5 hours ago, Nairobi_Demon said:

A fit Melbourne the only team that could have got close to the Cats this year.

Makes me more confident that the Dees game plan still stacks up - will be interesting to see how the Pies and Swans play next year.

But Cats are the team to beat next year. They’re strong, fit and there’s no clear weaknesses across the ground.  We need to respond. 

That’s the thing we we’re not fit & our 2nd half fade-outs derailed our season, the question is, is this at the feet of Selwyn Griffiths or method by the players?

They were meant to be waving red and white flags but left the red at home 

Thr last two Grand Finals at the G were the two worst of the AFL era 

9 minutes ago, layzie said:

Thr last two Grand Finals at the G were the two worst of the AFL era 

2007 was certainly amongst the worst, but yep, two of the worst three

Just now, Glorious Day said:

2007 was certainly amongst the worst, but yep, two of the worst three

Oh yeah, that one was so unmemorable I forgot it 😉

4 hours ago, Macca said:

Cats have set the standard.  Our best from last year would have provided a fierce contest today.  But not this year, in the end we weren't good enough to make a PF

But we've got to get back to our best to challenge. Or more importantly, achieve a new best.  Reinvent

As for the Cats and the other decent teams, it could be assumed that they are looking to improve on their best

So we have to catch up, then catch up again and then exceed to succeed.  Good luck Demons

As Selwood said today, GF's are hard to win and he had to wait 15 years in a side that has been very competitive (throughout that hiatus)

So it's hard work and you need luck with injuries along with loads of talent (and top level coaching)

He spoke very well Selwood. Geelong were the best side in it last year we just knocked them off during our once in a century purple patch. Geelong have consistency down pat. Very much Melbourne Storm like in that regard, and like many sides that string flags together over a close period they all have that resilience underpinning their cultural make up. Richmond also have that. Hopefully we one day have that, it’s rare. Geelong be hard to beat next year too. MFC a long way off those heights. Hopefully we find the right man for the job to get us there.

7 hours ago, Return to Glory said:

How about a tour of the Casey ovals? It's not the Gondolas of Venice but awfully close

 

Not bad. Not too far from us. He’s enjoying seeing things here although I’m hoping it’s me he came to see lol

Geelong the best team in it this year. No question. They had plenty of luck along the way but so did we last year.

I didn't think Dads Army could do it, thought their soft fixture would disadvantage them come September but their pressure game yesterday was off the scales. Swans were hopeless but I don't think any team could have lived with them.

And Scott is a great coach as well as being very dislikeable

Cats played 1 less game than us in 2021 & an older list yet we had 7 second half fade-outs???

6 hours ago, KingDingAling said:

He spoke very well Selwood. Geelong were the best side in it last year we just knocked them off during our once in a century purple patch. Geelong have consistency down pat. Very much Melbourne Storm like in that regard, and like many sides that string flags together over a close period they all have that resilience underpinning their cultural make up. Richmond also have that. Hopefully we one day have that, it’s rare. Geelong be hard to beat next year too. MFC a long way off those heights. Hopefully we find the right man for the job to get us there.

Geelong have had any number of years much like the year we had this year (a terrific H & A record and then fall short at the pointy end of the season)

But I'd like to think that our strike rate will be better than Geelong's if we can get into contention as much as what they have done in their last 10 years or so

And there's no reason why we can't get into contention consistently

Keep improving the list, get our fitness right, get our game plan back on track and we can win big again

I'm quite confident those outcomes will happen.  We've got the right managers in place and we've got plenty of talent

But nothing happens automatically, success requires a lot of hard work and a good dose of luck

Our biggest areas to improve on is our ability to run out games and our forward line functionality (method & talent) Total defence all over the ground was fantastic in 2021 but not very good in 2022 (I believe our pressure rating went from 1st to 17th in one season)

So there's a bit to work on

In my view we looked battle weary from earlier in the season.  Even in that 10 match winning streak we decided to lock down the last quarter's in nearly all those wins (played the boundary line, didn't play on, didn't use the corridor, worked for stoppages to waste time)

Specifically in those last quarter's after we'd set up the wins

And if you're trying to save your legs early, there might be trouble ahead (and that's how it panned out)

Yet we still won 16 games despite having a few issues. Absolute talent can take you a long way

*The above are observations based on hindsight.  For the most part, a huge percentage of us (85% plus?) still believed we could win big this season right up until the point when we were knocked out of contention 

And there were still any number of people who had question marks attached to Geelong right up until their PF win (they just got over the line against the Pies in a QF)

Edited September 24, 20223 yr by Macca

Thank god we didn’t make the GF and get smashed by the Cats. I’d go broke from the therapy bills. 

