GLIDING by The Oracle

With three or four minutes to go before three quarter time in yesterday's opening round game of the AFL's Pre-Season NAB Cup between Melbourne and Hawthorn, the Hawks were just about on the ropes.

Melbourne held a lead of 32 points (they didn't know that however, because Chris Johnson's nine point goal hadn't yet been given its full reward) and some members of the team must have gotten the idea in their heads that they had the game in the bag. They seemed to drop the pressure just a little and, all of a sudden, a couple of lesser known Hawks in Muston and McGlynn snuck in for super goals. Before we even knew it, there were only two very ordinary goals between the teams.

Those goals were made up very quickly when Lance Franklin took advantage of some sloppy play by Demons downfield to level the scores and Jarryd Roughhead marked and goaled for the Hawks to take an improbable lead in the early minutes of the final quarter. Hawthorn had grabbed the momentum and they streaked away from a rather flatfooted Melbourne combination. Now the Demons were gliding in a downward direction - seemingly without the capacity to reverse the trend.

Early in the game, Melbourne had the ascendency for the first ten minutes but could only convert truly once. Hawthorn then took over until halfway through the second quarter when the Demons running game clicked and they really looked on top by half time when they held a 16 point lead which was increased further as they dominated most of the third term.

Where does that put Melbourne in the scheme of things?

Clearly, a Nab Cup game in February is not the # 1 priority for a team that has in mind the need to break through the barrier for a top four finish in the main competition. The Demons went in with limited preparation (4 x 12 minute quarters of an intra club game last Tuesday at Telstra Dome) and a half strength team. That it was in a dominant position so close to three quarters of the way through the game was a tribute to their hard work and running to that time but the running at this early stage took its toll. Melbourne had far more possession of the ball; at times even over possessing in an effort to practice different styles of play. We saw their limitations but the experiment will no doubt continue - they simply have to get get better at it.

Among the younger brigade Chris Johnson, Daniel Bell and Nathan Jones (especially in the first half) showed plenty and will be the big improvers in 2007. Recruit James Frawley was promising in his first run in senior company and Simon Buckley, who was drafted at the end of 2005 and spent 2006 with the Zebras, showed some pace and class.

On the debit side there was some very average performances put in by a few of the veterans who should have shown more leadership even at this time of the year. Perhaps someone should tell them that at the start of a new season you can't take your place in the team for granted!

Now that the Demons have been eliminated from the Nab Cup, they don't have to play in these meaningless exhibition games with the funny rules. Instead, they will enjoy playing in even more meaningless practice matches in the bush. Their first assignment is a road trip to Mount Gambier where they meet Adelaide which should be a good hit out against a team that came close to contesting the grand final of the real thing last year.

To my mind, that's what the clubs should be focussing on even at this stage of the year - the real thing!

HAWTHORN 0.3.4 0.4.8 2.6.13 3.11.17 110

MELBOURNE 0.2.5 0.7.6 2.8.13 2.9.14 86

Goals: Hawthorn: Franklin 5, Williams 2, Roughead 2, McGlynn 2 (one super goal), Young, Muston (super goal), Lewis (super goal).

Melbourne: Neitz 2, Robertson 2, Green 2 (one super goal), Johnson 2 (one super goal), Bruce, Brown, Dunn.

Best: Hawthorn: Franklin, Bateman, Hodge, Crawford, Lewis, Birchall.

Melbourne: Bruce, Brown, Green, McDonald, Bell, Jones.

Injuries*: Hawthorn: Ladson (ankle).

At Telstra Dome. Crowd: 14,000

[Another bonus is that no new injuries were revealed from the match - that doesn't mean there were no injuries; what it means is that it might take us a week to find out if there have been any]

To my mind, that's what the clubs should be focussing on even at this stage of the year - the real thing!

I agree that we should be focussing on the real thing but we shouldn't lightly dismiss some of the problems highlighted by this game.

I was disappointed that even in a pre-season game, the team was able to relax the pressure late in the third quarter. That's been one of our failings in the past and I think good teams don't relax when they have a grip on a game. Had we held on till three quarter time and gone in with a lead in excess of 30 points it would have been much harder for Hawthorn to gain that final quarter momentum.

I thought the forward line set up was a bit too top heavy and static. Clearly, room has to be made for Aaron Davey in there somewhere.

There were plenty of other things that didn't work on the night and thankfully we have a month to sort things out before round 1.

I agree that we should be focussing on the real thing but we shouldn't lightly dismiss some of the problems highlighted by this game.

I was disappointed that even in a pre-season game, the team was able to relax the pressure late in the third quarter. That's been one of our failings in the past and I think good teams don't relax when they have a grip on a game. Had we held on till three quarter time and gone in with a lead in excess of 30 points it would have been much harder for Hawthorn to gain that final quarter momentum.

I thought the forward line set up was a bit too top heavy and static. Clearly, room has to be made for Aaron Davey in there somewhere.

There were plenty of other things that didn't work on the night and thankfully we have a month to sort things out before round 1.

Just on the team's fade out in the latter part of the game, I heard Hawthorn's Ben Dixon on SEN on Saturday afternoon and he mentioned that the Hawks had already had four or five full blown hit outs in preparation for the NAB Cup. If you contrast that with Melbourne's preparation of -

(i) Practice match at Wangaratta cancelled because of the unsuitability of the ground,

(ii) Practice simulation at Moorabbin reduced to a couple of short halves due to extreme heat and

(iii) Practice match at Telstra Dome on the Tuesday before the game consisting of 4 x 12 minute quarters.

