33 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

Broad questions

If a team loses a match, and we are due to play them, why do supporters say 'they're going to come out fired up' - but not hold the same view when Melbourne loses a match?

 

 

The last 57 years....

14 hours ago, Skuit said:

Can't wait to take on the Cats next week. We have them covered. Hope the boys feel the same. A 40-point win in the taking.  

Geelong are a 'holders', 'grabbers' and 'pushers' in all matches and sometimes, 'bashers'. Last night, the umpires 'allowed' the same constant, all-game violations of rules to be performed by GWS - particularly on Clarry and Gawn - without penalty, without adjudication, without one significant moment of acknowledgment. The effort to so neutralise these key Demons was so great that they injured themselves, eventually.

We are going to be in that same camp against the Cats - with two of their key players, Dangerfield and Rowan, missing - it will be sanctioned by the umpires as 'OK under such circumstances' to bash the key Dees all game to assist ensure the AFL bankroll is maintained by winning the game against the MFC. 

Level playing field? 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Kent said:

No complaints but its been an ongoing problem Binman As you stated I'm sure the coaches are working on it but we don.t handle it well with 3or 4 players flying for the mark and never anybody goal side

Looks amateurish to me but maybe there are more Boneheads around than we know

It was a problem in past years. As evidenced by us regularly smashing teams inside 50 differential. And losing

They improved at the back end of last year and again this season. As evidenced by our scoring efficieny from inside 50s.

Yesterday they flooded our back half. Big packs with mutiple players flying for marks was inevitable. And important to make sure they couldn't intercept mark. Which worked because they got bugger all intercept marks given their numerical advantage down there.

Again not sure what you were watching but we were brilliant when the ball came to ground.  Kossie was electric. Spargo and nibbler both took their chances and even Max and fritter snagged goals from congestion.

And we had 30 shots at goal from our 67 inside 50s. Not too shabby given how crowded it was back there.

Hats off to the selection committee who ignore the Changes for next week thread

The continuity of an unchanged lineup is showing players who would otherwise be dropped for a poor contest or game are bobbing up the next week in the top 2-3. Can only promote confidence. At some point an example will need to be made, but I haven’t seen it yet.

There's a bit of chatter about the commentary team we had last night but I thought they did an ok job of calling the game, unlike their rivals at Ch7 who forever meander off into side topics or inhouse banter that have nothing to do with what's happening on the ground. Also I can't remember when someone last took the field that wasn't a champion, legend or star of the competition. 

There was talk during the week against ex players and administrators commentating on their own teams which I agree on with one small caveat. I would insist on James Brayshaw calling all of North Melbourne's games this season. They really do deserve each other. 

2 hours ago, Better days ahead said:

Just watched the full replay. I’m absolutely stoked with that display. Not a complete performance by any means but without doubt we again displayed a level of maturity which has been lacking the last few seasons. GWS asked the question and we answered it. That’s a game we’re coughed up previously.

I hope they get their players back because if they continue to play like that they will beat teams we are competing with for Top 4. Toby Greene will cause problems for any team. Great player.

Best games of the year for LJ, Hunt, ANB and Fritsch. We are getting contributions across the board.

I think we all need to remember that you do not get to play games of AFL on your terms all the time. Talk of percentage boosts before the game were ridiculous. People disappointed we’re not winning by 50-60 points. You’re getting ahead of yourselves.

Big test next week against the Cats. They are so street smart and know how to win by fair means or fowl. I think they will play like GWS last night so we really need to work on creating separation this week. TMac was crowded out every time (I’d persevere with him by the way, he has credits in the bank from his first 2 games).

I think it’s a 50/50 game. Win it and i'll really start to believe.

I watched the second half again this am and agree on how much better it looked, we ended up doing them easily. 
 

I think a little call to the umpires this week asking about off the ball blocking, holding and a tagging should be made as well as all teams would have watched that and thought that is the best way to stop us. 

6 minutes ago, Rab D Nesbitt said:

There's a bit of chatter about the commentary team we had last night but I thought they did an ok job of calling the game, unlike their rivals at Ch7 who forever meander off into side topics or inhouse banter that have nothing to do with what's happening on the ground. Also I can't remember when someone last took the field that wasn't a champion, legend or star of the competition. 

