Don't like admiring the opposition, but gee Charlie Cameron was good.

... Brisbane supporters probably said the same about Garlett.

When great players play at their best and get on a role, they can be pretty darn hard to stop, no matter how good the defender is.

13 hours ago, layzie said:

A tale of two halves:

The first half I saw hard running both ways, good forward pressure and decent skill hitting targets. Guys like Trac and Hibberd getting it on a string.

The second half I saw a lot less running, a lot more fumbling (understand the conditions played some part) and a lot more panicking. Garlett and Hodges saved the day, Clarry you can hold your head up high but across the board we really dropped off.

How many of these games does Lever have to have before we worry? Because right now he’s looking like the most expensive 3rd tall defender ever.

Whenever Demons stop running as a team they struggle!

Lever is a great 3rd tall intercept defender, and we’re trying to turn him into a 2nd tall man vs man defender. Pick Frost or Smith and let Lever do what he does best.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE. 

Can’t say rum and coke and chocolate eggs go well together but I will push through it. 

A win no matter how beats losin any day imo. 

2 hours ago, Mondê said:

4 points in the bag, but fadeouts need to be addressed pronto. Lots of people bashing Lewis... and it's fair enough. Move him to the coaches box and bring Gus in. We need to instill some confidence in Gus, he's our future not Lewis. The time is now. 

Is it just me or has Hunt lost a yard or two? Where's the trademark run and carry gone? It has really exposed him as an average footballer. Stretch comes in to that role for mine.

Lever needs time to build up that matchday chemistry, Frost in to free him up. 

Really noticing the absence of Viney and Tom McDonald.

Super impressed with Oscar's first two outings, he's truly accountable and reads the play beautifully. We've got a staple here ladies and gents. 

Clarry doing Clarry things, cannot recall a more spectacular first 37 games from a Demon. Exciting stuff. 

Allen Jakovich was better than Oliver, but he was also older.

1 hour ago, Die Hard Demon said:

Even though we were 7 goals in front, it wasn’t flash footy and was expecting us to ‘unleash’ hell after half time. And against a ‘crap’ team, we should have. To witness another capitulation in that third quarter, was an all too familiar sight and this has to stop!!!!

Whoever the worst players were in that period should be chopped back to Casey.  No point letting them continue a bad footy behavior and stay in the side.

They have to learn that lack of focus & intensity, will not be allowed any longer in RednBlue.

 

We are Re-bilding for premierships, not sheep farms for the boys...  time to give something back, you elite sports people.

It was a bit of a roller coaster ride again. There are elements of our game that are very good and when the game is on our terms we are capable of beating any team. 

On the other hand it seems we are switching off defensively at stoppages and allowing teams to run off us outside the clearance. I believe that this is happening partly due to running our players off the back of the square and hitting the inside contest but leaving the outside of the contest open for the oppenent to control the outside space. 

The other issue is Lever. He's a 3rd man up tall defender and that can add a lot to our attacking game. Having him to try hold down a key tall is taking away from his game as well as leaving us open defensively. 

Someone also mentioned we are a slow running team, I think there is truth to this and we might have to look to address this to give some balance to the side. 

Would love to hear some theories from others about how Goodwin can prevent teams getting a run on us. Apart from that part of our game we are looking good.

8 minutes ago, ManDee said:

Allen Jakovich was better than Oliver, but he was also older.

I was born in 1990 so just missed him, I've seen footage though...looked a match winner.

14 hours ago, Biffen said:

Then you've never been there.

It is magnificent.

You're there for the beer...

Still [censored] at that. That should have been 70+ points. Why the lapses? We should be 2-0 with a % of around 120, instead we are 1-1 and waiting on results to see if we are in the 8.

I love my club, and will till the day I die, but geez they make it hard work sometimes.

Cudos to Chunk Jones yesterday. I thought he was fantastic and critical to the win. Almost BOG.

Veil of negativity.

Three words that got a lot of people into a fit but ones that were very apt.

When Roosy brought it up, he mentioned an episode where after we rolled the Lions in 2015 in a scrappy game, some bright spark wrote to him saying he would rather the team lose than win ugly like that. I wonder if there is any context that can be used after last night's win?

As @Nasher said, it seems with some (not all) if you aren't apoplectic over the Lions' comeback, you are accepting of mediocrity. Even being happy with the win is a sign of 'weakness' and that you aren't ruthless (among 15 other different football cliches).

