NAB Challenge 2 - Melbourne v Geelong

[SaberFang 7,151]

Tell me we signed Dom for 4 years minimum. I know Cross is a year to year proposition, and Vince was 3 years with an option for a 4th, but surely Roos knew to lock up Tyson for years to come. He's going to be a star.

[DemonOX 8,837]

Off topic but does anyone else think Sam Blease looks like Mitchell from Modern Family?

[Brayshaw Self 847]

Alexis Georgiou 100% disposal efficiency. Awkward but effective

[Demon Disciple 12,492]

Alexis Georgiou 100% disposal efficiency. Awkward but effective

Was he the one that kicked that bullet from the right HBF and hit Jonesy lace out at right HFF resulting in a super goal? Haven't seen a kick like that come out of our back-line for quite some time! Kicked with real penetration and accurate to boot, something our back-line seriously lacks.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

unfortunately, it was a touch of the same old story, lost the plot for 20 minutes and got monstered. Appalling skill errors gifted them goals over and over again

- Vince cross tyson 95 possessions combined, michie no slouch.. none of those blokes were there last year

- Hogan just one goal but a heap of reallly important other work

- Jack Watts solid as a midfielder

we were nver really in it, but the cats were ruthless as usual and we were missing key players in every part of the ground.. pretty satisfied IMO.. we saw a bunch of young guys learning a new style in challenging conditions against a quality opposition, in that light its a great result

aopart from that 20 minutes we were awesome

come round 1 with clark dawes garland, viney, jamar and frawley it'll be a different storry

BTW umpires shafted us big time tonight, thats just a fact

[Pennant St Dee 13,414]

Not totally happy with the game because we still had a lot of turnovers, but plenty of positives from tonights game.

Tyson - OMG he has fantastic hands and is going to be a very good clearance player

Cross - professionalism and effort personified, great asset for the younger players to learn from

Vince - love him so far and looks like he has a point to prove

Watts - got better as the game went on, class disposal and seen him putting in some big efforts tonight to get into space

Tom Mac - good job for most of the game on Hawkins

Hogan - believe the hype, has attitude and all the right assets, continually presents

Nicho - not a bad performance, good cover as a run with player

Trenners - got better as the night went on, smart footballer

Dunn - always been a fan and never liked the shyte he cops on this site but his kicking will be vital to Roos wanting to move ball quickly from the backline

Spencer - good solid effort, will struggle against the really good ruck divisions of the AFL but you know what you're going to get.

Toumpas - long way to go but is a smart footballer

Fitzy - this kid is going to be the surprise packet up front, shows a lot of desire and is starting to develop some smarts and confidence in his speed and ability to take defenders on

Georgiou - is just solid no nonsense player who will be handy and provide some great depth for us

Terlich - as honest as the day is long but needs to know his limits, once this sinks in will be very solid for us

and finally Michie I liked what I saw in WAFL last year and nothing I have seen in the first two games has done anything to change that.

Not a top 8 side for me but vast improvement is clear if we continue like this

[angrydee 842]

Make that 5

Given that the last two times I was excited before a season were 2001 and 2011, I have learnt to temper my excitement,

That said...

[Bring Back Barassi 552]

Plenty of turnovers, sure, but on that topic...

1. Some absolute shockers from the same culprits that had me face palming last year... M.Jones, Byrnes, Nicho. These guys will struggle to get in our best 22.

2. Conditions were absolutely awful for our game plan. Howling wind, slippery ball, humid.

Come the home and away season, I think we will exceed expectations for sure

[Glenn Molloy 494]

Liked the effort, frustrated by the turnovers but recognise that we are in a much better place this year by having a) some genuine ballwinners in Tyson, Vince and Cross and b) we've got a plan to try and find the best option rather than thumping it down the line. Some turnovers were basic skill execution, made by the usual culprits, but often it was poor decision making that got us into problems in the first place.

In trying to keep hold of the ball in the backline, too often we try to switch to the other side and go a long way backwards in doing so (e.g. from the HBF to the opposite Back Pocket). If we don't have numbers on that opposite side, then teams can press up and we're in a worse position than when we started. I realise that occasionally you need to go backwards to switch play or open the play but I just think we could take the game on a bit more on occasion from half back and be prepared to kick it forward to a 1 on 1 or 2 on 2 contest, moving it quickly rather than being stagnant. Our lack of pace doesn't help us in this regard.

Geelong's ball movement through the corridor was so much better than ours but given their quality, not unexpected. We're getting there, and much more positive than the last couple of years

[jumbo returns 6,741]

I watched until three quarter time at the Matthew Flinders Hotel in Chadstone until the missus got tired and we went home. She is a non drinker and me downing pots while watching a game that is foreign to her probably tested her patience enough so I took one for the team (or our relationship).

