“Geelong’s the best team we’ve played this year” - Hardwick

Fair enough call given that Geelong smashed them by 5 more goals than us. Just wondering if Hardwick rates Geelong a class above us.

MFC opens a massive can of worms on the comp.

28 minutes ago, Hannibal Inc. said:

Geelong's second half was the best football I've seen this year.  Having not been a fan of theirs for years I was genuinely surprised.

They were good, but on the other hand the opposition looked poor. Fumbled from the first Q (Lynch started the rot) and panicked as the game went on.

A long season and an ageing list for both these teams...

It's going to be a war of attrition, could well be a Bradbury season.

I hope we can keep a solid list on the park.

If we do we're as good a chance as any.

Edited May 7, 20213 yr by rjay

1 hour ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Wayne Carey says don’t worry about the Tiges, this is just a “blemish.” A 10-goal pantsing is a “blemish.” LOL

 

1 hour ago, Nelo said:

Haha. I don’t think so. Richmond haven’t looked this bad for a number of years. 

 

1 hour ago, Demon Disciple said:

Tigers starting to have the stench of thinking that they can just turn it on whenever they need to. I suppose that type of arrogance only comes from sustained success, however their hunger is clearly missing and when that goes, it ain’t as easy as simply flicking a switch.

Tigers time at the top is over. Only hope that I can one day say the same thing with the Dees.

Write them off at your own peril. Unlike us, Richmond have shown that they know how to prepare for September. In 2019 they lost to the cats by 71 points, gws, collingwood and doggies by nearly 50. Last year they had a pretty ordinary start losing to hawthorn and st Kilda (we actually player them into form). 

yes they were poor, but hold fire on judging the tiges just yet - currently missing their engine room in lambert, cotchin, and prestia and their best defender in grimes, with vlastuin playing his first game back in 8 weeks, plus dusty had jet lag

i don't think we'd travel too well either in the same circumstances

Richmond is a gun side without doubt, but they have lost a bit of their run, just 5%, but is enough, Cats had enough time to beat tackles and the big forwards were all firing. Of Geelong, Richmond and us I rate our run as better at the moment and just as fierce in the contest as either, with the best defense and a forward line equal to the Cats. It is small small margins and thinking with head and not heart, I think the season will come down to injuries. Of the coaches, they all have a clue, and as much as I dislike the Scott brothers, you have to be impressed by the fire in the belly Chris has not to give up. 

Finally, to ask a useless 'what if' if our game against the cats was replayed, no Tomlinson and Cameron in, a scary thought for finals.

 

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

Not sure a player who has won multiple finals off his own boot can be described as a downhill skier. 

I think we were all just having a bit of a laugh....

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Rohan is the same height as Fritsch. 

Hawkins got 4 ! 

The Cats are nothing special. They look a lot better with Cameron on but their midfield is still average compared to ours. 

this is a team that scraped over the line against the hawks and lost to the crows. 

looking forward to rolling them in Mordor later in the year. Yep it’s early but I’m up and about!

5 hours ago, DaisyDeeciple said:

 

Finally, to ask a useless 'what if' if our game against the cats was replayed, no Tomlinson and Cameron in, a scary thought for finals.

 

They got 11 goals from two players who were absent against us, plus they missed Danger. With Thommo out they’d definitely be a scarier proposition now, although the Swans handled them last week. What an interesting season!

10 minutes ago, Radar Detector said:

They got 11 goals from two players who were absent against us, plus they missed Danger. With Thommo out they’d definitely be a scarier proposition now, although the Swans handled them last week. What an interesting season!

We beat them with a sole forward that was on the trade table a few months earlier. So how many goals will Brown and Weid add in our next meeting? I say they get closer next time and if we met in finals, but it's line ball, both teams at their best. 

Edited May 7, 20213 yr by John Demonic

Geelong moved the ball much better but Richmond’s trademark pressure just wasn’t there. Geelongs' legs aren’t getting any younger and the season is long. Let’s see what kind of shape they are in come finals time. We’ll bring the heat for a full game when we play them next.

Richmond have a soft run of fixtures coming up so have time to get players back and into form. I’m not writing them off yet.

Both these teams will finish top 4 I reckon along with us and probably Port. Brisbane a chance as well.

8 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

“Geelong’s the best team we’ve played this year” - Hardwick

Fair enough call given that Geelong smashed them by 5 more goals than us. Just wondering if Hardwick rates Geelong a class above us.

I think Hardwick is more comfortable with the familiar and the coaching duels with Chris Scott year after year have been his best challenges 

Hence the respect he's paying the Cats with that remark, and fair enough. But he probably deep down knows that the age profile of the other clubs rising right now, be it this year or beyond, will be what ultimately replace his era/dynasty. Until that happens, the club that has been their biggest rival will still be the best they've played, until proven otherwise.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 20213 yr by John Demonic

Last week Melbourne’s rise to the top of the ladder just happened to coincide with my rise to top of the work footy tipping comp. (equal 1st with 4 other people). 

As much as I hate Hawkins some of the goals he kicked last night from deep in the pockets were pretty good.

2 hours ago, Radar Detector said:

 although the Swans handled them last week. What an interesting season!

This is why I'm confident abotu beating the Swans. 

Last week the Cats won clearly all over the ground and in the stats except on the scoreboard. Ridiculous I know but in the past 61 games since 2000, teams with these stats have won.

Swans were lucky with some umpire assistance. The Dees are better.

I found that last nights game was very similar to ours against Richmond despite opposite weather conditions. Richmond bullied early and were very dominant but us and Geelong managed to resist and turn the games around with fast moving pressure football and  Richmond folded. Richmond don’t intimidate as much as they used to do. Now it’s more bluff than true dominance.

Edited May 7, 20213 yr by John Crow Batty

1 hour ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

As much as I hate Hawkins some of the goals he kicked last night from deep in the pockets were pretty good.

That’s pretty much his bread n butter. 

The template for beating the Tiges is now laid out bare for all to see. 

• Pressure around the contest
• Run it through their defensive zones, with a mix of pace, short kicks and handballs.
• Opposition tall forwards spread to make their backmen have lots of one-on-one contests. Their defensive team play is very very good, but they have only one backman who can play one-on-one, and that's Mackintosh. 

And Hibbo showed how to beat Dusty. Stay close, and tackle from behind so he can't fend off. Tiges did this as well.

But don't write them off, no way. Their team system holds up well and they have a proud and mean streak.

I'm sure C Scott spent a lot of time watching that Anzac Eve game. 

Today apart from a Melbourne win would be for gws to knock off the bummers and boy would I love nth to bump off the pies. Imagine the reaction if that happened. 

another franchise day from the looks of things - gw$ doing it easy against the peptides and gc17 look better than aints early days

Keep going giants. Bury them. 

Thank goodness for a half time melee in the Suns game. That was the most entertaining bit so far. 

8 hours ago, Radar Detector said:

They got 11 goals from two players who were absent against us, plus they missed Danger. With Thommo out they’d definitely be a scarier proposition now.

Precisely. And this is why it's important Tomlinson is replaced by someone who has trained for the role and is a long term key defence prospect. Hence Petty goes in and TMac stays forward.