NAB CHALLENGE: GOLD COAST SUNS v MELBOURNE

[Webber 10,442]

For all those who think preseason games have no relevance, or are unimportant, wake up!

*The precise point of practice matches is to rehearse football good enough to win games.

*This of course is largely determined by the quality of the opposition, AND how close we are to our 'best 22'

*At this time, consensus would say that GC are our marginal inferiors.

*We were unable to play football good enough to beat them today, and not by a small margin.

*Regardless of who was out there for us today, that is still VERY MEANINGFUL.

And it isn't good.

[Pates 9,626]

Tick tock tick tick... The jungle drums have started to beat.

Mark neeld's tenure is very shaky

Doggies have beaten the Hawks

Port has beaten WC

I'm not saying I like our pre-season form but wait until towards the end of the proper season before you make silly comments like that.

[DeeZee 7,347]

Did Nathan Joes play?

Did Mckenzie touch the ball?.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,900]

How does a side that has trained for 6 solid months manage 7 goals in a game of footy against a bunch of kids in a newly formed side, join the dots.

The side we had today had 9 players who have not played a senior game for MFC. It was missing 4 of 5 of our spine. Most would argue Blease, Trengove and Viney would be in our best 21. But let's not let logic get in the way. I will wait until season proper to judge and I won't make knee jerk conclusions like some.

Edited March 16, 2013 by big_red_fire_engine

[hardtack 10,434]

How does a side that has trained for 6 solid months manage 7 goals in a game of footy against a bunch of kids in a newly formed side, join the dots.

Idiot!

West Coast Eagles formed 1986, played finals 1988.

Adelaide Crows formed 1991, played finals 1993

Brisbane Lions, formed from ashes of Fitzroy, played final in inaugural year.

GCS and GWS have had money, draft picks and players thrown at them by the AFL and will both be powerhouse teams. We are coming off a massive rebuild, have had to settle our debts and fight our off field battles with minimal assistance and maximum hinderance from the AFL and we are playing today with a still understrength side.

Edited March 16, 2013 by hardtack

[mjt 640]

Did you hear anything that Allen Iverson said?

Yeah but hes a WINNER, theres the difference, whens its time for him to perform on the big stage he does, these losers dont know how to win, and the only way to turn that around is to win every game you play, do you think Neeld is walking away today saying to himself ah well its only a practice match?

Edited March 16, 2013 by mjt

[jumbo returns 6,706]

OK.. Fairly even match besides the string of GC goals in the third, last quarter i'ld say we got the better of them, Tappy got absolutely creamed in the back with a resulting "play on" leading to a GC goal, frees went that way today.

Watts BOG. Sylvia was hungry,

no Davey, Jetta, Clark, Dawes, Viney, Garland (2nd half, not subbed, well no vests?!), Trengove..

it was a practice match, a good hit out. BELIEVE PPL!!! looking forward to the real stuff.

I just got hit with a footy typing this.

No value.

Did you take the grab??

Edited March 16, 2013 by jumbo returns

[BrisbaneDemon 1,564]

Gee some posters make me laugh, we were missing 4 of our better players today (Clark, Trenners, Dawes & Blease) and everyone has all ready conceded that the season is over! Bottom of the ladder again, coach to be sacked mid season, MFC to fold etc etc etc. Dramatic does not do it justice. Lets all relax and understand that Neeld has said that we will be battling to get out of the bottom four this year. Neil Craig said we will not be competitive until 2014. Lets wait to round 1 then the real stuff starts, Carlton last night looked like a bottom four side!!!. None of us know training loads etc. I'm guessing not a lot of posters have played footy?

[dee-luded 2,959]

I dont, they have a Rolls Royce midfield, Ablett, Swallow and Benell, it will be out of us and the Bulldogs for the spoon this year unfortunately.

nope, Port & Bullies, then GWS, Suns, then Us.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

I dont, they have a Rolls Royce midfield, Ablett, Swallow and Benell, it will be out of us and the Bulldogs for the spoon this year unfortunately.

Ablett obviously. Not sure you can put the other 2 in the Rolls Royce category just yet.

But i hear what you're saying. Ablett on his own could probably take on our mid field atm and break even or possibly beat it.

The thing is though, we have no idea what went down up there coaching wise or cattle wise. We might have even trialed another "experiment'! You know, players being played out of position etc.

Edited March 16, 2013 by Rusty Nails

[olisik 4,060]

Dont like people making excuses about who was not playing.

End of the day our depth players need to still know how to win games as we will probably never have our best 22 on the field any week of the year.

We will always have injuries so we need to learn how to win when players are injured rather then using it as an excuse for losing.

[titan_uranus 24,910]

When I saw the result, my heart sank.

Not because I see this as signalling we're in for another bad year. Because I knew the ridiculous reaction it would spark on Demonland.

