On 15/08/2021 at 07:13, frankie_d said:

Brayshaw in the middle at the end. Great to see. He offers us much more than Harmes there and clearly more than Sparrow. Leave him there. Who goes on the wing? Harmes? Viney?

Unless he is tagging, I’d have Harmes on the wing. Likes to run and plays better when he has space in front of him. Just need to get him to commit to non-stop running for potentially little reward.

  On 15/08/2021 at 07:06, Stiff Arm said:

Somebody please sign Dogga up for a further 5 years.

This kids goanna have a stack of AAs by the end of that! 

Great tank he has too.

  On 15/08/2021 at 06:58, Webber said:

Funny old win. Pretty good shape going into finals (at least physically) which might depending on Dogs v Port on Friday, begin next week. Only change I’d make is Viney for Sparrow, May for Smith (great work Joel), and Tmac for Fritsch. 

You'd drop Fritsch? 

Edited August 15, 20213 yr by The Reverend

Posted 13 hours ago

We should win this one in a canter. Crows have nothing to play for and we have top spot on the line.

Dees by 40+

 

 

 

Anyone want next weeks Tatts numbers ??

 

  On 15/08/2021 at 07:17, In Harmes Way said:

I feel sorry for Joel Smith who would normally be a shoe in next week based on a game like that, but unfortunately will make way for Maysy. Didn't put a foot wrong.

He might make the 22

Did nothing wrong

  On 15/08/2021 at 07:16, P-man said:

Call out the subject matter of comments themselves, by all means. Making a sweeping judgement on the negativity of gameday threads is inane. Negativity is a given every week. If everyone did what you did the thread would be clogged with judgmental rubbish.

It already is ABSOLUTELY clogged with judgemental rubbish. 

Things up the sleeve boys and girls, that's all I'll say on the matter.

  On 15/08/2021 at 07:14, loges said:

Spot on people are passionate and they get frustrated

I for one am hugely grateful for the game day thread this year. I want and need to vent, and understand others need to do likewise. If I say dumb stuff, or bag any players for, you know, being a human AFL footballer with flaws, I’m even more happy to be called out for it, and I’ll do the same. As weird as it is, we’re all here because we’re invested in the club. We need to sublimate our lack of control somehow, and as personally varied as that is, game day thread is a (mostly) harmless part of that sublimation. All that said, Fritsch just has to go. 

  On 15/08/2021 at 07:23, Sir Why You Little said:

He might make the 22

Did nothing wrong

Sadly must come out for May but as you say Smith did a great job for a senior game after a long time.

Edited August 15, 20213 yr by leave it to deever

  On 15/08/2021 at 07:23, ding said:

Posted 13 hours ago

We should win this one in a canter. Crows have nothing to play for and we have top spot on the line.

Dees by 40+

 

 

 

Anyone want next weeks Tatts numbers ??

 

Name them. I’ll buy a ticket with them and report back.

I am annoyed with this game!!!!

I couldn't go. 

Crying in my Heineken. Boo hoo.

And with that win, this year is the most successful Melbourne season I have seen since I've been born.

Furthermore, it's the most consistent I've seen.  We did lose a couple of games I wouldn't have expected we would have dropped (Collingwood and Adelaide earlier on), but no one could say we have been opened up. Hell, even in those two games we were within striking distance until the last 3 minutes. Magnificent effort so far to all concerned. GWS are a finals team, the Dogs a top four one and the last three weeks have shown you dismiss Hawthorn at your peril. A draw wasn't the disaster it was felt at the time.

I guess that performance was expected and very welcome. We really didn't want to put on a showtime performance as we have so much more to win in the next 5 weeks or so. That being said, if we lost this one, the narrative about Melbourne dropping winnable games would have been running red hot. This was a good win to get to keep an even keel going into finals.

Positives were for mine was that in the last quarter, we finally woke up to what they were doing. They copied a lot of their earlier performance with their run and carry, and incision kicks that created open, gaping wounds. We finally started to adjust the zone somewhat to ensure that more physical heat was applied while maintaining the zone when necessary.

Furthermore, when the ball hit the deck, they really did outhunt us early. Contests at the ground were getting a bit too slanted, so it was great that we rejigged our numbers at them without being too tempted to revert to the old Melbourne of 'all bees around the honeypot' when the balls hit the deck.

Excellent performances come down to two for mine. Dogga and Fritta.

If you watch closely, he hasn't got Max's ruck craft in his kit bag yet. That will come. However, his ability to pick up from around his toes, read the bouncing ball and burst out of packs is sometimes reminiscent of a burst midfielder. It's Natanui like. Furthermore, he is clearly doing work on his goal kicking as he is now as reliable as they come.

I wrote after the first quarter that Fritta may have been stoned. My judgement was reconfirmed as not being without merit as he hadn't had a touch. If he was on something, it must have started peaking after the quarter time break as he played magnificently with the opportunities he was given. That forward line as well will be much better when Tomald gets back. 