There was talk during the week against ex players and administrators commentating on their own teams which I agree on with one small caveat. I would insist on James Brayshaw calling all of North Melbourne's games this season. They really do deserve each other. 

Yeah I liked the play-by-play commentary last night. Kelli Underwood's voice is no more or less grating than Brian Taylor's or James Brayshaw's. She called the game fine. So did Leigh Montagna, by the way.

The special comments, though, were no good. Brereton is awful, just genuinely a terrible commentator. I've never been a Healy fan either.

1 hour ago, titan_uranus said:

Did Geelong, Hawthorn or Richmond ever refuse to sign the song after any of their wins during their respective dynasties?

What you're arguing is that by singing the song they're incapable of critiquing their performance or reviewing the game. That is patently ridiculous.

There's no statement to make or signal to send by not signing the song. If anything, it will get people riled up that we have rifts between players and coaches. Wins are to be enjoyed. It's why people play football. If you can't reconcile celebrating a win with getting better, then you'll never get there.

I recall one infamous team song where a hawks player fell asleep singing it after playing the Dees.

15 hours ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Sad?....more like realistic. Have you been following this team for long? After what transpired tonight the players would of been better off not singing the song and discussed what could of quite easily been a loss. We got lucky with so many injuries to the Giants, still some repetitive areas of concern for us at the moment. It’s a long season, they’ll be plenty of other opportunities to sing the song. As I said, many won’t agree.

Or they 'could of' worked on their grammar.

6 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

Yeah I liked the play-by-play commentary last night. Kelli Underwood's voice is no more or less grating than Brian Taylor's or James Brayshaw's. She called the game fine. So did Leigh Montagna, by the way.

The special comments, though, were no good. Brereton is awful, just genuinely a terrible commentator. I've never been a Healy fan either.

Healy loves bagging us but I thought he was right on last night for his comments about the importance of the game and its significance for us. He was fine.

Dermie, know all that he is, had some good insights too, about our shift with the wingers after half time for one.

7 minutes ago, Cards13 said:

I recall one infamous team song where a hawks player fell asleep singing it after playing the Dees.

Jeelong player snoozed...

15 minutes ago, Rab D Nesbitt said:

There's a bit of chatter about the commentary team we had last night but I thought they did an ok job of calling the game, unlike their rivals at Ch7 who forever meander off into side topics or inhouse banter that have nothing to do with what's happening on the ground. Also I can't remember when someone last took the field that wasn't a champion, legend or star of the competition. 

There was talk during the week against ex players and administrators commentating on their own teams which I agree on with one small caveat. I would insist on James Brayshaw calling all of North Melbourne's games this season. They really do deserve each other. 

Underwood isn’t my cup of tea but she’s not the worst. Also it’s a more difficult job calling when watching on tv at a studio.

Derm’s team is clearly the Giants. He knows all about them but what shocked to discover Ed Langdon is a good runner. 

Healy wasn’t too bad by comparison but hopefully he can return to his main hobbies of watching West Coast and complaining about teams not working hard enough.

2 hours ago, Maldonboy38 said:

There is a rider of course - the three teams we have played will probably all struggle to make finals, so my lid is still firmly fixed to the jar.

Whilst this is true - how nice it is for a change to not look back at this 3 games at the end of the year when we are premiers, and think that we lost a match when we 'should' have won.

Ps... we still haven't beaten a team above us on the ladder....so we are still pretenders eh? ?

Won a game we should have won against a hobbled Oppo.

Also a couple of our loyal elders are going to struggle to get games.  Against better opposition and with less luck they may cost us games.  Fortunately our young players are travelling beautifully.

We have maximum points but for mine the lid stays on.  We still have a lot of work to do at selection and in the coaches box to become contenders this year.  I feel that we are in about the 4th to 8th bracket. 

 

44 minutes ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Geelong are a 'holders', 'grabbers' and 'pushers' in all matches and sometimes, 'bashers'. Last night, the umpires 'allowed' the same constant, all-game violations of rules to be performed by GWS - particularly on Clarry and Gawn - without penalty, without adjudication, without one significant moment of acknowledgment. The effort to so neutralise these key Demons was so great that they injured themselves, eventually.

