2 hours ago, BDA said:

It's a little off topic but i thought it worth a mention

Port and GWS are starting to show some form. Port knocked off the Saints last night who are a rival to us this year. GWS have Geelong and Carlton up next at home. You wouldn't bet against them winning those 2 games

We've already banked the points against Port and GWS when they were playing poorly. Our rivals will have to deal with them when they are playing better. 

Another factor which is working in our favor 

Yep, wins will be like gold this year, the reality is with the exceptions of WC and North every other team is capable on their day. Dogs, GWS, Port, Pies, Hawks, GC, even Essendon, on their day they will win games. We’ve banked 7, keep going and lock away finals ASAP. Then sit back and watch all the other teams tear each other apart.

Freo, St Kilda, Carlton are all capable of good footy, but they are also young and will have lapses this year, all teams will, the further in front we get on the ladder the more chance we have to rest players, up training loads for finals and weather covid storms like this week.

The AFL media love the week to week stories but the truth is, we are probably 3 wins from locking away finals, 5-6 from locking away top 4 and 8 away from locking away top 2. We’re in the box seat and just need to keep winning. 

Edited May 1, 20223 yr by deejammin'

Just now, deejammin' said:

Yep, wins will be like gold this year, the reality is with the exceptions of WC and North every other team is capable on their day. Dogs, GWS, Port, Pies, Hawks, GC, even Essendon, on their day they will win games. We’ve banked 7, keep going and lock away finals ASAP. Then sit back and watch all the other teams tear each other apart. Freo, St Kilda, Carlton are all capable of good footy, but they are also young and will have lapses this year, all teams will, the further in front we get on the ladder the more chance we have to rest players, up training loads for finals and weather covid storms like this week. The AFL media love the week to week stories but the truth is, we are probably 3 wins from locking away finals, 5-6 from locking away top 4 and 8 away from locking away top 2. We’re in the box seat and just need to keep winning. 

I love the optimism but I highly doubt 12 or 13 wins will be enough for top 4.

Brisbane, Sydney and Fremantle are going to be pretty good all year, I think. Geelong are 4-3 but only have four more games against the current top 8 (compared to our 10), and still have 7 games at GMHBA. 

We're 7-0 but we have a tough fixture to come and with interstate sides in contention for top 2, the pressure will stay on us until we've locked away top 2.

17 hours ago, deejammin' said:

 The frustrating:

I get it but I don’t like the rope-a-dope last quarters. It would’ve been far more fun if we simply kicked straight, (particularly Bailey and Jake), we need to ice games, not try to smash teams and leave ourselves vulnerable, but just kick a sealer. A single goal would’ve completely broken the Hawks, see Sydney last week. We let them keep hope, understandable but frustrating. 

Our forward line needs to get back to separating and leading, the number of times Brown, Gawn, McDonald and Weideman all jumped into each other, or at least two did was very frustrating. Stop bombing to packs, lead!

Ultimately, a wins a win and the Hawks are pretenders. Mark my words, they will fail this year and then get worse next year, Mitchell, O’Meara, Wingard, Gunston, Shiel and Breust are still their best, they’re all on the way out. Enjoy the pain Hawks, there’s plenty to come! 😈😈😈

I'm with you. Absolutely stoked with the win, thought we gritted and got the job done with the resources at our disposal. A credit to our system and the team dynamics of our footy department. 

But I think I'm with you in that I like psychological boosts in footy games and all I wanted in that last quarter was 1 goal then a walk off. Hawks could have won the quarter no problem but that sealer where the crowd gets up, the opposition drop the heads, the valve gets released. That's what I like to have anyway.

It's also my belief that a good AFL side should never go goalless in quarter of AFL footy. I can be eccentric and loopy when it comes to footy principles sure but I feel like 1 goal is infinitely better in a quarter than 0. You can have a shocker or a quiet one but bare minimum you need that 1 on the board each quarter. To be honest I think on another day we would have had that sealer especially if Melksham just dobbed his shot like he always does. 

22 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

I love the optimism but I highly doubt 12 or 13 wins will be enough for top 4.

Brisbane, Sydney and Fremantle are going to be pretty good all year, I think. Geelong are 4-3 but only have four more games against the current top 8 (compared to our 10), and still have 7 games at GMHBA. 

