What really annoys me about Dwayne Russell (amongst other things) is he cannot say anything positive about Melbourne without also saying something negative. Case in point was when he was talking about Dom Barry and how he came from Ballarat.

maybe dwayne is the type of person who either looks down on people, or has to look up to them, with no inbetween? should have been a Pie?

when we start to dismantle teams he'll reluctantly change IMO.

I was at the game last night and this is my first opportunity to post.

• Sat near the interchange bench and it was a great experience. The players interchange at precise moments according to computer GPS readings of time spent on the ground, all co-ordinated by Dave Misson.
• First time driving to Etihad and got a bit lost, meaning we had to park under the ground. Bugger me, it's expensive! $8 at the MCG but $30 at Etihad.
• Stafford's work with the rucks coming on and off the ground was brilliant - he is a really good acquisition.
• First NAB cup game I have ever been to. Very different. More interested and looking at new players, game plan that the emotional barracking I get into during real season.

Notes from the game.

Strauss, Barry, Nicho and Spencer made some mistakes but their other hard work made up for it.

Evans was very quiet, probably the only player who didn't contribute to the overall team performance although some of his tackling and blocking was good (e.g.JKH goal)

People all around kept on yelling out "kick it long, don't go backwards" etc... when the players were kicking exactly the same patterns they have been doing at training.

Some of the kicking skills were poor.

Welcome back Ro Bail. Two years ago I had him as my favourite player on the rise (remember the two games under Bailey against Essendon and the Swans) but thought his concussions meant the end of his career. Very glad I was wrong. Man crush re-emerging.

OUr mid-field was magnificent, but defensive spread needs a little attention

We won the possession count - wow!

Frawley's reading of play etc... was excellent, his decision making ok, but execution often dreadful.

Our backline were outstanding.

Trengove will be an absolute bolter this year. a big 2014 looms for him.

Round 1 from here likely to include Bail and JKH.

Persevere with Blease. I get out of my seat every time he runs near the ball. He will get more of it.

I have no rsied the bar on my expectations, but hope just might be rekindling.

I just wish the commentators would have reminded us how poor Melbourne have been over the past few years, I had no idea.

Funny.

mmmm just a hitout.

toump,viney,barry and jhk. being led up for thier 2/3rd preseasons and will swap around and protect them this year.

dunn.pedo,tmac types will do similar jobs for year and be good fillers,thats whats required in modern footy.

filled the midfield void and made it easier for the younger brigade to get value for age.

terlich.said this last year,kamikaze in a rubbish squad,boss has tightened up his turnover rate and made responsible for when he has pill.

grime/trenner gravediggers that can now do whats best for thier and our game.

rucks,work in progress and coach loves 2 ruckman.they will all get a go, and WHEN fit,

all in all ,it was a hitout,nothing more nothing less.

More than just a hit out, jazza……a zeitgeist.

What really annoys me about Dwayne Russell is everything he says and the way he says it.

Good summary.

We beat Collingwood in the NAB at the Dome in 2012.

If you can't tell the difference between last night's win, and the one against Collingwood this time last year,

god help you son.

Some people just don't get it.

What really annoys me about Dwayne Russell is everything he says and the way he says it.

Yes he's really lifted his game. If he keeps this up he will become even sillier than Robinson from the Hun. (Big call I know)

If you can't tell the difference between last night's win, and the one against Collingwood this time last year,

god help you son.

Some people just don't get it.

That was two years ago.

331 uncontested possessions.

We averaged 191 last year - 2nd lowest in the league.

People all around kept on yelling out "kick it long, don't go backwards" etc... when the players were kicking exactly the same patterns they have been doing at training.

Some of the kicking skills were poor.

Can I just say that these two comments will be made a lot this year and it will make us look terrible at times, but evidently the way Roos wants us to play is direct when you can be but patient and trusting of your own skills and the workrate of your teammates when forced to slow the play.

Players are going to kick backwards, they are going to screw up, but if it clicks for a few quarters it will lead to the kind of domination we saw last night. Hopefully fans will show some patience with it.

I really think this is Roos not basing his gameplan on what the group can do but what the group should do.

So I'm watching the game at the pub up here in Queensland with a Richmond following friend. Cover band blaring in the background. Paul Kelly's 'Dumb Things' is playing as Trengove turns it over in the last quarter. Minutes later and the cover band is predictably having a crack at 'Holy Grail' as JKH ran into goal for his third. I found myself fist punching Brett Lee style in front of the bar to the bemused looks of mainly disinterested onlookers. Realized it was pre-season. Sat down. Slightly embarrassed. True story.

