1 hour ago, CHF said:

Some people on this site only see the mistakes and the negatives in a game without appreciating the big picture. 

I watched the game and saw a willing close contest with the ebb and flow of momentum. All the players made mistakes, some under pressure and others without pressure. It happens in a game of footy.

What I see is that we have a few rounds to go in the season and we are in forth place on the ladder a couple of games and percentage clear of 5th. We have been playing the last 8/9 weeks without one of the top 5 mids in the competition and without one of the leagues top goalkicking forwards. Add to that Petty injured and I think it is commendable that we are winning matches under those circumstances.

We also have players like Grundy and Spargo playing for Casey ready to step up when required.

Melksham has been great cover for Fristch and Tomlinson has been a seamless replacement for Petty. A great position to be in.

We do not have to rush anyone back into the team. We have the time and space to allow them to be 100% when they come back into the team.

Good wins over the last two weeks and a good position to be in.

I will state for the record that the Demons team in the '21 Grand Final played the best footy I have every seem a team play. As close to perfect as you will see. 

EDIT: forgot Hibberd who is also worthy of a team spot.

Great post, although I think people forget that we lost the 2nd and the first 15 mins of the 3rd quarter in the GF quite comfortably.

We played a great first quarter, an irresistible 10-15 mins at the end/second half of the 3rd, which knocked the stuffing out of the Bulldogs, and then we hit them with a great last quarter.

So I think it's really important to remember that even in that huge GF win, we struggled to play 4 quarters.

I think if we can find 4 quarters of consistent Melbourne football this year, no team will beat us.

59 minutes ago, Brownie said:

I still think he's carrying an injury.

He looks quite impeded and off the pace the last couple of weeks. But I've only got a TV screen to judge by.

I think it could be a major worry for us if he's not fully fit.

He was never the quickest big bloke going around. 
 

1 hour ago, binman said:

Woey.

Who comes out for Fritsch then? Melksham?

I'd play both of them, even if that means we drop Woey and Spargo doesn't come back. Spargo had absolutely no influence on the games he played recently, nothing. Not sure a few weeks at Casey automatically opens a spot back for him.

 

 

7 minutes ago, A F said:

Great post, although I think people forget that we lost the 2nd and the first 15 mins of the 3rd quarter in the GF quite comfortably.

We played a great first quarter, an irresistible 10-15 mins at the end/second half of the 3rd, which knocked the stuffing out of the Bulldogs, and then we hit them with a great last quarter.

So I think it's really important to remember that even in that huge GF win, we struggled to play 4 quarters.

I think if we can find 4 quarters of consistent Melbourne football this year, no team will beat us.

Yes, but the premise of your thesis (and I peer reviewed it and it stands up) is that even in our dominance - we didn’t do it for 4 quarters. We simply have to capitalise when it is our turn to - hence the need to open the game up these last 5 weeks and play some effing footy. 

Trent Rivers and Pickett look so exciting when the shackles are off and this forward line of plucky upstarts and well worn vets and this midfield of lunch pale union guys look happier when they are running and gunning. 

9 minutes ago, A F said:

Great post, although I think people forget that we lost the 2nd and the first 15 mins of the 3rd quarter in the GF quite comfortably.

We played a great first quarter, an irresistible 10-15 mins at the end/second half of the 3rd, which knocked the stuffing out of the Bulldogs, and then we hit them with a great last quarter.

So I think it's really important to remember that even in that huge GF win, we struggled to play 4 quarters.

I think if we can find 4 quarters of consistent Melbourne football this year, no team will beat us.

Any team can say if they found 4 quarters of their consistent football, no team will beat them. Especially any of the other top four teams. It's unlikely we'll have 4 quarters all on our terms in the finals, momentum will shift regularly throughout the games.

How long can Adelaide keep hold of Burgess? Unless he wants to stay home he's never far away from a big opportunity.

1 hour ago, Brownie said:

I still think he's carrying an injury.

He looks quite impeded and off the pace the last couple of weeks. But I've only got a TV screen to judge by.

I think it could be a major worry for us if he's not fully fit.

It'd be ironic if Petty replaced May, Tomlinson stayed in and May missed out on a premiership. ;)

Never gonna happen, but if we had a fit Petty, I would seriously consider giving May a week or two to rest.

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

Why would  play Spargo over a rapidly improving Woey with more upside. WONT HAPPEN... BOOKMARK IT!

I'll look forward to this. A poster without less feel for the game or the team they're following, there probably isn't.

4 minutes ago, Glorious Day said:

Without Rankine? They lose to us by 6 goals without him. Big loss.

Yes.

But agree, he was huge today and is a genuine a grader. And is a big out going forward

I really rate the Crows. I think they and the cats are the only teams outside the top 4 with any chance of winning the flag. 

