MATT JONES   I rest my case, when everybody else plays their role, he can play his

39 on my guernsey for last 5 years

Watched Kennedy at VFL level  just didn't get a run at the Pies

 

Some of the garbage typed in game day thread was laughable

Btw the umpire can lick my left one.

Tried to take the game away from us and failed miserably.

Just got home from the game and still can't believe we came back, Wow 2-3 years ago if we were in that position we would have just capitulated and lost by 60. 

But so proud of that last quarter, Watts was great and just uses the ball so well. Rarely wastes it

Hogan- Well beaten for the 1st 3/4s and thought he'd have his head down and sulk but he didnt and to his credit fought back so well and great to see his shots go through

Kennedy great game for us 

Viney just knows only 1 way. Hard. 

Geez I thought we had it lost when Harmes buggered it up when he should have kicked it quicker and it got smothered and they scored a goal in that final term. 

Vince my god those 2 kicks out of the backline were 2 of the worst kicks ever. Please dont do it again. 

Tommy Mac- Still makes me nervous when he tries to take the play on but some brilliant spoils and marks were so important.

Clayton Oliver- wow what a debut. Surely has to be the rising star nom this week. Just goes in and contests real hard. 

Nice to start the season off with a win. But will have to play better next week. 

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

Best on? Injuries? What's wrong with Hogan and his 3 goals? How was Oliver? When should I buy finals tickets?

Help a sister with third world internet out!

you with Telstra too jaded

I just got home,still have no voice from booing Scully and the umpires.I enjoyed celebrating the win but now that I've settled down it feels like a pyrrhic victory but I'll take it.

Team song

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2016-03-26/team-song-melbourne

6 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

 

Watched Kennedy at VFL level  just didn't get a run at the Pies

The sub rule murdered him like many other youngsters.

Thank christ they scrapped it.  Footy is much better now.

I feel especially chuffed about it because it took the whole team doing their jobs to get there. I think pretty much all of our players will be feeling like they deserved to be a part of the win.

Possibly the best feeling out of this is that we are right on the cusp of fielding a complete 'good AFL-standard' best 22, week in week out.

---

And you've just got to laugh that Jesse Hogan was having a really terrible day yet finished with 17 disposals and 3 goals.

Phil Davis had an absolute blinder of a game - I just can't help wondering what happens if the opposition simply doesn't have a serious tall defender capable of going with him? Will we see four quarters as effective as that last quarter? Scary.

Y'know... like... what if he's matched up on someone like... say... Patrick Ambrose?

---

The other question is, where are we going to fit all of Brayshaw, Petracca, Trengove, Dunn and Lumumba?

---

Oliver was game-high for clearances. A beast during the game, and then adorable in the after-match interview.

1 hour ago, Sylvia Saint said:

At 3 quarter time I was trying to convince myself that losing this game wasn't the end of the world, then in a blink of an eye we were in front!

Ben Kennedy was unbelievably good today, I think he'll be one of the recruits of the year.

Hogan's lethal from inside 40m, he can stutter all he likes. I thought it was a good move putting him in the midfield. He got 7 touches there then went forward with renewed energy and won us the game.

I think those who questioned OMac's and Frost's inclusions were justified. OMac wasn't too bad but Frost doesn't look up to it (reasonable last quarter though). Those questioning Matt Jones' selection (me!) can eat some humble pie.

What's happened to Tyson? His disposal by hand and foot is deplorable.

Last, but not least, Clayton Oliver. Once in a decade talent IMO. Will be a champion.

I think the problem with Tyson is that he's lazy. So often he'll be under no pressure and completely miss a handball target that a six year old could make. Reckon he needs a bit more confidence himself. He seemed to relish it in his first year with us. Maybe it's a lack of confidence in his body or maybe he keeps trying to do too much with it? He certainly needs to learn to take that first option still.

Ugly, but effective.

