MATCH REPORT - THE LID IS BACK - LET'S KEEP IT ON

[Demonland 73,277]

THE LID IS BACK - LET'S KEEP IT ON by George on the Outer

It was only a pre-season practice match despite what some may think, but the result and the way that Melbourne comprehensively demolished a near full strength Carlton side, makes it very hard to dampen expectations among the supporters.

The real contrast for the game was the style of play. The 2017 Demons play the same hard-at-it type of football that won Footscray a Premiership, and Carlton simply do not. The result was a one way game as Melbourne in each and every quarter simply was ferocious at the ball and opposition players.

Carlton was never allowed a free rein, as Melbourne players attacked them en-mass and then when they had finally wrested possession from the Blues, there were Demon players aplenty around as options. The number of times that Melbourne took the ball from one end of the ground to the other without Carlton so much as being in the contest as it moved up the ground was lost. And the 0.17.14 final tally could have been so much more.

Now some may question why the Demons didn’t put the cue in the rack at half-time, because it was all well and truly over by then, and there is always the risk of injury to critical players. But thinking about this after the match the answer became more apparent.  

This is the no mercy approach that we as supporters have been longing for. This is now a relentless, fierce, no half-efforts or take the easy approach team that Paul Roos and now Simon Goodwin have been building. We don’t slack off.  

And Melbourne plays Carlton in Round 2 of the season proper so what better way to send a chilling message to them?

Now I could wax lyrical about many players with a game like this - and with a long bench to run there wasn’t the same fatigue factor that is present in a normal AFL game. 

However, for starters, Christian Petracca showed just how good he is with a four goal haul, including a ripper from the boundary.  But it was his 10 contested possession in a total of 19 and his six marks that made him stand out.  Carlton simply had no answer to him. 

Up forward Jesse Hogan was the Hulk. He is simply brutal and recorded three goals against his name for the game. We also saw Goodwin using him in the middle a number of times, and what a frightening prospect that will be for opposition teams? That and the continuous parade of tough, hard midfielders that Melbourne now has at its disposal.  With Nathan Jones and Jack Viney leading and Jordan Lewis as back up, the opposition never get a rest with Bernie Vince, Clayton Oliver, Angus Brayshaw, Petracca and now Christian Salem to throw into that mix. Then it all starts again.  

Salem was a real highlight as no-one expected him to be playing mid-field. His 21 touches and seven contested possessions showed that he can and has obviously been developed for this new role.  Best of all he has the vision and situational awareness that Lewis and Oliver also possess, such that they know where the ball is going before they get it. And then they deliver precisely and effectively. 

What a change has now occurred. Just a couple of years ago Nathan Jones held everything together on his own in the middle. Now he has an army of brutal assassins around him, and he has the pleasure of sitting off to the side a little more rather than being hammered week in and week out.  As a result we will see much more of him and also preserve his career for longer. 

Oh, and I forgot about Max who had a normal day at the office - 19 hitouts and two goals. Having the luxury of being able to rest in the forward line while Spencer took the ruck role gave the Carlton defenders nightmares.  The same situation will probably not happen in the season proper, as Spence is simply at a level below, but he was probably equal to Kruezer on the day, given his time on the ground, so not a bad back-up. 

West Coast in WA is the next JLT Community Series game, and there are plenty of players pushing for selection. What will the coaches want to do with a decent break before the first game proper? 

We can only wait and see, but for now it's time for a break -  THE LID IS BACK - LET'S KEEP IT ON!

Melbourne 0.5.4.34 0.9.5.59 0.12.10.82 0.17.14.116

Carlton 0.1.2.8 0.3.5.23 0.7.6.48 0.9.8.62

Supergoals

Melbourne Nil

Carlton Nil

Goals
 
Melbourne Petracca 4 Hogan 3 Gawn Salem vandenBerg Viney 2 Kennedy-Harris Neal-Bullen 

Carlton Casboult Pickett 2 Cunningham Curnow Lebois Thomas Weitering

Best

Melbourne Petracca Hogan Viney Jones Gawn Salem Vince   

Carlton Simpson, Gibbs Marchbank Kreuzer   

Injuries

Melbourne Nil

Carlton Gorringe (leg)  

Reports 

Melbourne Nil

Carlton Nil

Umpires Schmitt Ryan McInerny Glouftsis

Crowd 7,256 at Casey Fields, Cranbourne

[old dee 23,929]

After a decade of a firmly fastened lid it is off in my household.

