Today went a small way toward ending the pessimistic mindset I've acquired in the last 8 years. Plenty more performances like today before I can erase the accumulated scars of the last near decade but today was definitely a step in the right direction. Three times I thought we were going to get overrun and three times we steadied and kicked away. Whenever we've been challenged in the past we've surrendered quicker than a French president, can't really believe the resilience we showed today, resilience!, us!, can't believe it.

hear hear

I'm actually aroused. Not even a soft-on, raging.

We can do without the detail.

People should remember that we hardly had a good player in 2013 when Toumpas had his debut year ... and last year, he obviously had some health issues when we consider he missed the last 3rd of the season because of an appendix complication.

He may or may not end up becoming a good player but if we give him the same amount of time to develop as we have many others on our list, then ruling a line through him now is grossly unfair.

All things considered, I view him more as a 2nd year draftee because of the appalling way he was handled in his first year and because of his health issues last year (just imagine what it must have been like to walk into our dysfunctional club as an 18 year old in late 2012) Is Petracca going to be viewed as a 1st or 2nd year player next year? Hogan this year?

Roos obviously has a lot more faith in him than many here - I reckon it's dawned on Paul that we've got quite a few on our list that aren't up to it (and many of those players have been on the list for a lot longer than Toumpas - and they're in the 2's right now)

As it stands today, it was hard for him to make a big impact with the 27 minutes of game time that he got - 6 possessions was ok and he ran hard in the last quarter to create options. Nothing startling but nowhere near as bad as some are making out.

The team had a collective total of 40 clangers so let's not hang the bloke for his one smothered handball attempt (which, ironically, resulted in a goal to Lumumba)

And by the way, I neither love/like Toumpas nor do I hate him. I just judge him in the same way as I judge any other player with it all in front of him - his draft pick number means absolutely nothing to me - nor do the silly comparisons to Wines. He's still very raw and needs time, patience and good development.

I made mention of it in the Game Day thread that we have finally got a bit of mongrel throughout the team. There were passages of play today where were aggressive to the point of being almost arrogant or nasty. Something this teams not had for yonks..

We need to be feared.

Today was a very good start - lets back it up against the Giants.

I think the most important factor was the absence of poorly skilled players, Bail, M. Jones, Grimes, McKenzie et al. And replacing them with guys who don't repeatedly turn the ball over. The more attacking style of play was also more attractive to watch. We actually looked like an AFL side!!

9 tackles to Brayshaw on debut is unreal

To all those that hung Viney out to dry last week.....suck Sith!!!! Jack came to play today and made sooo many posters look absolutely bloody DUMB! Played on the little Master and for all, except 10 minutes, had his measure. Well done Jack for believing in yourself and to Roosy and Staff, well done for believing and trusting in Jack. How quick things can change. Last week he was playing for his career according to the Master Coaches on DL!!!! LOL!!

Going on other results so far looks like we might be top 4 at the end of the round.......no wait i must be asleep!

I think the most important factor was the absence of poorly skilled players, Bail, M. Jones, Grimes, McKenzie et al. And replacing them with guys who don't repeatedly turn the ball over. The more attacking style of play was also more attractive to watch. We actually looked like an AFL side!!

Hmmm you are right but there were a number of brain fades/clangers during the game. Against better sides we would have been punished big time. If we can cut out some of the pedestrian efforts we could really be something. We appear to have a number of good role players, now all we need now is about three game breakers.

We are a long way from bruise free football.

9 tackles to Brayshaw on debut is unreal

would of been more if he didn't get subbed.

To all those that hung Viney out to dry last week.....suck Sith!!!! Jack came to play today and made sooo many posters look absolutely bloody DUMB! Played on the little Master and for all, except 10 minutes, had his measure. Well done Jack for believing in yourself and to Roosy and Staff, well done for believing and trusting in Jack. How quick things can change. Last week he was playing for his career according to the Master Coaches on DL!!!! LOL!!

Gone very quiet there fellas. You know who you are!

