Slow start and the bad 3rd quarter were concerning, made us grind back to even with good footy and good luck a couple of times before kicking away twice in the last.

The big question is how much of our lack of speed on the spread defensively was due to covering May with a tall slower backline in the first half?

Or how much was our midfield and half forwards probably being a step slow and disorganised?

Similarly, was reverting to more bomb and chase down the line - a tactic I mostly supported to get the job done on the night - just pragmatism?

Or are we still needing to work on skill execution under pressure to play a more expansive style when facing heat?

Because there were a string of bad decisions or shoddy kicks coming out of the backline early and especially in the 3rd - hello Mr Lever - and also a lot of handballs that went back in through traffic rather than clearing to the fat side.

Fantastic win, but one that raises a few questions too.

1 minute ago, DeeSpencer said:

Slow start and the bad 3rd quarter were concerning, made us grind back to even with good footy and good luck a couple of times before kicking away twice in the last.

The big question is how much of our lack of speed on the spread defensively was due to covering May with a tall slower backline in the first half?

Or how much was our midfield and half forwards probably being a step slow and disorganised?

Similarly, was reverting to more bomb and chase down the line - a tactic I mostly supported to get the job done on the night - just pragmatism?

Or are we still needing to work on skill execution under pressure to play a more expansive style when facing heat?

Because there were a string of bad decisions or shoddy kicks coming out of the backline early and especially in the 3rd - hello Mr Lever - and also a lot of handballs that went back in through traffic rather than clearing to the fat side.

Fantastic win, but one that raises a few questions too.

We did not watch the same game.

13 minutes ago, binman said:

We did not watch the same game.

What don’t you agree with?

The inside 50’s, possessions and heat maps are all clear to me that Port’s ball movement was far too slick for us in the middle for a lot of the game. We just tried to keep our shape and force longer kicks and give our backline a chance. A backline that was taller, stayed home and defended well.

And it became evident that through choice or otherwise we weren’t going to get the ball spreading around as we did against the Hawks and Dogs. Petty forward. Play down the boundaries, numbers at the drop, hem Port to one half of the ground to take away their counter was the plan.

Doesn’t mean we didn’t counter well, we did very well to score from the back half with that method and we were more balanced and patient around half forward especially. Mixing angles and hitting leads just inside 50.

But on a narrow ground with width to really get the ball to flankers, wings and half forwards we decided to use Tracc, Oliver, Viney even ANB and Chandler up the lines rather than attempting to open the game up and invite Butters and Rozee to run it straight back.

It was still more expansive, open, up tempo than the last 2 years, but we used our old friend the boundary line to do plenty of defending for us. 

And of course the clearances! Can’t be beaten so much in there against good sides. 

30 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Slow start and the bad 3rd quarter were concerning, made us grind back to even with good footy and good luck a couple of times before kicking away twice in the last.

The big question is how much of our lack of speed on the spread defensively was due to covering May with a tall slower backline in the first half?

Or how much was our midfield and half forwards probably being a step slow and disorganised?

Similarly, was reverting to more bomb and chase down the line - a tactic I mostly supported to get the job done on the night - just pragmatism?

Or are we still needing to work on skill execution under pressure to play a more expansive style when facing heat?

Because there were a string of bad decisions or shoddy kicks coming out of the backline early and especially in the 3rd - hello Mr Lever - and also a lot of handballs that went back in through traffic rather than clearing to the fat side.

Fantastic win, but one that raises a few questions too.

Fantastic win sounds like a stretch considering your assessment of the game.

Definitely not the best start as they had momentum pure clearance dominance early on. We just couldn't get our hands on it and when we did we wrestled it back.

The free kicks definitely kept us in it and we were very luck to still be in the games at times especially in the third when they really got on top of us in the midfield.

