watching the game now for the first time, the Toump looks good!

He will be fine.

Laid a couple of good tackles, really good disposals, ran hard, waited under a couple of hospital balls

Laid a couple of good tackles, really good disposals, ran hard, waited under a couple of hospital balls

great kick to Watts in the 50 which results in a goal.

great kick to Watts in the 50 which results in a goal.

real class there, I felt his lateral movement was back, he was good at that in junior days but his hip injury restricted it abit, he looks to be moving a lot better now, plenty of upside, would like to see him play against Port, but not sure how Roos is going to get Chip and Jetta back in, they are both best 22 but the team played so well it's going to be a tough selection process

One thing i notice watching the game is just how much unrewarded running/leading Watts does.
Dunstall makes note of it, and says he has to learn not to crack if if he doesn't get it.

Edited May 18, 201411 yr by The Song Formerly Known As

real class there, I felt his lateral movement was back, he was good at that in junior days but his hip injury restricted it abit, he looks to be moving a lot better now, plenty of upside, would like to see him play against Port, but not sure how Roos is going to get Chip and Jetta back in, they are both best 22 but the team played so well it's going to be a tough selection process

yup, he was quite prolific in the second quarter!

Edited May 18, 201411 yr by The Song Formerly Known As

Also, Trent Cotchin has one of the worst haircuts in the AFL.

hahah yeah I've always thought that, it is a stinker

Fair dinkum watching Game Day and they have Cotchin and Chaplin as panelists and you would have thought might have won yesterday. Cotchin 3 things we learnt was disgraceful. Could only muster up one positive for the dees saying how our big man stretched there backline then had the guts to say Ben Lennon is a younger player to watch in the future. What about Dom Tyson who pulled your pants down? Or JKH who put the nail in the coffin?

Unbelievable.

No mention of Viney, who has played as good a first 20 games as you are ever likely to see

No mention of Viney, who has played as good a first 20 games as you are ever likely to see

David King after the game yesterday - "I'm here with the brick with eyes, Jack Viney" haha.

One thing i notice watching the game is just how much unrewarded running/leading Watts does.

Dunstall makes note of it, and says he has to learn not to crack if if he doesn't get it.

Was at the game and Watts was by himself a lot and for a long time. Also I'm not sure if the players have confidence in Jack with a one on one contest. Where Dawes and Gawn had plenty of chances Watts didn't get the same service.

Edited May 18, 201411 yr by cowboy_from_hell

In the three wins we have had the talk has been mostly about how terrible Carlton, Adelaide and Richmond were.

It doesn't matter, we need to quietly go about our stuff...processes and all that and we can continue to surprise opposition.

In the three wins we have had the talk has been mostly about how terrible Carlton, Adelaide and Richmond were.

It doesn't matter, we need to quietly go about our stuff...processes and all that and we can continue to surprise opposition.

Yep, losing to Melbourne is still deemed to be the greatest shame in football. Happened to Carlton, Adelaide and now Richmond.

No longer bothered by the commentary. The improvement is visible and real. That's all I care about.

Was at the game and Watts was by himself a lot and for a long time. Also I'm not sure if the players have confidence in Jack with a one on one contest. Where Dawes and Gawn had plenty of chances Watts didn't get the same service.

Sometimes he gets by himself in places where he can't get the ball! And it probably is confidence in him. I don't trust him one on one, why would his team mates?

But his running for the ball is way improved. Just hope his running without the ball can slowly start to build. And his instincts around the ball. Someone chased down Deledio who dumped a handball closest to Watts who was then easily turned off the ball by Houli at one stage, Just a frustrating Jack Watts moment.

When he's sprinting he's good is the way to describe Watts. When he's slowed and has to think or doubt himself he's a waste.

It's actually terrifying to think Tyson and Viney are both 20 game players, both look like 100 plus gamers already having a serious impact consistently

then looking at 21 year old Tommy Mac keeping a player of Jacks quality to 1 goal, Watts starting to show he can be a match winner, inconsistent but consistency will come.

Howe looks to be growing into a better defender every week, really adds to that group.

seriously exciting times and we are almost forgetting about Trengove and Hogan two of our most talented players should come back in to this side, both injury free.

BTW how safe is Dunne's marking in the back line; wtf happened to the old jumper puncher.

