45HG

Not only is it the 7.5 wins out of 64 that makes my blood cringe. It's the lack of fight, lack of 4 quarter efforts and lack of close, hard-fought losses that gets to me. We'll say 15 points and under is a close game - close enough that a couple of goals would've made the difference. Here are our losses to Vic (all) teams by 15 points and under. 2008 - 0 (0) [2 of our 3 wins under 15] 2009 - 2 (3) [2 of our 4 wins under 15] 2010 - 3 (4) [2 of our 8 wins under 15] 2011 - 1 (2) [1 of our 8 wins under 15] 2012 - 0 (0) [1 of our 4 wins under 15] Out of 64 games against Victorian teams under Bailey/Neeld - we have got within 15 points of our opposition 14 times! Disgusting.

I feel like a just lost over a day of my life - like, did the last 32 hours actually happen?!?

3. We (as a team) go 6 full playing minutes without getting a kick.

Do those stats include the 2 draws? Are we not on 99 losses in that time? (Yes, I realise it's not a big deal) If we take out '10 and '11, it's about 16 wins and 73 losses. Roughly 17%

Wines get the Rising Star nod. Jimmy T will be a very good player - but isn't ready for the big stage yet.

Was going to start a new thread but didn't want to clog up the boards as this is more of the same but has been building in me since last season. Our players play like badly programmed robots. I don't know if this is Mark Neeld's doing, but our players play without flair, fun or excitement. They seem to simply go through the motions of trying to tick the boxes of a new game plan without heart or passion. Players mindlessly guard space - unflinching when an opposition player moves into it. Players man the mark disinterested. Players approach packs and don't expect teammates to win the footy. Players do not spread and push forward when their mates win the footy. There is a souless element to Melbourne in the past 45 rounds that I don't think I've seen before. Not only is the game plan god awful to watch but the players just don't look like they belong. Confidence has been shattered and, again, I'm not sure if this is the coaches doing. Melbourne players look like they are over-coached. They play re-actively to situations - all instinct has been sucked out of our players. Rather than attack a contest, our players seem to spend their time thinking about what they should have been doing or what they had to do next. Players are more likely to run to the bench to maintain rotations than tackle a nearby player. Robots have little-no care for those around them. That's how Melbourne players look. They don't shepherd, they don't work hard for their mates to create space or cover opposition players. When it's their turn to go, so often it's a limp, half-hearted approach that doesn't appear AFL standard. Bring back the flair, bring back the fun. I don't believe these two elements are mutually exclusive from hard-nosed, attacking teams. I think it's an important ingredient for teams that love winning, love the feeling of kicking a goal and feel the reward for hard work. At the moment it just seems like Neeld is very critical of any player who goes outside of the "plan" - possibly so much so that players are afraid to just play the game. I was talking to someone last night after the game who was saying that basically all of our players are no good. It's not true. And even if it were, you don't have to be a good player to run hard and work for your mates. Footy is a simple game sometimes. Run harder than your opposition, tackle harder than your opposition and hit some bloody targets. I think the MFC footy people over analyse the game to disgusting degrees, let the boys play!