I am not sure it will be enough to keep his spot, but it was also nice to see Joel Smith get involved early on. Never did I see him make a decision or go to a contest that was unwise (having Lever down there directing traffic always helps). He looked comfortable and hopefully a preseason, a space available and some luck might see him get some games next year as a role player.

Maxy as well was, believe it or not, magnificent in areas I would never guess. Some of his disposal when the ball was live, and ability to break tackles and bullock through was top notch. Strangely, he could not stick a mark to save his life. I've no idea why this is, but hopefully he'll bounce back next week.

Areas for concern were Melk's game. He will need to apply pressure or he is surplus to requirements. I'd have him in for pure foot disposal and finishing, but you are not going to have those opportunities every week. And when they don't come, you will want to be giving something back when you don't have the ball. Alas, he didn't give enough back on the defensive side this game, and will want to fix this if he wants to retain his spot.

Another slight complaint was Petty when matched up one on one with Fogarty. The bloke has improved out of sight, but he doesn't play one on one nearly as well as May or Tomlinson. That won't be his concern hopefully with May in next week, but something to note.

Anyway, looking forward to taking on Geelong. As crazy as this sounds, I wouldn't have minded us playing them down at Shell Shocked Stadium. A win there would put a huge exclamation point on the year as it has been the site of many a repressed memory. The G it shall be, and I'm champing at the bit.

Go you mighty Demons!

 

 

 

 

 

  On 15/08/2021 at 07:26, leave it to deever said:

Sadly must come out for May but did a great job for a senior game after a long time.

May Comes in yes, but Joel could make the I/C

Did his chances no harm

Highest-ever number of home and away points for Dees in a season, thanks to the draw. Equal (with 1990 and 1956) greatest number of home and away games won.

Wow did I hear Eddie Maguire say in commentary about an Adelaide attempted kick “that boomerang won’t come back”? Does he realise that “My boomerang won’t come back” is one of the most racist songs of all time? Look up the lyrics if you doubt this.

Eddie has worked in the media his whole life and I quite like him. But sometimes, like his comments about Adam Goodes and King Kong, his brain switches off.

Edited August 15, 20213 yr by Blinkybill

Those who bag game day threads are as Flanders would say the real are the real negative nellies.

There are positive comments as well.

Focus on those instead of crying about posters who simply vent after fifty five years of heartache.

Like our team, nothing is perfect. Grow up or go home.

Go Dees.

  On 15/08/2021 at 07:21, Mickey said:

I'm assuming the Gus/Sparrow/Jacko centre square at the end was because the big guns were on the bench being looked after

I loved seeing Gus in there .

  On 15/08/2021 at 07:13, Wadda We Sing said:

The thing i really like about this team is that we seem to have an abundance of every shape/type of afl player. We have super smalls, crumbers, wirey forwards, forwards, medium size bulls, elite speedsters, hard nuts, talls and super talls etc etc.

Variety is the spice of life!

  On 15/08/2021 at 07:23, The Reverend said:

You'd drop Fritsch? 

And now I don’t know if you’re making a joke about my joke, or what. It’s so meta…

  On 15/08/2021 at 07:03, Deestroy All said:

Bayley Farmer. Made it look too easy. 
 

So does Jackson. Just glides around and does as he pleases. A nightmare match up for dud and part time 2nd ruckmen. Finals weapon. 
 

Langers and Spargo back in form at the perfect time. 
 

 

A negative, Melksham should boot himself over the fence and never return. 

The Friz?

  On 15/08/2021 at 06:51, Demongirl35 said:

Anyone else think gawny looked really annoyed that whole last qtr? Even on the bench he was annoyed about something

wonder if something happened 

Jackson looked better?

 

  On 15/08/2021 at 06:54, Nasher said:

Loved that. Wasn’t pretty, but ticked all the boxes IMO. Kicked goals against the run of play in the first, weathered the challenge in the third and buried them when they put up the white flag in the last. Very content with that performance. Did what we had to.

Bring on the minor premiership battle next week.

Just our usual we have this six goal win.

Four chocolates and no injuries.

But wow Fritta and Dogga. 

What a time for them to play like this.

Hope our second highest scorer in Tmac is back next week.

Shout out to Smith who may be unlucky to let May back in. Thought Hibberd was solid too. It might sound bad but Adam t injured letting Petty play does have an upside.

Would love to see Petty up forward. He is a marking beast and tough as nails.

 

  On 15/08/2021 at 07:20, Demon Jack said:

Jesse kicked 7 against the Saints back in 2016. But gee, aside from that, you'd have to potentially go back to Robbo against the Pies on QB in 2007.

And we lost

Oh and not to be a complete troll....

How many of Dr. D's proclamations came true? The us finishing fifth one is up there with 'bring peace for our time' after the Munich agreement was signed. And that got nixed last week!

The fifth place finish, not the Munich agreement. 

Or has he given us more prognostications for us to debunk moving forward? 

Edited August 15, 20213 yr by Colin B. Flaubert

Well we've beaten everyone this year except Collingwood - that would be ironic in a Premiership year.