At the break of Gawn

AnB probably has a pretty big vault of bad games, but that was one of his worst in a long time.

I feel we lost it as soon as it wasn’t relocating to Marvel. We can’t play on this ground. Full stop.

I almost feel we can’t lose today. We have a full strength side that’s currently keeping a club champion out and the most promising young key forward on our list. North on the other hand has one of their weakest sides in about 20 years, with even LDU (one of their best young players) also out.

If we lose today the media will go with that old rhetoric “Just when you thought you could trust them, they let you down”. But really this would be one of our worse losses in 20 years if we lost today, so I just can’t see it happening.

3 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

1998 finals would be right up there.

Farmer, Neitz and the Ox was such a formidable forward line.

Ah that’s true. Geez that forward line was something special.

Experienced Demonlanders, is this the best team we’ve put on the park since 1994? Maybe even older?

14 minutes ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

This is woeful from the hawks,  St Kilda re a rubbish team and they are looking like world beaters

Saints also the biggest downhill skiers going around.

Can’t see Mitch Brown playing for Casey? 

52 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Surely now that the North boys will exit isolation at midnight, an announcement from 12:01am onwards will be made that the Hobart game can go ahead.

I just can’t work out the logic if the game can’t take place down there.

This is from the Tassie gov Covid website:

The Director of Public Health has advised that provided no evidence emerges of unmanaged community risk in the Perth and Peel Regions in the next two days, these two regions may be reclassified as low risk from midnight Wednesday 28 April 2021. This will restore quarantine-free travel to Tasmania for most people in and recently in Western Australia

If the game is in Hobart, surely we play BB? He has dominated on that ground for years and knows how to play it. If it’s at Marvel, I wouldn’t play BB.

I’m a bit nervous if this goes ahead in Hobart. We’ve never beaten them there and it’s grounds like these (like in Cairns) that can sometimes cause us trouble. I know North are absolutely terrible, but they’re bound to get a win some time.

2 hours ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

Hobart forecast for Sunday  -  22 degrees , partly cloudy.

Could be great conditions for us to pile on 25+ goals.

You do realise we’ve never beaten them there, right?

King’s MO is to make a bold early prediction and gloat about it later if he gets it right. I heard him in rnd 1say that Essendon could be a bolter this year. He also said a couple of weeks ago that the Saints had more “weapons” than us.

I doubt he watched the Melbourne game because the North v Freo game was on at the same time. I wonder if he changes his tune a bit more after we belt his beloved Roos.

Montagna is a good analyst FWIW. He picked up on us very early.

I reckon we started to see it the end of last year. The thumping by Port  was a real come to Jesus moment for the group  and I think the group gathered together and started to make inroads.The two losses in Cairns were mainly due to unexpected conditions and Covid restrictions (travelling up the day of while Freo and Swans were there days beforehand), so I think if you exclude them we’ve been good for a while - we’ve won 12 of our last 15 games which is amazing.

20 minutes ago, Jack7 said:

Hope Jeremy Howe was watching

 

Karma Khant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He was at the game apparently, saw a tweet from someone that he gave a bunch a Dees fans the finger after they said something to him.

15 minutes ago, Nasher said:

I just don’t understand Robbo. Surely he’s not half-sloshed when he’s on air - how can that be allowed? But if not, then how can an incoherent oaf manage to develop such a high profile? I’m not fussed about him one way or the other, I just can’t make any sense of what I see when he’s on my TV.

His articles are decently written (certainly not the best out there) but he uses a lot of emotion in his writing which suits the HS. His footy knowledge is really poor though which surprises me. I’ve been watching 360 for years and he just always uses phrases such as “they’re just not showing heart”, or “x team has to make a stand” while completely ignoring any technical reasons. 
 

8 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

He’s the most dominant and influential Melbourne player I’ve seen in my lifetime (30 odd years of watching football).

Agree with this also. It’s crazy to think he won’t even be regarded as the best person in his draft year as there’s a guy in there who’s won 3 norm smiths.

29 minutes ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

Jones was horrendous and must not be gifted a game next week. I dont care if its his 17th game or his 300th.

 

In  -  Weideman, B Brown, Bedford

Out  -  M Brown, Jones, ANB

AnB fought back really well in the second half. Did some nice things.

Thought Jetta had been pretty good, not fantastic but still really solid. Don’t particularly  like 3 changes to a team who has been so settled. I suppose 2 are forced though.

37 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Saints 2020 was our 2018 but worse

Other than King they don't seem to have much coming through

Could be nasty if they do a North

100% agree, although David King reckons the Saints have more “weapons” than Melbourne this year ?

23 minutes ago, A F said:

I'm still yet to receive my membership pack (August last year I renewed) and never received my 2020 pack. I know there's austerity cuts, but step up. I don't usually like to have a go at the club in this way, but it's very poor.

That is really poor. I signed up my daughter at the start of March and have also received nothing.

Surely there’s no excuse now for our supporters not to sign up!? 

9 minutes ago, DubDee said:

Yeah I reckon you might be on your own there. 21 touches, 9 marks including 2 contested on a wet day. He was critical is us connecting defence and attack. Worked hard all day. No way he is dropped 

I’m happy with his running and getting to multiple contests. I’m sure BB will kick more goals but I still think Tmac has a place.

22 minutes ago, Demonsone said:

Scott will play the keepings off game & hope we just don't start bombing it in hope

Will be too difficult in these conditions. It’ll be a territory battle today. We need to smash them in clearances and contested possessions then lock it in our forward 50.

I think the rest of the footy world believes the Cats deserve, and are due, for a loss which I’m happy for us to deliver.

I’m predicting a smallish winning margin - 10 to 20pts which will see us gain a bit of respect but not too much media hype to give us big heads against the Hawks the week after.

Goody and the coaches have been pretty spot on with the team selection so far so I’m happy to take their judgment on this one.
 

Apparently Melbourne is the no.1 defensive side in the comp without the ball according to champion data, so we must be doing something right, and I can’t seeing Melky stuffing that up.

Sparrow adds midfield depth, so I’d take him ahead of Melksham at this stage.

Hibberd for Jetta only if the matchup is right, but Jetta was excellent round 1 and blanketed Lonie last week.