We're 7-0 but we have a tough fixture to come and with interstate sides in contention for top 2, the pressure will stay on us until we've locked away top 2.

Sure, I guess I don’t see the current top 8 as my end of season top 8. I think the Dogs, Tigers, Giants and even the Power will push to get back in.
Pies and Carlton are vulnerable to missing.

St Kilda and Geelong will have down periods where they drop away from top 4.

Geelong in particular look vulnerable to quick teams, they play GWS, Saints, WB, Port and Adelaide in the next five. We’ll learn a lot about them after that month, despite only 1 opponent in the top 8. I suspect they lose 3, possibly 4, though maybe it’s wishful thinking.

I haven’t seen enough Freo to know, but it’s worth remembering they were 6th at this time last year, only to drop 5 spots by years end. 
 

Brisbane and Sydney are the real deal, home final will be huge. We need to lock away top 2. I’m hoping we make it to 10-0 with a huge percentage before a very nasty run of games. You may be right, but we’ll see. I see a very close year ahead.

Edited May 1, 20223 yr by deejammin'

3 minutes ago, deejammin' said:

Sure, I guess I don’t see the current top 8 as my end of season top 8. I think the Dogs, Tigers, Giants and even the Power will push to get back in.
Pies and Carlton are vulnerable to missing.

St Kilda and Geelong will have down periods where they drop away from top 4.

Geelong in particular look vulnerable to quick teams, they play GWS, WB, Port and Adelaide in the next four. We’ll learn a lot about them after that month, despite no opponents in the top 8. I suspect they lose 2, possibly 3, though maybe it’s wishful thinking.

I haven’t seen enough Freo to know, but it’s worth remembering they were 6th at this time last year, only to drop 5 spots by years end. 
 

Brisbane and Sydney are the real deal, home final will be huge. We need to lock away top 2. I’m hoping we make it to 10-0 with a huge percentage before a very nasty run of games. You may be right, but we’ll see. I see a very close year ahead.

Fremantle IMO are definitely the real deal, along with Brisbane and Sydney.

Fair call on the others. I keep thinking the Dogs will get going but their three wins to date include North and Essendon, and they are yet to leave Victoria. They really need to show something against a better side soon. Their run to the bye is Port (away), Collingwood (MCG), Gold Coast, West Coast (Perth) and Geelong. They'll belt West Coast by 100, but they probably have to go 3-1 from the other four games at worst given how tough their post-bye fixture is: GWS (away), Hawthorn, Brisbane (away), Sydney (away), St Kilda and us all in a row, followed by Geelong (GMHBA), Fremantle, GWS again and Hawthorn again.

Richmond IMO are far too inconsistent and belting West Coast means little in terms of their ability.

I'm interested in whether Toby's return for GWS sparks them. Three straight home games for them - if they can beat Geelong this week, then knock over Carlton and West Coast, they'd be 5-5 and right back in it.

4 hours ago, D4Life said:

Deedubs = Dr D 

only happy when complaining and we have lots to complain about:

7-0 reigning premier

win after Covid challenged week

there are 17 other teams who would change places with Demons

enjoy the ride fellow Demons!!!!!!!!!

 

I dunno mate, this new bloke doesn’t seem to be bagging Goody anywhere near as much as dr.D used to. I reckon he’s more like the second coming of Olisik

Just wanted to say that the cliche, 'the hunter becoming the hunted', implies a level of complacency not relevant to Melbourne. We remain the apex predator, not far off an orca playing penguin tennis with it's tail. We hunt everyone, part of the coaching greatness is for such a good team there is a level of humility and hunger and respect for opposition. Watching yesterday in the middle of the second term, there was a moment where we started putting body pressure on the Hawks, our bumps hurt, you could tell that we went into kill mode and the Hawks were not up for it. Literally a 'poke the bear' moment. Loved the game yesterday, part of me always wants an easy kill, as others said, please just roll over and die, but the way we just find a way is so exciting, fair play to the hawks but there was no happy feet ending. 

