The Panglossian

1 hour ago, Deefensive Language said:

OMac's goal reminded me of the Under 10s when the coach makes sure everyone gets a turn.

Participation ribbons for everyone.

I thought OMac looked ok up forward,even before that brilliant goal!

2 hours ago, Clintosaurus said:

Umpires working very hard for Essendon. Again.

It's unbelievable how the Druggies get an armchair ride every week!

Out possessed by 40-odd, yet nearly double the frees to Essendon. No doubt due to their whining crowd.

  Their constant booing of Rampe was childish to say the least. What?... booing him for (stupidly)trying to climb the goal post  up in Sydney!!!??? They didn't deserve to win either of those games.

The umps absolutely gifted them the Whorethorn game last week, too.

I hope their chooks turn into Emus and kick their dunny door down.

Listening to the game on Casey radio, it was almost identical to the seniors. The ball in our forward line the whole time, missing easy shots, then the ball goes down their end for a split second, and they "strike it beautifully" from 52.

The only difference was....we won.!

I haven’t read the whole thread so I suspect this has been brought up before ..... but.....

Max kept doing his backward tap outs, and Zorko and Neil kept clearing it.

Wouldn’t it have been sensible for Max to try to whack it away from the centre, away from the two guys who were tearing us apart!!??

I know the coaching mantra is against the tactic of hitting the ball randomly, since it might go straight to the opposition, and leave you opened up, but...... every centre bounce, you just KNEW Bris would get the clearance with Max trying his dinky backwards tap outs.

Max...stop trying to find our midswith knockouts . Just thump the b thing!

I don’t think we’ve ever been beaten overseas.

We’ve won in London, Canada, USA,( California and Hawaii),China and , I think, New Zealand.

All “JLT” type games, but most hotly contested.

The USA game was against reigning premiers, Geelong,in 1963, after the Grand Final, to make us world premiers!

Was there a South Africa game I’ve forgotten?

Can anyone correct me by reminding me of a Demon loss abroad?

I'm worried about our CWC game tonight v. Bangladesh.

Their batting was superb v. WI earlier this week.     WI attack not too bad. Once Starc and Cummins are off, our  other bowlers are all very vulnerable to being smashed.

Can't agree at all!

Top player, courageous, and popular with team-mates.

Get his brother when his contract is up.

We dropped Omar after Jenkins got 2 goals on him.

Jenkins has Phil Davis, in my opinion one of the 2 or 3 best tall defenders in the AFL on him tonight.

So far Jenkins has 3 goals in 2 1/2  quarters.

Should Davis be dropped?  Or is Jenkins an ok player?

6 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

 

6 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

We're bound to have had the fewest because for much of that time we were incapable of getting the ball into the forward 50 anyway. For this particular stat to have any relevance (and it would be an interesting guide), it will have to be measured as free kicks given as a proportion of forward 50 entries.

But don't we normally have more inside 50's than the opposition?

Even when we lost to Geelong by 80pts!

So in fact, it makes the forward 50 frees discrepancy even more incomprehensible.

42 minutes ago, bobby1554 said:

Totally disagree with this. And exactly what would you expect the leaders to do? Coach him in ball drop, how far his run up should be? No, the poor execution of that kick rests solely with Weideman. For Christ’s sake, he marked it 20 metres out and missed by a long way. I just wonder whether it is “ burning in his guts” like Max said it was in his after the game. I doubt it, because I just don’t think he wants to be a Melbourne player. Of all the players this year, I would say this guy has been the biggest disappointment. 

The guy was in tears!  There’s no doubt at all it was burning in his guts.

Surprising that we were clearly the better side with 15 out of our 22 players getting negative reviews from Joeboy.

I think his judgment was ( justifiably) clouded by his disappointment.

1 hour ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Greg Parke. No. 26? I think. Knockout mark, knuckle man and lousey kick. Just the same, he got his goals. Nabbed almost everything for a slow runner. Tough as nails. Great Demon.

Greg Parke a knuckle man??????

No....As you say,.he was an amazing mark, a wonky kick,and a top-class team player.

Macca you earlier agreed that “ home town decisions” occur.

It is disgraceful that officials allow themselves to be influenced by the crowd. 

