As things stand, if you looked at all our games now and determined a favourite in each one we would go in favourites in two of those games. Yet people say that 8/9 wins would be a par??? I don't understand that thinking.

I'm aiming for 7-8 wins. In the first 8 rounds.

8 wins and i'll be stoked, anymore and i'll vote for Abott

Settle!

Yea kingy said some nice things about us

Dunstall didn't say much

Brereton is a moron, I honestly don't understand anything he says he tries to use big words to make himself look smart, absolute [censored]

Cam mooney didn't say much either

And Ralph needs to do a bit of research on our picks before mouthing off kingy pulled him up on it, another [censored]

Didn't miss much

We won't be 0-8. It just won't happen. We aren't that bad of a side. I think 8 wins is a realistic expectation, and I think we can pull off the odd upset (like Adelaide last year) this season as well.

We led in 9 last quarters in 2014 coming off an horrendous base. We learnt to defend, but became stagnant and didn't master two-way running, so it's unsurprising to me the wheels fell off in the second half of the year. Some supporters want to focus on the second half of last year, as though it's the true litmus test, whereas the first half is far more revealing.

Far too much is being read into the Essendon game, which is a timely reminder to the players as to what happens when you stop working hard and lose the collective team focus. To highlight how much of a 24 hour society we've become, the Dogs are presently the flavour of the week after a 10 goal win over Collingwood. The previous week they were comprehensively outclassed by Melbourne for almost 3 quarters. The same Melbourne that is now derided after the Essendon game. Melbourne got out to a 52 point lead in the second quarter, such was their dominance. The only players of note that played for Footscray against Collingwood, but missed against Melbourne were Macrae, Murphy and Dalhaus. They were also missing Wallis, who was dropped more than once in 2014 and Picken, who's a solid foot soldier. Boyd didn't play, but right now a cardboard cutout offers as much. The Dees lost focus in the last 45 minutes and paid the price, but once again, the footy they showed in that first half was a revelation that shouldn't be summarily dismissed. The total ratings points for that match are 1,700 to 1,000 which highlights Melbourne's overall dominance.

Preseason is about practising, learning, fine tuning and confirming your best 22. NAB's 2 and 3 couldn't have come at a better time for this group and they'll learn lots about what works and what doesn't. Melbourne will occupy the lower reaches of the ladder in 2015, but when one analyses the mix of experience and youth, together with some of the talent within the ranks, an 8 game winning season is well within reach and should be considered the pass mark.

Edited March 27, 201510 yr by ProDee

As things stand, if you looked at all our games now and determined a favourite in each one we would go in favourites in two of those games. Yet people say that 8/9 wins would be a par??? I don't understand that thinking.

True that. So what we're hoping for is a significant improvement to occur that we couldn't/didn't see in the NAB. Pretty soon we'll know whether preseason form is a true indicator or not. Otherwise, form can change during a season also, witness Richmond last year. In short, nobody knows anything, so predictions are useless...........fun though.

I want us to score more than 100 points in a game.

I want us to score more than 100 points in a game.

Wow Clint you really have high expectations.

Wow Clint you really have high expectations.

A man's got to know his limitations!

I want us to score more than 100 points in a game.

...and win that game...

If we average 80 points for in the first two months that would be a huge sign we have improved and can have a good second half of the season.

But we have an Ablett-led team first up, then GWS trying to impress Canberra, then an Adelaide team trying to impress a coach, then a Tigers team that is expecting a top 6 finish, then three of the best teams in the land in the next 3 games...

I can envision winning a majority of those games, and I can also envision being 'in the lead in the last quarter' in a number of these games but, as a lot of you are missing, being 'in the lead in the last quarter' is not the same as winning the game...

Its not about what anyone thinks about what we'll win or where we'll finish. It's about what constitutes improvement, whether it happens or not, whether likely or not is irrelevant.

Improvement is improvement and is measurable.

I dont know that we will but will know it when I see it.

It's an interesting one, B59. We didn't score over 100 points in any game last year, but reduced the score against stat by around 5-6 goals. We actually ranked 11th for points against, which I think for a side that finished 17th, it's a fantastic effort.

Do we need to improve the "score against" again this season? While this will satisfy the "improvement" folk. But what if that figure were to remain the same, but the key area we improved was increasing our "scores for" tally by 3 goals.

For me, if we can improve our points for by around 15 points per game (that's just 2.5 goals per game), while maintain our points against, we will most likely finish around 11th. To finish here, you generally are winning 10 games. That's probably a best-case outcome for mine.

To achieve the above, our contested possession and tackle count needs to be the most significant improver.

Girls,girls,girls.

Ignore thee hype,we will finish 8th.

Case closed,move on and enjoy the year.

Yes I think 8 to 9 as well and what's more if it doesn't happen in the 2015 no mucking around Melbourne we ask Roos to consider his position and slot Goodwin in the hot seat.

Bold statement...

Why would you advocate such an action?

Roos is a generational coach. Goodwin is untried. I want to squeeze all I can out of Paul Roos and if Goodwin knows what is good for him - he will do the same.

Simply having a rule that 'if we don't win twice as many games as last year - we should remove Roos' is grandstanding and if you were the one in position to make that decision - I don't think you would make it.

