titan_uranus

I figured Clarry was either tagged or struggling with the hand but was worried I'd missed a new injury or something. I'm guessing Brown struggled on the 5-day break too. I guess the good news in that is that Oliver's had less influence than normal and we've won on the road on a 5-day break, and Brown's failed to hit the scoreboard at all but we've generated 28 scoring shots.

Didn't get to watch the game unfortunately. But to win tonight on a five-day break on the road, against a side under intense pressure, is a win we have to be proud of no matter how ugly it might have looked and no matter how inaccurate we were. Can anyone let me know what happened to Brown (no touches for a half) and Oliver (only 16 touches)?

Have become increasingly nervous as the day goes on. Win and we temporarily go top at 4-1. Lose and we’re in the middle of the pack at 3-2.

I don’t think the xScore thing impacts the strength of our wins vs the Dogs or Hawthorn; in most aspects we were strong in those games. The Port win was a special win, but that’s in part because we were on the back foot for long portions of it. I agree with you that this week presents a major risk. Adelaide are under intense pressure and I don’t think players like Dawson, Laird, Tex (unless he’s truly injured) and Rankine are going to keep playing poor footy for much longer. IMO a win this week will be an outstanding achievement for us.

McAdam has come in from 3-5 to 2-4. Baby steps. Spargo’s stuck at 2-4 though.

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1520621/injury-report-demon-defender-to-miss Hore now joins the injury list. McAdam at least now in to 2-4 weeks. Hunter available for selection, too.

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1520621/injury-report-demon-defender-to-miss Hore fractured thumb, out 3-4 weeks. Chandler and May TBD. Tomlinson/May for Hore?

What are you talking about, Boak was excellent

I have no idea why this thread exists. Why do we have a thread specifically for criticising one off plays from a 20 year old second year player who, on any measure, has been fantastic for his age and experience as part of a top 4 defence? Judd’s a star.

They’re lucky he didn’t get 2 weeks. Ridiculous challenge.

I personally don’t think there’s ever a good time for a 5 day break. They only exist to satisfy Channel 7 and their insatiable desire for Thursday night footy. Which, when we’re involved, I hate.

I remember this, he looked proppy on a left knee/ankle maybe on the outer wing, took his kick but didn’t look comfortable at the time. Channel 7, in their usual way, didn’t follow it up (despite having two boundary riders!).

There have been multiple reports that Gawn had the flu or similar and shouldn’t have played. Might explain it.

Of course you are. Most agree with the general proposition that we struggled in various aspects of the game. It’s just that there was nothing in your original post to explain why you said it was a “fantastic win”. Which made it feel like you dropped it in for the sake of it, in a post which otherwise read like we’d hardly impressed against an average side.

Correct, sorry

Underrated moment. Also Chandler’s tap to ANB in the fourth. Both great reads of the play and uses of space.

I’m not quite sure I agree with the bolded bit, tbh. I think your lack of a solution to replacing Hore perhaps suggests as much.

“Fantastic win, but…” Jesus this is a fair shake of the old sauce bottle, even by your standards.

@fr_ap shares my view - Gawn moved Finlayson around before Finlayson grabbed him. I’m confident if the roles were reversed there would have been outrage on here. Most of the early frees to us were there, I agree @fr_ap, but in a hostile interstate environment they don’t always get paid. It helped us that they did.

The Gawn one was classic "ruck lotto". The rules in those contests are so unpredictable. If that had gone the other way we'd have been ropeable. I was equally ropeable at the Rozee one, that was horrendous IMO.

I'm just noting a few of the moments which did admittedly go in our favour. I forgot the Dixon one going against us. I think the only time the umpires influenced the game was early, paying frees that were there but which don't always get paid against the home side in a hostile environment. Helped us steady.

You'd think the changes will be dictated by fitness more than anything. We will have been planning this out for months. Is Brown able to back up? Can Gawn go again against another pretty decent ruck in O'Brien? Is Lever's knee OK? Is Oliver's finger OK?

We do have to acknowledge the umpiring, too. Sparrow's fourth quarter goal came after two massive throws from Brown and Fritsch. We got a really good run with 50/50% decisions in the first quarter, too. But then again, they got a goal early from a mark that was further out of bounds than the Higgins goal last week, and they got a goal from the Rozee flop that should never have been a free. And they can't blame the umpires for Ratugolea's brain fade.

This is how I felt watching the game too, other than the third quarter which felt like them dominating but us defending brilliantly and holding them back for most of it (until they got those two goals to push it out to 16 points). The third felt like the Collingwood QF a little bit. The rest of the game felt like a much more even game. We did, though, nail difficult shots at key moments (Brown and Gawn late third, Fritsch late are probably the three big ones) and that helps our xScore go up, whilst they missed some easier shots and their xScore dropped.

For three of the quarters I’d agree but it felt like in the third quarter they just got too far on top in the middle and controlled play. We sagged back to defend but it felt to me like the game was on their terms, not ours. The rest of the game felt like we were prepared to give up some territory and so it was more within our control.