What I observed:

Can I give the effort a pass mark? Definitely. Am I happy with the result? Definitely not. I'm guessing Roosy will be pushing the positive (and rightly so) but I hope he is making sure these blokes don't get self satisfied. In years gone by, if we pushed a team like Geelong, Beamer would take the boys to the nearest liquor barn to celebrate and we would turn up the next week, acting like complete head wobblers and proceed to get blown off the park. (see: round 18 2013 vs. North Melbourne though to be fair Beamer had left by then). At the end of the day, they tried but they still lost.

What I liked (this list I am guessing will be longer than the ones I wrote last year):

*Poise, balance and pressure: we are more likely now to look for the best option rather than the first option. Kick ins are much improved. No more bomb it down the right wing to a ruckman who will create a contest. While Geelong got double our inside 50's, at least it wasn't the usual coast to coast stuff they have always been able to do against us.

* The midfield: Finally, it's not just Nate Jones, a hobbled Jack Trengrove, an 18 year old Jack Viney and a moonlighting, hungover Colin Sylvia in our midfield. Jonesy can get 26 possies and not carry the entire load cos Tyson, Cross (though he clearly isn't a long term proposition bt he is invaluable in the side's development), Vince and Michie can pick up the slack. Hell, Jack Watts showed a bit tonight. As was stated earlier, he needs to keep his feet and he needs to attack the uncontested ball harder but tonight showed some potential.

*Intelligent delivery into the forward fifty: No longer do we just bomb the ball onto the head of our first available tall. If there is a short option available who can realistically take the mark and kick the goal they are chosen. Imagine what might happen with Dawes or Clark in there.

* Confidence: Look. We lost. However (as I was saying to the missus) when any team started to get a run on against us pre 2014, that usually meant it was time to bite for the boys to bite their lower lips, grab their ankles and think of a better place. However, that never eventuated. They fought to the end. If they can take something out of the game, they can take that.

What I didn't like (this list will most likely be shorter compared to years past):

* Shagger Byrnes is in his last year. I have said before that there is a difference between being experienced and being finished. He might provide some leadership in the locker room but he isn't offering much in the way of performance on the field.

* Clangers: What Richmond failed to take advantage of last week came to the fore against the Puddies. Tom McDonald and Roh Bail will definitely need to polish up their disposal if they want to be first 22. Tommy has other talents but I know that if he can't dispose of the ball cleanly, others may move past him.

*Inside fifties: This was something we need to work on but any one who saw the game would realize that is like saying the sky is blue. The Richmond game was no different either.

You write well when you've had a few, Col.

The point about Sylvia is so true.

Ro Bail was nowhere tonight.

Viv Michie and Dom Tyson will turn out to be inspired selections.

[Wilson7 2,689]

Accept him for what he is. Won't be a #1 player for us, but will still be a good/important player for us.

Geeze your detective deducing skills are wasted on here.

As are your lame pictures

[Demon Disciple 12,492]

Is it too early to start demanding Barrett issue a public apology?

Muppet.

[PJ_12345 1,098]

Game plan is good, execution was poor.

60 more disposals but considerably less inside 50s and where it matters - on the scoreboard.

A lot of new players, so good to learn and get this over and done with in the NAB and not the h&a season!

[samcantstandya 1,068]

I think with Clark and Dawes out we lack the long boundary hugging get out kick when the switch options were covered.

Players like Matt Jones, Nicho and Bail get told if in doubt bang long down the line to Mitch or Chris.

we lack genuine line breaking speed without nicho and Bail given Blease and Watts struggled turn it on with any good effect.

They may been told to bang it long but if they can't hit targets or kick to our advantage they are liabilities.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

No reason for the Toumpas haters on what I saw. Importatnly showed real courage taking a mark after having been belted in the head earlier.

That was a significant moment for me.

[Hannibal 5,814]

I agree with your first point - Lynden Dunn has developed into one of our most reliable defenders and his kick is huge weapon.

He also has a booming deep man's man voice - the type that makes all the other guys know they are going to be backed up and supported - reminds me of a really reliable Old Collegian defender Stuart Hinchen.

He's taken a while to find his spot but I agree with you he's finally arrived and he's totally suited to Roosy's possession style of game.

Your other point however is a surprise - Clisby is totally unsuited to Roosy's gameplan because he's a short kick and can't get himself out of trouble once he turns the wrong way as he did on numerous occasions tonight.

Have a look at first-half replay and see his [censored]-ups.

