Just thinking about what Spargo is gonna order at the Nudgee Macca's on the way home to Maroochydore .

4 hours ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

See above. Ordinary comment Nev.

VDB had 18 touches  so he got to where the ball was. Spoiled the ball deep into the backline stopping Reid from taking the mark however 

collided heavily in the attempt to spoil  collecting Miochec  along the way.  as well  The latter was stretchered off the ground for the rest of the game.   VDB  plays for the jumper.  

Considering VDB played time in the guts with Petrac and Clarry in the 2nd quarter and did well in there. He justifies his position and in saying that today he has to be given some credit for the role he played. Well done.

Peeps have the 2018 vibes. Shock therapy and then on a run. I've also got 2017. We exactly played the Pies and Dogs in rounds 12 & 13 from memory. Beat the Pies (thanks Jack) and mashed the Dogs but mounting injuries and a heavy travel schedule derailed the season. Prevail my beloved. Probably the one and only season where it doesn't matter where you finish in the eight. Get there boys. Tear it up. [censored] yes!. 2020! Will also probably come down to final game. Vs Essondon. We're ready this time. 

Edited August 15, 20204 yr by Skuit

Alot to like about this game:

Disposal efficiency, not too many clangers, conversions inside 50, passes hitting targets in the 50, playing 4 quarters, responding when opposition kicked goals, dominated some of there periphery players, taking marks, the joy on the players faces, goal kicking accuracy in general, our endeavour to get to the contest, not too many stupid, overused, dinky or hospital handballs, continued strength of the backline, most players having an impact when called upon, fitness levels, the opposition couldn't fight and lost there structure, we dominated the tactical moves, at last getting the crumbs in the forward line, sharing the goal kicking, our second quarter when the game opened up, Sparrow following Pendalbry and Sidebottom around (learnings from the best), Oliver's kicking, hard play of Lockhart and Vanders and our backline flood is working.

What we can improve upon:

Some players were in and out of the game, apparent confusion at the stoppages, lack of Sheparding, getting to where Preuss taps the ball, May shirking a mark, Picketts fumbling (though goes when he gets it) and a few losing there footing.

Tough to find anymore, an impressive outing.

Edited August 15, 20204 yr by kev martin

I like the way Pruess can just rag doll players....pick em up and throw em in the stands big fella.

....and he can kick the skin off a footy...bang 60m on a good day.

Well done on a first game back in a long time..

Btw, noticed Sparrow manning Sidebottom at the stoppages in the last quarter. Anyone know when Sparrow first went to Sidebottom?

I missed out on seeing the first so it’s been interesting to watch, I thought Lever was poor from what I’d seen of the game but his first quarter was very good. After that though he looked really shaky around the ball, I don’t know what shook his confidence but he looked fine and then turned to poo. 

This season is really starting to develop a 2018 feel to it. Losing to top 8 teams but murdering the poor to middling ones. Building confidence to go on a real run. The team is playing well all over the ground, starting to score heavily and every game from here on in is winnable. The top 4 feels locked away but we’re a chance to finish as high as 5th if we play well. Then anything can happen.

11 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

If we had beaten cats and lions we would be 2nd.

Happy your happy but just saying we were only thumped once.

Go Dees.

I was telling my mates the same thing, both games we should have won quite easily but we didn’t....
Looking at our draw asks based on current form I think it’s possible to win the rest of our home and away matches.

On a lighter note, you know things are strange when you can hear journalists questions clearer than the coaches replies and Spargs terrible moustache. Great to wake up the morning after a win.

6 hours ago, Wadda We Sing said:

I like the way Pruess can just rag doll players....pick em up and throw em in the stands big fella.

....and he can kick the skin off a footy...bang 60m on a good day.

Well done on a first game back in a long time..

