1 hour ago, ArtificialWisdom said:

Gawn is a generational quality ruckman. He plays the 70% ruck time. We don't want to rob Peter to pay Paul. Leave the big man in the middle to do what he does best. Then we just have to make do with Pruess forward. We can experiment with Max forward at times but as OD just pointed out, Max is a near 0 set shot reliability. 

in reality neither Gawn nor Preuss are forwards per se. They re both Rucks that can go forward. Unlike the mania of this modern game to take players off at the slightest drop of a leaf I see much to be said for simply resting them  ( as in days of old ) . They're warmed up  and in the groove of the game just move them around. Probably Gawn is more au fait with the forward role at the present but the whole idea of pushing the taller mobile ruck forward is to create imbalance with the opposition's defence structure and matchups...i.e  spanner in their works.

It's a setup to be worked with. Each game may present different opportunities and as always happens no every player might be ON for the day. Both can get a footy to stick to their mitts...a handy trait. max isnt nearly as bad a kick as some might have it.....that said...maybe keep him more than 30 out.....

That recent post by Percy Beames is my nomination for post of the year.  Brilliant!  More please, Percy!

17 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

the reality is that this season was a chance to move past Carlton membership wise. Today was a second albeit lesser chance to keep the gulf to a manageable level. We blew it just like we have blown this season.

Gutsy wins against cellar dwellers don't bring in new members.

There are pivotal times in the life of a football club and make no mistake this year was one of them for the MFC.

Greatest load of hyperbole I’ve read today 

2 hours ago, monoccular said:

 

A score review, if deemed a goal, would have guaranteed a MFC win with a minute or less to go.  

Clearly the instructions were to keep the result open. 

Surely the footage is available somewhere and should be reviewed to “ensure the integrity of the game”. ???

Supposedly every goal is reviewed but not sure about points. And even if it was reviewed, what were they going to do? The ball had travelled past the wing in a flash. Would they stop the game and bring the ball back? unlikely.

Like a lot of things AFL it is rules on the run. They make it up as they go along.

1 hour ago, Percy Beames said:

Crikey what a thriller. It’s always good for the soul to beat one of the old enemies. Almost as bad as Collingwood, that Carlton mob. Won a lot of premierships early in the game and reckoned they were better than everyone else even back in the Thirties when they hardly won anything.

I’ve dusted off the old Underwood since I am very unhappy with what I read on Demonland last night. I would have written earlier but I had a couple of Abott’s Lager bottles to finish off. A few of the Melbourne boys worked at the brewery and I always like to support them by drinking their product.

What is it with the negative nellies complaining about beating Carlton. From what I see only some chap calls himself Wiseblood, and another fella Nasher seem to get it. This was what we in the newspaper trade used to call a “meritorious victory”. Good word that, meritorious. Look it up if you don’t know it. That’s what dictionaries are for.

The way I saw it the Melbourne boys were set for a 50-point win until fate took a hand. Even without young Hore, who has just about inked in his name on the team sheet this season, the backline was standing up. Once the lad Petty went down you could see the backline becoming disorganised. Well why not? Hore has proven himself a very able substitute small defender, good in the air and on the ground. Petty has not been there long but made good spoils and was taking strong contested marks until he was hurt.

Now coaches in the old days, like Ivor and Checker, liked to keep their backline settled. One of my old coaches from up Golden Point way, I forget which, used to say the back six had to play like a unit, a “yoonit” it sounded like, like six men become one they know each others’ games so well. That can’t happen on days like yesterday, which is why, when the game opened up in the third quarter, Carlton could almost keep pace with us, because the backline was struggling to work like a “yoonit”.

Seven goals we kicked in that third quarter. The way the game is played now that’s smart work. Seven goals one behind after kicking 7.11 in the entire first half. Now that 7.11 should have been 11.7 but the way we have struggled this year in front of the big sticks that third quarter was a ripper. And it was only with the back line losing key players that enabled Carlton to keep within five goals, like I said.

Now the last quarter, that was tough. Three blokes down now, like playing with 17 men in the old days, that is hard yakka. I see the boy Brayshaw said he’s never been so tired on a footy field as he was at the end. It’s rare that one team dominates all day. Carlton was always going to have a purple patch, and that fella Murphy did ‘em proud, but Murphy really did his best work once the Demon boys were tiring from the lack of interchanges. I saw at the last change it was something like 19 fewer interchanges even then. Give us a fit group and we would have rolled right over them.

People have also been moaning about the fact that Carlton was missing a couple of key players and that’s fair enough, but I don’t think that fellow Casboult would have had the same impact if the younger Curnow was there. Or Silvagni? Would he have had the same opportunities? Maybe, maybe not, but you can only beat what they put out there on the day.

