12 hours ago, godees said:

Uh May was a almost a liability in the GF. Such a competitor that he was able to beat his opponent but there were quite a few moments where the hammy was limiting him. I wouldn’t be using him as an example that it’s ok to play unfit players.

Mays opponent lived up to his name, had Naught impact on the game....we won by 74 points; what else was may supposed to do....

12 hours ago, dworship said:

can bench press 2 Libba's

At least he has some value.....

The word i would use to describe the presence of Jackson in the middle would be perplexed, and the thoughts

 would be "he isn't mine"

This will be making an indelible impression on the mind of the little master coach and so it should, because he was making it so easy for anyone in there..

1 hour ago, Hatchman said:

And as for Max, his game against Geelong was the best game I have ever seen a ruckman play. Like ever. And I am old enough to remember the individual brilliance of Stynes, Madden et al. It was just extraordinary.

 

I go back further to Shultz, Farmer, Nicholls, Dempsey, Moss, Thompson and others. Maxie's all round game in the air and on the ground was by far the most dominant of any of the above. He is worthy of being considered in their company.

Theres an old saying " trust leaves on horseback and comes back on foot"  We have been busy losing trust for the last 56 years...and been walking back with it only in very recent years. All teams supporters want to hope we're a one hit wonder as it opens up larger possibilities for their team to win...and they're used to laughing at or at the least discounting the dees. Looking at the bigger picture we deserve it. 

That being said I don't believe we're anywhere near done. We were unbelievable in the finals this year and I honestly think that that was  just a collective waking up to how good they really  are. I dont think we've near peaked yet. This side, with a bit of luck could win 3 flags or more in the next 5 years. 

Edited December 13, 20213 yr by Wells 11

On 12/13/2021 at 10:46 AM, CYB said:

Whilst the Doggies probably edge us out in their midfield depth (Bont, Macrae, Libba, Dunkley, Treloar, Hunter, Smith), they lack a major weapon in the ruck department and we have two of them in Max and LJ. So overall, the Demons probably have the better total midfield setup.

The Doggies midfield is deep and they have an excellent group of skilled players.

But apart from Bontempelli, in my opinion they don't have the elite "power" midfield players (including rucks) that we are accumulating. You can see it in our players' strength and build.

Edited December 13, 20213 yr by mauriesy

Except for the occasional Bont trick, their midfielders are accumulators (how often do Macrae and Hunter just lurk behind or on the side for easy possessions) not power players who can dominate and influence the game.

Note how important Viney was in the third quarter in the centre square battles. That's power, not possessions.

None of course can compare with CP5 or Clarrie.

The challenge to hang onto the players in this group will be the biggest this club has faced. There is no doubt there is another flag in our future if we do. We need to replicate what Geelong and Hawthorn did. 

2 hours ago, Jontee said:

Mays opponent lived up to his name, had Naught impact on the game....we won by 74 points; what else was may supposed to do....

It was one of the worst games I have seen him play (fair enough though, he had a torn hammy!)

It shows what a champ he is.

Edited December 14, 20213 yr by godees

This was my favourite Gawn comments on BigFooty from a Cats supporter. This was before the prelim…

“Melbourne aren't that good. 

Their forward line is hardly scary apart from Pickett - smalls trouble us - and we have a stronger midfield. I don't think Gawn scares Stanley either.”

48 minutes ago, Hatchman said:

In all of my 45 years 2021 was, by a very long way, the best Melbourne team I have ever seen. Which i know is easy to say because we won the flag, but it just is. There have certainly been times throughout the decades where I have seen us play amazingly well. The QF against Carlton in 2000, times during 1990/91 before we [censored] the bed in the finals to the Eagles etc...we all can recall certain games or weekly periods where we were just "on" - only for the wheels to fall off 

But in 2021 we just got absolutely everything right and everyone peaked in terms of skills, fitness and mental strength right at the time of the season when they had to. Every player just went to another level as they all pushed each other there. That has never happened before and may never again. 

The way we dismantled Geelong and then the Bulldogs was utterly merciless and brutal. It was the most perfect, relentless football I have ever seen in my life. 

And as for Max, his game against Geelong was the best game I have ever seen a ruckman play. Like ever. And I am old enough to remember the individual brilliance of Stynes, Madden et al. It was just extraordinary.

 

It's the most consistent I've ever seen us and I think its because it was built on a solid foundation of a sound defensive structure and supreme fitness allowing us to run up and down the field all day. I've never seen a Melbourne team with such strong defense as 2021.

20 hours ago, Jontee said:

I really cant say who the better player is between Clayton and Trac but I'm glad they are ours.

I don't often (in fact never) quote Robbo from the HS, but in his 50 best players article he suggested Clarry and Trac weren't Batman and Robin, they were Batman and Batman. I couldn't agree with him more on this point.

2 hours ago, Hatchman said:

The challenge to hang onto the players in this group will be the biggest this club has faced. There is no doubt there is another flag in our future if we do. We need to replicate what Geelong and Hawthorn did. 

100%.
Resign Jackson and we will.

