10 hours ago, BoBo said:

I didn’t know that bounce made a difference, but that’s a terrible rule.

You can deliberately spoil the ball over the line in a marking contest.  Once the ball bounces, it can no longer be a marking contest. That’s the rule.

Not bad kicking 16 goals with Kozzie and Fritsch having poor games.

1 minute ago, The heart beats true said:

I’m not sure we can ask Clayton to go to another level. He’s one of the best players in the game, and I’d say he’s the best, hardest working Melbourne player I’ve ever seen (I’m 44). He was playing last night after having the flu last week. I’m not sure what more he can do. 

I agree with you about our forward line, but I reckon we need to persist with Max/Brodie, JVR and Petty. Last night was the first time they all played together. It sure got better as the game went on. 

Yes he is and agree with that, but his disposal lets him down always does things at full pace he needs to slow down before he disposes of it.

Last night's game, in some ways, was a mirror image of so many games I've watched the Dees play over the years. The lower ranked team scraps, goes hard, leads for much of the game but in the end the higher ranked team, maybe flag favourites, prevails.

Nice to be on the opposite side of the ledger for a change.

2 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

Yes he is and agree with that, but his disposal lets him down always does things at full pace he needs to slow down before he disposes of it.

I don't think slowing down is always an option in the modern game.  Midfielders are going to have "clangers" which is just inevitable really.  The focus is on the ability to retain possession after a clanger, so having that defensive pressure all over the ground.

I'd say the bigger concern last night were the "unforced errors"; dropped marks, handballs askew etc.  Basic skill errors.  I hope it's just an aberration.

Also, and apologies if this has been covered, what's the go with all the handballs off the ground?!

For those there last night, what’s your ideas on the crowd split of support?

2 minutes ago, McQueen said:

For those there last night, what’s your ideas on the crowd split of support?

I would say it was 60/40 Melbourne. We absolutely outnumbered them. 

3 minutes ago, McQueen said:

For those there last night, what’s your ideas on the crowd split of support?

Sometimes it’s hard to tell when you’re carrying on like an absolute lunatic, I thought it was around 50/50 until I heard the noise at 3/4 time after Oliver’s goal. 

2 minutes ago, D Rev said:

I don't think slowing down is always an option in the modern game.  Midfielders are going to have "clangers" which is just inevitable really.  The focus is on the ability to retain possession after a clanger, so having that defensive pressure all over the ground.

I'd say the bigger concern last night were the "unforced errors"; dropped marks, handballs askew etc.  Basic skill errors.  I hope it's just an aberration.

Also, and apologies if this has been covered, what's the go with all the handballs off the ground?!

Great players like Judd, Greg Williams, Ben Cousins, etc just had that awareness to take a split second to dispose of the pill, Oliver when playing on just kicks it without looking at times that's all i'm saying it's one thing to get 30 -40 possessions it's another thing for them to be effective, I accept that not all disposals are going to advantage but the idea is to lower the clangers that he has.

Can I just say what a wonderful job Hibberd did on cumberland last ngiht after he went to him after he kicked his 3 goals. Kept him virtually statless after that and did brilliantly. 

3 hours ago, Waltham33 said:

Tigers threw everything at it, their season was on the line.  Dees resolute, uplift required in many spots however third on the ladder speaks volumes. Reminded me a bit of the win v Sydney in 2021

oh an team needs Salem to win the flag

2021 Salem hopefully 

1 hour ago, Jaded No More said:

He’s played 3 games and won it for us last night. Some talls play their entire career and never put on that sort of performance. The contested marking, regardless of who was defending him or not, and the composure to go back and slot 3 difficult shots under pressure was unbelievable. 
He deserved all the raving and more. 
 

Edit: and the mental fortitude to have a stinker for 3 quarters and still back yourself in to dominate in the last in front of 84,000 people in a tight game that wasn’t going our way is truly special. 

Not only contested but in congested situations where weight of numbers mostly prevent marks being taken. I posted in the first half he was getting both hands on the ball often but couldn’t hold on. When he got the first big one his confidence rose. 

