First world problems!

I remember the days when we were complaining about how easily we were being crushed by other teams. 

2 minutes ago, Trisul said:

Coaching directives could also be at play here.  We've had trouble stopping opposition run-ons and it's less costly to attempt to improve on our tempo control when we have a decent lead.

Although the scores were basically level, we did this between the second and third quarters against the Saints after we'd withstood and overrun their crazy pressure and they subsequently dropped their heads - and I was sure tempo-footy was a directive from the coaches box - but in this instance we did it very well by playing patient and lowering the eyes. For a quarter. Before we started fiddling with it again in the last.

14 minutes ago, Jaded said:

First world problems!

I remember the days when we were complaining about how easily we were being crushed by other teams. 

I remember the days when I counted anything less than a 10 goal loss as bit of a win

6 minutes ago, fndee said:

I remember the days when I counted anything less than a 10 goal loss as bit of a win

Let's develop a bit of amnesia and forget the nightmares of the past.  Let's just enjoy the present moment and dream of the future - our boys are, that's for sure, ride the wave with them and enjoy!

 

Smashing teams would be the next natural progression for us, the wins are coming (how good does it feel!) and now we're in the picture for finals we need to get a couple of big wins under our belt. Obviously no 1 we have to first win and not go into games with arrogance, we've seen how that turns out, but reality is we are better than North and we have to make sure they know it at full time with a big margin. Brisbane as well. Pies will hopefully be mentally checked out in round 23 being out of finals contention but it's the Pies and I'm sure they'd like to ruin plans for us. 

Bottom line, win first and then smash. 

2 hours ago, america de cali said:

It a been a hard slog in the past two months. Lots of travel, good opposition and short breaks. Be thankful we won more than we lost in that period. 

 

44 minutes ago, Jaded said:

First world problems!

I remember the days when we were complaining about how easily we were being crushed by other teams. 

Winning even narrowly is far better than losing: we aren't used to repeatedly winning. 

And our manic game style is hard to sustain over 4 quarters.

Just learning to keep winning, then learn how to crush.

That said, I sincerely hope that we can dominate and crush Norf this weekend.

My best mate barracks for Fitzroy - Brisbane.

i watched their dynasty very closely with him at every pub in Australia. It grew slowly but when it got going it was like a fire that couldn't be put out. We look like them now in their early days. We haven't belted anyone yet but we will and then we will do it mechanically.

Adelaide don't want to play us week 1 of the finals. They rate us best.

 

We need at least one before seasons end such is the importance of percentage in jostling for the final 8.

I would love it to be against North.

The narrow losses that we absolutely should've won earlier this season are the games that still haunt me, eg, Freo.

Beating a team by 70 instead of, say, 40 is perhaps frustrating, but it's not remotely on the same page as dropping 4 points, particularly in a tight season.

 

4 hours ago, Skuit said:

There are of course fluctuations in games, and ‘putting the cue in the rack’ to conserve energy or guard against injuries, but we just can’t seem to put our foot on the throat of the opposition when they’re down – a mark of a ruthless, champion team, and so important as to % with the competition evening out. And junk-time goals against are a serious %-killer.

 

We also seem to have some strange 40-point barrier, and I know this well, as the only time I ever really have a flutter is when I have a sense we might unexpectedly dominate and take the big-odds 39+ option (it’s been killing me, although we got across the magical line against Adelaide with a last-minute goal to Kent).

 

The past two seasons; lead progression points and final margins (I’ve left out 2015 but it’s a similar pattern in our wins). Outside of these matches, we only capitalised against GC and Brisbane to record larger winning margins, while the Bulldogs this season was a reasonable example of cue in the rack.

 

2017

 

Port

 

20.46 2^nd – 43  /  Final – 23

 

Western

 

25.24 2^nd – 40  /  32.29 3^rd – 50  /  Final – 57

 

Gold Coast

 

18.37 4^th – 34  /  25.22 4^th – 41  /  Final – 35

 

Adelaide

 

6.56 4^th – 39  /  Final – 41

 

Essendon

 

3.59 4^th – 45  /  Final – 38

 

Saints

 

8.33 3^rd – 34  /  8.08 4^th – 42  /  Final – 30

 

2016

 

Port

 

17.53 2^nd – 43  /  Final – 40

 

Freo

 

16.20 2^nd – 43  /  12.47 3^rd – 50  /  Final – 32

 

Collingwood

 

20.55 4^th – 55  /  Final – 46

 

Richmond

 

30.34 4^th – 39

 

  /  Final – 33

 

Collingwood

 

10.26 2^nd – 42  /  18.22 3^rd – 39  /  Final – 35

 

 

 

 

Are you forgetting Rd 7, 2016?

We were up by 5 points at half time and ended up smashing them by 73 points.  Jack Viney started the ball rolling, by kicking two goals in quick succession just after half time.

I went to the game at Metricon with my old man.  It was a most enjoyable evening.  As I recall, it was a bit of a break out game for Harmes and Gawn got right amongst it as well (before all the media were worshiping Gawn Dawg as the super start MFC supporters knew he was).

 

Also, whist the Hawks game last year was only in the order of 30 or so points, it really did feel that we put them to the sword and never took the foot off in that last quarter.

1 minute ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

 

Are you forgetting Rd 7, 2016?

We were up by 5 points at half time and ended up smashing them by 73 points.  Jack Viney started the ball rolling, by kicking two goals in quick succession just after half time.

 

I mentioned it in the OP as an exception (although I failed to clarify which season), along with our otherwise ordinary win against Brisbane.

1 hour ago, Pates said:

Smashing teams would be the next natural progression for us . . .

Bottom line, win first and then smash. 

