Yeah, I think McDonald will definitely make it

I would however like him to up his urgency. To often he looks like he's coasting. Would like to see more mongrel, but I'm sure it will come as his confidence grows

I think Tommy Mc is a thinker like Jack Watts and that's why he looks like he's coasting. Good players always seem to look like they have a bit more time. When his skill levels improve, he'll be able to execute his preferred option more successfully. Look at how Nate Jones is improving now that he's able to manufacture more time when he's in possession. Last season, I was often concerned that he was getting plenty of the ball but simply got rid of it as soon as he could.

One thing that has been stated is Tom McDonald. We've found a handy key back in McDonald. Still a little raw but one who is keen to learn and give his all.

Clearly out on our feet in the last, which is a tad disappointing but somewhat expected. Blease's pace is important and just shows our lack of pace in the midfield is evident.

If McLean was ever going to do well in the midfield it would be against an inferior and slow midfield such as ours. He will get shown up against every other team in the comp.

We ran harder offensively and defensively than we have all year for three quarters and already had used our sub early. If people cant see we were spent in the last then I guess we should have taken it easy for the first three so we had some left in the tank to keep you happy. Watts was good but 2 poor efforts spoilt his game. McKenzie, T-Mac, Jones, Grimes and Blease excellent. Moloney needs to go to Casey to learn first option football and defensive running. Garland needs to learn that its hard to guard the best small forward in the game when you're continually going third man up. Trengove saved himself from Casey after half time, hopefully that is him turning the corner.

Edited May 27, 201213 yr by big_red_fire_engine

McDonald is a ripper and will be better then all our first round picks.

Well done mate hold your head high.

He was impressive for a kid in his 10th game. Rivers, Garland and Frawley had decent games as well... helps so much when the defensive 50 is not being bombarded with entries.

Bail and Nicholson (although Nicho went missing for a while) also pumped out some decent performnaces. Bail in particular, who has copped a lot of criticism on this forum, played his best game this year and Nicho played well early and didn't torch the footy as he is known for. Blease gets me excited (nothing suss). Would like to see a few more tackles from him but he is using his pace to split the opposition apart and for the most part using the footy really well.

Edited May 27, 201213 yr by Nascent

Well said.

Although, I have no idea why Jaded liked this post - it being a meaningless positive and all...

I like it because I've been on his bandwagon for ages.

Besides meaningless positives is saying we were equal in inside 50's at 3/4 time. Awesome I can hardly contain how happy I am about that!

I like it because I've been on his bandwagon for ages.

Besides meaningless positives is saying we were equal in inside 50's at 3/4 time. Awesome I can hardly contain how happy I am about that!

If you think all of the positives from today's game are meaningless then you'd best tune out for the upcoming winter.

Every game I have a damn Blease that was awesome and a 'wtf' was that Blease moment. Same goes for Nicholson. But give me guys with the pace to make an impact rather than plodders like Bate, Dunn or Joel Macdonald any day of the week. We have to keep playing these guys and building their game because they can be weapons.

Just got back from the game and trying to thaw out.

From the G my perspective was that Melbourne had a lot of belief early on. Again it was more poor decisions early that cost us rather than anything else.

Positives and I think there were quite a few tonight:

I really enjoyed the game of McDonald - as others have said he just seemed to have extra time and didnt panic when he had the ball, rather he was calculating and smart. In general our defense was quite strong today and Garland did ok on Betts, could have been better but I think we were ok in this area bar on player. Frawley had a good game.

Sam Blease was very exciting. the spoil was just pure class and he looks better than scully for mine. fast and agile and I saw him run a man down who wasnt expecting it. he backed himself twice to kick goals and missed which was silly. otherwise I enjoyed his game.

Jones was also as usual quite good.

A lot have ripped into Dunn but I think the additions of Dunn and Tappscott gives us a bit more physical presence and Tappy got himself into the right spot a few times in the first and second quarter that suggested to me that he reads it well. I think Dunn was good at times.

average:

Jamie Bennell - he did some good things - two marks in 20 seconds, running hard at times. But othertimes he just seemed to be in strange positions, lose his opponent or almost panic with the ball. I saw hope tonight in his game when i havent much before but he wasnt in our best.

Jack Watts did some great things, got the ball lots, but everytime he'd do something good he'd then go and do something poor that would cost us. Semi shirking the contest early on was annoying for mine. He could ahve imposed himself on that floating kick rather than wait for it and let the opposition turn it over and smash us. A few times he got caught when it was clear to everyone else but him that he wasnt going to lose his opponent. He would try and do someting fancy but the player would be on him.

Negative:

Moloney's game was for the most part of little impact. He was better than last week, but he wasnt our best midfielder.

Goal kicking - Blease backed himself in twice running, Frawley had a crack - both times there were free options in the forward 50 right out in front. Trying to impress too much to a detriment

Trengove - has to be carrying an injury. God I hope he is carrying an injury!! He was very slow tonight at times.

