natanui its not funny (it's a given Watts will be alot more damaging than he is now once he puts 5-10 kgs on wheras NN will perhaps develop a better game sense but is hardly going to get more athletic)

Darling is a terrific competitor and will never lose that aspect. I wish he was a dee

Cameron Bruce looks funny bald

I reckon the Hawks will win the GF

Hmmn, I think they both have a lot of talent, & both have a lot of developing to do. see Nik Nats fumbled mark at the goal edge.

He is more advanced because he's a mature build but also is in a mature & experienced outfit.

They both have enormous talent.

I said to my Dad I reckon tonight was a preview of this years Grand Finalists, with that in mind it being at the G I reckon the Dorks will be premiers (much as I dislike them).

It was a pulsating game to watch despite there not being any goals. I kind of liken it to a Premier League match between Liverpool and Man U, even if there aren't a lot goals you can just about guarantee that ever contest will be heavily fought. I thought Bruce definitely showed his lack of ability against the top skilled players, Cheyne did his job admirably and I think has been able to fit into their culture.

Just reinforces how far off the pace of modern AFL we are at the moment. Every game so far this weekend has proved it. Winners and also losers are light years ahead of us.

When NicNat starts holding some of those big pack marks he will be sensational. Both Watts and he will be great footballers of the modern era, glad we got Watts. As for the game. Well apparently the Viking spacecraft is now heading past the outer heliosphere one hundred times the distance of the Sun to Pluto. That's about how far Melbourne is from these two teams and going in the wrong direction.

PS Neeld would do well to start teaching some of our Dee boys how to do those bullet handpasses transacted by the Hawk players.

I watch Darling and weep. Such a tough and competitive bugger and a really good footballer. Exactly the sort of player we need.

Darling was good tonight but I'm not gonna cry over coulda shouldas never didas.

They have some nice big forwards to bomb it into in high pressure finals tho'.

The Dawks rely very heavily on Gibson and Franklin IMO.

1 of those 2 go down and they're finished.

The MFC are not fit enough. Elite fitness. We get smashed in 3rd Quarters because we "hit the wall"

It's all to do with fitness. Our list needs more than ione preseason at AAMI Park

Sad reality.

Not sure you get smarter when fitter WYL.

Not sure you get smarter when fitter WYL.

From fitness you get confidence.

Our version of tonight's game will be against GWS.

Our version of tonight's game will be against GWS.

Well that just aint good enough. It's about time this old club raised its standards.

Fantastic game great to watch.

Yes, the goal kicking was particularly stellar !!!

WCE are looking very good so far. Wouldn't be surprised to see them win it all.

Things I learnt from this game:

1. Rule changes, changes to interpretations, and just general shittiness of umpires make our game the hardest game in the world to officiate and the worst officiated game in the world

Things I learnt from this game:

1. Rule changes, changes to interpretations, and just general shittiness of umpires make our game the hardest game in the world to officiate and the worst officiated game in the world

You'll find that in all sports. There are always calls that are open to interpretation and unless everything is video reviewed there will always be an element of human error. Poor officiating frustrates me just as much as it frustrates the next person (unless it's in favour of the Mighty Dees), but it is something that you have to live with because it is very difficult for umpires to catch everything.

Not sure you get smarter when fitter WYL.

You do actually, at least in the sense that fatigue impacts on capacity to make decisions and execute under pressure and the less fit a side the earlier a fatigue kicks in

You'll find that in all sports. There are always calls that are open to interpretation and unless everything is video reviewed there will always be an element of human error. Poor officiating frustrates me just as much as it frustrates the next person (unless it's in favour of the Mighty Dees), but it is something that you have to live with because it is very difficult for umpires to catch everything.

Dunno about other sports much, but of course it is hard to catch everything. But the frustrating thing is the endless changes in interpretation. Holding the ball seemed to be completely different this weekend (so far).