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A very good performance for four quarters - looked superior from the start, always had the answers and never really looked like being seriously challenged. The most interesting thing to me was the manner of the win. It was very different to the usual Melbourne wins - in fact, it was almost a reverse of what the opposition usually does to us. Even in many losses we've had clear wins in contested ball, clearances and inside 50s, but just either failed with the last kick inside 50 or missed chances in front of goal. The opposition on the flip side would be more efficient and take their chances and we'd lose despite dominating some of the key stats. Last night we were level in contested ball and inside 50s and the Pies shaded the clearances. Yet we won the game by 10 goals. It was a complete reversal of the roles - we were the team scoring every time we went inside 50 (20 scores from 40 inside 50s is a big return), kicking accurately (only two more scoring shots after quarter time but a score of 13.1 to 5.7), hitting targets around the ground and taking uncontested marks. I thought the Pies were at least our equal if not better in terms of getting first hands on it at stoppages but they fumbled, over-handballed, turned it over by foot through the middle of the ground and then struggled to score when inside 50. It does need to be kept in mind that this was a Pies team missing some key players and going through a poor patch off a four-day break. I thought they looked pretty woeful against the Crows and they carried that into this match. They then also lost two players by midway through the third and had Ruscoe limping around for the second half with a corkie. This is not to understate what was a great performance by us, but just backs up what I've said for a while that it's a fairly even competition and things like injuries, fitness and confidence can be the difference between a team looking a premiership contender (Collingwood earlier in the season) and one looking about a 10-12 side (Collingwood the last few weeks). Pickett was fumbly, but just as you are happy if young key forwards get to the right spots and get their hands to the ball at marking contests (even if they drop them, as you know with more strength and confidence they will start to clunk them), his performance was the small forward equivalent. He regularly got to the right spots and got hands on the ball but just couldn't be clean at the crucial moment. Tidy that up and he probably could've kicked 3 or 4 tonight. His reading of the drop of the ball from marking contests is exceptional. I think Lever is getting unfair criticism based on some glaring errors. Unfortunately these few mistakes stick in people's mind more than the brilliant work he did for the majority of the match, which often doesn't get noticed. His positioning was fantastic and on many occasions when the Pies got the ball around 80m out and looked up, there was Lever plugging the hole and causing indecision in the inside 50 kick. He was a big part of why we defended our back 50 so well and only leaked 6 goals from 41 inside 50s. Great to win a game based on being the cleaner and more efficient team. Also pleasing to see more evidence to support the view that the Port performance was an aberration, which some of us on here maintained at the time despite the many panic merchants thinking it was a true representation of who we are as a side.

Fritter is important for the forward structure. And (I think) is our leading goal scorer. And would be pretty high on our list of goal assists and score involvements. And would probably be only behind the weed for rhe number of both contested marks and marks in general inside 50 per game. Zero chance he gets dropped.

I like the way Pruess can just rag doll players....pick em up and throw em in the stands big fella. ....and he can kick the skin off a footy...bang 60m on a good day. Well done on a first game back in a long time..

VDB had 18 touches so he got to where the ball was. Spoiled the ball deep into the backline stopping Reid from taking the mark however collided heavily in the attempt to spoil collecting Miochec along the way. as well The latter was stretchered off the ground for the rest of the game. VDB plays for the jumper. Considering VDB played time in the guts with Petrac and Clarry in the 2nd quarter and did well in there. He justifies his position and in saying that today he has to be given some credit for the role he played. Well done.

Gee that was enjoyable! I’ve flown down to Melbourne to see many queens birthday losses over the last 10 years (bar Watts running goal to seal it, special). Pies supporters were leaving during the 4th quarter tonight. The Dees fans all up and about. Was so good being there and knowing we had the game sealed during the final quarter so could sit back and enjoy it! Dees song belting out around the Gabba after the final siren. You beauty! Go Dees!

