Interesting read...

http://www.sportsfan.com.au/burning-questions-for-2016-melbourne/tabid/91/newsid/186672/default.aspx?cid=SF_LOWDOWN_AFL_article_burningquestionsfor2016melbourne_260116

Burning question - what mindset will Melbourne bring in round two when we play Essendon?

In answer to the question posed in the article:

Eleven wins (minimum) would be a bare pass in the transition from Roos to Goodwin, though quietly optimistic that we will slip into the eight (providing valuable experience for Goody's Premiership debut in 2017)!

It's not just the wins but the size of the losses when we lose.

8 minutes ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

It's not just the wins but the size of the losses when we lose.

I wouldn't mind pummeling a few teams either.

My burning question would be, what language was that article written in before being poorly translated into English...?

 

2 hours ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

It's not just the wins but the size of the losses when we lose.

And the size of the wins when we do.

Do you we keep changing?
Not really. The skill level and pace should improve and see us play more high level footy, and we should hold our nerve against the best teams. But overall I still expect us to be a defensive first team and not overexpose our backline by trying to play Port Adelaide style footy. I'm fine with that. What I'd like to see is more forward pressure and up the ground zoning instead of sagging back to defend. 

Petracca?

He'll play. What I expect from Petracca will be times he has to get dropped and go back to the VFL to regather his confidence and work on his defensive skills and efficiency with the ball, not any issue about getting him in early. Like Nakia Cockatoo from Geelong.

Hogan?

I expect a slight dip in goal tally and a few more matches where expectation outweighs performance, that's the reality of 2nd year syndrome. I'm also a bit worried about this plan to bulk him up, it makes no sense to me. I'd rather see him back up the front of our running groups and getting up and down the ground with freedom. If he's outmuscled then it's in a failure of delivery or failure of his leading patterns. But hey, I'm not in charge. I still expect some very strong performances. 

34 minutes ago, stuie said:

My burning question would be, what language was that article written in before being poorly translated into English...?

 

I am still scratching my head about the Travis Cloke sentence 

(1) Will cheats (E.F.C) prosper if they make the eight. (2) If the cheats lose all of their players to other clubs or retire,what draft compensation are they going to get? (3) Will Dawes and or Watts get the chop at the end of the year. (4) Will Oliver end up being another Wines (5) Will any  player other than Hogan likely to kick 6 or more goals in a match?(6) Will the Dees beat a top 4 side from 2015.

14 hours ago, ENYAW said:

(1) Will cheats (E.F.C) prosper if they make the eight. (2) If the cheats lose all of their players to other clubs or retire,what draft compensation are they going to get? (3) Will Dawes and or Watts get the chop at the end of the year. (4) Will Oliver end up being another Wines (5) Will any  player other than Hogan likely to kick 6 or more goals in a match?(6) Will the Dees beat a top 4 side from 2015.

1) no

2) none

3) Watts will star, Dawes is a worry

4) yes

5) yes

6) yes (we beat Geelong at the Cattery without Hogan. Everything is possible.)

On 27 January 2016 at 11:01 AM, CBDees said:

In answer to the question posed in the article:

Eleven wins (minimum) would be a bare pass in the transition from Roos to Goodwin, though quietly optimistic that we will slip into the eight (providing valuable experience for Goody's Premiership debut in 2017)!

I agree, CBDees,

For mine, this is the most effervescent I've felt since '94  (how optimistic were any of us in 86/87?)

There is a lot of BS floating around (duck!), but let me assure everybody, when the momentum ball takes off….get on!!

 

 

9 hours ago, Magoo said:

I agree, CBDees,

For mine, this is the most effervescent I've felt since '94  (how optimistic were any of us in 86/87?)

There is a lot of BS floating around (duck!), but let me assure everybody, when the momentum ball takes off….get on!!

 

 

 

Look at Hawthorn's progression prior to their 2008 Premiership. There was gradual improvement each year with four more wins than the year before, and they became premiers very quickly.

In 2005 they finished 14th with only 5 wins.

2006, they were 11th with 9 wins.

2007, 5th with 13 wins

2008, 2nd with 17 wins and a Premiership.

 

Compare that to us since Roos signed on:

2014 we finished 17th and had 4 wins

2015 we finished 13th with 7 wins

2016??? 

It seems that there is a genuine sense of excitement at the club, and I'm more confident than ever that we've got some exciting times ahead, starting with contending for the eight in 2016!

 

 

 

 

The burning question for me is, aside from Hogan and Garlett, where will our goals come from?

14 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

The burning question for me is, aside from Hogan and Garlett, where will our goals come from?

We kicked 225 goals for the season last year, which I don't think will be too hard to improve on.

I reckon the midfield will be responsible for increasing their totals this season, which is something Vince said in a recent interview.

