When looking back at the disastrous end to the game, I find it a waste of time to concentrate on the final few moments when utter confusion reigned. Forget the 6-6-6 mess, the failure to mark the most dangerous man on the field, the inability to seal the game when opportunities presented themselves to Clayton Oliver, Harry Petty and Charlie Spargo, the vision of match winning players of recent weeks in Kozzy Pickett and Jake Melksham spending helpless minutes on the interchange bench and the powerlessness of seizing the opportunity to slow the tempo of the game down in those final moments.

Three or four years ago, the team had a reputation for ruthlessness in situations of this nature. They were fit, well-drilled and had a clear understanding of strategic objectives. They would never have relinquished a 46-point lead at three-quarter time. They would never have allowed an opponent to come off the ropes and score nine unanswered goals in 20 minutes of play plus time on; instead, the game would have been effectively killed off by halfway through the final term, courtesy of a comprehensive defensive shutdown of St Kilda’s attacking systems across all areas of the ground. The process would have been initiated by the application of intense pressure, underpinned by a resolute attitude, conceding no quarter to the opposition.

On its face, the game played in front of a paltry crowd of 22,570 at Marvel Stadium wasn’t for sheep stations and had little consequence in the final analysis. However, for Melbourne to set up what should have been a match winning three quarter time lead and blow it with such ineptitude was an insult to its two veteran on field leaders who set them up for a win and ended up with nowhere to hide from their angry and disappointed fans.

[Memo: please ban forever from the sport, the idiot who threatened Simon Goodwin on social media].

The most irritating thing about it all, is that we’ve seen the drop off in pressure on numerous occasions in the past twelve months. Remember the fade-out to Richmond in Round 7 when a 10 goal win beckoned.

The phenomenon has often been highlighted by inaccurate kicking for goal but also by conceding scores like 15 goals 6 behinds this week and 14 goals 7 behinds in the earlier game against St Kilda and 12 goals 6 behinds to Carlton last week. There are plenty of examples if you go back through the season. It’s such a consistently present picture on the scoreboard that on only one occasion during this year has Melbourne forced an opponent to rack up more behinds than goals in a game - the outlier was Geelong’s 12.13 to Melbourne’s 6.10 in Round 4.

The only conclusion to reach from this is evident pattern of inadequate pressure applied on the opposing team, recurring on a weekly basis without rectification, is the total erosion a formerly dominant team's supreme fitness and ruthless game strategy.

So don’t ask me any questions about what went wrong in the final chaotic moments yesterday.

There are much bigger issues at play at the club.

MELBOURNE 6.2.38 9.4.58 13.8.86 13.12.90

ST KILDA 2.1.13 4.4.28 6.4.40 15.6.96

GOALS

MELBOURNE Frisch 3 Chandler Lindsay Melksham 2 Langford Petracca Pickett Viney

ST KILDA Higgins Wanganeen-Milera 4 Sharman 2 Caminiti Hill Steele Tauru Wood

BEST

MELBOURNE Gawn Petracca Oliver Viney Rivers Fritsch

ST KILDA Wanganeen-Milera Sinclair Hall Higgins Macrae

INJURIES 

MELBOURNE Nil

ST KILDA Collard (right foot)

REPORTS 

MELBOURNE Nil

ST KILDA Nil

SUBSTITUTIONS 

MELBOURNE Charlie Spargo (replaced Caleb Windsor in the fourth quarter)

ST KILDA Hugh Boxshall (replaced Lance Collard in the second quarter)

UMPIRES Jeff Dalgleish Nicholas Brown Martin Rodger James Strybos 

CROWD 22,570 at Marvel Stadium 

2 hours ago, Demonland said:

When looking back at the disastrous end to the game, I find it a waste of time to concentrate on the final few moments when utter confusion reigned. Forget the 6-6-6 mess, the failure to mark the most dangerous man on the field, the inability to seal the game when opportunities presented themselves to Clayton Oliver, Harry Petty and Charlie Spargo, the vision of match winning players of recent weeks in Kozzy Pickett and Jake Melksham spending helpless minutes on the interchange bench and the powerlessness of seizing the opportunity to slow the tempo of the game down in those final moments.

Three or four years ago, the team had a reputation for ruthlessness in situations of this nature. They were fit, well-drilled and had a clear understanding of strategic objectives. They would never have relinquished a 46-point lead at three-quarter time. They would never have allowed an opponent to come off the ropes and score nine unanswered goals in 20 minutes of play plus time on; instead, the game would have been effectively killed off by halfway through the final term, courtesy of a comprehensive defensive shutdown of St Kilda’s attacking systems across all areas of the ground. The process would have been initiated by the application of intense pressure, underpinned by a resolute attitude, conceding no quarter to the opposition.

