We don't have Max but we have a pretty different team to last time besides him.  It will be interesting.

Hard to see us winning.

Hoping for a minor miracle.

2 hours ago, He de mon said:

Mixing Red Bull and toothpaste should give you a clue.

Teach me to only partially read a post - but it was at sparrow fart.

Melbourne's biggest challenges lie in the middle and potentially the weather. Without Max Gawn and Christian Petracca, our dominance around stoppages and ability to transition the ball quickly are significantly compromised. Fremantle's midfield, boasting  Serong and  Brayshaw, could exploit this weakness, feeding their potent forward line with clean entries.

It was only 3 years ago that we bullied Freo's midfield - and they've got 3 more preseasons into those younger players (it's the circle of life)... they're a fine outfit.

The key battleground will be the clearances and the quality of them. If Melbourne can find a way to mitigate Gawn's absence through a collective effort or a strategic shift, which might look like assuming we lose most ruck contests and shark the ball (shoe on the other foot), then we may be able to win our clearances, or have cleaner post clearance possessions.

 The rain, if it arrives, could be a double-edged sword. While it might favor the contested style which matches well against us, Fremantles outside game might struggle as well. Our backline will have our work cut out for them regardless of the conditions, but a typical strong defensive effort could keep us in the contest. Looking for Knuckles to continue strongly and hopefully May not looking too banged up.

The outcome hinges on our ability to adapt. Can we find a way to win clearances without a designated ruckman? Does that even matter? Can our remaining midfielders step up in Petracca's absence again? How well will we handle Fremantles outside game, especially if the rain disrupts both teams' flow?

I'm hoping for the best and dampening my expectations that this is one match we can afford to lose - but as someone else said on here - what an opportunity.

Perhaps some TMAC or Dean Kent last quarter heroics get shown!

Cheers and Go Dees

EO

Tag Jordan Clark and we win by 70

Contested possessions 

Accuracy at goal

Worried about clearance

On the scoreboard 

Range of plausible ladder possible outcomes today is 4-10. Likely outcomes: 6th (we win, we don’t claw back enough percentage to bump Power or Cats, Brisbane lose to Sydney) or 10th (we lose). This is so crucial, especially given how badly the Dockers humiliated us last time we played. So much to atone for.

Added bonus: if we win, we guarantee pushing Essendon out of the 8.

55 minutes ago, Winners at last said:

Hard to see us winning.

Hoping for a minor miracle.

Not hard to see us winning. It’s a difficult task, but the way we are playing lately we are every chance to beat them. To me, you always need luck interstate. Let’s hope it goes our way.

Just now, Dee Zephyr said:

Not hard to see us winning. It’s a difficult task, but the way we are playing lately we are every chance to beat them. To me, you always need luck interstate. Let’s hope it goes our way.

By luck do you mean umpiring equality? 🤷‍♀️

Just now, Engorged Onion said:

By luck do you mean umpiring equality? 🤷‍♀️

No EO, interstate teams always seem to pull goals out of their azz when playing at home, to me anyway lol. More the bounce of the ball. You can throw umps in there if you like.

Weather updates from the local or @WalkingCivilWar, whoever is more awake at this point 😂

I discount the last few games. 

Last year poor kicking cost us 10.12 to their 12.7 while missing Oliver, Hunter.  Now we don't have Petracca, Brayshaw and Gawn but we do have Melksham, Oliver and a bunch of really enthusiastic youngsters.  A line up that is unpredicatable.

We know how Jackson plays.  Darcy has been in and out of the team with injuries and played only  9 games this year.  Run him ragged and he will tire especially if ground is damp.  Not worried about our lack of rucks.

This year's game in Alice we missed Lever altho he wouldn't have stopped the belting, maybe saved a few %.  We looked all over the shop.  The team now seems galvanised with a team first attitude.  I detect a steely resolve that was there at the start of the year and in 2021.

And, the crowd won't be as one sided as a WCE game ... hopefully some of the 2021 GF, WA fans come out for us today.

Oliver is on the verge of his best game for the year could easily be BOG in a Dees win hopefully good enough to take us to 4th.  If not 4th consolidating a top 8 position will do for this week.

Edited July 21, 2024Jul 21 by Lucifers Hero

4 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

Weather updates from the local or @WalkingCivilWar, whoever is more awake at this point 😂

Overcast, wet (currently not raining, but has been and will rain again soon), no wind but suppose to pick up from lunch time. Probably similar conditions to our game last week.

20 point win circa 80-60’ takes us to to the realm of 107.5% and what will likely be 4th on the ladder but potentially 5th with an unlikely Brisbane win over Sydney 

Edited July 21, 2024Jul 21 by Engorged Onion

Freo didn't look so great against the Hawks last week.

49 minutes ago, Nasher said:

Range of plausible ladder possible outcomes today is 4-10. Likely outcomes: 6th (we win, we don’t claw back enough percentage to bump Power or Cats, Brisbane lose to Sydney) or 10th (we lose). This is so crucial, especially given how badly the Dockers humiliated us last time we played. So much to atone for.

Added bonus: if we win, we guarantee pushing Essendon out of the 8.

Happy gameday knuckleheads 

Interesting article from 2011 about North that suffered 6x 100pt losses and bounced back to win each match the following week

Not strictly comparable but shows how sides' form can vary dramatically from week to week

 

Dees by 14

 

https://www.afl.com.au/news/75676/bounceback-kings

Edited July 21, 2024Jul 21 by jnrmac

2 hours ago, Billy said:

Essendon lose

Collingwood lose

Geelong lose

Melbourne???

Perfect weekend if the Dees win

Add a Carlton loss and yep agree. 

Goody said during the week that we are a ‘different side’ to the one that capitulated to Freo a short time ago, and he is spot on!  Some different personnel, an injection of  speed and excitement, a more cohesive forward line, and now playing as a galvanised unit with a game plan that is more adaptable to meet whatever the opposition and weather throw at us.
This is another ‘statement’ game, and I reckon we will be well primed to make a statement, as we close in on the pointy end of the season.   
Dees by 9 points!  ❤️ 💙

To be a chance we must -

Bring relentless pressure from opening bounce.

Move the ball quickly and efficiently not just throw it on the boot and bomb away. 

Continue our recent trend of better delivery inside fwd 50.

I read this morning since we got thumped by Freo several weeks back we’ve been the hardest team to score against.

Winning this is very possible.

A quality team on their home deck but you see our players are believing again in the way to play and a clutch of brash youngsters are stepping up. In my view this games a free swing for us without Gawn/Trac and with expectation on the Dockers that a W puts them into third spot let’s see how they handle it. 

Edited July 21, 2024Jul 21 by Lil_red_fire_engine

We need to show some serious intent and pressure early in this one. Send a message that it won't be like last time. 

Sparrow, time to throw your weight around or get out. Kynan Brown is breathing down your neck.

Hope it rains.

Looking forward to a good performance.