Freekick count = 14 - 14

Funny what happens when that pr!ck Nicholls doesn't umpire our games.

38 minutes ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

That smelled of round 2, 2016 effort. It's rare that I get too worked up but I can tell the difference between an effort where we are cracking in but not getting the breaks and an effort where we are playing like head wobblers. I got bloody dirty at what I was seeing.

However, we got over the line and that is what matters. The bye comes at a good time for us as we need to have our heads on straight for the Magpies.

Positives:

Nate Jones: he played a great captain's game. Stood up when it mattered.

Cam Pedersen: One thing I love about him is that he is one of the few we have who never takes the head off and replaces it with a turnip. Even when it seemed we were trying our best to recreate the footballing equivalent of Fawlty Towers, he was hitting targets and presenting.

Mitch Hannan: Not overly prolific but takes advantage of the opportunities he is given. Should retain his spot as a medium sized forward when Jesse comes back.

Jeff Garlett: Near textbook small forward's game. 

 

Negatives: 

O-Mac: Everytime he seemed to get to the ball, I would say 'he's not ready'. I don't back away from this. Decision making for a defender needs serious work.

Tommy Bugg: Why is he being played forward? Needs some serious time with a goal kicking coach.

Consistency of effort: For a full half of football, we were playing like deadset muppets. A combo of the Suns running out of puff and us deciding to put in a half decent effort got us over the line.

 

Buggy's a tough one, he does all the right things, but as a forward if your not slotting them..

51 minutes ago, bing181 said:

Can't get Hogan and Gawn (or even Spencer) back quick enough.

I agree. I think we would be 7/3 or 8/2 with Gawn, Hogan and especially Lewis when he was rubbed out. I can't help noticing Lewis genereling the troops at half time and three quarter time today. He would have made a huge difference in for instance the Richmond game. 

We have been unlucky, but we have also been "green". We are also the least experienced team in the 8 by some margin. It is no excuse, but the signs are good. 

Id love to get rid of this on/off pattern in winning tho. With Hogan and Gawn back for the second half of the year we will be incredibly formidable. 

Just now, ProperDee said:

No offence Dan but really? Oscar would be near to the worst player in the comp. Would not get a game in any other team. Tom...so much hype but his decision making and disposal is very, very ordinary. 

Whoa. Weird being called by my name. Nice to make your acquaintance.

Oscar would get into any list in the comp besides those with a full quota of KP defenders with 50 games under their belts. He's a young key position player playing on a local pitch against KP forwards that are sensational, and were playing well. He's a kid. You have to look at what he can do based on what he's done so far. Not on individual mistakes he makes. People mark him harshly but he's in development still. My only problem with him is that we have 3 of the same kind with Frost and TMac as well, so one will have to make way for the heavy we recruit or develop. Either that or he has to add a string to his bow, as all he does is work inside defensive fifty. Saying he's close to worst in the comp. That's just nonsense. Sorry. I get the frustration with him cos he gets exposed, like all young KP defenders. But fair go, he's nowhere near that bad.

TMac played all day forward or in the ruck. I think he went back for all of 5 minutes. Two weeks ago he went forward and was a huge part of us beating the best team in the comp. People forget quickly. Tom is definitely a good player. Plenty of good players with bad kicking technique.

To each their own though.

41 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Getting in early - we are going to absolutely belt Collingwood in two weeks time.

Settle down Petracca, I've heard of the early crow but ... 2 weeks early ???? Like your confidence though

4 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

In our defence .... we kicked 2 goals 7 in the second quarter. If it had been 6.3 or even 5.4 this would have been a good game for us.

The forward line simply did not function in the first half. The backline played reasonably well and the mids held their own.

Aaron Hall had a blinding first quarter and a reasonable second quarter but was far less effective in the second half.

MFCSS was really alive in that first half but deservedly so. GC are deservedly 16th on the ladder and lost to Port at a neutral venue by over 60 points.

No don't make excuses for the 2nd term. 

It was very bad and needs to be seriously addressed. 

This is not a win to celebrate. 

That said Jeff Garlett can have a cold one

54 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

How many supporters are only going to watch MFC games after halftime from now on

Asked the Minister for War and Finance if she would watch the replay with me tomorrow "do I have to watch the 1st half?" she asked. Absolutely! I replied, I really want to look at why we were so bad in the beginning.

 

58 minutes ago, DSP said:

The very definition of a game of two halves.

There is NO other team in sports that does this to their supporters.

And we all keep coming back for more.

 

Credit where credits due, we won and won comfortably. But can we just do this for 4 quarters please....

That is crap.  There are lots of other teams that do it this year.   Tigers, Bulldogs, Saints. Should I keep going

You can't be happy that for 60 percent of the game we were putrid. 

Not sure I would give TMac a game if Hogan comes back after the bye. Salem can come in and move forward and take Bugg/ANB's spot.

Watts and Lewis must've received a blasting at half time. Both seemed intent to impact the game, and along with Jones, probably turned it for us.