Last quarter - wtf? We were competitive and you almost felt that we had the momentum at the end of the 3rd despite just not being able to apply score board pressure after several long periods in our attacking 50. last quarter they just took the foot off the pedal.

Game plan - as a Neeld defender ive got to ask - for a defensive game plan where are our defensive structures when we lose momentum? This side in the last quarter still very much like Baileys team rather than Neelds. Also every time we kicked it along the boundry we would be double teamed, whereas in the corridor we had free players - it was like Carlton were expecting us to do it and it wasnt working but it actually forced us to use the corridor and bang - we were actually entering our forward 50 with more threatening looking play than previously.

Edited May 27, 201213 yr by Norm Smith's Curse

Yeah, I think McDonald will definitely make it

I would however like him to up his urgency. To often he looks like he's coasting.

So does Pendlebury.

I actually think his casual approach is a positive. He doesn't panic under any circumstance which is a massive tick for his age. A definite find.

Watts was at the back of the pack with the Melbourne player in front and the Carlton player behind, Watts was going to go but thought it may be better to see if the ball spilled out of the contest or the player in front marked it. If it had he would have been free and clear, kicked the goal and we would all be saying how clever he was. It was not an issue of not going it was purely an issue of doing what he thought was best for the team.

We've been rabbiting on about players not having faith in their teammates, Jack had faith in his teammate but it didn't work.

If he'd flown for the ball and it was cleared anyway, the argument would be about him spoiling his own teammate.

On the other hand can anyone tell me what Bennell brings to the side? He runs around but never seems to catch anyone, he skirts the packs and never seems to get anywhere near another player; just what is he there for?

A few things.

- Blease will make it, the kid is a star and it's great to finally see him strut his stuff.

- We desperately desperately desperately need Strauss back. He provides a surety to our kickins that noone else does.

- Beamer doesn't give a [censored]. Seriously, to jog across the square like that when you have space to lead into is a no go. See ya later.

- Bennell, poor.

- McKenzie one of the better taggers running around.

- Bail's first half was superb, pity he blew up so badly. Also that kick over to Watts was AWFUL.

- Tapscott cared more about trying to get reported than going for the pill.

- JT, better.

- JG getting touch back.

- if you can purge the final term from your memory, we were pretty good.

- I think about 15 of them blew up at once five minutes into the 4th

Trengove - has to be carrying an injury. God I hope he is carrying an injury!! He was very slow tonight at times.

Last quarter - wtf? We were competitive and you almost felt that we had the momentum at the end of the 3rd despite just not being able to apply score board pressure after several long periods in our attacking 50. last quarter they just took the foot off the pedal.

Game plan - as a Neeld defender ive got to ask - for a defensive game plan where are our defensive structures when we lose momentum?

I know i'm banging on about this (i'll stop i promise - or maybe not) i really reckon all these queries can be explained by our intensive training regime. The players are super fatigued, from the first bounce and then progressively more so. When exhausted their structures and ability to keep playing their assigned role falls away.

As for Trengove, in an article a couple of weeks ago Gary Lyon noted how slow he appeared ("heavy in the legs" i think was the phrase) and put it down to a heavy pre season and suggested a freshen up was in order. Well i reckon the pre season has continued and they are still in a heavy training phase but post bye they'll get the freshen up and all players will relish the drop in training load. 5-6 wins in the second half of the season is my tip

Edited May 27, 201213 yr by binman

Bennell took to running marks in 20 seconds and that looked ok. But he also paniced in the forward 50. he wanted to play tonight but he just seems to be a little confused about his role I think.

two things that watts did that frustrated me was the waiting for the floater in the first quarter and when he got caught with the ball trying to be fancy rather than just disposing of the ball. To me Watts still seems a little low on confidence. I can see a good player in there but sometimes he does things that make me wonder.

The bigger stories of the night for me were Blease and McDonald looking like we do have a future and trengove who must be carrying an injury or im very worried.

A few things.

- Blease will make it, the kid is a star and it's great to finally see him strut his stuff.

- We desperately desperately desperately need Strauss back. He provides a surety to our kickins that noone else does.

- Beamer doesn't give a [censored]. Seriously, to jog across the square like that when you have space to lead into is a no go. See ya later.

- Bennell, poor.

- McKenzie one of the better taggers running around.

- Bail's first half was superb, pity he blew up so badly. Also that kick over to Watts was AWFUL.

- Tapscott cared more about trying to get reported than going for the pill.

- JT, better.

- JG getting touch back.

- if you can purge the final term from your memory, we were pretty good.

- I think about 15 of them blew up at once five minutes into the 4th

I agreeed with all of this except Tapscott. A few times he dropped into space and into smart positions in the forward 50. They didnt pay off but I could see what he was trying to do and I think he adds a bit of balls to our forward 50. he isnt QUITE a Phil Read...