Just saw the close-up footage of Viney dumping Ablett's shoulder into the ground; he literally screamed in pain. !!Ouch!!

Overall, I'm still pretty lost for words, so I'm going to cap off a brilliant day by watching the replay

Just got home after stopping at two pubs (and have broken out the red to insure that this turns into an incoherent slur). I even got a bonus of stopping at my local in Essendon and seeing the Bombers get rolled and us being spared from more 'donthesash' and 'firemcdevitt' hashtags for at least a week.

How good was that? I was saying to the young lass next to me that I couldn't bear to watch the last quarter. Melbourne, in years gone by, would have been a monty to fold like a cheap accordion and humiliate themselves.

I think this game is a tribute to a sensible recruiting policy. The piece of play that summed this up was Lumumba's goal. Not to single Jimmy out but when he arsed that handball up for a certain goal, that in the past would have been a sign that the shutters were about to go up and it was time to repress another memory. However, when Herry L pounced on the ball and snagged that goal, it illustrated the wisdom of recruiting for the now. Look, no one expects every player we select to be in our next premiership squad. Sometimes, we need blokes who can steady the ship and play for the now. That goal showed that while we can't go all Carlton circa 1997 in our recruiting, we do need some experienced hands.

I must also say that the post game and pre game stuff was at least ten times better. It would have been great for Watts to receive the adoration of the masses as he was interviewed by Robbo on the ground and it was great for all the supporters. I appreciated the 'Game Over' graphics on the fences (there was a tinge of Collingwood arrogance in that). I even liked the air guitaring Demon on the scoreboard. In addition to this, the Bugler was back! If you listened carefully towards the end, you could hear him belting out the club song but thankfully, he was in the cheer squad. I never had a problem with him doing his schtick so long as it wasn't before the game and so long as we were going to win. I also loved Hells Bells as the boys came onto the ground (though the segue into the Grand Old Flag was a bit rushed). It kind of reminded me of the Undertaker's entrance from the WWE/WWF. I am sure there are plenty of non wrestling fans out there but even for those who are hard to impress, the Undertaker's entrance is still pretty damn awesome.

Anyway, we are a 50/50 chance against the Giants. Lap it up Demonland!

Haha said the same thing to my brother about the tolling bell sounding like the Undertakers entrance.

Also loved the bugler in the crowd once the game was one. That's how you use him, not before the game in the middle of the ground. Well done.

I'm also out your way (Niddrie) been living here for a few years now after growing up in Eltham and the Essendon supporters are unbearable. Makes me sick every time I drive down the Tulla and see their "Don the Sash" billboard.

Carn the DEMONS.

Overall, I'm still pretty lost for words, so I'm going to cap off a brilliant day by watching the replay

got a link to the replay mate? (ignore this if you recorded it on the TV)

Some quirks from today:

1. Our greatest winning margin since Round 4, 2013.

2. Our highest score since Round 4, 2013.

3. Including Prestia, we had the top 5 possession winners on the ground.

I could go on, but I loved the way we played. The quick way we moved the ball - what team were we watching? It helps having the cattle to pull that off. Full marks to the recruiting team for not only adding quality players but adding guys who can use the ball and take the game on.

I've watched the Lumumba goal several times. Spine-tingling.

You missed another , the first opening round game we have won since 2005

Was Toumpas's whole game bad, or did he just have one major blunder that tarnished the view? I had it in my head that he had a shocker, but now that the emotion has worn off a fraction, the only thing I can remember is the stuff-up that Lumumba fixed. He touched it 6 times with 14% time on ground and now I'm starting to doubt myself.

Need to see the replay, I think.

He wasn't hopeless and actually got to some contests but he did a hospital pass early to Howe which resulted in a turnover plus a couple of other fumbles which weren't really his fault as the ball was passed to his feet or out to the side. The crowd have already decided he's rubbish though so every time he fumbles the comments and sighs are audible and I reckon this is affecting him. It's all mental once he gets a bit of confidence he's gonna be a good player. Hopefully the supporters stick with him because he needs the support.