In 2011, the progression was smash first before learning to win.

12 hours ago, Nasher said:

Far out. Without a word of a lie, I wrote that Dory joke on here the other day then decided it was probably too obscure for people to get, so I didn't post it. Hope nobody laughs at it now!

As a Dad, it matters not to me if people laugh.  That is the joy of a Dad Gag!!!

I think it's as much about us having a young group in an even Comp to be honest, I think it'll come. 

We generally play 3/4 of good footy per game in our wins, when it's 4/4 we will win those games by a lot more 

I remember Swans in the late 80's would belt teams by 100 points regularly .Deisel ,Murphy,Daniher ,Carter,Capper,Wrightetc

That was not the team that broke the premiership drought for Sydney.The Roos flag came from a team that refused to lose.

The margins are closer now due to  team defensive structures across the whole comp, forward pressure etc.

 Forwards never chased in years gone by and rarely tackled.

Rotations and fitness levels are higher across the board .

The Communist draft system sees  talent given to those with need- but this is undone by free agency.

There is more to play for in young sides in terms of careers- so we tend to see less insipid performances like we did at Kardinia thankfully.

I thought Gold Coast might become a basket case and hoped Carlton would .

North have little to play for but personal pride but I am hoping for a win and zero injuries .

Even a 2 point win will be a good hit out for us.

Even Norf are not as bad as the ladder suggests.

12 hours ago, hardtack said:

We're learning to win more than we lose... foot on the throat can come later.

Like party time late in the last qr of the GF.

13 hours ago, Skuit said:

Another question:

At half-time against Port, the commentators were banging on about how the Port players were up and about in the change-rooms and brimming with confidence - even though they had absolutely no right to be.

Throw back to 2016 vs. Port: Melbourne go 43 points up near the 18-minute mark of the second quarter, while Port have managed only the single goal, the first of the game.

Are teams aware of our inability to put the contest beyond reach?

They should have been up and about as well - they were in a game they had no right to be - we'd just returned from Darwin, had 4 guys returning from injury who were going to tire and they'd just been gifted 2 goals, on top of this Gawn had rolled his ankle. 

I'd like to think that other teams watching our last quarter efforts would have more fear of their ability to get back into a game with us that if we had of just ran out winners by 10 goals. What we did to kill their momentum and win the game (while slammed by some as boring???) shows we do have the ability to put the contest beyond reach even under trying circumstances.  

We also haven't been smashed by other teams.

In fact, there have been very few smashings this season so therein lies the answer. Teams have never been closer than this season.

Yes, I would love to see us put Norf away by 12 goals but I'd be happy with a 1 point win as well. 

We need to put this year and last against the backdrop of a decade of shite.

We are not beating teams by more than 40 points but we are at least beating teams we have not beaten for eons.

From that angle this team is awesome.

1. We are young and still have quite a few guys each week who haven't reached anything near peak endurance

2. We've played a lot on the road and and Etihad and when we have played at the G we've struggled, especially early in the year. Most teams big wins come at home

3. We've had injuries in several games, especially the ones where we've build leads. Joel Smith round 1. Hunt v Adel. Watts, Jones v the Dogs. Similar to this is the Port game second half came post Darwin when we are just trying to kill the game.

4. The forward line has been chopped and changed regularly with Hogan and Gawn out as well as Hannan and Petracca spending more time in the middle. I'm sure the coaches would like to get the Hogan/T Mc/Watts combination settled in for the next 5 weeks plus Garlett and half forwards all working together.

My biggest regret in not having big wins is that the coaches haven't had a lot of chances to do some experimenting and resting of players in game. 

The counter to that is we've often had such poor starts that Goodwin has made a heap of moves during games so its not like we haven't tried a few things.

Once again - 39 points up by the 10min-mark of the 2nd qtr. and a hard-fought win by 24. Not complaining or being negative but the root cause needs to be identified and the problem addressed. We kick just two more goals after going up by 40 and the opposition are effectively buried. Leak two goals by fiddling around or taking the foot off and suddenly it's a four-goal game with an opposition sniff and the problems compound. One day it could really hurt.

1 minute ago, Skuit said:

Once again - 39 points up by the 10min-mark of the 2nd qtr. and a hard-fought win by 24. Not complaining or being negative but the root cause needs to be identified and the problem addressed. We kick just two more goals after going up by 40 and the opposition are effectively buried. Leak two goals by fiddling around or taking the foot off and suddenly it's a four-goal game with an opposition sniff and the problems compound. One day it could really hurt.

We are still learning to win, the kill will come later. 

I am just happy we slammed dunked a 1st Quarter at this stage

We did Steady it up really well in the last Quarter...

the Crush will happen when the kids get match hardened. 

4 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

We are still learning to win, the kill will come later. 

I am just happy we slammed dunked a 1st Quarter at this stage

We did Steady it up really well in the last Quarter...

the Crush will happen when the kids get match hardened. 

SWYL - when it's you calling for a more circumspect and patient approach then I know my concerns must be well out of line.

St Kilda lifted their game big time. Nothing more, nothing less.  Saints were going to answer eventually, and they did. The good news is that we held on and steadied as we have a few times this year. 

I would say that its coming hopefully. We still lack a little firepower and we don't quite hurt teams enough when we get it to the outside. Once these youngsters get that belief and a bigger tank I have faith we will run over the top of someone.

7 hours ago, Skuit said:

SWYL - when it's you calling for a more circumspect and patient approach then I know my concerns must be well out of line.

We haven't smashed anyone this year, I didn't expect to, which is why losing to Freo and Nought Melb got me angry. 

We should be eyeing of a top 4 spot on points alone, but life is never perfect!!