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It's not about the win for me, it's just the sheer relief of the fact that we played like a footy side. Every other club's supporters are going to think we're carrying on as if we've won the flag, but fuck 'em, none of them have been through what we have. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel is an awesome feeling.

ANyone know who you call if you've had an erection for longer than 3 hours?

I'm more excited by the way Melbourne played than the result, especially considering the fact that most of the forward line was missing yet we were still able to kick a decent score.

Well done Melbourne...the newest FOOTBALL team in the comp it seems It was mentioned earlier in the week in the media and it bears repeating here. ....all said and done Roos does NOT like to lose.This will be indlibly stamped on his Demons. Its Nab, its pres season...its....... its a bloody win and I'll take it. Carn Dees

For me the highlight was there was no standout player and that the whole team looked to play within their limitations.

Trengove! Trengove! Trengooooove!!! Cop that doubters

To the morons in the box crapping on about how expensive our coach is, let me just say "you get what you pay for."

Dunn looks like a batsman with talent who's simplified his technique and doesn't look for boundaries on every ball.

Seriously bud if you want to see someone soft go and have a look in the mirror FFS keyboard warrior if ever I saw one. His skills you can fault but never question Nicho's endeavour.

We should sign up that Pedersen guy for 3...

God forbid a player have an outside interest... Nathan Jones has his own website and surfs a sh!teload, but because he is playing at near AA level - he can have a hobby and a distraction...

And to think there are still some saying, 'it's only the NAB cup'... If people can't see the difference between tonight's performance and any game we played under Mark Neeld and most of Dean Bailey's then there's something wrong with you. As Nasher has said, we played and looked like a team. We looked solid everywhere on the ground, (with an exception of the forward line for obvious reasons). Look at the numbers we had hunting the ball, look at the confidence and hunger our midfielders played with. Look at the difference Cross, Vince, Michie and Tyson had on the entire midfield dynamic. We had structure. The win tonight was nothing like the win we had against the pies this time last year. It was a beautiful game to watch. It's not as if we won because the tiges played poorly or didn't have a strong enough side. We won because a number have things have changed at the MFC in a short period of time. Of course everyone will be playing it down, but I'll tell you now the lid is well and truly off for me... If that's the kind of footy we're destined to play, we're all in for a very nice surprise.... PS - Hogan, Dawes, Viney and Clark. Go dees

First time poster here. I don't want to get excited (I've been through that with the Dees for years), but what I really liked tonight was that we played some decent football. Still, we butchered some easy kicks but players were playing to aplan and were trusting that other players would be where they were supposed to be. And that to quote Bruce was "delicious". I've been slack with renewing my membership cos I live in Tassie and don't get to go to games, but I'm renewing right now! I will let myself get a bit excited tho. JKH!!!! WOOOOOWWWEEEEEEE!!!

Wow! You have to love the way we went about that last 2:30 minutes. So un-Melbournelike. Rohan Bail continuing to stick it up the haters.

half time and the lord is rejoicing

There's a good reason for that. He hasn't been playing...

There is plenty of respect... last year they would have had us at $10.50!

The stuff Jake Niall writes is usually good but in this speculative article he shows the Melbourne Football Club and its players very little respect: Richmond a good fit for Frawley Now, many would say that the club and its players have done nothing to earn respect from the football public and they would be right. This article brings home the poor perception the football world has of us as a club, automatically placing us in 17th place with no hope of being able to sway Frawley to stay or to match any offer for him if he decides to leave - and the person I'm talking about is one of our leaders. That is why first and foremost we have to stop making excuses every time the team goes out and performs poorly. A limp, lifeless and insipid effort like that of Brisbane's admittedly undermanned team last night should not be excused by the fact that ten or so of our finest didn't make it to the line. To be clear, it's not the result on the scoreboard I mean here, but rather the tactics and strategies applied by the coach and the effort and commitment of the players. Yes, it is a Mickey Mouse NAB Challenge match being played for no prize and it takes place in February, but after seven years of indifferent results in both the real thing and in meaningless practice games there should be no excuses for rubbish on field performance or excuses based on political upheaval, club in fighting, injuries or poor coaching. We are in the public eye tonight and if the 24 or so who run out display anything less than total commitment, it will only set the scene for continuing the contempt and lack of respect in which we are held by the rest of the football world - and we will deserve every bit of that.