We have a vastly superior side to four years ago and I am confident we will win 13+ games in 2017.

Sorry a small delay I just threw  the lid over the back fence.

GO DEES.

Edited February 25, 2017 by old dee

[Blistering 541]

Yes. Probably the most pleasing thing about this week compared to last is that we really didn't slack off. Probably part of the reason was that Carlton didn't have the same intensity.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

13 minutes ago, old dee said:

After a decade of a firmly fastened lid it is off in my household.

We have a vastly superior side to four years ago and I am confident we will win 13+ games in 2017.

Sorry a small delay I just threw  the lid over the back fence.

GO DEES.

I hope I don't have to throw that lid back over your fence this year OD .... I can say I am finally a bit optimistic and looking forward to a season for the first time in probably 10 years though. That's probably as good as it gets for me. If we get anywhere near your prediction then I reckon you might be right and I certainly won't complain if I need to make a few extra visits to Dan's. I just hope there's nothing ugly under the lid when I fully open it. You never know when a deadly floater might surprise as a Demon die hard 

[640MD 3,482]

Only reading reports like this   so I don't really know

But How strong was the Carlton side,   any senior players missing, playing in unfamiliar positions,   any other reason   or are they just Shite !

 

[Whispering_Jack 30,969]

Thanks for yesterday's gift MFC but after so many years of abject failure I'm not exactly practiced in the art of keeping the lid on and my first test comes tonight when we go out for dinner and two of the people at the table will be Carlton supporters.

How do I go about keeping the lid on? 

Do I mention yesterday's game at all or do I just feign ignorance about it and start a discussion on Donald Trump's latest escapades?

[DEE fence 5,042]

Thanks for the match report - Loved this game, this was the game I wanted/expected last time we played Carlton. Some thoughts on players not mentioned. I love VDB's attitude, but today was the 1st time I really thought his skills might stop him being best 22. Hunt is just incredible, his 1%ers are as good as his running. He reminds me of Flash with his burst of speed and defensive efforts. 

The thing that has the lid off for me though are the smothers. I think we had more in a pre season game than we did in a season a few years ago. I know Carlton was a step off, being their first game and all, but this to me demonstrates the intensity required than any other stat.

[grazman 7,499]

46 minutes ago, 640MD said:

Only reading reports like this   so I don't really know

But How strong was the Carlton side,   any senior players missing, playing in unfamiliar positions,   any other reason   or are they just Shite !

 

The later,  they have four no 1 picks, and only one of them they can take to the bank in the rebuild.  The only player missing from their best 22 is Cripps (who is injured and you assume would have played if he was fit).  Their ruck stocks are thin with their reserve back up ruck (Goringge) going down  with an achilles (Phillips has stress fractures in his foot) and relying almost solely on Kreuzer to stay on the park.  Not hard to understand why GWS packaged up so many players in the fire sale - and if you believe the rumours - there maybe some discontent with SOS's list management as players like Palmer, Wiley etc are list cloggers.  Long story short is the get out of jail card is that Bolton is experimenting in the preseason, but he has limited cattle and knows this year and next they are going to be on the end of some fearful hidings. 

Edited February 25, 2017 by grazman

[old dee 23,929]

40 minutes ago, Rusty Nails said:

I hope I don't have to throw that lid back over your fence this year OD .... I can say I am finally a bit optimistic and looking forward to a season for the first time in probably 10 years though. That's probably as good as it gets for me. If we get anywhere near your prediction then I reckon you might be right and I certainly won't complain if I need to make a few extra visits to Dan's. I just hope there's nothing ugly under the lid when I fully open it. You never know when a deadly floater might surprise as a Demon die hard 

We won ten last year RN I am thinking cautiously with 13.

 

[old dee 23,929]

37 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Thanks for yesterday's gift MFC but after so many years of abject failure I'm not exactly practiced in the art of keeping the lid on and my first test comes tonight when we go out for dinner and two of the people at the table will be Carlton supporters.

How do I go about keeping the lid on? 

Do I mention yesterday's game at all or do I just feign ignorance about it and start a discussion on Donald Trump's latest escapades?

Nah go for it. 

Asking them why no bruises at the recovery session this morning.

