4 minutes ago, Bigred said:

The 'carpet' between boundary and fence,  and the closeness of the fence is unsafe. There needs to be some way of softening the fence yet tolerating advertising. Every week someone crashes into the fence. Someone will have a major injury.... in a ground that will be owned by the AFL. 

 

 

Even on the ground proper..inside the line... seemed very unsettling for many.  To me anyway

45 minutes ago, america de cali said:

My Essendon neighbour who is always glad to talk footy artfully avoided me this morning when I saw him out on the street. Ducked inside real quick. Said Daniher will kick another six against us. 

Go knock on their door for a cup of sugar 

22 hours ago, dee-tox said:

What rubbish.

The old everyone is against us go and eat worms conspiracy.

Dunstall is an excellent special comments commentator. Probably the best.

Yes sure, I didnt say he was a bad commentator, i just said that he pots us and hes been doing it for years....

Had a keen eye on the clearances because of the rucking situation we find ourselves in.  Only counted those clearances where one side or the other gained a clear advantage.  So for the sake of the exercise I'll call them 'clean' clearances. 

The AFL site had the clearance numbers at Melbourne 40 & Essendon 31 with the hit-out totals at Essendon 45 & Melbourne 25.  But I dispute both sets of numbers.  A lot of the hit-outs went nowhere and here's how I tallied up the clean clearances ...

1st Quarter  ,,, Melb 6   Ess 3

2nd Quarter ... Melb 4   Ess 3

3rd Quarter ... Melb 11  Ess 6

4th Quarter ... Melb 8    Ess 4

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

Totals          ... Melb 29  Ess 16

So we did very well at the stoppages, all things considered.  The decision to rest Leuenberger played into our hands as Bellchambers* is possibly the worst 'authentic' tap ruckman going around.  But the Bombers might have planned long ago to rest Leuenberger because of the 5 day break from their ANZAC fixture. 

They might have also thought they'd lucked out with Gawn & then Spencer both being out but our MC had other ideas and turned the tables on them. 

Those who are planning on watching the replay might like to see what numbers that they come up with themselves (re 'clean' clearances)  I did mark the clearances hard without any bias involved.  There might be a +/- factor of 2 or 3.  

What is also interesting are the clean clearances after half time compared to the first half (the heat going out of the game etc?)

 

*Bellchambers contributed to about a dozen of our clean clearances - well done big fella!  Kudos.

The Coaches Votes should put to bed some of the debate around Tom Mc and Tyson:

• 6  Hurley  
• 6  Oliver
• 6  Watts
• 4  T McDona'd
• 4  Petracca
• 2  Tyson
• 2  Viney

Bit surprised by Hurley, great first half then was taken out of the game.  Good to see Watts get some recognition from the coaches.

The real news - Oliver is second on the leader board.

42 Rory Sloane (Adel)
31 Clayton Oliver (Melb)
31 Joel Selwood (Geel)
29 Ollie Wines (PA)
29 Elliot Yeo (WC)
26 Gary Ablett (GCS)
25 Dustin Martin (Rich)
23 Zach Merrett (Ess)
22 Marcus Bontempelli (WB)
22 Luke Shuey (WC)

What else can one say about our little champ.   He is in elite company.  What is most impressive is his consistency.

Edited May 1, 20178 yr by Lucifer's Hero

36 minutes ago, Deemented Are Go! said:

Go knock on their door for a cup of sugar 

In your dees jumper

43 minutes ago, Deemented Are Go! said:

Go knock on their door for a cup of sugar 

I sw him again after he returned from picking up the kids from school. A curt hello, No eye contact and looked in a hurry. Not the usual chatty self.

2 hours ago, Petraccattack said:

All 17 goals

 

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2017-05-01/rd-6-all-the-goals

Thanks Tracc. Commentators must have had their house on the Bongers winning that one. Flattest most uninspiring call I have ever heard. If you watch Lewis's "thread the needle" goal from hard up against the boundary in the pocket, Huddo & piggy actually groaned as he kicked it as if in dissapointment.  About the only goal they raised an eyebrow over was Tracc's spinning goal out of the pack directly in front.

How much better is Jeffy from set shots this year?

Good to see that both he and Trac have really improved their goal-kicking.

Garlett has 15.4 so far (after kicking 40.31 in 2015 and 29.14 last year) while Trac, who kicked 12.11 last season, has 11.2 to his name.

Jeffy is on track to kick 40+ again and I wouldn't write off CP5's chances of doing the same.    

1 hour ago, Deemented Are Go! said:

Go knock on their door for a cup of sugar 

Or a dash of peptide

55 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

The Coaches Votes should put to bed some of the debate around Tom Mc and Tyson:

• 6  Hurley  
• 6  Oliver
• 6  Watts
• 4  T McDona'd
• 4  Petracca
• 2  Tyson
• 2  Viney

Bit surprised by Hurley, great first half then was taken out of the game.  Good to see Watts get some recognition from the coaches.

Cheers.

That means:

Hurley, Watts and Oliver some combination of 2 × 5+1 and 1 x 3+3

TMac and Petracca both 4+0

Tyson and Viney both 2+0

 

8 minutes ago, Fifty-5 said:

Cheers.

That means:

Hurley, Watts and Oliver some combination of 2 × 5+1 and 1 x 3+3

TMac and Petracca both 4+0

Tyson and Viney both 2+0

In that case, other than the 3+3 it looks like the coaches saw performances quite differently!  I wonder which was which...