Edited February 15, 201411 yr by Goodvibes

Rohan is a terrible kick for goal. I predicted where both his easy two set shots would go and people around me laughed when he did exactly as I said. The first to the right points and the second to the left points. Seriously though, It is unforgiveable for an AFL footballer to consistently miss easy shots for goal in perfect conditions.

Robbo was a poor shot for goal early on and improved to be very accurate. I wonder if he should help Bail.

someone should

watts had gastro. It was reported on 7 news.

The bigger shock will be if venom denham actually says something positive next week.

Brereton is very carefully fulfilling his destiny by being an over opinionated, proficiently incorrect, self promoting, underwhelming, boring, whingeing, brainless, [censored] piece of nanny goats poop. No wonder he keeps getting DCM's from radio and TV stations. Drainpipe Wussell is learning those same ropes, very quickly.

Dermie, you are no longer part of the "show" called AFL football. You are just another hopeless, lost comentator. Best you go back to fixing up car wrecks. Oh wait a minute, you can't even organize that without dramas.

wasn't far off with my score prediction page 17 ,

So I'm watching the game at the pub up here in Queensland with a Richmond following friend. Cover band blaring in the background. Paul Kelly's 'Dumb Things' is playing as Trengove turns it over in the last quarter. Minutes later and the cover band is predictably having a crack at 'Holy Grail' as JKH ran into goal for his third. I found myself fist punching Brett Lee style in front of the bar to the bemused looks of mainly disinterested onlookers. Realized it was pre-season. Sat down. Slightly embarrassed. True story.

Lol

Woke up this morning. Had the strangest dream. I supported a football club that looked like a real team...

What I'm craving to see is Mitch Clarke back in the squad in the ruck. I have said it before and I'll say it again. Mitch Clark rucking is like having an extra midfielder who is tall, a lovely kick, can mark all around the ground and great below his knees, not to mention a ferocious tackler. Mitch in the middle provides so much more than just ruck taps, he is like a gazelle and can provide great service around the ground. Something I feel we lack in Spencer, gawn and Jamar. This is why I'm hoping Hogan and Dawes both get on the point in tandem with Clarke.

Dunn played very well and is a lock in the team, but what also stood out was that [censored] Dunn had gone.

I have zero doubt that Roos has told him to drop the tough guy antics.

Oh and I like Dermie. Yes he's a tool, but a tool I like.

There may well have been a rule change on that (shock horror), because when Trenners got the 50m penalty he had the choice of kicking on 50 for the 9 pointer or going inside for a normal goal. I do remember at one stage it was a case that if you got a 50m penalty that brought you inside it was a super-goal.

Can someone explain what I've missed with our use of the subs? After half time both our subs took the field - Evans and Barry - but the only player I didn't see again was Tyson. I had assumed JKH had been subbed out in the third, but then he appeared again in the fourth. And Fox told us Trengove and Blease had been subbed out when they clearly hadn't.

What ..... rule changes over the preseason!!! What an innovation!!

I didn't see the whole game (yet) but I would be fascinated were the GPS distances available (which they won't, for obvious secrecy reasons). I reckon overall they would be 2x that of the past 5 years.

They played as a TEAM, backed up, made dummy leads, ran through for the handball receive after handballing themselves, shepherded -- all the things we have lacked. And as a result looked confident both in themselves and more importantly, in their teammates. Thanks Roos.

PS: I saw the JKH interview post match. He certainly seems a balanced, focussed guy and mature beyond his years. (Dare I say, in due course, leadership material).

Edited February 15, 201411 yr by monoccular

Dunn played very well and is a lock in the team, but what also stood out was that d!ckhead Dunn had gone.

I have zero doubt that Roos has told him to drop the tough guy antics.

Yes -- looks a far more mature player. Hope he can keep it up, as he offers a lot of versatility as a defender, a forward, a mid and a tagger. Just needs to maintain his discipline and he could go a long way.

I'm not into tool, at all.

Good summary.

ive got a shed full of tools , don't need more

Good summary.

& some people pay money to listen to them, in they're own livingrooms?

give me bruce any day, with Lethal & the beetroot.

When was the last time we had guernsey numbers 41, 42, 44, 45, 46 and 47 all line up together statsfans?

I'm not into tool, at all.

Who's tool ?