I agree PD, we are improving nicely and perhaps we needed the slightly lesser skilled teams to give us the room to get our game style to click. It is really starting to do that now and we never looked like losing the either the Saints or the GC games. People can gripe about the quality of the opposition but this is head and shoulders above our wins even last year. Also sometimes you just beat a team well and make them look worse than they are, North have looked pretty sharp since we spanked them.

You can sense the media hovering at the moment, like so many Dees supporters they don't know whether to jump on board or not. We have all been hopeful before only to be let down by our inconsistent form. I'm going to put it out there and say I think this is the real thing. I don't know  what the limit is, but this side looks like the real deal to me. Adding TMac and Weed has really straightened us up and bringing back Viney on the wave of confidence we should now be riding should really improve our already dominant clearance rate and hopefully allow us to get some cleaner forward 50 entries. I don't think Carlton is going to change anyone's minds but if we can take out Adelaide, I think we will start to get some media attention and hype, perhaps even some of the pirennially sceptical here could start enjoying the game again.

Lastly, how about Gussy & Fritsch? Gus is really starting to show what many of us saw developing in his first season. Adding him to our midfield roster has really given us some extra toughness and class. I anticipated him being a game winner but this is coming faster than I imagined. Fritsch looks set to give us the class we need on the wing/ high half forward role, he is so clean above his head and below his knees for a first year player. I am excited to see what he might be once he puts some meat on those bones.

I for one am super excited about the rest of the year. Go Dees!

Yeah, I think most of the time we are dealing with our expectations or at least our disappointment.

Well may not be everyone but it is certainly the case for me.  

We will lose games due to the nature of the competition.

However, recent matches restore faith in our players and our game plan. And our coach.

We are improving and developing as a team.

Wasted opportunities and skills are a problem at times, but we are improving. As confidence increases with winning games, you can see players suddenly believing in themselves and their teammates.

I do get concerned at times with Goodwin's apparent inaction in the coaching box, but perhaps this is okay as results suggest. 

I am tremendously encouraged by our turnaround and the fact that there seems still a lot to work on, in short, still a lot of improvement to be made. 

Congratulations to Tom Mc - selected in TOTW as a forward!

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-05-15/mcdonald-in-team-of-the-week

Not bad for a defender-turned-forward in only his second game of the season and precious few as a fwd for the whole game.

Edited May 15, 20186 yr by Lucifer's Hero

Re not valuing the last 3 wins against 'lesser sides' - I would be concerned if we had just got over the line.  But they have been very good wins:

• Ess: 24 scoring shots.  36 point win.
• StK: 26 scoring shots. 39 point win.
• GCS:  41 scoring shots.  69 point win

I'll take 6 to 10 goal wins every day of the week regardless of who they are against!

There are still a few things to sort out with structures, how we play the G and finding the best-fit position for some players. 

So, there is every reason we can beat the 'better sides' but perhaps by not such a big margin as recent weeks.  In the meantime, I'm happy to boost our percentage. 

  On 14/05/2018 at 04:17, daisycutter said:

"All the Goals" now up on site, but we got robbed. Last 3 goals not shown.

Pretty poor.  I was watching and getting excited but ..........

  On 15/05/2018 at 03:41, Lucifer's Hero said:

Congratulations to Tom Mc - selected in TOTW as a forward!

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-05-15/mcdonald-in-team-of-the-week

Not bad for a defender-turned-forward in only his second game of the season and precious few as a fwd for the whole game.

Don’t forget that our most recent “defender-turned-forward” became our greatest goal kicker and one of our greatest leaders. #9 DN

  On 12/05/2018 at 09:56, daisycutter said:

looks like we didn't need viney

who viney ?  yes  i joke 

  On 14/05/2018 at 12:00, Deestroy All said:

‘All the Goals’ on the club website is false advertising this week, it’s not all the goals at all! This is an outrage and heads should roll. 

Look at the way Weid moves in the very first highlight.  Doesnt even look like him, I've never seen him look that agile/quick before.  Thats exciting stuff.

 

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2018-05-14/rd-8-all-the-goals

Edited May 15, 20186 yr by Petraccattack

Slowly getting through the replay 

The first half of second quarter where we seemed to have 90% of time inside 50 only to score behinds, but Suns scored a couple of goals is exactly what can and has cost us games. 

Scoreboard pressure is absolutely essential if a team gets a run of possession against a better team.  We got away with it this time but will not against good teams. 

Needs finessing. 

One point I  have been thinking about is the crowd factor. It's often referred to as perhaps influencing umpire and player performance.

last week in Brisbane Melbourne supporters were in the ascendancy and did not let up.

Cheering increased from the area I was in with my mate who always is loud and attracts interest from supporters. He always encourages those around him to participate and can be critical of poor performance from players and supporters alike . He is often criticised for his forthright and loud comments but has often inspired others.

in Brisbane this went to a new level and his cheering efforts were echoed by everyone around him. While the winning made it easier there was a great sense of comradeship which was enhanced by his obvious support. He encouraged those around him and it worked. Everyone clapped cheered and bought in to the Victorian cheer machine.

i want to ask Saty if the players were affected by the strength of the supporters who never flagged and never faltered. Certainly Max delayed his exit and scanned the crowd taking in the adulation.

This was a barracking experience which contained all the intensity and focus that I have been asking the player so to exhibit, it was an exhilarating place to be.

i wont be at the game tomorrowand neither will many of the Brisbane supporters but if the players know how much last weeks efforts meant to us they will play their hearts out just as we supporters do.

My mate will be there again I hope they give him the chance to build the supporters by winning from the start and staying in front.

Not sure if Saty or anyone else picked any insight into players reaction to the support in Brisbane.

  On 18/05/2018 at 15:24, dpositive said:

One point I  have been thinking about is the crowd factor. It's often referred to as perhaps influencing umpire and player performance.

last week in Brisbane Melbourne supporters were in the ascendancy and did not let up.

Cheering increased from the area I was in with my mate who always is loud and attracts interest from supporters. He always encourages those around him to participate and can be critical of poor performance from players and supporters alike . He is often criticised for his forthright and loud comments but has often inspired others.

in Brisbane this went to a new level and his cheering efforts were echoed by everyone around him. While the winning made it easier there was a great sense of comradeship which was enhanced by his obvious support. He encouraged those around him and it worked. Everyone clapped cheered and bought in to the Victorian cheer machine.

i want to ask Saty if the players were affected by the strength of the supporters who never flagged and never faltered. Certainly Max delayed his exit and scanned the crowd taking in the adulation.

This was a barracking experience which contained all the intensity and focus that I have been asking the player so to exhibit, it was an exhilarating place to be.

i wont be at the game tomorrowand neither will many of the Brisbane supporters but if the players know how much last weeks efforts meant to us they will play their hearts out just as we supporters do.

My mate will be there again I hope they give him the chance to build the supporters by winning from the start and staying in front.

Not sure if Saty or anyone else picked any insight into players reaction to the support in Brisbane.

BOG should go to your mate then.

  On 19/05/2018 at 07:13, Chook said:

BOG should go to your mate then.

Best Off Ground definitely.

Reckon he'd be same today building an impressive season

Hope the players hear him in their heads next week