While you can train all summer under an athletic coach and do all sorts of practice and simulation, there's nothing like real match pressure to prepare you for a hard physical and mental contest. We were always going to run out of puff against a well prepared team that struck a rich vein scoring a couple of nine pointers before three quarter time but for which we might well have held on and won the game.

Just on the team's fade out in the latter part of the game, I heard Hawthorn's Ben Dixon on SEN on Saturday afternoon and he mentioned that the Hawks had already had four or five full blown hit outs in preparation for the NAB Cup. If you contrast that with Melbourne's preparation of -

(i) Practice match at Wangaratta cancelled because of the unsuitability of the ground,

(ii) Practice simulation at Moorabbin reduced to a couple of short halves due to extreme heat and

(iii) Practice match at Telstra Dome on the Tuesday before the game consisting of 4 x 12 minute quarters.

While you can train all summer under an athletic coach and do all sorts of practice and simulation, there's nothing like real match pressure to prepare you for a hard physical and mental contest. We were always going to run out of puff against a well prepared team that struck a rich vein scoring a couple of nine pointers before three quarter time but for which we might well have held on and won the game.

Fair comment.

I was disappointed that even in a pre-season game, the team was able to relax the pressure late in the third quarter. That's been one of our failings in the past and I think good teams don't relax when they have a grip on a game. Had we held on till three quarter time and gone in with a lead in excess of 30 points it would have been much harder for Hawthorn to gain that final quarter momentum.

Maybe we should've played tempo footy at the end of the 3rd to make sure we were in a winning position?

Maybe we should've played tempo footy at the end of the 3rd to make sure we were in a winning position?

It is very hard to do in the NAB Cup. If you kick backwards in your defensive half it is not a mark.

I only saw this game on TV but from where I sat we looked fine at this stage of the year. It wasn't a bad game of footy, we showed glimpses of what we can do when it gets serious and no-one got injured. The pluses for me were Chris Johnson and Simon Buckley and even Danny Hughes did some nice things. The negatives were that neither Jamar nor P Johnson exerted any real presence around the ground and the Bizz looked as rusty as buggery ( I am a big fan of the the Bizz so I hope this is just temporary ).

And for all those who are jumping off the Miller bandwagon, I can only say that you probably don't know much about the game. We were clearly experimenting with the way we carried the ball ( presumably designed for bigger grounds than Telstra ), hanging on to it longer, looking to go through the corridor etc and none of that was playing to Miller's strengths at CHF on that ground. You then add the fact that we only did it well a few times and Miller was always destined to be an onlooker in the forward line. Sure he could have taken a few more contested grabs but it's February for goodness sake!

For what it's worth, I reckon we look allright.

Maybe we should've played tempo footy at the end of the 3rd to make sure we were in a winning position?

Not a bad idea.

I'm sure there must be some plans to stem the tide when the opposition gets a run on although I suppose that if they exist, you wouldn't want to expose them in the Nab Cup.

nice read but how did CJ get missed being listed in the best? thaught he was a stand out and deffinatly had more pace than i have given him credit for in the past.

Melbourne: Bruce, Brown, Green, McDonald, Bell, Jones

Chris Johnson was our best

Bruce is the worst kick at the MFC not name Simon Godfrey. Absolutely shocking foot skills from Bruce. I guess he didnt feel the need to work on that over the summer

GLIDING by The Oracle

Among the younger brigade Chris Johnson, Daniel Bell and Nathan Jones (especially in the first half) showed plenty and will be the big improvers in 2007. Recruit James Frawley was promising in his first run in senior company and Simon Buckley, who was drafted at the end of 2005 and spent 2006 with the Zebras, showed some pace and class.

I wonder why I cant see Daniel Bell in the same league as Jones and Johnson.

Two players who can play the game as if they are having fun.

Many valuable possessions and few disposals to a contest, against many hard fought disposals more times than not, delivered to a contest.

If his disposal is one of his best assets, I dont think it is special.

Bell is a hard at it pick 15 who has never shown polish or timing. To rate his game as good as Chris Johnson is biased....

Also if he is in our best 22 then we wont be top 4 in my opinion.

It seems Im pissing into the wind and I try to keep an open mind, but Ward and Brown must be above him in the real world.

Bell is a hard at it pick 15 who has never shown polish or timing. To rate his game as good as Chris Johnson is biased....

Also if he is in our best 22 then we wont be top 4 in my opinion.

You don't like Bell, we get it.

But you provide zero evidence to support you comments, especially the second one.

Bell is playing as a defender, he is not meant to be a polished finisher in the mould of CJ. To compare one to the other is like comparing Robbo to Whelan. As far as his defensive game is concerned, he's proven late last year and on Sunday that he's more than capable of stopping good players. He did a superb job on Farmer in a final where Freo smashed us after half-time, and we both know how easy Farmer can kick a bag when the team is on a roll.

For what its worth, I thought his drive out of the backline was good too. He made one mistake from memory, and given our desire to handball as much as possible, he was not alone that night. He has very nice disposal, aggression and speed. I don't know what else you'd want from a defender.

And I don't know about you, but I rather my defenders defend first, and do fancy things with the ball second... unless you're a fan of the Wards and Bizzells of this world, in which case you're clearly not keen on seeing us make the top 4.

See my Hawthorn thread comments and the timing,

Snap!

I dont agree. Sorry.

See my Hawthorn thread comments and the timing,

Snap!

Well what can I say other than... great minds!

Glad I've got you to drive the Belly Bandwagon

nice read but how did CJ get missed being listed in the best? thaught he was a stand out and deffinatly had more pace than i have given him credit for in the past.

Oops. My bad.

The Oracle didn't submit the match details so I took them out of the paper.

CJ did get a very honourable mention in the O's report.