His goal kicking routine is measured, balanced and well practiced like Dunstall and Lockett were who always took their time and never kicked the ball too aggressively. He is the type of forward who needs fewer opportunities to be productive. At this stage I would like to see him develop some more opportunistic skills to snag an extra goal or two from broken or open play like Ben Brown often does.
 

Edited April 25, 20231 yr by John Crow Batty

11 hours ago, deva5610 said:

You're not wrong, but that doesn't mean the umpire is making up rules or interpreting them in their own way.

It's a rule, written in black and white with a picture to boot. There's no excuse from Lever for not knowing it.

So many holes in that argument. They do and it happens to this Club often...

Also players going the wrong way again, because they don't know what is going on either.

So we have the situation, the combatants don't know. The Umpires don't know. The Public don't know. The AFL don't care..

That particular guy picks decisions quite often that are very very controversial, when it comes to us. The smiling assassin my name for him.

26 minutes ago, McQueen said:

For those there last night, what’s your ideas on the crowd split of support?

Melbourne supporters easily outnumbered them. Richmond has a very big bandwagon when they're up and about. I put Hawthorn in that category as well. 

I got the feeling the umpires were always ready to punish us when Richmond went deep forward but letting Richmond defenders get away with all sorts of outrages when we did.

3 minutes ago, Willmoy1947 said:

So we have the situation, the combatants don't know.

Steven May knew.  He was telling Lever all about it after the 50 was paid.

3 minutes ago, John Crow Batty said:

I got the feeling the umpires were always ready to punish us when Richmond went deep forward but letting Richmond defenders get away with all sorts of outrages when we did.

Genuinely think the umpires had an impact on the game, particularly in regards to making our backs nervous and unsettled. When the Richmond player, whoever he was, received the freekick for a block (prior to getting a 50) it changed the feel of the match. We started to second guess ourselves. 

Edited April 25, 20231 yr by Return to Glory

Allow me to go full conspiracy. This is what I noticed. Whenever we took a mark or received a free, any stepping off the mark was immediately called. Cotchin had the ball on the half forward flank, took four steps to his left to kick to CHF and only after that fourth step did he call play on. Several Richmond players seemed to be afforded that luxury. If you're an umpire wanting to insert yourself, that's the way you do it. 

Hell, I'll say it. At least one umpire seemed hellbent on wanting to give Richmond a leg up.

 

Edited April 25, 20231 yr by Return to Glory

1 hour ago, Jaded No More said:

He’s played 3 games and won it for us last night. Some talls play their entire career and never put on that sort of performance. The contested marking, regardless of who was defending him or not, and the composure to go back and slot 3 difficult shots under pressure was unbelievable. 
He deserved all the raving and more. 
 

Edit: and the mental fortitude to have a stinker for 3 quarters and still back yourself in to dominate in the last in front of 84,000 people in a tight game that wasn’t going our way is truly special. 

Not to mention he took at least one of those marks on Bolta...

55 minutes ago, McQueen said:

For those there last night, what’s your ideas on the crowd split of support?

50-50

More howlers last night than a pack of wolves on heat

I’m sure it’s been already mentioned but.

Three of the worst calls I’ve ever seen by an umpiring group.

The deliberate out of bounds for a an intercept spoil, payed against Brayshaw.

ANB a clear 50 after rioli tackled him after he took a mark?

The shepherding free against who knows for a Tiger defender falling over? When Fristch took that mark close to goal.

it seemed to kill our momentum breaking moments every time! We did well to grind that out!

58 minutes ago, McQueen said:

For those there last night, what’s your ideas on the crowd split of support?

We would have out numbered them by  5-10k

13 hours ago, Beetle said:

This is why we miss Salem so much. Lever is like a baby giraffe as soon as the ball hits the ground. 

Salem in for McVee as soon as he is ready and firing.

36 minutes ago, Willmoy1947 said:

So many holes in that argument. They do and it happens to this Club often...

Also players going the wrong way again, because they don't know what is going on either.

So we have the situation, the combatants don't know. The Umpires don't know. The Public don't know. The AFL don't care..

That particular guy picks decisions quite often that are very very controversial, when it comes to us. The smiling assassin my name for him.

But he was correct.