We're 2-2 and should be 4-0. We've learnt a lot about this team this year and we appear to be fighting to establish an identity. We get the ball so much and tease a lot, but we've ultimately struggled to covert.

We are coming up against a rampaging Richmond, who is 4-0 for the first time in 22 years. There will be 70,000 at the MCG, probably 60,000 Richmond supporters. Prime time. FTA. We don't have a back of jumper sponsor, and we're fighting to earn respect from the football community.

Is this the club's biggest test in a decade?

*bumped reply I made last night on the 'changes' thread*

Garry Lyon on Classified: 'Monday night will be the most important game for the MFC since they last played finals'. 

I agree. This is put up or shut up time. 

I think Garry contradicted himself a bit on morning radio, and I agree with what he said.

He said we will likely get up and win against Richmond, but our problem is that the players get comfortable too easy and play differently when they should win, to when they confronted with a challenge.

So while it's a huge game, and we need a win, I'll be no more confident in the side than I am at the moment.

After blowing 2 games we could/should have won we have to win against Tiges and Dons if we are to play finals IMO.  I know it is early but taking a look at the fixture unless we can beat some top 5 teams this is the reality.  Prior to the bye we need to well ahead of the ledger before the really tough games start

24 minutes ago, praha said:

We're 2-2 and should be 4-0. We've learnt a lot about this team this year and we appear to be fighting to establish an identity. We get the ball so much and tease a lot, but we've ultimately struggled to covert.

We are coming up against a rampaging Richmond, who is 4-0 for the first time in 22 years. There will be 70,000 at the MCG, probably 60,000 Richmond supporters. Prime time. FTA. We don't have a back of jumper sponsor, and we're fighting to earn respect from the football community.

Is this the club's biggest test in a decade?

prob     plus Ess  Hawthorn   must win games

Welcome to Senior Coaching Simon Goodwin

3 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Welcome to Senior Coaching Simon Goodwin

Not a great start so far im afraid. Injuries/Supensions haven't helped but still. Could have should have on Saturday. Massive fail at home that could have seen us in the top 4 going in to this weeks match against the Toiges with decent momentum in a blockbuster. There will hardly be a mention of this match now in the media in the lead up.

I hate Richmond. The problem is we still don't know how to win games. It is not the biggest test as Lyon was saying but we would have beat Essendon and Hawthorn and pull of a win against a top side like Adelaide or injury hit GWS.. Not confident about this week.

1 minute ago, Rusty Nails said:

Not a great start so far im afraid. Injuries/Supensions haven't helped but still. Could have should have on Saturday. Massive fail at home that could have seen us in the top 4 going in to this weeks match against the Toiges with decent momentum in a blockbuster. There will hardly be a mention of this match now in the media in the lead up.

Sadly i 100% agree. The 3rd Q fadeout was so bad. The fact that it lasted the entire quarter means that the Leadership on field and coaches failed. 

The comeback in the final quarter was ultimately of no use and should never have been necessary in the first place

This a huge moment for 'the new era' MFC.

Either we wilt, continue the terrible fadeouts and inability to finish, and lose to Richmond.

Or we make a massive statement to the competition by putting together our first 4 quarter effort for the year and beat them by 5 goals.

Over to you Goody and players.

Just now, Luther said:

This a huge moment for 'the new era' MFC.

Either we wilt, continue the terrible fadeouts and inability to finish, and lose to Richmond.

Or we make a massive statement to the competition by putting together our first 4 quarter effort for the year and beat them by 5 goals.

Over to you Goody and players.

It's one or the other....

Having a three game losing streak to our name just five games into the season would be awful.

'Important' is a complex and nuanced term, isn't it? Not only is 'what is important' subjective, but even what people mean by important.

In the sense that it will be highly scrutinised, and a lot of people will judge us on this game, it is definitely very important.

Probably will have a financial impact, on future attendences, viewers and memberships.

