kev martin

Will we be flat? High emotional game with the build up, Anzac, Chunk and 5 nil start. We have been training with the smile on the dial, which must help with reducing anxiety. So hoping for the right amount of stress to get us up, and playing good footy. A player buy-in (selflessness, confidence with system) is going on and we have some mature players and leaders. So if we are looking off, the adjustments of strategies and change of mind set could happen. Will the tigers dominate at some stage? They always seem to have a couple of 10-15 minute periods in the game, when they get a run of goals. Seems to come from their pressure causing turnovers or unforced errors. Play our style not theirs, be perfect most of the time and stay angry. Hoping they fall off the pace and are not up to the combat we may create, this early in the season. When they score or after we do dumb things we will need to stay switched on and play harder and smarter. Otherwise they hurt us, don't drop the heads, keep the confidence, get the ball and make the tempo appropriate to the situation. Hoping Vander's, has been showing them how to straight line the tackle and not to let them start dancing. Remaining anxious, as my expectations sway between yes and/or no. Go Dees

Well, they really have to earn the spots now, as well as having pressure for places. Give Sparrow a run in the two's, Weids as well, Petty or Chandler as sub, probably Chandler. The structure and system will be our weapon if we start losing. All know their roles and cohesion should be improving. They would have talked to Weids about consistency. Congratulations Jonesy, please show us some of your magic.

Good we can take a joke at our expense, and laugh along with it. If not you, you or you, it was some of us. We are not alone as a club doing the doom and gloom. It is just the first time in ages we have turned the losses to wins. When we fail, it will back. Hopefully, in the 2030's. This is our decade to shine, or its sack the lot of them (joking).

I haven't been to training for a while, though what I saw there and when playing, is Fritta can lead into any space that opens up. Has an uncanny ability to pop up all over the place.

Prefer collywoobles, as a description of their finals loses.

Or the sherrimons, who own the sherrin football. I would have guessed, they call us the lemons

Makes it easier to hold the ball in the forward area. Create a stoppage or a maul, pulls the opposition down the ground. Allow us to get repeat entries, if we set the kick behind play properly. On another area, I would like to see us play less zoning and a bit more shoulder to shoulder defence especially when they are in an uncongested area. When the Toges move the ball quickly, they seem to find loose players. They create overlap well and have the ability to deliver with good angles. We need to continually pressure the ball carrier and the outside runners. Their swarm against ours, will be an interesting aspect of the game.

I hope we have a very combative game. Hit them all hard, give them no space, play angry. Make it a we are here moment, great opportunity to set us as the team to beat.

Give us more. MFC are great at being open to the media. Encourage them, I enjoy it, Gone are the days of hoping for an elaborate write up in the newspaper, or a game review on tv following our Sunday time slots. Most media exposè, is motivational to players, the positive or the negative, can be spun by the coaches. Fluff prices I'm not sure, so easy just to ignore. The bathwater stuff though is the problem. I hope Toges are drinking it morning, night, and day.

What a great match to get. Saturday night prime time, Anzac eve, against the proven bench mark. The other Anzac game of Colly and the Bombs, has nothing really going for it other than the rivalry. We have to be in with a good chance. Don't want to be blown out of the water. The Toges would love to reassert themselves, hoping they are not that good this year and we bury them, pop their entitlement bubble. C'mon Dees, perfect footy.

He can have off days, but he never has an off moment. He can always create something when it is needed.

We have become relevant. These have been our premier games for such along time. By which I mean, kind of our final series, Anzac and queens birthday. The crowds and all that emotion. I can see us lift to play a beautiful, contested and highly skilled game. What a great time to meet the Tiges, 6 nil, and we are still building our game. (Oops, optimistically and premonitory, it is 5 nil). We are taller, fitter and I hope hungrier for a win. Tiges will hang in there with us, unless they come out early and blast us. Anyway, at one stage, I expect they will take control and kick 3 or 4 unanswered goals, then they will bring pressure. Their run will start as a result of turnovers. Like other games, this year we have fought back from the onslaught and I expect we can do the same. If we can minimise turnovers from their pressure we win. Hoping we don't start playing too cute. Would like to see us get the basics right and then go fast when the opportunity presents. Would rather get them now then later in the season. If we get the lollies then they play the doggies who may also beat them, they could be 3 and 4 and the season opens up for many teams. I see they are giving teams more opportunities from their own turnovers. If we bring the pressure they may crack. They score sometimes playing the dirty, scrambling game of push it forward and keep hustling, that manic chaotic style. Hope we stop this, by getting in the trenches with them and getting our hands on the ball before they do. I thought there backline was a bit fragile. Crimes has been making some mistakes and with Baker up the field they are missing his determination to get to the contest, his drive, and smart decision making. Their small forwards are dangerous, Arts, Castagna and especially Bolton. Hope we can stop him, Dusty and probably Gotchin. Nankervis against Gawn and Jackson will be a highlight, I think we win that. We have been getting our clearances right, after a slow start at it. Oliver and Tracc will beat them and Viney will keep us in the game. Our field marking has been excellent. We control the tempo of the game well. If we can convert our shots to goals and have score pressure, it would go along way to helping us win Tigers coming off an easy win, that could lull them with a sense of superiority and entitlement. They better be up for it because I think we will be. Take the fight to them, and do what the Swans did. Made them be more accountable by hitting players lace out within 30 meters to break their zone defence. The Swans also caused them to turn the ball over. They are vulnerable to pressure. Go Dees.