As things stand, if you looked at all our games now and determined a favourite in each one we would go in favourites in two of those games. Yet people say that 8/9 wins would be a par??? I don't understand that thinking.

question: did you think we'd beat Adelaide, carlton, richmond, essendon this time last year?

we are a better/fitter team now

...and win that game...

If we average 80 points for in the first two months that would be a huge sign we have improved and can have a good second half of the season.

But we have an Ablett-led team first up, then GWS trying to impress Canberra, then an Adelaide team trying to impress a coach, then a Tigers team that is expecting a top 6 finish, then three of the best teams in the land in the next 3 games...

I can envision winning a majority of those games, and I can also envision being 'in the lead in the last quarter' in a number of these games but, as a lot of you are missing, being 'in the lead in the last quarter' is not the same as winning the game...

As you correctly note rpfc the only time being in front counts is when they ring the final siren.

Bold statement...

Why would you advocate such an action?

Roos is a generational coach. Goodwin is untried. I want to squeeze all I can out of Paul Roos and if Goodwin knows what is good for him - he will do the same.

Simply having a rule that 'if we don't win twice as many games as last year - we should remove Roos' is grandstanding and if you were the one in position to make that decision - I don't think you would make it.

I agree with your email however I do think it is a good thing to have Roos under pressure. he should be under some pressure after a 4 win season regardless of what he inherited

Roos has re-written coaching contracts by essentially being untouchable with this successor plan. Melb will not even consider sacking him as the successor plan is in place. very clever from Roosey to get a job that you cant be sacked from

I think everyone performs better under real pressure

Girls,girls,girls.

Ignore thee hype,we will finish 8th.

Case closed,move on and enjoy the year.

'aint that mad cow disease a b!tch!

Edited March 26, 201510 yr by hardtack

I agree with your email however I do think it is a good thing to have Roos under pressure. he should be under some pressure after a 4 win season regardless of what he inherited

Roos has re-written coaching contracts by essentially being untouchable with this successor plan. Melb will not even consider sacking him as the successor plan is in place. very clever from Roosey to get a job that you cant be sacked from

I think everyone performs better under real pressure

When Roos signed up for the gig and announced he would be gone before there was any chance of a flag, many people wondered about his motivation. I always saw it as a legacy thing, and with that in mind, I think both protecting his reputation and enhancing his legacy would be pressure enough for him. He is a competitor after all.

As you correctly note rpfc the only time being in front counts is when they ring the final siren.

Yes, and some on here are championing this team based on the legislatively irrelevant statistic of 'Last Quarter Leads' from 2014.

I wonder if we won 6 games but had 15 'Last Quarter Leads' - how would that be seen?

15 wins in 2016 and the flag?

I honestly think we'll finish 9th or 10th.

The chasm is not that great.

Wow Clint you really have high expectations.

My tongue was firmly in my cheek, I expect us to make finals. That is always my expectation.

My tongue was firmly in my cheek, I expect us to make finals. That is always my expectation.

You must have had a very hard decade.

Edited March 27, 201510 yr by old dee

We led in 9 last quarters in 2014 coming off an horrendous base. We learnt to defend, but became stagnant and didn't master two-way running, so it's unsurprising to me the wheels fell off in the second half of the year. Some supporters want to focus on the second half of last year, as though it's the true litmus test, whereas the first half is far more revealing.

Far too much is being read into the Essendon game, which is a timely reminder to the players as to what happens when you stop working hard and lose the collective team focus. To highlight how much of a 24 hour society we've become, the Dogs are presently the flavour of the month after a 10 goal win over Collingwood. The previous week they were comprehensively outclassed by Melbourne for almost 3 quarters. The same Melbourne that is now derided after the Essendon game. Melbourne got out to a 52 point lead in the second quarter, such was their dominance. The only players of note that played for Footscray against Collingwood, but missed against Melbourne were Macrae, Murphy and Dalhaus. They were also missing Wallis, who was dropped more than once in 2014 and Picken, who's a solid foot soldier. Boyd didn't play, but right now a cardboard cutout offers as much. The Dees lost focus in the last 45 minutes and paid the price, but once again, the footy they showed in that first half was a revelation that shouldn't be summarily dismissed. The total ratings points for that match are 1,700 to 1,000 which highlights Melbourne's overall dominance.

Preseason is about practising, learning, fine tuning and confirming your best 22. NAB's 1 and 2 couldn't have come at a better time for this group and they'll learn lots about what works and what doesn't. Melbourne will occupy the lower reaches of the ladder in 2015, but when one analyses the mix of experience and youth, together with some of the talent within the ranks, an 8 game winning season is well within reach and should be considered the pass mark.

Outstanding post ProDee.

John "wreck it" Ralph (he looks like that dude from the game) didn't get his facts right and failed to mention this all occurred when the AFL skewed the system to benefit both GWS and the Suns and the major clubs)

Usually I cant stand David King but at least he was prepared to look at what is happening at the club. The club has acknowledged the sins of the past but it is time to move on.

Roos is absolutely right to put the past behind us, we simply cant change and any amount of crying over who we failed to pick etc is just useless.