I know its all positive at demonland atm, but how many games will 8 goals win, we still have major problems, we need more goals where are they comming from, does the game plan allow more goals, we cant win like that very often, we need goals and more goals.

I agree, yes in the conditions and circumstances it was good, but if Essendon converted more of their easy opportunities it could have been very different.

The forward line is still a worry (too many player still fly for the same ball), the positive is that Neeld is at least trying new things such as Garland forward. Neeld also made the comment at quarter time that the forward structure was falling down and that without players in the forward line, it is hard to get the ball in there, this is the best thing I have heard a Melbourne coach say in years. On a side note, another positive for me was seeing Garland run straight at the ball carrier, not to a pocket. I don't think I've seen a Melbourne player do that since Neitz.

Edited June 4, 201213 yr by Clint Bizkit

You win games if you score more goals than the opposition. We did that last Saturday night, and I expect it's a formula Mark Neeld will seek to continue well into the future.

As the team gets more used to the game plan and it becomes instinctive then their confidence will grow, it's just a matter of nailing the basics. The offensive part will come later, and when it comes they'll score more heavily. Yes it's frustrating now but the pay off in the future will be worth it.

As the team gets more used to the game plan and it becomes instinctive then their confidence will grow, it's just a matter of nailing the basics. The offensive part will come later, and when it comes they'll score more heavily. Yes it's frustrating now but the pay off in the future will be worth it.

100% agree - in time, the spread will improve as fitness improves, but the non-negotiables will never change. Run, tackle, contest, compete and man up.

As the team gets more used to the game plan and it becomes instinctive then their confidence will grow, it's just a matter of nailing the basics. The offensive part will come later, and when it comes they'll score more heavily. Yes it's frustrating now but the pay off in the future will be worth it.

+1, This!

As has been the stock standard word coming out of Melbourne this year.

"The last thing to tick over will be the score board".

I agree, yes in the conditions and circumstances it was good, but if Essendon converted more of their easy opportunities it could have been very different.

We had a few simple ones we missed aswell, they really only had 4 more shots on target than us but it wasn't like it was spent mainly in their forward half, I think we deserved to win.

From little things big things grow.

We had a few simple ones we missed aswell, they really only had 4 more shots on target than us but it wasn't like it was spent mainly in their forward half, I think we deserved to win.

Correct - we have aways to go yet, but.....Garland missed, Nicho's contentious non-goal, Magner missed, Clark missed.....

In the 2005 Grand Final, Sydney won the flag by kicking 8.10.58 (the same score we kicked on Saturday night). The drawn GF of 2010 saw both Clubs kick 68 points each.

Finals footy will often see low scores kicked, and the experience our team can get playing in low scoring matches like Saturday night, especially in winning sides, will only help when we start playing September footy.

And you won't win ANY Grand Finals winning the way Richmond & St Kilda played on Friday night.

What we saw Saurday was a meer part of the puzzle. We will remain down on F50 entries until we get more class in our midfield and we do not have the goal kicking ability in our forward line. It was the effort, pressure and adherence to the game plan includng ball and player movement that was important and it was all there.

In the 2005 Grand Final, Sydney won the flag by kicking 8.10.58 (the same score we kicked on Saturday night). The drawn GF of 2010 saw both Clubs kick 68 points each.

Finals footy will often see low scores kicked, and the experience our team can get playing in low scoring matches like Saturday night, especially in winning sides, will only help when we start playing September footy.

As ugly as it is thats exactly what we are doing, learning to play hard contested finals footy.

As for the scoreboard, I feel we learnt alot saturday night(well I did).

When the game was to be won, at it's hottest in the last, we were all over them.

Composure infront of goals will come.

Beats the crap out of losing...i will take it.

I know its all positive at demonland atm, but how many games will 8 goals win, we still have major problems, we need more goals where are they comming from, does the game plan allow more goals, we cant win like that very often, we need goals and more goals.

FFS That's like complaining about not having a baby before you've had sex. We're 10 games into a whole new regime. We're finally being trained to win a final deep into september. Patience is required like it always has been to support this club.