Playing mind games with the Tiges. Petty for another week.

Jackson, it is said, is also good when it is below the knees (plays like a mid). Fritta is not a classic tall, has some speed and gives good tackling efforts. Tom's endurance means he can move up and down the field. The talls are Ben, Weids and Gawn. I didn't see the VFL game. So thanks for that. Didn't he do well the week before in the practice match and Weid not as well? Also heard he played up the ground, which is not his optimal position. Could have been getting run distance into his legs. If not ready then it must be Weids. Not both, as the instability may cause some compromise in the cohesion. One this week then one the next.

Tom is doing enough, though could be moved up the field. Jackson is in for the rucking with Gawn and his forward work. Ben will be our spearhead. Mitch is the back up. So Weid, Ben and Fritta are our tall forwards.

I would bring in Ben Brown before Weids for M Brown. Weids is up and down. Would like to see him consistent before the call up. Brown needs to be our spearhead for the season, if ready bring him in. Weids will get his chance. May for Petty. Had 4 changes this week so two is enough. Oh, maybe Sparrow for Jordon. Get him to follow Martin around. Thought I saw the body language of Sparrow near the end. Oh no, those sprints up and down the G again.

My guess, it was a William's stare down and challenge at half-time, to do it better.

Game opened up when the Hawks stopped and we crushed them. Take that last quarter momentum onto the Tigers. Lever and Hibberd all game, with Rivers doing well. Still need more pressure on the small forwards. The wings are working, as is our run off half-back. At stoppages we need more movement, they appeared static. Really need the pressure game that disappeared today, so as to create more turnovers. A few passengers (Jordon, Sparg's) and some who popped up at different times (Petty, Melksham). Gawn can do everything, loved his ground balls gets and clearances, marks elite. Not much flow for us in the first 3/4. Some of our dinky handballs were cut off easily. Our set shots for goal need work. We have to be able to make the most of our opportunities, especially against the best teams. Tmac has been playing well, Oliver good again, Langdon our goal kicker off the wing.,Trac in the last quarter. We will own the G. Great start to our season, now the big test. Tigers who may be a bit complacent thinking that they can get a role 9n so as to easily set up their season. C'mon Dees get set for an outstanding, angry run at them.

We are the real deal, though the bath water can look deceptively refreshing. I think the question is, are we one of the top 4 clubs? It won't be answered against the Hawks today. It is a long season and by round 16 I reckon we will know. This game, is about being able to bring the effort and skills required to put away failing teams. The old flat track bully, would be great to see. A win will keep the momentum and confidence. A loss, there will be some soul searching, though it will not be the end of us. I hope we don't fall into the trap of playing at their level, need to keep up the standards. Make them look ordinary, with our relentless pressure and no unforced errors. Jackson to have his breakout game. Jordan to get 30 disposals. ANB and Sparg's to get that forward pressure stat above 200. Clearances in our favour. Oliver, Rivers and Tom to be in our best. Go Dees. ,

I don't think Burgoyne has been playing well. Game has gone past him. Our speed and pressure won't help him improve. Though he is smart if he can get the ball in space.

An extra tall into the forward line doesn't necessarily put us out of balance. Jackson and TMac (different player and body shape to last season) are both agile and endurance talls. So Gawn and Brown are the lead ups. We have plenty of smalls to get the ground ball and apply that swarming pressure. The rotations through the forward area will be made according to how the game plays out. A tall who takes marks and a robust player who backs himself, come in for a tall/strong and a small, one on one player. I can't see the imbalance, especially when compared to previous weeks.

It is the dogs that are firing. Already had a game against them as a practice. Hoping our brain trust figured them out. Match them up with the role players and take them apart with skill and effort.

Needs to do what Trac did and drop weight. Game doesn't suit the big body, in and unders. Need endurance and agility. Vanders, could be the same. Drop some muscle weight, become faster and run further.

Happy we didn't meet GWS with them making that effort. Thought they were going to run out of puff. Good desperate game. Sydney didn't handle the pressure.