2 hours ago, Binmans PA said:

Very good point and probably something I've overlooked. 

What new game plan is it the one where the forward line stands still or the one where we bomb it in?

All you complaining, in the words of Denis Leary shut the f up

12 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

Salem doesn't have the tank to be s full-time midfielder or the speed to play that role.

Doesn't change the fact we were playing him split between the midfield and backline prior to injury this season!  FWIW, I didn't mind it as an experiment 

40 minutes ago, Brownie said:

Get him on TV too. Jeff's analysis there was better than most stuff I've seen on fox in the last 12months.

I'd honestly watch a 30 min show on this stuff.

I very rarely say this but the umpiring was very good. Common sense interpretation of holding the ball and no howlers that I can remember. Of course, it’s much easier to be objective when you win.

6 hours ago, dees189227 said:

Abby is very good interviewing players and I think he has built up the trust with them. 

 

Holmes lost me last year when she interviewed that filthy thug Maynard after our QF and began by asking him in a very sympathetic and caring way how he was feeling. She was concerned about HIS feelings. Get [censored]. 

Disco’s third goal was largely due to the skill and professionalism of the person in the cheer squad holding the target. 😁

 

Redemption for her dreadful error in last year’s round 22 match vs Carlton where she held the target up between the goal and behind posts. She thought she’d never again be asked to hold up the target. But her comrades backed her in and she didn’t let them down.

Now to work towards getting her giant flag licence back, which should be soon. I mean, it’s not like she took anyone’s eye out. 

Anyone have the pressure numbers from last night? 

7 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

It was woeful because we all know that we can do better than that.

To see stars and reputable players kick and handball like many of them did was horrible.

Don't agree with Dunstall often but he referred to our team as in a malaise. 

Although we played better in the last we still looked off.

Let's face it, if it was a top eight team the scores would have been reversed.

This is a top four team of the last three years. I honestly don't understand how we can play like we have in  the previous two games.

But last night was much worse than the lions game.

How do players like Tracc, Viney and even Lever and Max just kick under no pressure  straight to opposite players?

I thought Oliver was good despite a few hack kicks. At least he got the ball.

Max. Always solid 

The backline saved us big time.

And wowee what a gem we have in Turner.

I'm genuinely interested in views as to how we were so bad. The handballing at times was so errant it looked as if nobody wanted the ball.

There were  over a dozen premiership players from three years ago . It's hard to explain. 

An anomaly that maybe can't be explained ?

You have a good football brain BBO....what happened?

The first half was a particularly scrappy shoddy affair and our play matched that.

I'd like to think it was simply an aberration.

I can say one thing for certain though deaver  - the next two games will answer ( or create ) some very important questions about our standing as a serious competitor .

Just popping in to praise @Mel Bournewho predicted we'd be down at half time and then win by 42 points. 

 

Got any stock market tips?

Just finished watching the other Anzac game between the Pies and my least favourite team.

Undoubtedly a great game with a fitting result but all I can think is why is Max Gawn the only  MFC player who can take an overhead mark with one grab. [censored]!!

With apologies to Maysie

Edited April 25, 20241 yr by IRW

1 hour ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Disco’s third goal was largely due to the skill and professionalism of the person in the cheer squad holding the target. 😁

 

Redemption for her dreadful error in last year’s round 22 match vs Carlton where she held the target up between the goal and behind posts. She thought she’d never again be asked to hold up the target. But her comrades backed her in and she didn’t let them down.

Now to work towards getting her giant flag licence back, which should be soon. I mean, it’s not like she took anyone’s eye out. 

Maybe they knew that the first time wasn't their fault?

3 minutes ago, layzie said:

Maybe they knew that the first time wasn't their fault?

Yes, that error was forgiven when the others realised the reason behind it.

PS: you have a killer memory, Layz. 💕

54 minutes ago, Gawndy the Great said:

Anyone have the pressure numbers from last night? 

In the stats file thread.

8 minutes ago, IRW said:

Just finished watching the other Anzac game between the Pies and my least favourite team.

Undoubtedly a great game with a fitting result but all I can think is why is Max Gawn the only  MFC player who can take an overhead mark with one grab. [censored]!!

Interesting observation. Essendon were particularly strong in the air. In 2021, with Jackson, Gawn, TMac, BBB  May and Lever that was our modis operandi too.

Checking some of the champion data stats pretty much shows what a lot of the doomsdayers on here feel (including me)

- bottom 4 disposal eff 

- below AFL avg contested possessions ( yes that’s right) we are bottom 6 so far

- bottom 4 handball efficiency

- bottom 4 centre clearances ( yes my eyes don’t deceive me)

- below afl avg inside 50s

There’s a bunch of stats and it’s not all bad

- leading intercept matks

- top 2 expected scores 

 

3 hours ago, Binmans PA said:

When did we let them waltz it out of the middle? They had maybe 1 or 2 put the front clearances the whole night and so did we...

Indeed.

They scored a grand total of one point from centre clearances (to go with their whopping two points from around the ground stoppages).

One point.

Not much waltzing there.

I'm convinced some people see what they want to see - in this case something that didn't happen.