Have you been watching? 1. Ability to stick with the likes of N. Riewoldt 2. The fact he's never blown up and headed to the bench + that he plays huge minutes 3. Repeat efforts after a spoil he's quick to find his feet 4. He does run well out of defense and link up when he's around a contest I've seen plenty of his run from the backline but we do need to see more I will agree on that. We also need to target him from kick outs as with a decent pair of hands and tall body plus the endurance he should be a target running to open space. Just to play CHB as a young player requires a big tank. I think he can take it up a notch a tad but remember the more you run off your opponent the further it is to get back on to them if the ball is turned over. There's probably a limit of how useful top quality endurance is as a tall defender compared to a midfield but McDonald has been using his now he just has to step it up. He's a decent runner to get the ball and link up but needs to improve his skills so he trusts himself to do it more.

... "any Demon fan who can afford it and doesn't own a 2014 membership by Monday morning is also a bum. "

I went and my god I know its only feb but what we have been through the last few years I will take anything My highlights Our kick ins from full back. It looks like we have a plan and not just bomb it to the ruckman on the wing. Spencers chase down on Grigg Jones, gosh I wish we could clone him. Just love him and his intensity Watching JKH and Barry play. JKH's goal in the last quarter was great when he ran away form the richmond player who gave up. I think we have a couple of replacements for davey Cross just go for everything and Vince and co getting the ball out of the midfield Watching Richmond fans leave before the siren and the panic in there voices around me when they were behind Winning at etihad. We can do it. Paul Roos is just great and I hope it puts a smile on his face and PJ's face. Its small steps but at least we have shown something.

Great team effort with everyone playing their part ..... ie. straight out of the Paul Roos 'how to' text book. If I'm not mistaken, this Barossa red tastes a just touch sweeter tonight!

I'd watch a game from last year, if I was you. That'll get rid of it.

A pleasure to watch, and really happy for everybody that loves this club. A baby step but we should all enjoy the moment.

Anyone still prefer Sylvia over Vince?

And we won at Etihad. And Nathan Jones was not our highest possession getter. The world has gone crazy.....

Isn't it great to have your team not flat out embarass you every five seconds?

Am liking this. Feeling better already!

Very promising start without a forward line. I want the same in the 2nd Quarter. South Africa 7-140

My Brother had a long chat today with a well known recruiter from a rival club. His view is that we should be 2 goals a quarter better this year simply for not having Neeld as coach. He also LOVES Salem as a player.

I tell you what, I can't bloody wait to see my footy team play tonight after what feels like a really long off-season. Really looking forward to seeing our new look midfield. Obviously it will take time for them to gel and we won't be able to find out the full extent of how they're tracking until they have our forward line to kick it to. Would be great to see the Hogan, Clark and Dawes in action up forward and obviously without them we'll struggle to kick a winning score just like Hawthorn would struggle to win without Roughead, Gunston and Hale. It's not about winning tonight though. I just want to see every one of our boys give it their all and look like they want to be out there. Go Dees!

Obviously the spotlights on the midfield toninght. Looking forward to seeing if our players run both ways - attack and make space (long time since that has happened) and when the ball turns over I hope to see them get back on their man. For too long the oppostion has always been on our heel and we have made it easy for them by popping the ball up nice and high. I would like to see a couple of our mids with a few metres on their men and running into open space. Look forward to seeing Strauss play after a good preseason. All I am hoping for is a competitive side that doesnt drop their head when they Richmond score three consecutive goals. I don't expect a decent score with our forward line/with midfield that has never played together.

....you are joking aren't you, either that or the medication isn't working.........he has been one of the most consistent players in the last 3 years, in the leadership group, I don't blame him wanting to see if we are on the up...

Exactly. And that's why some of the vitriol expressed by some here last season was ridiculous.

His passionate love of money might curb his enthusiasm for photography for a little while yet.

Well, this season is over.

Everyone should go in with low expectations of the scoreboard. It will mitigate any disappointment. My eyes will be on the mids and the way they go about it.

We will not only win OD - we will do it easily. I've had the word from on high that we've got this. Trust in the big fella upstairs. He might be surrounded by Saints but he's a Demon at heart. Told me he's held them back all these years to reward the truly faithful like me when we enter into a ten year period of glorious domination. Do yourself a favour and get on board. You'd better be wearing the colours when you turn up at the pearly gates my friend.