1 hour ago, Moonshadow said:

Interesting that we only used 80 out of a possible 90 interchanges. Thought we looked spent at 3/4 time. Amazing the energy lift when we got a few goals and hit the front.

interesting, seeing what they've got & who's giving it ?

If Omac's hurt, Dunns back ? or Frost?   that will  be an interesting one.

Brayshaw won't be far off.

Posters.

Please concentrate on the subject. 

Abuse of each other will be blocked out.

Posters.

Please concentrate on the subject. 

Abuse of each other will be blocked out.

11 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Decent crowd today:  28,505

Bodes well!

It felt good, huh? The smiles, optimism and spirits were high. There were a few rusty renditions of grand old flag, but, there is a genuine sense of expectation and comradery. It's coming! 

I suggest part of Hogans problems in the first 3 quarters is that we were crowding him, both our own and GWS players were all around him.  In the last we got him alone where he proved he is the man.  Just need our other forwards to lead away from Hogan a lot more often to open up space for him and leave him one out. If other opposition players want to hang back and tandem tag him they that will leave, Watts, Kent, Frost, etc open. 

I must admit the 5th goal in the first quarter that came from a chain of handballs was probably one of the most impressive pieces all day. Players ran and looked for a better option instead of just blazing away a fantastic example of the team working and playing together to share success as 4 or 5 players all played an important part in that one play. 1

Super effort from the crowd today. Felt like I was listening to 60k!

And not enough love for Salem and Jetta!

I suggest part of Hogans problems in the first 3 quarters is that we were crowding him, both our own and GWS players were all around him.  In the last we got him alone where he proved he is the man.  Just need our other forwards to lead away from Hogan a lot more often to open up space for him and leave him one out. If other opposition players want to hang back and tandem tag him they that will leave, Watts, Kent, Frost, etc open. 

I must admit the 5th goal in the first quarter that came from a chain of handballs was probably one of the most impressive pieces all day. Players ran and looked for a better option instead of just blazing away a fantastic example of the team working and playing together to share success as 4 or 5 players all played an important part in that one play. 1

I have to admit to a sense of despondency with 10 minutes to go in the third up to 3/4 time - up until that point we were still competing, just not hitting the scoreboard. When that stopped happening I honestly couldn't see how we could recover. 

The Viney/Oliver combination in the middle gives me goosebumps. 

For all those saying we 'stole' the game, that's rubbish. Yes, they kicked badly from their 50 entries into the forward 50, but we butchered it pretty much every one of the 58 times we went in. We had more attacking ball and should have used it better. The result was the fair one. The good news is that we will get better at it, as the last quarter showed. And, we are a team, finally. 

Been a while since Melb have beaten a good team playing ugly!

 

Best.

Viney 3

Watts 2

Kennedy 1

Clayton Oliver - Wow!

Stat to make your mouth water: Oliver did all that in just 60% game time.

 

1 hour ago, dino rover said:

Their kicking was the diff

Lots to improve

Still its a win

Dont like vince in defence shows his age

Oliver not out of place

Kennedy great

 

Oliver not out of place?!  FMD, he was sensational!!  Off the ground a bit in the 2nd half but he's an absolute clearance machine.  

 

 

34 minutes ago, Dannyz said:

The quiet achiever - Neville Jetta. Plays it simple, tough as nails and doesn't waste a posession. Knows his limits!

Great post.

Strange old game, fantastic first and last quarters but GWS showed their class in the 2nd and 3rd, if they'd kicked straight the game was over at 3 quarter time.  They need a couple of our big bodied, grunt midfielders, and we need a couple of their silky smooth runners! 

I thought I came along to see two good young football teams but at times I felt like I was there to watch Razor Ray....talk about an egotistical maniac.  Don't think it was him who gave the diabolical in the back against Frost but geez there were some shocking decisions.  That free against Viney for a "sling" tackle at the end of the 2nd was unbelievable.

 

 

52 minutes ago, scarlett said:

Oliver paying $10 for the rising star this year, might sneak a $100 on him

He was $16 so get on !!