16 minutes ago, Gawndy the Great said:

Checking some of the champion data stats pretty much shows what a lot of the doomsdayers on here feel (including me)

- bottom 4 disposal eff 

- below AFL avg contested possessions ( yes that’s right) we are bottom 6 so far

- bottom 4 handball efficiency

- bottom 4 centre clearances ( yes my eyes don’t deceive me)

- below afl avg inside 50s

There’s a bunch of stats and it’s not all bad

- leading intercept matks

- top 2 expected scores 

 

We are 5-2 with a healthy percentage, with the most difficult part of our fixture in yerms of scheduling (eg interstate travel and breaks between games) done and dusted.

And we are not playing our best football.

The other big factor is we are trying to implement a changed method, which is always a challenge.

On that front we are number one for rebound 50s (tigers second, cats third). Laudable given better transition from the back half is the foundation of the new method.

You see doom. I see upside.

As clarry said in his post match interview, we started hot  in previous years and fell away.  He said they are focused on setting things up to plsy our best footy come finals.

4 hours ago, Binmans PA said:

When did we let them waltz it out of the middle? They had maybe 1 or 2 put the front clearances the whole night and so did we...

You’re kidding aren’t you? The centre clearance may have been even, but everything else was deplorable.

Does anyone get gut-punched more than Oliver? For a bloke that has great sportsmanship on the ground he gets some rough treatment off the ball.

22 minutes ago, binman said:

Indeed.

They scored a grand total of one point from centre clearances (to go with their whopping two points from around the ground stoppages).

One point.

Not much waltzing there.

I'm convinced some people see what they want to see - in this case something that didn't happen.

I actually thought our clearances and work out of the middle was some of our best in a while. 

We're a work in progress, yes it will be a big jump to next week's opponent but I'm also happy with where we sit.

Just now, binman said:

We are 5-2 with a healthy percentage, with the most difficult part of our fixture in yerms of scheduling (eg interstate travel and breaks between games) done and dusted.

And we are not playing our best football.

The other big factor is we are trying to implement a changed method, which is always a challenge.

On that front we are number one for rebound 50s (tigers second, cats third). Laudable given better transition from the back half is the foundation of the new method.

You see doom. I see upside.

As clarry said in his post match interview, we started hot  in previous years and fell away.  He said they are focused on setting things up to plsy our best footy come finals.

I think I’m trying to find the stats that help put facts behind feelings. And what I can see is that  we are way off on the game we used to play. I’ll give Goody the benefit in that we have had double straight set exits and he has recognised the need to change.

Our contested and clearance dominance is significantly off and that for a large parts explains what feels like a huge drop off in our stoppage dominance. Is this a lull? A design change ? Who knows but it’s what our list was built on. 

Our pressure numbers are also really poor with another 150 quarter this year which is deplorable.  Top 4 teams are undone largely through pressure and whilst we are only at round 7, you cannot just flick a switch and expect it to come back.

I don’t expect to win every week but the last 3-4 weeks we haven’t played good footy and are lucky walking away with 3-1. I’ll eat my hat if we win even 1 out of our next 2. A lot will need to go right I think. 

46 minutes ago, dee-tox said:

Interesting observation. Essendon were particularly strong in the air. In 2021, with Jackson, Gawn, TMac, BBB  May and Lever that was our modis operandi too.

Yep but unfortunately my calender tells me this is 2024.and on reflection I have put May in as well

2 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Disco’s third goal was largely due to the skill and professionalism of the person in the cheer squad holding the target. 😁

 

Redemption for her dreadful error in last year’s round 22 match vs Carlton where she held the target up between the goal and behind posts. She thought she’d never again be asked to hold up the target. But her comrades backed her in and she didn’t let them down.

Now to work towards getting her giant flag licence back, which should be soon. I mean, it’s not like she took anyone’s eye out. 

I've known for a long time you were worth targeting @WalkingCivilWar. You have nothing to prove.

19 minutes ago, Gawndy the Great said:

I think I’m trying to find the stats that help put facts behind feelings. And what I can see is that  we are way off on the game we used to play. I’ll give Goody the benefit in that we have had double straight set exits and he has recognised the need to change.

Our contested and clearance dominance is significantly off and that for a large parts explains what feels like a huge drop off in our stoppage dominance. Is this a lull? A design change ? Who knows but it’s what our list was built on. 

Our pressure numbers are also really poor with another 150 quarter this year which is deplorable.  Top 4 teams are undone largely through pressure and whilst we are only at round 7, you cannot just flick a switch and expect it to come back.

I don’t expect to win every week but the last 3-4 weeks we haven’t played good footy and are lucky walking away with 3-1. I’ll eat my hat if we win even 1 out of our next 2. A lot will need to go right I think. 

To be honest, it feels as if you are simply searching for proof we are no good.

Clearance numbers mean squat. It's about the score from clearances differential. 

As I noted above we have smashing teams for scores from stoppages.

I've no idea what yoy are talking about with our pressure.

We had one quarter out of 28 with a pressure rating of 150 and that's evidence our pressure had been off?

Apart from the lions game, when blund freddy could see we were gassed, it has been largely fantastic.

Go check out the stats file thread. The pressure numbers are there for every game.

And even less idea what you are talking about in terms of our last 3-4 weeks.

Poor against the lions, but we still only got beaten by 22 points.

Poor in the first half last night, we piled on 10 goals to 2 in the second half to win by 43 points (against the same team who rolled the swans a couple of weeks back).

We beat the crows. At Adelaide oval off a five day break.

And in one of the games of the season,  and arguably one of our best games since our flag, we beat Port at Adelaide oval.

But we all see what we want to see i guess.

You're not a Smiths fan by any chance?

Edited April 25, 20241 yr by binman