65% CBAs for ANB

0% for Rivers

Gonna be one of those years

5 hours ago, Demonland said:

The bin doesn’t lie. 

How long was the queue for the membership microwave?

I suspect both teams go out to try and play offensive football. It doesn't mean you don't defend but the midfield doesnt press up as high as they would in a normal game to assist the backline. The kms clocked I imagine would be 30-40% below a normal game.

The worry was probably how easily they transitioned to the outside and swept the ball fwd and how for large parts we seemed clueless or powerless to do anything about it.

Goalkickers (4Q Game): Melbourne: Petracca 2, Fritsch 2, Pickett 2, Brown 2, Van Rooyen, Lever, Gawn, Schache, Verrall, Chandler.

 

1 hour ago, Pulp Fritschon said:

Chaplin in post game media conference mentioned the club will need to work with the AFL on Oliver’s return to footy.

I thought if fits he plays. Have I missed something? Does the AFL need to tick it off?
 

 

That's a very interesting statement. Suggests perhaps Olivers management has been a joint approach as it were.

35 minutes ago, Deebymistake said:

One irritation, Russell Robertson repeatedly kept saying over the mic how state of the art the facilities are at Casey.  Are they really that high class?  Genuine question.  It seemed to be an attempt to appease supporters to me.

Hi Deeby it’s funny but my daughter and I commented on how great the facilities are at Casey, with the main oval in such pristine condition toilet facilities acceptable, the sports fields surrounding the main ground, massive car parking. The only downer is lack of a grandstand or additional seating around the ground, although I noticed all the smart people bought their own seating. I will also add that the conditions today were exceptional warm overcast and only a slight breeze but all attendees seemed to be in good spirits apart from the poor lady sitting next to me who got hit in the head by the ball kicked by one of the Tiges goal kickers. !!

Troy Chaplin said they were focusing on other parts of the game not on the fwd line 

Well the scoreline is meaningless.

I enjoyed a couple of the new faces showing a bit - notably Brown and Windsor.

Although I was a bit disturbed when the first kick I saw Windsor ( touted as an elite disposer) take was a dead set turnover - but I got over it !

Does anyone ever tell Viney, "It's only a praccy game Jack"?  [censored], he goes like a bull in any situation at any time !!!

The big and main positive of course is that Clarrie is back!!

1 hour ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Goodwin has been using a very loose rolling zone roughly a kick (or somewhat less) behind the footy for the last 2 seasons, particularly in the 1st quarter of matches and also quite often (but not always) at the start of 2nd halfs.

By loose i mean in the first quarter the zone is often (but not always) starting too deep for my liking.  Often giving up the first 40/50 meters or so in our F50.  And also players guarding grass that are a tad too far away to impact a slightly wayward or mis-directed kick/handball.

Works ok against average to lessor oppositions that have more of a tendency to turn the ball over.

However, the better oppos have had a field day out of the middle and in transition off HB or FB (kick ins).   They just don't fluff their disposal as often either via better skill levels and/or a combo of a lack of intense pressure from us in a full court sense.

They also take huge advantage of the first 40 meters or so of almost zero pressure (where we effectively hand them this via the loose zone WHEN Goodwin & Co. decide to utilise it) to quickly work their way to their preferred 'launching' spots.

Then hammering home their kicking skills to hit up their targets, which often have the jump on our defenders due to the speed of transition.  The speed on the oppo's transition often resulting in more 1 v 1s where our defenders are caught out and any spares unable to make up the ground to provide an assist.

The 'lay-off' rolling zone worked a treat in 2021 when we had players capable of closing the grass quickly while giving the appearance they were almost out of the contest sitting off their man somewhat.

This close down speed/capability (possibly through a much tighter 'lay-off' zone) resulted in us intercepting, spoiling and causing turnovers more often, then blitzing from decent places into our own 50 for the resulting punishing turnover score/goal and/or repeat entries when implementing the press.

For whatever reason, our ability to bring this level hasn't really been apparent (consistently) since the 2nd half of 2022.

I can only hope Goodwin wont persist with it in it's same method/modus in 2024, at least not against the best rated clubs anyway.  Average to lessor clubs shouldn't matter too much either way.

We really won't know whether he is or isn't until we're into about Rnd 4 to 6.

Fingers crossed he's adjusted this tactic in a significant way when the real stuff starts in a few weeks.

Against the better clubs we need fairly heavy pressure and a much tighter zone starting from the first kick in (from a behind) all the way up the field if we're to prevent some of the 'run on' blow outs we witnessed over the last 18 months. 

This will hopefully result in the better oppos turnIng the ball over more often in more dangerous places to provide us with better looks and potentially higher scoring opportunities.  Which should = more wins!