All football clubs when reviewing games go over what worked, what didn't and work out a plan to capitalize on their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. Strong clubs also realize that it's not always going to be downhill skiing and take just as much out of adversity as they do out of success.

There is a reason why Melbourne supporters have the stereotype of being fickle snow bunnies. Cobblers like this.

We have some of the most dedicated supporters in the league but we will be known as pea hearts until we can ride the bumps.

3 hours ago, Winter Dan said:

Agree. Goodwin is so intent on playing offensive football that he fails to be a realist and accept that in the long long game of AFL football, opposition teams will have their patches of winning the stoppages (especially when Clarry is having a breather). We need to adjust for a bit of Rope-a-dope, with extra's in the back 50. Having extra's on the half back line streaming fwd is not wants needed. One or two in the back 50 is the way, slowing the game down and counter attacking.

We know it happens every game, just need to pick when to implement it for a period.

Starting to get very frustrated with the Lever situation. What the hell did we bring him in for? He's only listed as 92 kg, thats not key position. No wonder he falls over. Make him a 3rd tall and we all expect our def to become seriously solid. Goodwin needs to understand that a solid def actually enhances our offence.

They got on top in the midfield when Pedersen was in the ruck as well.

I'm willing to cut Lever some slack he looked good early but in the 2nd half everyone was slipping over due to the conditions, he wasn't on his own their.

15 hours ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Happy-go-lucky MFC supporters.

Gotta love em. 

What did we give up tonight? 42 points over a quarter of footy? Between the third and fourth?

@ProDee, how's that sample going?

 

Don't pretend you know how I think.

You wouldn't have a clue.

Well    Ater reading this thread I'm going to put my membership in the microwave throw out all my scrarfs, and all my footy stuff.

We should (according to posters) Sack the coach,   Cull half the list    Ohh  we won?

Forget the above

19 minutes ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

Veil of negativity.

Three words that got a lot of people into a fit but ones that were very apt.

When Roosy bought it up, he mentioned an episode where after we rolled the Lions in 2015 in a scrappy game, some bright spark wrote to him saying he would rather the team lose than win ugly like that. I wonder if there is any context that can be used after last night's win?

As @Nasher said, it seems with some (not all) if you aren't apoplectic over Lions the comeback, you are accepting of mediocrity. Even being happy with the win is a sign of 'weakness' and that you aren't ruthless (among 15 other different football cliches).

All football clubs when reviewing games go over what worked, what didn't and work out a plan to capitalize on their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. Strong clubs also realize that it's not always going to be downhill skiing and take just as much out of adversity as they do out of success.

There is a reason why Melbourne supporters have the stereotype of being fickle snow bunnies. Cobblers like this.

We have some of the most dedicated supporters in the league but we will be known as pea hearts until we can ride the bumps.

No, you've got it wrong CBF.  You have the cart before the Ass again.  probably taking the clubs n membership hopes as the catalyst.

This clubs supporters have been too tolerant of under-performing for decades.

 

Other clubs get highly jacked off when their clubs start to slide, and that is what has made them Power clubs. 

With this comes one-eyed supporters who are fiercely loyal yet angry, at that clubs failures.

These type supporters also put in a lot of money to their club, out of the supporter pride in the colours.

 

We have collectively been too placid, too tolerant and too disappointed and go away with a whimper.

Thats what we get back from our players when things are bad.  This Is almost a mirror view of the ways of the supporters, left clinging on to a club who is struggling to keep its head above water level.

 

The attitudes surrounding this club have to change, we need to more feral, demanding success. Not self imploding,,, but by putting the leaders under pressure; the admins, the coaches  the senior players.

 

What we traditionally do, is put our loved players up on pedestals.

And worship them like gods, even if they wouldn't get a game in a Power clubs side.

 

It happens too much. We have to demand More.   

 

Just not of our under 22's.  As long as they show some fire, some willingness. Some deesire.

Funny thing is that we did all of that from 2011 to 2013 @Bossdog. I wonder how that turned out?

People don't tend to remember the time we got a coach who was 'tough' and was going to make us as tough as he said he was.

It was all about him 'having no idea' and nothing to do with his old school, beer battered approach to player management i.e. Always the stick but never the carrot.