I certainly did AF. What a great game. One of the best 4 qrt games I have seen live in a long time. Preuss was great. To come in to his first game since early last season and perform like he did is a credit to him. Trucks goal from the boundary line was absolutely sublime. The midfielders all worked well together too. Me and the kids belted out the song loud and proud about 3 times after the game. Special night and it was great for my kids to see us perform like that which they haven’t seen often at all.

Please yourselves. He was a good servant of the club and pulled on the jumper 165 times in difficult days when it wasn’t easy to front up week in, week out playing for a team that was getting flogged. Since crossing over to the Pies, he’s had a lot of bad luck with injury and it would be an absolute tragedy if he didn’t get to 200 games (he has 2 to go). He struggled yesterday - he had a few mates - but with Mihocek and Reid going down, he might be lucky. I’ll be watching the game and cheering him on (but not his team).

Seems odd to me, the fuss made about Collingwood's 4 games in 14 days. It was also our fourth game in 16 days and fifth game in 20 days.

He came off in front of us and it appeared to me as a cramp. Laid on ground and got his legs worked on. No surprise seeing he has hardly had any sort of game of past months. Hope it was only a cramp. Seeing live again what impressed so much was our gut running up and down ground including Oliver, Viney and Brayshaw but the best one was Langdon. He just ran and ran up and down the same wing all night. Very impressive. We seem to be as fit as any team. Going along very nicely at present.

What's better then waking up to a Sunday morning with a cracking hangover knowing your team has flogged the filth by over 50 points ?

Thought he was fantastic, what am I missing

Delist a versatile, 197 cm, 20 year old who showed plenty as a key forward at the end of last season? Thats going to be a no from me. Cheers.

I remember talking to one of our current players about Petty. He said he couldn't believe how Petty was throwing Hogan around in marking drills when he first arrived at the club and that he was going to be a star.

If there is even a miniscule of doubt, I would retain Pruess and give Max another week!

Steven May again getting around the younger guys. Anyone who still doubts our trade for him has rocks in their head.

Ive stopped looking at the stat sheet when it comes to Vandenberg. The fear that he puts into opponents cant be measured by numbers. They are always watching their backs when AVB is in the vicinity, and his teammates walk taller because of him.

An even greater appreciation of Spargo’s game after watching the replay. In addition to his 3 snags he was instrumental in the goals from Kozzie and Gus. Very effective.

Absolutely spot on Jako. You love playing with totally selfless blokes who constantly run so hard to support & cover for teammates. Tackles, blocks & harasses at every opportunity so the game becomes easier for his teammates. Is the first bloke to run in and fly the flag if the opposition are roughing up one of ours and if you notice is always eager to get to a teammate and congratulate him. Far, far from the silkiest player on our list, however, would be by favourite teammate.

Good effort from Nathan Jones - as a defensive half-forward, he effectively subdued Crisp (who had 6 inside 50's last week)

I honestly don’t know what some of you want from Garry. He is a club legend and former captain. he is in the media. I hear his comments as a frustrated supporter, basically like one of us commentating. You are always harder on those you love. Like if your son plays in the team you coach. if he started praising us and going on about it, it would be weird and he’d loose credibility as a media guy

You would have been at the head of the list whingeing that "in typical MFC style we're gifting games to players who don't deserve them". Weid is hitting the contest hard and yes he needed to demonstrate that at training to be selected. AVB sets the standard for the contest, playing on twice with a fractured face, courageously going for the high ball in the Mihocek incident and the back with the flight into Weid and Moore coming at 100mph. You'd also be at the head of the whingeing about MFC players not putting their bodies on the line. As @Whispering_Jack posted - we are 5 from 5 with AVB in the side. I realise you seriously think we are only winning now because Goodwin has finally taken your sage advice ...

The mark Weed took in the goal square Off a Melk kick where he was looking over his right shoulder and had a collywobble defender right up his clacker was priceless. It shut the Collingwood fans up well and truely. Weed has matured nicely which is great for him and us.

?% People who don't know this never played footy at a half decent level. The TEAM is better with him in it - end of story

Preuss showed enough tonight for us to wait until Gawn is truly ready, there is no need to rush him back. Harmes and Jones are the two that worry me the most, Sparrow is doing a good job but had lesser impact and may be worth a rotation to blood Jordon or shift Harmes into the midfield and Rivers to the back half. Will ee who gets called out in the scratch that we also won well before I decide but would not surprised if we go unchanged.