We have gotten 50+ Inside 50s the last two weeks as players are looking to get the footy more and trust their teammates to get it to them - very good signs.

The bad signs are our inability to keep it down there and score when the footy is brought down by Clark. Hopefully, Sylvia and Green can arrest that issue. They both are not suited to it however, can anyone tell me whether Lawrence is good in this area. Because Davey seems to struggle with it and all I want is a small forward to chase, lock the footy in, kick 2 goals, and excite my loins.

Is that asking too much?

We have gotten 50+ Inside 50s the last two weeks as players are looking to get the footy more and trust their teammates to get it to them - very good signs.

The bad signs are our inability to keep it down there and score when the footy is brought down by Clark. Hopefully, Sylvia and Green can arrest that issue. They both are not suited to it however, can anyone tell me whether Lawrence is good in this area. Because Davey seems to struggle with it and all I want is a small forward to chase, lock the footy in, kick 2 goals, and excite my loins.

Is that asking too much?

Did you see the tackle Adam Maric laid on Goddard on Friday night? I'm hoping it was an abberation!

WHERE DO YOU

where do you find inside-50 stats?

It's easy enough - just go to the Hun stats.

http://live-footy.heraldsun.com.au/StatsCentre/Index/20120920120140908

http://live-footy.heraldsun.com.au/StatsCentre/Index/20121020120141005

50 against Carlton and 51 against Essendon.

We have gotten 50+ Inside 50s the last two weeks as players are looking to get the footy more and trust their teammates to get it to them - very good signs.

pro-stats says the following data:

Season average, rounds 1-8 (us vs opponent)

45 vs 70

vs Ess

102 vs 128

vs Carlton

100 vs 116

can that be right? how do we susddenly more-than-double, while our opponent ALSO gets an extra 50%

wtf

edit: seems like there is some glitch at pro-stats, causing it double all the numbers?

Edited June 5, 201213 yr by Curry & Beer

pro-stats says the following data:

Season average, rounds 1-8 (us vs opponent)

45 vs 70

vs Ess

102 vs 128

vs Carlton

100 vs 116

can that be right? how do we susddenly more-than-double, while our opponent ALSO gets an extra 50%

wtf

edit: seems like there is some glitch at pro-stats, causing it double all the numbers?

Where are you getting that from?

Where are you getting that from?

http://www.pro-stats.com.au/psw/web/game_stats?mid=2012087

its clearly a stuff-up though

still, the correct data here

http://www.pro-stats.com.au/psw/web/team_rankings?ts=TA&year=2012&sr=13

says:

round1-8

58 vs 85

round9-10

50.5 vs 61

so our actual number has gone down a bit, but more importantly our opponent has decreased dramatically

http://www.pro-stats...ats?mid=2012087

its clearly a stuff-up though

still, the correct data here

http://www.pro-stats...year=2012&sr=13

says:

round1-8

58 vs 85

round9-10

50.5 vs 61

so our actual number has gone down a bit, but more importantly our opponent has decreased dramatically

Ok this is different to Champion Data that provides stats to the AFL and the papers...

Confusing, my KPI thread is based on Chamion Data stats and they say our Inside 50s were much lower in rounds 1 to 8.

I also have us averaging 39 I50s before the previous two weeks where we have had the ball in the 25% more.

I really prefer my stats as I think there has been a visible increase in the amount of times we have got it forward - not a decrease.

I also have us averaging 39 I50s before the previous two weeks where we have had the ball in the 25% more.

I really prefer my stats as I think there has been a visible increase in the amount of times we have got it forward - not a decrease.

Yep, early on there were a couple of 32's and maybe even one worse so a recent av of 39 would be about right.

Almost invariably you need 50 to win a game.

Forget the goals. The confidence from winning and the four quarter effort is the critical element,

The conditions were lousy but belief is more important,

Agree- in part. But remember we are still learning how to win, big scores will be a by product of becoming more confident.

A small forward would help greatly, also an unchanged team that can gain some continuity.

And confidence. Saturday night was a great leap forward in that regard.

Also think about this- doesn't matter what we score if we can keep the opposition's score lower than ours. Big numbers don't necessarily do it for me. 4 points do.