I like this thread!

1. Our bottom 4 were hopeless (and can be replaced) but we stayed in the game even when we went to sleep (might be two points). 

2. Our clearance work is good. 

3. Our defence will not be that bad next week and thereafter. 

 

They didn’t give up!

Held an expected top 4 team to only 17points in the second half!(pity about the other 80 in the first)

ANB’s 50m snap goal!

2 hours ago, 3183 Dee said:

Some good displays of hardness - bumps etc.

Confidence that they were still in the game.

Petracca, Oliver, Gawn, Hogan, Jones

 

As a side note, Gerard Whateley said that he felt the Melbourne v Geelong game was the highest quality game of the weekend and that if you’d picked those 2 sides as legitimate contenders at the end of the year, you would have left the game convinced. Always good to get an outside perspective.

Agree all of the above.  I personally had some very mixed feelings about our chances of winning yesterday.  Leading up to the game, I thought it was a game we should win, but one that we also stood a fair chance of stuffing up and loosing.  Even at half time I thought that we had a pretty good chance of getting back into the game and getting into a match winning position, but I still wasn't overly confident that we would actually pull it off.  My rationale being that for us to play so poorly and below our ability for a quarter like that, but still only be 27 points down, it was very doable to peg that back over a half of footy.

Personally I don't put much weight on Geelong finishing top 4 last year.  We had them on toast with a very depleated side minus Max/ruck pressence for most of the game, until we ran out of tank in the last quarter, similarly us against Richmond (who I likewise don't really rate that high).  We win both those winnable games and the two North ones and we would have been the ones finishing top four - North would have finished on the bottom.

The comp is so tight at the moment that mental application over 4 quarters is crucial.  I take some positive from the fact that Richmond were perennial chokers for the first half of last season, but were able to turn that around and win a flag.  I really think our team has the ability and is on the cusp of something special, but for some small further improvements in the maturity og the playing group.  Per one of the other threads, it's just those odd bad quarters now which are hurting our ability to win consistently, which I see as something very fixable that should come from players better reading and responding to those slides within quarters and from further beleif within the group (i.e. improved mental maturity).  Much of our playing list is at or coming into their physical prime, whilst I see the likes of Geelong and Hawthorn dropping away in this regards.

It is very frustrating to watch the team faulter though.

P.S. sorry for this post, not succinct, not all positive, but a bit like our game yesterday, still some positives within it.

1.  The Gawn, Oliver and Petracca combo is very good.  Add a fit and firing Viney (fingers crossed) and we could have a midfield that is widely feared.

2.  Our mind-set and tenacity to fight back from the brink, even though maybe half the team had overall 'ordinary' games.

3.  OMac was our best defender on the day.  Who would have thunk it, given the more high profile team-mates that were all around him.

Dangerfield wan't playing

we played at the G

we only lost by 3 points 

 

Good to see a positive topic:

• Our Clearance work in close (Gawn, Oliver, TRacc)
• Our running game : attacking
• Improvement in Omac, Harmes flew under radar a bit.

1. Oliver

2. Trac

3. Gawn's rucking back to its best 

1. Gawn was influential. It is absolutely massive for us to have him fully fit and back out there.

2. Petracca has arrived as a mid and looks to be of elite quality. What he did against a top side in Geelong suggests he should be able to replicate that against lesser quality sides (which is what we need because we struggle against some of them).

3. Clayton Oliver is already right up there was the best mids in the game. We knew that after last year but he looks even fitter this year, and that is great for MFC.

Three very important pieces of the puzzle. We need these guys on their game so we can continue to push the ball down to Hogan. Hopefully Salem can remain in the midfield and allow us to move the ball inside 50 effectively.

1. Wagners tackle on Selwood

2. Wagners tackle on Selwood

3. Wagners tackle on Selwood

1 minute ago, Danelska said:

1. Wagners tackle on Selwood

2. Wagners tackle on Selwood

3. Wagners tackle on Selwood

I raise you Garlett's tackle on Ablett, followed by Ablett having a 10 minute cry to the umpire about it. Beautiful! 

