Leaderboard

SACK GOODWIN amirite? Far out. The bar has gone through the roof with some of you people. It was a good, strangling win. Not great, not particularly exciting - the Jordon touch on the line was the only time my heart rate got above resting, but we got the job done. I'm just waiting for someone to say we're the worst 4-0 side of all time or something.

Spot the f on. I mean c'mon, that is the sort of win the great hawks sides during their premiership run and the lions in theirs strung together. They deliberately tried to suffocate the game, as did the bombers last week. Because they both clearly felt thst was their only chance of being close to competitive. Two finalists from last year start a game of football knowing they have zero chance of beating us with THEIR OWN game plan. That is the mark of a great side. And please, if I read one comment along rhe lines thst the lions will destroy us playing like that my head will explode. The goal is top 4. Percentage does not matter when you win as many games as we will this season.

So much wrist slitting. We conceded 35 points We are 4 and 0 Plenty of people have short memories, not long ago we were rubbish. This was a complete defensive effort

It would be shocking if Port don't come hard. Leaving aside the threat of going down 4 zip, imagine their week living in Adelaide after last week's debacle. If they don't I reckon hinkley is gone. But even if they do come out firing, how far can a desire to crack in take them? Their defensive system is all over the shop. Alir out has an outsize importance as their defensive system is structured around him and his ability to intercept. With him out they don't have another pure interceptor to cover him (McKenzie is not bad, but more a lock down defender). And they simply don't have the height down back to cover our three genuine talls. Hopefully the umpires will call frees for the inevitable grappling and blocking they will have to resort to. They have not been able to stop teams transitioning from their defensive 50, which speaks to players not doing the work required for all team defence. Perhaps they will address that this week, but effort and application are hard things to just switch on, particularly if they didnt work hard enough in preseason to build an elite fitness base and as a result don't have the tank to play full tilt right to the end of each quarter. Their forward line is built around Dixon bringing it ground and again they don't really have someone able to play that role in his absence. Gray is a huge out - arguably still their best player (I know wines is terrific), and one of their few true match winners. Their midfield is pretty strong, but let's be honest nowhere near our level And players like rozee, georgiatis and Marshall should almost be coming into their prime, but have seemingly not taken the next step. And on top of all of that is they are a team that likes to thrive on emotion and crowd energy. Tickets sales are apparently slow so unless they are on top they may not have any crowd energy to draw on. I predict we will come out in full surge mode and look to dominate the first quarter. Maybe we will carry that surge into the second We'll get a four to five goal lead, slow the game down and hold them at arms length for the rest of the match.

For the majority of that game it was like watching a boa constrictor slowly crush it's next meal. We were really disjointed trying to go inside fifty though. Hawthorn at their peak would have won that game by 20 goals.

JUST REMEMBER WE USED TO BE TRASH

Port flooded hardcore they were trying to minimise the damage all match…off 2 short breaks and 2 interstate trips not sure why any of our supporters could be upset by that…

This is a classic example of focusing on a stat without having any regard for context. Their shots were misses because they were taking shots from awful positions. Take a look at the shot map. 8 of their 12 behinds were from 45+ metres out, most of which were on a 45-degree angle or more. Another two behinds were hard up on the boundary. They were taking shots from outside 50 because they couldn't work out how to take a mark inside 50, because of our defensive dominance. If you think tonight was just "some good defence" I'm sorry but you have no idea what you're watching. Tonight was elite defence.

As long as Jake Bowey is playing….

Missed the game, just reading through thread - where did we lose this game? back, middle, forward??

I thought James Jordan was great tonight.

Goody in the presser; 'I couldn't be prouder of the group' tonight DL posters: "They plsyed like rubbish'

Ordinary start but we went on to crush a pretender side. That's what premiers do!!! Then we give away junk time [censored] which costs me a big 40+ margin bet . FMD !!!! FMD again !!!!!!!

If Weideman continues to strive & fight for the front position (as he did against Essendon) he will make it and become a regular fixture in the seniors He has all the other attributes, he's athletic, he can take a mark and he's a good kick It won't bother me (or the MC I suspect) if he ends up running under the ball occasionally whilst playing in front. But 2nd or 3rd in line for the mark doesn't work I wish him all the best as we'd all like to see him succeed

R1: 97% R2: 100% R3: 100%

Think that's a better win than the consensus is giving credit for. We were in complete control the whole match. We even did the unthinkable and let langdon finish on the bench, that's how much control we were in. Percentage won't matter when we're 22 and 0

That was like watching 2022 Melbourne play 2014 Melbourne. Ruthless.

You’ll be leaving Adelaide… never a sad thing.