Really liked his game Wadda. His 5 metre hit-out to a running Oliver from the centre was sublime to set up Spargo for a goal in the second quarter. He’s isn’t too bad at getting boot to ball quickly, noticed a couple of times he cleared the danger from half back by thinking quickly. Haircut not too shabby either.

Edited August 15, 20204 yr by Dee Zephyr

9 hours ago, jnrmac said:

We have the team that can beat anyone. 

We're very fit. Our last quarters are confidence building. 

Very few injuries

Favourable draw

Were actually playing like a team

Lots to like

Changed your view since we were 1-3!

What's better then waking up to a Sunday morning with a cracking hangover knowing your team has flogged the filth by over 50 points ?

A shout out to Nathan Jones.

Playing some of his best football. There was a moment (45 seconds to go in the 3rd) where he handballed it out on the full trying to link up with Langdon, and just smiled. For a bloke that's pulled us through some pretty crap periods in the past, its great to see him enjoying his footy, the team and some great wins. Go dees.

6 hours ago, kev martin said:

Alot to like about this game:

Disposal efficiency, not too many clangers, conversions inside 50, passes hitting targets in the 50, playing 4 quarters, responding when opposition kicked goals, dominated some of there periphery players, taking marks, the joy on the players faces, goal kicking accuracy in general, our endeavour to get to the contest, not too many stupid, overused, dinky or hospital handballs, continued strength of the backline, most players having an impact when called upon, fitness levels, the opposition couldn't fight and lost there structure, we dominated the tactical moves, at last getting the crumbs in the forward line, sharing the goal kicking, our second quarter when the game opened up, Sparrow following Pendalbry and Sidebottom around (learnings from the best), Oliver's kicking, hard play of Lockhart and Vanders and our backline flood is working.

What we can improve upon:

Some players were in and out of the game, apparent confusion at the stoppages, lack of Sheparding, getting to where Preuss taps the ball, May shirking a mark, Picketts fumbling (though goes when he gets it) and a few losing there footing.

Tough to find anymore, an impressive outing.

Great post, lots to like!

The team is running, including our midfielders, even Jones is chasing!
Backline is keeping its structure, covering the occasional player error! Salem precise kicking, giving us the way out of defence!

Forward line has a structure with Weideman & TMac last night, Pickett & Spargo crumbing, then Melksham, Frisch, Jones adding you the mix.

Petracca & Oliver both grabbing the ball and running out of the packs, breaking the game open. Langdon covering huge territory, helping both the back & forward line!
Great last quarters, full of running!

Agree a few things to improve, but aside from not showing up against Port, we’ve come a long way in the last 6 matches!

GAME  SET   MATCH

BUCKLEY ? ? ? 

Bartlett’s words have had the desired effect. Players have bought into the team defence, team-comes-first mantra. Trac’s post-game comments were illuminating in this regard. Working harder without the ball and creating opportunities and space on turnover, utilising our superior fitness. Loving it, may it continue.

An even greater appreciation of Spargo’s game after watching the replay. In addition to his 3 snags he was instrumental in the goals from Kozzie  and Gus. Very effective.

Interesting to note the time on ground stats.  Big Preuss had 77% TOG whereas Max has about 110% (really about 95%).  I wondered where he had gone in the third, when it looked like TMac did almost all the rucking?  

Also Sparrow, Lockhart and Spargo also in the low 70s.

From what I am reading, most collingwood fans were at about 75% time at ground as they were leaving at 3/4 time!

It doesn’t matter who we beat the last 3 weeks it is how we have beaten them and the momentum of belief this is creating in the players. As Trac said post game, these are wins built on defence and out working the opposition. That is then translating into big scores as the game breaks and the opposition tires.

We seem to have the balance right in structure in defence, attack and midfield. Trac and Oliver have realised their talent on the inside is not to get the ball to someone 3 metres away but to power out  themselves. This is allowing others to back them in and spread earlier knowing they will at worst halve the contest. Weideman is realising and relishing his role as the number one forward target. Steven May is showing confidence in his body and those around him and smashing anything in his path. Langdon’s selfless running is starting to get rewarded as we use the width of the ground more and look too take best option. 