Will probably be the only Demons game that certain media spuds actually watch, so it will become the reference point for all their pronouncements about our problems and potentials. McDonald kicks reliably for 120 minutes? All Australian discussion. Stretch has an off day? Still not ready. Viney has a big day? He's been holding this team together and Jones is past it.

But the most important thing, in the end, is that a win keeps us in the 8 and a loss puts us back in the general pack. Which I hate to say, looks like the situation we'll be in most weeks this season. It's gonna be a stressful ride.

.

 

 

 

Last week was a test and we failed it.  I really get jacked off when interstate teams beat us on our supposed home ground. Actually the MCG is home only in name these days, we don't play any better there than most other places.  Interstate teams have distinct Home ground advantage, with Victorian teams stuck with grounds that are home in name only. 

This group failed when they needed that win so much last week.  The game against Toiges is totally unknown, who has a clue which Melbourne team will turn up?

After last 2 weeks I will just turn up and watch them with absolutely no idea how they will perform and with zero expectations.

thats what this club has ingrained in me over 30 years.  Goodwin said at start of season MFC supporters win lose or draw will see the new Gamestyle and we will play with pressure etc etc....blah blah blah.  As said I have stuff all expectations as I've heard and Seen it all before.

A win is a bonus these days!

By the way - What has happened to Brayshaw?  Ripped it up in pre season , pick 3 in draft, and running around in magoos looking disinterested.  WTF?

 

 

11 minutes ago, Soidee said:

Last week was a test and we failed it.  I really get jacked off when interstate teams beat us on our supposed home ground. Actually the MCG is home only in name these days, we don't play any better there than most other places.  Interstate teams have distinct Home ground advantage, with Victorian teams stuck with grounds that are home in name only. 

This group failed when they needed that win so much last week.  The game against Toiges is totally unknown, who has a clue which Melbourne team will turn up?

After last 2 weeks I will just turn up and watch them with absolutely no idea how they will perform and with zero expectations.

thats what this club has ingrained in me over 30 years.  Goodwin said at start of season MFC supporters win lose or draw will see the new Gamestyle and we will play with pressure etc etc....blah blah blah.  As said I have stuff all expectations as I've heard and Seen it all before.

A win is a bonus these days!

By the way - What has happened to Brayshaw?  Ripped it up in pre season , pick 3 in draft, and running around in magoos looking disinterested.  WTF?

 

 

So Brayshaw is disinterested because?

There is such comedy on this board after a loss but you win the weekend's Barry

The competition is so even at the moment that any team can beat any other team if one drops off even a few percent for a period. We have had one poor quarter each week thus far, and we are lucky that it has only hurt us twice. We are not a good enough side that we can pick and choose when we play, and still expect to win games.

If we play four quarters we can beat any side, and we can certainly beat Richmond this week. But it is anyone's guess as to whether the players are prepared to work hard enough for the entire game.

It's not just this week, it's the next 6 rounds that are huge. They determine if we play finals in 2017 and if we have improved at all.
Leading up to the bye we play:
Richmond
Essendon
Hawthorn
Adelaide
North Melbourne
Gold Coast

The AFL handed us a really easy draw for the first half of the season. They basically handed us finals for 2017. If we [censored] it up we don't deserve to play finals and questions need to be asked why we haven't improved. We should win 4-5 of those 6 matches. Anything less than 4 wins and finals are likely out of the question for 2017.

No finals in 2017 is a failure for the club in any way you look at it. Yes we're a developing young side, but we also haven't played finals for 11 years now and have enough talent in our team to win more often than not. The only times we lose are the times we don't turn up. No teams have really beat us yet, we've only lost games. We need to turn up to play every week for 4 quarters and do what should be done. It starts with Richmond this week. They've beat up on 3 crap teams and one decent team who struggle away from home. If we turn up with the right attitude to play, we will beat them. Even if Dusty gets 40 touches, we'll still beat them because we have a far better spread of talent across the park and better coaching staff. 

