AFL 360 asks if Melbourne can make the 8?

[Bossdog 2,002]

Why anyone would care about what Jorno's predict is just beyond me

After all the crap in the media that Coll and Rich have copped   If we lose and Rich and Coll win we would be all on the same points and the media will go to the headlines that they are back on track and we are crap again.

The media circus changes with each week that goes by.   I don't understand why their opinion is so valued.

What will be will be.   

[ArtificialWisdom 4,045]

6 minutes ago, Bossdog said:

Why anyone would care about what Jorno's predict is just beyond me

After all the crap in the media that Coll and Rich have copped   If we lose and Rich and Coll win we would be all on the same points and the media will go to the headlines that they are back on track and we are crap again.

The media circus changes with each week that goes by.   I don't understand why their opinion is so valued.

What will be will be.   

I dont so much value their opinion as am interested because it sparks conversation. Their job is pretty hard, they are expected to comment on every club every week with limited exposure to some of them, unlike us who can watch melbourne and have a better understanding on where we are at (or just get swept up off a weeks performance). But im less conserned by jorno's opinion being right or wrong than i am about them spouting "Facts" that are wrong

[The Chazz 4,077]

40 minutes ago, Ron Burgundy said:

I get that. The issue is not whether we make the finals or not - it was Whately's patent condescension of the club in circumstances where any other club having displayed equivalent performances throughout the NAB Challenge and the season proper would simply not have attracted anything like that annoying response (i.e. his response was not linked to performance, it merely illustrated his patronising view of the MFC).

And it [censored] me off.

For what it's worth, the better view is that we will probably miss the 8 this year. But such a question need not be met with such derision in light of our performances thus far in 2016, especially given that these bozos were talking up the Roos and GWS as potential premiership contenders in the same episode, two clubs that on any construction we've held our own against this year.

 

To be asked about a side's finals chances after Round 4, and 2 weeks after losing to Essendon, deserves the response that Whately gave.  In particular about a side that wasn't even AFL standard just 3 years ago.

We are definitely building, but many of us, journos included, have seen many false dawns.

Ron, I think you just need to suck it up, sorry!

[Forest Demon 4,681]

4 pages on this??

I was watching it, and I thought the laugh was more about the fickle nature of people's opinions. Two weeks ago we lose to Essendon, and then win one game and all of a sudden they are being asked if we will make the 8. Hardly controversial, or incorrect.

We need to put together a larger body of work before we expect people to take us seriously as a finals contender.

[What 18,810]

I just rewatched the segment and Gerard was fine ., and as expected it was Slobbo the fat pig chortling and snorting away at the thought of the Dees making the 8

Scumbag Hird mouthpiece

[Akum 2,660]

What about this question: "Are Melbourne capable of making the 8?"

The best answer is "On the strength of their last two games, yes, they're capable of making the 8!"

It was an amazing performance against North who were right at the top of their game and everything went right for them. And Collingwood aren't as bad a team as they look. They've had a bad start, but they look much better with Sidebottom back and Pendles in the midfield, and actually put a hell of a lot of pressure on us in the last 3 quarters, and we had to play well to keep them at bay. If they maintain that level of intensity, they'll beat a lot of sides.

That's a different question to "Will Melbourne make the 8?"  It all depends on whether we can maintain our current level of performance. One part of me says: from past experience, we probably won't maintain this level over a season. But another part of me says: we still haven't had a settled side, and we have 4 or 5 still to come in who could all improve our performance, so it's quite possible that we have more upside than downside.

It's a matter of whether you think we've "played above ourselves" the past two weeks, or whether you think that's the level we should be able to maintain.

[Coq au vin 755]

It'd be nice but irrelevant apart from development. Top four has to be the aim of all clubs. Unlikely anyone will win a premiership from 5-8th position at the end of the H&W season.

[leave it to deever 17,511]

16 minutes ago, Akum said:

What about this question: "Are Melbourne capable of making the 8?"

The best answer is "On the strength of their last two games, yes, they're capable of making the 8!"

It was an amazing performance against North who were right at the top of their game and everything went right for them. And Collingwood aren't as bad a team as they look. They've had a bad start, but they look much better with Sidebottom back and Pendles in the midfield, and actually put a hell of a lot of pressure on us in the last 3 quarters, and we had to play well to keep them at bay. If they maintain that level of intensity, they'll beat a lot of sides.

That's a different question to "Will Melbourne make the 8?"  It all depends on whether we can maintain our current level of performance. One part of me says: from past experience, we probably won't maintain this level over a season. But another part of me says: we still haven't had a settled side, and we have 4 or 5 still to come in who could all improve our performance, so it's quite possible that we have more upside than downside.

It's a matter of whether you think we've "played above ourselves" the past two weeks, or whether you think that's the level we should be able to maintain.