[Skuit 10,031]

46 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Do I mention yesterday's game at all or do I just feign ignorance about it and start a discussion on Donald Trump's latest escapades?

Feign ignorance of Donald Trump's latest escapades and confuse them into talking about the football.

[beelzebub 23,388]

2 hours ago, old dee said:

After a decade of a firmly fastened lid it is off in my household.

We have a vastly superior side to four years ago and I am confident we will win 13+ games in 2017.

Sorry a small delay I just threw  the lid over the back fence.

GO DEES.

Who are you ???? ???

[old dee 23,929]

7 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Who are you ???? ???

Oh you devil you.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

2 hours ago, old dee said:

We won ten last year RN I am thinking cautiously with 13.

 

I hear you OD. As long as we don't end up 9th with those 13 wins i'll be pretty pleased with that result

P.S. ...but by no means satisfied

Edited February 26, 2017 by Rusty Nails

[Guest]

3 hours ago, old dee said:

After a decade of a firmly fastened lid it is off in my household.

We have a vastly superior side to four years ago and I am confident we will win 13+ games in 2017.

Sorry a small delay I just threw  the lid over the back fence.

GO DEES.

May I please report that Demonland's security has been compromised and that all of our personal information is under threat? Someone has clearly hacked Old Dee's account. The troll who has gotten hold of his password is clearly much too optimistic to be him.

[Salems Lot 2,667]

3 hours ago, 640MD said:

Only reading reports like this   so I don't really know

But How strong was the Carlton side,   any senior players missing, playing in unfamiliar positions,   any other reason   or are they just Shite !

 

They were only missing Cripps but were also only playing their first praccie match so not an exactly level playing field. BUT compared to the Dees first hit out last week, they were flat, directionless and showed really poor skill levels.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

5 minutes ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

May I please report that Demonland's security has been compromised and that all of our personal information is under threat? Someone has clearly hacked Old Dee's account. The troll who has gotten hold of his password is clearly much too optimistic to be him.

Saty?

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Rusty Nails said:

Saty?

If he begins referring to people as 'chap' then I believe we have our perpetrator.

[Gator 17,630]

3 hours ago, 640MD said:

Only reading reports like this   so I don't really know

But How strong was the Carlton side,   any senior players missing, playing in unfamiliar positions,   any other reason   or are they just Shite !

 

Cripps and arguably Armfield, Lamb, Sumner, Byrne, Graham and Phillips.

But, out of that lot only Cripps would make our best 22.

So, in essence, Cripps was the only player of genuine significance.  Many of the above replacements would have been as adequate as those missing.

[hemingway 7,633]

3 hours ago, old dee said:

After a decade of a firmly fastened lid it is off in my household.

We have a vastly superior side to four years ago and I am confident we will win 13+ games in 2017.

Sorry a small delay I just threw  the lid over the back fence.

GO DEES.

For the sake of your health OD, keep the lid on.                                   It's still only preseason and we have endured a lifetime of disappointments. At least wait until the Saints match!

[Demonised 1,361]

Apply liberally.

[old dee 23,929]

28 minutes ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

May I please report that Demonland's security has been compromised and that all of our personal information is under threat? Someone has clearly hacked Old Dee's account. The troll who has gotten hold of his password is clearly much too optimistic to be him.

I think a good slap might be in order CBF

[old dee 23,929]

10 minutes ago, hemingway said:

For the sake of your health OD, keep the lid on.                                   It's still only preseason and we have endured a lifetime of disappointments. At least wait until the Saints match!

That is in the bag Ernest

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

4 hours ago, old dee said:

After a decade of a firmly fastened lid it is off in my household.

We have a vastly superior side to four years ago and I am confident we will win 13+ games in 2017.

Sorry a small delay I just threw  the lid over the back fence.

GO DEES.

 

8 minutes ago, Demonised said:

Apply liberally.

Demonised, returning OD's lid would seem to be the neighbourly thing to do yes? It might also assist in returning D'land to some kind of normality!

[Sir Why You Little 37,242]

42 minutes ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

May I please report that Demonland's security has been compromised and that all of our personal information is under threat? Someone has clearly hacked Old Dee's account. The troll who has gotten hold of his password is clearly much too optimistic to be him.

Yep definately Hacked. OD has never spoken in these tones EVER!!