Just now, Wiseblood said:

We were favourites.  We're still better as the underdogs.

True, but it shouldnt be the case is we are ever to be successful. 

1 minute ago, ding said:

True, but it shouldnt be the case is we are ever to be successful. 

Of course not, nor am I saying it should be.  

27 minutes ago, Demonised said:

I don't want reality. I want the Melbourne dream.

Why? It's a nightmare. 

funny i thought we had more chance of beating GWS than North

so far so good , i guess we lost again to North , a game we should ave won.

now we have 50/50 chance of playing finals, but beat GWS and it all changes again 

they say a week in football is a long time 

well try being a Melbourne supporter......

 

I didn't mean this thread to be negative. I just wanted to vent that I'm concerned about making finals now. It's not just about us. I should have also mentioned my concern about this year being very, very tight. My problem is I get all excited about us winning and start dreaming top 4.

After being really down for a decade, teams don't really improve that much over two years was my point. I think the progress we have made is awesome. 

Our injuries this year have been crap.

My heart goes out to Jesse Hogan.

Really missed Jones and Vince yesterday, they know how to scrap. Also at his age it shouldn't be up to Oliver to lead the midfield,thank god we have him.

Need to calm down a bit. A win and we all say how awesome we are and a loss it's all "back to the old days".

If we come out and perform well against GWS and take a good win we will be floating our own boat again.

4 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

We were favourites.  We're still better as the underdogs.

Then we need to get better at winning as favourites.  Most preimers do it from finishing top four and to get there the team would be favorites most weeks.

Perhaps the pre finals bye will help even things up a bit more compared to years gone by (pardon the pun), but playing finals from outside the top 3 / top 4 has been the downfall of MFC teams since the 80s.  Obviously an extreme outside chance of top 4 this year, but getting there is where the team needs to get to in the years beyond this one.

Edited July 30, 20177 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Just now, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

The we need to get better at winning as favourites.  Most preimers do it from finishing top four and to get there the team would be favorites most weeks.

Perhaps the pre finals bye will help even things up a bit more compared to years gone by (pardon the pun), but playing finals from outside the top 3 / top 4 has been the downfall of MFC teams since the 80s.  Obviously an extreme outside chance of top 4 this year, but getting there is where the team needs to get to in the years beyond this one.

Absolutely we do.  We're getting better at it, but losses to Freo, Hawthorn and now North in games we should be winning suggest that we don't like being hunted.  The North game surprised me though as I thought we had turned the corner with these sorts of losses, but clearly we're still learning how to handle it.  It's just a shame that it could cost us dearly.

6 hours ago, ProperDee said:

Let's be honest here. We are never going to be a legitimate contender with Harmes, JKH, ANB and Trengove in the side.  We are 4 players - Nate, Bernie, Gus and Vanders - short of a very good team.  Having said that, we have done very well given our injury list this year and as a supporter, I am happy that we have become competitive. I live in hope but it seems to me our young fellas are running out of legs. A few looked cooked yesterday. Maybe time to put the cue in the rack for 2017.

Disagree with your thoughts in ANB, Hes been good this year and developed nicely. Made a few costly blues yesterday but other than that there is upside to him

You can say we're building and while its true,  look around at all the other clubs re next year. Essendon are coming with a bullet, the pies will fancy themselves, Stkilda will have 2 x first round picks this off season, Hawthorn will improve, North will be better as will Carlton. To fall into " its ok because we're building" is crap. We have a golden opp THIS year and need to find the belief to really take it...who knows when an opp like this will come again. 

So, while I agree that we are buidling, lets do that by making the 8 and build on THAT. If we blow this chance its going to really sting the club. 

Exactly, can never take a finals sniff for granted. Next year teams could easily have worked out our strategy and negate it (just as teams worked out Hinkley and Beveridge).

Can't take this season for granted. We have to play finals and seize our momentum.

5 hours ago, ding said:

Breaking a 16 game losing streak to a bunch of campainers in an away game wasnt a challenge?

against a team that has b en tanking, yes we should have won and won well. Especially with a gale in the last quarter. What, 2 goals in the second half?  Premiers don't do that. 

4 hours ago, loges said:

Really missed Jones and Vince yesterday, they know how to scrap. Also at his age it shouldn't be up to Oliver to lead the midfield,thank god we have him.

Feel proud of yourself, Bernie?  Your ill discipline let us all down, especially your team mates. 

Edited July 30, 20177 yr by monoccular

Hate to say it, but in a year where no team stands out and a top 4 spot could give a club a big chance at a flag...... this might just be the year of the Tiger.

God that would make me puke.

Watch us beat GWS and lose to Brisbane 

1 hour ago, Wells 11 said:

You can say we're building and while its true,  look around at all the other clubs re next year. Essendon are coming with a bullet, the pies will fancy themselves, Stkilda will have 2 x first round picks this off season, Hawthorn will improve, North will be better as will Carlton. To fall into " its ok because we're building" is crap. We have a golden opp THIS year and need to find the belief to really take it...who knows when an opp like this will come again. 

So, while I agree that we are buidling, lets do that by making the 8 and build on THAT. If we blow this chance its going to really sting the club. 

You are correct about the Dons and Pies (although the latter have more than a few fossils).

Norf are declining. They were 12 wins last year and 6 this year. St Kilda are treading water and once Riewoldt goes will falter. Carlton treading as well.

Normally I would agree the building line is crap. It was a mantra used for 10 years without evidence.

The evidence is there this time. 

Look at the embarrassing records we have broken. Look how young the team is.

My point is the embarrassing records should make us remember how crap we were. You cant turn that around too quickly.

If we get 12 wins and miss finals, I don't think we would have blown it. It's a bloody tight season. Also, our injuries smashed us at a crucial point in the season and b4 anyone says all teams have them, some have a bit of luck as well.