On a positive note ...

[Guest]

One thing I appreciated as well was when Toump nearly got his head taken off by Smedts (?), at least 4 or 5 Demons came running straight in to remonstrate. In years gone by against experienced, successful teams, it would have been a case of 'Please sir, may I have another?'. Some mongrel was good to see!

[Guest]

Not according to Damien Barrett. We were mad according to him to trade Kelly ( pick 2 ) for Tyson and Salem. He has actually called Kelly a Brownlow medallist.

Damo, sadly, was right about Moneyball mark 1. However, he is getting lazy and has just marked this year's trading period the same as 2012's.

[Ted Lasso 18,907]

One thing I appreciated as well was when Toump nearly got his head taken off by Smedts (?), at least 4 or 5 Demons came running straight in to remonstrate. In years gone by against experienced, successful teams, it would have been a case of 'Please sir, may I have another?'. Some mongrel was good to see!

I loved how Big Jakey Spencer was in there too, Stevie J was smiling but i reckon it was pretty hollow, would have needed new undies pretty quick.

[Ted Lasso 18,907]

Not according to Damien Barrett. We were mad according to him to trade Kelly ( pick 2 ) for Tyson and Salem. He has actually called Kelly a Brownlow medallist.

Dom Tyson alone is as good or in my opinion a better prospect than Kelly, kelly is so much like Scully it's insane, his only real asset is his endurance which isn't above average at AFL level, might be a solid 200 gamer but Tyson has the makings of being the next simon black

[jumbo returns 6,703]

I think that Spence and Clisby are natural mongrels.

Grinter prototypes.

Loving it.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

One thing I appreciated as well was when Toump nearly got his head taken off by Smedts (?), at least 4 or 5 Demons came running straight in to remonstrate. In years gone by against experienced, successful teams, it would have been a case of 'Please sir, may I have another?'. Some mongrel was good to see!

Spencer lead that charge. Did so against Dusty the previous week too. Doesn't mind having a go the big pencil.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Dom Tyson just reminds me a lot of Pendlebury.
Silky, calm and casual with all the time in the world. We got a bloody beauty.

[Deestroy All 14,262]

One thing I appreciated as well was when Toump nearly got his head taken off by Smedts (?), at least 4 or 5 Demons came running straight in to remonstrate. In years gone by against experienced, successful teams, it would have been a case of 'Please sir, may I have another?'. Some mongrel was good to see!

What I appreciated even more was that after copping that heavy hit to the head Toump went back with the flight later on and took a mark.

[DeeZee 7,347]

I can imagine salem in that team, with his elite disposal.

Things are looking extremley positive,we can see the light for the first time in years.

This team will get better, and better and better.

Remember brand new game plan, and the new recruits are first class.

Coach goes alright too.

[All the Jacks 99]

Enjoyed the game, impressed with Dom Tyson, he will shut Damian Barrett up and loved the way the team came back, 100 point losses could be a thing of the past especially when we get big forwards to aim at..

Edited March 1, 2014 by All the Jacks

[Ted Lasso 18,907]

We will be the big improvers of 2014 i reckon

[Dees2014 2,377]

I can imagine salem in that team, with his elite disposal.

Things are looking extremley positive,we can see the light for the first time in years.

This team will get better, and better and better.

Remember brand new game plan, and the new recruits are first class.

Coach goes alright too.

Yes, as well as the young gun recruits (Tyson, Salem, Viney, Toumpas, Hogan, JKH), we seem to have been able to get mature age players who can actually play (Cross, Vince, Georgiou). Contrast that with our efforts in the last couple of years who have mostly been has-beens (Pederson, Byrnes). The Roos brand can clearly attract quality, but hats off to the recruiting staff who clearly seem to know what they are doing for a change. No one, least of all the commentators and other clubs, predicted Georgiou, probably because of his unconventional style, but he looks to be a beauty. Edited March 1, 2014 by Dees2014

[Mad_Melbourne 873]

Missing Dawes, Clark, Frawley, jamar and garland which is probably our spine and we were able to be competitive all over the field, stoppages and restricting tall forwards.

Tom McDonald on Hawkins

Midfielders kicking goals

4-5 goals came from turnovers, less goals that come from general play means that we are able to eventually slow the stem of goals from turnovers leading to lower scores kicked against leading to more games won

Edited March 1, 2014 by Mad_Melbourne

[Ted Lasso 18,907]

Watching the replay and seeing Hogan taking strong marks, Tyson with so much poise, Jack Viney playing like a 4th year player in his 1st, this club is in a really nice spot moving forward, especially with Roosy and PJ guiding it.

Toumpas and Michie show it in patches

Edited March 1, 2014 by D26

[Arrow 1,257]

Watching the replay and seeing Hogan taking strong marks, Tyson with so much poise, Jack Viney playing like a 4th year player in his 1st, this club is in a really nice spot moving forward, especially with Roosy and PJ guiding it.