We are going to be in that same camp against the Cats - with two of their key players, Dangerfield and Rowan, missing - it will be sanctioned by the umpires as 'OK under such circumstances' to bash the key Dees all game to assist ensure the AFL bankroll is maintained by winning the game against the MFC. 

Level playing field? 

 

 

 

That’s total garbage. Oliver received several frees off the ball. What else did you want? A full judicial inquiry from the High Court?

25 minutes ago, RigidMiddleDigit said:

Or they 'could of' worked on their grammar.

"could have" perhaps ?

Edited April 5, 20214 yr by bingers

22 minutes ago, bingers said:

"could have" perhaps ?

I think that was the joke bingers!

16 hours ago, Youngwilliam said:

Lucky the Giants were unlucky with injuries. Giants wanted it more and its good to get a win we shouldn't have gotten. 

We virtually got this win without Oliver, and he's worth 4$ type,  players..

1 hour ago, Cards13 said:

I recall one infamous team song where a hawks player fell asleep singing it after playing the Dees.

It was James Kelly from Geelong. He was trying to be funny but he made himself look like a [censored].

1 hour ago, Kick_It_To_Pickett said:

That’s total garbage. Oliver received several frees off the ball. What else did you want? A full judicial inquiry from the High Court?

Were you at the match?  I saw Oliver manhandled off the ball continually. 

3 hours ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

what’s the worst that could come out of the players not singing the club song after one game, instead going behind closed doors and speaking openly and honestly about why we weren’t switched and how if this doesn’t change there could well be a different result next time.

They have to be able to celebrate. A release of the energy and share some joy.

The song is as much for the supporters as the team.

What you suggest is like drawing a "line in the sand" moment. Can be done, though you wouldn't want to do it it more than once in a season (line in sand not the song). It is really not the time for it. Devalues the effort they are giving and are winning anyway. 

They are addressing the problems and would be doing home truths with each other during the normal review and after calculated reflection. 

They know their general problems. 

Support and feedback from others when they have a clearer head and the video replays have been scrutinised is much better on the "Monday".

Inaccurate and exaggeration of things could be said in the heat of the moment directly after a game, and off the cuff comments can lead to bad blood.

Old school coaching may do what you suggest with the song but Goody is new school player management, respectful and calculated. 

Too much mental footy pressure is energy sapping.

 

Edited April 5, 20214 yr by kev martin

2 hours ago, Engorged Onion said:

Broad questions

If a team loses a match, and we are due to play them, why do supporters say 'they're going to come out fired up' - but not hold the same view when Melbourne loses a match?

If a team has a better first quarter, why does that mean we weren't switched on? Surely the other team has agency? Surely they're skilled and drilled as well, we're not playing against schoolboys...

 

They will have more effort and have worked on their deficiencies. 

Can be season defining in the early rounds.

The media has highlighted them and communal humiliation can fire them up in the first.

They then run out of puff, if not a good team or the system is broken

If It is a regular occurrence of being non-competitive, you don't "come out fired up".

16 hours ago, binman said:

Was thinking the same thing.

They flooded our forward line and got their early goals on transition, in part because of some poor defensive running and half efforts. But also because our zone looked a little out of shape.

Addressed that at quarter time and as you say they struggled to move it forward after that.

Similar game to the our game v dockers after quarter time. Scoreboard flattered them.

Agreed although I actually think we settled our defensive structure about 15-20 minutes into the 1st quarter.

We left about 5 goals on the table again by my count, really need to start nailing those chances (Oliver x2, Gawn x2, Spargo) but we are performing far better from a structural standpoint than any time in recent memory. Will be very interested to see how we perform over the next 3 weeks, will be telling as far as as our aspirations this season go.

Won't it be great to see Jones notch his 300th on Anzac eve, fingers crossed he gets through the next two games unscathed.

Kozzie ???

This kid is a gem, equal parts Davey, Cyril and, when he finally lands a screamer, Farmer. Dermie was right about one thing he also has a bit if Michael Long about him the way he runs through the middle and tackles.

3 hours ago, Kent said:

I thought Brayshaw had a good game and more than did his job. A real improvement

Me too Kent. Not sure what some people expect, do they expect  that we have 18 players all equal every week? Tmac has an average game ( not his fault in my opinion) after 2 good games and the instantly want him out. He did his job.