Scratch that. It was a carrot and stick approach that Neeldy used. Take a carrot, stick it up the arze of a player who 'isn't trying' followed by a bigger, rougher carrot. 

Worked a treat last time.

3 hours ago, small but forward said:

Oh - before I forget

i hope the spud that rolled Bayley Fritsch onto his neck in the 3Q tackle that saw him leave the field is cited and given weeks for that. It could have been seriously dangerous and was completely unwarranted.

The incident happened right in front of me. I don’t think Bayley’s neck was the main problem. Let’s just say he might have a couple of bruised Easter eggs today.

@DV8

 

Like this?

The last five minutes of this doco are quite instructive (and shows how Richmond finally did break through).

Been up here from Melbourne since 91 and last night was as warm a late March night I have been out in. Was on ground after game with Grand Sons and under those lights it was very uncomfortable. Ground very wet with dew so all of us have to take this into consideration and bank the 26 point win. Watching live the boys were spent but kept at it. Yes some struggled but they kept trying where as in past some may have turned their toes up. Also had a good chat with Brendan McCartney after game and naturally he will say the right club things but mentioned we are on right track and it was a difficult night. Also that Lever is learning to be a man on man defender and will become a valuable player for us. All up I was satisfied with the effort and to stop Lions challenge and run away with win is encouraging. For those not happy you need to just take the win and see us improve as season goes on. Be positive and not negative people.

7 minutes ago, Docs Demons said:

Been up here from Melbourne since 91 and last night was as warm a late March night I have been out in. Was on ground after game with Grand Sons and under those lights it was very uncomfortable. Ground very wet with dew so all of us have to take this into consideration and bank the 26 point win. Watching live the boys were spent but kept at it. Yes some struggled but they kept trying where as in past some may have turned their toes up. Also had a good chat with Brendan McCartney after game and naturally he will say the right club things but mentioned we are on right track and it was a difficult night. Also that Lever is learning to be a man on man defender and will become a valuable player for us. All up I was satisfied with the effort and to stop Lions challenge and run away with win is encouraging. For those not happy you need to just take the win and see us improve as season goes on. Be positive and not negative people.

Every time I've read a post saying that the backline needs to be set up to allow Lever to play his natural role and  groaning 'what are the coaches thinking?!!' Ive wondered if the club's plan is to either groom him for such a role, or at least make him capable of it when circumstances require, either in a match or in case of injury to other backmen.  Makes sense as long as we don't lose too many games on the way....

Also perhaps the FD's plan is to play super-attacking and not worry about defence when the opposition gets a roll on, figuring that once we've perfected it we'll be unstoppable.    After all, it is bloody obvious to anyone that it is a problem and to assume that the coaches of all people are blind to it is just ridiculous.   (Still I wish they'd have a plan B to reduce the strain on my heart).

56 minutes ago, ProperDee said:

Let’s just say he might have a couple of bruised Easter eggs today.

I tried breeding Easter Bunnies once, but their eggs don't taste nearly as chocolatey as they look.

For years, I've seen top teams play games against not so good teams, games where the not so good team does all right - but the top team eventually wins. Then, it's put down to 'undoubted quality', or 'talent under pressure' or just 'nous'. Top teams just continue to win games even when they play rubbish - and the lower teams can play really well and still lose to them.

But when we have a game like last night, it's doom and gloom, highlighting our deficiencies and our lack of skill.

I like to think we could be transitioning from a not so good team to a good team - and winning when we play badly. Yay.

4 hours ago, chook fowler said:

We are vulnerable to pacy small forwards.They seem to open us up too easily. The backline is a work in progress. Jetta is slow, Hunt doesn’t get enough ball and while Wagner has improved there will always be a question mark about his disposal. 

Agree Charlie Cameron and to a lesser extent Christensen were almost the difference last night. Cameron was ripping us up and we had no answer. 

32 minutes ago, demonstone said:

I tried breeding Easter Bunnies once, but their eggs don't taste nearly as chocolatey as they look.

There are laws against that, you degenerate

2 hours ago, chook fowler said:

Cudos to Chunk Jones yesterday. I thought he was fantastic and critical to the win. Almost BOG.

Agree, don't want Jones and Ollie inside at same time, let alone Viney. Real smart game yesterday, when it counted. A lot to work on.