The forward stocks continue to be a real worry though given the number of injuries and potential decent players who are either out and/or struggling to stay on the park.

Excellent analysis. 

Doesn't bode well imho.

Ol' Simon does like persisting with things long past the point many would have changed course.

Roll on 24... 

First half dozen rounds will mark our card yay or nay

Went along with Tiger pal from work, so won't pretend I saw it all or know the game style they were using (too busy chatting).

Was watching Windsor, to me needs a year of putting on size and where to position himself, looked like a first year body, still did ok, but don't expect the world (ala Daicos). And he shouldn't have to be that player. Give him time, he will learn.

Actually thought Kynan Brown looked more comfortable at this level, was composed with ball in hand, kicked a goal.

Pickett went in the middle, was his evasive best. Is he a game changer? To me he is too small and belongs in the forward line to crumb, use his speed etc. Up against the animals like Bont, Cripps etc size can be a factor. Use his smarts where we are lacking in the forward line (and no attempts for Mark Of The Year please, just crumb).

Didn't notice Chandler, Howes or ANB at all. 

Generally disposal was quite ordinary, long bombs into 50, seems like both teams were almost just there to get some miles into the legs, and didn't show their hand. I'm hoping that's the case.

Gawny played first half, then ran laps at half time, then went to the sheds.

Like others have said, hard to gauge, hope that next week we sharpen up. Lots of outs on both teams too.

Happy to let today slide. It looked as though we were playing a (similarly depleted) team that is rejuvenated and clearly relished playing under a highly promising and anticipated coach  after 8+ years of the same voice. I don’t expect Richmond to make the 8 but they have enough talent and premiership veterans to win 9-12 games.

However, if we let through an obscene amount of consecutive goals next week and have 70 points kicked on us again by half time, then I think members of this forum are entitled to be concerned.

I don’t have the stats to back it up but it looked as though their pressure was miles ahead of ours. We were easy to play against today.

Defensive pressure and low scores are the hallmark of a Goodwin coached Melbourne. If we lose that strength, then we’re a bottom 6 side.

Lastly, some of the dropped marks and failed 15 metre passes to a target suggested to me that their heads weren’t in it today.

 

Edited February 18, 20241 yr by Bring-Back-Powell

We might need Gus on the wing over Windsor, hunter is an exceptional runner and we may be missing it. Would explain our issues in transition running.

42 minutes ago, Demonsone said:

Troy Chaplin said they were focusing on other parts of the game not on the fwd line 

I admit I didn’t watch this game - but based on some of the comments here I really hope they weren’t focusing on the backline or midfield 

Perhaps the focus was getting the interchanges smooth? 
 

These games aren’t really much of a guide to how the season will play out but I must say I’m just a little bit concerned that there were 10 unanswered goals when they have stated previously that stopping the opposition getting multiple unanswered goals was a focus in the off season 

Learnings a plenty 

I liked verrell, k9 and Caleb. I didn't like bombing it to the pack, I thought that was a no no this year.

I like ANB but someone has to tell him the handball into the ground to bounce up into a team mate hands hasn't worked since Robbie. 

45 minutes ago, Roy Boy said:

Went along with Tiger pal from work, so won't pretend I saw it all or know the game style they were using (too busy chatting).

Was watching Windsor, to me needs a year of putting on size and where to position himself, looked like a first year body, still did ok, but don't expect the world (ala Daicos). And he shouldn't have to be that player. Give him time, he will learn.

Actually thought Kynan Brown looked more comfortable at this level, was composed with ball in hand, kicked a goal.

Pickett went in the middle, was his evasive best. Is he a game changer? To me he is too small and belongs in the forward line to crumb, use his speed etc. Up against the animals like Bont, Cripps etc size can be a factor. Use his smarts where we are lacking in the forward line (and no attempts for Mark Of The Year please, just crumb).

Didn't notice Chandler, Howes or ANB at all. 

Generally disposal was quite ordinary, long bombs into 50, seems like both teams were almost just there to get some miles into the legs, and didn't show their hand. I'm hoping that's the case.

Gawny played first half, then ran laps at half time, then went to the sheds.

Like others have said, hard to gauge, hope that next week we sharpen up. Lots of outs on both teams too.

For me the jury is still out on Chandler. He's shown some great footy but it's been a while.

14 minutes ago, Damo said:

I like ANB but someone has to tell him the handball into the ground to bounce up into a team mate hands hasn't worked since Robbie. 

Doesn’t Hunter do this a few times each game?

Understand there are some ' cobwebs' to blow out, but let's be honest, the skills, decision making, and i50 combination was pretty poor, so I'm not sure what to take out of it - beside some fitness and Kynan Brown being refeshingly adept at the level.

