+ good structures that force low percentage opportunities aka 'potshots'

And many from near the 50 meter arc and from angles. Also i reckon our pressure is such now that we are creating referred pressure where players who have a bit more time than they appear to thin rush their shot because they think/assume they going to get nailed. Grigg was a great example. Been happening to us for years. Nice to be on the other end of it.

That was Riccuito and he would know having played a bit with Bernie

It's a rubbish comment though. I know it was slightly in jest, but it pays little respect to Roos. Of course, Roos knew what he was getting.

When will it not be a team's "lowest point in years" when losing to us? Eventually somebody must acknowledge that we are better than many think.

I'm waiting for it as well. It seems nearly all of the media are fixated on the worst performers and give no air to the up and comers. Once teams start to rise the praise for their efforts are ignored and instead the calls come for top 4 and flags in the next few years. In Richmonds case it hasn't happened and losing to us is the nail in the coffin.

Come on Deano I know he wasn't 18 but surely he wasn't that old!

But yes I like Matt Jones. He's the reason Toumpas and several others and working on their games at Casey. If only he was more reliable by foot and could tackle he'd be a hidden gem of the comp type player.

I think he has rare ability to run to the right spots. He actually reminds me of Dane Swan how he shuffles along to dangerous areas of the ground with a semi bemused look on his face. Swan's always been an average kick as well. So maybe it's building up an inside game and he'll be right to go to another level.

When I see him on the ground from the back with the number 45 and the hunched shoulders I could swear it was Matty Whelan out there again.

When will it not be a team's "lowest point in years" when losing to us? Eventually somebody must acknowledge that we are better than many think.

Nah, let them keep underestimating us.

I'm waiting for it as well. It seems nearly all of the media are fixated on the worst performers and give no air to the up and comers. Once teams start to rise the praise for their efforts are ignored and instead the calls come for top 4 and flags in the next few years. In Richmonds case it hasn't happened and losing to us is the nail in the coffin.

I guess because controversy and drama equals newspaper sales and ratings. How much ink was given to Port's rise to finalist last year compared to the morbid obsession with Mark Neeld's demise?

Even now Damo is putting out feelers to start a story to have Damien Hardwick sacked. He was crapping on about how Richmond had had one good season in 5 under Dimma (conveniently forgetting up until this year they had steadily improved AND it wasn't like he inherited a ready made team). The bloke I spoke to on the train after the Dogs game summed him up beautifully 'headline seeking [censored]' and that sums up a lot of the tabloid newspaper/TV media these days.

When I see him on the ground from the back with the number 45 and the hunched shoulders I could swear it was Matty Whelan out there again.

covers a lot more ground than Wheels

I reckon Matt Jones would be one of the first picked. Sure hands, probably in the top3 for ground covered per minute on the ground (would love to see his GPS), and learns from his mistakes (like the goal he kicked this week - taking it on and drilling it low from 50 after the disappointment of last's weeks couple of opportunities versus the dogs). Bet you wont see another turnover like the backline pass from him on Saturday again for quite a while. I wouldn't say the same about Jack Grimes or Tom McDonald - even if the other parts of their games were really serviceable.

Don't know if this is the right thread to post this on but I have found it annoying, after the Carlton and Adelaide wins, the media has been all about how bad those two teams were and not about how much we are improving under Roos'. It will be interesting to see what all the Footy programs focus on tonight, us or Richmond.

I think we have proven we could be a top 7 to 10 team. If we were playing the football we are now against St Kilda & GWS, we could have been in the 8. Admittedly, we have had a fairly good draw, not having played a top 4 team yet.

Don't know if this is the right thread to post this on but I have found it annoying, after the Carlton and Adelaide wins, the media has been all about how bad those two teams were and not about how much we are improving under Roos'. It will be interesting to see what all the Footy programs focus on tonight, us or Richmond.

I think we have proven we could be a top 7 to 10 team. If we were playing the football we are now against St Kilda & GWS, we could have been in the 8. Admittedly, we have had a fairly good draw, not having played a top 4 team yet.