I just think Port will struggle to come up after last week, a game they would have targeted.

And the showdown will be a target game for the crows.

That said one less day won't help their cause.

28 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

No mate. Didn't have to go near the cheer squad - plenty of nut jobs on 'land.

Some Landers after a 'workmen' like 13 goal win . . .

12 minutes ago, rpfc said:

Yes, but the premise of your thesis (and I peer reviewed it and it stands up) is that even in our dominance - we didn’t do it for 4 quarters. We simply have to capitalise when it is our turn to - hence the need to open the game up these last 5 weeks and play some effing footy. 

Trent Rivers and Pickett look so exciting when the shackles are off and this forward line of plucky upstarts and well worn vets and this midfield of lunch pale union guys look happier when they are running and gunning. 

Lunch pale union guys. You kill me 😂

 

28 minutes ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Listened to the game whilst driving but now I have to watch it. After reading this thread three things I’m looking for are :

Lot of commentary during the game that Brown was impacting the game without hitting the scoreboard. A lot of posters citing he’s cooked and Smith should come in. 
 

Limited fwd 50 tackles when Kosi plays further up the ground but he’s more influential when playing there. In recent weeks when playing purely fwd he can go missing for large parts of the game.

If Fritsch makes it back this season is there any reason him and Melksham can’t play in the same side?

IMO, Melksham played a very Melksham game. Which is to say, not like last week or the Carlton Round 21 game last year.

Paging @george_on_the_outer...

1 minute ago, A F said:

IMO, Melksham played a very Melksham game. Which is to say, not like last week or the Carlton Round 21 game last year.

Paging @george_on_the_outer...

He is holding the space warm for Fritta. He’s a very good impact player in short bursts, but cannot sustain 4 quarters of effort anymore. He does it once in a while but never consistently. 
For mine he has to play the sub role, but Smith is a better option now thanks to his super versatility at both ends of the ground. He could even ruck if you were very very desperate. 
 

20 minutes ago, rpfc said:

Trent Rivers and Pickett look so exciting when the shackles are off and this forward line of plucky upstarts and well worn vets and this midfield of lunch pale union guys look happier when they are running and gunning. 

Agreed, but I'd counter is by saying the backs do not like the run and gun, because on turnover we don't bring them enough cover.

I hope we can strike the right balance. That's what the H&A season is for. 😉

2 hours ago, binman said:

There were at least 6 or 7 games in the first half of the season where Chandler, Kozzy, Nibbler and Spargs all played - and there would have been more if not for Kozzie's suspension. Not sure why it is suddenly a problem.

Woey is not best 22 and will make way for Spargo in the next 2, 3 games tops. And the band will be back together. 

We’ve changed quite a bit since the first half of the season and one of the important changes IMO has been to reduce the number of small forwards in the side. 

I don’t think we should go back to having all four in the side, even with Pickett doing a bit more midfield minutes. I’d prefer another midfielder.

22 minutes ago, Glorious Day said:

Any team can say if they found 4 quarters of their consistent football, no team will beat them. Especially any of the other top four teams. It's unlikely we'll have 4 quarters all on our terms in the finals, momentum will shift regularly throughout the games.

True, but I said consistent performance, I didn't say irresistible for 4 quarters. We need to implement our defensive system across four quarters. That doesn't mean we have to play be brilliant for 4 quarters. Just do most things to a good standard with the ball, and defend well, make the right decisions without it.

So when momentum is against us, we can weather the storm and then conversely take our chances when we have it ourselves.

1 hour ago, binman said:

Which is why I think we we will go back to our set up of spargo and nibbler as high half forwards and kozz and chin traditional small forwards (with koz doing bursts in ball).

By the by, better to think of nibbler and spargs as wingers not forwards I reckon - less confusing because neither are reallt forwards as such, particularly nibbker - you just have to look at his heat map to get what I mean.

I reckon Spargo has been really poor this season and wouldn't have him back in.

His precision kicking is off the boil and that's his only real weapon.

7 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

We’ve changed quite a bit since the first half of the season and one of the important changes IMO has been to reduce the number of small forwards in the side. 

I don’t think we should go back to having all four in the side, even with Pickett doing a bit more midfield minutes. I’d prefer another midfielder.

I think we just need a better midfielder (ie Clarry) and then we can go one less mid.

It looks like Clarry will only have to play 2 (or 3 at best) H&A games before finals, so I'd expect us to revert to less players rolling through the midfield. Clarry, Trac, Viney, Gus, Sparrow, Kozzy and maybe even Rivers is plenty.

But each to their own.

Edited July 23, 20231 yr by A F

10 minutes ago, A F said:

Agreed, but I'd counter is by saying the backs do not like the run and gun, because on turnover we don't bring them enough cover.