If we can be competitive in the disposal count, inside 50's, and clearances, I'll be wrapt. We were woeful in those areas last year and there is no reason we can't be at least competitive with most of our best mid's playing.

I go back further - Brian Wilson at StKilda kicking the winning goal against us

Am I reading this all correctly, have people actually lost their minds?!?!?!? Why is there two pages about Mitch wanting to leave footy for photography when some guy says he has a "source"? I'm out...

Dermie on SEN this morning after a discussion on Taylor Adams game on Thurs said that Dom Tyson will be the best player from this year to have changed clubs.

I agree mate, I dont recon floggings at any time do any good, especially for young kids. The old addage applies train well play well. These games are traning runs and they would have got nothing positive out of it in fact it may well have had a negative effect. I think the game showed Leppas inexperience as a coach and makes me glad we didnt go down that path again. Contrast this to Roos comments that he wexpects the older heads to take a few hits for the youngsters.

Beatles v Stones?

I see nothing wrong with Niall's article, although I suspect when a journalist has nothing to write about they'll speculate on Frawley to fill some column inches. He says, "if" Melbourne finish 17th, which is hardly a slap in the face. He says "some clubs" think Frawley will stay once he sees we're over the disasters. He acknowledges that Richmond is not a premiership threat yet, but slowly edging towards their goal. And he paints a scenario (depending on where we finish) that sees Melbourne come out in a reasonable position should he go. There's nothing earth shattering in the article, but I don't find it disrespectful, it's merely stating the facts of free agency and who is a good fit for someone like Frawley.

I think the Sylvia for Vince trade - as it essentially was - will serve us very well. Bernie Vince is a footballers footballer, he knows how to find the football and how to use it. Vince is everything we need, he is predominately a midfielder, which is an area we struggle in - and an area where Sylvia was only just serviceable. Sylvia's best position IMO was on the forward flank, however, when Hogan, Clark, Dawes come in, then we can shift Howe to one flank - and rotate our mids off the other flank. Colin wasn't a great midfielder and our need for flankers in 2014 isn't as strong as it has been. Vince's best football isn't far behind Nathan Jones, it's just that Vince doesn't quite have the consistency of Jones. If we can get the best out of Bernie, then we'll be all the better for it.

It's a hamstring, everyone needs to calm the hell down. His foot is fine, but when you go from zero activity to trying to be athletically competitive again, you will get injured along the way. I'd rather they manage him carefully and we see him fully fit in Round 8 and for the next 6 years.

I'm not worried about capital letters, but you don't need the apostrophe.

The cornerstone upon which demonland was built.

Try this on for size then: From CAPTAIN JACK at Big Footy: Toumpas looked great, really running over the ground unlike last year. Trengove likewise - running much more freely. Tyson also looks a class act. Dawes was in the main group for most of the session, looking pretty good I think. He doesn't look far off playing - obviously will be in the intra-club next week, not quite ready for Friday though apparently. Hogan was really put through his paces off to the side on the rugby field... his fitness would have to be below par at the moment you'd think. Should play close to goal when he does make the grade IMO. Clark looks nowhere near it. I would be surprised to see him before Round 7-8 or so. Spencer is definitely the incumbent first ruck ATM... Jamar walking laps as above, Gawn did a fair bit of training too but the Spencil will be the preferred, bigger bodied option IMO. Blease looks bigger I think. Like tas said he could be a weapon off half back... getting through the pre-season is a great start for his (limited) fitness base. As soon as he falls behind he's not going to catch up that fitness gap, that's just the sort of athlete he is, so it's good to see him in full training - and he should be named in the team for Friday too. Tapscott was an interesting one - had a bad case of the fumbles. I suspect he hasn't been in the main group much from memory. Viney might still be behind the 8-ball a bit - he won't play Friday as he dropped out of the 'playing' group near the end of the session along with a few others. Hopefully he is good to go next week... if not he would have to be in some doubt for Round 1. tas should have a full list of this part - who will play and who won't. JKH is so smooth. Love it. Should play games early I hope. Barry is obviously in a similar mould... has put on some size but is still pretty skinny. Lowlight of the session was, as above, seeing the Purple [censored] himself, the oxygen thief, the speculating gossip masquerading as a journalist, Damien Barrett. Ew.