Jump to content

Featured Replies

 

I always remember him as being the 'running' guy when reading reports about Port.

I wonder if his philosophy has changed with experience since his Port days or if it has always been the same and he was just misrepresented.

  On 20/11/2019 at 19:26, BAMF said:

I always remember him as being the 'running' guy when reading reports about Port.

I wonder if his philosophy has changed with experience since his Port days or if it has always been the same and he was just misrepresented.

Bingo @BAMF - I've seen him present at places over the years ( I am in a different, but overlapping discipline) If he all about running, he'd never have been employed by Melbourne, let alone Arsenal etc etc etc

 

I don't care if nobody cares about my feelings, but I'm super-happy we've landed this bloke. 

Such an impressive operator, and already paying dividends in the other personnel we've brought on board. 

To single out one quote among a number of telling actions and the general atmosphere already:

- Wanting to instill the same confidence in our players as he did at Port in their ability to run out games -

A year after he (and Hinkley) came on board, Port lifted itself into the finals for the first time in six odd years. 

The next year they were seriously unlucky to miss out on a grand final berth, denied by a missed shot in the clutch. 

But the standout element of the 2014 season, was Port continuously overrunning teams in the last quarter. 

I remember thinking at the time how cocky they were, that they would coast like a prize fighter.

(With a strange form-line, I think this was also when they introduced the concept of a mini mid-year 'pre-season').

Port in 2014  (as a quick recap):

Rnd 1: one goal behind at 3/4-time, outscored Carlton 7.5 v 1.2 in the final quarter

Rnd 2: in a comprehensive win over Adelaide after half-time, score 7.2 in the final quarter

Rnd 4: annihilate Brisbane, kicking 14.6 in the second half (with another 7-goal haul in the last) . 

Rnd 5: with scores even at 3/4-time in a tight contest away, kick 3.3 to the Eagles' 1.2 in the last.

Rnd 8: down by a goal at the final break, downs Freo with a 5.6 v 2.1 haul in the last

Rnd 11: challenged all day by a valiant MFC in hot conditions in Alice, Port prove too good in the last

Rnd 12: Port kick 7.5 in the last against a demoralised St Kilda. 

From there Port slumped for a period, with rumours of a radical mid-season approach to plan for a finals' assault.

But they still retained some of their last-quarter nous, including a last-gasp Schultz win against the Dees.

 

 

 

Running out games in the dying stages - now that IS novel in recent MFC experience. 
Looking forward to seeing what he can contribute, though it is ultimately up to the players. 


Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

Featured Content

  • PREVIEW: Essendon

    As the focus of the AFL moves exclusively to South Australia for Gather Round, the question is raised as to what are we going to get from the  Melbourne Football Club this weekend? Will it be a repeat of the slop fest of the last three weeks that have seen the team score a measly 174 points and concede 310 or will a return to the City of Churches and the scene where they performed at their best in 2024 act as a wakeup call and bring them out of their early season reverie?  Or will the sleepy Dees treat their fans to a reenactment of their lazy effort from the first Gather Round of two years ago when they allowed the Bombers to trample all over them on a soggy and wet Adelaide Oval? The two examples from above tell us how fickle form can be in football. Last year, a committed group of players turned up in Adelaide with a businesslike mindset. They had a plan, went in confidently and hard for the football and kicked winning scores against both home teams in a difficult environment for visitors. And they repeated that sort of effort later in the season when they played Essendon at the MCG.

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: Essendon

    Facing the very real and daunting prospect of starting the season with five straight losses, the Demons head to South Australia for the annual Gather Round, where they’ll take on the Bombers in search of their first win of the year. Who comes in, and who comes out?

      • Thanks
    • 489 replies
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 05

    Gather Round is here, kicking off with a Thursday night blockbuster as Adelaide faces Geelong. The Crows will be out for redemption after a controversial loss last week. Saturday starts with the Magpies taking on the Swans. Collingwood will be eager to cement their spot in the top eight, while Sydney is hot on their heels. In the Barossa Valley, two rising sides go head-to-head in a fascinating battle to prove they're the real deal. Later, Carlton and West Coast face off at Adelaide Oval, both desperate to notch their first win of the season. The action then shifts to Norwood, where the undefeated Lions will aim to keep their streak alive against the Bulldogs. Sunday’s games begin in the Barossa with Richmond up against Fremantle. In Norwood, the Saints will be looking to take a scalp when they come up against the Giants. The round concludes with a fiery rematch of last year's semi-final, as the Hawks seek revenge for their narrow loss to Port Adelaide. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

      • Thanks
    • 181 replies
    Demonland
  • CASEY: Geelong

    There was a time in the second quarter of the game at the Cattery on Friday afternoon when the Casey Demons threatened to take the game apart against the Cats. The Demons had been well on top early but were struggling to convert their ascendancy over the ground until Tom Fullarton’s burst of three goals in the space of eight minutes on the way to a five goal haul and his best game for the club since arriving from Brisbane at the end of 2023. He was leading, marking and otherwise giving his opponents a merry dance as Casey grabbed a three goal lead in the blink of an eye. Fullarton has now kicked ten goals in Casey’s three matches and, with Melbourne’s forward conversion woes, he is definitely in with a chance to get his first game with the club in next week’s Gather Round in Adelaide. Despite the tall forward’s efforts - he finished with 19 disposals and eight marks and had four hit outs as back up to Will Verrall in the second half - it wasn’t enough as Geelong reigned in the lead through persistent attacks and eventually clawed their way to the lead early in the last and held it till they achieved the end aim of victory.

      • Like
    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • REPORT: Geelong

    I was disappointed to hear Goody say at his post match presser after the team’s 39 point defeat against Geelong that "we're getting high quality entry, just poor execution" because Melbourne’s problems extend far beyond that after its 0 - 4 start to the 2025 football season. There are clearly problems with poor execution, some of which were evident well before the current season and were in play when the Demons met the Cats in early May last year and beat them in a near top-of-the-table clash that saw both sides sitting comfortably in the top four after round eight. Since that game, the Demons’ performances have been positively Third World with only five wins in 19 games with a no longer majestic midfield and a dysfunctional forward line that has become too easy for opposing coaches to counter. This is an area of their game that is currently being played out as if they were all completely panic-stricken.

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 04

    Round 4 kicks off with a blockbuster on Thursday night as traditional rivals Collingwood and Carlton clash at the MCG, with the Magpies looking to assert themselves as early-season contenders and the Blues seeking their first win of the season. Saturday opens with Gold Coast hosting Adelaide, a key test for the Suns as they aim to back up their big win last week, while the Crows will be looking to keep their perfect record intact. Reigning wooden spooners Richmond have the daunting task of facing reigning premiers Brisbane at the ‘G and the Lions will be eager to reaffirm their premiership credentials after a patchy start. Saturday night sees North Melbourne take on Sydney at Marvel Stadium, with the Swans looking to build on their first win of the season last week against a rebuilding Roos outfit. Sunday’s action begins with GWS hosting West Coast at ENGIE Stadium, a game that could get ugly very early for the visitors. Port Adelaide vs St Kilda at Adelaide Oval looms as a interesting clash, with both clubs form being very hard to read. The round wraps up with Fremantle taking on the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium in what could be a fierce contest between two sides with top-eight ambitions. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

      • Thanks
    • 273 replies
    Demonland