Looking at the ladder, it's clear that this is a last chance saloon event for the Melbourne Football Club.

For weeks, we've been meandering just outside the top but today, we need to pull a rabbit out of a hat just in order to stay in touch.

If Jack Viney plays we are a slight chance today, if Viney doesn't play we are no chance

Will viney play??

I fear Adelaide will give us a football lesson today.

Today will be a good test of Roos' coaching credentials: do we stay in touch and fight to live another day, or do we fold and let a good-but-not-great team toy with us? Do we turn a corner, or do we buckle and give up like in 2014 and for most of the second half of 2015? 

Let's see where we are as a team. Either we're well on our way, or we severely overestimate where the club is at.

If his hamstring 'tightness' is back related, i.e. referred, he'll play. If muscular, he's no chance, and three weeks gone. 

This game comes down to us winning the contested ball (our strength) well, controlling play from there and then limiting their run and set up off half back when they have it (their strength). Let them get easy ball into their forwards who are serious quality and this will be a smashing. Limit that and we can win this. 

Today we need a throwback to the Bailey era where we would smash interstate teams on the MCG

I'm not sure about a rabbit out of a hat but I have a sneaking suspicion, based on a quiet whisper from someone who claims to see things from a different plane, that we may pull a hare out of our arse. I suspect it will be a closer contest than many think. I know that "honourable losses" are not acceptable to some on here, so I'm tipping an honourable victory by less than a goal. I hope the big fella can see the broadcast. Maybe he's got an AFL Global Pass. I just hope his internet is better than mine in China.

1 hour ago, praha said:

I fear Adelaide will give us a football lesson today.

Today will be a good test of Roos' coaching credentials: do we stay in touch and fight to live another day, or do we fold and let a good-but-not-great team toy with us? Do we turn a corner, or do we buckle and give up like in 2014 and for most of the second half of 2015? 

Let's see where we are as a team. Either we're well on our way, or we severely overestimate where the club is at.

That's a bit too unfair. Adelaide are a 4 goal better team than us this year and in the form they are in at the moment probably double that. 

We have a chance yes but it would be a major upset. Whilst a finals berth wasn't out of the equation this year (and technically still isn't) we would only make up numbers. It would be some valuable experience for our boys to play finals but IMHO I think we are one, maybe even 2 years early. 

Once Hogan Petracca Oliver Brayshaw and Gawn are in the 50-100 game bracket is when we can start getting disappointed.

 

But I think the corner has been turned.

I think the midfield we will just win (viney playing), our forwards are about par with thier backs, maybe a smidgen in front. Their forwards will kill our backs. I think we can contain 2, not the third tall. Betts wouldnt normally worry me as much but Jetta has had a few quiet weeks and that worries me.  30 point loss. 

These are the games that show whether the club has begun to turn the corner or continue to tread water waiting....

B.E.R.N.I.E

Quietly confident about today's game.

That said, my confidence could disappear very quickly if the Crows get a run on early and Jenkins, Walker and Betts are given acres of space to work in.  If our press doesn't work today... look out...

Cant see us winning. We need to dominate the clearances all day to come close, as Adelaides forward line v our backs looks one sided (Even ugly).

Another disappointing day coming up i reckon.

A big game from Tom McDonald would go a long way to getting us home. As well as the mids pushing back so our rice paper defence gets a little help.

6 minutes ago, Return to Glory said:

7 minutes ago, Return to Glory said:

A big game from Tom McDonald would go a long way to getting us home. As well as the mids pushing back so our rice paper defence gets a little help.

A big game from Tom McDonald would go a long way to getting us home. As well as the mids pushing back so our rice paper defence gets a little help.

Indeed RTG. Tex has always been a problem for us and keeping him under control would be a large step towards an upset. I guess Jetta will look after Eddie but I would love to see Hunt switch on the turbo and run him down at some stage

5-7 goal loss if we're lucky. It shouldn't be, but we don't look like challenging top 8 sides at the moment. Having said that, I do expect us to steal a game we don't expect. I'm just not sure this is the one. I hope I'm wrong.

2 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Indeed RTG. Tex has always been a problem for us and keeping him under control would be a large step towards an upset. I guess Jetta will look after Eddie but I would love to see Hunt switch on the turbo and run him down at some stage

I agree completely re Hunt. And to that end, I'd like to see us take some chances. As soon as we play stop start we lose. Dees by 32 points (subject to change)

This is all about our pressure in the midfield and our forward line. If players like Kent, Harmes, Kennedy and Garlett do their job - chase, tackle, harass - then we will force turnovers before Lynch, Betts, Jenkins and Walker are able to destroy us.

Our midfield, even without Viney, can compete with Adelaide's at stoppages, and our forward line can worry their backline. But none of that matters if we don't put on pressure when they are bringing the ball out of our forward line. Limit the turnovers across half forward, pressure the ball carrier at all times, and we can win this game.

Coming off five wins in a row for Adelaide may open the door for overconfidence and a premature penciled in win.  Their game may loosen up enough for us to slide in for our usual  trademark  softcoque win. Seems the only way we can win these days.

Edited July 3, 20169 yr by america de cali

1 minute ago, america de cali said:

Coming off five wins in a row for Adelaide may open the door for overconfidence and a premature penciled in win.  Their game may loosen up enough for us to slide in for our usual  trademark [censored] win. Seems the only way we can win these days.

I love this.

You're already setting up insurance for the pessimistic narrative - if we win, it will only be because Adelaide (like GWS) were "off".

3 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

I love this.

You're already setting up insurance for the pessimistic narrative - if we win, it will only be because Adelaide (like GWS) were "off".

That's the way we usually win.  GC, Magpies, Richmond and  Brisbane have been very disappointing sides. 

Edited July 3, 20169 yr by america de cali

Gawn and our mids are better than theirs.

However, their HBFers are miles ahead of ours, and set up the majority of their attack.

If Kent/Garlett/Kennedy/Trac can pressure every single one of their disposals, we are a chance.

Talia will also shut up Hogan completely, so Dawes and Watts need a big one.

Crows by 25 unfortunately.

Viney is playing!!!

Source: Stevo on AFL gameday.

Edited July 3, 20169 yr by Moneider96

Just said on Channel 7 that Viney will definitely play.