4 hours ago, manny100 said:

This is the best list since our last Premiership. Certainly the best in my time.

Agreed, but it's not just about the list now. It's clearly the coaching and the structures too.

4 hours ago, Gorgoroth said:

Haven’t looked at stats but I think Jordon played a very good game. Seemed to link well especially out of contests. 
And as some one else mention Rivs was great.

JJ is really growing into this team. Really liking his work.

4 hours ago, Seraph said:

Trac bullied the middle

10 clearances

Coin toss I reckon

31 possessions to 3/4 time then kicked the sealer with a great snap a minute into the last. Dominated.

4 hours ago, DemonOX said:

Hibbo was awesome tonight and did a great job on Dusty. 

Dusty wasn’t even in the game  

 

We actually stopped tagging him at centre stoppages by the third.

 

4 hours ago, Redleg said:

Held them to 3 goals after quarter time. A sensational effort.

I haven't seen a Melbourne team play like this in my lifetime (started following in 1988). The defensive system just strangles sides and our pressure tonight was immense. We out-pressured Richmond (their MO) and had them on the backfoot for 3 and a bit quarters. It was an extremely mature performance.

Round 11 will be interesting. Dogs have a deeper midfield but I feel we have a better structure and better weapons at both ends. Can't wait for that game should be a ripper.

4 hours ago, Pennant St Dee said:

What will also be interesting is he never says anything bad about his old teammate Adam Simpson.

Two things to talk about this week going against the grain for him

King was all over us back in 2018. We burnt him, so it may take a while to get him back. He was a big champion of ours for a while though.

4 hours ago, Mickey said:

How good was our defence? -4 in the I50s, won by nearly 6 goals. Amazing

Yep, that's at least a 4 goal loss in the past. Now we can create scores from the back half and strangle teams when they try to move the ball quickly.

4 hours ago, Seraph said:

James Jordon 6W 0L, playing his role well, tough when needed and being that link player whenever required

Hunt released as running half-back is working well, he and Langdon seem to be supporting each other and trusting each other more and more

Brayshaw settling into his new role just quietly - 26 touches

Jackson with a breakout game - outstanding effort

That's the best I've seen us play since I can remember, especially considering the conditions.

Great post. That is the other aspect that was so impressive tonight and spoke volumes about our system: we managed to repel attacks and constant forays forward in slippery, wet conditions. This has decidedly not been our strong suit for many years. Particularly, against a surge team like Richmond. Again, our team defence was incredible.

Edited April 24, 20214 yr by A F

3 hours ago, Ollie fan said:

Just watched some of the replay. How on earth can anyone possibly say Gawn is not the best Ruckman in the league? Why did they even talk about Naitanui or Grundy?

It's not even close. He is a top 10 player let alone ruck.

2 hours ago, CYB said:

Talk of the Norf game moving to Marvel next week and swapping our MCG game to Tassie. 
Not sure how I feel about that. Why should we have to give up a game at the G.

Which MCG game? We only play North once this season

At the moment we don’t need Ben Brown or Weideman.

I’ve woken up and we are still 6-0 after defeating the reigning premiers. How good is this football caper!!

5 hours ago, Nasher said:

In the interests of moderator transparency - I’ve deleted a couple of my own posts and those that quoted me. I was legitimately intending to diffuse what I thought was unwarranted negativity but instead inflamed it. I never thought I’d see the day where I was accused of being the negative one? 

This was a fantastic moment tonight. I was genuinely buzzing after the game. I reckon we can all take extra confidence out of this. Richmond are quality and didn’t let us grind them in to the dirt like Hawthorn did, but make no mistake, from 10 minutes on we were in complete control. I think we can all agree that it really feels like there’s something special amongst this group. I can’t remember the last time I started looking forward to the next game as soon as the game finished. I’d forgotten what it felt like to love footy but I’m there again.

Yes, interesting to contrast with 2018. Then we dropped games consistently throughout the season, but also won games by close to 100 points in others. Hence we had a %age close to the leaders by the time finals arrived. 
 

This year so far much more consistent, but don’t win by nearly as much. A lot to do with a game plan ld suggest. Will be interesting to see what the margins are in the next six weeks or so. Time to put the foot down l would suggest as our percentage moves closer to the doggies as they start to play more top sides. So far, they have not played anyone higher than 8th.