Flying over with my family for tonight’s game. Really hoping for a good performance otherwise it’ll be a sad flight home.

As a supporter I don't see night games as a perk. To me they are a pain. Good for club coffers I admit but I would rather day games.

Burgess is at Adelaide

Old school winger tactic from Langdon…. always go to the far wing from the bench - can’t get dragged from there

That is a huge benefit for us as it enables us to rotate our mids and 'sore' players more often. Ops don't have that luxury. Tomlinson hasn't had enough credit on here for that effort mainly because none of us have noticed.

For all his faults, Adam’s fitness and ability to go with any forward ‘workhorse’ makes him pretty valuable. Especially with rotations being squeezed.

Fair effort.

Contest and defence. We are so bloody good. What a team. Other sides are terrified of us. They park the bus, chip it around. So what? We’ll out work them, be patient, grind them down. They take a risk, we’ll exploit them on turnover in devastating fashion. They score? Who cares! We’ll reset at the centre bounce with the two best rucks in the league, and the two best offensive mids (and also arguably the best defensive mid) - all in their prime - with the field set at 6-6-6. 100 points to 7 in 45 minutes of football in a GF has spooked the comp. They don’t know how to play us. No lead is ever safe. Fall behind and you’re stuffed. It was a while coming (my whole life!) but what a time to be a Melbourne supporter.

His best game I reckon. Loves a contest, has time, makes great decisions and disposes really well. Only thing he can add is growing confidence in his attacking potential/ability, and there were signs of that tonight. Love the boy, pure footballer.

Always enjoy winning the first game of the round, can just sit back, relax and watch the other teams bash each other. Defensively we were outstanding, 50 odd up some were still chasing and smothering. ‘Junk time’ goals happen, couldn’t be happier with how we’ve started the season.

Poor old Port are suffering a bit of an injury crisis at the moment and are hoping to bolster their list by recruiting some players from State leagues. I believe they are particularly interested in Nat Fyfe's younger twin brothers. Should they lose to Carlton next week, expect to hear a lot about Owen Fyfe and Norton Fyfe.

Come on mate. We are 4-0, won 11 in a row coming off a short pre season, just getting our backline back together and coming off another short break and 2 interstate games in a month. We are strategically saving energy and getting through this first part of the season. We were not in great form at the start of last year either but we were just so happy to win games. Well nothing has changed.

Had we not been coming off 2 6 day breaks that would have been an 80 point win. The game was over at half time. Best team defence in the game by a country mile.

Should have started this thread at half time

Let's not get carried away. we've played about 5 mins of good footy.

bet with mates.... cos compulsive gamblers should encourage each other

Love to keep them goalless all game.

I listened in last night, that was a great interview Demonland Adem answered as candidly as possible and seemed to enjoy the interview he is articulate but humble. I hope that he stays with us for as long as possible. He is doing a great job up in the Box and our midfield group have continued to improve under his guidance. Adem is one of my all time favourites as is The Wiz and Neita. Top interview.!!!

Did enough, unimpressively

That was the first Melbourne game I can remember watching where my arssse was firmly planted in the back of the couch for four quarters. We were in total control throughout and nobody stood out. We are turning into a beautiful systemic machine that just strangles other sides. How did barracking for MFC become a relaxing pastime? I'm loving this feeling. We did the same thing early last season. Nothing pretty, just keep banking the points.

“F you Melbourne”? Seriously? You’re talking about the best team in the comp who are playing exactly the same way we did to start last year? And we are 4-0? Muppet.

Also, that was some terrible umpiring. There were so many instances of the players from both sides having no idea who the free kick had been awarded to. Also, the decision to pay a mark to Drew after it had clearly bounced in and out of Viney's hands may well be the single worst umpiring decision I've ever seen. (But the two deliberates against us for moving the ball forward, but then not paying it against the Port player who picked the ball up in our forward line in the fourth and just walked over the line, that was also bad).

So much whining about a win, sorry people but good teams win. Full stop!

After all these years I can finally empathise with James Kelly sleeping through the club song. Next.

That crap off the ball trying to prevent a ruckman from making it to the ruck contest should be an instant free kick.

First team to keep Port Adelaide Goal-less in a half of footy: Melbourne Round 4 2022

Just another Thursday night in the City of Churches

We've been underwhelming and are 4-0. Not bad at all

So much for the "Maxy's slow start" thread

Yep. Like Alex Neal-Bullen, his being an exceptional endurance athlete goes under the radar. Has its advantages.

Thanks guys other than the little one we’ve been ok, he’s picked up today in time for the game in true demon spirit! Little ones recover so much faster than adults.