In addition to this there is also a fair chance both the Bombers (v Tigers) and GWS (v Eagles in Perth) lose next week, so if we beat the Dogs that'll create a nice gap between us and ALL of our closest competitors.

Not Lulie Street but a nice touch anyway.

And as I remember much the same applies to Hawkins.

If Max is ready I reckon they may seriously consider dropping TMac and maintaining the big Preusster as the second ruck forward. He is definitely getting around the ground better for longer and would offer a true chopout and less game time reliance on Gawn. As the second forward (which TMac is only doing the bare minimum of) he just needs to get the ball to ground in 50 and would offer a true ruck for inside 50 stoppages for us to control. I reckon it will be well discussed during the week.

Weid was weak at contests and sucked under the footy in marking contests For 90% of the game last night he was asking for the footy and judging his marking run better. 5 marks. Only 6 kicks and two goals but he was a target and forced the Pies to spoil which setup chances for Spargo and Pickett. Imo he beat Darcy Moore who has been in excellent year for the pies.

How 'bout those Demons!

Oh my god, could he be anymore negative about the team he is a legend of Im totally over him, grumpy Garry has lost me and l started a post to make him coach!!!

I have a problem with commentators who: Prattle on about something else while the game is going on. Massage each others egos talking about past glories/achievements Refer to each other by their stupid nicknames. Giggle at each others stupid unfunny jokes. Giggle at each others 'in' jokes which we the viewer has no idea what they are referring to. Praise ad nauseam player/s of a team the commentator once played for (Cameron Ling big offender). Are Presidents or ex-Presidents of the club they are commentating about. Talk constantly about how this and that should be a free kick but are strangely silent when one of their 'own' trangresses. Climb on their high horse and declare how many weeks a player should get for that action.(Campaign begins). Rave on about how tough certain players are, but if another player does the same thing they are reckless. Fawn over their favourites. Promote betting on the football. There are plenty of ads that take care of that. As if we don't have enough problems. I probably missed a few. So, I think I can tolerate Garry. (As long as he doesn't do any of the above).

Geez I'm loving the salty comments from my Filth supporting 'mates'. They are coming up with the flimsiest excuses left, right and centre for their flogging, including the classic 'it's not a real season'! LOL I particularly love when they have a crack about having injuries, only played out VFL team etc and I simply reply, "Why did you tip them to win them?" SILENCE!!! HAHahaaaaaa Enjoy the week Melbourne Legends - we've earned it!

A shout out to Nathan Jones. Playing some of his best football. There was a moment (45 seconds to go in the 3rd) where he handballed it out on the full trying to link up with Langdon, and just smiled. For a bloke that's pulled us through some pretty crap periods in the past, its great to see him enjoying his footy, the team and some great wins. Go dees.

Peeps have the 2018 vibes. Shock therapy and then on a run. I've also got 2017. We exactly played the Pies and Dogs in rounds 12 & 13 from memory. Beat the Pies (thanks Jack) and mashed the Dogs but mounting injuries and a heavy travel schedule derailed the season. Prevail my beloved. Probably the one and only season where it doesn't matter where you finish in the eight. Get there boys. Tear it up. [censored] yes!. 2020! Will also probably come down to final game. Vs Essondon. We're ready this time.

Ancient Greece?

If Gawn is fit, how about we keep Preuss and drop McDonald? Could Preuss do worse up forward than ol concrete boots? I just feel that dropping Preuss who had a good game after one solitary opportunity is just wrong.

I think he just overcompensates when calling our games, to the point where Melbourne fans view him as ultra negative. I think he tries to avoid bias so hard that he actually comes across as if he is barracking for the opposition. It’s very frustrating and like Eddie did a few years ago, he should not call Melbourne games.

Collectively what the past three opposition teams have scored in the last quarter

Jace Lever, Bella McDonald + Mila Viney watching on. So adorable