DEFINITE POSITIVES

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

What annoys me is how people are happy with our effort and application today. It's not that I'm upset that people say it, because it's true that our application was better than the other matches, it's just that it really shows where we are at.

A good side should always have that effort and application. Every side has their down games, but over the years it just happens too frequently for Melbourne. Effort and application are the non-negotiables of a good football team.

WCE, Adelaide and Sydney won't put in more than 2 or 3 shockers for the year. We always seem to have 6 or 7 games where we "don't turn up".

It's not good enough for where we should be at.

Scoop I could not agree more. And your earlier post was on the money too.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I also think that the fact we had 1/2 our best 22 out or sitting on the bench injured (resulting is us effectively playing the match short, YET AGAIN this year) needs to be taken into consideration.

The 20 minutes against StK prior to when McLean went down was illuminating. Our application and skills was crud then. We continue to let ourselves down with flaky application and skill execution from our so called best players to our fringe. (With some admirable but few exceptions).

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

One big negative we are 0-4 and haven't seen one new player this year.

Given we have had Frawley and Pettard injured pre season and that two out of three of the 2nd year players is struggling what did you expect to achieve?

Its easy in hindsight but when do you cash in your season to say "play the youth". I would have thought the first four rounds is a cop out on the season.

[Guest dee'viator]

Today we had 19 fit players from quarter time, and they battled it out. I really don't know what else you can expect when you are 3 men down on the bench. Today's effort was far from inept, inept was the crowd of 16,000.

I wasn't refering to games we're playing undermanned at the moment but am saying that soft inept efforts by individual players have been occuring @ melbourne for years without punishment, this causes the soft culture to grow within the club & all the opposition clubs know in house the Dees are the softest team getting around & they look forward to playing us.

For many years clubs have often chosen the game against us to play a first gamer so he has a freindly first taste.

[Guest dee'viator]

I actually thought Miller's kicking was good yesterday, not just for goals, but his field kicking too.

For starters, he doesn't seem so keen to hand the ball off at every opportunity, and his delivery into the forward line is much improved.

His marking wasn't great, but a lot of that has to do with our players constantly kicking over his head, or kicking to him when he has 2 opponents on him.

BTW, he should have finished the game with 4 or 5. The umpires stupidly robbed him of 2 goals, one when they paid in the back, and one where they didn't.

He's been working really hard @ his game & I'm really encouraged by his attitude he's taking this season. Good luck Millsy.

[Guest dee'viator]

The 20 minutes against StK prior to when McLean went down was illuminating. Our application and skills was crud then. We continue to let ourselves down with flaky application and skill execution from our so called best players to our fringe. (With some admirable but few exceptions).

Exactly RR, nice post...

[Bobby McKenzie 2,208]

Dunn, Davey, Green and Pickett all tried. The others did nothing.

You must really hate Adem Yze! 38 possessions and he tried his guts out! Give credit where it is due melbourne fc.

[Elmag 5]

Reality check - after the next four rounds we will be either 0-8 or 1-7 - then need another 11 or 12 wins from 14 rounds to make the eight. We'd need our best 22 playing at the top of their game given the draw in the 2nd half of the year to do this.

Better off getting the positives out of the season - set the structures and play the players you think will take you to the finals next season. I'd be far happier with that than see Godfrey, Brown, White, Ferguson, Holland and a couple of others being given a run every week or second week - stop regurgitating those who haven't succeeded and give the chance to another