I've just started watching the replay.  Halfway through the first quarter and the first thing to really stand out for me is the umpire at the Bombers' end.  Twice we should have had 50m penalties paid, even the notoriously credulous commentary team are in disbelief.  Also a very nice pack mark to Mitch Hannan that wasn't paid, although I don't know if that was the same ump.  All three incidents commented upon by the commentary team who normally stretch reality to breaking point trying to justify anything the umps do as per AFL houses instructions. 

Also, Watts made a very nice tackle on Bellchambers (I think) right in front of our goal which really should have been paid given he had clear prior opportunity and simply dropped the ball on the ground.  We've seen far harsher calls paid this year for incorrect disposal when tackled. 

Next point of note.  The Bombers' second goal came after the Ump at that end missed Nev getting hit high in a tackle.  Not just over the shoulder but a square whack on the jaw. 

Loved the goal from Jack though.  He seems to be backing his pace a bit more and taking those 50m shots.  Good to see. 

Evidence that it may be ineptitude rather than bias as Bernie drags a ball back in directly in front of the Bombers' goal and gets away with it. 

1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

The Coaches Votes should put to bed some of the debate around Tom Mc and Tyson:

• 6  Hurley  
• 6  Oliver
• 6  Watts
• 4  T McDona'd
• 4  Petracca
• 2  Tyson
• 2  Viney

Bit surprised by Hurley, great first half then was taken out of the game.  Good to see Watts get some recognition from the coaches.

The real news - Oliver is second on the leader board.

42 Rory Sloane (Adel)
31 Clayton Oliver (Melb)
31 Joel Selwood (Geel)
29 Ollie Wines (PA)
29 Elliot Yeo (WC)
26 Gary Ablett (GCS)
25 Dustin Martin (Rich)
23 Zach Merrett (Ess)
22 Marcus Bontempelli (WB)
22 Luke Shuey (WC)

What else can one say about our little champ.   He is in elite company.  What is most impressive is his consistency.

Little Champ LH, you got the second word correct but little he's not- the kid's around 187/188 (about 6'2"). I sat near the interchange on Sunday, Clayton's a bluddy good size.

And incidentally Frost looks quite a bit taller than his listed height of 194: I'm sure clubs fudge the stats!

43 minutes ago, Grapeviney said:

How much better is Jeffy from the set shot this year?

Good to see that both he and Trac have really improved their goal-kicking.

Garlett has 15.4 so far (after kicking 40.31 in 2015 and 29.14 last year) while Trac, who kicked 12.11 last season, has 11.2 to his name.

Jeffy is on track to kick 40+ again and I wouldn't write off CP5's chances of doing the same.    

 

Got to admit.... I didn't ink that in as a cert at the time 

1 hour ago, Deemented Are Go! said:

Go knock on their door for a cup of sugar 

And then later claim that you can't find the I.O.U. note.

44 minutes ago, Rusty Nails said:

Or a dash of peptide

On the money RN you have been quite sharp the last couple of weeks.

Watts probably should have had three goals in the first quarter.  He was just grabbed over the shoulder to prevent him jumping into the pack, again right in front of the goals.  Whether you pay high contact or holding, he should have had something from that. 

6 hours ago, Jaded said:

Agreed.

Some people are never satisfied. Yes he made a few blunders, but gees he's had a big month rucking so much more than he ever should have, and backed it up by kicking 4 goals yesterday.

His kicking is superb, him and Salem are pretty much the only players I want kicking around the ground or delivering the ball inside 50. 

He's having a great season! 

Got nothing to do with the blunders. I don't care if Jack makes the occasional error by foot, because it's pretty rare. I do care if he doesn't bring the required intensity. He didn't IMO. I'm sorry.

5 hours ago, Bobby McKenzie said:

Gee, we still have Watts bashers in our midst. Have a look at the voting in our player of the year comp. I think you are out of line with your comments. But you are entitled to your opinion. Or are you just baiting me mate?

No, I was genuinely disappointed with his intensity. I don't sit here bagging Watts every week.

This has nothing to do with the game, but I just have to say how good is it that Jayden Hunt is constantly rocking his 90's era Melbourne hat out and about.

I bloody love it.

26 minutes ago, old dee said:

On the money RN you have been quite sharp the last couple of weeks.

Not so bad yourself OD ...intended or otherwise!

2 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

This has nothing to do with the game, but I just have to say how good is it that Jayden Hunt is constantly rocking his 90's era Melbourne hat out and about.

I bloody love it.

I  thought the afl approved headband was a bit festive.

But at least they quashed that bad ass image before things got out oud control.

Npw they can make a few grand from approved strips of printed cloth,or fake cloth,as they do.

25 minutes ago, A F said:

Got nothing to do with the blunders. I don't care if Jack makes the occasional error by foot, because it's pretty rare. I do care if he doesn't bring the required intensity. He didn't IMO. I'm sorry.

No, I was genuinely disappointed with his intensity. I don't sit here bagging Watts every week.

I didn't see the match other than highlights and the goals AF but weighted stats i keep had him ranked 3rd in his best "non rucking" game of the year and his best comparative ranking of the year (he may have had better overall games statistically and in reality in matches where he played a significant part in the ruck as these stats dont take hit outs to advantage, or any hit outs, into account).

Personally if he kicks 3 to 4 goals (or more) most weeks i would be over the moon with that result!

Edited May 1, 20178 yr by Rusty Nails