5 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

I don’t see why not… Shannon Hurn seemingly played his second 300th game last night, according to the prematch anyways. 🙄

To be fair, his team mates didn't turn up for the first one. Deserved a do over

I thought Melksham put his hand up for consideration for a finals spot yesterday. He didn’t have an amazing game but everything he did was positive. 

Brown coming into form for the finals could be one of the most important things for the club. 

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

Find the footage of him stuck in first gear when Jordon laced it out to him and tell me that’s still true.

He had a number of very good moments. Including one lovely goal and one solid mark and goal. Got a gift for his other goal, and should’ve probably got more from the umps but he hasn’t bought his umps with him from North. Missed 2 chances entirely.

Took an important contested mark late. Then turned it over by not making the distance down the line.

Overall he was solid and he’s putting in the effort to adapt to the game plan and play his role. But he’s still just fighting to stay up to the pace of the game. And has moments where he’s just completely off it. 

My criticism is with anyone suggesting he played really well or is on the verge of breaking out. There’s nothing to suggest that so far. 

What sort of approach to his game is this? 

Is the Jordon passage of play the one where he dropped it on the dive? if so, wasn't that in the final quarter after the break, when the entire 22 was gassed? Ditto the late kick down the line (he wasn't the only player to fluff a late kick, Salem missed one too).

Yes he missed a couple of shots, but he kicked three, including two early when the heat was on and we needed to build a buffer. He repeatedly presented an option at both half-back and half-forward and I can only off the top of my head recall one marking contest where he didn't mark it or bring it to ground, and that came from a kick that didn't go to his advantage side.

He kicked 3 (more than anyone else), took 7 marks (second-most on the ground and the most for us) of which two were contested (in the wet, don't forget), had 6 score involvements (third-most on the ground, only bettered by ANB and Petracca) and 249 metres gained (our 10th most, more than both Oliver and Jackson).

Cherry picking a moment or two where he stuffed up does not substantiate an argument that he's "fighting to say up to the pace of the game", nor that "there's nothing to suggest" that he's playing well. 

Goodwin made an interesting comment in his press conf about learning to read 'game stages'.  And that they didn't prepare the players as well as they had hoped in that lightening break.  I'm thinking he is referring to our decision making or lack thereof when we had a 5-6 goal lead and just 15 min left and they nearly ran us down.    

Setting results aside for a minute, other such games this year were Adelaide: 16 pts up with 8 minutes to go and Hawks - a goal and a bit up with a few minutes left.  We didn't close those games down by using up time, forcing stoppages etc etc.  Umpiring decisions aside we lost and drew them.

A bit of work to do in our end-game strategies.  I'm sure we have them but we haven't always remembered to execute them as trained.  

Edited August 10, 20213 yr by Lucifer's Hero

I’m sure I saw Benny Gibson running the water last night. Can somebody please confirm? Underrated performance I feel, I might throw him in the votes.

2 hours ago, Nasher said:

I honestly spent half the telecast thinking Leppitsch was Tim Watson, ergo I ignored everything he said. They sound exactly the same.

Stay tuned for the defamation suit from Leppa   😂

4 hours ago, binman said:

Much to some people's chagrin, Viney will come straight back to the midfield once back.

Harmes will then move to whatever role they need to him play - which i suspect come finals will be to tag a gun opposition mid.

On gawn, i amazed how athletic he is for such a tall fella. 

That goal he set up after coming out of the centre and kicking on his left was unbelievable. As was an earlier ground ball collect and evasion before another inside 50 kick (which i think also set up a goal).

How can you say this? 

watch the replay of the past 2 weeks, and then last night - absolute chalk and cheese.

ban Viney from the midfield!! 
 

2 hours ago, Demonstone said:

Michael Lynch's votes in The Age.  Big Benny played well, but no way was he the best player out there

Petracca not mentioned, but received five votes from both Goodwin and Simpson in the Coaches' Award.

This is further evidence that it's purely subjective and we all see things differently.