Also by the by, I wanted to hate Mitchell as a coach, as a player I thought he was super dirty for the deliberate corkies, he ran around for years dishing out. But, he is well spoken funny and genuine with his post game comments in a way that I find quite engaging, and I'm not just reacting to the praise he gave us. He might actually be an ok coach.

I thought we saw the end of Melksham yesterday, just doesn't have the defensive pressure. I don't get how he hasn't adapted his game more. Yes he is a beautiful kick (hated that set shot) but that is not what he needs to bring.

Love all the respect Max is getting on here, totally deserved, has been improving since r3, I still think there is a Max tax from the umps in ruck contests, he gets policed harder than anyone.

What is going on with paying marks, May was jibbed and watching other games it seems there is a lot less grace for controlling the ball. Ablett's famous GF mark would be ruled unrealistic attempt nowadays. 

Shout to Viney and Lever, coming back from COVID played uncompromising (if slightly rusty footy) but they were playing with Pharlap sized hearts.

I think we need Petty/Salem to beat Brisbane. They are looking dangerous on the counter and our centre clearances will give them too much of a sniff.

We remain the hunter!

Maybe everyone on this site has seen everything there is to see about the 2021 grand final but for the first time today we have watch the “sound the alarm 2020 1AFL grand final” offering on YouTube today

 

I’ve never seen the footage of Goodie and Luke Beveridge during the grand final previously and I’ve gotta say it’s fascinating

 

Having seen many many coaches over the years I am shattered by the lack of use of the F Word by either and  both coaches because I had assumed to succeed at the premium level it’s a prerequisite 

 

that aside the intra-game coach commentary is so interesting - and dare I say - not astonishingly profound when one considers the deep deep tactical analyses on the Fox postgame programs

Imagine if one of those experts was coaching !!

 

Hawthorn have a lovely to hate player by the name of Mitchell.Has the ability to be like a leech with his arm and presto you are holding him or have pushed him.A master of frees.

11 hours ago, rpfc said:

Just go to the game.

Drove 6 or 7 hours so I could see this weeks. Cannot do that each week,

7 minutes ago, 640MD said:

Drove 6 or 7 hours so I could see this weeks. Cannot do that each week,

A move to Melb for the remainder of the season maybe 640?

Plenty have flown the coop interstate, back to the safety of mah & pah's old digs et al so there should be a bit of vacant accommodation about ATM

48 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

A move to Melb for the remainder of the season maybe 

Lived in the inner city for 26 years, the traffic just got to me. Been here in the bush for past 8. Gets better every year.

just like the mighty Dees. 
serious though not being on F2A tv is extremely poor for our sponsors and for MFC.   Disrespects our brand.

5 minutes ago, 640MD said:

Lived in the inner city for 26 years, the traffic just got to me. Been here in the bush for past 8. Gets better every year.

just like the mighty Dees. 
serious though not being on F2A tv is extremely poor for our sponsors and for MFC.   Disrespects our brand.

Getting the Mother's Day slot is BS. If we had to be scheduled surely send us interstate against the Eagles or something, this has been a graveyard slot for years. Hawks drew only around 13k v GWS on mother's Day a couple of years back.

9 hours ago, DEE fence said:

Just wanted to say that the cliche, 'the hunter becoming the hunted', implies a level of complacency not relevant to Melbourne. We remain the apex predator, not far off an orca playing penguin tennis with it's tail. We hunt everyone, part of the coaching greatness is for such a good team there is a level of humility and hunger and respect for opposition. Watching yesterday in the middle of the second term, there was a moment where we started putting body pressure on the Hawks, our bumps hurt, you could tell that we went into kill mode and the Hawks were not up for it. Literally a 'poke the bear' moment. Loved the game yesterday, part of me always wants an easy kill, as others said, please just roll over and die, but the way we just find a way is so exciting, fair play to the hawks but there was no happy feet ending. 

Also by the by, I wanted to hate Mitchell as a coach, as a player I thought he was super dirty for the deliberate corkies, he ran around for years dishing out. But, he is well spoken funny and genuine with his post game comments in a way that I find quite engaging, and I'm not just reacting to the praise he gave us. He might actually be an ok coach.

I thought we saw the end of Melksham yesterday, just doesn't have the defensive pressure. I don't get how he hasn't adapted his game more. Yes he is a beautiful kick (hated that set shot) but that is not what he needs to bring.

