Would have been amazing if we'd pinched it, but I'm pretty happy with that scoreline. We'll just ignore that we had 3 supergoals padding us out a bit. Still a great effort to get that close to Geelong. I know it's all pre-season shenanigans, but it really is starting to look like we might have a competitive side this year.

hall said we've clearly improved, and whichever cat speaking just then saying we're a different team under roos.

commentators talking us up too.

there was a lot to like about that for us folks.

444 disposals? Christ.

Happy with that effort turnovers hurt think negatives turnovers POSITIVES HOGAN ,VINCE,Tyson ,mitchie,

Michie is a very smart and capable footballer.

Tyson is going to be huge for us and gets first hands on it a lot.

Vince got a bit cute but gets it.

Watts was poor for most of the game but redeemed himself in the last quarter.

Byrnes, Nicho, Barry unlikely to be sighted in a Dees jumper again I would think.

Tom Mc, good defender, needs to learn to turn and look, has tunnel vision and runs himself into strife.

Matt Jones had an ugly night.

Clisby plays every game, consistently hits targets and picks good options.

Georgiou hits every target, uncanny

Hogan and fitzy must get frustrated with the lack of I50s and the speed at which they come in most times

Big Jake was ok

All in all with some decent inclusions, we are 200% better.

We seemed to play with the rotation rule in mind, with 116, as opposed to the Cats 152.

Most of the stats were similar, except for our almost 100 more disposals and their double inside 50's (31-62) and marks inside 50 (8-17)

Rooster needs to make sure the players know near enough isn't good enough we had an opportunity to win and didnt so despite a great effort we shouldn't celebrate

Really missed JKH tonight. No Frawley either.

Okay so I didn't see the WHOLE game, but I'm shocked (actually, I'm not really) to scroll back through the last few pages and see more Watts-bashing. Thought he looked great on the wing. Promising signs.

Some good signs, especially with Tyson, Michie and the older stalwarts Vince and Cross, you can see they're going to make us much more competitive this year. Decent midfield depth at last (although still a long way off the standard of the good teams).

A lot to be pleased about. The positives far outweigh the negatives. 2 games in with a whole new game plan, we just need a lot more game time to practice it.

Most of us would have taken that final scoreline pre-game. We ran hard all night and didn't give up. They were the better team but we took it right up to them. Our disposal count has to be seen as a real plus.

Would love to have Josh Caddy in my team, we didn't get near him all night...

I think we should be pretty happy with that. lets be honest Geelong are a much better side.

What I would take out of tonight without looking at it all to closely,

Hogan 13 touches and 7 marks. great first hit out for the year.

Watts looking pretty good for his first hit out also.

Vince, cross and Tyson all great pick ups, top 3 in the touches count.

Concerns. nearly 100 more touches yet 31 less inside 50s.

We will be a much better side once we can start moving the ball forward

I think last year we averaged -60 points per week from turnovers. It was actually the single biggest reason why we lost so badly, so often. I see that issue has not yet been rectified.

Who was minding Johnson?

I think we should be pretty happy with that. lets be honest Geelong are a much better side.

What I would take out of tonight without looking at it all to closely,

Hogan 13 touches and 7 marks. great first hit out for the year.

Watts looking pretty good for his first hit out also.

Vince, cross and Tyson all great pick ups, top 3 in the touches count.

Concerns. nearly 100 more touches yet 31 less inside 50s.

We will be a much better side once we can start moving the ball forward

We are sufferring overuse syndrome It will get better!!!

all over. 13 points loss, with the advantage of three super goals, so let's call it 21.

really impressive stuff two weeks in a row - can't wait to see it in the flesh at casey next week against a presumably tuning-up reigning premier.

Might have a little flutter on that, will be juicy odds.

Can't exactly say I'm happy because of the poor turnovers at the most inappropriate times under little pressure.

Positives outweighed these though and really happy we didn't rollover in the last quarter, would have been easy to go down by 60+ during recent seasons.

At the very least we showed we have grown a backbone under Roos and I'm pretty pleased with that.

Plenty to look forward too.

I think last year we averaged -60 points per week from turnovers. It was actually the single biggest reason why we lost so badly, so often. I see that issue has not yet been rectified.

At least we have a coach that will notice!

Who was minding Johnson?

Who was minding Vince or Tyson. You do the maths.

444 disposals? Christ.

Yes hanf of then not to advantage at leasrt we have the ball!!

Okay so I didn't see the WHOLE game, but I'm shocked (actually, I'm not really) to scroll back through the last few pages and see more Watts-bashing. Thought he looked great on the wing. Promising signs.

Some good signs, especially with Tyson, Michie and the older stalwarts Vince and Cross, you can see they're going to make us much more competitive this year. Decent midfield depth at last (although still a long way off the standard of the good teams).

He showed a lot. It's just annoying to see guys not tackle and not hit the ball hard. It's pretty simple stuff. But that's the way with Watts so we stick with him and at least now he can contribute in some ways and learn in others.

I'm waiting.

Vanishing point!

We are sufferring overuse syndrome It will get better!!!

while I like to see us having the ball a lot more it was the case in the tigers game also, We had 200+ touches yet we won by only 14 points. 200+ touches would suggest a 60 point win.

Jared Rivers at Melbourne - asleep on the mark during regular season games

Jared Rivers at Geelong - pushing right over the mark cramping kicks (should've been 50 though) in preseason games.

Was fifty anty time

Who was minding Vince or Tyson. You do the maths.

The maths are Johnson won the ball and kicked to advantage and got free kicks when tackled