VOTES
Ben Brown (Melbourne) 8
Tim Kelly (West Coast) 7
James Harmes (Melbourne) 7
Alex Neal-Bullen (Melbourne) 7
Jake Bowey (Melbourne) 6

All this tells you, is that Michael Lynch didn’t watch the game. 
 

 

24 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

I’m sure I saw Benny Gibson running the water last night. Can somebody please confirm? Underrated performance I feel, I might throw him in the votes.

Yes I noticed him several times bringing out the drinks after goals, big effort from Benny.!!

36 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Goodwin made an interesting comment in his press conf about learning to read 'game stages'.  And that they didn't prepare the players as well as they had hoped in that lightening break.  I'm thinking he is referring to our decision making or lack thereof when we had a 5-6 goal lead and just 15 min left and they nearly ran us down.    

Setting results aside for a minute, other such games this year were Adelaide: 16 pts up with 8 minutes to go and Hawks - a goal and a bit up with a few minutes left.  We didn't close those games down by using up time, forcing stoppages etc etc.  Umpiring decisions aside we lost and drew them.

A bit of work to do in our end-game strategies.  I'm sure we have them but we haven't always remembered to execute them as trained.  

We go too defensive with flooding numbers back and bombing long.

We have to learn how to take more short kicks to kill time, then if there’s nothing on go long. Even in the wet it’s possible to hit a few short chips.

Then when we’ve got the ball forward we have to defend as we normally do which is getting pressure on and either locking it in or forcing the opposition to bomb and backing our defenders.

The ball goes to where the numbers are. That’s a truism for any ball sport. We flood back, the ball gets locked in our backline, we invite pressure and scores.

More short kicks, more run and carry, slightly more aggressive numbers set up = better control of the game.

16 minutes ago, 1964_2 said:

How can you say this? 

watch the replay of the past 2 weeks, and then last night - absolute chalk and cheese.

ban Viney from the midfield!! 
 

How can i say Viney will go straight back into the midfield on his return?

Because that is exactly what will happen.

Note i didn't say it should happen. I said it will happen.

But for what it's worth, I think it should happen

How on earth could anyone pot Ben Brown's game.

He was fantastic. Easily in our best 5 players.

Not better than my boy Nibbler though

4 minutes ago, binman said:

How can i say Viney will go straight back into the midfield on his return?

Because that is exactly what will happen.

Note i didn't say it should happen. I said it will happen.

But for what it's worth, I think it should happen

I have faith that our coaching group is not this silly. 
 

 

47 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

He kicked 3 (more than anyone else), took 7 marks (second-most on the ground and the most for us) of which two were contested (in the wet, don't forget), had 6 score involvements (third-most on the ground, only bettered by ANB and Petracca) and 249 metres gained (our 10th most, more than both Oliver and Jackson).

Cherry picking a moment or two where he stuffed up does not substantiate an argument that he's "fighting to say up to the pace of the game", nor that "there's nothing to suggest" that he's playing well. 

Maybe he was more than solid. I thought he was about 7/10. Did some very nice things but they were just the examples of some of his lesser moments.

He played on a kid in his first real season too. My expectations on what a player does is different if they played on May or if they played on Petty for instance.

Even without Tommy Mc they kept his game time relatively low for a key forward and kept him fresh.

If he keep playing at the 7/10 standard I’ll be happy enough, I just think those suggesting he’s been better than that or has another great are missing the reality of the situation. He looks a fair way off the mark physically and is battling his hardest to play his role. I doubt that changes until he gets a good preseason in. 

1 minute ago, binman said:

How on earth could anyone pot Ben Brown's game.

He was fantastic. Easily in our best 5 players.

Not better than my boy Nibbler though

Agree with this. 

Brown’s form the last 2 weeks, is exactly what we have been hoping for all year. Can see the confidence rising by the week as well.