Hard to pick any players who had a bad game

Toumpas.

Otherwise a fantastic team effort

Toumpas.

Otherwise a fantastic team effort

While i agree...its very difficult to slap a bloke that came on for 15 minutes only to re-don the green vest and then come on expected to make an impact in the last.

I truly hope the bloke makes it i really do....sadly he just seems to need a break out game to gain confidence in the magoos before we see him again.

The best part about winning is that we can say "who cares about Toumpas today?". He goes home without feeling like he lost the game for us. He will only get dropped next week for Vince, no shame and would have happened if he got 8 perfect touches in 26 minutes.

But we need him to find his feet at one level, vfl, afl it doesn't matter. He had good physical attributes and good skills. So need to support him to put it together.

Really think the toump will be a good player. But it is going to take time,it's above the shoulders - looks like a combination of nerves and self applied pressure. Being far from a league level coach really don't know how the fix occurs - could be he needs time in the big league to just get acquainted with the extreme levels of internal and external pressure or is it sustained time at the lower level to maximise the internal workings and be confident and composed about himself and what he offers. However it comes and I believe it will, he needs to get a 28 year old head on his 20 year old body and get over the doubts.

After today, I reckon it needs to be at Casey for a while, just because it now needs to be about best 22 and wins and develop the traditional way... in the 2's until you're ready

Haha said the same thing to my brother about the tolling bell sounding like the Undertakers entrance.

Also loved the bugler in the crowd once the game was one. That's how you use him, not before the game in the middle of the ground. Well done.

I'm also out your way (Niddrie) been living here for a few years now after growing up in Eltham and the Essendon supporters are unbearable. Makes me sick every time I drive down the Tulla and see their "Don the Sash" billboard.

We're not at the stage yet where the bell gets the crowd to stop in awe yet but hopefully that will come. Wrestling is choreographed but that bell tolling makes the most hardened mark stop and pay their respects. Hopefully, in years to come we will do the same. They just need a few seconds delay between the 'Grand Old Flag' and 'Hells Bells' to make it effective.

Toump will be just fine, but for the time being he isn't best 22. He'll cement a spot by next year, especially if Crossy retires.

Yeah, it's frustrating, especially when you see the other players from the same draft who exploded into AFL and are dominating, but it doesn't happen to everyone.

That fumble by Ablett in the GOAL square in the last was priceless.

I must say I thiught of it as "a pivotal moment" in the game. Pressure from Viney all day wore him down.

just watching the highlighs on the afl site, how good was that goal in the 2nd quarter when howe kick it to garland who played on and got it to jkh who then found tyson in the middle and he ran in and kicked that goal.

JKH was just soooooo composed. A hugely impressing young man.

I think one of the highlights of today, apart from the win, is Jack Viney slamming Gaz into the turf every chance he got

Some near me were bagging some of Viney's disposal. Well, his disposal of Ablett was superb. A master call by Roos in having him run with Ablett most of the game. He will learn a lot and be a better player for it. Gutsy call by the coach.

One cautionary point: GC were rubbish.

We beat a team that would have played finals last year but for Ablett's injury. Have you considered perhaps that we made them look not so good?

Lumumba's ability to bounce back from a contest is amazing. He'll be up in the air then next second he'll be back on the ball and getting it out. Same with a tackle etc. He seems on a higher level athletically than pretty much everyone on our list.

I don't want to turn this in to a race based thread but so many of the great athletes of the world have African heritage. Majak Daw hasn't been a great success but his athleticism is super.

I hope these Northern state academies and TAC clubs are working hard enough to crack in to the Sudanese and other African migrants in Australia. AFL players are only getting fitter and faster, the Dees could get ahead of the curve I reckon. Lumumba in full flight is a joy to watch, we need another couple of super fast, fit and agile half back/wing types to keep improving.

As far as I am aware Harry O is Brazilian not African.

Never thought I would ever be cheering for him but I went hoarse after his goal in Q4