Also look for Kent & Petracca to contribute ~20 each if they can stay healthy. 

If Dawes plays 22 games, he should be good for 3 goals. 

Hogan-50, Garlett-40, Kent-20, Petracca-20, Watts-15, Frost-15, Vince-15, Gawn-15, Jones-10, Brayshaw-10, Tyson-10, Pedersen-10= 240 goals, being relatively conservative. I'm sure there will be some players that don't reach the total that I predict, but there will be others that exceed it, and there are 31 other players on the list that I haven't accounted for to contribute as well. 

1 hour ago, Good Times Grimes said:

We kicked 225 goals for the season last year, which I don't think will be too hard to improve on.

I reckon the midfield will be responsible for increasing their totals this season, which is something Vince said in a recent interview.

Also look for Kent & Petracca to contribute ~20 each if they can stay healthy. 

If Dawes plays 22 games, he should be good for 3 goals. 

Hogan-50, Garlett-40, Kent-20, Petracca-20, Watts-15, Frost-15, Vince-15, Gawn-15, Jones-10, Brayshaw-10, Tyson-10, Pedersen-10= 240 goals, being relatively conservative. I'm sure there will be some players that don't reach the total that I predict, but there will be others that exceed it, and there are 31 other players on the list that I haven't accounted for to contribute as well. 

Such as Neale Bullen, Vanders, JKH, Stretch, Kennedy & Bugg if they play him through the midfield. 

For the last year, I've said 10-12 wins this year is the pass mark. I think we'll get there.

CBDEES,Geelong was not a finalist in 2015. However you answers were noteworthy,keep up the good work. 

On 27 January 2016 at 1:25 PM, Ethan Tremblay said:

And the size of the wins when we do.

The Essendon game needs to be 10-12 goals minimum. We are talking about a team full of kids and players brought out of retirement who have had limited time to prepare and gel as a side. We get them round 2, I want six goals from Hogan, at least 4 from Watts and I want 6 mids getting numbers in the high 20's.

When MFC v EFC i want to see the following goals kicked from our players as follows hogan 10, watts 7,garlett 5,frost 3, tom mac 3, kent 3, jones 3,vince3,brayshaw 2, and the rest 10. Sh.t  49 goals mmmm think I might have to adjust those figures. How about 100 pt plus win.

6 hours ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

The Essendon game needs to be 10-12 goals minimum. We are talking about a team full of kids and players brought out of retirement who have had limited time to prepare and gel as a side. We get them round 2, I want six goals from Hogan, at least 4 from Watts and I want 6 mids getting numbers in the high 20's.

Dream result would be 148 points ... 3 years on from R2 2013 and atone for that humiliation. Unfortunately won't happen even if we get on top early this side doesn't have the mindset yet to annihilate an opposition side when they're on their knees... 

On 27/01/2016 at 9:28 AM, DeeSpencer said:

Do you we keep changing?
Not really. The skill level and pace should improve and see us play more high level footy, and we should hold our nerve against the best teams. But overall I still expect us to be a defensive first team and not overexpose our backline by trying to play Port Adelaide style footy. I'm fine with that. What I'd like to see is more forward pressure and up the ground zoning instead of sagging back to defend. 

Petracca?

He'll play. What I expect from Petracca will be times he has to get dropped and go back to the VFL to regather his confidence and work on his defensive skills and efficiency with the ball, not any issue about getting him in early. Like Nakia Cockatoo from Geelong.

Hogan?

I expect a slight dip in goal tally and a few more matches where expectation outweighs performance, that's the reality of 2nd year syndrome. I'm also a bit worried about this plan to bulk him up, it makes no sense to me. I'd rather see him back up the front of our running groups and getting up and down the ground with freedom. If he's outmuscled then it's in a failure of delivery or failure of his leading patterns. But hey, I'm not in charge. I still expect some very strong performances. 

I'm running with 2015 technically being Hogan's 2nd year and the results were due to the syndrome. Expecting far better output from him this year

If I have one burning question for this year, it's whether we are able to raise our worst football such that we reduce the blowout games, the big margins and the uncompetitive football.

Our best football needs to improve too of course, but I'm a lot more confident in that happening than in our worst football improving.

Round 2 vs Essendon I want Vince, Jones, Vanders, Viney, Brayshaw, Kent etc with Gawn in the ruck to put them through soo much pain that Kelly, Crowley, Stokes etc openly question why they came out of retirement. I want whatever hope and enthusiasm the cheats have for 2016 to be completely sucked out of them & all that's left will be Brenda's big mouth flapping in the wind while the rest go through the motions & plot how to jump ship at seasons end. Surely I'm not asking too much MFC?? If it was the other way around they would be just as merciless, time for us to start inflicting some real pain of our own!! That's what I need from 2016. So my only burning question is can we bring the pain?!?!?