I have worries about the inefficiency of Harmes, Jones (better suited at half forward) and AVB but they are all playing their roles in different parts of the ground and as role players that role first vs occasional mishap will occur. 

Lots to like and lots to build on if the players keep believing that this is what hard work and team defence brings you.

 

Edited August 15, 20204 yr by big_red_fire_engine

A very good performance for four quarters - looked superior from the start, always had the answers and never really looked like being seriously challenged.

The most interesting thing to me was the manner of the win. It was very different to the usual Melbourne wins - in fact, it was almost a reverse of what the opposition usually does to us. Even in many losses we've had clear wins in contested ball, clearances and inside 50s, but just either failed with the last kick inside 50 or missed chances in front of goal. The opposition on the flip side would be more efficient and take their chances and we'd lose despite dominating some of the key stats.

Last night we were level in contested ball and inside 50s and the Pies shaded the clearances. Yet we won the game by 10 goals. It was a complete reversal of the roles - we were the team scoring every time we went inside 50 (20 scores from 40 inside 50s is a big return), kicking accurately (only two more scoring shots after quarter time but a score of 13.1 to 5.7), hitting targets around the ground and taking uncontested marks. I thought the Pies were at least our equal if not better in terms of getting first hands on it at stoppages but they fumbled, over-handballed, turned it over by foot through the middle of the ground and then struggled to score when inside 50.

It does need to be kept in mind that this was a Pies team missing some key players and going through a poor patch off a four-day break. I thought they looked pretty woeful against the Crows and they carried that into this match. They then also lost two players by midway through the third and had Ruscoe limping around for the second half with a corkie. This is not to understate what was a great performance by us, but just backs up what I've said for a while that it's a fairly even competition and things like injuries, fitness and confidence can be the difference between a team looking a premiership contender (Collingwood earlier in the season) and one looking about a 10-12 side (Collingwood the last few weeks).

Pickett was fumbly, but just as you are happy if young key forwards get to the right spots and get their hands to the ball at marking contests (even if they drop them, as you know with more strength and confidence they will start to clunk them), his performance was the small forward equivalent. He regularly got to the right spots and got hands on the ball but just couldn't be clean at the crucial moment. Tidy that up and he probably could've kicked 3 or 4 tonight. His reading of the drop of the ball from marking contests is exceptional.

I think Lever is getting unfair criticism based on some glaring errors. Unfortunately these few mistakes stick in people's mind more than the brilliant work he did for the majority of the match, which often doesn't get noticed. His positioning was fantastic and on many occasions when the Pies got the ball around 80m out and looked up, there was Lever plugging the hole and causing indecision in the inside 50 kick. He was a big part of why we defended our back 50 so well and only leaked 6 goals from 41 inside 50s.

Great to win a game based on being the cleaner and more efficient team. Also pleasing to see more evidence to support the view that the Port performance was an aberration, which some of us on here maintained at the time despite the many panic merchants thinking it was a true representation of who we are as a side.

Edited August 15, 20204 yr by Scoop Junior

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

What's better then waking up to a Sunday morning with a cracking hangover knowing your team has flogged the filth by over 50 points ?

Waking up without the hangover? ?

23 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

An even greater appreciation of Spargo’s game after watching the replay. In addition to his 3 snags he was instrumental in the goals from Kozzie  and Gus. Very effective.

Absolutely cf. Worthy of the ‘Game Breaker’ video this week.

4 minutes ago, Rusty Nails said:

Waking up without the hangover? ?

Soft Rusty...

Was worth every drop. Now watching the replay on Fox Footy is even better.

9 hours ago, 3Dee said:

Just thinking about what Spargo is gonna order at the Nudgee Macca's on the way home to Maroochydore .

Definitely a happy meal.