I've noticed this change in Dunn too, he no longer tries with the faux aggression or the continued jumper punching or niggling. He plays a much more honest game now, and he's better for it. He also doesn't spend ages pointing and telling teammates what to do, he actually does it himself now, which is fantastic.

I like Grimes, I have a jumper with his number on the back even but I thought yesterday he was the weakest link in our side. Made some appalling errors in both skill and decision making, has no awareness to tag a player, is courageous but lacks any body strength to break or hold a tackle.

Agree. Thought he was soundly beaten again yesterday.

He has no core strength and makes unbelievably bad decisions with the ball. His best work is as a loose defender where he can use his courage to drop in front of leads or to cut off forward thrusts. But he's not a tagger, nor a midfielder.

Anyone else feel Salem needs a run in the 2s? I thought he looked slow (probably not used o the intensity and was tired).

He only picked up 8 touches from a full game.

I reckon we've gotta give him four or five full games now in a row. He looked so smooth whenever he got the ball. He still has to build a bit of confidence at this level, but he looks comfortable to me.

I reckon we've gotta give him four or five full games now in a row. He looked so smooth whenever he got the ball. He still has to build a bit of confidence at this level, but he looks comfortable to me.

seems like that's the Roos method, he doesn't file them in and out of the side.. but if it's one of them (Toumpas/Salem/Pigdog) vs Frawley for a spot they will have to go

Its hard to believe that this is the same team as last year.

I need to apologise to two blokes. 1) I thought Jamar was gone last year, but he has been vital since his return to the side. Really giving us something around the ground too, which was my major criticism of him last year. He's also tapping to advantage now. Fantastic. 2) Jeremy Howe. He still makes some dumb decisions, but he could seriously be a game breaker down back. I reckon we've gotta throw the rules out the window with him. Defenders should usually spoil, but I think the go with him is to just give him license to mark everything that comes his way. He was terrific yesterday. The most complete game he's played for the club. He was goal-saving marks, providing run off half back and giving some of the defenders a chop out. Could be a real weapon now. Keep up that work rate, Howe.

The Dees have definitely improved. Not so long ago they would have panicked when the match was close, now they seem to trust in themselves, their coach, and their teammates. Regardless of who the opponent was (as panned by some), it was a good win.
Btw, the last time we reached 3 wins in a season was rd 19 in 2012. 3 wins in half the time. Surely we can take this progress and development into the 2nd half of the season.

I think this idea is a fallacy. I heard it a couple of times yesterday too. In the past, we rarely had a sniff, so when we did, we would follow through and win games. When we didn't turn up, we'd simply be blown out of the water. There was no grey area. I just disagree that MFC sides of old would have capitulated. There is no doubt we're building some strong foundations now though.

seems like that's the Roos method, he doesn't file them in and out of the side.. but if it's one of them (Toumpas/Salem/Pigdog) vs Frawley for a spot they will have to go

Or Dawes if rubbed out

A Tale of Two Cities by George on the Outer

credit Charles Dickens……re-written Paul Roos

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way...

How apt are those words to describe the Demons fate for the past years. A team going nowhere….to Heaven or Hell. And indeed it has been the worst of times where the spring of hope was dashed by the winter of despair.

But now the Tale of Two Cities has been re-written by Paul Roos. No longer is it London and Paris, but rather Sydney and Melbourne!

We all know the Sydney story. A 72 year Premiership drought broken by Roos as coach. He adopted a relentless, structured, disciplined approach to the way football was played, and turned a group of ordinary, average footballers into ruthless role-players.

What we saw in the game against Richmond, with his new charges, the Melbourne Demons, was a replica of the same formula. Players who last year were headed for the scrap heap, are re-born as integral cogs in the Roos machine.

With the 3^rd win for the Season the Demons have already exceeded their output for 2013, but it is the style of play that will win more, much more in the remainder of 2014.

Today the standout was Cam Pedersen who marked and fought for everything that came his way. Only credited with 8 marks, most of them would have been contested with a 2 goal output to his balance sheet. 12 months ago he moved around the ground at glacial pace: today he is a different player and truly ripped the game apart at critical moments.

Interestingly, it was probably the inclusion of Max Gawn that benefitted Pedersen most. Instead of having to pinch hit in the ruck, he was courtesy of Gawn, able to play a lethal role around the ground and in the forward line.