Love all the respect Max is getting on here, totally deserved, has been improving since r3, I still think there is a Max tax from the umps in ruck contests, he gets policed harder than anyone.

What is going on with paying marks, May was jibbed and watching other games it seems there is a lot less grace for controlling the ball. Ablett's famous GF mark would be ruled unrealistic attempt nowadays. 

Shout to Viney and Lever, coming back from COVID played uncompromising (if slightly rusty footy) but they were playing with Pharlap sized hearts.

I think we need Petty/Salem to beat Brisbane. They are looking dangerous on the counter and our centre clearances will give them too much of a sniff.

We remain the hunter!

Rewatched game, I was wrong about Melksham, had some nice touches. 

22 hours ago, Lucifers Hero said:

A fair assessment.

I think there are several reasons for poor crowds, in addition to not enough dee fans attending.

1) opposition fans don't turn up.

2) We and most teams we play at the G don't have AFL members so that stand is near empty for many games

3) Few if any Friday night games means we don't get the 'neutral' fan to our games.

Hopefully, more dees fans go to our forthcoming games vs 'better' and some 'bigger' teams.  But I feel the 3 points I mentioned above make it difficult for us to regularly get 'big' crowds to our games.

 

Edit:  Now to put the counter point of view😉 our average Home game attendances have been better than most clubs and better than some 'big' Vic clubs.  We sit 3rd.  Being Home games it excluses the ANZAC Eve game.  So perhaps we aren't as bad as we think.   Source:  Footywire after round 6.

There's always the glass half fuller. 

We played Essendon on a Friday night for our home game and got a measly 44,000. And I'd argue it was a 50/50 split of supporters, maybe even closer to 55/45 in Essendon's favour

All in all I think it's fair to be disappointed in our crowds given we've come off a flag and we're undefeated after 7 rounds. I'm sure the club would have been expecting more. 

Carlton and Hawthorn managed close to 70,000 on a similar overcast dead slot Sunday. I'm not expecting that kind of figure given their supporter base but to not even crack 50,000 is poor given our success. 

 

Victim of our own success

19 hours ago, loges said:

Understand we mainly play for containment in final quarters when ahead. I'd like to see what the plan is if we're behind.

I hope you never have the chance to see any such plan in action

4 hours ago, DEE fence said:

Rewatched game, I was wrong about Melksham, had some nice touches. 

Jake contributed to the result in a positive way, in fact he made some moves reminiscent of his earlier days at the club. On his day a highly skilled footballer who can hurt the opposition. Still has some fire in the belly.

On 4/30/2022 at 8:07 PM, Lucifers Hero said:

I saw 23 players play their guts out, 20% of whom lacked recent AFL conditioning.  We were under constant pressure and the game was played at high tempo.  We prevailed.

As Goodwin has said many times, we don't try and play a 'perfect game' we play to wear the opposition down and when opportunities arise to score we take them.

You have identified many errors but imv we played to Goodwin's plan of 'imperfection' just as he wants us to.

I'd also like to think that we trying more than one way to win.

different players with different attributes, different structures, but with the same basic rules. 

Some of these are play the role you are given, play selfless footy, play with your teammates and against your opposition, play second third and fourth efforts if needed. Play to win.

Having more than one plan not only gives us some features to respond to opponents but also makes us harder to prepare against.

i think some of the results we are seeing are just confirming this.

5 hours ago, DEE fence said:

Rewatched game, I was wrong about Melksham, had some nice touches. 

And some not so good touches. 

Not even singling out Melksham but we need to make it easier for ourselves. Going inside 50m really needs to be worked on. 

Sam Mitchell really does have some Brad/Chris Scott vibes in the box... While he is in his early years it will be smiles and a couple of puffed out cheeks but once they should be contending he'll really turn into an arm flapper and chair roller backer. 😆

On 4/30/2022 at 10:54 PM, Demon Dynasty said:

As a fill in i thought he went "ok".

The effort was there but the best of Melk a la 2018 is most likely behind him in terms of intensity and finishing off the good work up the field or nearer the goals.

However, he's been a VG servant of this club.   Most of it through some very dark days.  So lets not forget he's played a significant part in our resurgence.