On its face, the game played in front of a paltry crowd of 22,570 at Marvel Stadium wasn’t for sheep stations and had little consequence in the final analysis. However, for Melbourne to set up what should have been a match winning three quarter time lead and blow it with such ineptitude was an insult to its two veteran on field leaders who set them up for a win and ended up with nowhere to hide from their angry and disappointed fans.

[Memo: please ban forever from the sport, the [censored] who threatened Simon Goodwin on social media].

The most irritating thing about it all, is that we’ve seen the drop off in pressure on numerous occasions in the past twelve months. Remember the fade-out to Richmond in Round 7 when a 10 goal win beckoned.

The phenomenon has often been highlighted by inaccurate kicking for goal but also by conceding scores like 15 goals 6 behinds this week and 14 goals 7 behinds in the earlier game against St Kilda and 12 goals 6 behinds to Carlton last week. There are plenty of examples if you go back through the season. It’s such a consistently present picture on the scoreboard that on only one occasion during this year has Melbourne forced an opponent to rack up more behinds than goals in a game - the outlier was Geelong’s 12.13 to Melbourne’s 6.10 in Round 4.

The only conclusion to reach from this is evident pattern of inadequate pressure applied on the opposing team, recurring on a weekly basis without rectification, is the total erosion a formerly dominant team's supreme fitness and ruthless game strategy.

So don’t ask me any questions about what went wrong in the final chaotic moments yesterday.

There are much bigger issues at play at the club.

MELBOURNE 6.2.38 9.4.58 13.8.86 13.12.90

ST KILDA 2.1.13 4.4.28 6.4.40 15.6.96

GOALS

MELBOURNE Frisch 3 Chandler Lindsay Melksham 2 Langford Petracca Pickett Viney

ST KILDA Higgins Wanganeen-Milera 4 Sharman 2 Caminiti Hill Steele Tauru Wood

BEST

MELBOURNE Gawn Petracca Oliver Viney Rivers Fritsch

ST KILDA Wanganeen-Milera Sinclair Hall Higgins Macrae

INJURIES 

MELBOURNE Nil

ST KILDA Collard (right foot)

REPORTS 

MELBOURNE Nil

ST KILDA Nil

SUBSTITUTIONS 

MELBOURNE Charlie Spargo (replaced Caleb Windsor in the fourth quarter)

ST KILDA Hugh Boxshall (replaced Lance Collard in the second quarter)

UMPIRES Jeff Dalgleish Nicholas Brown Martin Rodger James Strybos 

CROWD 22,570 at Marvel Stadium 

Great Summation. Our inability to slow down the game and continually lose our head was a stark indicator of how far off we are as a team and nowhere near where we need to be as a playing group to contend for finals again. Playing kick to kick with uncontested marks for 60 seconds throughout that quarter would have given us the win.

Spot on the inability to stop their momentum early on in the last qtr is at question though not discounting the pathetic 6,6,6 balls up! Definitely issues within the playing list which has been evident since 24, Leadership from senior players, they don’t seem connected, the coaching from Goodwin & his assistants, it’s been bashed to death but same issues since late 22, he just can’t fix the issues going fwd, game plan is flawed!

On 28/07/2025 at 10:44, Demonland said:

The phenomenon has often been highlighted by inaccurate kicking for goal but also by conceding scores like 15 goals 6 behinds this week and 14 goals 7 behinds in the earlier game against St Kilda and 12 goals 6 behinds to Carlton last week. There are plenty of examples if you go back through the season. It’s such a consistently present picture on the scoreboard that on only one occasion during this year has Melbourne forced an opponent to rack up more behinds than goals in a game - the outlier was Geelong’s 12.13 to Melbourne’s 6.10 in Round 4.

This bit has me baffled.

Not only are we the most inaccurate side in the league (48%) but our opponents are a combined 58% which is the most accurate points conceded in the league - if that makes sense.

Seems like the majority of weeks the oppo can't miss.

48 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

This bit has me baffled.

Not only are we the most inaccurate side in the league (48%) but our opponents are a combined 58% which is the most accurate points conceded in the league - if that makes sense.

Seems like the majority of weeks the oppo can't miss.

That’s lack of pressure as per WJ’s point.