Watts, Jamar, Vince, Tyson, Viney, Jones, Cross, Dawes, Salem……etc…..It was difficult to single out others for exceptional efforts, because there were simply so many contributors.

This was the first time for many, many years that Demon supporters were not able to walk away from the game saying that player A or B failed to contribute. Today there were no spuds!!!

And unlike previous Melbourne teams, when the opposition got back within 4 points in the last quarter, it would have signaled another capitulation. But not this Roos led team. They simply dug deeper, and now believe that once they have their noses in front, they never get beaten. Just like Sydney….

So now with what is unfolding before our eyes, is it too much to hope for a similar outcome in this new Roos fairytale?

Sydney had to wait 72 years.

We are at 50 and counting down!!

RICHMOND 2.3 4.8 6.16 9.20 (74)
MELBOURNE 1.3 4.5 9.6 14.7 (91)

GOALS
Richmond: Lennon 2, Edwards 2, Jackson, Riewoldt, Martin, Lloyd, Cotchin
Melbourne: Watts 3, Tyson 2, Pedersen 2, N. Jones, M. Jones, Riley, Dawes, Viney, Vince, Kennedy-Harris

BEST
Richmond: Martin, Deledio, Jackson, Cotchin,
Melbourne: Tyson, N. Jones, Pedersen, Viney, Dawes, Howe, Watts

INJURIES
Richmond: Astbury (left knee), Cotchin (ankle)
Melbourne: Neville Jetta (Gastro) replaced in selected side by Jimmy Toumpas.

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Shaun Hampson replaced by Ben Lennon in the third quarter
Melbourne: Aidan Riley replaced by Jay Kennedy-Harris in the third quarter

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Fisher, Nicholls, Ryan

Official crowd: 56,960 at the MCG

Just watched the replay and I'm super impressed with Bernie Vince, he is a real key to our good form, it's like watching the energiser bunny he just keeps on going.

He gets plenty of the ball and makes good decisions; I can understand that Adelaide were thinking long term but letting him go was a mistake.

Two players that were supporter favourites with their clubs, Bernie and Crossy have been tremendous for us.

Just watched the replay and I'm super impressed with Bernie Vince, he is a real key to our good form, it's like watching the energiser bunny he just keeps on going.

He gets plenty of the ball and makes good decisions; I can understand that Adelaide were thinking long term but letting him go was a mistake.

Two players that were supporter favourites with their clubs, Bernie and Crossy have been tremendous for us.

One of the commentators said that Roosy didn't realise just how good Bernie was when he recruited him, he has been a gun, pickup of the year will be interesting, Tyson, Cross and Vince have all been fantastic.

It's actually terrifying to think Tyson and Viney are both 20 game players, both look like 100 plus gamers already having a serious impact consistently

then looking at 21 year old Tommy Mac keeping a player of Jacks quality to 1 goal, Watts starting to show he can be a match winner, inconsistent but consistency will come.

Howe looks to be growing into a better defender every week, really adds to that group.

seriously exciting times and we are almost forgetting about Trengove and Hogan two of our most talented players should come back in to this side, both injury free.

It's a great point, S. I'd forgotten about Trengove, but can't wait to see him play under Roos. He and we should be confident Trenners can build back up to his early career form and hopefully surpass it soon enough.

seems like that's the Roos method, he doesn't file them in and out of the side.. but if it's one of them (Toumpas/Salem/Pigdog) vs Frawley for a spot they will have to go

I reckon Frawley will come in for Dawes, who will get one or two weeks on the sideline for that soft hit on Rance. Personally, I'd bring Jetta in for Grimes, who will have to play on Wingard.

Two players that were supporter favourites with their clubs, Bernie and Crossy have been tremendous for us.

Both clubs supporter bases are filthy about them both being given the flick, like we were with Junior

You just dont get rid of heart and soul players especially when they are bloody good players

Watching this replay, it's probably about the fifth game I've heard Sandy Roberts call this year. He has completely lost his marbles. Has absolutely no idea what's going on. He had no idea who any of the Melbourne players were and couldn't work out who Ben Lennon was even though his number would have been clear to see from their commentary position. Sandy is just an embarrassment now.