Its all about Richmond this week and I couldn't care less. Lets do it for a few seasons in a row. Let other teams come 'not ready to play'. I don't care if Melb isn't mentioned if we win games. Let everyone underestimate us. Thats the best way.

Don't know if this is the right thread to post this on but I have found it annoying, after the Carlton and Adelaide wins, the media has been all about how bad those two teams were and not about how much we are improving under Roos'. It will be interesting to see what all the Footy programs focus on tonight, us or Richmond.

I think we have proven we could be a top 7 to 10 team. If we were playing the football we are now against St Kilda & GWS, we could have been in the 8. Admittedly, we have had a fairly good draw, not having played a top 4 team yet.

We're getting cautious praise from the media, they recognise we've improved but aren't willing openly state how much better we are.

I'm genuinely keen to see us face some top 4 teams, because if we keep them to 5 goal losses and are in the game at 3qtr time (or sneak a win!) I think that is when the praise will come. We've had a soft draw to start the year, and teams like the Saints and GWS started the year well when we lost to then are now in a slump.

Two weeks time we face Port on neutral ground, they are arguably the form team of the comp, we put in another good performance then the comp will take notice.

Edited May 19, 201411 yr by Pates

god it feels good to be on the winning side of the ledger.

i understand why jones will get the votes, but watts was bog for mine. 19 disposals, 11 marks, 3 goals straight, 4 tackles. the game-changer.

Close to BOG but 3 goals and 1 out on full.

We're getting cautious praise from the media, they recognise we've improved but aren't willing openly state how much better we are.

I'm genuinely keen to see us face some top 4 teams, because if we keep them to 5 goal losses and are in the game at 3qtr time (or sneak a win!) I think that is when the praise will come. We've had a soft draw to start the year, and teams like the Saints and GWS started the year well when we lost to then are now in a slump.

Two weeks time we face Port on neutral ground, they are arguably the form team of the comp, we put in another good performance then the comp will take notice.

All roads lead to Queens Birthday clash with the Pies... in three weeks.

My son the Richmond supporter was complaining about the standard of the game at quarter time, I said that with Roos coaching we drag sides down to our level and then we beat them with experience.

An oldie but it seemed appropriate and prophetic.

Don't know if this is the right thread to post this on but I have found it annoying, after the Carlton and Adelaide wins, the media has been all about how bad those two teams were and not about how much we are improving under Roos'. It will be interesting to see what all the Footy programs focus on tonight, us or Richmond.

I think we have proven we could be a top 7 to 10 team. If we were playing the football we are now against St Kilda & GWS, we could have been in the 8. Admittedly, we have had a fairly good draw, not having played a top 4 team yet.

We are 3-6 we should be 5-4 (Saints/GWS) and could be 7-2 (GC/Dogs) with a bit of luck.

Love to see the team selection list with just 'X'. That'd confuse the opposition.

Yeah, but think of the grumbles from some on demonland about the club not keeping paying members informed. Obviously they'd have to give us a secret code so we could work out who X was.

We are 3-6 we should be 5-4 (Saints/GWS) and could be 7-2 (GC/Dogs) with a bit of luck.

Agree we could have been 5-4 - I thought we were the better team for large parts of the game vs St Kilda and the Dogs, but due to a lack of forward options vs St Kilda and coughing up too many easy goals to the Dogs (and a bit of bad luck in both games) we went down.

The GWS game, I thought they were the better side and we were hanging in there as long as possible. Though Mumford was probably the difference and he hasn't played a game since then. Gold Coast could have been 8 goals up against us at half time (we were really poor in that first half) and although we played much better after that (and probably outplayed them in the second half) I thought they were well-deserved winners.

Even though we've had a soft-ish draw, the fact we've been in every game at 3/4 time (except the West Coast loss) is really pleasing.

I could see that first gamer Aidan Riley played well yesterday, but the replay revealed he did even better than I judged at the ground. He was unlucky to be dragged.

Pretty certain Riley wasn't dragged as much as it was a pre-determined thing that he was playing 3 quarters in his first game back in senior ranks.

