NAB CUP 1: NORTH MELBOURNE AND RICHMOND

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

I am so sorry for offending you.

I am glad we have your wisdom around.

You haven't offended me at all, just don't appreciate people posting out and out BS

[jumbo returns 6,619]

Without meaning to be rude, does anyone even really care how Dunn and Davey went? I watch games like this so I can learn what to expect from players I haven't seen much of. Surely we're pretty used to these two by now and know what to expect from them. It shouldn't come as a shock to people when they're shown to not be so great.

(For the record, I thought Dunn was okay,)

I do...what's wrong with high expectations Day 1? What's wrong with demanding more from established players?

Year after year we say it's only the NAB cup, but the good sides win everything!

Didn't mean to yell.

[Watts Jurrah Dunn? 735]

Daniel currie has done more in 1 nab cup game for north than jake spencer has done for us in his 5-6 years at the club. Why do we hold onto spencer for an eternity and clog the list when we could take a more-than-capable ruckman with a late or rookie pick?

[wattsup 470]

Not sure. Still a real lack of pace (any news on blease?) and not enough mid field endurance to run forward. They tend to sit behind the ball.

You need to remember we had our best side spread over 2 games so untill we play our best side in 1 game it's hard to judge

[hardtack 10,187]

Spencer played ok? Did he touch it? What did Davey do?

I could pick on plenty mate because at the end of the day we are no good and appear set for another season of amateur turnovers from Jordie Mckenzie and more brain dead decisions like Frawley taking kick outs. Not many of them are any good.

Perhaps they play like you support. First games up against teams that are coming from a much better starting point and having had a major reconstruction... you should make some allowances.

[bing181 8,359]

Spencer played ok? Did he touch it? What did Davey do?

I could pick on plenty mate because at the end of the day we are no good and appear set for another season of amateur turnovers from Jordie Mckenzie and more brain dead decisions like Frawley taking kick outs. Not many of them are any good.

You've made your point. But don't keep making that same point over and over.

It's just tedious.

[Nasher 33,246]

I do...what's wrong with high expectations Day 1? What's wrong with demanding more from established players?

Because they're no good? Hasn't been for a few years in Davey's case, and never has been in Dunn's case.

Dunn, like Joel Macdonald, is filler. An ok player, warming the spot while we wait for a better player to unseat him. Davey won't get a game; the difference between he and Byrnes was stark.

Edited February 22, 2013 by Nasher
grammatical overhaul

[Forest Demon 4,681]

Meh. Good signs mostly I thought. Richmond destroyed us in the first half of that game but other than that it was decent.

Kids mostly looked good. Hogan looks ready to go right now.

[old dee 23,256]

You haven't offended me at all, just don't appreciate people posting out and out BS

That is a personal view RGRS

I don't say you talk BS because I have a different view

I have a different view to you IMO it is that simple

Who knows in three months time you might be right in suggesting we were ok and the results might show we have achieve more than expect.

[Bonkers 918]

I thought there were many positives. As previous posters have mentioned the debutants impressed & showed a lot of promise. For a first game as 18 year olds Hogan, Toumpas, Viney & Kent all held their own. They all have elite traits & hopefully can be developed into elites of the AFL. Rodan & Byrnes added a bit of spark. Watts & Dunn looked to be making the movement out of the back line look a lot better than this time last year. I think the overall competitiveness has improved as well as the handball in close.

Negatives were the spread & ball movement when kicking into a congested forward 50. Still struggling at clearances which needs to be addressed. Defence in transition also struggled. There's lots to work with & there was improvement, like most have said. Kicking, run & carry as well as speed are our main deficiencies. Nothing new there.

[Hellish Inferno 992]

Jack Hannath

Has he played for Freo yet?

[Want a Flag 46]

McKenzie's disposal was more of the same. Plus he is not quick. Can't have too many journeymen in the same side ie Magner. MacDonald is still a worry I reckon.

That said there were positives. Hogan obviously, Viney and Toumpas hasd a taste and certainly don't look out of place. Don't forget North have been training with Geelong for a while so are more advanced and whether we like it or not Richmond are just plain better than us.

In judging one game I am more concerned about lack of progress at stoppages. We are so static. Look at the way Swallow and the like hit contests at speed. Hopefully someone in the coaching staff will start drilling that into us but I haven't seen it over the past couple of years.

[timD 994]

We will not compete effectively or consistently until our midfield is better and we are several years away from that still IMO. Viney and Toumpus need time. Kent and M Jones need time to get up to speed. If Blease steps up and we can one effective running halfback then we are off. Until then it will be a grind.

