What a day at the footy!!!

Glad I decided to go, the weather was great, the time of the match even better……and the footy wasn’t too shabby either.

Loved how it was the younger brigade leading the way early (Bowey especially - his best game in red & blue), with the ‘oldies’ playing a very steadying hand in the second half. There were times in the last where doubt tried to creep in, but loved Harvey stepping up and nailing that goal. Once Sparrow put us up by 13 I thought we’d be hard to beat.

25,000 was a decent turn out given being 0-5.

Gives us a bit of confidence and the shackles broken heading in to ANZAC Eve.

1 hour ago, The end is nigh said:

Something that was clear to me today at the ground was there was much better assessment of the setup when kicking out. It wasn’t May’s ‘kick it long to Gawn’ over and over. Instead they looked to create, looking for run and overlap at times and other times precision delivery to work it out slowly by our trusted kickers. Bowey is a great playmaker and I hope when May returns he doesn’t bully his way into taking every kick out.

Agree. We will be better off with May as a target to kick to from those kick outs.

36 minutes ago, David-Demon said:

except for Sharp and Spargo

Watch the replay David. Spargo was no passenger. Best game he's played in some time.

A shame for Disco that he got injured, thought he looked confident down back, i feel that he is better suited down there.

Pleasing to see Riv & Salo get back to some better form and the progression of Langford and Lindsay.

Edited Saturday at 13:151 day by Vineytime

27 tackles inside 50 to 4. Mana from heaven.

One of the more remarkable wins I've seen, given the month that preceded it.

When Turner went off at half time the script was written - gallant first half but our second half worries and personnel difficulties were going to kill it for us.

But if we'd kicked straight early in the fourth I reckon the heat would have gone out of it and we wouldn't have had to hold off their final comeback. Which, at any rate, I thought we did superbly well.

Blending our desire to move quickly with smarter short kicks and better forward structure with leads up at the ball carrier worked a treat, but that was all secondary to our pressure and intensity which we kept up for the entire match. We made it our focus and unlike the last month, we actually executed.

Can't add any more superlatives to Pickett's game. When he is that focused, he is a top 10 competition player. Petty's a confidence player and that early goal where the ball was delivered to his chest on a simple lead up at FF was the perfect start for him. Gawn and Viney led from the front, whilst Langdon continues to quietly put together a sneaky good year. Rivers found the level he's been missing all year, and as others have said, Tholstrup brings spirit which our last month has been lacking.

I still think we have a massive problem with Salem - dinky kicks under no pressure which repeatedly miss targets and expose us on turnover. But that's for another day. A win like this deserves to be savoured.

I hope we look back on today as some sort of turning of the page. We need to work out how to extract that pressure and intensity each week, not just when we're at rock bottom. If we can do that, I doubt we'll still be 17th in a month.

3 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

HOW BLOODY GOOD WAS THAT WIN !!!

All the emotions running amok but the main one was RELIEF. So, so proud of our boys.

PS: ‘twas my lucky Melbourne socks that did it.

I wore Melbourne socks today as well!

Didn't think anything too much of it at the time other than they were a pair of clean socks without holes in the and it was a Melbourne game, so what the heck.

But as it turned out, maybe our sock powers combined in some hellish Desmon spirit today!

9 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

One of the more remarkable wins I've seen, given the month that preceded it.

When Turner went off at half time the script was written - gallant first half but our second half worries and personnel difficulties were going to kill it for us.

But if we'd kicked straight early in the fourth I reckon the heat would have gone out of it and we wouldn't have had to hold off their final comeback. Which, at any rate, I thought we did superbly well.

Blending our desire to move quickly with smarter short kicks and better forward structure with leads up at the ball carrier worked a treat, but that was all secondary to our pressure and intensity which we kept up for the entire match. We made it our focus and unlike the last month, we actually executed.

Can't add any more superlatives to Pickett's game. When he is that focused, he is a top 10 competition player. Petty's a confidence player and that early goal where the ball was delivered to his chest on a simple lead up at FF was the perfect start for him. Gawn and Viney led from the front, whilst Langdon continues to quietly put together a sneaky good year. Rivers found the level he's been missing all year, and as others have said, Tholstrup brings spirit which our last month has been lacking.

I still think we have a massive problem with Salem - dinky kicks under no pressure which repeatedly miss targets and expose us on turnover. But that's for another day. A win like this deserves to be savoured.

I hope we look back on today as some sort of turning of the page. We need to work out how to extract that pressure and intensity each week, not just when we're at rock bottom. If we can do that, I doubt we'll still be 17th in a month.

Agree with all that.

Thought Bowser played a ripper and T Mac continues to hold together the backline that's consistently missed it's star KPPs. Really hoping we can get McVee back and playing at his usual level sooner rather than later.

Continue to be impressed by Langford and Lindsay, though I think Winsor hasn't got back to what he is capable of since returning to the side.

2 hours ago, David-Demon said:

except for Sharp and Spargo

Not spargo fan and certainly think we can do better, when he stops and waits after he gets the ball rather than play on it is infuriating but he played his role today he was one of the many players putting pressure on freo players and forcing a rushed disposal and locking the ball in our fwd half, something we have lacked so far this year. If Frisch would do that he wouldn’t be playing vfl today

Edited Saturday at 14:321 day by Garbo

Just watching the replay, and I may not completely understand the rules, but I just saw an umpire tell Kossie to get back out of the 9 meters (goalsquare), then pay 50m against him for not standing still on the mark, WHILE HE WAS GETTING OUT OF THE 9 METERS. Does this confuse anyone else?