I was so surprised by the negativity on demonland that I took at look at talkingblues instead. There was the usual bad stuff but even a few Carlton supporters realised that without our injuries they’d have been out of the hunt.

Make no mistake: this is one to enjoy. This was a win that took spirit and character and our boys were equal to the task. Carna Red Legs.

Thanks Percy, a very enjoyable read. I hope you dust of the old underwood more often

1 hour ago, Percy Beames said:

Crikey what a thriller. It’s always good for the soul to beat one of the old enemies. Almost as bad as Collingwood, that Carlton mob. Won a lot of premierships early in the game and reckoned they were better than everyone else even back in the Thirties when they hardly won anything.

I’ve dusted off the old Underwood since I am very unhappy with what I read on Demonland last night. I would have written earlier but I had a couple of Abott’s Lager bottles to finish off. A few of the Melbourne boys worked at the brewery and I always like to support them by drinking their product.

What is it with the negative nellies complaining about beating Carlton. From what I see only some chap calls himself Wiseblood, and another fella Nasher seem to get it. This was what we in the newspaper trade used to call a “meritorious victory”. Good word that, meritorious. Look it up if you don’t know it. That’s what dictionaries are for.

The way I saw it the Melbourne boys were set for a 50-point win until fate took a hand. Even without young Hore, who has just about inked in his name on the team sheet this season, the backline was standing up. Once the lad Petty went down you could see the backline becoming disorganised. Well why not? Hore has proven himself a very able substitute small defender, good in the air and on the ground. Petty has not been there long but made good spoils and was taking strong contested marks until he was hurt.

Now coaches in the old days, like Ivor and Checker, liked to keep their backline settled. One of my old coaches from up Golden Point way, I forget which, used to say the back six had to play like a unit, a “yoonit” it sounded like, like six men become one they know each others’ games so well. That can’t happen on days like yesterday, which is why, when the game opened up in the third quarter, Carlton could almost keep pace with us, because the backline was struggling to work like a “yoonit”.

Seven goals we kicked in that third quarter. The way the game is played now that’s smart work. Seven goals one behind after kicking 7.11 in the entire first half. Now that 7.11 should have been 11.7 but the way we have struggled this year in front of the big sticks that third quarter was a ripper. And it was only with the back line losing key players that enabled Carlton to keep within five goals, like I said.

Now the last quarter, that was tough. Three blokes down now, like playing with 17 men in the old days, that is hard yakka. I see the boy Brayshaw said he’s never been so tired on a footy field as he was at the end. It’s rare that one team dominates all day. Carlton was always going to have a purple patch, and that fella Murphy did ‘em proud, but Murphy really did his best work once the Demon boys were tiring from the lack of interchanges. I saw at the last change it was something like 19 fewer interchanges even then. Give us a fit group and we would have rolled right over them.

People have also been moaning about the fact that Carlton was missing a couple of key players and that’s fair enough, but I don’t think that fellow Casboult would have had the same impact if the younger Curnow was there. Or Silvagni? Would he have had the same opportunities? Maybe, maybe not, but you can only beat what they put out there on the day.

I was so surprised by the negativity on demonland that I took at look at talkingblues instead. There was the usual bad stuff but even a few Carlton supporters realised that without our injuries they’d have been out of the hunt.

Make no mistake: this is one to enjoy. This was a win that took spirit and character and our boys were equal to the task. Carna Red Legs.

Welcome Percy, fantastic post.

i just saw it as a hard fought, plucky  and gutsy win.

Carlton were unable to effect the coup de grace when we were down for the 8 count and that goal by Hunt was delicious

in the context of our inaccuracy in front of goal for much of the day.

Brayshaw was completely cooked and unable to chase the blues defender off the goal line.

1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

Supposedly every goal is reviewed but not sure about points. And even if it was reviewed, what were they going to do? The ball had travelled past the wing in a flash. Would they stop the game and bring the ball back? unlikely.

Like a lot of things AFL it is rules on the run. They make it up as they go along.

Are you talking about when Brayshaw tried to kick it off the ground after the ball stopped.

Is their side on, or front on vision of that?

34 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Are you talking about when Brayshaw tried to kick it off the ground after the ball stopped.

Is their side on, or front on vision of that?

I was close to side on Mr. Leg and I think it was the right decision.

19 hours ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

No, it wasn't funny.  It would have been funny if it happened to another team, not us.

Would have been a serious great goal if it had just rolled one balls length further across the line though.

Sorry, I meant funny as in tragedy. I like dark comedy, and this stuff happening to us is about as dark as it gets in the footy world. It was a great kick, looked a certainty to go through, until it didn't.

19 hours ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

No, it wasn't funny.  It would have been funny if it happened to another team, not us.

Would have been a serious great goal if it had just rolled one balls length further across the line though.

Hey Balls just missed by a bees D**K.