Care the elaborate on the lack of speed on the spread? I thought our backs were back in position quite often and didn't seem to get caught out, out the back. They created genuine contests in the air and Lever was able to play his intercept game nicely once the game settled down. The easier goals they got were probably more to do with the mids and wings not filling the holes in the shallower parts of defensive 50...

Take your point about shoddy kicks out of the backline, they too were very poor with execution which levelled it out. But this is what happens when you player better opposition and they bring the pressure and better structure. The handballs back into the corridor is something you'll have to get used to with the new game plan, its going to be hit and miss while they work it through the early part of the season.

While the new game plan is around the sling shot of half back changing the angles by hand or foot through the corridor. You're still going to see SOME kicking down the line. It's what every team does when the corridor is manned up and you have numbers at the contest. We generated quite a few scores from this :) You might be right that were reverted back to it at times but this might have also been to take the heat out of the game and use the boundary to get stoppages in more neutral parts of the ground where we could set up better.

Skill execution under pressure is what won us the game. Port were messy with the ball with so much hack kicking out of contest resulting in turnovers. I thought thats where they lost the game and we won, skill execution. They may have won the clearances but those clearances were not as quality as ours

Edited March 31, 20241 yr by Young Blood

Joey Montagna : Melbourne best leaders and culture in the game !

1 minute ago, loges said:

Joey Montagna : Melbourne best leaders and culture in the game !

Winning cures everything in the Media 

51 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Slow start and the bad 3rd quarter were concerning, made us grind back to even with good footy and good luck a couple of times before kicking away twice in the last.

The big question is how much of our lack of speed on the spread defensively was due to covering May with a tall slower backline in the first half?

Or how much was our midfield and half forwards probably being a step slow and disorganised?

Similarly, was reverting to more bomb and chase down the line - a tactic I mostly supported to get the job done on the night - just pragmatism?

Or are we still needing to work on skill execution under pressure to play a more expansive style when facing heat?

Because there were a string of bad decisions or shoddy kicks coming out of the backline early and especially in the 3rd - hello Mr Lever - and also a lot of handballs that went back in through traffic rather than clearing to the fat side.

Fantastic win, but one that raises a few questions too.

“Fantastic win, but…”

Jesus this is a fair shake of the old sauce bottle, even by your standards. 

Interesting that nobody has mentioned Tom Sparrow’s Goal in the last quarter. It’s an absolute cracker, the ball is red hot and he slots it with brute strength and accuracy 

Well played young man…

7 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Interesting that nobody has mentioned Tom Sparrow’s Goal in the last quarter. It’s an absolute cracker, the ball is red hot and he slots it with brute strength and accuracy 

Well played young man…

The “off one foot” specialist 

8 hours ago, OhMyDees said:

Rozee should be reported for staging in that ‘sling tackle’. He took a dive and went limp deliberately to win the free. 

If u look closely when he is on the ground he is looking at what I assume is the umpire to see what the decision is. It was so obvious he throws himself as he is tackled which is why TMac was giving it to him after he kicked the goal. 

Slimy little [censored]. 

On 30/03/2024 at 22:37, KingDingAling said:

I wouldn’t say an A grader. However, he’s an improving playing even at his age. It’s more the mental now. ANB is athletic, with a tank, but a cooler head than we see. He is aging well, and he will improve. 

Grange Hermitage!

On 30/03/2024 at 22:37, KingDingAling said:

I wouldn’t say an A grader. However, he’s an improving playing even at his age. It’s more the mental now. ANB is athletic, with a tank, but a cooler head than we see. He is aging well, and he will improve. 

Grange Hermitage!

BBB’s tap to Fritch for our first goal.  Pure magic.  

9 minutes ago, Roostwo said:

BBB’s tap to Fritch for our first goal.  Pure magic.  

Underrated moment. 

Also Chandler’s tap to ANB in the fourth. Both great reads of the play and uses of space. 

Edited March 31, 20241 yr by titan_uranus

1 minute ago, titan_uranus said:

Underrated moment. 