Toumpas and Michie show it in patches

You do know Viney didn't play last night?

[Ted Lasso 18,907]

You do know Viney didn't play last night?

That's why i said in his 1st season, it's now his second season.

[Deestroy All 14,262]

Watching the replay and seeing Hogan taking strong marks, Tyson with so much poise, Jack Viney playing like a 4th year player in his 1st, this club is in a really nice spot moving forward, especially with Roosy and PJ guiding it.

Toumpas and Michie show it in patches

Most of the time the Geelong players didn't even know where Viney was.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

Dom Tyson just reminds me a lot of Pendlebury.

Silky, calm and casual with all the time in the world. We got a bloody beauty.

Agree 100%, and I think he is showing this potential because he is injury free and given a big role as part of the midfield. He was overlooked a little up north with Scully, Ward and others being given more time in the middle (although he was injured for most of last year), but he is exactly what we need. When was the last time we had a midfielder who could get a hard ball, take the tackle and somehow still have time to shoot out an accurate handpass to the advantage of a team mate? It's fantastic to see.

Lots of positive last night too. Hogan and Watts got games under their belt. Even though he coughs it up I thought Spencer was better this week and I love his mongrel, you can tell he just loves putting on the red and blue jumper. I thought Toumpas had a good game, particularly in the second half, and it was great to see him go back into a pack in the last quarter and take a mark. Our midfield can get it's hands on the footy and we actually look like a side who can stay in games and not be run into the ground.

We have some good players still to return which leaves me genuinely excited for a season for the first time in ages.

[rjay 24,677]

Not according to Damien Barrett. We were mad according to him to trade Kelly ( pick 2 ) for Tyson and Salem. He has actually called Kelly a Brownlow medallist.

Yep, and as I've said before Tyson will be a top 5 mid in the comp in the next couple of years and better chance of winning the medal before Kelly. I've seen nothing in the first couple of games to prove I'm wrong.

[BarnDee 287]

liking this thread , if only I could be bothered going back thru it all and find the mug who abused me when I stuck up for dunny jeez I could have some fun with that , go dees , lots to like

[Maldonboy38 6,387]

I am loving Jake Spencer's aggro. The way he came in after the Toumpas whack is great to see, after pushing the pathetic Dustin Martin away against the Tiges. After a very long period of softish big men following the Neitz era, we have protection for younger, slimmer players. Even Blease went in after the Toumpas whack, knowing big Jake was there.

We have a functional midfield (that needs to watch its kicking at half-back).

I can now watch a game thinking we can win.

[angrydee 842]

I particularly like that we were very efficient in the forward area. From limited opportunities, we were able to generate shots at goal from good areas. No miracle goals from the pocket.

Inside 50 numbers were also severely impacted by there not being anyone inside 50 to kick to when streaming forward.

When we actually have our forward line settled, inside 50 numbers will automatically improve.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

Dunstall kept commenting that we 'over possessed' the ball in our back half, as evidenced by the disposal count and the differential in forward 50 entries between the teams (ie, we had stacks of disposals but got smashed in the forward 50 entry stats).

Whilst it was undoubtedly a correct observation, I was disappointed by some of the analysis that stemmed from it.

Clearly a lot of the game was played in our back half. And Geelong are a bloody good, experienced team.

Yet, despite this, and also despite the fact that:

- Geelong kicked a lot of goals as a direct result of horrendous unforced turnovers, many of which were skill/decision based, rather than due to Geelong's pressure; and

- Geelong kicked very accurately from its set shots,

our defence was quite frugal. In short, despite an overwhelming amount of time spent in our back half during the game, Geelong found it hard to kick a winning score against us.

Whilst I think the scoreline ultimately flattered us, that we were genuinely in the game to the end speaks volumes about our defensive structures. Geelong had a lot of the ball in their forward 50, they're a bloody good team, and yet we should've been down by only 6 points with 90 seconds to go in the game.

With Garland and Frawley out, that's got to be a very positive sign. We have a game plan that seems to work, and that the players understand - even if they are not always adept in executing it.

[dee-luded 2,959]

You do know Viney didn't play last night?

Who?

[dee-luded 2,959]

I am loving Jake Spencer's aggro. The way he came in after the Toumpas whack is great to see, after pushing the pathetic Dustin Martin away against the Tiges. After a very long period of softish big men following the Neitz era, we have protection for younger, slimmer players. Even Blease went in after the Toumpas whack, knowing big Jake was there.

We have a functional midfield (that needs to watch its kicking at half-back).

I can now watch a game thinking we can win.

it's high time, we were the mongrel Dees.

tux don't go well, out on the footy field of battle