Time may come very quickly for Nev and Hibbo. They were out weakest links last night in teh back half. Not through lack of trying and i hope they can find form, but hibbo has gone from being a great kick to nearly teh worse in the team and Nev is slow, still great one on one, but not sure he can go with teh pacey fwds much longer. 

 

Time will tell. 

14 minutes ago, Demon3 said:

Time may come very quickly for Nev and Hibbo. They were out weakest links last night in teh back half. Not through lack of trying and i hope they can find form, but hibbo has gone from being a great kick to nearly teh worse in the team and Nev is slow, still great one on one, but not sure he can go with teh pacey fwds much longer. 

 

Time will tell. 

We're lucky Lockhart is looking so promising.

1 minute ago, loges said:

We're lucky Lockhart is looking so promising.

Yep, he looks steady. Its not a knock on Nev and Hib, they have been great, but at some stage they will be overtaken by others, that may be Lockhart, it may be Harmes, it maybe Jordon...

Jetta played on Burgoyne who did SFA. Hence Jetta won his position. I’m not sure where the criticism is. 
His primary role has always been to defend and he has always done that very well. He isn’t a play maker. Never has been. But name the last time a Jetta opponent has given us a bath?

53 minutes ago, drysdale demon said:

Didn't have a drop last night, I was too busy helping feed the homeless on the Bellarine, you know a bit more real than posting baseless opinions on an internet site to faceless people about a practice game of footy.

Good on ya mate, what are you doing today for an encore? Parting the Bass strait?

1 minute ago, Jaded said:

Jetta played on Burgoyne who did SFA. Hence Jetta won his position. I’m not sure where the criticism is. 
His primary role has always been to defend and he has always done that very well. He isn’t a play maker. Never has been. But name the last time a Jetta opponent has given us a bath?

That about says it all Jaded. As a backman if your opponent has no impact on the game then guess what you have done your job. 

1 hour ago, Demons11 said:

Hard to put a side together but Kozzie will play rd 1 I’d say. 

Does that mean Spargo misses out? Very hard to pick a side which is a good thing.

2 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Good on ya mate, what are you doing today for an encore? Parting the Bass strait?

I doubt it there is a Jewish guy who has that gig covered.

10 hours ago, Bonkers said:

Preuss is a liability really, not really good at anything in particular. Slow when the balls on the ground, and not overly dominant in the air as a mark. In the ruck he holds his own but that's Gawn's role so personally I'd rather Jackson or Weid who add a bit more as a forward option. Jackson looks to contribute when the ball hits the deck as well. 

Lockhart generally looks good, seems to cough it up at times though. I think Rivers will go past him sooner or later.

That is all true, just another opinion. That is what following the footy is all about - opinions and preferences. No?

I watched the game heavily under the influence of red wine by the end so my views may not be in line with everyone else’s.

A shame about Vanders, but I feel like he is almost in the same boat as Bennell... any games this year from him will be a bonus.

Impressed with Jackson. He had 12 hit outs in a half of footy. For comparison‘s sake - Gawn had 14 in a half. He has a dip too and just oozes class when he gets it. No exposed form as a viable option anywhere else but in the ruck, so I’m prepared for him NOT to play Round 1. But I really like what I see.

May and Lever showed why we paid three first round picks and a big wad of cash to get them. Neither were outstanding individually but collectively our defence conceded 6 goals for the entire game. May in particular makes everyone walk taller and is usually a great kick. Now, we just need them to stay fit.

I didn’t notice Spargo that much last night, but people quickly forget how effective he was in his first year. He’s an excellent decision maker And his game stood up in September that year. He definitely plays ahead of Kosi for now.

Agree with the Hibberd haste - just not sure what happened to the AA guy we got at the beginning. Very one-sided and rushed again last night. He gets a game Round 1 but Rivers will edge him out very quickly I predict. 

Oh man how could I forget, Tomlinson and Langdon you beauty! The latter is meant to be a [censored] kick but hasn’t missed a target in two games. Just goes to show that bargain basement, lower profile Paul Roos-style recruits can sometimes be just as valuable as the big names. 

Edited March 6, 20205 yr by No Plan B

5 minutes ago, Deemania since 56 said:

That is all true, just another opinion. That is what following the footy is all about - opinions and preferences. No?

Of course

I still want to see Sparrow in the side. ANB out and Sparrow in. Salem is the other player who must come in and I think AVB looked ordinary and got injured.