Nibbler was massive - nearly best game for the club 

Why do I suddenly feel we can play in the GF? Last night result showed me that we have a resilience that has not  been part of the MFC for some time. We had to travel to WA and be locked up 7 days. Then play in less than ideal  conditions and be in control of the game at 3/4 time to have the game stopped by lightning. After a rest the weagles came out revitalised. In spite of all that we won the game. In years gone by we would have lost that game. We can now win when we have lots of things going against us. Oh I forgot the umpiring.

1 minute ago, old dee said:

Why do I suddenly feel we can play in the GF? Last night result showed me that we have a resilience that has not  been part of the MFC for some time. We had to travel to WA and be locked up 7 days. Then play in less than ideal  conditions and be in control of the game at 3/4 time to have the game stopped by lightning. After a rest the weagles came out revitalised. In spite of all that we won the game. In years gone by we would have lost that game. We can now win when we have lots of things going against us. Oh I forgot the umpiring.

It is time to forget the past, and embrace this new era we are commencing! 
 

9 minutes ago, old dee said:

Why do I suddenly feel we can play in the GF? Last night result showed me that we have a resilience that has not  been part of the MFC for some time. We had to travel to WA and be locked up 7 days. Then play in less than ideal  conditions and be in control of the game at 3/4 time to have the game stopped by lightning. After a rest the weagles came out revitalised. In spite of all that we won the game. In years gone by we would have lost that game. We can now win when we have lots of things going against us. Oh I forgot the umpiring.

Welcome to Demonland! However ... sorry, but the user name "old dee" is already taken. Please change your user name to avoid confusion: the real "old dee" has a markedly different style to you.

 

I wish we had footy every night like last year.

I reckon it will happen one day. 

1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Goodwin made an interesting comment in his press conf about learning to read 'game stages'.  And that they didn't prepare the players as well as they had hoped in that lightening break.  I'm thinking he is referring to our decision making or lack thereof when we had a 5-6 goal lead and just 15 min left and they nearly ran us down.    

Setting results aside for a minute, other such games this year were Adelaide: 16 pts up with 8 minutes to go and Hawks - a goal and a bit up with a few minutes left.  We didn't close those games down by using up time, forcing stoppages etc etc.  Umpiring decisions aside we lost and drew them.

A bit of work to do in our end-game strategies.  I'm sure we have them but we haven't always remembered to execute them as trained.  

I agree, although I think we deserve to be cut some flak for last night with the lightning break.

But as @DeeSpencer has argued, when we get the ball with a small lead late in the fourth, we seem to think the only option is to wait for a massive pack to form on the boundary and then kick it to that pack. No real short lateral options available, and worryingly we seem to kick to that pack and it spills out into the corridor a lot, not over the boundary line.

27 minutes ago, Mazer Rackham said:

Welcome to Demonland! However ... sorry, but the user name "old dee" is already taken. Please change your user name to avoid confusion: the real "old dee" has a markedly different style to you.

 

We could not win a raffle with the only ticket. Does that suit you better MR? 

Edited August 10, 20213 yr by old dee

12 minutes ago, old dee said:

We could not win a raffle with the only ticket. Does that suit you better MR? 

Oh, thank god you're all right! I was worried.

2 hours ago, Pates said:

I thought Melksham put his hand up for consideration for a finals spot yesterday. He didn’t have an amazing game but everything he did was positive. 

Brown coming into form for the finals could be one of the most important things for the club. 

It also showed that TMc could play up the ground as a link player more regularly allowing Fritta and BBB to do the work inside 50.

1 hour ago, titan_uranus said:

I agree, although I think we deserve to be cut some flak for last night with the lightning break.

But as @DeeSpencer has argued, when we get the ball with a small lead late in the fourth, we seem to think the only option is to wait for a massive pack to form on the boundary and then kick it to that pack. No real short lateral options available, and worryingly we seem to kick to that pack and it spills out into the corridor a lot, not over the boundary line.

Exactly. If the intent is to use up the clock, a number of those lateral kicks work best. Work it to forward and lock the ball in the 50. We are good and preventing the release from there, it's as much a strength as our stoppage work. 

11 hours ago, old dee said:

We are now contenders. 

Wow just wow. What have you done with Old Dee?