A few things.

- Blease will make it, the kid is a star and it's great to finally see him strut his stuff.

- We desperately desperately desperately need Strauss back. He provides a surety to our kickins that noone else does.

- Beamer doesn't give a [censored]. Seriously, to jog across the square like that when you have space to lead into is a no go. See ya later.

- Bennell, poor.

- McKenzie one of the better taggers running around.

- Bail's first half was superb, pity he blew up so badly. Also that kick over to Watts was AWFUL.

- Tapscott cared more about trying to get reported than going for the pill.

- JT, better.

- JG getting touch back.

- if you can purge the final term from your memory, we were pretty good.

- I think about 15 of them blew up at once five minutes into the 4th

Tapscott tried to flatten a few and did .He is exactly the guy we need.Garland gets confused when the ball is in the air.

I like it because I've been on his bandwagon for ages.

Besides meaningless positives is saying we were equal in inside 50's at 3/4 time. Awesome I can hardly contain how happy I am about that!

Clearly.

It's an improvement, Jaded. I care about improving.

I'm actually not sure what to think about Moloney's game. He seemed like he was working hard, but he is now being exposed for being a poor runner. He has never been a good runner, but he's being exposed for it more now because of the two way running that Neeld requires. I just don't think he is physically capable of doing what he wants to.

I think his efforts to play a team game have improved a great deal, but he isn't physically capable to doing it. He is, after all, only a middle of the road runner at our club which, for a number 1 midfielder with a tag, is not good. When he is tagged he can't out work his man and can only use his strength at stoppages, except that he is too tired to do anything in the massive congestion of our stoppages.

I don't think it's a mental thing, but rather a lack of running ability. And it's not just Moloney, it's just that he gets the most opposition attention.

Tapscott tried to flatten a few and did .He is exactly the guy we need.Garland gets confused when the ball is in the air.

Garland was rightly concerned about how fleet footed his direct opponent was in Betts. This and trying to position himself as best he can whilst the ball is incoming. A real handful I'd imagine.

Better effort, we nEed better diposal, we really really need a small fwd and miss bartram a lot.

I wanted to win but was happy with the effort

Bartram offers us little future. Has a bung knee and struggles to get up every week and for that reason alone has little future. That's what a bung knee did to Davey. Over 100 games and he's a very modest player. Get over him while we try some of our really talented young , Davis, Tynan, Taggert, Strauss, Nicholson

Garland was mismatched and he knew once the ball hit the ground, Betts was going to kick a goal - I think he did very well.

Today's effort (on retrospect) wasn't worth a 10 goal loss.

Moloney and Dunn - two names I'm not interested in seeing on a Melbourne team sheet for a long time.

Clearly.

It's an improvement, Jaded. I care about improving.

When you are coming off a 101 point loss, anything is an improvement, but after 4 years of list development, you'll forgive me that I look at the scoreboard at the end of the game and I feel sick because I watched 21 players fall apart and kick 1 miserable goal in a half of footy.

It's just not enough anymore to be happy about improvement so miniscule and so insignificant, that it doesn't even get us within 4 goals of our opponent. Who BTW played like crap, and had their own supporters booing them at 3/4 time.

Moloney and Dunn - two names I'm not interested in seeing on a Melbourne team sheet for a long time.

I've been trying to work out all year what Dunn adds to the team. It's not toughness, hard running, good forward pressure or goal kicking. What the heck is it then? 87 games to his name now; there's enough rounds left in the year to become the worst ever player to play 100 games for the MFC, just in time to be delisted.

Just got home. To be really honest I think Neeld might be onto something. At 3/4 time I was marveling at how we could be in the game when I could easily name 12 players that had barely touched it. We have a really poor midfield and a really poor forward line today yet kept in it for 3/4s. We have 10 blokes that wouldn't be in any other side (I'm looking at you James Sellar), but at least we looked quicker with Blease and Nicholson.

Pluses - Nicholson, Blease, Tommy Mc. Our young blokes are coming along.

Minuses - Beamer, horribly out of sorts. Trengrove, he's either injured or just really poor. He looks a shadow of himself from the last couple of years. I really felt like Carlton players looked back and saw him chasing and so took him on every time. He's becoming a liability.

Garland was mismatched and he knew once the ball hit the ground, Betts was going to kick a goal - I think he did very well.

Today's effort (on retrospect) wasn't worth a 10 goal loss.

I was behind the goals today and thought that Garland did well on Betts when the ball was down our end. He got 3 in the last when the ball was down the other end and at that time the floodgates had opened and the backline was under siege. It was just a matter of carlton players lining up as the ball was just flooding in to their forward line.

Garland performance reflected those of the team's performance, when we were doing well so was he when we faltered so did he.