[Cheap Seats 3,310]

OK.. Fairly even match besides the string of GC goals in the third, last quarter i'ld say we got the better of them, Tappy got absolutely creamed in the back with a resulting "play on" leading to a GC goal, frees went that way today.

Watts BOG. Sylvia was hungry,

no Davey, Jetta, Clark, Dawes, Viney, Garland (2nd half, not subbed, well no vests?!), Trengove..

it was a practice match, a good hit out. BELIEVE PPL!!! looking forward to the real stuff.

I just got hit with a footy typing this.

Thanks for the report!!

Good to hear Sylvia showing something... 3 x 30C plus games in a row, bet the boys are looking forward to May

[DemonDan... 77]

Interesting..

I woke up this morning thinking, 'i hope we finish within 5 goals of this mob..'

..and so i no complain.

Heres my take on it:

The more senior (or rather, guys that have been at MFC for a while) players there are in the team, the further away we are from sticking to structures - ie: further away from our best footy.. (For the time being that is)

1st year players have a clean slate and no bad habits to correct. You can instill a gameplan / techniques and its all that they know.

After being at the 1st game, watching the following weeks via replay and reading the reports - the best game weve played this preseason was against Port.

We won because we stuck to the structures.. even tho we didnt have the personnel.

We had 16 - 18 of our best 22 out that day.

Patience is again required.. (at least until everyone is on the same page)

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Yeah but hes a WINNER, theres the difference, whens its time for him to perform on the big stage he does, these losers that dont know how to win, and the only way to turn that around is to win every game you play, do you think Neeld is walking away today saying to himself ah well its only a practice match?

Well Iverson never won anything and was never really a team player and yes I believe Neeld would be saying it's only a practice match. If we had our full list in today I would be concerned and at a guess so would Neeld. So do you think Neeld should walk away from today's game and be as hysterical as some posters on here?

[stuie 7,374]

[dee-luded 2,959]

For all those who think preseason games have no relevance, or are unimportant, wake up!

*The precise point of practice matches is to rehearse football good enough to win games.

*This of course is largely determined by the quality of the opposition, AND how close we are to our 'best 22'

*At this time, consensus would say that GC are our marginal inferiors.

*We were unable to play football good enough to beat them today, and not by a small margin.

*Regardless of who was out there for us today, that is still VERY MEANINGFUL.

And it isn't good.

disagree Webber. it will be but not yet.

At the moment Neeld has been still sorting the list, & is in teaching mode as the list is so raw. otherwise we would have all our good units on the arena.

next week will be a full dress rehearsal I'm sure, but today was a game to teach the kids under pressure.

Next week will be no holds barred & precursor to the season.

Edited March 16, 2013 by dee-luded

[stuie 7,374]

disagree Webber. it will be but not yet.

At the moment Neeld has been still sorting the list, & is in teaching mods as the list is so raw. otherwise we would have all our good units on the arena.

next week will be a full dress rehearsal I'm sure, but today was a game to teach the kids under pressure.

Next week will be no holds barred & precursor to the season.

What is this "next week" you speak of? We don't have a game next week.

[P-man 13,366]

Did Nathan Joes play?

Did Mckenzie touch the ball?.

Also curious on these two points. I assume Nate Jones played, just had an off day?

[mjt 640]

Well Iverson never won anything and was never really a team player and yes I believe Neeld would be saying it's only a practice match. If we had our full list in today I would be concerned and at a guess so would Neeld. So do you think Neeld should walk away from today's game and be as hysterical as some posters on here?

Im not sure about hysterical but you would think he would be worried, after all most of his money ball players were in today, whatever way you look at it the pre season has been dreadfull, thats why there losing members, dont forget supporters buy memberships in the preseason, so for a minnow club like us the preseason is vital.

[Sir Why You Little 36,739]

"As the 7th Year aproached i was again told to be patient by a team that really does not know how to win"

How refreshing.

Winter Holidays to Asia again look a most positive goal. Might start planning this week

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Im not sure about hysterical but you would think he would be worried, after all most of his money ball players were in today, whatever way you look at it the pre season has been dreadfull, thats why there losing members, dont forget supporters buy memberships in the preseason, so for a minnow club like us the preseason is vital.

I can understand some bandwagon members buying a Brisbane membership at the moment and I have said I would have liked to win the pre season cup because it is winning something. But if a potential member will make their decision on pre season form for any club then they are a dead set dumbass.

[Muvver Jones 64]

What is this "next week" you speak of? We don't have a game next week.

Is it possible to lose an intraclub game?

[pitmaster 3,474]

Better to lose this one than the four pointers...but it's depressing just the same.

[Muvver Jones 64]

I can understand some bandwagon members buying a Brisbane membership at the moment and I have said I would have liked to win the pre season cup because it is winning something. But if a potential member will make their decision on pre season form for any club then they are a dead set dumbass.

Problem is that good form in preseason sells memberships. The 10,000 or so dummies must be holding out.