23 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

The problem is our supporters sit there waiting to react to what is happening on the field. It's a final, chance at a prelim on the line - make some bloody noise for the team!! You don't have to sit there waiting to be wowed, create the atmosphere you want the players to feed off. Start of the last, 2 goals in it, all on the line - [censored] crickets.

Absolutely spot on. 
 

38 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

Max Gawn is not and never will be a forward. I hate this experiment with a passion. Almost as much as I hate Gus in the guts when he is clearly a far better player on a wing or at half back.

Are we just buckling to his demands to play inside? Because honestly it’s made us worse. 
Harmes needs to go back inside to play a defensive role. Gus to the wing to replace JJ. 
And please FFS we have to find a better option than Fumbles Bullen. He kills us with ball use. Play Bowey in that role. Can’t do worse. 

Max Gawn up forward is a cheap trick. Sorry but it has to be said and here's a little something else no one wants to admit, we won't win a flag with him up forward.

Let's be honest about it and not stupid for once. 

1 minute ago, layzie said:

Max Gawn up forward is a cheap trick. Sorry but it has to be said and here's a little something else no one wants to admit, we won't win a flag with him up forward.

Let's be honest about it and not stupid for once. 

Absolutely - he's not even taking contested marks at the moment which is the key point of difference in having him forward in the first place.

Edited September 2, 20222 yr by Dr. Gonzo

52 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Nah that's crap, Melbourne supporters sat on their hands all night, only a couple of goals in it early in the last and couldn't get a [censored] peep out of them. I hate to say it but we have one of the worst group of supporters in world sport. Kick off the tartan rugs and make some bloody noise, it was noticeable from the first bounce and didn't get better even when we got in front. It's embarassing.

“Goals to fuel the energy” what a horrific cheese platter loving comment that is…Dr you are absolutely on the mark. So sad to admit it. 

 

5 minutes ago, layzie said:

Max Gawn up forward is a cheap trick. Sorry but it has to be said and here's a little something else no one wants to admit, we won't win a flag with him up forward.

Let's be honest about it and not stupid for once. 

Problem with Max as a forward is that he has to take a contested mark against two or three defenders who invariably make him pay for it. He’s got to move and lead into space or seperate from our other forwards. It’s so predictable to where he positions himself and defenders are always ready. 

Edited September 2, 20222 yr by John Crow Batty

I guess the upside is we were average they were good, they got a couple of goals from very soft free kicks and they only won by four goals. Feels like we are miles off but we are still thereabouts in a lot of areas. 

19 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Yep same, my voice is pretty scratchy, my brother's wasn't much better and my sister was basically imploring the supporters to make some noise - our first final we've attended since 2018, reigning premiers, qualifying final and only a couple of occasions the crowd were up and about. It does my head in mainly because I just don't understand it.

I shouted myself hoarse, even got a "chewy on ya boot" for their first miss on goal. I did my bit. Would have been nice not to have to line up for half an hour to get 2 metres up in line at the bar to sooth the throat too. 

31 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

The problem is our supporters sit there waiting to react to what is happening on the field. It's a final, chance at a prelim on the line - make some bloody noise for the team!! You don't have to sit there waiting to be wowed, create the atmosphere you want the players to feed off. Start of the last, 2 goals in it, all on the line - [censored] crickets.

There were some fans around us that were great and then there were some just twiddling their thumbs. After all the telling people to get on board it does hurt a little 

19 minutes ago, 1964_2 said:

Face palmers please tell me why SIMON does have the answers despite losing a final with the best 2 man ruck combo, best midfield, and best defence. I am all ears ?? 
 

 

Our backline is seriously overrated.

May is a gun. But he took chances with his disposal early before going to his shell. Petty is a very solid number 2 defender but he isn't encouraged to use his attacking game. Lever is a good interceptor but Sydney know to put speed on to him and get him when the ball gets to ground, another who does nothing in attack and has surely been carrying injuries all year.

Salem's half fit. Hibberd half retired. Rivers really just finding his way and he has great moments in congestion and in the contest but can be sloppy defensively and doesn't quick kick it well enough, isn't encouraged to run either. Hunt is Hunt.