I will watch it again, but is it possible you're attributing a couple of Terlich's stuff ups to Clisby ?

Clisby made a couple of errors, but I like his prospects.

[Arrow 1,257]

I will watch it again, but is it possible you're attributing a couple of Terlich's stuff ups to Clisby ?

Clisby made a couple of errors, but I like his prospects.

He made two glaringly bad ones at the start of the third quarter one where he just ran straight into a bump and turned it over, the other where he kicked it down the throat of a Geelong bloke coming out from D50. I give him exactly the same benefit of the doubt I gave Strauss last week in that it's his first hit out, but I saw nothing last night that gave him greater chance of being picked for Round 1. I'm very interested to see who gets picked to play Hawthorn.

Geez I'm impressed with Terlichs ability to go back with the flight of it, he's so courageous, it just breaks my heart he has no other ability in the back 50. I'll be there really disappointed if he plays, him and Matt Jones are enormous liabilities in our kick around game plan.

[DemonOX 8,837]

What about Grimes?

To me he seems to be a very average player but I am not sure if I am being to harsh.

He is the captain but he can't hang his hat on that to be selected every week.

Just wondering what others think?

[Deeoldfart 8,165]

That was a 173 point turn-around from not so long ago, not just on the scoreboard but in attitude and the way we played. The road ahead will have lots of twists and turns, but we now know where we are going, and have a basic road map to follow. The two NAB Challenge games have exceeded my expectations by a long way.

[Dockett 32 1,239]

200+ doesn't take crap and will try to protect. No cream puff!

[BrisbaneDemon 1,575]

I have been one of Dunn's biggest critics, but i have to say i was impressed with what he did last night, not a lot of options to kick to when kicking in, but with his length he itleast gets it out of the 50, i would of like to see him go left a few times to mix it up. Looks to me as tho Tom mcDonald has worked on his kicking, made some beautfiul passes last night, Tyson i really liked, Mitchie has a bit of mongrel and can find the ball and use it well, Vince and Cross where great. Bail did some great things. Burns should of been pulled for a few of the things he did, Clisby has something about him which i really like. Terlich does all the hard stuff well just needs to take an extra second when delivery the ball.

the thing that drove me nuts last night was our defensive pressure, once they got the ballwe really struggled to stop the player with the ball. If its Footy, basketball or any other sport you need to stop the man with the ball, we just ran beside them. stop the ball which limits the ball carrier from having easy looks.

[Hannibal 5,814]

I too am a Dunn convert.

He'll play his best footy under Roos and become an important ingredient down back.

[640MD 3,510]

the thing that drove me nuts last night was our defensive pressure, once they got the ballwe really struggled to stop the player with the ball. If its Footy, basketball or any other sport you need to stop the man with the ball, we just ran beside them. stop the ball which limits the ball carrier from having easy looks.

Yes cannot remember a Geelong player hitting the deck hard, do it once or twice at the right time, and they will get rid of the ball under a bit of pressure "in their own minds" or real pressure, gives defenders just a little bit more edge !

[Hannibal 5,814]

He made two glaringly bad ones at the start of the third quarter one where he just ran straight into a bump and turned it over, the other where he kicked it down the throat of a Geelong bloke coming out from D50. I give him exactly the same benefit of the doubt I gave Strauss last week in that it's his first hit out, but I saw nothing last night that gave him greater chance of being picked for Round 1. I'm very interested to see who gets picked to play Hawthorn.

Geez I'm impressed with Terlichs ability to go back with the flight of it, he's so courageous, it just breaks my heart he has no other ability in the back 50. I'll be there really disappointed if he plays, him and Matt Jones are enormous liabilities in our kick around game plan.

Terlich is courageous, but he's also dumb and a slow thinker. I prefer Clisby.

I have a suspicion that Terlich may start the year ahead, but that Clisby will be the longer term option.

[rpfc 28,966]

What about Grimes?

To me he seems to be a very average player but I am not sure if I am being to harsh.

He is the captain but he can't hang his hat on that to be selected every week.

Just wondering what others think?

I think you are picking on a few mistakes he makes, he is always helping his fellow defenders. Always willing to provide an option and run to position. He is strong over the ball and in the air. He has courage.

A few on here are using last night to run through names and strike them off - I am sorry to tell you but Clisby, Terlich, Toumpas, Byrnes, Jones and the other fringe players are not the only ones making some mind numbing howlers. Why not rewatch the game and write down where they came from? Everyone in the team was giving lazy handballs and ambitious 'switches' - if I am giving Watts time to get his head around this gameplan, I am also willing to give Matt Jones time.

Remember we have to play 22 players every week, not the 8 that are reliable decision makers...