26 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Good on ya mate, what are you doing today for an encore? Parting the Bass strait?

nah, visiting a couple of old mates in Barwon prison

43 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

The umpiring was rubbish from quarter time on I thought. Head clash between Scully and Melksham and Scully gets the free?

Agreed it was another rubbish green snot goblin evaluation. The Melk was stationary at the time; he had done his bit the get to the ball between multiple opponents. It was Scully who was moving at that time, straight into Melksham and his head-butt on Melksham's jaw was not accidental, just quick and directed. This is one of Scully's fortes - other than disloyalty to supporting organisations (eg: the MFC) - to stage when breaking rule conventions for free kicks. Whoreform are one team that persists with artful dodges for the benefit of the umpires who, at any opportunity, like to be included in the modern game where their participation climaxes with a dreaded and subsequently incorrect 'game-levelling' whistle blast. 

1 hour ago, nosoupforme said:

Pre season ...... l agree Oscar held his own and his disposals were clean. He is on the right track and finally getting now.

I'd been uncomfortable and displeased with his performances up to this point, but only because I know he can do better.  If he can really get going, it will be good to see if he can take his game to the next level.

I'm very impressed with the way Lockhart goes about it. He has found a new role as a shut down player across half back on dangerous small forwards.

He wears his opponent like a sleeve and has great closing speed and smart with his positioning. He also did some very good things with some side steps and getting out of traffic. 

Brown before Weid, please. And I can't understand the knock on Oscar or the praise for Hore. 

2 hours ago, deanox said:

I'm glad someone else is noticing Spargos creativeness. I've always felt he "adds value" meaning the person he gives the ball to is usually in a much better position to use it than he was. He doesn't get heaps of it, but his touches are often high value. It's something really good to work with. 

 

Spargo is a natural, ‘smart’ footballer. Considering his age, work ethic and competitiveness, he has enormous long-term upside. The aggressively directed negativity, ‘personal’ judgement and vitriol on here toward so many, or even any players, particularly when the potential damage to their mental health is now so well documented, is utterly BAFFLING. Having said that, I don’t envy the job of Demonland’s mods in filtering. 

I hope the Weed will be ok for round 1. Looked to be a standard ankle roll to me so fingers crossed

AVB is a worry. Would be horrible if he was injured

I know it's only preseason, but one thing that did please be last night is that basically no Hawthorn player got off the chain in any way and I recon pretty much all were well beaten by their man.

Scully did a few things but was totally shaded by Tomlinson and Langdon

Burgoyne virtually unsighted

Wingard - no impact

Puopopelo - did he even get a kick

Mitchell - quite (although coming back from injury)

Patton - well beaten by May

Frosty - little impact although if he had the job on T Mac, then he did play his role well to take him out of the game

O'Mera - hardly touched it

Bad mullet man Worple - turnover king

Sicily - marginal impact

 

About the only good players I could really identify for them were Frawley and Ceglar (of whom was rucking against a non ruckman for most of the game).

 

Hope this caries on into the season propper.  I have been waiting for Hawthorn to fall off a cliff and into a hole with their aging stock of ex-stars.

Edited March 6, 20205 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

The MFC should be heavily sanctioned for this massive robbery!    This guys a gun.

 

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/245026/melbourne-secures-jay-lockhart-as-rookie

To me the concern last night was the forward structure, mainly regarding the tall forwards. I think it has to be TMac and Brown with Fritsch the smaller leading forward. Weid is giving nothing as a forward at the moment and is only there to give Max a chop out in the ruck, but then if he doesn't play the problem becomes who does relieve Max.

2 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

Saty is completely out of his depth when it's not a training thread. 

Not I am not, some of the posts on players border on the absurd, the back 6 was solid, some reports have Hiibberd in the best, unlike some on here who have absolutely no idea

Try being constructive instead of your normal boorish, high horses self

The comment @The Swimming Dee made about Bedford was laughable

Notice most of the negative comments are coming from the usual hairshitrt wearers

7 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

Not I am not, some of the posts on players border on the absurd, the back 6 was solid, some reports have Hiibberd in the best, unlike some on here who have absolutely no idea

Try being constructive instead of your normal boorish, high horses self

The comment @The Swimming Dee made about Bedford was laughable

Notice most of the negative comments are coming from the usual hairshitrt wearers

My comment was I thought Spargo had a better game than Bedford. Read it however you like though champ

1 minute ago, The Swimming Dee said:

My comment was I thought Spargo had a better game than Bedford. Read it however you like though champ

Ignore the troll.