1 minute ago, Jaded said:

I raise you Garlett's tackle on Ablett, followed by Ablett having a 10 minute cry to the umpire about it. Beautiful! 

Ahhh, I only got to watch it from about 20 seconds before wagers tackle... if you've got a link -- id love it.

Petracca's 11 possession first term indicating what will happen when he develops the tank

Oliver will be the in the  best couple of inside mids in the comp for a decade

Most deficiencies that lead to the loss can be tweaked by coaching and selection

Petracca and Oliver

Petracca and Oliver

Petracca and Oliver

oh...did i mention Max Gawn?....Max Gawn, who will now remember how to kick goals from close range in a final.

Edited March 26, 20187 yr by Wadda We Sing

1. We're not Collingwood

2. We're not Collingwood

3. We're not Collingwood

 

1. The Torp is back
2. Oliver's hands
3. Trac clearance work

1. I didn't swear in front of my kids when we lost

2. I didn't break the tv in front of my kids when we lost

3. I didn't knock out by hawks supporting partner in front of my kids when we lost

That's all folks!

1. Fritsch's unbelievable 1st quarter contested mark.  Just leapt up and plucked it out of the air.  Should be in this week's contender for MOTR then MOTY.

2. At no stage did we drop our heads or put hands on hips.  Stayed positive and confident.

3. Oliver remonstrating with Selwood for taking Salem out with a tunnelling manoeuvre.

Edited March 26, 20187 yr by Lucifer's Hero

- The issues we had aren't to do with talent, effort or age. And almost all issues can be fixed in one week.

- All the improvement seen last year is still there to be seen, particularly with the midfield.

- The opposition defended beautifully all day despite Taylor getting hurt, and we still kicked almost 100 points. And with Hogan having a dirty day running under a lot of balls.

thread is good:

1. no major injuries
2. no suspensions
3. we got blown away in 20 minutes and fought back brilliantly, had it back to less than a goal the diff at 3/4 time, and held them to 2.5 after half time

44 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

1. We're not Collingwood

2. We're not Collingwood

3. We're not Collingwood

 

I’ll raise you:

1. We’re not the saints (SEN are canning the selection of McCartin over Trac)

2. Were not the dogs (how, just how)

3. We’re not Collingwood (so much money, so many draft picks, such a promising young list 5 years ago, nothing now). 

 

In seriousness: 

1. 17 point half when Selwood and Ablett had 40+ touches between them

2. Clearance domination 

3. Lever will never play that bad again. 

1 hour ago, Danelska said:

1. Wagners tackle on Selwood

2. Wagners tackle on Selwood

3. Wagners tackle on Selwood

Was going to say this, I thought he had broken selwoods leg was magnificent I bet the [censored] is sore today 

We were 27 points down at main break and to come out and play ourselves back into the match against a hot Ablett and Selwood led by Petracca .Clarry and Gawny was outstanding. To keep them to 2 goals in the 2nd half was a credit to our players. However Gawny 's miss cost us the 4 points obviously. No blame!

1. Petrac and Clarry are Super Stars

2.Coming from 27 points and Cats kicking 2 goals in the 2nd half.

3. l wished for Scotty to crap his pants. He probably did.

Oliver 

Petracca

Hot jam donuts

Just now, Lord Travis said:

Oliver 

Petracca

Hot jam donuts

Thats right, when all around you are losing their heads and the game looks hopelessly lost, there is always a hot jam donut somewhere close by.

37 minutes ago, Dee-licious said:

I’ll raise you:

1. We’re not the saints (SEN are canning the selection of McCartin over Trac)

2. Were not the dogs (how, just how)

3. We’re not Collingwood (so much money, so many draft picks, such a promising young list 5 years ago, nothing now). 

 

In seriousness: 

1. 17 point half when Selwood and Ablett had 40+ touches between them

2. Clearance domination 

3. Lever will never play that bad again. 

How did we get one right after so many fluffs.......so happy about this. Suck it up Saints.