Jump to content

Post season Round 2 vs. Saints observations

CHF
CHF
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

Posted

Think I will work my way through the season looking at games through the prism of a Premiership and our quality of play in the final series. Posted in the Post grand final thread my round 1 observations.

I remember that there was a lot of pumping up of the Saints early in the season and I was not confident prior to the game and I have to say that watching the replay of this game and knowing the outcome did not mean that the frustration levels were any less than watching it live. 12 goals 19 behinds with us scoring 3.6 in each of the last two quarters. 9 different goal scorers and 9 different behind kickers. not sure how many we missed completely. Frustrating and it highlighted what would become a theme in the first half of the season with us winning games with a dysfunctional forward line.

My observations:

- Viney in for Harmes who was injured jack kicks a goal with his first touch.... 

- Players in the team that did not play in the GF Jetta, Tomlinson, Hunt, Jones and Baker.

- Commentators talking up Saints every opportunity.

- Umps pulled the trigger on play on calls very quickly.... I seem to remember that this happen a few weeks before it settled down.

- Oliver was a clearance machine and his connection with max was obvious. Also started to see the Oliver/Petracca combo being built. 

- Langdon smooth mover and his disposal quality was better than the 2020 season.

- Support in both defence and attack was something I saw a lot of off the back of some excellent pressure. This was a developing theme for me during the season. 

- Salem crazy good with his positional play and support efforts.

- Forwards all over the place like a mad person's breakfast except for the Kossie/Spargo combination. They work well together.

- Petracca's strength. He really stepped up and continued to develop during the season.

- I also saw the team's turnover reaction as a big plus. Their reaction to adjusting their structure to switch from defence to attack or from attack to defence was fast and well drilled.

- There was a growing awareness of the potential of the quality of our defence. Second game that the defence dominated with intercept marking.

As I said, a frustrating game to watch live and a no less frustrating game to watch on replay.

 

  • Quote
    • Like 8
    • Thanks 3
    • Love 1
     

    The Oliver / Petracca combo is a great point.

    It's obvious because they both spend so much time in the midfield and centre bounces together but the chemistry between the two coming into their prime is why we won a premiership and why we are favourites again next year.

    We've all watched the GF replay plenty of times but the number of times Oliver gets it to Petracca or vice versa and the recipient does damage is incredible.

  • Quote
    • Like 2

    The abiding memory form this game for me was Kozzies goal. Phenomenal evasion in heavy traffic. 

  • Quote
    • Like 5
    • Thanks 1
     

    I had a feeling it was going to be a good year after that game. We were seriously challenged early and then put them away. 
    had we kicked straight….

  • Quote
    • Like 4

    One thing i remember from being at this game was the patch in the second quarter when the Saints got on top and were up by about 3 goals or so in the first half of that quarter.  
     

    When we rebounded forward we literally had no one to kick to for about ten minutes and I noticed a lot of finger pointing going on by some of our defenders, which at the time I thought the blame game was on but in fact it was a show of leadership to remain calm and restructure.
    Once we did that the Saints lead was cut very short rapidly. Post GF, one poster on here (sorry, can’t remember the name) made mention this was the game where they thought there was something different about our team and I tend to agree from watching the game live. 
    We should’ve blown out them of the water in the second half but just banking points early in the season was vital.

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    55 minutes ago, BDA said:

    The abiding memory form this game for me was Kozzies goal. Phenomenal evasion in heavy traffic. 

    Seriously brilliant skills and evasion; perfectly screened/protected at the kick point; courageous decision-making on his part. We may be likely to see similar from Bowey in the coming season? That kicking accuracy - destined for goal opportunities or forward passes.

     

    Edited by Deemania since 56

  • Quote
    • Like 2

    @CHF you left out all the Saints defender wanted to play on TMc (cranky) to exploit his lack of pace and their 'boom' recruit Hill? continuously kicking it to his mates in the crowd.

  • Quote
    • Haha 1

    Chf your the same as me at the moment watching games from the year.

    Really cant wait for the next season.

    I even wish there were some kind of Nab cup.

  • Quote
    • Haha 1
     

    I watched this game a week or so ago and was amazed at both teams poor skills. Clearly, our improved during the season and the Aints did not so much. 

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    • Author
    On 12/12/2021 at 1:18 AM, Jontee said:

    @CHF you left out all the Saints defender wanted to play on TMc (cranky) to exploit his lack of pace and their 'boom' recruit Hill? continuously kicking it to his mates in the crowd.

    Yep Jontee, left out the observation on the Saints...... And Angry man Jones. Was watching the performance of the Dees very closely.