Does he have the penetrating finesse kick coming inside 50 like he once did?  Not tonight he didn't.  He's never been a contested beast so not like we were missing that from him.  Would he usually kick that relatively easy goal from 35 out?  Sure.

Having said that, it's no doubt a bloody tough gig playing at the top level and for Melk to step up a level after so long out and play a role in what is likely a one off against a decent middle of the rung team....i tips me hat.

I've seen plenty of worse games from Melk than tonight's performance!  Given the circumstances i suspect the coaches may have also given Melk a pass mark here.

I was watching him prior to the game starting and he was kicking those goals from 50m out. I know no pressure etc.

I still believe his kicking smarts have not left him but unfortunately his finishing skills have diminished. I agree DD it was not his worse game tonight but definitely not good enough to keep him in the side against St. Kilda. I hope though they are able to find 2 games for him before his contract finishes. 

43 minutes ago, Longsufferingnomore said:

I was watching him prior to the game starting and he was kicking those goals from 50m out. I know no pressure etc.

I still believe his kicking smarts have not left him but unfortunately his finishing skills have diminished. I agree DD it was not his worse game tonight but definitely not good enough to keep him in the side against St. Kilda. I hope though they are able to find 2 games for him before his contract finishes. 

Perhaps the 2 matches against weak sides - Norf and WC?

Missing a bunch of our best 22 in Salem, Jackson, Sparrow, Petty, Pickett, and Neal-Bullen I am very happy that we walked away with the 4 points. 

Have a look at that list of missing players, 2 critical players from the defensive zone, 2 week-in week-out midfield role players, a critical small forward and a star in the making ruck/forward rotation. I do not think there is another list in the league that could cover 6 best 22 players MIA. Very proud of the win.

Some observations:

* May looked off the boil a bit in the first quarter and a half with fumbles, dropped Marks and mis-kicks but pulled it all together after that. 

* Across the board I thought that the team was a bit too casual at the contest and did not secure the ball in possession.

* We looked to be crowding the contest much more that we have when we are playing really well. Was it a lack of trust or confidence in the players? It might have been the number of changes that had an effect on the confidence. Not sure but from my observation we had sometimes 3 or 4 players diving into the contest when in the past we would have 1 or possibly 2 players at the contest with the others looking to spread the ball or take their turn at the contest if it was lost. 

* Max had another great game. I was one that observed that he was not in good form early in the season and I stand by that observation. Watching his last few games and how well he is going, in hindsight, he was well down on form early on.

* Was good to see Bedford get a full run and for him to do well. I was also impressed by Dunstan's game. He flew under the radar a bit and managed to find some space and deliver.

* Was a bit disappointed that during Max's interview after the game he talked about how they know that they have the 3rd quarter to come and that they can rely on that Or words to that effect). Just did not like that attitude. I felt that it might reflect that the team crises a bit in the first half with the knowledge that they will turn it up in the 3rd. (is it just me?)

* Good games from both Oliver and Viney, Petracca down a bit on his standards but stepped up when required. The awareness that Oliver and Petracca have of not just of the situation around them but also of where each other is is spooky. they play off each other so much and so well. As gifted as they are as individuals, the presence of the other on the team improves both of them out of sight.

A third of the way through the H&A season (or there abouts) and we stand 7-0, a game percentage clear of 2nd, 2 games and percentage clear of 5th and 4games and percentage clear of 9th..... Nice. Mind you, we have not played any team behind us in the top 8.

That changes next Sunday when we meet the Saints. They are there-abouts but I think we might still be too strong for them. After that we have the Eagles in Perth and then, after a 6 day break, North at the Marvel. The two after that are Freo and Sydney, both at the MCG and both on 7 day breaks.

I would hope that we are well in form by the time we get to Freo and Sydney because after that our fixtures get a good bit more difficult that in the first half of the season.

Onward and upward.... God the Dees!

 

 

Posted Saturday at 04:21 PM

   On 4/30/2022 at 3:59 PM,  Star of the 80s said: 

Yes, all top decks are open today.

Fake news.

Top of the Ponsford closed unfortunately.

@binmanI owe you an apology! I think I need to go to Spec Savers!