I hope we can strike the right balance. That's what the H&A season is for. 😉

Yeah, as May ages I think we need evolve that back line and what drives it.

2 minutes ago, A F said:

I think we just need a better midfielder (ie Clarry) and then we can go one less mid.

It looks like Clarry will only have to play 2 (or 3 at best) H&A games before finals, so I'd expect us to revert to less players rolling through the midfield. Clarry, Trac, Viney, Gus, Sparrow, Kozzy and maybe even Rivers is plenty.

But each to their own.

Goody said Clarry is still 2-3 weeks away post game but Ooze said pre game that the North game is the plan, which is 2 weeks. Is Goody just covering his [censored] after the last 10 times when he told us Clarry was playing next week and didn’t? Or is Yze just frothing at the mouth to have his best player back?

1 minute ago, Jaded No More said:

Goody said Clarry is still 2-3 weeks away post game but Ooze said pre game that the North game is the plan, which is 2 weeks. Is Goody just covering his [censored] after the last 10 times when he told us Clarry was playing next week and didn’t? Or is Yze just frothing at the mouth to have his best player back?

Interesting. I'd personally be happy to keep Clarry off one less plane than he needs to be on, but I'll back the FD.

3 minutes ago, rpfc said:

Yeah, as May ages I think we need evolve that back line and what drives it.

What does this look like do you think?

Is it built around a particular player or two, or built around a different system or approach altogether?

4 goals up at 3/4. Scores level after 5 mins in. Then back out by 20. Great response. Exciting last quarter. I know I left the game pumped. 
 

Talk that crows missed sets shots but in the last it was us that missed 3 easy/gettable chances - Brayshaw, Gawn, Langdon. Also the smith with the umpires call touch. Crows also 2 goals from umpires - Lever down field and Kozzie 50. Crows missed one chance in the last. 
 

Positive signs for me are they we are starting to score again. Tackles inside 50 Adelaide 13 Melbourne 1. We don’t need to be that  lock-in it forward half team all the time.  We can score with our ball movement. Some signs of 2021 returning for me. Grundy/Smith for Brown. Fritsch back at some stage. Need to be able to score to win the flag. 

5 minutes ago, A F said:

Interesting. I'd personally be happy to keep Clarry off one less plane than he needs to be on, but I'll back the FD.

 

It’s a fine balance between getting the touch and match hardness back in his legs for as long as possible pre finals, given he’s missed so much footy, and not risking him for a game we should win anyway. 

The flight is 45 mins. It’s neither here nor there. He probably spends longer driving to Casey every day. 

I also imagine it’ll be a cold day in hell before Clarry finds himself playing in the VFL for fitness/form… would be fun to see him get 60 touches then get taken off at quarter time tho 😂

Edited July 23, 20231 yr by Jaded No More

According to a lot of people here Collingwood are no good and do nothing for 3 quarters but our win today was great because that same Collingwood only beat Adelaide by small margins as well. 

Just admit Collingwood are alright and we good!

 

Adelaide are the second best offensive side in the comp and have a very healthy percentage. It was amazing that we let them only kick 6 goals in the first 3 qtrs. Once the shackles came off and with some costly turnovers, they did kick some easy ones, but overall I think beating the two best offensive sides back to back is a great relief. 

I think we’ll defend Richmond much better next week given their lack of tall targets.

All we need to do is win 2 of our next 5 and top 4 is guaranteed. It’s unbelievable how well we’ve done without Oliver.

One other thing, Chin over Spargo any day. He has so much more depth to his kicks. 

Edited July 23, 20231 yr by At the break of Gawn

7 minutes ago, Pulp Fritschon said:

4 goals up at 3/4. Scores level after 5 mins in. Then back out by 20. Great response. Exciting last quarter. I know I left the game pumped. 
 

Talk that crows missed sets shots but in the last it was us that missed 3 easy/gettable chances - Brayshaw, Gawn, Langdon. Also the smith with the umpires call touch. Crows also 2 goals from umpires - Lever down field and Kozzie 50. Crows missed one chance in the last. 
 

Positive signs for me are they we are starting to score again. Tackles inside 50 Adelaide 13 Melbourne 1. We don’t need to be that  lock-in it forward half team all the time.  We can score with our ball movement. Some signs of 2021 returning for me. Grundy/Smith for Brown. Fritsch back at some stage. Need to be able to score to win the flag. 

This was an open game of Australian rules football today, through the corridor there was next to none mid zone pressure systems being applied whatsoever.

We seem to always play shoot outs against the Crows, thought we were always in control of the contest as a whole up until the last 5 minutes.

Defensively we weren't at the races today and that is the cornerstone of our recent success.

Long way to go, 4 points in the bag, top 4 all but secured.

Keep on building for our assault on September.