, I find it a waste of time to concentrate on the final few moments when utter confusion reigned. Forget the 6-6-6 mess, the failure to mark the most dangerous man on the field, the inability to seal the game when opportunities presented themselves to Clayton Oliver, Harry Petty and Charlie Spargo, the vision of match winning players of recent weeks in Kozzy Pickett and Jake Melksham spending helpless minutes on the interchange bench and the powerlessness of seizing the opportunity to slow the tempo of the game down in those final moments.

I was trying to forget all this.

Good point about banning people who make threats.

They don't belong anywhere near any footy ground.

Well done.

Yawn

One game

Lazy leaders have been effing up the culture for over two years now

Instead of BEST: Gawn Petracca Oliver it should read:

TOXIC: Gawn Petracca Oliver

4 hours ago, Previously known as LITD. said:

, I find it a waste of time to concentrate on the final few moments when utter confusion reigned. Forget the 6-6-6 mess, the failure to mark the most dangerous man on the field, the inability to seal the game when opportunities presented themselves to Clayton Oliver, Harry Petty and Charlie Spargo, the vision of match winning players of recent weeks in Kozzy Pickett and Jake Melksham spending helpless minutes on the interchange bench and the powerlessness of seizing the opportunity to slow the tempo of the game down in those final moments.

I was trying to forget all this.

It you don't let in SEVEN unanswered goals in a row, then you're not panicking about drawing the game.

If you don't let in the EIGHTH unanswered goal then you're not in a situation where you're panicking and making mistakes like the 6-6-6. (I'll bet those umpires never warned us earlier in the game either).

Everything in that last quarter up to those last two goals was disgraceful and unacceptable. The play around the EIGHTH and NINTH goals was shameful and pitiful. The situation was comical to everyone else outside the Demons including Ross Lyon.

St Kilda had scored TWO goals per quarter prior to that. Either this capitulation was intentional; and my conspiracies are either: a statement to force the ousting of the coach; or some nefarious betting windfalls; or else it's a genuine failure of leadership.

Whatever the cause we shouldn't be in a position with this list where we've fallen so low and we're losing so badly.

Therefore it's on the players and the coach @Macca, but the main reason we're in this position is poor coaching at all levels, poor leadership on and off field through the club.

I'm waiting for the administration to do the necessary and protect the club's position and secure its future instead of worrying about the feelings of some really highly paid but inadequate staff.

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by Hellfire Dub
Spelling

51 minutes ago, Hellfire Dub said:

It you don't let in SEVEN unanswered goals in a row, then you're not panicking about drawing the game.

If you don't let in the EIGHTH unanswered goal then you're not in a situation where you're panicking and making mistakes like the 6-6-6. (I'll bet those umpires never warned us earlier in the game either).

Everything in that last quarter up to those last two goals was disgraceful and unacceptable. The play around the EIGHTH and NINTH goals was shameful and pitiful. The situation was comical to everyone else outside the Demons including Ross Lyon.

St Kilda had scored TWO goals per quarter prior to that. Either this capitulation was intentional; and my conspiracies are either: a statement to force the ousting of the coach; or some nefarious betting windfalls; or else it's a genuine failure of leadership.

Whatever the cause we shouldn't be in a position with this list where we've fallen so low and we're losing so badly.

Therefore it's on the players and the coach @Macca, but the main reason we're in this position is poor coaching at all levels, poor leadership on and off field through the club.

I'm waiting for the administration to do the necessary and protect the club's position and secure its future instead of worrying about the feelings of some really highly paid but inadequate staff.

Seeing Melksham and Kozzie on the bench when the game was being taken from us was a sight we should never have seen.

What was Goody thinking?

We have paid a fortune for KP and rightly so.

Bit to have him on the bench at all after St Kilda did a bang bang bang was a total brain fade by the coach.

He was clearly a good coach in years gone by.

In fact a great coach.

But something has changed.

I don't want to be too negative after some psychopath has made online threats but the club must start to consider replacing him after all this .

It started as soon as we won a flag.

We didn't replace lost fwds.or ruckd

Smith.

Jackson.

Tmac( moved to defence)

Hannan.

Pederson.

Hogan.

Grundy.

Nup.

We had two of the best rucks about to now having to use Roo or Petty now.

And we have done nothing for four years to amend our woeful goal kicking.

We didn't play Grundy in finals.

We had a four game kid in Laurie as the sub for Gus.

Hardly

Like for like and that selection alone cost us a flag.

And when he does intitiate a change, it's always too little and too late.

On Sunday after Fritta had stopped I called for KP to be isolated ff.

Instead he was benched.

Good heavens.

Where do I get a job like this?

No performance standards and heaps of cash.