My observations from this game (although clouded withh a little too much red wine.

What I Liked:

• Jimmy Toumpas makes great position and will be a big player for the MFC.
• Great effort from Tom Mcdonald. He has a fantastic motor.
• Massive effort from Kent especially in the early part of the game. Excellent second efforts.
• Another good game from Terlich. makes a few errors here and there but considering his AFL experience, very promising.
• Garland putting his hand up for captaincy.
• Liked the effort from Rodan.
• Love the attitude from Dawes.

Other observations:

• I think new coach will delist Shannon Byrnes.Doesn't bring much.
• Liked the effort of Nicholson once he came on.
• Need an investigation into why Trengove is so slow now?
• Pederson may be petrified. Sometimes pretends he is going hard at the contest but squibbing the physical contact.
• Watts a 50/50 for me.Sometimes suffers from perceived umpire persecution, but can play.Needs a visit to club psychologist.
• Aaron Davey-confidence shot.Visit club psychologist.
• Players still haven't shaken the negative game plan mindset.Wil take a few weeks.
• Love Sam Bleases attitude! Please play him every week. He moves the ball forward!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What was wrong with spencer today?

Nothing but Gawn is better than those 2.

We have no depth. Our best 22 is our only 22 but our best today would have beaten the saints today and by a few goals IMO.

Clisby and Toumpas were positives. The effort was good across the game and the stats back that up.

We really need to seize our opportunities in front of goal... We let 4 or 5 easy goals slip with poor kicking.

Lynch on Fox said that Blease should be instructed to run and bounce the ball at least 3 times, or be dropped.

Fair challenge for the youngster.

Lynch on Fox said that Blease should be instructed to run and bounce the ball at least 3 times, or be dropped.

Fair challenge for the youngster.

He pretty much does that anyway.

He pretty much does that anyway.

Then he butchers it.

Then he butchers it.

And gets dropped.

I've had a few lads but I will say that whilst it was a loss, arguably most watchable game this year. Was sitting next to a scum Bombers fan who was sgenuinely surprised at some passages of play. We've got something to build upon. Love Sammy Blease. Love the Toump. Go you [censored] Demons.

And gets dropped.

No chance.

Maybe I'm delusional but I thought that was a lot less painful to watch than usual.

I know St Kilda are crap, but at least we managed to stay in possession of the footy for more than 2% of the game.

Yes we lack run, yes we are still poor defensively and yes some of our players should never kick a footy. But at least nobody packed up and left when they kicked a few goals in a row. We fought every single quarter, which is a good start.

Take out passengers and hopeless players like Byrnes, Pederson, Nicholson and so forth, and get Jones some help, and the turnaround will be quick. Not to mention a seriously good coach.

Tommy Mac destroyed that sook Reiwoldt, and Garland who continues to kill it like a boss.

But the biggest positive for me today was Watts. He was angry, he was animated, he worked hard and he showed more today than he has in a long time.

I walked away today not wanting to slit my wrists. I'm calling that a win.

Individual Stats - Top 3 (By Category)

Contested Possessions

1. Rodan

2. Garland/Sylvia/N Jones

3. Terlich

Uncontested Possessions

1. Garland

2. Sylvia/Terlich/Clisby

3. M Jones

Effective Disposals

1. Garland

2. N Jones

3. Clisby

Effective Disposal %

1. Dawes

2. N Jones

3. Spencer

Tackles

1. Sylvia

2. Rodan

3. Garland/Terlich/N Jones/Davey/Byrnes/Trengove

Clangers

1. Terlich

2. McDonald

3. Davey/Toumpas/Byrnes

Contested Marks

1. McDonald/Watts (2 each)

2. Terlich/Pederson/Sylvia/N Jones/Garland (1 each)

3. Nip/Nada/Nil

Marks i50

1. Fitzpatrick

2. Watts

3. N Jones/Byrnes/Howe/Nicholson

Clearances

1. N Jones

2. Rodan/Sylvia

3. Spencer

Rebound 50s

1. McDonald

2. Pederson

3. Sylvia/Garland/Dunn

Also while im at it, Watts to play forward all year and bloody bulk him up over the pre season!