Jones BoG

Melksham's best game

Jeffy good as ever

Omac poor again

Bugg not a forward

Harmes a great inclusion

I thought Alex Neal bullen and harmes did enough to hold their spot.

bugg out and Salem in 

I was on a drip at the Austin after the first half, however after a heavy dose of OxyContin and watching the second half I'm now on my fifth pint.

A lot of negativity on this thread and fair enough for our shitty first half.

However

1. We won

2. We played some good footy and turned a 30 point deficit into a strong win.

3. It keeps us in touch in a very strangely even season

Let's put Gawn/Spencer and Hogan back into that side. Pedo stays as a key forward and gives us a marking option up forward. Also we don't get continually outmarked around the ground. An oppo defence has to cover Hogan and Pedo so Watts is freed up. Garlett has more crumbing opportunities. Hannan ( who has an innate ability to be in the right spot) could be a real wild card.

Our mids actually get a percentage of taps directed to them.

Game on. 

10 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

No don't make excuses for the 2nd term. 

It was very bad and needs to be seriously addressed. 

This is not a win to celebrate. 

That said Jeff Garlett can have a cold one

But aren't you one of those posters, like old dee and beelzebub, who often talks about how the only important stat is the W-L ratio and that there's no such thing as "honourable losses"?

If, when we lose, you only talk about the loss and ignore what might have been positive about the performance, I feel like you should acknowledge the importance of the win even if we played tripe for 2.5 quarters.

Just now, titan_uranus said:

But aren't you one of those posters, like old dee and beelzebub, who often talks about how the only important stat is the W-L ratio and that there's no such thing as "honourable losses"?

If, when we lose, you only talk about the loss and ignore what might have been positive about the performance, I feel like you should acknowledge the importance of the win even if we played tripe for 2.5 quarters.

Bit rich from someone who stated they haven't yet watched the game. 

Watch  the first half and then make comments

29 minutes ago, Dees2014 said:

Yes, it is interesting isn't it. I decided to go for a bike ride, have a coffee, just chill out at half time. I came back via Foxtel IQ 40 minutes later and they were 10 points in front. I think I am a jinx. I will refrain from live watching in future -.far more enjoyable when you know the result!

I was following the game day thread and the match centre online until about 10 minutes into the third quarter, when I had to go and run my kids around for a while. At that point we were 30 points down. When I got home over an hour later, we had won by 6 goals! Pinch me please to make sure I am awake! Clearly Dees2014, you and I should pay less attention to the games in future

Currently at a restaurant where the boys must be staying.  They are in the pool for a quick recovery.  Watts is limping but hopefully the week off will help. Players a bit embarrased as they walked through the restaurant with melbourne fans clapping them. Told jonsey great 2nd half by him.

1 hour ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Nathan Jones is a hero!! He willed the team to a win.

Lewis and Garlett exceptional too, special mentions to Hunt and Viney 

Edit Harmes and Hibberd too 

I only saw the second half. Not sure what you're all complaining about ?

Oscar McDonald: 11 x 1% ers. Double anyone else in the team. THAT'S why he's playing. He's ranked 4th in the AFL for average 1%'ers per game.

Does he need to improve other aspects of his game? Absolutely. But stop looking at what he doesn't do, and look instead at what he DOES do. The rest will come.

19 minutes ago, Abe said:

I thought Alex Neal bullen and harmes did enough to hold their spot.

bugg out and Salem in 

Neal Bullen was excellent.  Did not waste a touch.

7 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Bit rich from someone who stated they haven't yet watched the game. 

Watch  the first half and then make comments

I don't need to watch the game to make this point. It is clear we were terrible for the first 2.5 quarters.

When we lose but play well, you are one of a few people who often post about how the way we play is irrelevant or not important when we lose. It seems, to me, that it is hypocritical to say that when we play poorly but win, the way we played is relevant.

The characters in this book are up there with those in Game Of Thrones, oh my, the twists!!! 

 

16 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

A lot of negativity on this thread and fair enough for our shitty first half.

However

1. We won

2. We played some good footy and turned a 30 point deficit into a strong win.

3. It keeps us in touch in a very strangely even season

Let's put Gawn/Spencer and Hogan back into that side. Pedo stays as a key forward and gives us a marking option up forward. Also we don't get continually outmarked around the ground. An oppo defence has to cover Hogan and Pedo so Watts is freed up. Garlett has more crumbing opportunities. Hannan ( who has an innate ability to be in the right spot) could be a real wild card.

Our mids actually get a percentage of taps directed to them.

Game on. 

You drink...

waters down the message

( Makes no sense i know lol )

36 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Thomas Bugg needs to bugger off. 

Pretty nice to win a game of footy when about half the team deserves to be left in Alice never to be seen again. 

Pathetic lackluster garbage effort for 2.5 quarters. Distinct lack of effort and some woeful kicks and decision making. Incredibly frustrating. 

We are a long long way off being good enough to make, let alone win finals. 

If we played a good team today, we would have been 20 goals down at half time. 

Arh, the glass half empty