As I'm (we're?) in need of distraction - I'm kicking off the Round 2 thread early. Hardly before time, because are some tasty (and interesting) match ups this week. Classic battles between rivals and some teams who, after mediocre Round 1 performances, will be must-watch items this weekend. St Kilda v Richmond Richmond proved last week that they are something else in 2013. They are formidable in the midfield and potent up forward. Susceptible to the opposition getting a run on and, well, being Richmond, you can never say 100% that they'll be up. Nonetheless, I think they've turned the corner in a big way. St Kilda, on the other hand, will be reeling from their loss to Gar... Gold Coast. They'll be very keen to make amends back in Melbourne, where they'll notably be less affected by the heat. The Saints will welcome back Montagna but will rue this game being played at the MCG. Tigers for mine. 23 points. Sydney v Gar... Gold Coast An interesting game this one. Sydney just went against the Giants, probably due to a combination of a belated start to pre-season and the terrible state of the surface. They'll be better for the run and should improve this week. The other aspect to this game is how Gold Coast back up after their win. Widely criticized after last year, the Suns were impressive in their win against the Saints. Down south, however, against a side that has accounted for them easily in their two encounters to date should be another matter. The Swans should be too professional. Western Bulldogs v Fremantle Pre-season, this fixture would've looked like a nightmare. After the Doggies thrashing of the "in-form" Lions (upset of the round for mine) and Freo's win over their rivals, this could be a good game of footy. The Doggies will hopefully get back Boyd but will struggle against Lyon's Dockers in my view. Lyon knows Etihad well and his side will be very hard to score against on Saturday. Freo will not be as easy to run over as the Lions proved to be and the Dockers should get up. Fremantle by 36. Brisbane v Adelaide A clash of two sides expected to do much better in Round 1. Adelaide have had two weeks to stew, Brisbane get to return home to face the Crows. This should be a tight, tough match. Games between these two at the Gabba tend to be close affairs (their last three encounters have been won by a total of 22 point). Look for Taylor Walker to again be tough to stop. The midfield duel here is hard to pick. Dangermouse has shown that he struggles with a tag and, with him down on form, Sloane, Thompson and friends have their work cut out for them against a Lion side that, before Saturday, was looking much improved. In Adelaide I'd be confident with the Crows, but this is very hard to pick. Lions by less than 10. Essendon v Melbourne God. Port Adelaide v GWS Port Adelaide showed what a team that runs hard, works for each other and plays a simple game plan can do. They'll return home chock full of confidence and, while GWS would be happy with their effort against the Swans, I think this is a different proposition. They'll no doubt provide greater opposition than the Dees, but the Power will nonetheless begin season 2013 with a 2-0 record. Port by 45. SUPER SUNDAY! This promises to be a great day to be a footy fan (especially over a coffee and copy of the paper displaying celebrating Melbourne players). Geelong v North Melbourne To start it off is this tasty affair at Etihad. Geelong have, somehow, pulled off their tenth straight win against the Hawks while the Kangas came up short (after a spirited fightback) against the Pies. North have a strong midfield that matches up well against the Cats at Etihad (they won last year in Round 3). This will be a tussle all day but I don't think the Cats will back up from today as well as they might've. North in a close one. Carlton v Collingwood The front-running Blues were back to their best. Woeful for the most, but riding a wave of momentum almost snatched the win, the Blues are a tough team to get a hold on. They'll be better for the run (their first under Mallthouse) and should be more consistent. Collingwood, meanwhile, is almost the exact opposite. Consistent, tough and professional, they simply get the job done more often than not. Beams and Shaw returning will only help (their depth still makes me violently ill) and the Pies should be too good in front of 85,000 + fans. Mind you, I wouldn't be shocked if Carlton won by 10 goals (again) as they have won the last two. Collingwood by 5 goals. West Coast v Hawthorn To round out the weekend we have this little affair. I thought before the derby that one of the two were pretenders, could it be that team is West Coast? Without Nic Nat their midfield looks no where near as potent and their forwardline, by extension, suddenly a little pedestrian. Without Cox playing forward and with the loss of Lecras, West Coast will need to find a decent plan b. The Hawks looked comfortable enough for the first half against the Cats before the same old happened. Their medium players didn't do enough in the second and, once that happened, they were always a step behind. Guys like Breust, Savage and Shiels look great when the team is up, but god help them when Mitchell has a down day. West Coast should be too good for mine. Eagles by 12. Game of the Round Tough one - Blues Pies follower by Cats Roos/Lions Crows Thrashing of the Round Essendon Potential upset of the Round Dare I say it...

For those that thought that going to the game was bad enough, try this on for size. I paid $1261 to get into the ground yesterday... to watch that!

There's a difference between Jack Viney standing up and giving the playing group a talk on his own and Jack Viney being one of a number of players to do so.

Are you kidding? Take a look at the photo of the guy who posted it - it's not the same Nick McCallum. Clearly just a fan expressing his opinion. I wasn't at Crown WYL and I'm not sure what the reference is in relation to?

I couldn't believe my ears when I was labelled a fair-weather supporter last night after the game. This is the second such instance of the term being used. 50 years without a flag, 7 years of horror and one of the most inept halves ever dished up on that oval. Anyone who sits through it and still wears red and blue deserves a medal - not the term "fair weather fan".

We were fined for bringing the game into disrepute. If we were to appeal the decision, after the way we played yesterday, the AFL would have little choice but to double the fine.

Absolutely love Kieren Jack - but Gary Ablett he ain't.

I thought the commentary was the same on Fox as Channel 7? I didn't hear her - have I missed something?

"Harbrow was harshly decapitated" - BT.

Yep - I did the write-up here tipping Richmond but forgot that I'd done my work tips the week before and tipped the Blues. 0-4 also.

The thing that bores me the most about the new teams (especially GWS) is how biassed the commentary is and how they embellish every little thing that they do. I find it painstaking to listen to - I don't feel like I'm watching professional sport. They're outrageously quick to forgive errors - spruiking "he'll learn from that" at the top of their voices and deliberately over the top about little positives (Davis telling someone to man up his player when he came off injured - like any player should). I know they're young, I know that they'll get better but, nonetheless, I don't find it enjoyable to watch and listen to.

Yes, many of his kicks were out of the same old basket - but we mustn't forget that his team was done by 70 points. It isn't easy to look the goods in that situation.

I hate the phrase "giving other codes a free hit" - what an arrogant, condescending remark. I hate the idea of lengthening our season as a result of this - not because it's best for the game, not because it's better for fans, not because the teams or players want it.

Craziness! I've officially become the kiss of death, bad news bears. Simple game sometimes - just good hard running, good pressure and high intensity.

Here is the link. If it doesn't work, google Dale Morris Herald Sun and it'll be the first link that comes up. Have always had a lot of respect for Morris, glad to see him back.

Team announced as Stuie stated above. Club can't spell "Watts." Backline looks shaky without Mcdonald. With no Chaplin or Carlile, Clark, Pederson and Sellar should stretch Port - hopefully providing opportunities for Rodan and Byrnes to be dangerous at ground level. As always, it's all on the midfield.

"The club has lost its past six opening matches (including a draw) by an average of 45 points." What a strange sentence...

If they have a good first half, a couple of them may be given the tap on the shoulder to come off and get ready for the latter match. A wonderful initiative, well over due and I look forward to being in attendance to cheer on the Red and the Blue.