What is Blake Howes supposed to be?  People keep talking him up and supposedly he's 'athletic' but didn't look like it at all today...   Who is he supposed to play like? 

7 hours ago, Dee Zephyr said:

Don’t think Richmond would care all that much if they lost. They would just work on things to get better.

Statements like premiership window closed and Goodwin will be under real pressure by R5 after watching our first hit out are amusing. 

Amusing is one word to describe them.

1 hour ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Happy to let today slide. It looked as though we were playing a (similarly depleted) team that is rejuvenated and clearly relished playing under a highly promising and anticipated coach  after 8+ years of the same voice. I don’t expect Richmond to make the 8 but they have enough talent and premiership veterans to win 9-12 games.

However, if we let through an obscene amount of consecutive goals next week and have 70 points kicked on us again by half time, then I think members of this forum are entitled to be concerned.

I don’t have the stats to back it up but it looked as though their pressure was miles ahead of ours. We were easy to play against today.

Defensive pressure and low scores are the hallmark of a Goodwin coached Melbourne. If we lose that strength, then we’re a bottom 6 side.

Lastly, some of the dropped marks and failed 15 metre passes to a target suggested to me that their heads weren’t in it today.

 

Steven May played like it was the last 3 minutes of a close game.  Fumble-town.

31 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

For me the jury is still out on Chandler. He's shown some great footy but it's been a while.

I'm of the same mind. Needs to get involved more. 

Make or break year for him I reckon.

2 minutes ago, Buzzy said:

Understand there are some ' cobwebs' to blow out, but let's be honest, the skills, decision making, and i50 combination was pretty poor, so I'm not sure what to take out of it - beside some fitness and Kynan Brown being refeshingly adept at the level.

What is Blake Howes supposed to be?  People keep talking him up and supposedly he's 'athletic' but didn't look like it at all today...   Who is he supposed to play like? 

Agree - thought Howes was awful. Not a defender and conceded something like 8 (?) goals to his direct opponents. 

Thought we were very poor overall. Have some concerns we are trying to evolve the gamestyle to match the Collingwood trend but there is a key difference - we don't have their level of instinctive skill or the swell of the crowd to infer pressure on the opposition. 

Mid and small defenders are an issue for me. Bowey is not really progressing and is a liability in most contests. Howes - see above. McVee looked very 2nd rate today and played lazy footy offensively and defensively. 

Not sure if anyone sat behind the goals right of the camera...but two [censored] almost came to blows several times and were teeing off with expletives and insults despite a litany of kids running around. All over....someone blocking their view. One demon one tiger - both absolute deadbeat muppets. 

Made me wonder why I missed footy when I see that demographic and basically escorted my two little kids away from the area. At a practise match family day...please. 

Some take aways:

I suspect they are in a heavy training phase. Cooked after the first 20 min untill half time.

First 15 mins of third up and about after a break. Then cooked again 

Being cooked exacerbated our biggest issue  - our kicking skills accross the board.

Outside of the first 20 mins of the game, even our best kicks turned it over, and our average kicks, of which there are many, were horrendous 

Very much the classic practice match. 

One example was the focus on practising hand ball chains to move the ball downfield

In the last couple of years our practice match has been our main preseason hitout, not the community cup.  I suspect not this year - Max won't be coming off at half time against the blues.

Verell looked ok.

Koz is a star.

Viney was terrific.

JVR will go up one or two levels.

Good to see them give schachw a run in the ruck. Makes perfect sense, and i think is the only way he cements a starting 22 position. Assuming he can improve. 

I know clarry was playing against VFL players, but somehow it made his brilliance even more evident.  Sounds stupid, but I think I had forgotten just how good he is.

Not bothered at all by the result.

7 hours ago, biggestred said:

Field kicking an issue. 

Excellent 

Just watching some of it on Fox now, so far the only thing I have noticed is how bad the commentators are. 

2 hours ago, gs77 said:

When you're baking in the sun with negligible shading around the ground, queuing for a quarter for a bucket of hot chips, and the scant elevated seating is off limits to the public, that did come across as a bit silly to me. Maybe the Mayor of Casey dropped past at the time.

Perhaps you should’ve chosen the DA tent for your vittles. You wouldn’t have missed a quarter of footy queuing, it would’ve cost significantly less, and the proceeds would’ve gone to the DA instead of a private vendor. Never mind, maybe next time 😉

 BTW, a huge THANK YOU to those who visited our tent for a sausage and/or a cupcake. We absolutely cleaned up. A steady flow of customers for just under five hours, including a three-hour period where we literally did not stop, exceeded expectations. Richmond fans contributed largely to our takings. I’m sure they’re positively chuffed about that. 😅

Edited February 18, 20241 yr by WalkingCivilWar