Also Chandler’s tap to Sparrow in the fourth. Both great reads of the play and uses of space. 

ANB?

2 minutes ago, Hellaintabadplacetobe said:

ANB?

Correct, sorry

On 30/03/2024 at 22:41, Fork 'em said:

That group behind Ben Browns kick were straight out of Deliverance.

I think one of them was missing a hand!!!

7 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

If he captains us to another flag it’ll be a no brainer that he’s the greatest ruckman the game has ever seen. 

And frankly to bring NicNat into the conversation is an insult to Gawn, Cox, Madden etc. NicNat had like 3 excellent seasons, was never fit enough to influence entire games, and had zero leadership skills. 
About as laughable as people saying English is better than Gawn. [censored] please. 


We are SO lucky to have Gawn. Not only a brilliant footballer but a brilliant leader. 

Don Cordner says hello

7 minutes ago, In Harmes Way said:

Don Cordner says hello

Don Cordner was 188cm and 89kg which in modern day football would be used as a ruck rover.

Edited March 31, 20241 yr by durango

2 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Slow start and the bad 3rd quarter were concerning, made us grind back to even with good footy and good luck a couple of times before kicking away twice in the last.

The big question is how much of our lack of speed on the spread defensively was due to covering May with a tall slower backline in the first half?

Or how much was our midfield and half forwards probably being a step slow and disorganised?

Similarly, was reverting to more bomb and chase down the line - a tactic I mostly supported to get the job done on the night - just pragmatism?

Or are we still needing to work on skill execution under pressure to play a more expansive style when facing heat?

Because there were a string of bad decisions or shoddy kicks coming out of the backline early and especially in the 3rd - hello Mr Lever - and also a lot of handballs that went back in through traffic rather than clearing to the fat side.

Fantastic win, but one that raises a few questions too.

Are you looking for perfection? You will go crazy doing that…

We are pushing a game style we just haven’t done under Goodwin. Even in 21 or 18 we were a contest, clearance and/or front half turnover team. 

Here we are 4 games in and without our prime ‘interceptor’ - the engine for any team that wants to drive score out of the backline - and we have beaten a team on their home deck that has had far more it nearer to their goals.

This is one promising for what we can achieve in 2024 and while progress isn’t linear and we will make missteps along the way - if we get 15 wins - god help the rest of the comp with us in the finals with this midfield, and with us being able to move it from back half turnover…

4 hours ago, Deeoldfart said:

I’m not a lip reader, but it wasn’t hard to interpret what Fritta said to the crowd (after receiving an earful from them) when he kicked a clutch goal from the boundary in the last.

The moron in the crowd got off lightly with a “[censored] you” from Fritta considering he called Fritta a word that starts with F and rhymes with maggot.

14 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

The moron in the crowd got off lightly with a “[censored] you” from Fritta considering he called Fritta a word that starts with F and rhymes with maggot.

This is what happens when your family tree is actually a wreath. 

Edited March 31, 20241 yr by Jaded No More

1 hour ago, durango said:

Don Cordner was 188cm and 89kg which in modern day football would be used as a ruck rover.

With modern nutrition I doubt Don Cordner would have capped out at 188cm.

12 hours ago, Dee Zephyr said:

I’m not so sure it was a sling Wells. Watched it a few times and Rivers had Rozee around the hips. Rozee used the swinging motion to exaggerate it. T Mac rightly got stuck into Rozee after he kicked the goal.

Yeah, no way was it an intentional sling. Rivers applied the tackle right on the umpire’s whistle and Rozee went limp at the sound of it, rather than putting up any counter-resistance. Suffice to say, he got rag-dolled because he chose to become one. 

2 hours ago, Allen Jakovich said:

I think one of them was missing a hand!!!

This ain’t cool. Plenty of stuff we can joke about, but this isn’t it. 

Edited March 31, 20241 yr by Mel Bourne