I think eliminating this bias is far more important than all the other measures you suggest.

The fact that umpires are consistently succumbing to this weakness adds to the antipathy of the fans. One can’t help but think of them as weak individuals if they allow their judgment to be influenced by the noise they hear from the crowd.

This was mentioned somewhere else but I can’t find it.

Apparently the WCE players, when singing the celebratory song after the game, added a line....”Melbourne are s..t”.

I couldn’t bear to watch them celebrating, but would like to know if it’s true. I somehow doubt it.

Can anyone put footage of the song on this forum?

Did any oother Demonlanders hear the absolute baloney coming from Malthouse on the ABC before the match?

He repeatedly made incorrect comments on Melbourne's games this season(factual errors, not opinions).

Then after the match he tried to justify Jetta's despicable act.

He still loves the West Coast. Were they on the drugs while he was there, or was it all under Worsfold?

32 minutes ago, Macca said:

It is not your point but it is my point.

I factor in home town decisions but I don't factor in poor kicking for goal.  Unless that happens constantly.

Kick straight and we win.  And that is something that we control.  We blew a golden opportunity to win in the West.  By contrast,  we didn't blow that opportunity to win over there in round 22 last year.

The fact that you concede that home town decisions exist ,justifies the opinion of the posters disagreeing with you!

As I’ve pointed out in a previous post, Melbourne  get far less “home town decisions.”  Our supporters are usually outnumbered by opposition fans at  our home games at the MCG, except with interstate visiting teams.In those games the attendance is so low in the huge MCG that there’s no atmosphere, and less likelihood of home town decisions.

It’s a disgrace that the umpires allow themselves to be affected by the crowd. While they’re not professionals, they are very well paid, and should not be considered above reproach.

1 hour ago, Macca said:

My belief system remains that if we're good enough,  we'll win.  If not,  we won't win.

 

The better side lost on Friday due to a diabolical  decision on  Smith  by Margetts(proven to be incorrect by the MRP).

Yes , if we'd kicked a third of the gimmes we missed, we'd have won, but that's not the point!

20 minutes ago, Macca said:

"Win games (or get smashed) and there is barely a murmur."

  

With a competent, sensible  ruling on the Smith incident, I'm sure we'd have won,and no-one would be whingeing.

But some posters get a warm, fuzzy, "I'm fairer than you"  feeling, by ignoring blatant, game-changing errors by the officials.

4 hours ago, Elegt said:

Jordan is a baffling draft choice, Maynard should have been let go years ago. Chandler too small. Wagner isn't AFL standard. Gee our lack of depth concerns me. Preuss should be in the AFL team 

Lack of depth!!!???

We had a moral victory against the premiers , over there, despite hostile umpiring, and 8 - 10 of our best 22 unavailable.

I think that suggests our depth is surprisingly good.

It’s not a matter of the umpires hating us, it’s just that they can’t help but be swayed by the crowds.

Unfortunately , Melbourne almost NEVER have the “ fortress” style atmosphere that Perth, Adelaide, and Geelong have.

When we do have a home game against Perth or Adelaide sides on the MCG, there’s a pathetic crowd, no atmosphere, and no chance to influence the umpires by yelling “ ball” every time the opposition gain possession etc.

I think the AFL are aware of this, and try to educate the umpires not to be affected by the crowd. Unfortunately, that directive was forgotten on Friday night.

1 hour ago, Panamapapers said:

Your all so sad...you seriously want to blame the umpires for Melbourne loss. Think the likes of hawthorn, Geelong, Sydney would blame the umpires for a loss. Accept were garbage and deserve a bottom 4 finish. 

Duh

Great mark by Ryan, but I thought it was pathetic sportsmanship by the Cokeheads  the way they gave it to the punch drunk Gawn ,who had courageously stood his ground knowing the players behind him had the sit.

The better  side lost.

I know bad kicking is bad football, but we did so well to get the ball to players dead in front.

I think  we missed 7 absolute sitters.

i reckon one of their goals was touched.

Another came from an obvious throw.

The umpiring error where Smith  nearly had his neck broken ...no free... 2 goal turn around.

TOUCHED!!!!