3 minutes ago, poita said:

The competition is so even at the moment that any team can beat any other team if one drops off even a few percent for a period. We have had one poor quarter each week thus far, and we are lucky that it has only hurt us twice. We are not a good enough side that we can pick and choose when we play, and still expect to win games.

If we play four quarters we can beat any side, and we can certainly beat Richmond this week. But it is anyone's guess as to whether the players are prepared to work hard enough for the entire game.

And it is the Senior Coaches job to "prepare" his players

 

6 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

It's not just this week, it's the next 6 rounds that are huge. They determine if we play finals in 2017 and if we have improved at all.
Leading up to the bye we play:
Richmond
Essendon
Hawthorn
Adelaide
North Melbourne
Gold Coast

The AFL handed us a really easy draw for the first half of the season. They basically handed us finals for 2017. If we [censored] it up we don't deserve to play finals and questions need to be asked why we haven't improved. We should win 4-5 of those 6 matches. Anything less than 4 wins and finals are likely out of the question for 2017.

No finals in 2017 is a failure for the club in any way you look at it. Yes we're a developing young side, but we also haven't played finals for 11 years now and have enough talent in our team to win more often than not. The only times we lose are the times we don't turn up. No teams have really beat us yet, we've only lost games. We need to turn up to play every week for 4 quarters and do what should be done. It starts with Richmond this week. They've beat up on 3 crap teams and one decent team who struggle away from home. If we turn up with the right attitude to play, we will beat them. Even if Dusty gets 40 touches, we'll still beat them because we have a far better spread of talent across the park and better coaching staff. 

We need to win at least 4 of those if we're going to have a chance. I think we will.

4 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

And it is the Senior Coaches job to "prepare" his players

 

Certainly is.

Unlike many i see this as just any/another game.

To do otherwise is to fall back into our playing-filth/our-grand-final rut.

We need to play 4qtr footy every week.

I actually think we can win. ( caveat 120 of footy )

Same the week after....and after.

Get to finals... That's a different thing 

41 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Certainly is.

Unlike many i see this as just any/another game.

To do otherwise is to fall back into our playing-filth/our-grand-final rut.

We need to play 4qtr footy every week.

I actually think we can win. ( caveat 120 of footy )

Same the week after....and after.

Get to finals... That's a different thing 

Yep spot on. If the coach(s) cannot prepare a side for 120 minutes they are not doing the job properly. 

The talent is there...

It's certainly going to be hot - both sides credibility is on the line, and it will happen on a big stage. Richmond are flying and we're buoyant - the 'G will be packed and nousy. I can't wait.

"Biggest test in years" is just silly hyperbole though. At our stage of development, every game is winnable and losable. Every week is a test - it's just that this week, more people are watching.

1 hour ago, Soidee said:

I really get jacked off when interstate teams beat us on our supposed home ground.

Do you know that we have played 13 times against Freo on the MCG, and Freo lead 7-6. Says it all, really.

I think Richmond will get us by 5 goals.  Sorry to be negative but the 2 games I have watched live Carlton and Fremantle, we aren't that good.  To many players just can't kick and that is a massive issue for the way we play as soon as we turn over the football we are in trouble.  At the moment I reckon we have 2 players that played on the weekend with elite AFL kicking skills Watts and Salem, the next best is Jetta but I reckon he knows his limits 25-35m kicks.  On the flip side we have a number off players to me that can't kick the Football at AFL Standard.

2 hours ago, Luther said:

This a huge moment for 'the new era' MFC.

Either we wilt, continue the terrible fadeouts and inability to finish, and lose to Richmond.

Or we make a massive statement to the competition by putting together our first 4 quarter effort for the year and beat them by 5 goals.

Over to you Goody and players.

Or we 'do a Melbourne' and beat the Tigers easily and then lose to Essendon