3 hours ago, Wells 11 said:

 That being said I don't believe we're anywhere near done. We were unbelievable in the finals this year and I honestly think that that was  just a collective waking up to how good they really  are. I dont think we've near peaked yet. This side, with a bit of luck could win 3 flags or more in the next 5 years. 

Was going to post the same but you beat me to it.
This season the players hoped they could do it.
Now they know they can dominate the best sides in the comp.
Confidence you cannot buy.

 

Edited December 14, 20213 yr by Fork 'em

4 hours ago, Fork 'em said:

My old man is 73 and declared during the finals it's the best he's seen them play since he was a kid.
I know for sure it's the best I've seen them play.
The way we defend the whole ground is brilliant and then when we attack it's fast and aggressive.
The work rate is amazing.

I am with your dad, about the same age as well.  There have been times in individual games where the Dees were supreme. But for consistency over the season making me smile. This lot are by far the best. Perhaps individuals you could argue but the team is the best I can remember.

looking to repeat in 2022. Go Dees 

22 hours ago, CYB said:

Not sure non one-eyed supporters would agree with you on every aspect of this.

Still think Libba has Viney covered. Treloar is much better than Harmes and Smith is ahead of Brayshaw.

On the biggest stage, on the last Saturday of the season when it counts, the performance of the Viney, Harmes and Brayshaw was irrefutably superior to the purported Footscray trio. VENI VICI VIDI. 

Edited December 14, 20213 yr by Tarax Club
devil's advocate

2 hours ago, MoeSyzlak said:

This was my favourite Gawn comments on BigFooty from a Cats supporter. This was before the prelim…

“Melbourne aren't that good. 

Their forward line is hardly scary apart from Pickett - smalls trouble us - and we have a stronger midfield. I don't think Gawn scares Stanley either.”

That last comment says it all...eh Cats.

2 hours ago, MoeSyzlak said:

 "I don't think Gawn scares Stanley either.”

Maybe that's why Stanley left Gawn alone to mark and kick the match-winning goal in r23 😛

This 'Melbourne aren't really that good' talk coming out from certain quarters is both obtuse and infuriating.

If we had pulled off a miracle and won either '88 or '00, I would have accepted it. Because in both those years, we were a good team, but we weren't in a bull's roar of being premiership caliber. There was a distinct lack of genuine class across lines and a lot of self made triers. 

As much as I would have hated to admit it at the time, we really would have pinched it in either of those years. Now I have seen a modern Melbourne premiership side, if either of '88 or '00 rolled up against the 2021 version on GF day, they would have received a similar type of pantsing that they received against Hawthorn or Essendon.

@Clint Bizkit went through the stats earlier so it doesn't bear repeating. I would add that we now have 3 of the top ten best players in the league (Max, Clarry, Tracc) along with others who easily fit into the top 30 (May, Lever, Salem and Viney potentially) to what he said. In the Northey and Daniher years, we had one or two A graders, some pretty decent B+ players and some C graders who played above themselves. 

Anyone who thinks this is the 'same old Melbourne' is kidding themselves. We fully deserved last year and anyone who thinks otherwise can set forth and fornicate.

Edited December 14, 20213 yr by Colin B. Flaubert

1 hour ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

This 'Melbourne aren't really that good' talk coming out from certain quarters is both obtuse and infuriating.

It is not infuriating it is hilarious. Score board, score board.

Then again as my late father could have said - I thought we should have won by 80.

What's the old saying ? " winners are grinners and losers can please themselves" ..... or is it pleasure themselves"

5 hours ago, Fork 'em said:

100%.
Resign Jackson and we will.

You want to get rid of him????

22 minutes ago, old dee said:

You want to get rid of him????

He's done enough for us already, for God's sake. Ship him off to some other club. Give the boy a chance in life.

7 hours ago, MoeSyzlak said:

This was my favourite Gawn comments on BigFooty from a Cats supporter. This was before the prelim…

“Melbourne aren't that good. 

Their forward line is hardly scary apart from Pickett - smalls trouble us - and we have a stronger midfield. I don't think Gawn scares Stanley either.”

 

5 hours ago, willmoy said:

That last comment says it all...eh Cats.

 

4 hours ago, Doggas front teeth said:

Maybe that's why Stanley left Gawn alone to mark and kick the match-winning goal in r23 😛

I can never stop laughing when I replay the “Max round 23 mark” and see the Cat defenders staring open armed at each other ….. “not my man”!

7 hours ago, MoeSyzlak said:

This was my favourite Gawn comments on BigFooty from a Cats supporter. This was before the prelim…

“Melbourne aren't that good. 

Their forward line is hardly scary apart from Pickett - smalls trouble us - and we have a stronger midfield. I don't think Gawn scares Stanley either.”

According to Gawn at half time in the prelims Hawkins came up to him and said “you guys will choke”. 
After Gawn kicked his 5th he told Hawkins that it looks like they’re about to choke for the 11th time in a prelim. 
 

Nothing will compare to winning a flag, but smashing Geelong in a prelim is just about the greatest feeling one can experience in football.