I don't like Geelong but that outcome is impossible for me to dislike. Flags are very hard to win. They played a nearly perfect season, managed their squad superbly and made the necessary changes to their game plan to bring success.

I even felt good Scott, Selwood, Hawkins, Dangerfield and Smith - something I thought I'd never say - but excellence is excellent.

They deserve all accolades - very well done.

Much admired young Jack Henry yesterday

before the bounce Buddy was hugely aggressive towards him - push and shove etc.  Henry simply absorbed the aggression and re-took his post next to Buddy each time he was pushed away..  Never engaged emotionally. Take Note Steven May.

Then went on to comprehensively beat him in any contests.

Buddy's been shown up by May and no longer has the tricks, based on the GF and our final.

Farewell year for him in 2023, but IMO another example of a true champ going too long.

I wonder whether these types find it difficult to imagine life without elite sport and thus push that final boundary.?

43 minutes ago, Demonsone said:

Cats played 1 less game than us in 2021 & an older list yet we had 7 second half fade-outs???

Cats put teams away early

I don’t subscribe that the Cats would have decimated the Dees in the prelim or Gf.  Dees were on top in every game in which we eventually faded and sadly lost in season 2022. Only did the game at Pussycat park on a Thursday night did we look off pace but that was at the Cats home and an MCG venue would have suited us. 

If we comparevDees v Cats 21 prelim - Dees annihilated Cats by 83 points  - and Cats Gf 22 team. It was minus  (-Holmes Ratugolea Henderson Menegola) included +Dekoning Stengle O’Connor Stewart.  Sure some handy inclusions but I think our best is the equal of them.

If we get the “forward connection” and our heads right, we are confident in 2023.  We fear no one.  Our best is capable of winning it. 

Those MCC members who were successful in the ballot then didn’t turn up to the GF will get a rude shock next year. The MCC will not allow you in the GF ballot in 2023. Too bad if MFC are in it!

18 minutes ago, Antioch said:

Those MCC members who were successful in the ballot then didn’t turn up to the GF will get a rude shock next year. The MCC will not allow you in the GF ballot in 2023. Too bad if MFC are in it!

I know a few people who got a ticket in the ballot, knew that they wouldn't be allowed into the ballot next year if they didn't go yesterday so they went to the G, walked through the gate and went home. 

 Cats were the best team all year round.

Funny that after we got beaten by Geelong many on here (won't name names) said that they couldn't wait to play Geelong on the MCG come finals due to their vulnerability away from kardinia Park.

Where are they now? Silence is deafening...

1 hour ago, DubDee said:

Thank god we didn’t make the GF and get smashed by the Cats. I’d go broke from the therapy bills. 

I wouldn't have any wrists left.

7 hours ago, KingDingAling said:

He spoke very well Selwood. Geelong were the best side in it last year we just knocked them off during our once in a century purple patch. Geelong have consistency down pat. Very much Melbourne Storm like in that regard, and like many sides that string flags together over a close period they all have that resilience underpinning their cultural make up. Richmond also have that. Hopefully we one day have that, it’s rare. Geelong be hard to beat next year too. MFC a long way off those heights. Hopefully we find the right man for the job to get us there.

We beat Geelong three times last year. At the start and twice at the end of the season. They changed a lot this year directly because of us. They were in no way better than us last year.

Hopefully a Melbourne v Geelong GF for all the marbles in 2023

2 minutes ago, layzie said:

Hopefully a Melbourne v Geelong GF for all the marbles in 2023

....in Perth.

2 hours ago, von said:

We beat Geelong three times last year. At the start and twice at the end of the season. They changed a lot this year directly because of us. They were in no way better than us last year.

It's a good point you make

We have to go back to the Smith days to see how we influenced how other teams played during and after that great era

The late John Kennedy sr is on record in saying that Hawthorn based their way of playing and recruiting on the great Melbourne team of the 50's (all about the team, great teamwork etc etc)

So in turn, aspiring to be better than Geelong after their win yesterday is related to the standards that we have set for ourselves.  A reinforcement as such

Back in July a Geelong mate of mine mentioned that Chris Scott made big changes to their style of play after the PF loss last season ... finished off with "Thanks!"

Again, that was back in July

Edited September 25, 20223 yr by Macca

I saw Chris scott make his speech yesterday & it still irks me Goodwin didn't get to speak.