     

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    On 12/12/2021 at 9:36 PM, leave it to deever said:

    This gave me a fix

     

     

    Deserves own thread

    brings back memories of players and games

    The magic of Robbie , The freakish skills of The wiz , liam , aaron  , sean ,allen jacovich, yze

    The wiz goal at waverly .the woewodin goal , the leoncelli goal in the Adelaide rain

    The hip and shoulder by Neitz on the Hawks player and the goal

    The torp goals  by lyon and Bennett which is hardly kicked nowadays (except Hunt in nt)

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    On 12/12/2021 at 9:53 PM, Salems Lot said:

    I watched this game a week or so ago and was amazed at both teams poor skills. Clearly, our improved during the season and the Aints did not so much. 

    The first two games if not more were a trainwreck skills wise. It's about round 5 where things start to gel. Oliver was superb from the word go though.

    Now at Round 11 and you can see the system working well. Forward line still not at 100%.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    On 12/12/2021 at 9:30 PM, Allus Monk said:

    There’s AFLW for that

    I'm looking forward to it.
    Reckon the girls can get us another flag.
    Success breeds success 🏆

    Edited by Fork 'em

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • GAMEDAY: Richmond

      It's Game Day and the Demons return to the MCG to face the Tigers in their annual Blockbuster on ANZAC Eve for the 10th time. The Dees will be desperate to reignite their stuttering 2025 campaign and claim just their second win of the season. Can the Demons dig deep and find that ANZAC Spirit to snatch back to back wins?

      • 6 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREVIEW: Richmond

      A few years ago, the Melbourne Football Club produced a documentary about the decade in which it rose from its dystopic purgatory of regular thrashings to the euphoria of a premiership victory. That entire period could have been compressed in a fast motion version of the 2025 season to date as the Demons went from embarrassing basket case to glorious winner in an unexpected victory over the Dockers last Saturday. They transformed in a single week from a team that put in a pedestrian effort of predictably kicking the ball long down the line into attack that made a very ordinary Bombers outfit look like worldbeaters into a slick, fast moving side with urgency and a willingness to handball and create play with shorter kicks and by changing angles to generate an element of chaos that yielded six goals in each of the opening quarters against Freo. 

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • NON-MFC: Round 07

      Round 7 gets underway in iconic fashion with the traditional ANZAC Day blockbuster. The high-flying Magpies will be looking to solidify their spot atop the ladder, while the Bombers are desperate for a win to stay in touch with the top eight. Later that evening, Fremantle will be out to redeem themselves after a disappointing loss to the Demons, facing a hungry Adelaide side with eyes firmly set on breaking into the top four. Saturday serves up a triple-header of footy action. The Lions will be looking to consolidate their Top 2 spot as they head to Marvel Stadium to clash with the Saints. Over in Adelaide, Port Adelaide will be strong favourites at home against a struggling North Melbourne. The day wraps up with a fiery encounter in Canberra, where the Giants and Bulldogs renew their bitter rivalry. Sunday’s schedule kicks off with the Suns aiming to bounce back from their shock defeat to Richmond, taking on the out of form Swans.Then the Blues will be out to claim a major scalp when they battle the Cats at the MCG. The round finishes with a less-than-thrilling affair between Hawthorn and West Coast at Marvel. Who are you tipping and what are the best results for the Demons?

      • 3 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Fremantle

      For this year’s Easter Saturday game at the MCG, Simon Goodwin and his Demons wound the clock back a few years to wipe out the horrible memories of last season’s twin thrashings at the hands of the Dockers. And it was about time! Melbourne’s indomitable skipper Max Gawn put in a mammoth performance in shutting out his immediate opponent Sean Darcy in the ruck and around the ground and was a colossus at the end when the game was there to be won or lost. It was won by 16.11.107 to 14.13.97. There was the battery-charged Easter Bunny in Kysaiah Pickett running anyone wearing purple ragged, whether at midfield stoppages or around the big sticks. He finish with a five goal haul.

        • Love
        • Thanks
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • CASEY: UWS Giants

      The Casey Demons took on an undefeated UWS Giants outfit at their own home ground on a beautiful autumn day but found themselves completely out of their depth going down by 53 points against a well-drilled and fair superior combination. Despite having 15 AFL listed players at their disposal - far more than in their earlier matches this season - the Demons were never really in the game and suffered their second defeat in a row after their bright start to the season when they drew with the Kangaroos, beat the Suns and matched the Cats for most of the day on their own dung heap at Corio Bay. The Giants were a different proposition altogether. They had a very slight wind advantage in the opening quarter but were too quick off the mark for the Demons, tearing the game apart by the half way mark of the term when they kicked the first five goals with clean and direct football.

        • Thanks
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Richmond

      The Dees are back at the MCG on Thursday for the annual blockbuster ANZAC Eve game against the Tigers. Can the Demons win back to back games for the first time since Rounds 17 & 18 last season? Who comes in and who goes out?

        • Thanks
      • 262 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland
    View All