I believe we are capable. I don't believe we played above ourselves. Three great games out of four suggest we played below ourselves against the Bombers. I suggested before however that this team would more likely be knocking on the final eight with ten to eleven wins. I don't believe this is negative at all but an honest appraisal (beer goggles off) of an emerging young team still working on its game plan and top 22. We have clearly improved.It is still way too early to talk of finals. If however we win the next 2 against Richmond and St Kilda, then maybe we are a serious chance. Yet given we haven't won 2 in a row for so long, 3 in a row seems a long way off. However, as the old saying goes "a week is a long time in footy and two weeks is even more." Nice to see the hope and optimism around. We deserve it.

[H_T 3,049]

14 hours ago, rpfc said:

A very sane poster on here started a thread a couple of weeks ago titled: INSIGNIFICANT in a description of the club...

Two weeks later and we demand to be in the finals conversation?

When we are 8 and 6 after beating the crows at home in Round 15 - then we can earn a discussion of being included in September...

And people wonder why they see the reactions of laughter like Whateley's...

The only way to get recognition or seriously considered is to play consistently the way they have the last two weeks over a much longer period of time. Until then, in some quarters there will still be those opinions, those sniggers.

Sample sizes against GWS and North will not cut it and there will remain a blowtorch until such time the sample size becomes SIGNIFICANT.

[P-man 13,366]

Robbo was more laughing at Gerard's gesticulation, rather than the concept of Melbourne making the 8.

There's no doubting it was a patronising response and taking into account the question was "CAN Melbourne make the 8?", it wasn't an overly considered response to that question because the answer frankly is yes. It's certainly possible.

But I think what Whateley was saying, albeit not communicating it well, was that it's too premature to even be asking the question. Which is fair enough. There's still a lot of ground to cover and a lot to prove.

 

Edited April 20, 2016 by P-man

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

7 hours ago, Petraccattack said:

I did it and it came down to the Demons and Cats game in round 23 being for a spot in the 8. 

Loser goes home.. How sweet it would be if it turned out that way and we eliminated them on their turf in the final round while making the finals for the first time in 10 years. 

 

7 hours ago, jackaub said:

I had the Dees winnning 9 of  first 12 including Essendon so 8 in the first half and I think 4 of the second half including ,Saints,Gold Coast,Port  and Carlton. So 12 is very possible IMO>

I take it you guys have never heard of the term "getting ahead of yourself" ??

[Sir Why You Little 37,046]

6 hours ago, nutbean said:

Pretty simple to me.

On our day we should be able to beat anyone.

Cold hard logic ( on a limited data - 4 matches)

If the below teams play at 100% or we allow them to play at 100% they should beat us. ( this is based on first 4 rounds of this season so certain teams that were highly rated prior to the season have come back to the pack)

Hawthorn, West Coast, Adelaide, North, Bulldogs, Sydney.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Teams I consider us competing with for ladder position - Suns, Giants, Fremantle ( prior to the season I had them down as a much better team), Cats, Richmond

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Teams I think we should beat ( if and this is the big if  - we must turn up to play  - note Essendon game) - Saints (better than I thought) , Blues, Brisbane, Collingwood, Port (unsure about them - normally a competitor but have looked horrible), Essendon.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So by my reckoning, if we continue to play well and beat the teams we should beat and do well against our "competitors"  we will end up anywhere from 7th - 13th.

We have lost to a team (just) that most would have considered a loss ( North ). We beat a competitor in Giants, Beat a team we should beat in Collingwood and lost to a team we should have beaten in Essendon (ugh).

The huge if  - how we play. We need to beat teams that we should beat.

 

It's all between the ears

As much as i HATED watching it The Essendrug debacle could be a positive to our FD

I know i will never forget the disgrace walking out of the 'G...

[DemonOX 8,791]

21 hours ago, Ron Burgundy said:

These jokers tonight posed the question: "Can Melbourne make the 8 - real or overreaction?"

Gerard Whately laughed his head off at the mere suggestion - "steady on! Just steady on!". I normally rate the guy but this really annoyed me. His reaction is plainly based on historical bias rather than a proper assessment of where this club is at and its performances thus far this season.

This club has been ahead in every final quarter it has played this year.

And in respect of the two games it has lost:

- we absolutely deserved to win the game against the Roos, but umpiring, inexperience and bad luck cruelled the end result, and we lost by less than a kick after being 42 points down - both bozos rate the Roos highly, which has to be a relevant consideration as to our performance in that game; and

- we did not deserve to beat Essendon, but we should have beaten them despite being pathetic for the entire game and still nearly jagging it.

In short, we've not been that far off winning 4 from 4 - that means top of the table. Early days, but yes - top of the table.

So why the comedic reaction to the mere suggestion that we COULD POSSIBLY make the 8 based on our performances thus far this season?

We've shown a lot more than many better fancied teams to date.

Really hope we pump Richmond and the Saints in the next fortnight. Win these games and it simply can't be such a stupid suggestion that we might be in the mix for the 8.

C'mon Demons - it's time to prove these journos with their cliched and highly patronising opinions about the club wrong.

He was probably still filthy we beat his beloved cats at home last season. 