Edited July 8, 20195 yr by nosoupforme

Considering the odds I thought Melbourne stood up. There were few weak links though perhaps Lockhart, Dunkley and Hannan weren't as effective. Had they kicked straight, had Hunt's disposal been more efficient it would have been an easier win.

Still, well done.

Glad to come away with the victory given we were down to one on the bench for the last quarter. Thought we'd be in trouble, seeing Tom hobble off at 3/4 time. I wondered not only who would kick our goals, but whether we'd completely run out of legs.

Special point on Fritsch. I don't understand how we think we can use him in a quarter back role. He may have got a lot of uncontested possessions yesterday, but Carlton let him have it, knowing he'd turn it over. Carlton's first three goals came directly from Fritsch errors.

Play him on a wing or play him forward, otherwise his decision making is a liability.

11 hours ago, ArtificialWisdom said:

Fact: Had we lost to Carlton and fallen to 17th the heat would rightly be on regardless of the injury problem late.

Fact: Holding on to win against any fast finishing side with momentum when you have only 1 player left for rotations is difficult

Fact: We comfortably held Carlton at arms length through the first 3 qtrs, as we should.

It's not a "special" or "defining" win but it's a good win, job done. A negative year means we look at this result pretty pessimisticly but the most important thing for the club was to grind out a result and they did. Still a chance to get 3 or 4 more wins this year. 

Fact our injury list from preseason onwards has been if not the worst, one of the worst in the comp, to lose 3 players during the game, with our back up ruckman basically playing a lone hand... meh it was just go-hum.

6 hours ago, Percy Beames said:

Crikey what a thriller. It’s always good for the soul to beat one of the old enemies. Almost as bad as Collingwood, that Carlton mob. Won a lot of premierships early in the game and reckoned they were better than everyone else even back in the Thirties when they hardly won anything.

I’ve dusted off the old Underwood since I am very unhappy with what I read on Demonland last night. I would have written earlier but I had a couple of Abott’s Lager bottles to finish off. A few of the Melbourne boys worked at the brewery and I always like to support them by drinking their product.

What is it with the negative nellies complaining about beating Carlton. From what I see only some chap calls himself Wiseblood, and another fella Nasher seem to get it. This was what we in the newspaper trade used to call a “meritorious victory”. Good word that, meritorious. Look it up if you don’t know it. That’s what dictionaries are for.

The way I saw it the Melbourne boys were set for a 50-point win until fate took a hand. Even without young Hore, who has just about inked in his name on the team sheet this season, the backline was standing up. Once the lad Petty went down you could see the backline becoming disorganised. Well why not? Hore has proven himself a very able substitute small defender, good in the air and on the ground. Petty has not been there long but made good spoils and was taking strong contested marks until he was hurt.

Now coaches in the old days, like Ivor and Checker, liked to keep their backline settled. One of my old coaches from up Golden Point way, I forget which, used to say the back six had to play like a unit, a “yoonit” it sounded like, like six men become one they know each others’ games so well. That can’t happen on days like yesterday, which is why, when the game opened up in the third quarter, Carlton could almost keep pace with us, because the backline was struggling to work like a “yoonit”.

Seven goals we kicked in that third quarter. The way the game is played now that’s smart work. Seven goals one behind after kicking 7.11 in the entire first half. Now that 7.11 should have been 11.7 but the way we have struggled this year in front of the big sticks that third quarter was a ripper. And it was only with the back line losing key players that enabled Carlton to keep within five goals, like I said.

Now the last quarter, that was tough. Three blokes down now, like playing with 17 men in the old days, that is hard yakka. I see the boy Brayshaw said he’s never been so tired on a footy field as he was at the end. It’s rare that one team dominates all day. Carlton was always going to have a purple patch, and that fella Murphy did ‘em proud, but Murphy really did his best work once the Demon boys were tiring from the lack of interchanges. I saw at the last change it was something like 19 fewer interchanges even then. Give us a fit group and we would have rolled right over them.

People have also been moaning about the fact that Carlton was missing a couple of key players and that’s fair enough, but I don’t think that fellow Casboult would have had the same impact if the younger Curnow was there. Or Silvagni? Would he have had the same opportunities? Maybe, maybe not, but you can only beat what they put out there on the day.

I was so surprised by the negativity on demonland that I took at look at talkingblues instead. There was the usual bad stuff but even a few Carlton supporters realised that without our injuries they’d have been out of the hunt.

Make no mistake: this is one to enjoy. This was a win that took spirit and character and our boys were equal to the task. Carna Red Legs.

Lovely.❤️?

7 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Must say I'm surprised a little by those who think Preuss is a forward. Sure a goal or two every couple of games but no more than a 17-20 goal a year man.