9 minutes ago, Dees2014 said:

Yes, interesting to contrast with 2018. Then we dropped games consistently throughout the season, but also won games by close to 100 points in others. Hence we had a %age close to the leaders by the time finals arrived. 
 

This year so far much more consistent, but don’t win by nearly as much. A lot to do with a game plan ld suggest. Will be interesting to see what the margins are in the next six weeks or so. Time to put the foot down l would suggest as our percentage moves closer to the doggies as they start to play more top sides. So far, they have not played anyone higher than 8th.

We have played Richmond 7th Fremantle 6th and Geelong 4th and both Richmond and Geelong played off for the 2020 premiership.

At the start of the season all the experts said if we were 3 and 3 or 4 and 2 at the end of round 6 we have done very well!

The way we are playing reminds me of the MFC of the 1950 and 1960 which had great defences, great midfields and reasonable forwards who managed to always kick a winning score.

Norm Smith once said there are 3 phases of the game:-

1 when we had the ball

2 when they had the ball

3 when no one had the ball

Good teams play well in all phases to win games, this team has that characteristic.

Righto people  Reattach your lids

It's a long season, let's take this one week at a time

6 minutes ago, Graeme Yeats' Mullet said:

Righto people  Reattach your lids

It's a long season, let's take this one week at a time

Live a little mate. Don’t be such a downer 

9 hours ago, Dee Zephyr said:

How bout them dees, hey? Still haven’t beaten anyone.

That’s why 75% of the tipsters went for Richmond. Hard to beat a team above you on the ladder when you share top spot. ? It will be different next week when we play North and we will probably be favourites for the first time this season. A worrying position to be in when we play our best footy as underdogs. ☹️ If we will, let’s hope that it is a massive win to boost our percentage however with the Dogs playing Richmond without Dusty it doesn’t help that.

1 hour ago, Jymothy said:

At the moment we don’t need Ben Brown or Weideman.

Majak Daw was the highest ranked of our players in the VFL. 126 Dream Team points yesterday against Richmond. 

Too forkin' big.
Too forkin' strong.
Too forkin' quick.

5 minutes ago, CBDees said:

Majak Daw was the highest ranked of our players in the VFL. 126 Dream Team points yesterday against Richmond. 

There is a huge gap between the VFL and AFL. Daw is a great backup but his strength at VFL level makes him good, not his speed in which you need at AFL level

This deever is a believer

Edited April 24, 20214 yr by leave it to deever

20 minutes ago, CBDees said:

That’s why 75% of the tipsters went for Richmond. Hard to beat a team above you on the ladder when you share top spot. ? It will be different next week when we play North and we will probably be favourites for the first time this season. A worrying position to be in when we play our best footy as underdogs. ☹️ If we will, let’s hope that it is a massive win to boost our percentage however with the Dogs playing Richmond without Dusty it doesn’t help that.

I think we have matured to the point that being faves wont make any difference.

Edited April 24, 20214 yr by leave it to deever

10 hours ago, FarNorthernD said:

I thought 5 years was a year too long for Salem. I was wrong

Yea I thought so too.

He was a sublime player 3  years prior and a big part of our success.

He has come back to being even better.

All the hype about dusty martin....it was Christian Salem who was the match winner last night.

Edited April 24, 20214 yr by leave it to deever

Every week we have a different player fronting up and going to a new level.

Congrats Salem and Jackson.

8 hours ago, DeeWiz said:

Oddly enough that game was the lowest my blood pressure has been all season. That’s how good it was

I was the same. Normally i'm a bundle of nerves watching on but yesterday was different. We were always in control and easily kept the Tiges at arms length throughout. 

4 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

It's not even close. He is a top 10 player let alone ruck.

Top 5, possibly top 3.

14 minutes ago, CBDees said:

however with the Dogs playing Richmond without Dusty it doesn’t help that.

The tiges need to get a win.

If they are any good then it will be a great game.

They looked flat against us, with lots of passengers. It won't be, happy training sessions with lots of jokes.

They also have one less day to recover than the dogs.

Dogs gave GWS a look in, up until the last quarter. 

Dogs should be favourites. 

The tigers try and win the easy way. That is with minimal time in control of the ball. They can go quickly when they have it. The rest of the time is like an arm wrestle. Lock it in, get stoppages and force turnovers in dangerous areas.

Their system didn't work well against us. We absorbed the pressure, gave some back and repelled from our backline.