Roos seems to be managing these younger players pretty carefully (Salem and JKH) and also Riley in coming back from a serious injury.

I didn't want to start a new thread on it so I thought I'd mention it here.

Just went onto afl.com.au and watched the AFL's top 10 moments for this round. 3 of them were of the Demon's which I thought was fantastic and a great sign. Small things I know but just thought I'd mention it.

... and two of them involved big Maxy! His tap-out for the Vince goal was top-shelf.

Pretty certain Riley wasn't dragged as much as it was a pre-determined thing that he was playing 3 quarters in his first game back in senior ranks.

Roos seems to be managing these younger players pretty carefully (Salem and JKH) and also Riley in coming back from a serious injury.

Not even necessarily pre-determined, but certainly he wasn't "dragged". Perhaps, it's nit-picking? They probably simply assessed the situation. They saw that Riley was tiring and given it was his first game in, decided to rest him for the fourth.

... and two of them involved big Maxy! His tap-out for the Vince goal was top-shelf.

If his name was Nic Nat, he'd be in the AA team after his game.

Someone mentioned Maxy needs to put on some size, watching the replay I'd suggest he already has put on a bit. Hope he can string some consistent games together. Im a fan.

Song

Sorry I am still here. Not going anywhere soon. Just asking about the the Toumps upside. I qualified my question by saying it is early days but a I am asking for people to inform me where they think he will be able to fulfil the expectations of a number 4. For the record I think he will be a good player but Will he be more? That was my question.

I seem to remember Hawthorn supporter kept on asking the same question for years about Luke Hodge vis a vis Chris Judd. Don't think anyone is asking that now. Be patient folks. Jimmy Toumpas will be a very very good player for us, and may well become elite. It does take time.

If his name was Nic Nat, he'd be in the AA team after his game.

Someone mentioned Maxy needs to put on some size, watching the replay I'd suggest he already has put on a bit. Hope he can string some consistent games together. Im a fan.

If his name was NicNat they would be casting a bronze statute of him at the G by now.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_compare?tid1=12&pid1=3346&tid2=19&pid2=3108&type=A&fid1=S&fid2=S

Could not copy table, but have a look.

NB: Max Gawn has a higher AFL fantasy price than Nic Nat and a higher supercaoch score.

Stats thanks to Footywire.

Edited May 19, 201411 yr by ManDee

It's interesting watching the game having already known the result and already seen highlights.

Overall, I was happy but I felt that Melbourne were the Western Bulldogs of last week. Good goal kicking is good football and Melbourne's pressure certainly contributed to Richmond missing so many but there was a period in the third quarter where Richmond had all the run of play and Melbourne really struggled and were kept in it by Richmond's misses.

Grimes and McDonald continue to cause heart attacks with ball in hand and kicks into the forward line are still a worry, especially to Dawes who seems to take everything above his head making him easy to spoil.

I hope JKH is never the sub again and whilst Toumpas did some neat things (including that great pass to Watts) overall he doesn't have a huge impact on the game. I felt that Salem had more of an impact than Toumpas despite having less of the ball. He'll be better for the run but I'd bring Jetta straight back in and give Toumpas more time to develop in the VFL.

I didn't really notice Riley but it's just nice to know there is growing depth that will continue to put pressure on for starting 22 positions.

As I predicted Gawn's ability to take an overhead mark was an upgrade over Frawley in the forward line and his ruck work was also good.

Nathan Jones is a star.

Jack Viney has become the player now that I thought would take four or five seasons to become, he is scary good.

The tackling from everyone has improved out of sight, as is often said it's all about mindset and Melbourne have the right one now.

Pedersen is growing with confidence each week.

Howe learned his lesson from last week and went the mark instead of the spoil, this was probably the most consistent performance I've seen from him in a long time.

Edited May 19, 201411 yr by Clint Bizkit

Love that Viney's tackle got a mention.

Those two Ballantyne goals though, especially the first - wow!

Ballantyne should get GOTY with that one.