Gawn is the key... Preuss to ruck 70/30 and Gawn to play forward 70/30%. Gawn is a potential 4 goal a game player.

Hmm funny I think the total opposite, from what we’re seen of Gawn I’d much rather he plays ruck majority of the time with the Spruce Preuss crashing packs and snapping goals. Gawn can get his hands to balls but doesn’t take a enough contested grabs forward (will wait for everyone to show the stats that say he takes more than I think, but from what I see he is also spoiled more than I think he should be). 

Preuss, in a small sample size, has an ability to take a grab, get a little separation, bring the ball to ground. But that’s just my opinion.

37 minutes ago, Cards13 said:

Hmm funny I think the total opposite, from what we’re seen of Gawn I’d much rather he plays ruck majority of the time with the Spruce Preuss crashing packs and snapping goals. Gawn can get his hands to balls but doesn’t take a enough contested grabs forward (will wait for everyone to show the stats that say he takes more than I think, but from what I see he is also spoiled more than I think he should be). 

Preuss, in a small sample size, has an ability to take a grab, get a little separation, bring the ball to ground. But that’s just my opinion.

I agree with this. Gawn 90% ruck and 10% forward, Preuss vice versa.

Been watching the replay.  The centre bounces were terrible.  So many should have been called back and just let go.  Over-umpired, especially the last quarter where Scummers got a heck of a ride.

Edited July 8, 20195 yr by buck_nekkid

Look, the same jollies will enjoy the win, talk about how we held on with three down on the bench but won't bat an eyelid at the fact that nothing has changed regarding the way we're playing. The first half? We were deplorable against arguably the worst side in the AFL without Cripps, Curnow and McKay. 

Let's get real here, the end of the season can't come soon enough. 

Watching us enter forward 50 is amateur hour at its finest. We are literally a comedy act. It's as if we try and navigate the most difficult route to goal once inside our forward half. 

The problem with this list has never been effort based. It is entirely skill and decision making. We are the least skilled side and have the worst decision makers in the AFL. 

List must change over the off-season if we're to get back to finals. 

Edited July 8, 20195 yr by stevethemanjordan

42 minutes ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Look, the same jollies will enjoy the win, talk about how we held on with three down on the bench but won't bat an eyelid at the fact that nothing has changed regarding the way we're playing. The first half? We were deplorable against arguably the worst side in the AFL without Cripps, Curnow and McKay. 

Let's get real here, the end of the season can't come soon enough. 

Watching us enter forward 50 is amateur hour at its finest. We are literally a comedy act. It's as if we try and navigate the most difficult route to goal once inside our forward half. 

The problem with this list has never been effort based. It is entirely skill and decision making. We are the least skilled side and have the worst decision makers in the AFL. 

List must change over the off-season if we're to get back to finals. 

Have we traded off our draft picks?

#2 looks good this year

Carlton players routinely pushed Melbourne players into and out of contests, in ways that were down right dangerous.  No response from the umps.  Poor blue little number 40 gets a shove and the whistle blows.  We were in real danger of serious injury, when players are pushed into the paths of their colleagues in marking contests to impact the contest.  

37 minutes ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Look, the same jollies will enjoy the win, talk about how we held on with three down on the bench but won't bat an eyelid at the fact that nothing has changed regarding the way we're playing.  

I wonder were you at the game or watching on telly? Because to me, viewing from the northern stand, plenty changed.

It was obvious from the opening minutes that our play-on-at-all-costs-through-the-corridor approach of earlier this year had been jettisoned for a much slower, controlled possession game. We looked to switch wide at every opportunity and did not seek the corridor until closing on the forward 50, and not always then. Rather than gambling with frantic play-on football we set out to deny the opposition possession by maintaining it ourselves.

Statements like this: Watching us enter forward 50 is amateur hour at its finest. We are literally a comedy act. It's as if we try and navigate the most difficult route to goal once inside our forward half are simply meaningless. And considering we had a key forward kick six goals in three quarters and another forward score three goals from 11 disposals your remarks are simply wrong.

It seems to me your prejudices prevent you from observing  what's really going on.

1 hour ago, stevethemanjordan said:

We are the least skilled side and have the worst decision makers in the AFL. 

Did you see Collingwood or Hawthorn on Friday night, Essendon the week before...

The standard is probably at it's lowest in the AFL at the moment, it's turn over city out there.

Whilst I agree we have a lot of work to do we're no Robinson Crusoe.

Footy Classified has flagged that we over celebrated our win again. Tune in and watch these clowns stick the boots into us again. Juddy deflecting as usual. Should be a great bashing session. I don’t think the players over celebrated or the coach and certainly not the fans. Can’t wait to see the spin they put on it

Whilst great to get behind their teammates after a win, but to talk it up as if they are playing great footy perhaps sums up we’re we are at.