2 great rucks is nice but Gawn really hasn't been great this year and Jackson is a kid and not at full fitness IMO.

Oliver, Petracca and Viney when on are sensational, but Oliver can't do it himself, Petracca is having to play forward and isn't right. Langdon is a great outside runner but one dimensional. Harmes had a few Harmes moments but was good on the wing I thought but he'll always be a bit limited in that role. He should be on ball but Brayshaw is back on ball because we wanted his run and uncontested disposals. The problem with wanting Brayshaw's uncontested disposals is you're asking for a bunch of ordinary ball use. Sparrow's a useful worker but nothing special.

It's only a great midfield when you take kicking out of the game and go with bludgeon ball all the time. We caught teams out with that in 2021 but eventually they catch on.

Sydney has us easily covered with flankers and outside mids. The class of Florent, Blakey, Lloyd, Papley, Heeney, Hayward, Gulden, McInenery, even Stephens at times is more than we can match. When the game shifted from our style of tussle to a more open moving style the Swans superior depth of talent was always going to shine.

Edited September 2, 20222 yr by DeeSpencer

It's never good to have a soft game before the finals and the Brisbane game was soft. Firstly I have to say it's the first game in over a year that we have been completely outplayed. We have had excuses in  the other losses but no excuse tonight. Only 2 winners on the night in  Clarry and May it's sad to have so many non contributors in the game. Must bring our a game against the Lions.

Edited September 2, 20222 yr by WERRIDEE

12 minutes ago, John Crow Batty said:

I haven’t attended this final but I swear that last seasons GF was the loudest support for us I have ever experienced in a game and sadly most were neutral or WC and Freo supporters. I have been to 90% of Melbourne finals since 1987. In 87 we got a lot of support from neutrals that bumped up the volume as well but nothing compared to the 2021 GF.

Sucks that most of us missed the game.

The difficulty we've been having is in wrestling momentum back from opposition sides - not momentum as in goals but momentum as in the way the game is played. Teams lock us down and pressure is around the contest and we have trouble winning that arm wrestle and putting it back on them so they are the ones taking possession under pressure. I don't know how we correct it either because we have built our game on winning that contest. We were sloppy due to this whole Sydney was clean.

People looking at the 50m penalties are looking at the wrong things I think - the difference was we missed the relatively easy shots (Melksham a main offender) while they were kicking them out of their arses, snapping from packs 40 out and hitting goals from 45 out on the boundary.

12 minutes ago, layzie said:

Max Gawn up forward is a cheap trick. Sorry but it has to be said and here's a little something else no one wants to admit, we won't win a flag with him up forward.

Let's be honest about it and not stupid for once. 

Our whole tall forward set up this season and our forward play in general (aside from the odd individual cameos) has been piece meal at best since Macca went down.

The lack of structure, the constant bombing and/or kicking it to the pocket has never truly been corrected.

When you still have one of your key forwards screaming at two senior players in front to move out of the leading lane at this stage of the season .... well ....nuff said.

The present forward set up/system/methods/cohesion with mids/execution and in some cases individual player form/ability & consistency just isn't reliable enough to kick a winning score against the top line opponents.  We've seen / witnessed this pretty much all season aside from against Brissy.

Edited September 2, 20222 yr by Demon Dynasty

3 minutes ago, 1964_2 said:

“Goals to fuel the energy” what a horrific cheese platter loving comment that is…Dr you are absolutely on the mark. So sad to admit it. 

 

The only problem with the whole crowd issue is:

We’ve won 11 (I think) interstate games in a row. Logic would say that’s improbable given we would have no crowd presence away from the G…

I agree that our home supporters (NOT THE CHEER SQUAD) are meek and frankly pathetic in trying to create noise to get behind the team. It’s really embarrassing. 

2 hours ago, dees189227 said:

Ok so if may and harmes didn't give away those goals from brain fades Melksham kicks the 2 he missed and we kick that goal that we absolutely butchered we win. But hindsights a wonderful thing.

Too simple in my view. We got slaughtered in the contest and around the ground in the end. They also took their chances, better team won.

2 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

It's never to have a soft game before the finals and the Brisbane game was soft. Firstly I have to say it's the first game in over a year that we have been completely outplayed. 