Selective quote on my behalf TSFKA - you have made a very good call.

JW was trimmed down wrongly IMO - he needs to bulk up following a Tom Hawkins mould.

Nothing but Gawn is better than those 2.

Fitzy is a better forward than Gawn IMO, harder for opposition to run off him. Max will be our first ruck in the near future, but he has hardly played this role since returning from his last reco having been used forward most of the year. He needs to get fit enough to play as a first ruck and when he does he will be selected before Spencer.

Was unable due to family commitments to watch the game in any capacity today. I was told from a club source that there was a but more confidence before the game. Can I ask:

1. Did watts play forward?

2. Did Dawes look down?

3. Who looked more keen and gave an improved account of themselves?

4. How did frawley, Kent and Sylvia play?

5. Notice more flare today?

Id leave fitz and Gawn in all year and put Dawes on cotton wool for the rest of the year to get his knee ankles right. I wish I could say the same about Jamr too because Spencer today showed more today then Jamar has all year.

These stats good or bad?

Have put our average differential in for the year so far (in brackets) just for you Jumbo to assist. But generally i would say the disposal side in terms of contested (reasonable improvement), uncontested (major improvement) and effective disposals (major improvement) are very statistically significant improvements. So yes, some pretty big positives. A few marginal negatives versus the average in games prior to this in areas such as Clangers, Contested Marks, Clearances but nothing to warrant any major concern, not after one match anyway.......

Contested: -17 (-27.5)

Uncontested: -20 (-76.2)

Effective Disposals: -24 (-87.8)

Effective Disposal %: Even at 74% a piece

Clangers: +3 (1.1)

Contested Marks -3 (-2.4)

Goal Assists: -3 (-7.1)

Marks i50: -5 (-9.6)

Clearances: -11 (-8.2)

Rebound 50: -7 (8.8)

1 Percenters: +6 (2.7)

Tackles: 47 a piece (-3.8)

Selective quote on my behalf TSFKA - you have made a very good call.

JW was trimmed down wrongly IMO - he needs to bulk up following a Tom Hawkins mould.

Yup, trimmed down as Neeld expected him to play that versatile Goddard type role.

Look much more at home in the forward line today, didn't he?

Will be able to position himself a lot better with some extra kg's for sure.

Hit outs 47 us to 28 them

Clearances 29 to us 49 to them

That was the main difference, the first use of the ball.

Jake Spence not confident in kicking?

14 Hand passes and 1 kick.

His speed is great for a big man.

Clisby - can play - best mates with Tex Walker - Likes Sat night activities - dangerous....

Overall a better effort.

It was a watchable game for once. We still made stupid mistakes but the effort was there.

Take those 3 horrible ump decisions away which resulted in 3 goals for the saints and its a hell of a lot closer.

We also need to take our chances when we have shots at goal cause we work so hard to get it down there.

If the dud one was still there I would imagine this would have turned into a 80+ loss considering we were down by 50 at one stage.

Just got back from game, were 2midfielders off a decent engine, add Frawley , Hogan, Grimes and Viney and it's not all doom and gloom, thought Spencer went ok, he's a lot better than Jamar, jimmy t will b a decent player once he has 50 games under his belt, Watts contested well, he was often double teamed, Tommy Mc was absolutely sensational, that was his break out game, Clisbys a find, Davey ! Rodan , Pederson and Dunn need to be delisted and Trengove was pitiful once again, it was nice not to be taken to cleaners for a change, looking forward to next week I think the boys might get a kill.

You do understand that this comment can be applied to most of our games this season right?

Disagree Ralph. Think Port, Essendon, West Coast, Brisbane, Carlton, Gold Coast, Fremantle, Hawthorn, Collingwood. Not many positives coming from those matches.

Clisby - can play - best mates with Tex Walker - Likes Sat night activities - dangerous....

That's slanderous buddy. I know Mitch from Adelaide, don't be theowing assumptions around that you know nothing about.

I don't know maybe it is just me. I thaught we were dreadful. So were St Kilda.

I am begining to think that Melbourne should be banned from handballing because we are so bad at it.

Why does Terlich get a game ?

Spencer had a go which was good.