[Adam The God 30,271]

9 hours ago, Peter Griffen said:

The pies have just gone for names rather than role players, Howe and Aish are perfect examples, big name, terrible players. 

and the Tigers just totally overrate their list, and somehow so does the rest of the footy world, i reckon richmond will have 10-12 starting 22 players on the weekend who wouldn't get a regular spot anywhere else and they think they're a top 4 side.

we should really be 4-0 should have beaten North by 3-4 goals and they're clear on the top of the ladder, have shown in every game we can pile 6 goals in a row on easily and really blow games apart, that was something Geelong used to do very well, it'd be close, you leave the TV for a few minutes and suddenly they're 5 goals up.

I usually enjoy listening to Gerard, he always seems the only one of the two with living brain cells and like he is babysitting drunken robbo, but laughing with just silly, i hope that he is reminded of that later in the year when there are a few rounds to go and we're in the mix and looking really good.

Gerard's not always the most balanced commentator, but he's not as bad as some. However, the way he fawns over Geelong and in particular Dangerfield is sickening.

Why aren't there more Mike Sheahan's about these days? I blame the advent of Eddie McGuire. His conflict of interest at 9 meant 'journalists' could then proudly show their footballing allegiances without anyone really questioning them. But the plight of journalist integrity is a discussion not even worth having. It's too far gone. 

Edited April 20, 2016 by AdamFarr

[Sir Why You Little 37,046]

12 minutes ago, AdamFarr said:

Gerard's not always the most balanced commentator, but he's not as bad as some. However, the way he fawns over Geelong and in particular Dangerfield is sickening.

Why aren't there more Mike Sheahan's about these days? I blame the advent of Eddie McGuire. His conflict of interest at 9 meant 'journalists' could then proudly show their footballing allegiances without anyone really questioning them. But the plight of journalist integrity is a discussion not even worth having. It's too far gone. 

Relax. Watch them all squirm when the Demon rises. 

It will be Fun

Us against all of them

MFC 1858

[Cheesy D. Pun 1,765]

8 hours ago, Diamond said:

It'd be nice but irrelevant apart from development. Top four has to be the aim of all clubs. Unlikely anyone will win a premiership from 5-8th position at the end of the H&W season.

Also, unlikely to win a premiership without finals experience.

[Little Richard 6,264]

I don't think we'll make the 8 this season.

BUT, in 2013 Richmond started the season at 3 and 10 and still made the finals. Anything is possible.

[SaberFang 7,151]

Whateley rescinded this tonight, conceding that although he laughed off the suggestion of Melbourne playing finals last week, "I'm not laughing anymore."

At which point Robbo distanced himself from Whateley's terminology, saying Gerard was the only one mocking the idea.

[Adam The God 30,271]

3 hours ago, SaberFang said:

Whateley rescinded this tonight, conceding that although he laughed off the suggestion of Melbourne playing finals last week, "I'm not laughing anymore."

At which point Robbo distanced himself from Whateley's terminology, saying Gerard was the only one mocking the idea.

Interesting. Missed tonight's episode. I usually watch Monday nights. I wonder if they got some heat on social media...

[ILLDieADemon 804]

No one laughed at this suggestion on footy classified last night.

They generally think we are a chance for the 8. 

[praha 11,240]

If we want to make finals, we beat teams like the Saints.

That simple.

[Ethan Tremblay 30,873]

Fremantle, Richmond and Port are three teams I thought before the season started would finish above us. It's early days so I won't write off Richmond and Port yet. Fremantle have lost Fyfe indefinitely and Lyon has pretty much written off their season. 

Unlike last season I can't see GWS sliding down the ladder and think they will play finals for the first time. Ablett isn't it great form and I'm not as sold on the Suns chances of making the finals. I don't think it will be long and we will see Adelaide take their spot in the top eight. 

If we are any chance, we can't afford lose to teams like the Saints, Port and Cartlon.

Edited April 25, 2016 by Ethan Tremblay

[jumbo returns 6,741]

24 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Fremantle, Richmond and Port are three teams I thought before the season started would finish above us. It's early days so I won't write off Richmond and Port yet. Fremantle have lost Fyfe indefinitely and Lyon has pretty much written off their season. 

Unlike last season I can't see GWS sliding down the ladder and think they will play finals for the first time. Ablett isn't it great form and I'm not as sold on the Suns chances of making the finals. I don't think it will be long and we will see Adelaide take their spot in the top eight. 

If we are any chance, we have to beat teams like the Saints, Port and Cartlon.

I've written off the Tiges.....their list has too many NQRs...

[Deemonator 12]

On 20 April 2016 at 1:34 PM, Diamond said:

It'd be nice but irrelevant apart from development. Top four has to be the aim of all clubs. Unlikely anyone will win a premiership from 5-8th position at the end of the H&W season.

I think for the first time in many years we've seen the gap tighten between the quality of teams in the eight. Obviously a top four finish is every teams aim but i wouldn't be surprised if a Hawthorn finishes 5th or 6th this year and wins it.

[TGR 1,367]

Like I said after the Essendon loss, speed kills us.

 

I won't judge until I have seen us play quick teams like: Bulldogs; Saints; GWS with a forward line

 

Richmond not only made errors, but didn't make us pay for ours.  Lid on, until I have seen us against speed.