Completely agree @WERRIDEE. We were comprehensively outplayed and out coached. The final score line flattered us a little I feel. Our Achilles heel has been exposed for all to see for almost the entire second half of the season.

I guess we get to see next week which supporters will be separated from the weak and the chaff. We are still in with a shot this year, however unlikely.

1 hour ago, CYB said:

Curious, Has anyone won a flag after losing the QF? 

Yes Hawthorn 2015 and Richmond 2020.

3 minutes ago, layzie said:

Too simple in my view. We got slaughtered in the contest and around the ground in the end. They also took their chances, better team won.

Sydney had a player ready to tackle or ready to receive a handball in every single contest. They were roving off our rucks. They obviously spent a lot of time focussing on systems and intensity around the ball. We didn’t have time to make good decisions. 

Equation hasn’t changed, need to win three in a row.  Refinements needed:

a) Attitude change, the hunted must become the hunters 

b) Become cleaner in general play, take the game on.

We are a champion team, if we are ‘on’ anything can happen.  GO DEES!

 

Geez tht hit from Harmes was undisciplined. Crucial time and he does tht. Just watched the replay, dumb 

3 minutes ago, Kick_It_To_Pickett said:

Geez tht hit from Harmes was undisciplined. Crucial time and he does tht. Just watched the replay, dumb 

It’s not definitive whether he actually gets him high. I’m thinking it’s high chest / neck at the least it’s not actually clear… so it may rely on med report but we could site that it slipped up.

But the non-superstar tax is awaiting us at the MRO. 

 

The most disappointing part of the game today was during the fourth quarter, some older generation Melbourne supporters felt that they were within their rights to have a go at a very young Melbourne supporting girl for wanting to watch the game up close on the fence. They quite aggressively argued with the poor mother that her daughter was getting in the way of their view and that because they had paid $100 for these tickets (everyone in the area did) that they were more deserving of being treated like royalty. The sense of self entitlement was disgusting, and thankfully quite a few of us surrounding Melbourne supporters stood up for the girl and her mother (both of whom were quite visibly shaken). 

Some of our supporters are very thin skinned and really do not help us in trying to shed the ‘elitist’ tag that we seem to emit. These are probably the same ‘supporters’ who won’t turn up to the SF next week, as it’s gotten all too hard again to support this club

22 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

The difficulty we've been having is in wrestling momentum back from opposition sides - not momentum as in goals but momentum as in the way the game is played. Teams lock us down and pressure is around the contest and we have trouble winning that arm wrestle and putting it back on them so they are the ones taking possession under pressure. I don't know how we correct it either because we have built our game on winning that contest. We were sloppy due to this whole Sydney was clean.

People looking at the 50m penalties are looking at the wrong things I think - the difference was we missed the relatively easy shots (Melksham a main offender) while they were kicking them out of their arses, snapping from packs 40 out and hitting goals from 45 out on the boundary.

I thought tonight, and I’ve thought this all year - and for every year Goodwin has coached us, that our game plan is so reliant on winning contest, overwhelming possession and contested marking forward of the ball. All our losses I felt like teams were kicking them from everywhere, but when I watched the replays I realised that aside from Fritsch and an occasional glimpse from Koz, we simply don’t value forward line skill and craft enough across our list. The balance of our play is so reliant on Gawn, Oliver, Petracca, Lever and May that if two of those blokes are down we struggle.

I think our game plan in 2022 feels draining like it did circa 2017-18. It’s too reliant on incredible fitness and 110% contest work. We need to get some more polish and an extra dimension into our game style if we want to keep competing. Even in the last we kept kicking it long down the line to 2 ruckmen. It’s too easy to coach against once everyone got a good look at it.

I sat next to the grumpiest old man in the history of grumpy old men. Monotonous, not stop whining and complaining the entire match about evvvvvverything  😣

Didn't so much as clap or show one shred of interest when we got our little run on at the start of the third, but was all to ready to get back on the whinge train when we lost the next centre bounce.

Bugger you, grumpy old man. Made my frustrating night even more annoying.

1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

They can get stuffed with all the academy free hits they get. Heeney, Mills, Blakey, Gulden who else? Stuff em.

There is more than that, it is ridiculous the amount of pampering this club has had along the journey.