Also, I would like to apologise for my comments doubting Kossie's abilities before we drafted him.

9 hours ago, Rossmillan said:

Loved Bowey and Koz today - epic!

Their best games for the club!

Wow !! I went to the match with my thirdborn who was down from Sydney.

We had the best time. It was a great match ...

Not sure I can add much to previous comments. So good to have this win with so many youngies in the team.

I'm especially pleased for Ghostwriter et al.

7 hours ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

I wore Melbourne socks today as well!

Didn't think anything too much of it at the time other than they were a pair of clean socks without holes in the and it was a Melbourne game, so what the heck.

But as it turned out, maybe our sock powers combined in some hellish Desmon spirit today!

I wore dees socks as well.

5 hours ago, RalphiusMaximus said:

Just watching the replay, and I may not completely understand the rules, but I just saw an umpire tell Kossie to get back out of the 9 meters (goalsquare), then pay 50m against him for not standing still on the mark, WHILE HE WAS GETTING OUT OF THE 9 METERS. Does this confuse anyone else?

Also, I would like to apologise for my comments doubting Kossie's abilities before we drafted him.

About bloody time 5 years on !!!

I wore my daughter's odd socks, she noticed, doubt I'll get away with that again.

7 hours ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Agree with all that.

Thought Bowser played a ripper and T Mac continues to hold together the backline that's consistently missed it's star KPPs. Really hoping we can get McVee back and playing at his usual level sooner rather than later.

Continue to be impressed by Langford and Lindsay, though I think Winsor hasn't got back to what he is capable of since returning to the side.

Windsor is taking time after his injury but I have wanted Caleb on the middle as a centre player and nothing I have seen has me changing my opinion.

If Goody wants to maximise our run and game plan it’s a no brainer Duke for centreman and the sooner the better.

11 hours ago, BDA said:

In transit so didn’t see the game. Was sure we would get well beaten.

Looks like we have season lift off

Need to back it up v tiges and eagles

Retain the same team also so no jvr or fritsch against Richmond

Why would you change the team ?

7 hours ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Agree with all that.

Thought Bowser played a ripper and T Mac continues to hold together the backline that's consistently missed it's star KPPs. Really hoping we can get McVee back and playing at his usual level sooner rather than later.

Continue to be impressed by Langford and Lindsay, though I think Winsor hasn't got back to what he is capable of since returning to the side.

He's a classic winger and I hope when Mcvee returns we play him there.

Then rotate the other wing with Langdon and X somehow

2 minutes ago, Kent said:

Why would you change the team ?

Injuries or if a player or 2 didn't play their role (not everyone always plays well in a victory)

You've also got players like May or McVee becoming available. Who are starting 18 players

Also, a squad mentality is becoming more apt especially with 5 day breaks that can occur. It's a gruelling sport to play these days so rotations are sometimes necessary

The notion of 'Don't change a winning team' is old hat

Edited Saturday at 22:241 day by Macca

9 hours ago, Hellaintabadplacetobe said:

Agree. We will be better off with May as a target to kick to from those kick outs.

Totally agree. May's kicks to the pocket don't end well. He's so easy to set up against. It invites huge pressure so I'd be happy if he was banned from taking kick-ins unless it was on a fast break.

Brilliant win for the boys!

13 hours ago, darkhorse72 said:

You look at the great state that tex Walker came back in this year after his off season getting extra conditioning. If he looks after his body like the other elite older players, he'll have a few more great years. Hopefully.

That’s why Tmac is playing so well now he is reasonably lighter than last season. Long may it continue.

30 minutes ago, Kent said:

Why would you change the team ?

I wouldn’t change the forwards.

May is an automatic inclusion if fit.

14 hours ago, Mike said:

So good to see Kolt out there again. Had a real presence.

Yes maybe Kolt in time can be Angus’s replacement. Let’s not rush but a lot of Angus traits. Does the little things is completely team orientated and is a versatile player who kicks on both feet. And he cares so much about the other players and the Club.

35 minutes ago, Kent said:

Why would you change the team ?

Was so happy to see turner at home at centre half back (best lever role replacement on the list imo) but protocols so he’s out. But also, we play against a different team each week. We need the match committee to be allowed to be tactical without berating them. If they say, bring Jefferson or JVR in to play petty back on Tom lynch, I’ll back them in that they think it’s best for getting the win.

(Just an example, I think petty stays forward and Tmac does that job)

The great thing about Fullers is we didn’t lose any ground when he went into the ruck.

11 hours ago, D Rev said:

Was great to be back at the 'G watching the Dees. I couldn't believe that we had kicked 12 goals to half time. More of that please. Goes to show what effort can reward. No big changes for mine; May for Disco if he is injured. Also, bring in McVee for just about anyone. Well done to Fullarton on his first game, sprayed a kick but presented all game. I can't really think of anyone that was bad. Such a good team effort. Well done to all involved.