At least it looks like our team structure is coming along. That allows us to strongly targets mids again in the next few years.

[stuie 7,374]

Watched both games sans commentary while at work.

My take:

Hogan - You build a team around a guy like that.

Viney and Toumpas - Talents clear, glad we have the NAB to give them a run in.

Jamar and Spencer - Have a feeling we may regret losing Martin.

MacDonald - Lacked discipline a bit tonight, strange for him.

Howe - Looks good in the fwd line.

Davey - Looked like he was trying to keep his cool under pressure, did it better than previous years but still got a bit sucked in.

Overall - We lost accountability as the night worse on, could be fitness or just old habits. Disposal could be in the same boat. One of our main problems, and has been for years, is that we stand around when the ball is traveling, players need to move more when not in possession. We lack speed and flare, very meat and potatoes look to the team, which is fine, but you need some gravy too. Team A looked A LOT better than Team B. Players either don't know or forget where they should be moving to.

[old dee 23,256]

McKenzie's disposal was more of the same. Plus he is not quick. Can't have too many journeymen in the same side ie Magner. MacDonald is still a worry I reckon.

That said there were positives. Hogan obviously, Viney and Toumpas hasd a taste and certainly don't look out of place. Don't forget North have been training with Geelong for a while so are more advanced and whether we like it or not Richmond are just plain better than us.

In judging one game I am more concerned about lack of progress at stoppages. We are so static. Look at the way Swallow and the like hit contests at speed. Hopefully someone in the coaching staff will start drilling that into us but I haven't seen it over the past couple of years.

IMO it negates all the other things he does. His disposal is not AFL standard.

We will be a good side when he is struggling to get a game

[Hero1 74]

Two more woeful performances to add to 49 years. It'll be a long season.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,004]

Funny. You'd think some of the people on here were expecting to win tonight. Personally, I'm thrilled to get that close to North, given what they have done to us every time we've played them in the last decade or so (anyone know when the last time we beat them was btw?). We knew that Richmond was well ahead of us and once they got a bit tired we held them pretty well and won the second half of that game. I say there are more positives tonight than negatives.

[Moonshadow 16,620]

Positives -

Fitter, more contest, quicker, Howe, Hogan, Watts, Hogan, Jones, Hogan, Toumpas, Kent, TMac, Viney, players to come in, eg Clark, Trenners

Disappointments -

Umpires and NAB rules, disposal and turn overs, midfield class and depth, decision making and composure, injuries (Frawley, Blease), ruck stocks, finishing to goal

We are making progress, but have a long way to go. Anyone who says our midfield is comparable to the Tiger's is dreaming.

[old dee 23,256]

Two more woeful performances to add to 49 years. It'll be a long season.

Careful you will be accused of lying!

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

Careful you will be accused of lying!

You have been accused of lying as 3 times you claimed we never looked like winning either game.

"Blind Freddy" could see we were every chance of winning against North.

Not opinion, just a fact

[RalphiusMaximus 6,004]

Incidentally, Wayne Carey has just said that Watts was "superb" tonight and could be in for an AA season.

[frankie_d 1,415]

You have been accused of lying as 3 times you claimed we never looked like winning either game.

"Blind Freddy" could see we were every chance of winning against North.

Not opinion, just a fact

Don't agree. I didn't think we looked like winning.

We got close, true, but we never looked like winning

[skills32 229]

We used to call these games practice matches and they are designed for two purposes;

1. For the coaches to look at the new blood against some opposition

2. For the players to get some dare I say it match practice and get rid of any cobwebs.

Nobody gave two hoots who won so long as the games achieved their purpose.

They still are practice matches and are played for the same purpose.

So why give even one hoot who won?

Neeldy and co now have a pretty good idea of the clubs best 22 so I will comment on all things MFC football wise in April and I will forget I have read the inane ramblings here today and will read for the next few weeks.

Has anyone heard the expression "March champions"?

Edited February 22, 2013 by skills32

[frankie_d 1,415]

Incidentally, Wayne Carey has just said that Watts was "superb" tonight and could be in for an AA season.

Agree. Only once did he revert and run next to the contest instead of attacking it. Tons of class.

[FarNorthernD 5,848]

Until we have a cohesive, hard working midfield who can dispose of the ball well we will always be playing catchup

Couch, Jordie, Magner, Rodan, Sylvia (who was particularly poor tonight) are not players you build a midfield around

Our Backs and Forwards will be OK but have to win the clearances

Love Capt Obvious